TPLTMOE – Chapter 54

Perhaps there were other ways to make his belly swell beyond just food. And beneath that fragile skin, his tender reproductive cavity was just like his stomach—

Small and shallow, unable to hold much.

If he kept touching him, the swelling would soon shift elsewhere. Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his hand calmly, unaffected by his coquettish pleas.

"You can still eat a little more," Jiang Zhiyu insisted, feeding him. "You can't sleep until you finish this."

Hearing the unyielding tone in the enigma's voice, Ling Ran knew there was no room for negotiation tonight. His soft, pink lips parted reluctantly, accepting the spoon and swallowing a small mouthful of seafood porridge. Ling Ran moved unbearably slow, holding each bite in his mouth for minutes before finally swallowing.

But Jiang Zhiyu's patience tonight was unusually abundant. Even though the glimpses of that sweet, tempting tongue had nearly driven him to the brink, he remained composed, spoon after spoon, as if determined to wait until every last drop was gone.

By the end, Ling Ran was on the verge of tears. Eating had become torture—he was the prisoner nailed to the rack, and the spoon was the instrument shredding his mouth.

After forcing down the final bite, Ling Ran slumped weakly against Jiang Zhiyu, clutching his stomach and pressing his lips tightly together.

He was unbearably full, having eaten nearly twice his usual portion in one meal.

It didn't feel like Jiang Zhiyu was feeding him—it felt like punishment.

Jiang Zhiyu brushed aside the stray hairs on his forehead, cupped his face, and pressed a light kiss to his lips.

"You finished it all. Good boy."

Just for eating a proper meal, he was being praised as if he'd accomplished something extraordinary.

The grievance in Ling Ran's heart faded slightly, his long lashes fluttering as he stared dazedly at the man before him.

Jiang Zhiyu gathered him back into his arms, first taking him to the bathroom to freshen up, then carrying him to the master bedroom and settling him onto the soft bed.

He wrapped the little omega snugly in a thin blanket before pulling him against his chest, holding him like a plush doll—soft and perfectly comfortable.

Ling Ran thought he would need to soothe the enigma again like last night, but unexpectedly, not only were there several layers of blankets separating them, Jiang Zhiyu didn't make any excessive demands either.

He merely buried his breath into Ling Ran's neck, taking a deep, heavy sniff.

Unfortunately, there was no sweet scent to be found—only the faint fragrance of shower gel.

Ling Ran shifted slightly and whispered, "I haven't taken off the scent-blocking patch or the inhibitor yet."

Jiang Zhiyu closed his eyes, his chest and throat emitting a short, muffled hum.

"Mhm."

He acknowledged but made no move to remove them.

Ling Ran felt a slight itch on his neck, as if coated with a layer of sticky moisture, accompanied by faint, sharp stings of pain.

He immediately realized what it was and hurriedly said, "You can't—"

He couldn't bite his neck.

The sharp canines were tempted, lured by the sweet scent flowing beneath the pale skin, already gripping that small patch of smoothness. All it would take was a small puncture to taste the richest, most intoxicating Omega pheromones—just the thought of that ultimate pleasure was enough to send the enigma into euphoria from head to toe.

But no. He could only suck lightly a couple of times and lick to satisfy the craving.

Ling Ran suddenly asked, very softly, "Mr. Jiang... are you still feeling unwell?"

Jiang Zhiyu lifted his head, his dark eyes silently gazing at him in the night.

Ling Ran couldn't see anything, but facing the darkness, he murmured, "Then... do you want a kiss?"

If they kissed on the lips, maybe he wouldn't think about biting his neck anymore.

With that thought, Ling Ran leaned in to press his lips against the enigma's.

But even tilting his face up, he only managed to reach Jiang Zhiyu's chin.

His damp lips pressed softly against it, leaving a tender kiss before carefully retreating, waiting for a response.

Jiang Zhiyu's fingers tangled in his hair. Without answering, he cupped the back of Ling Ran's head and pulled him into a deep kiss.

By the end, Ling Ran had no idea how long they had been kissing—only that his lips had gone nearly numb, and his tongue felt almost senseless from being devoured.

His mouth was completely drained of moisture, like a dried-up spring, unable to produce any more on its own. Only the enigma's generous mercy kept him from withering away.

At some point, Jiang Zhiyu had fed him sips of water, but most of it either trickled down the Omega's chin onto the sheets or was licked back into his own mouth and swallowed.

The sound of wetness in the room seemed endless.

***

The next morning, Ling Ran had never felt his neck so sore before. He had slept with his face tilted upward all night, leaving his neck stiff as if he'd slept wrong—he didn't dare move it.

He hadn't heard Jiang Zhiyu leave in the morning, only vaguely aware of his legs being parted and medicated before he drifted back into a heavy sleep.

At least the pain in his legs wasn't as noticeable anymore—the ointment worked fast.

Song Yi noticed his stiff neck during breakfast and, with professional skill, massaged it a few times. The pain vanished almost instantly.

Ling Ran was amazed and asked how he knew how to do that. It turned out Song Yi was proficient in all kinds of skills—even massage and bone-setting techniques were part of his training.

"Besides that, I'm also certified in floristry, nutrition, and childcare," Song Yi said proudly. "In the future, I can even take care of you and Mr. Jiang's children."

Ling Ran was drinking porridge when he suddenly coughed violently a few times. He quickly gulped down some water to suppress it. "W- what did you say?"

His and Mr. Jiang's... child?

Song Yi continued, "Of course. The future heir of Jiang Corporation would naturally need cultivation from childhood. Having just me might not be enough—it's reasonable to hire a few more assistants."

The tips of Ling Ran's ears grew warm as he set down his cup, pretending to focus on his porridge.

How did this conversation keep getting more absurd...

Misinterpreting his silence as disbelief, Song Yi added, "Actually, ever since your first appearance at the beachside villa, Mr. Jiang had me obtain these certifications. Fortunately, I'm a quick learner. Let me find the documents to show you—I believe I brought them all."

As Song Yi started rummaging through his belongings, Ling Ran hurriedly stopped him, his face flushing crimson. "No need, no need. I believe you."

Song Yi studied him. "But you still seem doubtful. I should really—"

Ling Ran's eyes shone with sincerity. "I truly believe you."

He just couldn't believe he'd have a child with Mr. Jiang.

Only then did Song Yi relent at his earnest expression.

"Mr. Jiang mentioned before leaving this morning that work might keep him busy these coming days," Song Yi said. "If he can't make it, he insisted I ensure you eat on schedule. Starting tomorrow, I'll deliver lunch to you and Mr. Qin at the office so you won't need to reheat morning meals. Freshly prepared food is better."

Ling Ran sensed Mr. Jiang's peculiar determination regarding his meals—it was as if the man wanted to personally feed him three times daily.

Remembering how stuffed he'd been last night, Ling Ran offered no objection and nodded in agreement.

After breakfast Line Pan noticed unread mercator in the work group chat

[NoWatermelon]: Folks, tonight's shoot is off. Just got word—Pearl Entertainment canceled their reception. We wouldn't get anything even if we went.

[Yang Jia]: In that case, let's postpone tonight's operation.

[Xiao Feng]: +1

[NoWatermelon]: +1

[NoWatermelon]: I've got inside sources monitoring Pearl's movements. Will update if anything changes.

[Yang Jia]: Got it

[Xiao Feng]: Roger

[NoWatermelon]: Xiao Ran? Why so quiet? Operation canceled you in agreement? (pats grape)

[Little Grape]: Agreed

Given Jiang Zhiyu's warning last night, Ling Ran had been wavering about continuing this investigative piece. The postponement granted him time to reconsider.

During the day, Ling Ran wasn't idle at home. He revised another draft of the previously selected topic and sent it to the group for further feedback.

After receiving a few brief suggestions, Ling Ran carefully considered them and worked on his laptop until past seven in the evening.

Song Yi had already prepared dinner and called him over to eat.

Glancing at the city lights beginning to illuminate outside, he set down his notebook and stepped onto the balcony, gazing across the river. The Jiang Corporation building was, as usual, brightly lit, its reflection shimmering like scattered crystals on the dark river surface.

A cool night breeze brushed against his cheeks as Ling Ran wondered—would Mr. Jiang come over for dinner tonight?

Habits were truly frightening. In just two nights—sharing meals, lying in the same bed, falling asleep in each other's arms—he had already grown somewhat reluctant to part with it.

After finishing dinner alone, Ling Ran lay back on the plush velvet double bed, only then realizing just how wide and spacious it really was.

***

The two-day break passed, and Ling Ran left early for work.

The moment he arrived at his desk, Qin Chengyue pulled him up without a word, scrutinizing him from head to toe several times.

Ling Ran was baffled. "Is there something strange about what I'm wearing today?"

His preppy-style shirt, cute chibi-patterned tie, and slim-fit trousers made the little Omega look tender and youthful, almost like a high school student.

Qin Chengyue eyed him suspiciously, leaning in to sniff lightly. Detecting no unusual scent, he finally let go.

"You look beautiful," Qin Chengyue mused, stroking his chin. "Almost too beautiful."

It had only been two days, yet Ling Ran seemed even fairer and softer, as if glowing with moisture.

Ling Ran flushed slightly, adjusting his tie. "Oh, stop it."

Qin Chengyue leaned closer, whispering, "Did you get permanently marked?"

Ling Ran: "?!"

Ling Ran: "W-what nonsense! Of course not!"

Qin Chengyue's gaze drifted downward, his tone calm but his words explosive.

"Then why can't you even close your legs properly?"

Ling Ran: "??!!"

He immediately glanced down at his stance—he had only been walking slightly apart because he had applied ointment before leaving home and didn't want it rubbing off on his pants.

"It's from horseback riding," Ling Ran explained. "I didn't know how to do it properly, so my legs got chafed."

Qin Chengyue gave him a look that said, Sure, keep spinning your tales.

Ling Ran added, "Really! It was at Cold Mountain Ranch. After you and President Shang left, Mr. Jiang taught me how to ride."

"Uh-huh, if you say so."

Qin Chengyue didn't press further. At this point, no matter what Ling Ran said, he wouldn't believe a word of it.

Horseback riding, huh? Just wait till you're riding something else and end up with a big belly—then we'll see how honest you are.

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