Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Lu Yao lowered his gaze, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. "If it were before, just hearing you say those words would have filled me with joy."

Fu Yanhuai stared unblinkingly at Lu Yao, a dull ache in his chest mingling with the joy and satisfaction of seeing him. He blamed himself for making Lu Yao cry again.

"It's my fault." The fever had left Fu Yanhuai feeling weak, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie down, fearing any sudden movement might make Lu Yao leave again. "Using my gland fluid for the inducer was my voluntary choice. It wasn't meant as an apology or a bargaining chip. You don't need to feel burdened by it, nor do you need to force yourself to forgive me."

Lu Yao offered no reply. He simply rose from the edge of the bed. Fu Yanhuai instinctively reached out to stop him, but his hand froze mid-air, held back by sheer restraint.

Lu Yao had no reason to stay. Fu Yanhuai couldn’t ask him to linger any longer.

"I'll have the driver take you back," Fu Yanhuai said hoarsely.

Instead of leaving the bedroom, Lu Yao walked directly to the window and pulled open the curtains. Sunlight flooded the room, its sudden brightness making Fu Yanhuai squint uncomfortably.

Still visibly angry, Lu Yao approached him. Fu Yanhuai watched him in confusion, momentarily unsure of his intent.

This time, Lu Yao clearly saw the wound on Fu Yanhuai’s neck—the gland was a dark, bruised purple, almost black. When he spotted the needle marks, his breathing hitched.

Fu Yanhuai looked away after a couple of seconds. "It's not very serious. It'll be fine in a couple of days."

"Fu Yanhuai," Lu Yao said coldly, "do you think I'm a fool? You're telling me *this* will be fine in a couple of days?"

Fu Yanhuai was speechless. Lu Yao took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Get up."

"Where are we going?" Fu Yanhuai asked hesitantly.

Lu Yao, exasperated, strode into the adjacent walk-in closet, grabbed a casual outfit, and tossed it onto Fu Yanhuai’s bed. "Get up. We're going to the hospital."

Fu Yanhuai looked at Lu Yao, first with surprise, then with a helpless explanation. "I know my own gland's condition very well. It's better than prematurely leaking the news and causing turmoil—"

Lu Yao grabbed the collar of Fu Yanhuai’s bathrobe, forcing him to look up. He clearly saw the anger and sorrow in Lu Yao's eyes.

"I said, *hospital*," Lu Yao enunciated each word. "Now."

Fu Yanhuai’s long-dormant heart began to beat again, slowly and dully. A wounded beast, cornered and desperate, would not abandon a treasure it had long coveted. It would use any despicable, contemptible method to reclaim its beloved possession.

"Then, will you come with me?"

Fu Yanhuai had grown much thinner in the past two months. His prominent cheekbones were still abnormally flushed. He was running a high fever, his gland was damaged, and his stomach was in constant spasm, yet Fu Yanhuai's gaze had regained its composure—similar to the absolute dominant figure Lu Yao remembered, yet subtly different.

Fu Yanhuai didn't move. He didn't touch Lu Yao, nor did he feel offended by Lu Yao's actions. He simply held Lu Yao's gaze, deep and prolonged.

Lu Yao's hand tightened on the collar. "Why should I go with you? Fu Yanhuai, don't push your luck."

"I can't give you a reason."

Fu Yanhuai's voice was soft, weakened by a week of continuous fever. He could only maintain this tone.

Fu Yanhuai didn't even bother to think further. He leaned back slightly, following his instincts, and frankly admitted, "Perhaps it's because I'm base, shameless, arrogant, and fickle—going back on my word the moment I say it. I regret it."

Lu Yao looked at him in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know if this counts as coercion." Fu Yanhuai stared at Lu Yao with greedy intensity, unwilling to tear his gaze away from the face he had longed for day and night. "But I want you to come with me."

"Feeling my gland slowly necrotize… it does hurt a little."

Lu Yao's grip loosened stiffly.

"I suppose I've had a taste of beta life now," Fu Yanhuai murmured. "Sometimes, I also feel a little afraid."

Did Fu Yanhuai also have moments of fear, vulnerability, and helplessness? Lu Yao didn't know, but Fu Yanhuai was now sitting quietly before him in a posture of absolute weakness, and Lu Yao didn't know how to react.

"Lu Yao, I really… I really missed you…"

Lu Yao took a deep breath to steady himself. After a few seconds, he spoke with ill humor, "Shut up."

Fu Yanhuai obediently said nothing more, looking up at Lu Yao.

Lu Yao stared fixedly at him. "Get dressed. I'll wait for you downstairs. Don't tell me you can't even go down the stairs now. If you can't walk, then just stay here forever."

As soon as Lu Yao finished speaking, he closed the door and left without hesitation. Fu Yanhuai looked at the clothes Lu Yao had casually picked out, lifted them to his face, and buried his face in them, laughing softly.

By the time Fu Yanhuai changed and got into the car, his complexion was still very poor. Seeing him, an inexplicable irritation welled up in Lu Yao's heart.

Whether Fu Yanhuai was pretending or had genuinely learned his lesson, he behaved just as he had the previous times he'd taken Lu Yao to the hospital: maintaining a safe distance, not speaking excessively, and not pressuring Lu Yao.

But now, Lu Yao found everything about him unsatisfactory. Lu Yao turned his head to look at Fu Yanhuai's pursed lips.

Fu Yanhuai, good-naturedly, turned his head. "What's wrong?"

Lu Yao frowned, staring at Fu Yanhuai's neck. He spoke coldly, "Come closer."

Fu Yanhuai was more than willing. Their thighs pressed close together through the fabric, though Lu Yao paid no attention, focusing intently on Fu Yanhuai's gland.

The moment he got into the car, Lu Yao had torn off his own gland patch. Knowing his current pheromone concentration wasn't high enough, he'd removed it early to let a hint of caramel scent permeate the car.

Lu Yao held his breath, examining it carefully for a while. "Do you feel anything? Do you smell anything?"

"No," Fu Yanhuai answered honestly.

Lu Yao's frown deepened. He reached out and gently pressed a fingertip against the spot, refusing to give up. "Now? Still nothing?"

Lu Yao's fingertip was cool. Fu Yanhuai's lower abdomen twitched in response.

"From a medical perspective, touching it probably won't cure a gland disorder. But from a personal psychological perspective, it certainly does make one feel happier."

Lu Yao scoffed out two words, "You're sick."

In truth, when Lu Yao pressed down, there was a stinging sensation in Fu Yanhuai's gland, but Fu Yanhuai didn't know if it was a sign of improvement or worsening.

Lu Yao couldn't be bothered with him anymore and turned his head to look out the window.

Fu Yanhuai instinctively retreated, not wanting to displease Lu Yao.

The VIP elevator from the underground parking led directly to the hospital's examination area. Lu Yao, distracted, walked in with Fu Yanhuai.

Lu Yao had been lost in thought the entire way. Fu Yanhuai had actually used his own gland fluid as an inducer. Now his gland was damaged—would he ever be able to live a normal life again?

He was different from himself. Fu Yanhuai had never been a beta; he had always been a top-tier alpha, a person at the pinnacle of society.

The elevator doors opened. Fu Yanhuai coughed softly twice, and Lu Yao snapped back to attention, looking up at him.

"Since it's already so severe—with fever and rejection reactions—why did you stay at home?"

Lu Yao's tone was serious. "Don't you know how important glands are to the body? Severely diseased glands can lead to death."

Fu Yanhuai lowered his gaze, sitting quietly in the examination room. Lu Yao stood before him. Fu Yanhuai, in this state, looked oddly like a well-behaved, oversized wolfdog.

The hospital temperature wasn't low, but the high fever still made Fu Yanhuai feel cold all over. "I didn't want to come."

Fu Yanhuai blinked. "But if it's what you want, I'm willing to listen to you."

"Enough with the nonsense." Lu Yao was not in the mood to discuss such trivialities with Fu Yanhuai. "I'll go call the doctor."

Fu Yanhuai was repeatedly rebuffed by Lu Yao, yet not a trace of displeasure showed on his face. He leaned back in the chair, watching Lu Yao's retreating figure.

Fu Yanhuai hadn't yet considered how Lu Yao would react upon learning his gland was damaged, but Lu Yao's earlier emotions didn't seem completely opposed. While it was far from implying forgiveness, at least Lu Yao hadn't resisted his proximity.

In any case, for Fu Yanhuai at this moment, it was indeed good news.

Fu Yanhuai sent a quick text to his assistant, then put his phone away, closed his eyes, and leaned back in the chair, waiting for Lu Yao to return.

The doctor hurried over from the consultation room. Fu Yanhuai's legs were long; they couldn't fit properly in the chair, forcing him to stretch them out, which made his posture look awkward.

Lu Yao calmly averted his gaze. As soon as the door closed, the doctor said with a wry smile, "I warned Mr. Fu about his gland a long time ago. In the first three months after the young master was born, Mr. Fu repeatedly extracted gland fluid to make pacifiers. Normal gland fluid secretion isn't that abundant; it's only because S-class glands have superior recovery capabilities that his gland maintained normal function."

"Now, just over two months later, he's again extracting large doses. It was inevitable his gland couldn't withstand it. Currently, his gland is experiencing widespread dysfunction, and the fever is one of the associated reactions. This is beyond our control."

Fu Yanhuai opened his eyes and slid his chair back with his legs to make space for Lu Yao, watching their conversation with detached ease, his posture almost leisurely.

"What if he stops extracting gland fluid from now on?"

Lu Yao unconsciously clenched his fingers. "Will his gland function recover?"

"Well..." The doctor hesitated. "It will require external intervention and treatment, but S-grade glands are rare. Ordinary medications may not be effective, so we'll have to try different treatments one by one and then specifically tailor the regimen."

Lu Yao couldn't help but frown. "How long would that take?"

The doctor answered honestly, "At least two months. During this period, the gland could worsen at any time. Even with treatment, ideal results aren't guaranteed. Both you and Mr. Fu need to be mentally prepared."

Lu Yao said in disbelief, "How can that be? My gland was also damaged for several months before treatment, and it's recovering now. Why is his—"

"Because your inducer was made from Mr. Fu's gland fluid."

The doctor stated bluntly, "The human body is the most intricate instrument in the world. Artificial means sometimes cannot compare to powerful self-healing and regenerative functions. Biological connection and attraction are the best ways to recover. And it just so happens that Mr. Fu's rank is very high, which is why your recovery process was so smooth. If you had relied solely on medication, it would have also required gradual testing and dosage adjustments—it's the same principle."

Lu Yao gradually fell silent. "So now, is this the only way?"