AHDIBCB Chapter 43

If it weren’t for the ability to sense others’ mental state and emotions, if it weren’t for seeing Yuan Yi’s hand, which he pulled back, trembling slightly, Li Heng would’ve almost believed it—believed that the person in his arms was truly as calm as he appeared, believed that he believed in him.

Clearly uneasy, yet insisting on acting as if he could handle anything—what was the reason for that?

Seeing the joy over the child’s healthy growth finally turn into heartache, Li Heng held the person in his arms even tighter. “Don’t trust me?”

Yuan Yi said, “Is there anything I can help with regarding your matters?”

This shift in topic was so sudden that Li Heng almost didn’t react. He laughed and said, “How could you, a student, help with my matters? Wife, even though I really do appreciate the sentiment, your top priority right now is to take good care of your health. You and the child being well—that’s the biggest help you can give me. And besides, haven’t you already helped me? You made it convenient for me to change clothes, and you were worried I’d be hungry staying here at night, so you prepared food for me. I know.”

Yuan Yi finally understood—this whole thing about being in an susceptible period was fake. The other party holding him was just trying to comfort him, that’s all.

There was just one thing he couldn’t understand, so he pushed the other person away. “General Li, you seem to trust me quite a lot.”

“We’re husband and wife. Shouldn’t I trust you?”

“But we didn’t know each other before. Yet you let me in on such a big secret, and didn’t restrict my freedom. How can you be so sure that I’m trustworthy? What if I go out and leak your whereabouts, or what if I have other intentions? How can you be so certain that I’m not a problem?”

“A person who got a little gift from his ‘late husband’ and then got scared that the ‘late husband’ might not have money to spend in the underworld—should I really suspect him? Besides, with your intelligence, you should’ve guessed that while you were feeling suspicious of me these past few days, I was also slowly getting to know you. So from now on, don’t be so nice to Li Mian. It keeps showing me your every move—it’s two-faced.”

“…It’s a robot you made.”

“Yes, and I’m still jealous. If it weren’t for the fact that it helped you with your studies a bit, I would’ve already sent it to the warehouse to rust. The way it talks is really annoying.”

Yuan Yi was thrown off by this kind of unreasonable ease. “Is the general this casual in front of his own soldiers too?”

This didn’t look like someone who commanded a starship with tens of thousands of soldiers.

Li Heng said, “Everyone has their own personality. It’s just a matter of not overstepping with anyone. What’s wrong with me relaxing a bit in front of my own wife? Or do you feel more secure when I act serious? If that’s the case, then I suppose I can be more serious with you.”

Yuan Yi stared into Li Heng’s eyes. He couldn’t quite explain why, but ever since that hug just now, he kept feeling a sense of familiarity from Li Heng.

Yet he was certain that the original host had never met Li Heng before, and after he arrived, he himself hadn’t met him either.

But Li Heng’s way of handling things was really similar to someone he knew—He Yanwu.

Even their pheromone scents were different. And Li Heng looked leaner and more powerful than He Yanwu. And his eyes—though they always looked gentle when they looked at him—that was exactly what made it frightening. There wasn’t the slightest trace of sharpness. For someone who had fought across the stars to be able to hide himself like this, it was a bit too well-hidden. If someone like this truly wanted to deceive someone, they probably wouldn’t easily fail.

Yuan Yi admitted frankly, “General Li, maybe you think you’re being sincere. But it’s very hard for me to believe what you say.”

He told himself he had met plenty of people over the years, but he really couldn’t see through the person in front of him. This was an even higher level than He Yanwu.

Two people who had never met before—even if married—still needed time to get to know each other. But Li Heng treated him like someone he had known for a long time. It was hard not to suspect that Li Heng had some other intention.

Li Heng said, “I know. But the more I say at a time like this, the more suspicious you’ll become, so let’s take it slowly. Do you want to keep studying? If not, let’s talk about something else.”

Yuan Yi still had a lot to memorize. His plans had been repeatedly disrupted by unexpected events lately, and he’d already accumulated too many things to do. But hearing Li Heng say that, he couldn’t help but feel curious—what exactly did Li Heng want to talk about? So he said, “What do you want to talk about?”

Li Heng said, “First, don’t call me ‘General Li.’ That kind of full name with military rank is what people who know me but aren’t close to me would use. You’re my wife—calling me that is too distant. If you really can’t say the word ‘husband,’ then just call me by my name for now. As for ‘General Li,’ save it for other occasions. I wouldn’t mind hearing it then.”

Yuan Yi: “……”

He must’ve misunderstood something.

Li Heng said, “Second, I’ll be coming by often in the future, but mostly at night. Yesterday I forgot to tell you where I came from, and I was afraid I’d startle you suddenly. So today, before I came, I briefly influenced your consciousness. Sorry for affecting you without your permission. I came from there.”

Li Heng pointed to the cabinet door. “From now on, I won’t disturb your mental field.”

Yuan Yi nodded. “Then is there anything else I should pay attention to?”

Originally, there wasn’t. But Li Heng thought for a moment, then changed his mind and said, “Wife, I’ve been staying in the rest pod lately. It’s cramped and small, and I’ve been sleeping terribly. I want to sleep properly at home for a bit. Can I stay at home for four hours tonight before I go?”

“…This is your home. This is your bedroom.”

“But what I want is to sleep next to you. And also, let me correct you—this is our home, and this is our bedroom.”

“……”

An hour later, Yuan Yi had taken a shower and gotten into bed. There was an extra quilt on the bed tonight—he had taken it out for Li Heng.

The bed was very large, enough for two people without feeling cramped. But perhaps because Li Heng’s presence was too strong, Yuan Yi felt a bit anxious when he first lay down.

Li Heng said, “Just treat it like having an extra roommate, what are you afraid of? Don’t worry—before you give consent, your husband promises he absolutely won’t do anything to you. At most, I’ll pat your back, stroke your head. Try to trust me.”

Li Heng gently squeezed Yuan Yi’s hand, gently patted his back. “Go to sleep, be good.”

Yuan Yi: “……”

He felt like he was being treated like a child, but that actually made it harder for him to fall asleep. He wanted to say something, but then he remembered that Li Heng had said he hadn’t rested properly for days, so he obediently stayed still.

But staying still didn’t mean he could sleep. After a while, he heard Li Heng say, “Wife, my patience gets used up on the battlefield, and at home—especially on your bed—there’s probably not much of it left. If you keep overthinking, it’s going to be hard for me to hold back. Before you, I’ve never had any partner, so… you get what I mean?”

Yuan Yi was an adult man—of course he understood. He asked curiously, “You’ve never even had someone you liked?”

Li Heng gave a low, deep laugh.

Maybe because they were lying close together, half of Li Heng’s voice was muffled by the pillow, carrying a bit of a lazy and sexy tone. “There were a few people I somewhat admired, but none who moved my heart. I’ve met good-looking ones—not much brain. Met smart ones—not very good-looking. The ones who were both good-looking and smart—hearts were too dark. And most of the people under my command are either alphas or betas. When they see me, it’s like mice seeing a cat. Even if they look calm on the surface, inside they’re nervous as hell—just like you are now.”

Yuan Yi: “……”

Li Heng said, “I meant it when I said we should give it a try. Or is it that you think I’m too much older than you, so you don’t like me?”

Yuan Yi said, “It’s more that I can’t figure you out. You hug someone you’ve only met once or twice, call them ‘wife’ like it’s nothing—it all seems so casual to you, like eating or drinking, like something you’re long used to. It’s hard not to overthink it.”

Li Heng said, “So you want us to go step by step like a typical couple? But I don’t have much time. Once I’m stationed at the garrison, we’ll barely get to see each other. And with your personality being so cold and aloof, if I don’t show a little passion now, how would I even get to hold my beauty before I leave? If you can say for sure that I’ll get the chance eventually, then I’ll behave.”

Who could possibly say that for sure?!

But Yuan Yi hadn’t really thought about the garrison assignment until now.

He thought of another angle. “Now that Fei Qian’s been made the captain of the Flying Wolf ship, can you still go back? People’s hearts are hard to read. If you go back and he has to return to his old post, it’s bound to leave a knot in his heart.”

Li Heng opened his eyes, silently looked at Yuan Yi for a moment, then tucked Yuan Yi’s hair behind his ear. “You’re worried about me?”

Yuan Yi had been lying on his back. Hearing that, he turned his head to face the outer side of the bed. “We’re currently bound by shared interests. You said it yourself—you’re the father of my child.”

Li Heng chuckled and said, “But how come I remember that Fei Qian being able to become captain of the Flying Wolf had something to do with you, my wife?”

Yuan Yi: “…At that time, I didn’t know you would come back.”

If he had known, maybe he wouldn’t have done it that way—or he would’ve chosen a different method.

He felt a bit regretful, too.

No—wait! He didn’t know, but could Marshal Jian have not known either?

After Li Heng returned, it was possible not to let him know, since they hadn’t known each other before and there wasn’t much basis for trust. As for Principal Li and Professor Jian, maybe it was to protect them, or because things were still dangerous and they didn’t want them to worry too soon. But what about Marshal Jian?

The old man held a high position, extremely sharp when it came to military and political matters. Could Li Heng have returned and not let the old man know?

Maybe Li Heng still had people he could use behind the scenes. But if he wanted to know the core issues, it would be very difficult without someone higher up.

He suddenly turned his head. “Actually, your observation of my every move didn’t begin the first time you stepped into this bedroom—but much earlier than that.”

Li Heng neither admitted nor denied it. “Why do you say that?”

Yuan Yi said, “You can affect others’ mental fields—but how do you know I can’t detect that you have this ability? You can have Li Mian relay information about me to you. But it’s a robot. It can only analyze data; it can’t perceive my mental field. So it’s very likely you were already paying attention to me before this. You came out only after you confirmed I could be trusted. Was it when I was in the hospital? Or even earlier?”

Li Heng: “…”

He knew his wife was sharp, but he didn’t expect him to be this sharp.

But he seemed especially drawn to this point. He liked the feeling of being understood by Yuan Yi—as if in this world, there was someone who really got him, and the two of them resonated deeply.

Snow Wolf actually understood him quite well too, but Snow Wolf was also afraid of him. And that kid was also an Alpha—naturally, there was some repulsion between them.

Yuan Yi noticed that under the soft glow of the night lamp, Li Heng’s gaze appeared somewhat unreadable. His heart tightened slightly. “Sorry, did I talk too much? You did say you wanted to get some good rest.”

Li Heng said, “A night time chat between husband and wife is a good thing. I also like that you have doubts about me. If you’re questioning me, it means you’re curious about me—and that’s the beginning of wanting to get to know me. So, take another guess: when did I start paying attention to you?”

Yuan Yi thought carefully. “Are you certain it’s absolutely safe to talk here? I didn’t shut down those light-powered and electronic devices today.”

Li Heng turned sideways, propping up his head. “If you’re worried, we could get a little closer—talk in whispers.”

Yuan Yi was speechless and moved a bit farther away. “I don’t know when you came back, but it was definitely before Aminanka. And those ten vials of pheromones weren’t leftovers from Grandpa at all—they were newly made by you.”

If he hadn’t met this person, he would’ve believed they were old stock. But now, he didn’t believe it at all.

Also, since he had been here the whole time, then he must have known clearly about his decision to help Fei Qian at the time.

Yuan Yi thought for a moment. “You don’t plan to go back to the Flying Wolf Ship? You knew my every move, but you didn’t step in to oppose it, and Grandpa didn’t oppose it either. So, you both actually agreed with my idea at that time.”

Li Heng said, “The questions you’re asking are high-level secrets. Wife, are you trying to use an empty hand to catch a white wolf?¹T/N: Getting something from nothing I can answer, but I’d like a little reward in return.”

Yuan Yi lay back down, clearly knowing what the person was about to say, and without hesitation said, “I’m tired, going to sleep.”

Li Heng: “…”

Yuan Yi closed his eyes and didn’t say another word. Li Heng, however, was intrigued again. Although a little tired, he still wanted to continue the conversation.

He poked Yuan Yi’s face again.

Yuan Yi had two small dimples. They weren’t the very noticeable kind, but they made him look cuter.

Well, not exactly.

To put it more accurately, Yuan Yi wasn’t the type to look cute. If you were to focus solely on his appearance, Yuan Yi resembled a jasmine flower—fresh, graceful, and beautiful without being aggressive. But when he spoke, his aura changed, like a blue rose—cold in color, hard in presence. You’d need to be on full alert to avoid getting caught up in it.

Yuan Yi slapped Li Heng’s hand away, turned his back, and resolutely ignored him.

Li Heng chuckled. “Heartless. You’ve asked everything you wanted, but I still have plenty of things I want to ask.”

Yuan Yi said, “Didn’t you already understand everything yourself? You probably know more about me than I do.”

Li Heng said, “Who said that? There’s a lot about you I don’t understand. If I could really see through you at a glance, I definitely wouldn’t be interested. Liking someone requires a sense of expectation, and there’s a lot about you I want to explore.”

This sounded like a rather sincere statement.

Yuan Yi turned back around and looked at Li Heng for a while. “You’re very different from what I imagined.”

Li Heng asked, “What did you imagine me to be like?”

Yuan Yi said, “Anyway, you’re different. I’m going to sleep. Staying up late isn’t good for the baby’s development.”

Li Heng chuckled. “Alright, I’ll listen to you.” He habitually patted Yuan Yi’s head. “Go to sleep.”

Yuan Yi didn’t dodge. He didn’t even know why he didn’t. He clearly had no memory of this person patting his head before… but somehow… he didn’t mind?

Could this be the so-called special filter an omega has for the alpha who marks them?

Yuan Yi couldn’t figure it out, but he was really starting to feel drowsy.

With the anxiety gone, and Li Heng by his side, though he didn’t have Li Heng’s special abilities, he could strangely feel that the other person had no ill intentions.

And he had long since become accustomed to the scent of cedar.

Perhaps it wouldn’t be bad to try being friends first.

Yuan Yi thought, just before falling asleep.

He slept deeply, unaware that while he was asleep, someone had pulled him into their embrace.

So when Yuan Yi woke up the next day, the other side of the bed was empty. He had somehow ended up on Li Heng’s side. He was sleeping on his side, but he usually woke up lying on his back…

Li Heng had taken the T-shirt he bought. As for the one he had left behind, Yuan Yi found black powder fragments in the crushable trash can.

Li Mian asked, “Brother Yi, are we still studying today?”

Yuan Yi said, “Yes, if we don’t study, I’ll fall behind when school starts.”

Li Mian exaggerated, “Don’t joke, how could you fall behind? If you fall behind, most of the people in your medical school will fail.”

Fail?

Yuan Yi suddenly remembered that someone had mentioned this term before the break. It was when He Yanwu was eating beef. He threatened the younger students—”If any of you eat one more piece of meat, you’ll all fail the finals.”

This person also told him to eat more perilla, saying it helps regulate qi and stabilize the pregnancy.

It was actually because of this “regulating qi and stabilizing pregnancy” that he remembered this.

Yuan Yi, almost as if by instinct, asked Li Mian, “Li Mian, does the general understand Chinese medicine?”

Li Mian, without even thinking, replied, “Of course. The master knows a lot. He knows astronomy and geography. He also really likes Chinese medicine; otherwise, how would I have Chinese medicine in my mind?”

That’s true. He had seen it before, but at the time, he hadn’t thought much about it.

But in this era, with Chinese medicine declining, is it still a popular field of study?

Why does He Yanwu know it, and why does Li Heng know it too?

Yuan Yi went through the food he bought yesterday, and he found that someone had really eaten it. The dish was braised beef mixed with ramen.

But only one box had been eaten.

This ramen was quite expensive, but the portion was small. Was it not tasty, or did General Li Heng have a small appetite? He looked so tall and big, and he didn’t seem like someone who would eat little.

•  

In the following days, every night Yuan Yi would see Li Heng.

At first, Li Heng would arrive by 9:30 PM, and at the latest, he would sometimes come past midnight. However, the later he came, the quieter his movements would be.

Every day, Yuan Yi would help by putting the clothes Li Heng changed into on the bed. When Li Heng first started coming, he would bring his own toiletries, but starting from the fourth day, he stopped bringing them and would use whatever was available at the house. He would also eat every night, without being picky.

Anyway, the food Yuan Yi bought on the day he bought clothes was quickly finished.

Yuan Yi felt like he had opened a bed-and-breakfast in his bedroom, hosting Li Heng, the “guest,” every night. The only difference was that this guest didn’t need to pay rent and would also help him with his studies and chat with him.

Li Heng’s knowledge was very broad, and he could talk about many things that Yuan Yi had never even heard of.

All he had to do was help prepare some food, then after the person left, hand the clothes over to the cleaning robot to get washed and wait for the next time this person would come and wear them.

Gradually, Yuan Yi realized that his partner was actually very easygoing. He never picked what to eat, and whatever clothes were taken out, he would wear.

The only thing that troubled Yuan Yi was that Li Heng really kept calling him “wife.” At first, he didn’t respond, and didn’t bother with him, just saying whatever needed to be said. But after a few days, Li Heng became displeased, saying he wanted a response, or else he wouldn’t say the next sentence, just like now.

Li Heng was talking about Blue Gel Star, and Yuan Yi was listening intently, but this person suddenly stopped.

If he wasn’t going to talk, Yuan Yi thought he wasn’t someone easily intimidated. He turned around, preparing to continue listening to his online course.

When Li Heng saw that he wasn’t moved at all, he gritted his teeth, “Wife.”

Yuan Yi ignored him.

Li Heng directly took off his light brain and prevented him from continuing to watch, saying, “Wife.”

Yuan Yi: “…”

Li Heng said, “Baby, if you don’t respond to me, I’ll change to something even more cheesy and I won’t change it in the future.”

Yuan Yi scoffed, “Then I’ll never show up in the same place with you again. Call to the air, who are you trying to scare? Turn the light brain back on, I’m going to continue listening to the lesson.”

When Li Heng saw that Yuan Yi was really being stubborn, he finally decided to use a dirty trick. “Tell me, are you still unable to forget Bai Wanzhe in your heart?”

Sure enough, Yuan Yi stopped caring about the lesson and said irritably, “If you bring up that thick-headed person again, you can cook your own meals and wash your own clothes. Also, don’t expect the kids to ever call you ‘father’ once they’re born.”

Li Heng: “…”

When it comes to controlling the situation, it wasn’t so clear who would win.

But Li Heng had so many soldiers under him. If he always tried to reason with people, move them with emotion, and persuade them through logic, his tongue would’ve worn out by now.

If he couldn’t win with words, then he’d act. What’s the big deal?

The general walked over and picked up Yuan Yi in a bridal carry.

Yuan Yi felt the world spin and quickly grabbed Li Heng’s clothes. “What are you doing? Put me down!”

Li Heng didn’t let go. As he walked around the room, he said, “Every time I call you, if you don’t respond, I’ll carry you like this all night. You’ll get to test my physical stamina. Absolutely top-notch. Wife.”

Yuan Yi: “…”

Li Heng walked from the bedroom’s round table to the study, then back to the bedroom. He called Yuan Yi’s name six times, and then stopped.

Yuan Yi had just mentally compromised, thinking that he would respond on the seventh time, but after waiting for a long time, there was no movement from Li Heng. He had no choice but to ask, “Why aren’t you calling anymore?”

Li Heng said, “I found this to be more practical. Calling you is just for the pleasure of my mouth, and you don’t respond anyway. But I can hold you in my arms, and I can touch you. Clearly, this feeling is much better.”

Yuan Yi: “…”

To be honest, although he was being carried in a bridal hold, Li Heng was holding him very steadily. The guy had strong arms, and it didn’t feel scary or uncomfortable at all.

Yuan Yi patted his chest. “Put me down first. If you don’t, I won’t finish my task tonight and it will mess up my sleep.”

Li Heng said, “I’m not putting you down. If you fall asleep, I’ll carry you on my back, unless you respond to me. Wife.”

Yuan Yi, annoyed, murmured, “Mmm!”

Li Heng smiled as he placed him down by the round table. “This is more like it. From now on, it has to be like this, or I’ll use this trick again.”

When Yuan Yi was put down, his ears turned red, and his face felt hot. He opened his light brain to listen to the lesson but didn’t even know what the teacher was talking about.

No wonder they say in ancient times that “a strong woman fears a clingy man.” It’s not just women who fear clingy men; even strong men can’t handle it.

Mainly because he couldn’t win in terms of strength, and speaking logically, the other person didn’t always follow logic. Also, he couldn’t make too much noise, or else if Professor Jian found out…

Yuan Yi asked, “When are you planning to let Mom and Dad know that you’re still here?”

Li Heng replied, “I don’t need to say anything. They should have already guessed.”

Yuan Yi asked, “Did I slip up in any way?”

Li Heng smiled and got close to Yuan Yi’s neck, sniffing. “You’re covered in my cedar-scented pheromones. Because you’re my omega, you only feel comfortable with this scent, but when others smell it, they’ll find it somewhat aggressive. Plus, you only brought one bottle back, but you’ve been carrying this scent every day. Can Mom not find that strange? Dad might notice later since he’s home less often, but Mom must have noticed. Especially since you’ve been eating and sleeping well these past few days, and buying big clothes and so many ready-to-eat meals. A person who would take donkey meat sandwiches and spicy sausages for quality checks—would someone like that be eating so much fast food while pregnant?”

Yuan Yi: “…”

What he had been thinking at the time was that he should leave an extra portion for Li Heng, which would be more likely to raise suspicions…

And once he started preparing food at home and bringing it into the room to eat at night, Professor Jian would surely come over for a share when she thought of something good to eat in the middle of the night.

He could only say that he hadn’t thought it through properly.

Li Heng said, “It’s fine. Just do what you want to do. Even if Mom and Dad notice, they won’t come to confirm it with you right away. They’ll probably ask Grandpa instead.”

Yuan Yi said, “Got it. Then, since that’s the case, I’ll bring you some homemade food tonight. What do you want to eat?”

Li Heng said, “As long as it’s prepared by my wife, I’m fine with anything.”

Yuan Yi: “…” This smooth-talking scoundrel.

Li Heng said, “Wife, you forgot to respond again. Are you wanting me to hug you?”

As he spoke, his hand had already reached over.

Yuan Yi quickly dodged and gritted his teeth, “Can you be more serious?!”

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