TPLTMOE - Chapter 17

Being cradled so protectively made a wave of overwhelming grievance surge through Ling Ran's chest.

But he sniffled and stayed silent.

Maybe the repeated bouts of fever over the past few days had finally fried his brain.

He knew he wasn't clever—often slow to react, even a little foolish.

Omegas were born delicate, meant to be cherished by their mates. He wanted to act strong, but the moment someone held him, coaxed him, asked him a single gentle question, the tough shell he'd built would crack, revealing the soft, vulnerable core beneath.

Jiang Zhiyu took in the pitiful sight of the man in his arms—downcast eyes, trembling lips—and could easily guess what had happened.

Not far away, Zhao Qin had already pulled up in the black Rolls-Royce, water splashing in ripples at the base of the steps.

Zhao Qin climbed the stairs with an umbrella, barely reacting at the sight of Jiang Zhiyu holding someone, silently holding the large black cover steady over them.

Jiang Zhiyu carried Ling Ran into the car.

Once the door closed, Ling Ran curled into the leather seat, his cheeks even redder than before, eyes glistening as he peeked shyly at the man beside him through damp lashes.

Jiang Zhiyu made a call as soon as he got in, his secretary answering nervously on the other end.

"Check if Ling Corporation has overseas investments in the Southeast Asia project."

The secretary hurriedly replied, "President Jiang, that project is under direct management by Shengyi. All the details are stored in the second company's business group system—they never reported it to headquarters."

The Jiang Corporation has numerous subsidiaries, with each business division overseeing hundreds of smaller companies. If every company's documents had to be fully transmitted to headquarters, the system would be overloaded, and the IT department would be jumping off buildings in despair.

Therefore, each business division has its own authority to manage its subordinate companies. Only projects with total funding rated S or A need to be reported to the group headquarters.

The Southeast Asia collaboration project was initially rated as A-level, meaning its documents should have been uploaded to headquarters long ago, and any developments should have been reported directly to Jiang Zhiyu. However, Jiang Shengyi, driven by greed and a desire to break free from Jiang Zhiyu's control, ordered his subordinates not to report every detail to headquarters and to withhold specific documents.

Jiang Zhiyu chuckled softly, then suddenly reached out and grasped the slender, pale calf dangling from the seat.

Ling Ran felt his leg being lifted onto the seat. With his hands braced at his sides, he instinctively tried to pull it back.

But those five fingers held him with unyielding force, restraining him completely. Even if they were to forcibly spread his legs apart, he wouldn't have the strength to resist.

The fingertips brushed lightly over the Omega's delicate skin, even the ankle radiating a faint, scorching heat—making him wonder if the temperature inside his body was even higher.

Jiang Zhiyu held his phone in one hand, speaking calmly and firmly to the person on the other end, "Tell their President Shengyi to report to me personally tomorrow morning."

With that, the call ended.

The car fell back into silence. Ling Ran had heard the conversation, but he didn't quite understand Jiang Zhiyu's intentions in investigating Ling Corporation's investments.

At this moment, all his senses were focused on his ankle—where a cold inhibitor had once been fastened, now firmly gripped by an iron-like hand.

He had worn his scent-blocking patch properly today and hadn't forgotten to spray extra suppressant before leaving, so none of his rose- and-grape pheromones had leaked out.

In the damp, muddy air, the only scent was the faint trace of alcohol emanating from the man beside him.

It was impossible to attend a gathering without drinking, but Jiang Zhiyu had only had a little, so the slight hint of liquor wasn't unpleasant.

Besides, an Enigma's pheromones were naturally tequila—strong and intoxicating.

Ling Ran inhaled that faint trace of alcohol, and before he knew it, a glimmer of moisture had gathered at the corners of his eyes.

"Crying over nothing."

A large hand reached over, covering the Omega's delicate face and wiping away the damp traces of tears. The skin was so soft and tender, like peeled grapes, that the fingertips lingered, pressing lightly against the flushed corners of his eyes.

Since he was old enough to understand, no one had ever wiped Ling Ran's tears for him. He had always cried silently, wiped them away himself, and pretended as if nothing had happened.

But the more he tried to wipe away the tears, the more the little Omega's sobs became uncontrollable.

In the end, Jiang Zhiyu simply grabbed his ankle and yanked him forward effortlessly, pulling him close.

Ling Ran remained in that position, legs forced apart, his tear-blurred eyes gazing up at the suddenly magnified handsome face before him.

Enigmas were born as natural alphas—even before differentiation, they never revealed their weaknesses to anyone. It was as if they had no vulnerabilities at all. As adults, they stood at the pinnacle of power, revered by all.

So he didn't understand. Why were Omegas so prone to crying?

"Enough," Jiang Zhiyu cupped his cheek with one hand. "Stop crying."

Ling Ran tried desperately to hold back his tears, only to hiccup twice instead. His head spun dizzily, and in his daze, he could barely make out the man's deep, phoenix-like eyes.

It was as if he was venting his emotions uncontrollably, whimpering pitifully:

"The inhibitor... broke..."

"I... I haven't saved enough money yet..."

"They all say... say I'm sick..."

"Earlier... I didn't mean to push Yin Chu..."

"Sheng Yi doesn't like me... He'd never like me..."

"I won't... like him anymore either..."

"I... I don't want to marry him anymore... Waaah..."

His head throbbed violently, and Ling Ran gradually lost consciousness. Just before his eyes fluttered shut, he heard a cold, deep voice murmur beside his ear like a seductive whisper:

"Then break off the engagement."

***

When he opened his eyes again, it was already noon the next day.

His fever had subsided. Dazed, Ling Ran sat up in bed, only to jolt fully awake when he realized this wasn't his own bedroom.

Beside the massive bed was a floor-to-ceiling window, its glass clear and expansive, revealing an endless stretch of blue ocean outside.

This was the beachfront villa.

Ling Ran: "..."

He clutched his head and collapsed back into the velvet sheets, biting down on the blanket in regret.

How had he ended up following Jiang Zhiyu home last night? Why couldn't he remember anything?

He had been feverish, his body wracked with discomfort, and then—inside that Rolls-Royce—he had broken down sobbing without restraint.

The only thing he vaguely recalled was someone whispering in his ear about calling off the engagement.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. With his hair sticking up like a bird's nest, Ling Ran resigned himself to getting up and answering it.

Standing outside was Song Yi, holding an exquisite white box. He smiled warmly and said, "Good morning, Mr. Ling. This is something Mr. Jiang had delivered early today. He insisted I personally ensure you put it on."

Confused, Ling Ran opened the box—only to find a brand-new white inhibitor inside. It was slightly larger than an ankle bracelet, with a more elegant design, its edges even adorned with delicate lace patterns.

Song Yi explained, "This is the latest leg-band inhibitor from overseas. It's meant to be worn on the thigh for a snugger fit, and it's extremely discreet—no one would ever notice it under regular clothing. Go ahead and try it on."

Ling Ran picked up the inhibitor and held it against his thigh over his pants. Surprisingly, the size was a perfect match.

Although his legs were slender, they weren't the skinny, stick-like type. On the contrary, there was a softness to his thighs, with skin so pale it seemed to glow. If one were to pinch them, the tender flesh would spill between fingers like peeled fruit pulp.

How could Jiang Zhiyu have estimated his thigh circumference so accurately?

For some reason, Ling Ran felt his ears grow warm for a fleeting moment.

He thanked Song Yi and asked, "How much does this leg ring suppressor cost?"

He would have to return it to Jiang Zhiyu eventually—he couldn't just take it for free.

Song Yi smiled. "It's a bit more expensive than domestic ones. Probably in the seven-figure range."

Ling Ran: ":<"

Maybe he should just stick to daily suppressants.

There was no way he could afford to pay that back even if he sold himself. Wearing something so expensive every day would probably make him forget how to walk.

Seeing his hesitation, Song Yi quickly reassured him, "Don't worry, Mr. Ling. President Jiang wouldn't mind such a small expense." Ling Ran murmured a soft "Mm."

If he really ended up working at Jiangzhou Entertainment in the future, maybe he could just request that his salary be directly deposited into the president's account.

Ling Ran took the white lace-patterned suppressor into the bathroom and fastened it around his thigh. The edges pressed slightly into his soft flesh, creating a faint indentation along the circumference.

It fit snugly and wouldn't be noticeable when he moved.

After putting his pants back on, Ling Ran stepped out of the bathroom.

With his task completed, Song Yi escorted Ling Ran downstairs for breakfast.

Jiang Zhiyu had already left for the office early that morning. Once Ling Ran finished eating, Zhao Qin drove him home.

Neither Ling Su nor Ling Mo were there when he arrived, so Ling Ran sighed in relief and hurried upstairs to his room.

Opening the chat window with [Little Uncle], he sent a message:

[Little Grape]: Thank you for the suppressor, but it's really too expensive. I can't accept it outright—could I just borrow it for a few days?

After sending it, he waited anxiously for a reply, but as the day darkened, there was still no response.

Even though this new suppressor was steam-resistant, Ling Ran carefully removed it before showering and put it back on afterward.

He checked his phone one last time before bed and noticed a red notification dot on WeChat.

His heart inexplicably raced as he held his breath and tapped into the chat.

[Little Uncle]: In a meeting.

[Little Uncle]: Big?

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