TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 40

The next morning, sunlight seeped through the cracks in the curtains, and the small robot on the bedside table blinked its LED eyes rhythmically. The little Omega stirred under the covers, stretching out his limbs on the warm, cozy bed and letting out a long yawn.

He had slept so soundly and peacefully. Although his limbs felt soft and a little sore, his mind was clear, and he was unusually energetic.

Xia Tong slowly opened his eyes and murmured, “Debon, what time is it?”

“It’s 9:30 a.m. You’ve been in deep sleep for a full twelve hours, Xia Tong,” the robot responded.

“Twelve hours! No wonder I feel so refreshed!” Xia Tong yawned again, sitting up in bed and stretching.

A good night’s sleep improved his mood, and the minor discomfort he felt seemed negligible. Cheerfully, Xia Tong got out of bed to freshen up, but Debon reminded him promptly, “Xia Tong, you didn’t take your medication last night.”

“Ah! Right!” Xia Tong smacked his forehead. “I knew I forgot something important! I just couldn’t remember what it was! So it was the meds!” He leaned toward Debon, asking seriously, “So, I had a fever yesterday and passed out, and it was Zero who brought me back, right?”

“You experienced your first big… event in life yesterday,” Debon’s LED eyes flashed, delivering the news with gravity. “Commonly known as your heat.”

“Ah?” Xia Tong froze. “Me?”

If Debon hadn’t mentioned it, he wouldn’t have realized. But now that it was out in the open, he started noticing some discomfort—likely from sweating a lot.

Xia Tong’s fair little face turned as red as a tomato. Yesterday, he had felt like a tender sprout desperate to soak up every drop of dew.  

At first, his body was weak, then his mind became uncontrollable. His very being felt like a primordial black hole in the universe, trying to pull in everything nearby… Following these traces of memory, bits and pieces of last night’s fiery details emerged in his mind, leaving Xia Tong’s cheeks burning hot.

In hindsight, all he wanted was to cling to the Alpha with the sandalwood scent forever, like a cat curling up for comfort and affection. 

How could this happen!?

Xia Tong stood frozen, horrified.

Meanwhile, Debon rolled closer on its wheels and began explaining with utmost diligence: “An Omega’s special period prepares their body for conception. Their entire metabolic system goes into overdrive, producing excessive sweat…”

“Stop, stop! I don’t want to hear it anymore!! I can’t face anyone now!!” Xia Tong stomped his foot in shame and fled into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Unfazed, Debon wheeled to the door and continued its lecture: “There are two ways to handle an Omega’s heat period. Option one: hospital treatment with pheromone suppressants. Option two: accepting an Alpha’s mark, which involves the Alpha biting the Omega’s nape gland and injecting their pheromones.”

Inside the shower, Xia Tong scrambled to turn on the hot water. The warmth cascading down his body made him feel much better.

Surrounded by white steam, his flushed face became even redder. His heart raced as if fueled by the heat, pumping blood furiously through his veins. Xia Tong tilted his head and noticed a dull ache at the back of his neck. He reached up to touch it and felt some rough, uneven skin.

Slowly, memories of the previous night returned. Ah, that bite… It really hurt, now that he thought about it.

Lost in thought, he stared at the misty ceiling. He couldn’t tell if he felt lingering unease—or just the slightest hint of nostalgia.

So… that was a temporary mark. 

Which meant… he didn’t go to the hospital because Lin Mingfei had marked him!?

Just then, Debon continued to chatter outside: “Once marked, the Omega becomes bonded to that Alpha, relying on and submitting to them. The relationship is also protected by law. Marks are classified as either temporary or permanent.”

Xia Tong felt a twinge of curiosity and carefully cracked the bathroom door open. He peeked out with his wet head, asking, “So, was Zero’s mark on me temporary or permanent?”

“I don’t know,” Debon replied, shaking its head.

Xia Tong touched the back of his neck again, unwilling to let it go. “What do you think he marked me with?”

Debon answered matter-of-factly, “Based on my analysis, it was most likely a temporary mark.”

Xia Tong suddenly felt a little disappointed. “Why are you guessing now when you just said you didn’t know?”

Debon explained, “According to the International Omega Protection Act, Chapter 4, Article 236: Any use of force, coercion, or other means to permanently mark an Omega is punishable by three to ten years in prison.”

Xia Tong gasped audibly. He’d always thought marking was just a normal thing, but he never imagined permanent marking would actually be addressed in the law…

Xia Tong lowered his eyelashes and let out a dejected “ah,” pulling his little head back in dismay.

He gave himself a thorough wash, clumsily scrubbed his dirty pajamas clean, and changed into fresh clothes. Feeling a bit hungry, he opened the door and ventured out to find something to eat.

Aunt Song hadn’t left yet and was busy in the kitchen. The microwave was running on a timer, and she seemed to be waiting for it while leaning against the counter, listening to an audiobook.

“…Bai Mosheng clung to Leng Weihan, crying her heart out. Her tears fell like the rarest diamonds in the world, breaking hearts. She said sorrowfully, ‘My love! Why did you do this? This is murder! It’s illegal! You shouldn’t sacrifice so much for me—it’s not worth it!’ Leng Weihan, with his blood-stained hand, gently caressed her flower-like face, smiling with difficulty yet tenderly. His pitch-black eyes flickered with a fierce red light from time to time. ‘Mosheng, anyone who dares to touch you, I will make them pay with their lives. Breaking the law for you is nothing! I would even destroy the whole world for you! You are my one and only love!’ …”

Xia Tong listened in confusion, trying to imagine the horrific scene of “smiling with difficulty yet tenderly, while pitch-black eyes flickered with a fierce red light” as he descended the stairs.

Aunt Song heard his footsteps, looked up, and immediately greeted him with a warm smile.

“Ah, Xiao Xia is awake! Come, come, your breakfast is warmed up. Hurry and eat!”

“Oh, thank you, Aunt Song!” Xia Tong grinned, dashing into the kitchen. “Where is everyone else in the base?”

“Oh, they went out for morning training early. They’re not back yet,” Aunt Song replied cheerfully. She retrieved a small lunchbox from the rice cooker. Inside was a bunny-shaped custard bun and a few crystal shrimp dumplings, still steaming. Xia Tong hugged the little box and sat by the kitchen counter as Aunt Song poured him a cup of peach-flavored yogurt.

“Eat up, and if it’s not enough, let me know.”

“Okay!” Xia Tong clapped his hands happily, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and dug in.

The custard bun’s filling was sweet, smooth, and creamy, paired with the chewy, fragrant bun exterior. Xia Tong finished the bunny in two or three bites and then devoured a shrimp dumpling in one go. The dumpling’s filling was made of fresh, springy shrimp mixed with tender bamboo shoots, leaving a lingering, savory aftertaste.

This breakfast was simply divine. Xia Tong was so delighted he felt like he was floating. Just as he was about to praise Aunt Song, her audiobook moved on to the next chapter.

“…Zhou Junfeng held Bai Mosheng tightly in his arms and said with pain yet admiration, ‘Mosheng, I know I will never have you in this lifetime because Leng Weihan loves you with such passion! He’s even willing to break the law for you! I could never reach such a level. A man like that is one in a million, Mosheng. You must cherish him—there won’t be another like him!’…”

Xia Tong sniffed and turned to ask, “Aunt Song, what are you listening to?”

Aunt Song replied, “I’m listening to The Mafia Boss’s Runaway Bride! The love story between Leng Shao and Bai Meiren is just so tragic. They’re willing to go through hell and high water for each other, utterly fearless! That’s what true love is all about!”

Xia Tong suddenly looked thoughtful, biting down on his thumb.

He recalled his earlier conversation with Debon.

“Based on my analysis, it’s likely a temporary mark.”

“Why?”

“Because according to The Omega International Protection Act, Volume II, Chapter IV, Article 236, using violence, coercion, or other means to permanently mark an Omega carries a prison sentence of three to ten years.”

Leng Weihan loved Bai Mosheng so much he was willing to break the law for her, making their love story unparalleled.

Zero, afraid of breaking the law, refused to permanently mark him, so there was no love between them.

Xia Tong felt like he had figured this out, but his heart sank. His lips quivered into a wavy line of dismay.

At that moment, the base’s main door opened, and several sweaty Alphas returned from their morning run.

“Holy crap, holy crap…” Zhou Yanjun wheezed. “I’m dying here… Twenty kilometers on the first day… Are you guys insane? Ever heard of easing into it?!”

“If you can still complain this much, you’ll live a long time,” Shi Ya said, wiping the sweat off his face with the towel around his neck and chuckling. “Zero’s the real champ. Stayed up late and still showed up at 6:30 sharp.”

Lin Mingfei grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, his expression calm. “As the captain, it’s important to set an example, so you don’t all slack off.” He twisted open the chilled bottle and downed half of it in one go. His adam’s apple bobbed, and the taut lines of his neck exuded rugged masculinity.

After drinking, he glanced sideways and saw Xia Tong eating breakfast at the counter. The way Xia Tong held a cup of yogurt in one hand and chopsticks in the other looked so endearing that it made Lin Mingfei’s heart itch. He walked over and sat down next to him.

Just as he was about to speak, Xia Tong scooted further inside, leaving a seat’s distance between them. He even moved his little lunchbox along with him.

Lin Mingfei: “?”

He stared at Xia Tong in confusion, wondering what this meant. Xia Tong avoided his gaze, silently eating his shrimp dumplings.

He looked fine—eating happily—so it wasn’t a health issue. The temporary mark must not have caused too much harm.

Relieved, Lin Mingfei relaxed, but he still couldn’t understand why Xia Tong was ignoring him. Was he upset with him?

At that moment, Shi Ya walked around to the other side of the counter, grinning. “What are you eating, Xia Xiaotong? Smells so good!”

“Shrimp dumplings and custard buns, but I already ate them all!” Xia Tong tilted his face up and answered, “Auntie Song made them for me!”

“Your appetite’s great. Now you’ve made me crave them too,” Shi Ya teased, leaning forward on the bar counter. “Little Xia Tong, your body seems fine now, doesn’t it?”

Xia Tong froze for a moment, his small face flushing red, then nodded shyly.

“Do you remember what I told you before? If you have any troubles, you can always talk to me. I’ll tell you what to do!” Shi Ya’s voice softened, carrying a hint of coaxing.

Xia Tong’s eyes lit up slightly. He slid his small lunchbox forward, his gaze brimming with expectation. “Really? Timer, I actually… I do have something on my mind right now!”

“Let’s go. We can have a secret chat on the couch,” Shi Ya said, motioning with a tilt of his chin. He then shot a triumphant look at Lin Mingfei.

Lin Mingfei’s brows knitted tighter and tighter.

Xia Tong was talking to Shi Ya! But not to him!

So he really was holding a grudge…

Seeing Xia Tong about to leave his meal behind and run off with Shi Ya, that infamous Omega charmer, Lin Mingfei finally felt a sense of crisis. Pushing himself up from the bar with both hands, he called out in a low voice, “Xia Tong!”

The little Omega immediately stopped in his tracks.

Perhaps it was the Alpha pheromones that had been imprinted in his body taking effect at this moment, making it hard for the marked Omega to resist a faint feeling of fear. At the same time, the genetic instinct to submit to the Alpha who had marked him compelled him to rely on Lin Mingfei. Xia Tong shuffled his feet a little and ended up moving closer to Lin Mingfei.

“W-What are you doing…” he stammered.

Lin Mingfei tried his best to appear less impatient and coaxed gently, “Since last night until now… don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“N-No…”

“Really?”

“Well… maybe…” Xia Tong hung his head in front of him, trembling as he fidgeted with his fingers.

“Then why didn’t you tell me but wanted to talk to Shi Ya instead?” Lin Mingfei pressed. “Come here. Come to me.”

Xia Tong didn’t know how to answer. He hesitated and stammered for a long time, then reluctantly shuffled a few steps closer. A feeling of grievance welled up in his throat, and suddenly, he burst into tears with a loud “Wah!”

“Y-You’re so mean! Why are you being so fierce, wuuu!”

Lin Mingfei: “…”

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