Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Aren’t we in love with each other?
Fu Xu turned around upon hearing the voice, and just as his fingertips touched Chen Louchen's arm, he felt the other's body shake violently. His dark eyes lost focus instantly, and he fell forward as if all his strength was drained away. Fu Xu subconsciously reached out to support him, but was pressed down by Chen Louchen's heavy body and staggered a few steps. His back hit the edge of the bed, and he gasped in pain.
"Mr. Shen!" Fu Xu panicked and ignored the dull pain in his back. He used all his strength to move the man onto the bed.
Chen Louchen had broad shoulders and a thick back, and normally you couldn't see any muscles on him, but now he felt like a small mountain pressing down on him. Fu Xu's arms were shaking violently, and a thin layer of sweat soon broke out on his forehead. The wound on the side of his neck was slightly painful from being pulled, but he didn't dare to stop. He could only grit his teeth and move Chen Louchen's body bit by bit.
After finally putting the person on the bed, Fu Xu slumped on the carpet and gasped for breath, his heart beating as if it would jump out of his throat. Then Fu Xu raised his head, leaned against the edge of the bed, and quietly looked at Chen Louchen's sleeping face.
The other person's brows were furrowed, as if he was having an uneasy dream. His lips were a little pale, and his usual coldness and hardness faded, revealing a bit of fragility.
Fu Xu stretched out his hand, trying to smooth out the wrinkles between his brows, but when his fingertips were about to touch him, he suddenly stopped and retracted his hand as if burned.
What was he? He was just an omega temporarily taken in by the Shen family. He didn't even have basic pheromones, and he wasn't even worthy of being marked.
What Mr. Shen said before still echoes in my ears.
“Do what you should do, and don’t dream of things that don’t belong to you.”
The closeness we felt yesterday was nothing more than an abnormality caused by the side effects of the inhibitors, and a dependence on Mr. Shen after he lost his memory. It should not be taken seriously.
He shouldn't be greedy.
Fu Xu stood up and gently covered Chen Louchen with the quilt, moving so gently as if he was afraid of disturbing the other person's dream.
The single sofa in the bedroom was very small. Fu Xu curled up in it, with his knees against his chest, just enough to lie down. The sofa cushion was a bit hard and hurt his bones, but he felt at ease this way. At least he didn't cross the line and stopped having those unrealistic fantasies.
The moonlight outside the window crept in again, falling on Shen Louchen's bed and on Fu Xu lying in the corner of the sofa. Fu Xu closed his eyes, and the tip of his nose seemed to still be lingering with the fresh scent of Shen Louchen, like a mountain spring, clean and reassuring. But he didn't dare to think about it anymore, so he could only clutch the corner of his clothes and force himself to fall asleep.
He did not sleep well that night. The sofa was too small and he was always worried that he would fall off. He woke up several times in a daze. Every time he opened his eyes, he would look at the person on the bed first, confirming that Chen Louchen was sleeping soundly, and then he would breathe a sigh of relief and close his eyes.
When it was almost dawn, Fu Xu finally fell into a deep sleep. When he woke up again, it was already bright outside the window. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains onto the floor, making it warm.
Fu Xu moved his stiff neck and climbed up from the sofa. All the bones in his body ached as if they were falling apart.
Chen Louchen on the bed hadn't woken up yet. His breathing was even, his brows were relaxed, and he looked much calmer.
Fu Xu walked out of the bedroom with light steps and went straight to the kitchen. There were fresh ingredients in the refrigerator. He wanted to make some light porridge. Mr. Shen fainted yesterday and he seemed to be still weak.
It takes time to cook porridge. Fu Xu stayed beside the casserole, watching the rice grains slowly become soft and glutinous, and the faint fragrance of rice filled the air. He fried two soft-boiled eggs, cut some refreshing side dishes, and placed them on an exquisite white porcelain plate. These were all foods that Chen Louchen would occasionally eat in the past.
After everything was ready, he tiptoed back to the bedroom. Chen Louchen just opened his eyes, and when he saw him, a light instantly lit up in his eyes.
"Awake?" Fu Xu's voice was soft.
Chen Louchen nodded, threw off the quilt and sat up, his eyes following him closely, as if afraid that he would run away. "I'm hungry."
"Breakfast is ready, Mr. Shen." Fu Xu smiled, turned around and tried to walk out, but his wrist was gently pulled.
Chen Louchen lowered his head, stroking his wrist with his fingers, and said in a muffled voice: "Together."
Fu Xu was stunned for a moment before realizing that he wanted him to accompany him.
Fu Xu subconsciously retracted his hand: "Mr. Shen...let's eat first."
Chen Louchen then let go of his hand and got out of bed obediently. As he walked towards the bathroom, his steps were still a little lazy as if he had not woken up yet. However, he did not forget to look back at Fu Xu. After confirming that he had not left, he closed the door with confidence.
Fu Xu brought breakfast to the dining table one by one, and the porridge in the white porcelain bowl was steaming.
After washing up, Chen Louchen came out and walked straight to the dining table and sat down. His eyes fell on Fu Xu with obvious expectation. "Come and eat."
Fu Xu shook his head and subconsciously took a step back: "I'm going to take a shower first. I smell of cooking fumes."
He remembered very clearly that last time when he was cooking, he was closer to Shen Louchen, and the other party frowned subconsciously. Although he quickly let go, he still saw it. A person who loves cleanliness like Mr. Shen must hate the smell of oil smoke, right?
Chen Louchen's brows suddenly furrowed, and his tone was full of unquestionable insistence: "No, let's eat first."
“But…” Fu Xu was a little anxious. He didn’t want to upset Mr. Shen, and he didn’t want the other party to dislike him because of such a small matter. “It has a smell, and you will feel uncomfortable.”
Chen Louchen looked at his anxiously red eyes, and his heart suddenly softened.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Fu Xu thought he was angry, and her heart became even more panicked. In a hurry, she softened her voice like coaxing a child: "Mr. Shen, I'll be fine soon. I'll come back to eat with you after taking a shower, okay? Just... half an hour, you can eat something to fill your stomach first?"
As he spoke, he cautiously stretched out his hand and gently touched Shen Louchen's arm, as if testing it.
Chen Louchen's heart skipped a beat when he saw him like this, and his persistence instantly collapsed. Fu Xu's voice was soft and pleading, scratching his heart like a feather, making it impossible for him to refuse.
"...Okay." He heard himself responding muffledly, but his ears quietly turned red, and two white animal ears popped out inadvertently and flew gently backwards.
Fu Xu didn't expect him to agree so easily. After a moment's pause, he finally reacted. A smile of surprise appeared on his face, as bright as the sun after the rain, dazzling. "Thank you, Mr. Shen! I'll be back soon!"
After he finished speaking, he turned around and ran upstairs, his steps so light that it seemed as if he was walking on clouds.
It turns out that Mr. Shen at this time is the same as the original body, and all you need to do is touch the fur.
Chen Louchen sat at the dining table and watched his back disappear around the corner of the stairs before slowly picking up the spoon. However, he had no appetite and only stirred the porridge in the bowl intermittently.
He didn't know what he was thinking just now, he just felt as if there was a faint fragrance, and then he couldn't help but agree. This feeling was very strange, but not unpleasant.
Time passed minute by minute, and the porridge on the table gradually cooled down. Chen Louchen looked at the wall clock. Half an hour had passed, and Fu Xu still hadn't come down.
He suddenly felt panicky, as if he had a bad feeling. The omega was so thin and weak. Could something have happened to him?
Chen Louchen could no longer sit still. He stood up suddenly and ran upstairs. He rushed to the bathroom door in two steps. It was quiet inside, without a sound.
He knocked on the door, his voice filled with an urgency he didn't even realize was there, "Are you in there?"
No response.
Chen Louchen's heart suddenly rose to his throat. He didn't even bother to knock on the door and directly opened the bathroom door.
The cold water was still running in the bathroom. Fu Xu leaned limply against the tiled wall, his face as pale as paper, his lips bloodless, his eyes tightly closed, as if he would faint at any moment.
"Fu Xu!" Chen Louchen rushed over and supported him, only to find that his body was incredibly hot, but his hands and feet were cold.
Fu Xu slowly opened his eyes when he touched her. His eyes were unfocused. When he saw it was him, he opened his mouth weakly, his voice so light it sounded like a sigh: "Mr. Shen..."
He wanted to say that he was fine, but before he could finish his words, his vision went dark and his body slid down softly. Chen Louchen quickly hugged him. The belt of his bathrobe came loose due to the movement, revealing the delicate skin and thin skeleton underneath. His shoulder blades protruded a little, but revealed a fragile beauty.
Chen Louchen glanced at him casually, and felt a buzzing in his head, as if something had exploded. This omega was obviously pitifully thin, but his skin was dazzlingly white. The slightest touch would turn his skin into a light pink, which made his heart tighten and his breathing a little disordered.
Something seemed to be burning beside his ear, and he subconsciously reached out to touch it. It was his tiger ear, which had appeared at some point and was trembling slightly because of its owner's panic.
"Damn it." Chen Louchen cursed softly and quickly looked away. He grabbed the bath towel beside him and wrapped Fu Xu tightly. He tied a knot and then bent down to carry him horizontally.
Fu Xu was very light, like a feather in his arms, but Chen Louchen felt that the person in his arms weighed more than a thousand pounds. He took every step carefully, for fear of hurting him.
When going downstairs, Fu Xu moved in his arms, as if he was awake, but also as if he was not. He just subconsciously shrank into his arms like a little animal seeking shelter.
Chen Louchen's heart skipped a beat, and he tightened his arms around him. He gently placed him on the sofa in the living room, found a blanket to cover him, and then turned to the kitchen to bring him some porridge.
"Eat something first." He sat on the sofa waiting for Fu Xu to open his eyes, his voice very soft.
Fu Xu slowly opened his eyes, his vision still a little blurry. Seeing the porridge in Chen Louchen's hand, he shook his head weakly: "No..."
"No." Chen Louchen's tone was full of unquestionable insistence, but without any anger, "How can you not eat? You're almost fainting."
He scooped a spoonful of porridge, blew it cool, and handed it to Fu Xu's mouth: "Open your mouth."
Fu Xu looked at his serious expression, then looked at the spoonful of steaming porridge. He actually didn't have much of an appetite, and how could Mr. Shen condescend to feed him.
But seeing the worry in Chen Louchen's eyes, he couldn't say no, so he just opened his mouth slightly and swallowed the porridge.
The rice porridge is soft and sticky, with a light rice aroma. It slides into the stomach and actually makes me feel a little better.
When Chen Louchen saw him eating, he quickly scooped another spoonful and carefully fed it to his mouth.
Fu Xu was fed by him mouthful by mouthful, looking at Chen Louchen's focused profile, watching him frown slightly occasionally because he ate slowly, and looking at the undisguised concern in his eyes, her heart seemed to be filled with something, warm and a little sour.
He remembered that when he was in the Fu family, no one cared about him when he was sick, and he could only shrink in a corner and endure it by himself. Who would be so patient to feed him?
"Mr. Shen..." Fu Xu suddenly spoke, his voice still a little weak, "Your ears..."
Chen Louchen then realized that he had not retracted his tiger ears yet. He suddenly felt embarrassed and his ears turned red. He tried to hide his ears in a hurry, but forgot that he was still feeding porridge. As a result, a spoonful of porridge almost spilled on Fu Xu.
"Are you not burned?" Chen Louchen hurriedly put the bowl on the coffee table and asked about Fu Xu's condition.
Fu Xu shook his head and couldn't help but laugh softly. His pale face finally showed some color.
The sunlight poured into the living room through the window and fell on the two of them, bringing a warm breath. The aroma of porridge filled the air, mixed with the faint scent of shower gel, making people feel at ease.
Fu Xu ate half a bowl of porridge and couldn't eat anymore. Chen Louchen didn't force him. He put the bowl aside and picked up the blanket to cover him. His fingers accidentally touched his cheek, which was still a little hot.
Just as he was about to pull his hand back, Chen Louchen heard Fu Xu mumbling something. He couldn't help but lean over to listen, and accidentally rubbed the soft skin, and a strange touch suddenly came over him.
The temperature of Chen Louchen's fingertips formed a sharp contrast with the heat of Fu Xu's cheek. His heart tightened, and he subconsciously moved his hand closer, gently stroking the delicate skin with his fingertips, wanting to confirm whether the heat had subsided.
Fu Xu was already weak, and he had already exhausted all his strength after being fed half a bowl of porridge. At this moment, he was leaning on the sofa, his consciousness as shaky as a candle in the wind.
The slightly cool touch from Chen Louchen's palm made him instinctively rub against the heat source. His eyelids became heavier and heavier, and finally he could no longer hold on. His head tilted, and he fell softly into Chen Louchen's arms.
"Hmm..." Fu Xu hummed softly in his sleep, like a kitten that found a warm nest. He curled up and buried his face in the crook of Chen Louchen's neck. The tip of his nose unconsciously rubbed against his Adam's apple, bringing a slight itch.
Chen Louchen's whole body stiffened, and he subconsciously wanted to push away, but his fingertips touched a piece of delicate and warm skin, mixed with a faint fragrance, like some unknown flower, not strong, but it penetrated into people's hearts. Fu Xu's body was very soft, and holding it in his arms was like a ball of fluffy cotton, light and warm, as if it would be crushed with a little force.
A strange feeling of comfort spread from the bottom of his heart, as if his tense nerves were suddenly smoothed by ironing, and even his limbs were filled with lazy warmth. Chen Louchen couldn't help but tighten his arms and hugged the person tighter. The light fragrance lingered on the tip of his nose, and his eyes fell on Fu Xu's earlobe, which was faintly pink. He was inexplicably tempted to take a bite, wanting to taste whether that soft piece was as sweet as it looked.
Just as his Adam's apple moved slightly and he was about to take action, a chaotic light and shadow suddenly flashed through his mind.
In the damp basement, with the pungent smell of pheromones, a vague Omega figure stood in the shadows, saying something in an alluring voice. He himself seemed to be tied up by invisible chains, his whole body hot but unable to move. He could only listen to the omega's dominant actions. The humiliation and anger that were forcibly controlled by the pheromones surged like a tide, instantly dispersing the beauty in his heart.
"Fuck." Chen Louchen suddenly came back to his senses, his eyes suddenly turned cold, as if he was touched by something dirty, and subconsciously pushed the person in his arms away.
Fu Xu's body lost support and he swayed before he could barely lean back on the armrest of the sofa. His brows were furrowed by the sudden movement, and a trace of pain appeared on his pale face.
Looking at him like this, Chen Louchen's hardened heart softened inexplicably.
This is not the Omega who controls him, this is Fu Xu, the Omega who is always timid and doesn't even dare to speak loudly.
What happened to him just now?
Chen Louchen frowned in annoyance, but in the end he couldn't bear it, so he reached out and took Fu Xu back into his arms. This time, he moved very gently and carefully pulled the blanket up to cover his exposed shoulders.
Fu Xu rubbed against his arms, seemed to have found a comfortable position, her breathing gradually became steady, her long eyelashes trembled slightly like butterfly wings, and she did not wake up again.
Chen Louchen maintained this posture, sitting motionless on the sofa, looking at the peaceful sleeping face of the person in his arms, until the sunlight outside the window gradually set in the west and turned into a warm orange-red color, then he gently carried the person back to the bed in the bedroom.
When I woke up again, it was already dark.
Fu Xu was awakened by hunger. His stomach was empty and aching slightly. He struggled to sit up and found himself lying on Shen Louchen's bed, covered with a soft quilt, but Shen Louchen was not in the room.
He picked up the phone on the bedside table. The screen lit up, showing an unread message from Gu Wangyan: "Fu Xu, are you free tomorrow? I'll take you out for a walk, as we agreed last time."
Gu Wangyan is the only person he can talk to so far. When Fu Xu saw the message, his eyes lit up and a hint of anticipation arose in his heart.
Since he was found by the Fu family, he had never stepped out of that small courtyard. Even when he came to the Shen family, he was sent back and forth by others.
It seemed like the last time he looked up at the sky was a long, long time ago, so long ago that he even began to feel dazed and wondered if he had ever been truly free.
Sure enough, if people are enslaved for too long, they will develop a submissive mentality.
He really wanted to go out, but... would Mr. Shen agree?
Fu Xu's eyes dimmed again, his fingertips hesitated on the screen, and ultimately he didn't dare to reply immediately.
At dinner, Fu Xu's appetite improved and he could eat more.
The restaurant was very quiet, with only the occasional clatter of dishes and chopsticks.
Fu Xu tried to speak several times, but swallowed the words back every time they reached his lips, and his fingers nervously twisted the tablecloth.
Chen Louchen noticed his awkwardness and looked up at him: "What's the matter?"
"No, no..." Fu Xu shook his head subconsciously. Seeing Chen Louchen's gaze return to the bowl, he mustered up the courage and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Chen, can I...can I go out tomorrow? Doctor Gu has an appointment with me...for treatment."
Before he finished speaking, he felt that the air pressure across the table seemed to be lower.
Chen Louchen paused holding the chopsticks, without saying anything, but frowned slightly. The emotion in his eyes was unclear, but the obvious displeasure in his aura made Fu Xu's heart sink.
As expected...it's not possible.
Fu Xu lowered his head and whispered, "I'm just asking... If you don't agree... it's okay." After that, he stopped talking and just silently picked at the rice in the bowl.
The atmosphere in the restaurant became even more stagnant, even the air seemed to be frozen. Fu Xu could feel Chen Louchen's gaze falling on him from time to time, with an indescribable sense of oppression that made him feel uneasy.
Just when he thought the matter was over, Chen Louchen suddenly spoke in a low voice, unable to discern his emotions: "Okay."
Fu Xu suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of surprise: "You, you agree?"
Chen Louchen put down his chopsticks, wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, raised his eyes and looked at him seriously: "You can go out, but there is a condition."
"Mr. Shen, you...you say!" Fu Xu nodded quickly, with excitement in his eyes.
Shen Louchen's gaze lingered on his face for a few seconds before he slowly said, "From now on, you must sleep with me."
"..." Fu Xu was stunned. Her cheeks flushed bright red, even her ears were tinged with pink. From now on... I have to sleep with him... with him? Doesn't that mean... we have to sleep in the same bed every day?
He subconsciously wanted to refuse, as this was too much of an overstep, but looking at Chen Louchen's unquestionable eyes, he probably would be torn to pieces if he refused. He didn't want to make Mr. Shen unhappy, and he was even more afraid that if he refused, he would lose this only chance to go out.
Fu Xu bit his lower lip, his fingers tightly grasping the corner of his clothes, and his voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum: "...Okay."
Hearing his answer, Chen Louchen's brows relaxed slightly, a barely perceptible smile flashed across his eyes, then quickly disappeared, and he simply said, "Let's eat."
That night, Fu Xu lay beside Shen Louchen, his whole body stiff as a stone, even breathing very lightly, for fear of touching the other party. Shen Louchen's breath lingered at the tip of his nose, clear and clean, making him flustered.
He didn't know how he fell asleep. He only remembered that when he was half asleep, a warm hand seemed to gently rest on his waist, pulling him into his arms. Then he fell into a deep sleep and had no dreams all night.
The next morning, when Fu Xu woke up, Chen Louchen was already awake and was lying on his side looking at him. His eyes were so focused that he felt a little embarrassed.
"Mr. Shen, I... I should get up. Doctor Gu is still waiting for me." Fu Xu said as he wanted to lift the quilt and get out of bed.
But her wrist was grabbed by Chen Louchen. He didn't say anything, but just pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
Fu Xu's face was pressed against his chest, and he could clearly hear his strong heartbeat, "boom, boom", as if knocking on the tip of his heart. He could feel Chen Louchen's chin against the top of his head, and his breath brushed through his hair, carrying a warm breath.
"Mr. Shen..." Fu Xu's voice trembled a little.
"Hold me for a while longer." Chen Louchen's voice was muffled, and the tip of his nose gently rubbed Fu Xu's glands, with a bit of laziness of waking up, and a hint of reluctance, "It will be fine soon."
Fu Xu had no choice but to let him hold him obediently. He felt shy and anxious, but he couldn't muster the thought of resisting at all. Chen Louchen's embrace was warm and broad, like a harbor that could shelter him from the wind and rain, making him want to linger for a while longer.
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Louchen finally let go of his hand, looked at his flushed cheeks, and whispered, "Come back soon."
"Yeah." Fu Xu nodded, got out of bed as if escaping, hurriedly washed, changed clothes and walked out of the bedroom.
Chen Louchen saw him to the door and watched him get into Gu Wangyan's car. He didn't turn around and go back into the house until the car disappeared from his sight.
As soon as he closed the door, the doorbell rang.
It was Lin Yunzhou standing outside the door, holding a medicine box in his hand.
"Achen, let me check your body. By the way..." Lin Yunzhou didn't finish his words, his eyes swept across Chen Louchen's neck. There was a hair on it that was not Chen Louchen's hair color. Lin Yunzhou paused and asked, "What is this on your neck?"
Chen Louchen subconsciously touched his neck, and there seemed to be nothing unusual there.
Lin Yunzhou walked straight in, sizing him up sharply, then glanced at the sofa in the living room, frowning slightly. "Where did you sleep last night?"
"No." Chen Louchen said lightly.
"So... who do you sleep in the same bed with?" Lin Yunzhou raised an eyebrow, his tone inquiring. "I remember you hated others touching your bed the most. Also, did you ask the old man about the information I mentioned a while ago about the side effects of inhibitors?"
Chen Louchen's eyes flickered, and his tone was a little impatient: "Forgot."
Lin Yunzhou's eyes instantly became serious.
Chen Louchen has always had a very good memory, especially when it comes to things about his body, which he would never easily forget. When he mentioned the bed just now, Chen Louchen's reaction was also very strange, as well as the subtle indentation on his neck.
Lin Yunzhou's heart sank, and a bad guess surfaced in his mind: "Lou Chen, have you... forgotten something again?"
"What could I forget?" Chen Louchen asked doubtfully.
Apart from the fact that there was an omega inexplicably appearing in the family, he did not forget anything. Why did Lin Yunzhou ask such a question?
"Then do you remember why this omega appeared in the house?"
Chen Louchen raised his eyes: "Aren't we in love with each other?"
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