TPLTMOE – Chapter 62

Although the room was eerily quiet and no sound came from outside the door, Ling Ran seemed to have a sixth sense—perhaps due to a guilty conscience—and immediately switched the screen display.

Jiang Zhiyu walked into the bedroom, loosening his tie as he went, clearly having just returned from work. Seeing that his little Omega seemed in better spirits and even had the energy to use the computer, he strode toward the desk.

Ling Ran pretended to be engrossed in the document on the screen, but his heart was practically in his throat as he stealthily moved the cursor to close the video page.

Just as he was about to click the little "X," a large hand suddenly covered his, dragging the mouse aside and hitting play instead.

That shockingly explicit scene unfolded once more on the large screen, this time from a different angle, making everything even more vivid and unmistakable.

A pale, slick expanse, glistening with moisture.

Ling Ran felt as if his entire body had been set ablaze, especially his backside. He shot up from the chair, hands covering his face as he tried to bolt.

But his legs were weak, and with just a gentle tug, he was pulled into an embrace.

Jiang Zhiyu sat down in the chair, settling Ling Ran onto his lap, and turned up the volume, letting every sound sink in.

Ling Ran burned with humiliation, his flushed face practically steaming.

When lost in passion, it was one thing—his mind had been too hazy to remember everything clearly.

But now, with his thoughts crystal clear, being forced to watch this recorded evidence while recalling every sensation was pure torture.

Ling Ran whimpered softly, trying to pry the fingers gripping his chin away.

Jiang Zhiyu refused to let him escape, leaning in to murmur against his ear, "The footage isn't clear enough. I can't see your hole, baby." Ling Ran: "Mmm..."

"Where is it?" Jiang Zhiyu asked. "Here?"

…..

Ling Ran trembled like a startled canary, hypersensitive to every touch. He quickly grabbed Jiang Zhiyu's hand, his voice trembling as if on the verge of tears.

"N-no... I-I'm not healed yet..."

Ling Ran thought he was about to be taken again. He had only rested for two days and wasn't fully recovered. Maybe the enigma's rut hadn't ended yet, and he still needed comfort.

But a little Omega's endurance had its limits—he couldn't just throw his life away.

Jiang Zhiyu brushed a thumb over the corner of his eye, voice rough. "You're fine now."

Ling Ran shook his head vehemently, looking up at him with red-rimmed, earnest eyes. "I'm really not... I'm not lying..."

Jiang Zhiyu simply watched him in silence.

Afraid he wouldn't believe him, Ling Ran gritted his teeth and guided Jiang Zhiyu's hand downward.

"It's still swollen... See for yourself..."

The two fingers seemed almost hesitant, as if surprised by the invitation, pausing briefly before obediently following.

The little Omega wasn't lying—he truly hadn't healed yet.

Nothing should be overused, especially something as delicate and precious as this.

A layer of dew gradually formed on the treasure, like the sweetest morning droplets clinging to a tender grapevine.

It couldn't be plucked yet—but the nectar on its surface could still be savored.

Enigma's hands were exceptionally long and beautiful, with broad, powerful palms and distinct knuckles. The pads of his fingers bore slight rough calluses, noticeably larger than an Omega's—so much so that a single hand could completely envelop an Omega's cheek.

After a brief test, Jiang Zhiyu withdrew his hand, his tone calm. "It's not healed yet."

Ling Ran's eyes had already welled up with moisture. Seeing the restrained look in Enigma's eyes, he knew the Alpha must be suffering terribly during his rut.

He responded with his own pheromones, his body softening as he leaned in.

"Really, we can't do it anymore..." His voice carried a cautious, soothing tone, as if seeking Enigma's approval. "Can we just kiss instead?"

After all, saliva contained a high concentration of pheromones—enough to ease Enigma's rut.

Unbeknownst to Ling Ran, the Alpha's rut had already passed. His dark gaze remained fixed on the face of the man in his arms.

His desire to bond with his Omega wasn't just driven by pheromones—it was a deep, intrinsic longing.

He concealed it well, unwilling to disrupt this rare moment of initiative from his Omega.

"Fine."

Ling Ran exhaled in relief. If it was just kissing, at worst, he'd have his tongue sucked and his mouth ravaged—nothing compared to the alternative.

He parted his lips slightly, his tongue resting obediently at the edge, eyes shut. His long, thick lashes trembled faintly, his heart fluttering with nervousness and an unspoken anticipation.

But after a moment, Enigma still hadn't kissed him.

Confused, Ling Ran opened his eyes—only to suddenly feel hands gripping his waist, lifting him effortlessly before settling him onto the cold, hard surface of the desk.

The icy shock against his backside made him shiver.

Jiang Zhiyu watched him, fingers slowly undoing the buttons of his shirt one by one, each movement deliberate under those elegant hands. Ling Ran was at a loss. Wasn't this supposed to be just kissing? Why was he undressing?

After shrugging off his shirt, Jiang Zhiyu wordlessly tucked it beneath Ling Ran's hips as a cushion, then stood bare-chested before him.

Ling Ran's gaze followed him upward. The chill against his skin faded, replaced by the lingering warmth from the Alpha's body heat embedded in the fabric—so scorching it felt like it could melt him.

Under his watchful eyes, the towering Enigma slowly knelt before the desk.

A strong grip seized the plush flesh of his thighs, squeezing until soft, marshmallow-like skin spilled between the fingers. The stark contrast between the smooth, pale skin and the darker, vein-laced hands was intoxicating—enough to set one's blood aflame.

The urge to press harder, to leave deep marks and unyielding bruises, was overwhelming.

And Jiang Zhiyu did exactly that.

Leaning in, his breath searing, his eyes burned crimson with raw hunger. His gaze was predatory, sweeping over Ling Ran like countless ravenous tendrils, latching onto every inch.

Only then did Ling Ran realize—

When he said "kiss," he never specified where.

He had given others the opportunity to take advantage, becoming like a sweet, fragrant little cake placed on the desk.

Under the scorching gaze, the cream was already slowly melting, about to drip onto the desk.

Only then did that deep, hoarse voice speak from below:

"Baby, spread your legs."

***

Jiang Zhiyu finally carried the man off the desk, balled up the soaked shirt, and tossed it straight into the trash.

He set the man down on the bed, took out some ointment, dipped his fingers in it, and personally applied it to the little snow that had just been thoroughly tasted.

Ling Ran had been utterly devoured, the stimulation he received no less than any of the previous times—if not even more intense.

Tears welled up in his eyes again. After the ointment was applied, he was gently and carefully pulled into an embrace, his soft little head resting against the enigma's chest, his entire body warmed by the heat radiating from him.

Jiang Zhiyu turned off the video and only then noticed the news draft Ling Ran had been working on displayed on the computer screen. After a quick skim, he found it quite excellent in terms of perspective and phrasing. The opening focused on the Omega who had been knocked unconscious by two bodyguards in the private room.

After leaving the club, Jiang Zhiyu had immediately sent someone to rescue that Omega. The man was still lying in the hospital, unconscious for days.

His gland had been marked by too many alphas in a short time, bitten so severely that the original skin was almost unrecognizable—completely ravaged. Not only that, but his body bore injuries of varying sizes, likely from being beaten while trying to escape.

Moreover, multiple permanent mating marks had been detected in his reproductive cavity. For an Omega, this was an unbearably cruel ordeal, the sheer agony he must have endured beyond the imagination of most.

Jiang Zhiyu had kept people stationed at the hospital, both to monitor and protect him. If Dong Hui's people found out such an important figure had slipped away, there was no telling whether they might target the innocent Omega.

The crimes of "Palm Pearl" were too numerous to recount, and the mastermind behind it all was Dong Hui.

Ling Ran only introduced Dong Hui toward the end of the draft, but the evidence against him was insufficient. The video footage from the club alone might not be enough to definitively condemn him, so Ling Ran had been hesitating over this section, having written and then deleted multiple versions.

After reading through the entire draft, Jiang Zhiyu tapped the keyboard twice. The little Omega in his arms suddenly opened his eyes and glanced at the screen.

"I haven't finished writing yet...

He made a faint attempt to break free, wanting to sit up and continue, but exhaustion weighed him down to the point where even his fingers lacked the strength to move.

Jiang Zhiyu ruffled the back of his head. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"No," Ling Ran insisted. "I have to go to work tomorrow, and I need to discuss the program with my team. I have to finish editing the draft tonight so we can review it tomorrow..."

"It has to be done tonight?"

Ling Ran nodded, his small face weary but his eyelids stubbornly refusing to shut.

"Alright," Jiang Zhiyu kissed the top of his head. "Sleep. I'll write it for you."

Ling Ran could no longer fight off the drowsiness, his eyes nearly closed, but he still seemed doubtful upon hearing Jiang Zhiyu's words.

He didn't believe Mr. Jiang would actually write the press release. Even if he could, there was no need for him to complete Ling Ran's work.

"I... I want to write it myself..." Ling Ran's eyelids were desperately fighting to stay open. "I'm almost done... just the last part..."

As he spoke, he actually began to relax. After blinking a few times, his eyes finally closed.

Jiang Zhiyu didn't put him back to bed. Instead, he held him like that, listening to his steady, faint breathing against his chest while rapidly typing on the keyboard.

Ling Ran's draft was already quite good—there wasn't much to revise. Jiang Zhiyu simply finished the incomplete sections and added substantial content about Dong Hui's crimes and accusations at the end.

After completing it, Jiang Zhiyu sent Zhao Qin a message, instructing him to compile all the collected materials on Dong Hui and have them delivered to Ling Ran's desk first thing tomorrow morning.

With so much material, it should be enough for their team to produce an entire special feature on the Dong family.

Only after handling everything for Ling Ran did Jiang Zhiyu turn to his own work. Once all tasks were finished, he carried the little Omega back to bed.

As usual, he wrapped him snugly in the blanket, holding him tightly in his arms. Closing his eyes, he could smell the sweet scent on him, as if his entire body could finally unwind—exceptionally at ease.

The next morning, Jiang Zhiyu deliberately didn't wake Ling Ran when he got up. He hadn't planned on letting Ling Ran return to work today anyway. Given how delicate his condition was, he wanted him to take a couple more days off under sick leave.

But just as he was about to leave, the person in the master bedroom unexpectedly woke up on his own.

Ling Ran didn't even have time to put on his shoes before rushing out of the bedroom.

Sure enough, Jiang Zhiyu stood by the entrance, impeccably dressed in a suit, his hair neatly combed back with just a few loose strands hanging over his forehead. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his tall, striking nose bridge—handsome and captivating.

He looked ready to head to work any second.

Ling Ran was utterly aggrieved. It was almost 8:30, and not only had Jiang Zhiyu not woken him up, but he was also planning to sneak off to work alone.

How outrageous.

He wouldn't let him kiss him anymore.

And he wouldn't let him hold him to sleep at night either.

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze fell on his bare feet, his eyes darkening as he strode forward and lifted him by the thighs.

"Why are you up so early?"

Ling Ran wrapped his arms around his neck, pouting with a mix of grievance and coquetry. "You didn't wake me for work..."

Jiang Zhiyu chuckled. "You can go in the afternoon."

"No," Ling Ran said seriously, his small face earnest. "I can't be late."

Nearby, Song Yi watched the clingy pair, unable to hide his smile as he kindly reminded them, "It's almost 8:40."

Being late was inevitable now.

Ling Ran grew even more anxious, kicking his legs slightly to be let down.

"Oh no, oh no, I'm definitely going to be late. Put me down, I need to change!"

Jiang Zhiyu carried him back toward the bedroom. "No rush."

With the Enigma's "help," Ling Ran's changing process became even slower. He was pinned against the wardrobe and kissed thoroughly before finally being released.

Great. It was 9:00 now.

He was already late.

Ling Ran pursed his lips. After changing, he followed Jiang Zhiyu out of the bedroom, only to be seated at the dining table for breakfast before they finally headed downstairs.

Zhao Qin was waiting downstairs, surprised to see the two arriving together for work today. He hurried over to open the rear car door. Ling Ran hesitated for a moment. "Maybe... we should go separately. The colleagues might see..."

Jiang Zhiyu's expression darkened slightly, but he said nothing.

He was the one pursuing Ling Ran, so of course, he had to respect the other's wishes.

Not wanting to be seen, not wanting to go public—it was all acceptable.

For now, he could tolerate being the little Omega's secret lover.

Jiang Zhiyu walked around to the driver's side of the Rolls-Royce and said to Zhao Qin, "Go take him."

Zhao Qin understood immediately and jogged over to drive the Porsche.

That meant the CEO would have to drive himself to work today.

The two cars left with a ten-minute gap between them. Jiang Zhiyu respected Ling Ran's request, letting him drive into the parking garage first and waiting until he had gone upstairs before the Rolls-Royce entered its reserved spot.

Seven full days had passed since Ling Ran disappeared outside the Pearl Club.

For the first five days, it was as if he had vanished completely. Yang Jia and Xiao Feng were so frantic they nearly called the police. But Qin Chengyue, Ling Ran's closest friend, remained calm.

He had immediately messaged Jiang Zhiyu to ask and, upon confirming that Ling Ran was indeed with him, felt at ease.

At least there was no danger.

Ling Ran only resurfaced in the group chat on the sixth day. Whatever illness he had must have been severe—he hadn't even had time to check his phone. Yet, now that he had recovered, he looked anything but sickly. Instead, his face seemed even more radiant and alluring, his upturned eyes capable of ensnaring any Alpha's soul with just a glance.

As the only Alpha in their team, Xiao Feng had always harbored feelings for Ling Ran. Before, he had been too shy to meet Ling Ran's gaze—now, he couldn't bear to at all.

That night outside the club, the other three in the van had seen everything clearly on the screen—Ling Ran had been rescued in Jiang Zhiyu's arms, then whisked away in his Rolls-Royce.

The key point was, they had disappeared together—and now they were returning together.

It was impossible not to speculate about what had happened in those seven days.

Fortunately, Zhao Qin had already warned the three of them—no one was to speak a word about Ling Ran and the CEO, and absolutely no gossiping.

Yang Jia and Xiao Feng nodded repeatedly. Qin Chengyue gave his word, though in his heart, he had already planned how to interrogate Ling Ran.

Expecting him not to gossip? Impossible.

When Ling Ran arrived at the office, before he could even reach his desk, he overheard colleagues from the entertainment department discussing how their seemingly aloof and unapproachable CEO actually had a long-term partner—someone he had kept so well-hidden that no one knew their identity.

The moment Ling Ran heard this bombshell, his ears began ringing violently. He clenched the hem of his shirt and asked, "The CEO... has a partner?"

The colleague was practically the company's walking encyclopedia, with the most reliable sources.

"Of course! Why would I lie? You've been away, so you wouldn't know. Though we're not supposed to spread it, everyone's been talking about it behind closed doors. Even Haishi News and other outlets reported on it—though headquarters quickly suppressed the stories. Still, it made headlines for a while. Did you really not see?"

Ling Ran's heart felt like it was being crushed. He forced an awkward smile. "Haven't had the time to check."

He didn't have time to look—all his time was spent making love.

"I found it for you. Someone took photos, and they're crystal clear. It's definitely President Jiang," the colleague kindly pulled up the photo and placed it in front of Ling Ran. "But the person he's holding is completely hidden—blocked too well. You can only see legs in a skirt, so it must be a girl."

The actual person mistaken for a girl, Ling Ran, suddenly felt his ears burn red, his heart fluttering freely again.

The person in that photo was none other than him.

That night, when Mr. Jiang had held him as they left the club, someone had secretly taken a photo. Fortunately, his face wasn't visible at all—only the intimate way they clung to each other, with him being held tightly.

Colleague: "Done looking? Pretty unexpected, right? What kind of person do you think President Jiang's partner is? Someone stunningly beautiful, or from an ultra-wealthy family? Or maybe both?"

Ling Ran: "..."

He seemed to fit... neither.

Colleague: "And with President Jiang's terrifying aura, you can tell he'd be hard to chase. That girl must be something else to have won him over. Just think how many people in our company alone want to climb that high branch but don't have the guts. I really admire her—with that kind of perseverance, she'd succeed at anything."

Ling Ran, who was actually the one being pursued: "..."

The colleague, a true gossip, followed Ling Ran all the way back to his workstation, chattering nonstop.

Qin Chengyue was already seated, waiting for Ling Ran to arrive so the interrogation could begin.

Once Ling Ran sat down, Qin Chengyue gave him a thorough once-over, sharp eyes immediately spotting the glaring red mark on his neck—like a hickey.

The colleague hadn't left yet. Qin Chengyue feigned surprise and asked, "Xiao Ran, what's that on your neck?"

The colleague also glanced at Ling Ran's neck and gasped, "Holy shit, Xiao Ran, is that a hickey? You have a boyfriend?!"

Ling Ran's eyes widened in shock as he hurriedly pulled out a mirror to check.

It was a fresh love bite from this morning in the bedroom. The marks from previous days had been treated with ointment and faded away. He'd been careless, forgetting to double-check.

And that damn enigma was too much—he'd promised not to leave marks, yet still managed to sneak one in when Ling Ran wasn't paying attention.

Qin Chengyue blinked innocently. "What? Xiao Ran, you're dating someone? Why haven't you mentioned it before? You two must be really close. Your boyfriend's so lucky to have such a wonderful Omega like you."

The colleague studied Ling Ran's delicate, rosy lips and strikingly beautiful face, suddenly realizing how much prettier he'd become in just a few days.

He sighed regretfully. "Yeah, your boyfriend hit the jackpot. Guess another batch of people in the company are gonna be heartbroken." Though President Jiang and Ling Ran had both revealed their relationships around the same time, no one had connected the dots between them.

The colleague smacked his lips and returned to his seat.

Qin Chengyue crossed his arms, now scrutinizing Ling Ran's every move with renewed intensity.

Ling Ran felt guilty under his gaze: "Chengyue, why did you have to say it like that just now? You could've told me privately."

Qin Chengyue replied, "It's better that loudmouth knows. This way, fewer alphas will bother you in the future. But Ling Ran, don't you have anything you want to confess to me?"

Ling Ran pursed his lips, his dark, bright eyes darting around nervously: "N-no, nothing..."

Qin Chengyue snorted and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "You don't have to say it—I already know."

"You slept with President Jiang."

It wasn't a question but a definitive statement.

Otherwise, who could explain the seductive, spring-like glow radiating from the Omega's face?

Ling Ran's pupils dilated momentarily as he nervously glanced around, ensuring no one had overheard their conversation.

"Chengyue..."

Qin Chengyue asserted firmly, "More than once."

This time, Ling Ran's cheeks flushed as well, a faint rosy hue spreading across his fair skin—clear evidence of embarrassment and panic at having his secret exposed.

He had been careful with his posture this morning, dressed modestly without revealing anything. The hickey on his neck was just an accident.

How had he been found out? Was it really that obvious?

Seeing his reaction, Qin Chengyue couldn't help but feel concerned. Leaning closer, he lowered his voice and asked, "Did you use protection?"

Even with limited knowledge in this area, Qin Chengyue knew the basics.

He added, "Omegas can get pregnant without it."

Ling Ran quickly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "We did..."

Qin Chengyue nodded. "Oh, so you're not planning for a child yet."

Ling Ran: ":<"

It seemed Chengyue had forgotten—he was ill and likely incapable of conceiving for the rest of his life.

Qin Chengyue was brimming with questions, firing them off one after another.

"Is it really that pleasurable?"

"How does it feel for you?"

"How many days did you do it? How many times a day? How long each time?"

"Do you also feel a bit sore and swollen inside?"

By the time he finished, Ling Ran's face was burning red, unable to utter a single word.

Qin Chengyue stared at him eagerly, still waiting for answers.

Unexpectedly, Ling Ran caught the loophole in his words and suddenly asked, "Chengyue, are you hiding something from me too? Have you been coming to the office these past few days?"

Qin Chengyue averted his gaze and immediately fell silent.

Yang Jia and Xiao Feng came over to announce the meeting room was ready, so the four of them got up to attend the discussion.

Ling Ran distributed the materials Zhao Qin had given him among the group, and they spent nearly the entire day holed up in the conference room, sorting through various leads. At one point, Ling Ran and Xiao Feng even made a trip to the hospital to check on the still- unconscious Omega.

If only they could interview that Omega before the program aired—his testimony would make their report far more compelling.

In the afternoon, they continued their discussions. Ling Ran discovered that Jiang Zhiyu had somehow already finished drafting the news script for him. The wording was sharp, cutting straight to the point, and utterly merciless in its condemnation of Dong Hui as a morally bankrupt, irredeemable scoundrel.

Of course, the actual phrasing wasn't that crude—that was just Ling Ran's summary.

Broadcasting this script wouldn't be an issue, but whether it would pass the higher-ups' review remained to be seen.

An hour before the end of the workday, headquarters suddenly announced an all-staff meeting.

The group had no choice but to pause their discussion and head upstairs to the large conference hall.

Ling Ran's seat was in the middle to back rows. Only after sitting down did he notice the name placards of all the senior leaders from Jiang Corporation's subsidiaries arranged on the stage, with Jiang Zhiyu's placed right at the center.

It seemed today's meeting wouldn't be ending early.

Once all the employees had taken their seats, the executives filed in one after another through the front entrance, Jiang Shengyi among them.

The last to enter was Jiang Zhiyu. After taking his seat at the center, he faced the thousands of employees below, his expression cold and commanding, his presence dominating the entire room.

The meeting was just routine business. Listening to the deep, pleasant voice coming through the microphone, Ling Ran, like everyone else, kept his gaze fixed on the stage—though his state of mind was entirely different from the rest.

Truth be told, Mr. Jiang had a naturally excellent voice. He could have effortlessly been a news anchor, though in daily life, his tone always carried a layer of frost, chilling to the ear.

But when speaking to Ling Ran, his voice was different.

Lowered, sometimes with a hint of huskiness—deeply sensual, deeply stirring.

And every word that passed those thin lips never failed to make Ling Ran flush crimson.

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