Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Which alpha did you go to see? ...
The car slowly drove into the business district in the city center. Fu Xu leaned against the car window, his eyes wide open, like a young deer entering the forest for the first time, curiously looking at the scene outside the window.
The high-rise buildings lined up one after another seem to reach straight into the sky, and the sunlight reflected from the glass buildings makes it difficult for people to open their eyes. Pedestrians are walking hurriedly on the streets, and the shops on the roadside have bright signs hanging on them. The music and hawking sounds outside the square can be faintly heard through the car windows, interweaving into the lively atmosphere of human life.
All this was strange and new to Fu Xu.
Trapped in the small cage of the Fu family for a long time, all he could see was the sky in all directions, and all he could hear was the rustling of leaves in the wind, the occasional laughter from the main house belonging to Fu Jiaze, and endless insults. He was like a weed forgotten in the crevice of a rock, accustomed to that narrow world, but now suddenly transplanted to this vast world, he felt completely lost.
"Do you think it's too noisy?" Gu Wangyan's gentle voice sounded beside him. He noticed Fu Xu's slightly furrowed brow and slowed down the car. "It's a bit strange for you to be suddenly in a place like this in your state."
Fu Xu turned his head, nodded sheepishly, and whispered, "A little..." His fingers unconsciously scratched the edge of the car window, his fingertips turning white. "There are so many people."
"Yes, there are a lot," Gu Wangyan smiled and parked the car in the mall's underground parking lot. "But everyone is busy with their own things, so no one will pay special attention to you. We can take our time shopping." He unbuckled his seat belt and turned to look at Fu Xu with a serious look. "Fu Xu, you must remember that you are free now. These places, these people, these sounds are all part of the world you are exposed to. You don't need to be afraid, and you don't need to hide from anyone."
Fu Xu lowered his eyelids, and his long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes.
Freedom... He had heard this word too many times, but it always seemed like there was a barrier between him and him that he couldn't get past. However, Gu Wangyan's voice was very gentle, with a convincing power that relaxed Fu Xu's tense nerves a little.
Gu Wangyan got out of the car first, walked around to the passenger seat and opened the door for him, holding out his hand: "Come on, let's go up and take a look?"
Fu Xu hesitated for a moment, but still put his slightly cold hand into Gu Wangyan's palm. Fu Xu was gently pulled out of the car, and when his feet stepped on the smooth marble floor, he even staggered, as if he was not used to such a stable and open place.
The moment he entered the mall, Fu Xu subconsciously shrank behind Gu Wangyan.
A noise even louder than that outside the window hit him in the face, the lights were a little too bright, the marble floor was smooth enough to reflect people's shadows, and the complex smells wafting out from various shops, a mixture of perfume, food and fabrics, all gave his senses a strong impact. Fu Xu tightly grasped the corner of Gu Wangyan's clothes, as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw, his eyes full of vigilance and confusion.
"Don't be afraid," Gu Wangyan noticed his nervousness and slowed down his pace, even deliberately using his body to block some of the passing traffic for him. "Look over there," he pointed to a dessert shop not far away. The window was filled with colorful cakes and macarons. "Those are desserts. They taste very sweet. Won't they make you feel better?"
Fu Xu looked in the direction he pointed. The desserts that were as exquisite as works of art made him widen his eyes slightly. He had never seen such beautiful food.
"Do you want to go in and take a look?" Gu Wangyan asked.
Fu Xu shook his head, then nodded, and finally said timidly: "No, no way..." He was afraid that he would accidentally break something, and he was even more afraid that the well-dressed shop assistants would look at him strangely.
Gu Wangyan didn't force it, just smiled and continued to lead him forward: "It's okay, let's go shopping first and talk about it when we see something we like."
Gu Wangyan was like a patient guide. As they walked, he quietly introduced the surrounding shops to Fu Xu: "That one sells clothes. Look at the models in their window. They're wearing this year's popular styles. The one next to it is a bookstore..."
Fu Xu's attention was gradually drawn over.
Students in school uniforms gathered together to choose stationery, their faces brimming with youthful vitality; young couples held hands and chose gifts, their eyes full of sweetness; parents pushed strollers and gently amused the children in them... These ordinary and trivial scenes were full of novel attraction to him.
Fu Xu's pace gradually relaxed, no longer as tense as at the beginning. Although he would still subconsciously avoid people walking towards him, the fear and tension in his heart faded a little, and he felt a little more curious.
Occasionally, Fu Xu would raise his head, quickly glance at the dazzling array of goods in the nearby shop, and then lower his head like a frightened little rabbit.
Gu Wangyan saw all this and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes. Bringing Fu Xu out to contact the outside world was part of his psychological treatment. Long-term imprisonment not only restricted his movements, but also blocked his mind, making him lose the ability to interact with others normally, and even developed an instinctive fear of the "outside world". Only by letting him feel the warmth and kindness of the world again can his closed heart door be knocked open bit by bit.
"Are you tired? Do you want to find a place to sit for a while?" Gu Wangyan asked.
Fu Xu shook his head: "Not tired."
Gu Wangyan smiled and said, "Then let's go to the front and take a look. I want to pick out a tie for Yunzhou. He has an academic conference to attend next month."
When mentioning "Yunzhou", there was a hint of imperceptible tenderness in Gu Wangyan's tone.
Fu Xu nodded: "Okay."
The tie counter is on the third floor of the mall. It is decorated simply and elegantly. Rows of ties are neatly placed on the shelves, with different colors and patterns, which makes Fu Xu a little dazzled.
Gu Wangyan carefully selected the ones, picking up one from time to time to try it on himself, then shaking his head and putting it down. Finally, Gu Wangyan picked the final round. Holding a tie in one hand, he turned around and asked Fu Xu: "Which one do you think looks good?"
Fu Xu was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect that he would ask him these questions. He lowered his head awkwardly: "I, I don't know..." He had never come into contact with these things. In the Fu family, there were not even a few decent clothes, let alone high-end things like ties. How could he have any aesthetic sense?
"It's okay, just take a look and go with your feelings." Gu Wangyan encouraged him, picking up a navy blue tie with pinstripe stripes and handing it to him, "How about this one?"
Fu Xu carefully examined the tie. The color was very dark, and the pattern was very simple. It should be suitable for a doctor, so he whispered, "This one... seems to be quite suitable."
"Really?" Gu Wangyan smiled and picked up another wine-red one. "What about this one?"
"This color... is very bright." Fu Xu said hesitantly, "It seems... also, very beautiful."
In Fu Xu's eyes, these things seemed to be of great value, and each one was unique.
Gu Wangyan was amused by his serious look and ruffled his hair: "You're right, both of them look great, so we should take both." He put both ties aside, "Let's take these two."
Fu Xu watched him communicate skillfully with the clerk, and felt a strange feeling in his heart. It turned out that choosing a gift was like this, with hesitation, comparison, and care hidden in the details. He had never received a gift before, nor had he ever given one to others. At this moment, looking at the two neatly stacked ties, he was actually a little envious of Lin Yunzhou.
At this moment, a slightly teasing voice sounded behind him: "Fu Xu?"
Fu Xu's body suddenly stiffened, as if he was under a spell, and the blood in his body seemed to solidify instantly.
This voice...it's hard for him to forget.
Fu Xu turned around slowly, his heart beating wildly in his chest, almost bursting through his throat.
The man standing behind him was wearing a well-tailored gray suit. He had an upright posture, a handsome face, and a hint of a smile on his lips. It was Shao Xuan.
After a few years, Shao Xuan seemed to have not changed much, except that there was a bit more mature sharpness between his brows, and the sense of superiority in his eyes was stronger than before.
Shao Xuan just came back from abroad. Today, he was invited by a friend to go out for a walk. He didn't expect to meet Fu Xu here.
Fu Xu's face turned pale in an instant, his lips trembled slightly, and he even forgot to breathe. He subconsciously took a step back and hid behind Gu Wangyan.
Why...is Shao Xuan here? Didn't he say he was going abroad for further studies and would never come back?
Gu Wangyan frowned, calmly protecting Fu Xu behind him, raised his eyes to look at Shao Xuan, and said in a calm but distant tone: "Sir, do you know him?"
Shao Xuan's gaze swept over Gu Wangyan, then fell back on Fu Xu behind him, with a look of scrutiny and a hint of amusement in his eyes.
He knew the person in front of him, Gu Wangyan, a well-known psychologist in the medical field, and one of the rare omegas who could show up in public, but how could he be involved with Fu Xu?
"I wouldn't say we know each other," Shao Xuan scoffed, his tone frivolous. "We've met a few times, I guess." His gaze, like a hook, fell on Fu Xu's pale face. "Fu Xu, I thought you'd be confined to that dog cage of the Fu family for the rest of your life. I didn't expect you'd be able to get out? It seems the Fu family is becoming more and more tolerant of you."
Shao Xuan's words pierced Fu Xu's heart like needles, causing him to shrink his shoulders and dig his nails deep into his palms.
At the beginning, the Fu family brought him back from that remote town and told him that he was the child of the Fu family who had been stranded outside and would marry Shao Xuan, the heir of the Shao family in the future. At that time, Shao Xuan was very interested in this "fiancée" who suddenly appeared and was too beautiful. She would often go to the Fu family to see him, occasionally bring some small gifts, look at him with aggressive eyes, and say some ambiguous words.
At that time, although Fu Xu was full of fear of this strange "home", he also had some unrealistic fantasies because of Shao Xuan's occasional tenderness, thinking that he finally had someone he could rely on.
Everything changed later when his Omeg test results came out and were rated as low-grade, even "inferior".
Shao Xuan's attitude took a 180-degree turn, from his initial interest to undisguised disgust and contempt. He never went to the Fu family again, and even hinted in public that the Fu family deliberately found a "fake" to fool him in order to curry favor with the Shao family.
Later, Shao Xuan and Fu Jiaze became very close. The younger brother, who had been carefully nurtured by the Fu family since childhood and was impeccably excellent in every aspect, would often show off the gifts Shao Xuan gave him in front of him, saying with a victorious attitude, "Brother, look, Shao Xuan said he never liked you. It's just that you have a decent face. If it weren't for a whim, he wouldn't care about a low-quality product like you."
He still remembered what the alpha said: An omega like you doesn't deserve to live. I guess no alpha would want to touch you even if you were thrown into a fertility clinic. It makes people feel sick to think about the time wasted by the Fu family because of the wrong marriage partner with the Shao family.
Those words, like poisoned knives, cut into his heart one by one, making him completely understand that he had been a joke from the beginning to the end.
Later, when the news came that Shao Xuan was going abroad, everyone in the Fu family breathed a sigh of relief, saying that this was just right, as it would save them from unnecessary worries. He also thought that he could finally get rid of this nightmare.
But now, this nightmare appeared before him again.
"Sir," Gu Wangyan's voice turned a little colder, interrupting Shao Xuan, "Please be careful with your words."
"Friend?" Shao Xuan raised an eyebrow, his eyes more playful. He moved closer, his gaze wandering over Fu Xu. "Doctor Gu is quite caring. He's even willing to make friends with this... well, 'special' Omega."
He sniffed lightly, as if he smelled something. His eyes suddenly focused and his gaze became sharp: "Fu Xu, what's that smell on you?"
Fu Xu's body trembled even more violently, and he subconsciously wanted to cover his neck. The smell on his body... should be Mr. Shen's.
They slept together last night, Chen Louchen hugged him for a long time and bit his glands. The strong and aggressive alpha scent seemed to have penetrated into his body.
Shao Xuan's eyes were fixed on him, as if he had discovered something interesting. "It's the pheromone of an alpha, not the scent of those alphas in the Fu family. What's the matter? Fu Xu, are you so lonely that you secretly found a new supporter?"
His tone was full of malicious speculation, as if he was certain that Fu Xu could only survive by relying on Alpha.
"You're talking nonsense!" Fu Xu finally couldn't help it and poked his head out from behind Gu Wangyan. His voice was tearful, but he tried hard to appear tough, "I didn't..."
"Oh? No?" Shao Xuan pressed on. "Then where does that smell come from? Could it be that some blind alpha has taken a fancy to a low-quality product like you? Well, you do have a good-looking face, and it's quite suitable for a temporary solution."
"Sir!" Gu Wangyan's face darkened completely. He took a step forward, completely blocking Fu Xu behind him, and looked at Shao Xuan with cold eyes. "I don't care what grudges you and Fu Xu had in the past. Now, please apologize immediately, otherwise don't blame me for being rude."
Shao Xuan seemed to be surprised that Gu Wangyan would really go all out for Fu Xu. He was stunned for a moment, then sneered: "You're an omega too." He glanced at the trembling Fu Xu behind Gu Wangyan and said, "Do you think it's just the two of you?"
He paused, and his gaze fell on Fu Xu again, with a complex emotion, including contempt, inquiry, and a hint of imperceptible emotion.
"Speaking of which, Fu Xu." Shao Xuan's tone slowed down a bit, but it made people feel even more creepy. "I heard that the Fu family wanted to marry you to that idiot from the Wang family? Why didn't it work out? Or did you think she was stupid and ran away to find someone better?"
Fu Xu's lips were bitten until they turned white, and tears were welling up in his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall.
"I'm...living very well now." He squeezed out these few words with all his strength. His voice was as thin as a mosquito's hum, but it carried an unprecedented firmness.
"Very good?" Shao Xuan looked him up and down as if he had heard something funny. "Wearing a set of cheap clothes from who knows where, shopping with an omega, you call this very good? Fu Xu, have you been locked up for too long that you can't even tell the difference between good and bad?"
He took a step forward, trying to bypass Gu Wangyan to see Fu Xu, but was coldly stopped by Gu Wangyan.
"Sir, it seems you don't intend to apologize." Gu Wangyan took out his cell phone, "In that case, I think we can only call the police."
Shao Xuan laughed disdainfully, thinking that anyone would help two omegas.
It's just that he really has something to do today, otherwise he could play with these two omegas.
"What a joke." Shao Xuan sneered, "It's unfortunate today. We must reminisce about the past when we meet next time." Shao Xuan did not apologize, but just looked at Fu Xu deeply, with a playful smile on his lips, and turned away.
It was not until Shao Xuan's figure completely disappeared from his sight that Fu Xu seemed to have exhausted all his strength. His legs went soft and he almost collapsed to the ground. Gu Wangyan quickly supported him and found that his body was cold and he was still shaking.
"It's okay, Fu Xu, it's okay." Gu Wangyan squatted down and patted his back gently, his voice as gentle as if soothing a frightened little animal, "He's gone and won't hurt you anymore."
Fu Xu buried his head, his shoulders shaking slightly, and the suppressed sobs finally couldn't help but burst out from his throat.
Every word Shao Xuan said just now was like a blunt knife with a bent blade, repeatedly cutting into his already scabbed wound, pulling away the flesh and bringing out all the painful memories he tried so hard to forget. He thought he had become numb, but when the scars were opened again, he still felt breathless in pain.
"I'm sorry," Gu Wangyan said with some self-blame, "I was inconsiderate and shouldn't have brought you to this kind of place and let you meet this kind of person."
Fu Xu shook his head, raised his head with tears in his eyes, his face full of tear marks: "No, don't blame Dr. Gu... It's me... I'm useless..." He didn't even have the courage to face the past.
Gu Wangyan sighed and took out a tissue to wipe his tears. "This is not your fault, Fu Xu. You have to understand that the fault lies with those who hurt you, not you. You don't need to torture yourself for other people's mistakes."
He helped Fu Xu stand up and said softly, "Let's find a place to sit down and rest first, okay?"
Fu Xu nodded, sobbing, and was helped by Gu Wangyan to sit in the rest area nearby. Gu Wangyan went to buy a cup of hot milk and handed it to him: "Drink something hot, you will feel better."
Fu Xu held the warm milk cup in both hands, and there was finally a hint of warmth on his fingertips. He lowered his head and looked at his blurry reflection in the cup, his heart in a mess.
Shao Xuan is back... What does this mean? Will he tell the Fu family? Will the Fu family come to trouble him again? And Mr. Shen... If Mr. Shen knew about his previous relationship with Shao Xuan, would he be angry?
Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, giving him a splitting headache.
Gu Wangyan sat quietly beside him, without urging him or asking too many questions, just accompanying him and giving him enough time to calm down.
After a long while, Fu Xu's emotions gradually stabilized. He sniffed and whispered, "Doctor Gu, let's... go back." He no longer had any desire to wander around. He just wanted to return to the Shen family's house as soon as possible, a place that was empty but made him feel a little at ease.
Gu Wangyan did not object: "Okay, let's go back."
After paying the bill, Gu Wangyan took the two ties and walked towards the parking lot with Fu Xu. Fu Xu's steps were still a little unsteady, and he held Gu Wangyan's hand tightly, as if he was afraid of meeting some scary person again.
On the way back, the car was very quiet and no one spoke. Fu Xu leaned against the car window, looking at the sky outside which was gradually getting darker, his eyes blank.
He thought that he would make further progress after coming out for treatment today, but he didn't expect that the shadow of the past would be like a maggot on his tarsal bone, and no matter where he escaped, it could easily drag him back to that cold hell.
When the car drove into the Shen family parking lot, Fu Xu's heart finally settled down a little. Gu Wangyan parked the car at the door and turned to look at him: "Don't take what happened today to heart."
Fu Xu nodded, but still felt a little uneasy: "Doctor Gu, will he...will he go to find someone from the Fu family?"
"Maybe, maybe not," Gu Wangyan said frankly, "but you have to believe that you are different now. You have a place to go, and someone to rely on." He paused and did not say who that person was, but Fu Xu understood vaguely in his heart.
Mr. Shen.
The alpha who looks cold but will apply medicine to him personally, will agree to let him go out, and will hold him to sleep.
Thinking of Mr. Shen, Fu Xu's heart inexplicably tightened.
"I understand. Thank you, Doctor Gu." Fu Xu unbuckled his seatbelt and pushed open the car door. "Thank you for troubling you today."
"You're welcome," Gu Wangyan smiled, "Remember to take your medicine on time. Call me if you have any questions."
"Yeah." Fu Xu nodded and turned to walk into the villa.
When I opened the door, there was no light in the living room. Only the faint sunset outside the window came in, outlining a figure sitting on the sofa.
Chen Louchen didn't know how long he had been sitting here. When he heard the door open, he raised his head lazily and his eyes fell on Fu Xu. In the dim light, his emotions could not be clearly seen.
"I'm back." His voice was low, with a barely perceptible hoarseness.
Fu Xu's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously clenched the corner of his clothes and whispered, "Yeah."
He walked to the center of the living room, lowered his head, and did not dare to look at Mr. Shen. There was still the scent of Shao Xuan on him, although it was very faint, but he didn't know if Shen Louchen would smell it, and he didn't know if he would ask who he met today.
Chen Louchen didn't ask, but stood up, walked in front of him, stretched out his hand, and gently touched his cheek.
"Why are you crying?" His fingertips were slightly cold and touched the undried tear marks on Fu Xu's face.
Fu Xu's body stiffened. He didn't expect him to be so direct. His eyes instantly turned red again. A feeling of grievance and fear surged up in his heart, but he couldn't speak. He could only shake his head.
Chen Louchen looked at his red eyes, frowned slightly, and did not ask any more questions. He just took off his coat and put it on Fu Xu.
The coat still carried his unique scent, wrapping Fu Xu completely and bringing a reassuring warmth.
"Are you hungry?" Chen Louchen's voice softened. "The soup is warming in the kitchen. Butler Chen brought it in this afternoon."
Fu Xu raised his head and looked at Chen Louchen's blurry profile, and somewhere in his heart suddenly became soft.
He shook his head, then nodded, and finally whispered, "A little."
Chen Louchen took his hand and walked towards the restaurant. He gently pressed the switch, and the warm yellow light instantly illuminated the entire room, dispelling all the haze and uneasiness.
"Eat first," he said.
Fu Xu looked at his busy figure and secretly made up his mind that he didn't want to tell Chen Louchen about Shao Xuan's affairs, and didn't want to cause trouble for this alpha who had just shown a hint of tenderness to him.
As for what will happen in the future... he doesn't know, and doesn't dare to think about it.
Now he just wants to eat well, sleep well, and stay well... with Mr. Shen, even if it's only temporarily.
At night, before Fu Xu had time to take a shower, Chen Louchen had already come over, sniffed Fu Xu's neck, and said coldly: "Did you go to see Alpha?"
Fu Xu's heart skipped a beat. What was supposed to come had finally come.
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The author has something to say: Who said that Chen Louchen during this period is Gong Baiwan? It is!!! Who!!!
(Squatting in the corner) (Wiping tears)
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