Chapter 121
The mark wasn’t a signal of the end.
Or rather, it was the opposite. The completion of the mark seemed to signify the official start of Zhuang Chi’s susceptible period. The scorching fire burned even more intensely, like a prairie fire crossing the defensive line, crossing the rationality she had painstakingly maintained. It seemed to scorch the entire world, burning all the way to the end of the coastline.
Zhuang Chi’s original tears hadn’t dried yet before this fire made her eyes red again. When she cried, she couldn’t seem to stop. The tears welling up in her eyes felt like scorching molten gold from a setting sun. She couldn’t escape this fire burning her from deep within her body. Only by whimpering and leaning closer to Gu Ximian could she get a trace of cool comfort.
Gu Ximian wasn’t feeling well either. As the one who was marked, it was as if she was affected by Zhuang Chi’s heat. The new mark was slowly forming in her glands and deep within her body, a numbness that penetrated her bones. She tensed her body uncomfortably, her slender fingers unconsciously tightening. The knuckles, clear and beautiful from the force, left faint marks on Zhuang Chi’s back, then fell to the bedsheets, clutching them into messy wrinkles.
Zhuang Chi moved closer, placing light, scattered kisses on her neck. She still seemed to be worried about the gland that had just been bitten, anxiously licking and kissing the bite mark over and over, gentle yet tormenting. Gu Ximian couldn’t bear the torment. She propped up her exhausted body and twisted halfway around in her arms, cupping Zhuang Chi’s face to rub against her nose, and said softly, “I’m not hurt… even if I were, just licking it wouldn’t make it better…”
Her Alpha sometimes really seemed to have a docile, canine-like instinct. She mumbled an affirmative sound and greedily rubbed her cheek against Gu Ximian’s palm. The temperature was very hot. The way she looked at her from the side was deep and dark. Inside, besides an affection so thick it couldn’t be dissolved, there seemed to be an indescribable fire burning. It was a look Gu Ximian had never seen before; just looking at it made her heart beat faster.
Having no experience in how to soothe her Alpha after a marking, Gu Ximian could only act on instinct. Fortunately, Zhuang Chi’s pheromones remained the same as ever, even after the marking. They didn’t suddenly become violent, nor did they turn into suffocating shackles. It was just as if a subtle connection had been added. Gu Ximian could feel Zhuang Chi’s mood in the pheromones, her desire for her.
Her physical strength was actually a bit depleted, but at this moment, Gu Ximian felt it didn’t matter. None of it was important. She leaned closer to Zhuang Chi, wordlessly releasing a signal of tacit approval. Zhuang Chi, however, became a little flustered, hesitating because she was given permission. She looked at Gu Ximian, her eyes moist, her voice hoarse, but her words were proper: “Gu Ximian, it seems to be very late now. Don’t you usually go to sleep at this time… and…”
…And besides, they had been entangled a few times already. Zhuang Chi was a little worried about Gu Ximian’s body, afraid that once she got a taste for it, she wouldn’t know when to stop.
Gu Ximian must have understood the meaning behind her words, but she just quietly continued to press closer, letting out a soft sigh as their bodies touched intimately.
“It’s okay,” she said, biting Zhuang Chi’s earlobe, nibbling it gently before letting go, and whispered, “You can… continue.”
Gu Ximian would always give her full permission.
Before her mind became chaotic, Zhuang Chi vaguely thought, Isn’t this indulging myself a bit too much? I feel like I really will…
An Alpha in their susceptible period is full of energy, but an Omega is not. Zhuang Chi knew perfectly well that Gu Ximian should be treated with care, but some thoughts were really hard to resist. This fragile and soft Gu Ximian, she wanted to protect her well, but a corner of her heart gave rise to some very bad, unspeakable thoughts. Her mind was in a chaotic battle, terribly conflicted.
Zhuang Chi felt this was wrong, but she was already losing control. The thirst in her throat simply wouldn’t stop; perhaps it wasn’t her throat at all. Even the most docile puppy would have mischievous thoughts at times. During a brief moment of clarity, Zhuang Chi saw the deep and shallow marks on Gu Ximian’s body. She felt a little guilty. Her appeasing kisses carried a hint of trying to curry favor, but unexpectedly, Gu Ximian wrapped her arms around her neck, not allowing her to retreat. Her lover’s slightly dazed eyes were still filled with a hazy mist as she unconsciously murmured, “…Bite me.”
“Anywhere is fine.”
It’s okay to leave marks. In fact, she found that she liked it, liked being marked by Zhuang Chi. It was similar to a mark, yet different—a proof of being loved.
Gu Ximian never knew she could make such a sound before—impossibly delicate, soft and weak, as if a multitude of complex and indescribable emotions were surging up: pleading, love, and a trance-like illusion. She suddenly felt that perhaps all those years she had lived in this world were for the sake of meeting Zhuang Chi. It was as if the void in her soul could finally be completely filled when she hugged the person before her.
So this is what it’s like to be loved.
They held each other tightly. It was as if nothing else in the world mattered to them anymore. As long as they had each other here, then even if the outside world shook and crumbled, it would all be insignificant.
The susceptible period lasted for about two to three days.
Zhuang Chi never knew she was such a lustful person, but this susceptible period was truly absurd and magnificent. After marking Gu Ximian, it seemed she was the one with even less resistance to Gu Ximian. Every time she thought she was at the trough of the heatwave, she would easily be aroused by a single look or word from Gu Ximian, and then she would rush headlong into a beautiful, inescapable trap.
The housekeeper bought easy-to-eat food and left it at the door, mostly things like bread and biscuits that were quick to eat and filling. This was indeed the right thing to do, because Zhuang Chi really didn’t have much time to eat, and neither did Gu Ximian—though they drank a lot of water in comparison, perhaps because their bodies were consuming so much.
Although it’s commonly said that it takes twenty-one days to form a habit, after three days, Zhuang Chi’s first reaction upon opening her eyes in the morning was to hug Gu Ximian tightly in her arms, just like the past few days. The person in her arms must have been exhausted last night and hadn’t woken up yet, but when hugged, she still let out a soft, drowsy “mm,” pressing herself docilely against Zhuang Chi. Then, the scent of Gu Ximian’s pheromones gradually filled the air.
In the past three days, this would have been the prelude to a rising heatwave. But it took Zhuang Chi a moment to come to her senses and realize that the heat of her susceptible period had already subsided. Gu Ximian unconsciously releasing her pheromones like this would instead drag her hard-won clarity back down. She was so scared that she quickly woke Gu Ximian up: “Gu, Gu Ximian, my susceptible period is over. You should… control yourself for a bit.”
Gu Ximian opened her eyes blearily and reached out to touch the side of Zhuang Chi’s neck. Her voice was still a little soft and mushy as she repeated, “It’s over…?”
After the susceptible period, the glands were in a peaceful state, full of vigor. But being touched by her lover still made Zhuang Chi subconsciously hold her breath. The memories of what would happen after being touched in the past few days were very clear. Zhuang Chi’s face burned with shame, and she endured her embarrassment to give a soft affirmative reply. Gu Ximian slowly blinked herself awake. After seeing Zhuang Chi’s expression, she knowingly withdrew her hand and controlled her pheromones. She wanted to sit up, but her waist was a little sore, and she suddenly lost her strength, being pulled back into Zhuang Chi’s arms by a flustered Zhuang Chi.
…It seemed she had really overdone it. Zhuang Chi looked at Gu Ximian with guilt and heartache. Gu Ximian was clearly shy too, lowering her head uncomfortably, yet still trying to explain: “…I just woke up, so I’m a little weak. It’s not for any other reason.”
But her words weren’t very convincing. Zhuang Chi wanted to ask more about her physical condition, but Gu Ximian sensed it first and silently pinched her waist. Zhuang Chi blinked in pain, looking pitiful and not daring to speak anymore.
They had been too wild in the past few days, and now that both of them were clear-headed, they found it a bit embarrassing to face each other. Right now, Zhuang Chi was still holding Gu Ximian in her arms, the familiar soft and fragrant jade. She didn’t know whether to let go or hold her tighter. In the end, she just lowered her head and gently nuzzled the top of Gu Ximian’s head, saying, “You can sleep a little longer. I’ll go make you breakfast, okay?”
Gu Ximian unconsciously grabbed the corner of her clothes, rubbing it between her fingertips for a while before letting go, and asked softly, “You… aren’t you going to sleep?”
She couldn’t sleep anymore. Not to mention anything else, Zhuang Chi’s current condition was excellent, she was practically glowing with energy. Continuing to lie in the same bed with Gu Ximian would easily lead to problems. She hurriedly shook her head and replied, “No need, I’m not very tired.”
“…”
She was glared at by Gu Ximian.
Knowing she had misspoken, Zhuang Chi wanted to take it back, but was stopped by Gu Ximian’s gaze. She could only let go of her hold meekly and scoot towards the edge of the bed: “Then I’ll go wash up first…”
Gu Ximian didn’t stop her this time, letting her leave the room lightly. The window wasn’t open, and the smell in the room was still a bit ambiguous. The scent of their two pheromones intertwined, creating a strange harmony. Gu Ximian had gotten used to it over the past few days, but now, smelling it, she suddenly felt shy. She wanted to get up and open the window for some fresh air, but her actions contradicted her thoughts, and she lay back down under the covers.
Zhuang Chi’s residual warmth was still beside her. Gu Ximian placed her hand on it, slowly clenching her fist.
Zhuang Chi. She chanted silently in her heart. When she called this name in her heart, an indescribable attachment and joy arose.
—They truly belonged completely to each other.
Zhuang Chi’s cooking skills weren’t much better than Gu Ximian’s. The breakfast she served was exactly the same style as what Gu Ximian had made before, only the fried egg looked slightly better—and that was after she had paid special attention to it.
Fortunately, neither of them was picky in this regard. They sat quietly at the table, ready to eat breakfast. No one spoke for a while, but it wasn’t awkward. Instead, it was as if there was a subtle tacit understanding, as if time itself slowed down as it flowed between them, creating a strange sense of peace—
Until Zhuang Chi saw her own hand, which was trembling slightly and uncontrollably after picking up a piece of bread, and she fell into silent contemplation.
Gu Ximian, of course, saw it too. She paused her eating, very obviously averted her gaze, and a faint pink appeared on her fair face.
…At this point, it really became a bit awkward. Zhuang Chi tried hard to control the trembling, eating her bread with a shaky hand. But after just a couple of bites, she heard Gu Ximian ask, “…Your mark, why is it different from other people’s?”
She was a little choked by that. The food was still in her mouth as she hurriedly looked at Gu Ximian, her cheeks puffed out. Gu Ximian pursed her lips and pushed the milk at her side towards her, gesturing for her to drink it. Zhuang Chi obediently drank the milk and swallowed the bread. Only then did she hear Gu Ximian continue to ask, “Are you hiding something from me?”
…Of course, it was about Gu Ximian’s power that she was hiding from her. Zhuang Chi felt quite guilty, but this was something that would only cause more trouble if she said it. So she blinked her eyes in a troubled way, trying to change the subject by muttering softly, “…Why are you interrogating me as soon as we get up…”
Gu Ximian was amused by her. She stood up, walked around the table to stand in front of her, cupped Zhuang Chi’s face and shook it gently, saying seriously, “I am interrogating you. Can’t I?”
Indeed, there was no reason she couldn’t. Zhuang Chi couldn’t think of a good solution, so she boldly hugged Gu Ximian in front of her, looked up at her, and called out in a soft voice, “Gu Ximian…”
This person was deliberately sweetening her voice to call her, the ending of her name drawn out long and coquettishly. It was clear she was trying to act cute and skip the topic. Gu Ximian was both amused and annoyed. She wanted to teach her a small lesson and reject this behavior, but her mind was uncontrollably drawn to the warmth of their proximity first. Her hands, which were originally on the sides of Zhuang Chi’s face, had been moved back a bit by this action, her fingertips barely touching Zhuang Chi’s earlobe, feeling a slight heat.
After such a susceptible period, their bodies seemed to have become familiar with each other rapidly—even if their minds hadn’t quite caught up. Gu Ximian’s heart trembled, and her mind was truly distracted. The young lovers only needed to exchange a glance for sparks to fly uncontrollably. But it was still early morning, with the thin sunlight covering them. On such a quiet morning… she was thinking strange things.
But Zhuang Chi was clearly hiding something from her, Gu Ximian thought. The things Zhuang Chi had said before sounded like she was making them up. She had originally just thought Zhuang Chi was saying it to comfort her and chose to believe her out of trust, but she didn’t expect the result to be exactly as she had said.
Zhuang Chi’s mark had long since formed in her body, gentle and docile, without a trace of violence, nor any suppression over her. Even if Gu Ximian had no other practical experience, she could realize that this was very illogical in this world. Other Alphas’ marks on Omegas would never be just like this.
It was just that Zhuang Chi was clearly in a difficult position. It was less that she was unwilling to say it, and more that she couldn’t. Now too, seeing Gu Ximian not responding, she pressed her advantage and pleaded, “Let me think about how to tell you first, okay? You should be resting well today…”
When she said the words “resting well,” her tone was a little unsteady. Gu Ximian heard it and knew what Zhuang Chi was thinking. She then remembered how this person’s hands were shaking just now, and she couldn’t help but blush. In the end, she decided to let Zhuang Chi off the hook for now—and her body was indeed a bit sore, the result of overindulgence.
Gu Ximian simply sat on Zhuang Chi’s lap. Her body was already very familiar with this kind of intimacy. She moved closer to Zhuang Chi, bit her earlobe impolitely, and said in a low voice, “Then you have to rest with me too.”
Zhuang Chi’s self-control was very poor right now. She felt she couldn’t withstand any teasing. She properly hugged the person and nodded in agreement, “Mm. It’s the weekend today anyway. I won’t go out.”
But Gu Ximian wasn’t so proper. Her hand traced idle circles on her back, making Zhuang Chi feel ticklish but unable to escape. Then she heard her say softly, “In the future too, no matter what you hide from me, you have to always stay with me.”
Her heart softened slightly. Zhuang Chi patted Gu Ximian’s back soothingly and said in a soft voice, “These two things don’t affect each other. Don’t worry, I will always be with you.”
Gu Ximian gave a soft “mm.” The hand on Zhuang Chi’s back tightened and then relaxed. She lowered her eyes and said, “The ring… if it’s from you, I’d wear it even if it was a pull-tab from a soda can.”
“You don’t have to suddenly make such a big concession!” Zhuang Chi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, not expecting Gu Ximian to be so fixated on the ring right now. It was just that her susceptible period had come on suddenly, and she really hadn’t prepared a ring beforehand. She thought for a moment and suggested, “Why don’t we go pick one out together sometime later?”
Gu Ximian hugged her tightly and replied softly, “…Mm. It’s a deal then.”
Even now, Gu Ximian would occasionally feel a sense of daze. The permanent mark she had subconsciously feared had passed so lightly, without pain, without being controlled, only with overflowing love and a soothed heart. This situation was even better than the best outcome Gu Ximian could have imagined, and Gu Ximian knew whose credit it was.
Her lover, her Zhuang Chi, her one and only Alpha in this world.
Zhuang Chi always seemed to have a way to soothe her anxiety, whether it stemmed from her understanding of her or her love for her. No matter what happened, she would grab her hand again and again, and hold her tightly in her arms. Only with Zhuang Chi by her side did Gu Ximian feel that this world wasn’t so bad, just like that famous line in Sagan’s love letter to Sartre.
【This world is crazy, inhuman, and utterly corrupt, yet you have always remained clear-headed, gentle, and untainted.】
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