TPLTMOE – Chapter 59

The backseat was sealed off by a partition. Before Ling Ran could react, he felt the suppressant patch on the back of his neck being abruptly torn off.

The adhesive pulled at his skin, the pain mingling with a warm, damp sensation as his scent gland was exposed.

His eyes widened instantly—the enigma was giving him an emergency marking without any warning or preparation.

The aromas of tequila and muscat grapes tangled together almost immediately, swirling and melding into a heady, wet fusion that rapidly filled the enclosed space.

Previous emergency markings had never been this intense. The enigma had always been patient, releasing pheromones gradually to let him adjust before proceeding.

Ling Ran slumped weakly into the enigma's embrace, his waist gripped tightly as he was pulled onto the man's lap. Within moments, the overwhelming pheromones had him burning up, plunging him back into a fierce, uncontrollable heat.

Jiang Zhiyu lifted his head, one hand gripping Ling Ran's chin as he leaned in, fingertips pressing deep into the soft flesh, leaving visible indentations. His dark eyes burned like crimson wildfire.

Ling Ran's vision blurred with unshed tears, his body trembling from the sudden flood of enigma pheromones.

He could sense the suppressed fury simmering beneath Jiang Zhiyu's actions tonight, but his own heart swelled with grievances.

Wasn't it Jiang Zhiyu who had avoided him? Wasn't it Jiang Zhiyu who had returned to the family estate for an arranged marriage meeting? Why was he the one being punished?

His lips quivered, and he wanted to duck his head to hide his tears.

But his face was held firmly in place, leaving him no escape.

Jiang Zhiyu's free hand rummaged briefly in the car before pulling out an unmarked bottle.

He twisted the cap open with one hand, shook out a few pills, and slipped them into his mouth.

Ling Ran watched in confusion, unsure of what was happening—until Jiang Zhiyu's thumb pressed against his lips, parting them slightly before a scorching breath descended upon him.

Another deep, dominating kiss. Something sweet—like candy—was pushed into his mouth.

His tongue was pinned down, and before he could resist, he swallowed reflexively. Four or five small, sugary pellets tumbled down his throat.

Jiang Zhiyu continued to kiss him, sucking gently at his lips and tongue before finally pulling away, leaning back against the seat with half- lidded eyes to observe him.

Ling Ran's mind was hazy, his body unbearably hot and restless.

The pheromones he'd received from that kiss far exceeded what he'd gotten in recent days, yet just as he began to feel relief, they were abruptly withdrawn.

Teasingly withheld, cruelly denied.

His eyes grew wetter, and he instinctively pressed closer, tilting his face up in silent plea. His lips parted slightly, the plump, rosy bud of his lower lip trembling with unconscious temptation.

But Jiang Zhiyu remained unmoved. He didn't bend down, didn't kiss him again—only let his gaze sweep over Ling Ran like a scanner, inspecting every inch of him from head to toe, inside and out, ensuring there were no injuries.

The way his legs were folded back had stretched the black stockings to their limit, the fabric now torn in places, exposing large patches of smooth, pale thigh—dazzlingly white under the dim light.

Jiang Zhiyu reached out, testing the flimsy material. With just a slight tug of his fingers, the delicate fabric gave way with a soft, ripping sound.

The tear widened further.

Ling Ran's body felt increasingly strange—far more unbearable than any previous heat. The torment was sharper, more agonizing than ever before.

He desperately craved the comfort or a kiss from the enigma, pulling Jiang Zhiyu's other hand back to his own cheek, gazing at him with pleading eyes.

Jiang Zhiyu was enduring even greater restraint, the veins on the back of his hand bulging prominently, winding their way up his forearm.

Suddenly noticing something, his fingers paused abruptly, his gaze turning several degrees colder as he asked through gritted teeth, "Who gave you this dress?"

Ling Ran blinked nervously, his voice faltering, "A... a pretty sister..."

"And here," Jiang Zhiyu pressed, "why is it torn?"

Ling Ran's eyes instantly welled up, his lashes fluttering downward as his back trembled violently.

He tried to break free, but his hands were caught.

Jiang Zhiyu took the tie draped nearby and wrapped it loosely around the omega's wrists—just a few loose loops were enough to render him helpless.

Bound and powerless to resist, Ling Ran could only bite his lip and shake his head, his voice choked with tears, "N-no... it's not... not torn..." Jiang Zhiyu concluded coldly, "Then you must have stretched it out."

Tears rolled down Ling Ran's cheeks, but all he could do was shake his head in protest.

The leggings hadn't torn because of him—they'd always had that hole in the middle.

Yet his explanation fell on deaf ears, as if Jiang Zhiyu had already decided he'd done it on purpose.

Ling Ran's breathing grew feverish, his entire body burning up like molten springwater, crystalline tears now streaming uncontrollably.

Plop.

Plop.

The sound echoed through the silent car.

Jiang Zhiyu watched him, studying every flicker of expression and reaction.

Aloof and in complete control of his senses, like a judge wielding absolute authority, he demanded, "Do you understand your mistakes?"

Between sobs, Ling Ran tried to recall what exactly he'd done wrong.

Perhaps... there were some things.

He stammered tearfully, "I shouldn't have... ruined the dress..."

"And?"

"I sh-shouldn't have... gone to Palm Jewel for the shoot..."

"Hmm," the judge seemed marginally satisfied, yet added, "Keep going."

Ling Ran lifted his tear-filled eyes pitifully, his vulnerable expression enough to soften any heart.

"There... there's nothing else..."

He'd been so well-behaved lately—he truly couldn't think of any other wrongdoing.

But Jiang Zhiyu remained unrelenting, pressing harshly, "Think harder."

Ling Ran cried harder, his mind too scrambled to form coherent thoughts, as if fingers had stirred his brain into mush.

The car sped forward, intermittent streetlights casting dim flashes through the windows.

One moment, the enigma's face would be illuminated—his striking, handsome features magnified before Ling Ran's eyes, the intensity overwhelming.

The next, darkness would swallow him whole, oppressive and suffocating like an immovable mountain.

Ling Ran's body alternated between chills and feverish heat, between limp weakness and unbearable tension. What exactly were those candies? Why did they make him feel so strange...

Jiang Zhiyu studied his face, pausing briefly before guiding him, "Have you been eating properly these past two days?"

Ling Ran nodded.

But liars earned deeper punishment.

His long lashes trembling violently, Ling Ran immediately shook his head with fresh tears.

"Why disobey me?" Jiang Zhiyu said darkly. "You promised to eat properly. Why break your word?"

Ling Ran was still shaking his head. He didn't realize this counted as a serious mistake—just missing a few meals. Back home, no one would have cared this much. But with Mr. Jiang, starving his own body felt like committing some unforgivable sin.

Seeing him dazed, Jiang Zhiyu's movements turned cold and rigid, his tone unyielding. "If you disobey again, you'll face punishment like this."

Tears blurred Ling Ran's vision as he trembled and nodded.

Only then did Jiang Zhiyu seem somewhat satisfied, his anger subsiding. He cupped Ling Ran's face in his hands and kissed his eyelids. "Good boy."

"Next time, you're not allowed to go filming in such dangerous places without my permission."

"And you can't skip meals just because you're busy with work."

"If you miss me, you have to call me first. Video calls are fine too."

"Also, if you want my pheromones, tell me directly."

"Baby," Jiang Zhiyu murmured against his lips, his voice deep and haunting, "you can have anything you want."

Ling Ran shyly offered his tongue, letting Jiang Zhiyu suck on it, but it wasn't enough—far from it.

He wanted so much more.

Jiang Zhiyu knew, but he wouldn't give in. He wanted Ling Ran to ask for it himself.

Flushed and breathless, Ling Ran's dress barely clung to him. Miserable and pouting, he whined in a thick, nasal voice, "I hate you..."

Jiang Zhiyu paused, then smirked before suddenly flipping him over, pinning him against the car seat.

"What about this?" Jiang Zhiyu whispered, leaning down. "Still hate me?"

Ling Ran felt like he'd been thrown into the abyss of an endless ocean, battered by relentless waves.

He was a stranded fish on the shore, gasping for air, his resistance fading.

Jiang Zhiyu kissed the corner of his lips and commanded in his ear, "Baby, say you like me."

Drowning in the enigma's pheromones, cradled and kissed so tenderly, Ling Ran did like it—so, so much.

He nodded obediently, his voice soft and sweet. "I... I like you..."

Jiang Zhiyu slipped off his high heels and pulled him closer.

"Who do you like?"

Tears rolled down Ling Ran's cheeks, only to be caught and licked away.

"I like... Mr. Jiang..."

Satisfied, the scent of tequila grew richer, as if aged for centuries.

The two melted into each other, becoming one.

Since he'd admitted his feelings, he should accept everything about him.

After all, tonight he had committed an unforgivable sin—he deserved whatever punishment came his way.

Daring to disregard his own safety meant he needed to be taught a lesson.

There were many ways to educate, and while physical punishment wasn't ideal, it was often the most effective.

By the time the car reached Yutang Mansion, Ling Ran had already passed out.

Jiang Zhiyu wrapped him in his coat and carried him upstairs.

Their figures disappeared into the stairwell just as a Cayenne slowly pulled up outside the gated community.

The security here was tight—outsiders couldn't enter freely.

Jiang Shengyi, slightly drunk in the back seat, tried to track where the Rolls-Royce had parked, but it was impossible to tell.

He had followed them all the way from his most treasured possession.

He had originally intended to look for Ling Ran's traces, but after searching everywhere, there were no clues to be found. That familiar silhouette seemed like nothing more than a drunken illusion.

But when he stepped out of the club, he happened to see Zhao Qin leading a few people escorting Jiang Zhiyu out through the side door. What was even more surprising than his uncle appearing here was the fact that his uncle had someone cradled in his arms.

Though the person was completely shielded from view, making it impossible to see who it was, Jiang Shengyi was certain that the intimate behavior between the two was anything but ordinary.

Curiosity got the better of him—what kind of person could possibly catch Jiang Zhiyu's eye? So he followed Jiang Zhiyu's car all the way here.

He hadn't known Jiang Zhiyu owned a place in Yutang Mansion, which happened to be quite close to where Ling Ran and Qin Chengyue lived.

At this late hour, he wondered if Ling Ran was even home. Was the person he saw at the club really Ling Ran?

Meanwhile, at this very moment, Ling Ran's tears flowed uncontrollably, his face buried deep in the velvet rug, each breath thick with stifling humidity.

The entire night, he didn't know how many times he had blacked out, only to wake up again.

In the end, his consciousness grew hazy, sinking into an even deeper, unfathomable abyss until he lost all clarity and reason.

The only thing he could remember was someone whispering intimately in his ear, asking him over and over if he liked it.

Eventually, the questions stopped.

Song Yi's dilemma was whether or not he should go in to deliver meals. Skipping breakfast was one thing, skipping lunch was another, but now even dinner was being ignored.

One day without eating was understandable, two days could be excused, but going without food every single day—could they really survive on just nutritional supplements?

Hadn't President Jiang complained about how thin Ling Ran was, saying he couldn't seem to put on any weight?

How could he possibly gain weight like this...

For the first couple of days, intermittent cries and shouts could be heard from the master bedroom, but then they stopped. No matter how intense things got, no words were spoken—just the occasional slick, wet sounds or rhythmic thuds, enough to make anyone blush.

Every day, Song Yi would leave water and nutritional supplements outside the door, along with... condoms.

All kinds of condoms—ten whole boxes of them, in various flavors, all in the extra-large, extra-long size exclusive to enigmas, with different shapes, mostly ultra-thin and ribbed.

This was the first time Song Yi had ever done something like this. Worried that just buying these might not be enough, he even discreetly slipped in a few... accessories.

While aiding and abetting, he couldn't help but feel pity, wondering if he should call Dr. Xu in advance. Not that he was worried about President Jiang—he was worried about Ling Ran.

Omegas were delicate by nature. Could they really endure something like this?

Song Yi lost track of how many days had passed, but finally, the door swung open completely.

Jiang Zhiyu seemed to be in good spirits, though the faint red veins in his eyes hadn't fully faded, and his voice was slightly hoarse. "Call Xu Guanyi."

Song Yi immediately dialed the number to summon the doctor. Before he arrived, Song Yi went in to clean up the master bedroom.

The room...

The room was an absolute wreck...

The bed seemed to be the only clean and orderly spot, likely because the two still needed to sleep there when exhausted.

But the carpet, the sofa, the coffee table, the desk... nothing had been spared.

Especially the bay window—that was the worst-hit area.

Song Yi first swept up the used condoms scattered across the floor. He didn't dare count them, but mixed with wet wipes and tissues, they filled three entire trash bins.

There were also the clothes they had worn when they first returned—two pieces of black fabric so tattered and unrecognizable that their original form was impossible to discern, hanging limply on the desk. Beside them lay two pairs of black lace stockings, riddled with holes and torn to shreds.

Ling Ran was still lying on the bed, seemingly unconscious. Song Yi moved cautiously, careful not to wake him.

But his concern was unnecessary. Ling Ran was in a deep slumber, undisturbed even by thunder.

Xu Guanyi arrived with a large bag of supplies. The moment he stepped into the master bedroom, he pinched his nose and waved his hand in front of his face.

The stench of alcohol was overwhelming, as if a wine cellar had exploded.

He approached the bed and gently lifted the blanket, intending to perform a quick examination on the Omega lying there.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and pressed the blanket back down.

Xu Guanyi turned his head: "?"

Jiang Zhiyu: "If you have questions, ask me."

Every inch of Ling Ran—no one knew him more intimately than Jiang Zhiyu.

Xu Guanyi: "I'm a doctor."

"Mm."

"I just need to examine him. How can I do that if I can't see his body?" Xu Guanyi rummaged through his bag for instruments. "Besides, you're an enigma, and he's a delicate Omega. After a permanent mark, his body might not immediately adapt to your imprint. I need to check his resilience—"

"There isn't one."

Xu Guanyi: "?"

Jiang Zhiyu tucked the blanket securely around the small Omega, leaving only a delicate face exposed, still flushed with lingering traces of fever. A faint bite mark circled one of his earlobes.

If one were to look further, the Omega's fair, tender skin would reveal a canvas of ambiguous, scattered marks.

An enigma's possessiveness was beyond ordinary—such a sight was not for anyone else's eyes.

Jiang Zhiyu's expression remained indifferent: "No permanent mark."

Xu Guanyi was stunned, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing: "Your pheromone levels haven't even stabilized yet. How could you resist marking him when you were under their influence? How... how did you hold back?"

Jiang Zhiyu shot him a glance, the collar of his robe loosening slightly to reveal a small set of scratches and teeth marks on his collarbone.

To drive a fragile Omega to this extent—one could only imagine how intense the battle had been.

Xu Guanyi still couldn't comprehend it. They'd gone that far, yet he'd resisted marking him?!

Enigmas weren't just a step above—they were leagues beyond.

Since there was no permanent mark, there was no real need for a physical examination.

Xu Guanyi simply took Ling Ran's temperature—38.5°C, still feverish.

"That shouldn't be the case," Xu Guanyi mused. "Are you two... compatible in size?"

The question was far too blunt. Fortunately, the little Omega was unconscious, or his face might have burned crimson.

Jiang Zhiyu's brows relaxed slightly: "At first, no."

Not just incompatible—they were worlds apart.

Xu Guanyi pressed: "And then? Did he get hurt?"

"No," Jiang Zhiyu replied. "Then, very compatible."

Xu Guanyi: "."

Enigmas were truly something else.

Xu Guanyi continued analyzing: "If he wasn't injured and there's no permanent mark, he shouldn't still be burning up like this. The medicine I gave you earlier was just a catalyst—it was supposed to make the Omega's first time a little easier..."

He seemed to have figured something out and asked, "How many did you give him? That's imported medication—an Omega can take at most one pill at a time. If it's with an Alpha, half a pill should suffice. I told you not to overfeed him. You didn't give him two, did you?"

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at the person on the bed. "What happens if it's too much?"

He had given Ling Ran five pills—one per day—which didn't seem excessive.

"Then his estrus cycle will be prolonged. And if he doesn't get the necessary comfort, his fever will be hard to bring down."

Jiang Zhiyu began untying the sash of his robe. "That's not a problem."

If he hadn't been worried about Ling Ran's physical limits, he wouldn't have injected three doses of suppressants over those five days.

If the doctor said it was fine, then they could continue.

Xu Guanyi's expression suddenly changed. "Wait a minute—something feels off. When did you two start?"

Jiang Zhiyu turned his gaze toward him but remained silent.

Xu Guanyi exclaimed in shock, "Don't tell me it's been since the day you left the old mansion?"

That would make it five days already?

He gritted his teeth inwardly—utterly beastly behavior!

"Then I need to check his gland. How many temporary marks did you give him?"

Xu Guanyi moved to examine the back of Ling Ran's neck, but Jiang Zhiyu sat on the edge of the bed and gently tilted the sleeping Omega's chin to the side with his fingers.

The gland on the fair nape was exposed, but Xu Guanyi was surprised to find no messy bite marks—just three at most.

That was unusually few. Enigmas in rut often struggle to control marking their partners, whether temporary or permanent.

Only then did Xu Guanyi notice the black metal muzzle resting on the bedside table.

The muzzle had been brought out on the second night when Jiang Zhiyu was on the verge of losing control. He handed it to the barely conscious Omega, instructing him to put it on him.

Ling Ran had never seen a muzzle before, let alone put one on someone. His arms were as weak as overcooked noodles, trembling uncontrollably, unable to lift high enough.

Jiang Zhiyu simply picked him up, lowering his face and commanding, "Higher."

Ling Ran, who had only just woken up, teary-eyed, strained to raise his arms and finally pressed the muzzle against his cheek.

"There's a clasp at the back," Jiang Zhiyu said. "Fasten it."

Exhausted, Ling Ran could only manage to secure all the clasps.

The black muzzle covered the lower half of the Enigma's face like a mask, leaving only his eyes—filled with aggression and dominance—exposed.

"Why... this?" Ling Ran asked dazedly.

Unable to kiss him, Jiang Zhiyu's eyes burned a terrifying blood-red.

He brushed the cold muzzle against the Omega's swollen, damp lips. "So I don't bite my baby to pieces."

Thankfully, the muzzle had been put on early. Otherwise, an Enigma stripped of rational control would have fully reverted to a primal beast devoid of moral restraint.

"Aside from a slight fever, he's otherwise fine," Xu Guanyi remarked, looking at the Omega on the bed. "He's just exhausted, and you overwhelmed him with too much pheromone at once, knocking him out. Be more careful next time."

Jiang Zhiyu lightly tapped the slightly chapped corner of the Omega's lips with his fingertip. His own lips bore a matching wound, their injuries aligning perfectly when pressed together—like a lovers' set.

"Can't help it," he said with a straight face.

Xu Guanyi: "..."

Xu Guanyi: "Could you at least try to follow medical advice?"

After administering an Omega-specific nutrient injection to Ling Ran, Xu Guanyi had nothing more to say. After all, Jiang Zhiyu probably wouldn't listen even if he did give instructions—as long as he could properly care for and comfort the Omega, that was enough.

Once Xu Guanyi left, Song Yi asked if he should prepare some meals in advance.

Jiang Zhiyu declined, saying it was more important for Song Yi to stock up on nutrient solutions and condoms from the supermarket and pharmacy. He even mentioned that the condoms from last time were still too small and instructed him to buy a larger size this time.

Then he gave Song Yi two days off.

With only the two of them left in the house, he finally untied his robe and slipped under the covers.

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