Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Feverish individuals are perpetually cold, and a thin blanket offered scant warmth. Fu Yanhuai’s body became Lu Yao’s sole accessible heat source, and in his hazy delirium, Lu Yao instinctively burrowed into Fu Yanhuai’s embrace.

“Even in sleep, you can’t stay still.”

Fu Yanhuai saw no fault in his method of tending to the sick. He held down the blanket’s edge, preventing Lu Yao from restless movements. Lu Yao, too weak to resist, silently curled back into himself. He remained still for less than a minute before Fu Yanhuai felt him trembling.

Fu Yanhuai frowned, attempting to lift him again. As soon as Lu Yao felt Fu Yanhuai’s warmth, he clung tightly once more.

Lu Yao’s breathing was rapid, but Fu Yanhuai had a strange impression—perhaps a mere illusion—that Lu Yao seemed to stabilize slightly when pressed close to his pheromone gland.

But Fu Yanhuai’s patience was wearing thin. He turned to locate the call button by the bed, only to recall that Lu Yao was housed in a storage room, devoid of such a system.

Fu Yanhuai gazed at the man in his arms for a moment. “Lu Yao, you truly are a constant source of trouble.”

Even in unconsciousness, Lu Yao flinched subtly. In the year since their marriage, Fu Yanhuai’s scorn and disappointment had been etched deeply into his mind. Even in dreams, hearing his voice triggered an instinctive unease.

Ultimately, Fu Yanhuai called for the butler. Lu Yao clutched Fu Yanhuai’s sleeve, refusing to let go, like a pathetic puppy fearing abandonment.

When the butler opened the door and witnessed the scene, he couldn’t suppress a gasp of surprise, but quickly composed himself, stepping forward to whisper, “Mr. Fu, Dr. Feng will arrive in ten minutes.”

Fu Yanhuai gave a faint hum of acknowledgment. “Tell him to come straight here. And the water?”

The butler placed the tray on a makeshift cabinet nearby. The water was slightly scalding, but Fu Yanhuai patiently held the cup to Lu Yao’s lips. Lu Yao, clearly parched, gulped down nearly half the cup in one breath.

Lu Yao’s hair was disheveled yet remarkably soft. This fluffy texture felt novel to Fu Yanhuai.

After drinking some water, Lu Yao appeared more stable. The butler thoughtfully produced a thermometer, and Fu Yanhuai pressed it to his forehead—it read 40°C.

Lu Yao’s condition was more severe than Fu Yanhuai had anticipated. He turned to the butler. “Has the doctor not arrived yet?”

Fu Yanhuai’s expression had grown serious, though he himself was unaware. The butler cautiously observed his face. “He’ll be here shortly, please don’t worry.”

“Turn up the air conditioning. Find some ice packs.”

The room temperature rose to 28°C. Fu Yanhuai took the ice packs from the butler, attempting to place one on Lu Yao’s forehead.

Lu Yao still seemed to feel cold; the ice pack’s chill made him shiver violently.

For some reason, seeing Lu Yao in such a weakened state rekindled that familiar irritation in Fu Yanhuai.

His thin lips pressed into a tight line, and he impatiently tossed the ice pack aside.

The butler dared not speak, standing motionless, eyes downcast. Just as the air in the room grew increasingly stifling, Dr. Feng finally arrived.

The butler retreated, carefully closing the door behind him. Lu Yao remained in a deep slumber. The moment Dr. Feng entered, his portable pheromone detector immediately showed dangerously high readings.

Dr. Feng leaned in for a quick examination. He carefully observed Lu Yao’s condition, noticing numerous suspicious marks on his exposed skin.

Adhering to upper-class etiquette, Dr. Feng straightened up and quietly asked Fu Yanhuai, “Mr. Fu, I need to inquire if Mr. Lu has any external injuries.”

Fu Yanhuai had initially been displeased by the doctor’s proximity, but upon hearing the question, he paused subtly for two seconds. “Yes, some.”

Dr. Feng gently prompted, “Even minor, hidden wounds require attention. Inflammation is also a contributing factor to high fever.”

Fu Yanhuai didn’t recall such trivial details, but it sounded as though this fever wasn't caused by anything serious. “Aside from that, does he need any medication?”

“There’s one more thing I need to remind you of,” Dr. Feng said respectfully. “Betas and omegas have different physiologies. They lack a reproductive cavity, so certain external fluids cannot be stored or properly broken down. Therefore, if no precautions were taken, timely cleaning is essential.”

Fu Yanhuai’s grip on Lu Yao tightened then loosened. Indeed, Fu Yanhuai had never concerned himself with this matter.

“Is it just these two reasons? When will he wake up?”

Lu Yao had better not sleep through the third day of his rut. Fu Yanhuai was in no mood to care for a patient right now.

“For a more thorough examination, hospital equipment would be necessary.” However, based on Dr. Feng’s years of experience as a family doctor, this beta’s fever and unconsciousness were likely due to Fu Yanhuai’s… overzealousness. “For now, simply treating the wounds will suffice. Afterward, I’ll administer an IV drip.”

Fu Yanhuai understood the implication in Dr. Feng’s words. He casually said, “Understood. You may leave for now. Leave the ointment.”

Fu Yanhuai considered it his sole right to apply the medicine to Lu Yao—and Dr. Feng, surprisingly, found nothing amiss, leaving the ointment and excusing himself to find the butler.

Fu Yanhuai unwrapped Lu Yao from the blanket. He had found Lu Yao’s tattered clothes an eyesore since entering the room. Now, with a valid reason, Fu Yanhuai unhesitatingly tore Lu Yao’s pajamas completely. These ragged garments were utterly out of place in this villa.

Under the bathroom lights, Fu Yanhuai confirmed that Lu Yao must have gone straight to sleep after returning to his room. It was also the first time he had seen Lu Yao’s body so clearly, covered in such disarray. Fu Yanhuai’s expression was subtle.

*Did I do all this?*

Lu Yao shivered even more. Fu Yanhuai patiently adjusted the water temperature, filling the bathtub. As the warm water gradually enveloped Lu Yao’s body, his tense muscles slowly relaxed.

Fu Yanhuai’s clothes also got wet, so he simply stepped into the tub and sat down, beginning to treat the wounds as instructed by the doctor.

Lu Yao was roused by a dull ache. When he opened his eyes, his mind was still a blur. It took the poor beta a few seconds to grasp his current situation.

Lu Yao’s entire body ached. The simple act of propping himself up drained all his strength. The moment Lu Yao awoke, Fu Yanhuai ceased his actions.

“Mr… Mr. Fu?” Lu Yao’s voice was faint and hoarse, as if he might faint again. “I-I can do it myself…!”

Lu Yao’s current state prevented him from thinking clearly. He panicked, trying to scramble out of the bathtub.

“Don’t move.” This was Fu Yanhuai’s first time doing such a thing, and he found it quite novel.

As the water drained from the tub, Fu Yanhuai turned on the shower and tested the water temperature.

Lu Yao knelt, hugging himself tightly. His face was still flushed, his eyes wide and watery, staring blankly at Fu Yanhuai.

Even now, Lu Yao’s nape still throbbed faintly, though the pain wasn’t constant. Once accustomed, the area would become numb.

Fu Yanhuai rinsed Lu Yao clean, remarking thoughtfully, “You seem quite lively.”

Lu Yao looked up uneasily. Fu Yanhuai wrapped Lu Yao in a towel, then carried him directly out of the bathroom.

“This room truly doesn’t meet the requirements for my rut, but it will have to do.”

Dizzy, Lu Yao was pulled onto the bed, only to black out again moments later.

Lu Yao didn’t know how long he had slept, nor when Fu Yanhuai had left.

Outside, the sky had already darkened. He groggily stirred, then noticed an IV drip in his hand. Lu Yao blinked. His body ached intensely, but he felt clean.

The room was empty. Lu Yao struggled to sit up, then realized he wasn’t wearing his own pajamas.

The fabric of this outfit was smooth, but the size was clearly too large for him. Lu Yao looked around in confusion, then spotted his torn pajamas in the room’s trash can.

He stared blankly for two seconds, unable to comprehend why. *Did my pajamas displease Fu Yanhuai too?*

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lu Yao tried to recall everything that had happened today. He remembered going straight to sleep after returning to his room, and then Fu Yanhuai seemed to have visited… He vaguely recalled having a fever.

He followed the IV tube up to the drip bag. Fu Yanhuai must have given him a bath, but…

Lu Yao’s face flushed again—it must have been a dream. How could Fu Yanhuai be in his room’s bed, having sex with him? An alpha in rut is very particular about their surroundings.

There was still a little less than half the IV fluid left, and Lu Yao was very thirsty. There was indeed a cup on the bedside table, but it was empty. After a moment’s hesitation, Lu Yao tried to take down the hanging IV bag.

He still felt dizzy when he stood up. Lu Yao struggled to stretch his arm to reach the IV bag when Fu Yanhuai pushed the door open and entered.

“What are you doing?”

Fu Yanhuai’s tone sounded slightly displeased. Lu Yao instinctively withdrew his hand and turned to Fu Yanhuai, whispering, “There’s no water in the cup. I wanted to go to the kitchen to get some.”

Lu Yao’s complexion had shifted from the abnormal feverish red back to its previous pallor. Fu Yanhuai frowned slightly and felt Lu Yao’s forehead with the back of his hand. “The fever’s gone.”

Lu Yao was flustered by Fu Yanhuai’s gesture, feeling his face suddenly heat up again.

“Y-yeah, I’m… I’m fine now. I’m already better.”

Fu Yanhuai lowered his gaze, calmly observing Lu Yao. Lu Yao stammered incoherently, “No more fever, right.”

Under Fu Yanhuai’s impassive gaze, Lu Yao grew increasingly embarrassed. Fu Yanhuai shifted his gaze to the IV bag.

“Have Dr. Feng check on you again later. For now, tell the butler all your needs at once.”

Lu Yao stood there, overwhelmed by the unexpected attention. He couldn’t help but let his thoughts wander—was Fu Yanhuai being so caring because he was sick?

Could he dare to think that perhaps, just perhaps, Fu Yanhuai liked him a little…?

“Lu Yao.” Confirming that Lu Yao’s condition had stabilized, Fu Yanhuai said from his superior height, “You slept through my rut.”

Lu Yao lowered his eyes and murmured, “I didn’t mean to.”

Fu Yanhuai still seemed somewhat annoyed, but the beta before him looked pitiful and was still unwell.

In the end, Fu Yanhuai merely said, “Don’t let it happen again.”