Chapter 36 Inside the car with two people, my body still retains the feeling of loving you...

The last rays of the setting sun slowly descended on the horizon, and the cool, clear moon gradually brightened.

Yan Quan and Yan Ceyan hugged each other for a long time on the rooftop. They did nothing but simply hug each other.

This is a bit strange. Yan Quan didn't know before that she was so patient, even to the point of being...clingy.

"Hmm..." Yan Quan squinted her eyelashes, trying to stand up by supporting herself on Yan Ceyan's shoulders, only to find that her limbs were a little weak.

My head is... spinning?

What, what's going on? Yan Quan rubbed his temples and realized that his vision was gradually becoming blurry.

Eh...?

In a daze, Yan Quan recalled the candy she had put in her mouth; besides the cool, minty sweetness, it seemed to also have a faint astringent taste.

"Could it be... alcohol?" Yan Quan asked, belatedly realizing that her voice was hoarse as if it had been burned.

"...?" Yan Ceyan noticed Yan Quan's unusual behavior and hurriedly cupped Yan Quan's face to examine him:

"Your skin is very red right now."

"Is there...is there wine in the candy?" Yan Quan's lips parted hoarsely.

"This long-established brand in H Port is famous for its liqueur-filled candies." Yan Ceyan's heart leaped into his throat, and he answered Yan Quan's question with a furrowed brow.

This brand of handmade candy has a long history and is a must-have New Year's treat for wealthy families. When Yan Ceyan was a child, his family always had boxes of these candies piled up.

Yan Ceyan was a little puzzled, not understanding why Yan Quan seemed to know nothing about such a common brand.

But soon, Yan Ceyan put his vague doubts aside and was replaced by worry that concern could cloud his judgment.

"Ugh..." Yan Quan seemed to be enduring some immense pain, his face pale and wrinkled in a pitiful way. "I'm truly speechless..."

"I knew it... its name is, 'Tipsy First Love'."

"What exactly happened?" Yan Ceyan looked at Yan Quan's distressed appearance, and his own heart clenched with pain.

"Help me call 120 for emergency help..." Yan Quan's forehead began to bead with cold sweat: "I'm allergic to alcohol."

"It's very serious." Yan Quan's breathing became rapid, showing signs of an acute asthma reaction.

"It might...it could kill me."

Yan Ceyan quickly reviewed the first aid knowledge in his mind, immediately laid Yan Quan flat on the ground, unbuttoned Yan Quan's school uniform shirt, and pressed his fingertips against the chest to assist Yan Quan's breathing with external pressure.

With his other hand, he immediately dialed the emergency medical services number.

"Severe allergic reaction, the address is the rooftop of Building 11, Nanli Middle School..."

"Male, 18 years old, alpha... The situation is critical, and the possibility of death due to asphyxiation and shock cannot be ruled out."

Yan Ceyan tried to stay calm while on the phone, but his slightly trembling voice betrayed his fear.

A tremendous, overwhelming fear that leaves one with nowhere to hide.

Even during previous training sessions, when the coach pointed a gun at Yan Ceyan's temple... Yan Ceyan was not afraid the moment the coach pulled the trigger.

Yan Ceyan was never afraid to go and die on his own.

"Please." Looking down from the high rooftop, the streets were bustling with traffic, huge sirens with flashing red lights resounded through the sky, and white ambulances were speeding along the emergency green channel, rushing to the scene with great urgency.

"Please, Yan Quan." Yan Ceyan lowered his head, his hands repeatedly pressing on Yan Quan's chest. A salty liquid dripped down the scar under Yan Ceyan's eye.

"Don't die."

"Sweet Orange, don't die."

...

In a hazy state of consciousness, Yan Quan felt as if she had fallen into a deep, dark seabed where she couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

In a daze, a voice kept calling her name repeatedly, trembling as if crying: "Yan Quan, Yan Quan..." Sometimes it would be mixed with another name: "Sweet Orange..."

Ah, Yan Quan realized in a daze: it was Yan Ceyan.

What the heck? Yan Ceyan can cry too?

The fact that the fearsome King Yama could cry is sure to shock countless students in Class A.

"Don't cry, puppy."

Yan Quan tried to reach out and wipe away Yan Ceyan's tears, only to find that he was completely wrapped up and unable to move.

A distant voice drifted down from the top again: "Please, don't die."

Ha... Yan Quan tried his best to trace the source of the sound upwards: Silly little dog, I won't die.

You still owe me a bet.

"Tick-tock—beep-beep—" was the electronic indicator sound of his heart rate returning to normal. Yan Quan opened his heavy eyelids, and the ceiling light in his field of vision was quite dazzling.

“Hmm…” Yan Quan murmured, “Water.”

"...I...I'll get it for you." Yan Ceyan, who was guarding Yan Quan's sickbed, was instantly awakened from his light sleep and went to pour water for Yan Quan.

With her lips moistened by a cotton swab, Yan Quan drank most of a glass of water, finally feeling a little better after her parched limbs and body began to feel better.

Is this a hospital?

"Hmm." Yan Ceyan nodded, his bloodshot eyes filled with the exhaustion of working day and night. "You were just transferred out of the ICU."

Yan Quan glanced at the date on the blood pressure and blood oxygen monitor: three days had passed.

"You've been watching over me for three days?" Yan Quan continued to ask.

"Hmm." Yan Ceyan rubbed his dark circles. Yan Quan's awakening finally relaxed his tense mind, and a belated sense of fatigue swept over him.

Seeing Yan Ceyan's disheveled and miserable appearance, Yan Quan felt as if a small knife was faintly cutting into her heart... For the first time, apart from her own mother, Yan Quan began to feel sorry for someone.

"Then you..." Yan Quan was about to say something when he was interrupted by a forceful voice.

The man, dressed in a well-pressed suit with slightly graying temples, walked over with a cold expression. His narrow pupils made him look somewhat like a villain from an ancient drama.

"Dad," Yan Quan called out softly, clutching the hospital sheet tightly.

Yan Ceyan then stood up politely and bowed slightly to the middle-aged man, saying, "Uncle."

"..." Yan Zhengdong gave Yan Ceyan a perfunctory reply, and then turned his gaze to Yan Quan.

Are you feeling better?

It was meant to be a caring greeting, but the unpleasant, questioning tone sounded more like an accusation.

With just that tone, Yan Quan understood everything. The hospital, the critical condition notice, the pre-operative instructions—everything had been communicated to the immediate family… the truth had been revealed.

The whirring of the IV drip echoed noisily in Yan Quan's ears. She bit her lower lip, digging her nails into her flesh.

Severe allergies are nothing... My current situation is a million times worse than an allergy.

It seems that the only saving grace amidst the misfortune is that Yan Ceyan is still unaware of the situation.

"Yan Ceyan," Yan Quan called out hoarsely, "Get out."

“I…” Yan Ceyan frowned and didn’t move. He was worried about Yan Quan’s health.

Yan Quan gritted his teeth and said resolutely, "Yan Ceyan, I don't want to see you again."

"Go away, and don't come to the hospital again."

Yan Ceyan's eyes darkened instantly. He didn't understand why Yan Quan's expression changed so quickly. But in order to be considerate of Yan Quan's feelings while he was sick, he silently got up and left the ward.

With Yan Ceyan gone, the quiet room was left with only Yan Quan and Yan Zhengdong in a cold standoff.

The tense and oppressive atmosphere rose, and the smell of disinfectant in the hospital gradually became heavy and tense... Yan Quan slowly took a deep breath and found herself to be calmer than she had imagined.

It's likely that from the moment Yan Quan decided to carry out this deception and disguise, he anticipated that things would one day be exposed.

Therefore, when the "punishment" was handed down, Yan Quan felt more relieved than nervous and "afraid" than relieved of the burden.

“As you can see, the Alpha gender is fake; I’m an Omega.” Yan Quan slowly exhaled. “But you must have also done a paternity test…”

“I am your son, that much is true.”

"So... Yan Zhengdong." Since they had already broken off all pretense, Yan Quan was too lazy to pretend to be "father and son" anymore, since he had absolutely no feelings for this man.

Yan Quan bluntly addressed the middle-aged man by his given name: "So, Yan Zhengdong, what do you intend to do with me?"

"Are you going to kick me and my mother out?"

"Go back to the Baisha Street slums and eke out a living?"

"Heh...you lied to me. That was my original plan." The man, whose face was shrouded in deep gloom, smiled meaningfully, his deep eye lines revealing a dirty conspiracy.

"But now, you have a new value."

From now on, in countless late nights, Yan Quan will rewind to this scene and be awakened by nightmares.

A mix of regret and resentment overwhelmed Yan Quan; he kept thinking, "If only I hadn't had an allergic reaction, if only I hadn't eaten that candy, if only I hadn't been taken to the hospital..."

In his most extreme moments, Yan Quan would even think: If only he... had died on that day.

Then all the beautiful memories will be frozen in that pure and innocent summer of my eighteenth year, a time when I was innocent and pure enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Everything that follows will then be free from scheming, deception, and exploitation, and perhaps things can end amicably between me and Yan Ceyan.

It won't come to the point of hatred, nor will it escalate to the point of mutual loathing and despair.

*Recollection of the dividing line, the end*

"Nine rings, that's a pretty good result."

On the shooting range, amidst the swirling yellow sand, Yan Ceyan finally shifted his gaze from Yan Quan's face and looked at the target, which was only millimeters away from the center.

He repeated himself in a calm tone, "So Yan Quan, what do you want me to promise you?"

"Don't say you haven't thought it through again. And then drag it out for the whole summer." Recalling certain past events, Yan Ceyan gritted his teeth and pressed his lower lip.

Finally, the demands also included...

It's extremely infuriating.

"I've already thought it through." Yan Quan was no longer the childish boy he once was. He quickly composed himself and regained his calm and collected demeanor.

“But…” Yan Quan glanced at the cameraman holding the camera, “that request is not convenient to mention right now.”

"See you at the same place tonight."

I get it, they're talking in the bathroom again, right?

[You two are really... a limited-edition bathroom couple from a dating reality show (facepalm and wry smile)]

[The production team is really spoiling you guys by not installing cameras in the bathroom (glares fiercely)]

[Support! Because of this bathroom plot hole, we've missed so many important scenes!]

[Is there any wealthy woman who can hire a construction team to demolish the bathroom in this small house?]

"We're not outsiders (annoying), why can't we say things openly and honestly?"

"Back then? So today's date bet is a second round, you two did this before when you were together?"

[Urgent! I really need to know what the betting requirements are!]

[To put it another way, what exactly did Yan Quan ask for back then? Surely he can tell us that now (crying)]

What else could it be? I bet it's some kind of romantic gesture between young lovers (a knowing look on his face).

"Yan Ceyan, I'm tired."

Today's schedule included boxing and shooting, and his mind was filled with many past memories. Yan Quan is currently in a state of utter exhaustion, both physically and mentally.

She squinted her eyes listlessly, yawned listlessly, and unconsciously softened her voice: "Let's go home, okay?"

Yan Ceyan glanced at Yan Quan, his eyes flickering slightly.

I've discovered that what's even more lethal than Yan Quan's skillful flirting is his unconscious flirting.

[Wow, that soft voice! Yan Quan really sounds like a kitten being affectionate.]

[My son says he's tired! Ex-husband, I advise you to end this date quickly and let our son go to sleep.]

Am I the only one who finds the "going home" theme interesting to savor? You two didn't live together before, did you?

Sister, are you a prophet? I'm on your side. I always felt there was a lot of grudges and complicated feelings between them.

Tired...? Yan Ceyan looked down at the mechanical watch on his wrist: 5:00 PM - converted to the A Federation time zone, it was just the time to go to sleep late at night.

Yan Ceyan's lips twitched slightly involuntarily: "At this time of day, it is indeed the A Federation's schedule."

Yan Quan, who was walking ahead, slowed down by 0.1 seconds: ...

[Federation A: Why am I being dragged into this again, an innocent bystander? Is it my fault for geographical location, latitude, longitude, and time difference??]

[My ex-husband really cares a lot]

[Suspecting that her ex-husband is a top-tier hater of Federation A]

[Yan Quan has been in Federation A for seven years. Ex-husband, you must have been itching to get back at her, right?]

Oh dear, some people say they don't care, but they're faster than anyone at calculating time zones (facepalm)

Seven years of biological clock adjustment is not so easy. Yan Quan was not lying; he was truly exhausted.

By the time Yan Quan walked out of the shooting range and onto the underground parking lot, his eyelids were drooping.

Moreover, Yan Ceyan's car interior was really nice. The passenger seat with the backrest was like it was tailor-made for him, with every vertebra of his spine fitting so perfectly, making him feel like he was lying in cotton when he lay back.

As a result, the following situation occurred: Yan Ceyan started the engine and just as he put his hands on the steering wheel to leave... he turned around and found that Yan Quan had already fallen into a sound sleep like a baby.

A light breath floated in the air, creating tiny ripples.

He just... fell asleep?

Yan Ceyan's professional habits dictate that he must always be sharp and alert, which makes him somewhat amused and exasperated by this situation.

"You really..."

An Alpha of the opposite sex can be in the same car with you without any sense of caution.

Is it because I'm the opposite-sex Alpha...? Something in Yan Ceyan's heart stirred as Yan Quan's eyelashes fluttered.

So, under the watchful eyes of everyone, with several cameras filming him, Yan Ceyan simply turned off the car and stopped motionless in place.

What? Aren't you driving?

[Oh, I get it, he's waiting for Yan Quan to wake up.]

I can speak to this: there are speed bumps when you exit the parking lot, and those things are really bumpy... Anyone sleeping on them would definitely be easily woken up.

[Damn, ex-husband, you're spoiling him a bit now.]

This damn tough guy's tender side

Wait, ex-husband, why did you unbuckle your seatbelt and get out of the car again? Where are you going?

"Oh, it's the trunk... Hmm? What did you take out of there?"

Report! It's a U-shaped pillow specifically for sleeping!

"No... when did you prepare this?"

Oh no, I remember now, my ex-husband went for a run this morning... and he carried a bag after his run.

"No?! Hidden so well? I thought it was a change of clothes..."

"This is brand new, just bought... My ex-husband doesn't seem like the type to use something like this."

"My boyfriend is also in the military, and he's only used to sleeping on those hard pillows."

So I bought this U-shaped pillow this morning because I knew Yan Quan would get sleepy easily.

I can't take it anymore! He's so thoughtful about 1-on-1 dates. I'm totally rooting for my ex-husband this time.

[I still love my ex-husband too much]

[She's all talk and no action, but she's actually very concerned about whether Yan Quan is sleeping well.]

When Yan Ceyan returned to the car, Yan Quan seemed to be uncomfortable sleeping and unconsciously changed his position.

His head tilted to the other side, his forehead pressed against the hard glass. His already pale skin immediately bore a red mark.

Yan Ceyan saw it and subconsciously frowned: Doesn't it hurt...?

Years have passed, but Yan Ceyan's ingrained instincts remain unchanged—to empathize with Yan Quan's feelings and then feel heartache as if he were there.

When I wake up like this, my back and waist will definitely ache again.

"Lying like this is going to break my bones." Back in high school, Yan Quan often slept on her desk, then grumbled to Yan Ceyan after waking up.

"With so much budget allocated every year, where do the school leaders spend it all... Can't they just turn the desks into beds?"

During high school, Yan Ceyan would always listen to what was being said silently, and thus developed the habit of always having a U-shaped pillow handy.

Even after seven years, even if Yan Ceyan himself doesn't use it, he will still buy a U-shaped pillow if there isn't one in the car.

"Hmm... Hmph..." Yan Quan's unconscious murmurs pulled him back from his memories, and Yan Ceyan bent down to look at Yan Quan again.

He gently lifted Yan Quan's warm head with his palm... To avoid waking Yan Quan, Yan Ceyan deliberately held his breath, his arm muscles tense and straight.

Yan Ceyan can swear that his current level of focus is the same as when he was defusing bombs on the battlefield.

"Phew..." After carefully placing the U-shaped pillow under Yan Quan's head, Yan Ceyan finally let out a soft, long sigh of relief.

Then... finally I had time to gaze at Yan Quan's expression while he was sleeping—his eyes were closed, his long, curled eyelashes would droop obediently, and his lips would be pursed... he looked very well-behaved.

She has one bad habit: she likes to slightly furrow her brows when she sleeps... like a pitiful little thing.

"So many years have passed..."

Why haven't they changed their bad habits? In fact, they've gotten even worse.

Back when he was still by Yan Quan's side, his "boyfriend" Yan Ceyan would "manually correct" this situation by smoothing Yan Quan's brow with his fingertips.

However... it seems that Yan Ceyan no longer has the stance to "manually" take action.

So Yan Ceyan was about to pull his arm back, but... well, the quiet atmosphere in the car was just too nice, and besides, Yan Ceyan has a bit of OCD.

Moreover... Yan Quan even tilted his head slightly, turning his face towards Yan Ceyan—this was practically a veiled hint to Yan Ceyan.

So after only two seconds of hesitation, Yan Ceyan reached out... very lightly extending two fingers. As gently as a dragonfly's wings skimming the water's surface, he placed his fingertips against Yan Quan's furrowed brow.

Yan Quan's body temperature was very high; it seemed that omegas' body temperatures were always higher than alphas'. Yan Ceyan felt a fire burning at his fingertips.

"Hmm..." Feeling a gentle touch on her brow, Yan Quan unconsciously let out a soft hum: "Hmm... Hmm."

Yan Ceyan is a level 10 master of "Yan Quan's Language," and he knows that this interjection means that Yan Quan is currently comfortable.

The tiny warmth emanating from the fire at his fingertips gently stirred his heart, and Yan Ceyan himself didn't even realize that a tender smile was spreading across his lips:

"Why are you still the same as before?"

[Your uncle spoils his dad (crying)]

[Such a pure and innocent scene, it even made my lividity fade.]

I didn't understand the appeal of reconciliation before, but now I completely understand: "Even though our roles have changed, I still retain the habit of loving you."

Sisters, mouth doubles, they'll make clouds more and more cloudy.

Please support our duo! These two may be a bit contradictory on the surface, but their actions speak louder than anyone else's.

I support this marriage! My ex-husband seems like a thrifty person; we're entrusting our precious child to you.

Yan Ceyan originally planned to only massage Yan Quan's temples for a short while... but as he massaged, Yan Ceyan started to "forget his original intention and want more and more".

After smoothing out Yan Quan's brow, my fingertips naturally slid to Yan Quan's cheek—a soft, warm body temperature, like some kind of furry animal, so nice…rua.

In fact, Yan Ceyan did reach out and touch it.

Then... something unexpected happened—just as Yan Ceyan's fingertips were still resting on Yan Quan's left cheek and he hadn't had time to withdraw them...

Yan Quan's pair of clear, beautiful, and alluring fox-like eyes quietly opened.

And with a hint of surprise, he asked in a low, hoarse voice, "You...you're here?"

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Author's Note: Just between you and me, I'm actually very happy every time you leave a comment!