Chapter 31: New Developments

If Xi Ming hadn’t controlled himself in the end, Shi Chan might have been permanently marked in this small rented house. There were probably few Omegas in the entire interstellar world who had such a casual experience of being permanently marked.

Fortunately, Xi Ming regained his rationality at the last moment.

After a passionate and exhausting night, Shi Chan woke up the next day clearly feeling soreness all over his body.

Even though they didn’t take the final step, Shi Chan’s body was covered in kiss marks, starkly visible against his fair skin. Combined with the languidness in his demeanor as he opened his eyes, it exuded an alluring charm.

Xi Ming couldn’t help but swallow hard at the sight.

A rhythmic knock on the door broke the silence between the two. Xi Ming pulled the blanket over Shi Chan and said, “I’ll go open the door. It’s probably the delivery I ordered yesterday.”

“We’ll go together,” Shi Chan said, struggling to get up. He quickly put on his clothes, but as his feet touched the floor, the soreness in his thighs nearly made his legs give out. He used his spiritual energy to ease the pain and then applied his puppet technique to Xi Ming’s legs. “Don’t use the wheelchair.”

Xi Ming looked at Shi Chan, and seeing no objections on his face, nodded. “Alright.” Perhaps he didn’t need to worry so much—his legs would recover sooner or later.

The two brought everything into the house together. Xi Ming glanced at the instructions and began setting up the items in the kitchen, connecting the appliances and the chef robot.

“The next time we need groceries, we won’t have them delivered to the door. There’s a mall not far from the Huàlín District. We can stock up once every two weeks,” Xi Ming said. “This time, I just bought some basics. It should be enough for two weeks in the fridge.”

“Alright,” Shi Chan replied, still feeling weak. He leaned lazily against the sofa, his eyes following Xi Ming the entire time.

An Omega’s heat period could last anywhere from two to four days. Though Shi Chan’s gland had been temporarily soothed by the Alpha’s pheromones last night, he knew his heat would resurface in a few hours.

Typically, Omegas spent their heat period at home, relying on their Alpha for comfort.

After setting up the chef robot, Xi Ming wheeled himself over to Shi Chan’s side. “How are you feeling? Any discomfort?”

Shi Chan paused, his face slightly red. He shook his head. “I’m fine. No discomfort.”

Hearing Shi Chan’s gentle and warm voice, Xi Ming couldn’t help but think of the way he had bullied Shi Chan last night until his usual composure shattered, leaving him hoarse and begging.

“Dinner will be ready soon,” Xi Ming said, recalling the information he had retrieved from the dark web. He took out a terminal containing the data. “By the way, here’s the information you wanted. Take it.”

Shi Chan reached out to take the terminal but paused as Xi Ming added, “Don’t look at it for the next few days. Study it after your heat ends.”

Understanding what Xi Ming meant, Shi Chan hesitated for a moment before nodding with a flushed face.

Since his heat had started yesterday, he’d been feeling somewhat drained. Even though his gland was temporarily marked and stable now, the heat still stirred restlessly within him.

With the chef robot preparing meals and Shi Chan in heat, the two had no reason to leave the small house. For three days straight, they stayed intertwined, filling the house with the mingling scent of their pheromones.

By the afternoon of the third day, Shi Chan’s heat finally ended. The gland at the back of his neck stopped releasing pheromones constantly, but his skin, especially around the gland, bore the marks of Xi Ming—no, his entire body did.

Standing in front of the mirror, Shi Chan stared at the mottled marks on his body, unsure how to feel.

Although they hadn’t reached the final step of a permanent mark, nearly every part of his body had been touched or kissed by Xi Ming.

When Shi Chan married Xi Ming, he had allowed such intimate gestures. Yet compared to this, those gestures were nothing.

It was only now that Shi Chan truly realized he had married another man. This meant being entirely vulnerable, accepting the other’s closeness, touch, and desires.

A hand slid around Shi Chan’s waist, which was still marked with hickeys, pulling him away from the mirror. Xi Ming gazed at their reflection, his deep voice murmuring by Shi Chan’s ear, “What are you looking at?”

Seeing the evidence of his handiwork on Shi Chan’s body, Xi Ming’s eyes were filled with satisfaction.

Tracing the kiss marks on Shi Chan’s skin in the mirror, Xi Ming asked in a pleased tone, “Does it look good?”

Shi Chan: “…” Honestly, being covered in hickeys wasn’t exactly appealing, but Xi Ming acted like he had discovered a treasure.

“Chan Chan…” Xi Ming rested his chin on Shi Chan’s bare shoulder, repeating his name softly. “Chan Chan…”

He let out a low chuckle. “You’re mine now…”

Shi Chan placed his hand over Xi Ming’s and turned slightly, planting a light kiss on the corner of Xi Ming’s lips. His eyes sparkled with warmth.

He had made his decision long ago—so long as Xi Ming didn’t betray him, he would stay by his side for this lifetime.

. . .

“Strange.” While treating Xi Ming’s legs again, Shi Chan muttered to himself.

“What’s strange?” Xi Ming asked, running his fingers gently through Shi Chan’s hair.

“Your legs are recovering much faster than I expected,” Shi Chan said. He had mentally prepared for a long recovery process and ensured Xi Ming was ready as well. However, the speed of Xi Ming’s recovery exceeded his expectations.

Not only were the legs he focused on showing improvement, but even areas he hadn’t treated were healing, almost as if Xi Ming had taken some sort of healing elixir.

Healing elixir… Shi Chan paused, remembering that his pheromones carried the scent of a healing elixir.

Shi Chan pondered this connection. Could there be a link between his pheromones and Xi Ming’s recovery?

Xi Ming’s hand brushed over the faded radiation scars on his face. “Even these are almost gone.”

Shi Chan remembered how Xi Ming had to use special techniques to hide the scars before leaving the capital. Now, they had faded to the point of being nearly invisible.

Shi Chan conducted a more thorough check on Xi Ming, confirming that his condition remained stable. He let out a sigh of relief. “This should be a good thing. I’ll keep a closer eye on it from now on.”

He decided to test his theory. If it turned out that his pheromones were responsible, he could manage the situation more effectively using suppressants if necessary.

. . .

After a day of testing, Shi Chan’s face lit up with surprise. “Brother Ming, your recovery will be even faster!”

“My pheromones not only accelerate your healing, but they also stabilize your condition.” For a healing elixir, this ability was basic, but Shi Chan had no access to real elixirs in this world. That his pheromones had such an effect was a delightful surprise.

“How can your pheromones have this effect?” Xi Ming’s hands trembled slightly as he frowned. “We can’t let this secret get out!”

However, Xi Ming quickly realized that Shi Chan’s pheromones had only ever been released in his presence. There was no risk of exposure.

Relieved, Xi Ming relaxed a little.

Shi Chan noticed Xi Ming’s concern and felt warmth in his heart. Smiling softly, he said, “Don’t worry. My pheromones have only ever been released around you.”

Xi Ming held Shi Chan close, inhaling his calming scent, and felt a deep sense of contentment.

. . .

Another week passed.

While Shi Chan was treating Xi Ming’s legs, Xi Ming suddenly froze. “Stop for a moment…”

Shi Chan paused and looked at Xi Ming questioningly.

Xi Ming’s gaze shifted to Shi Chan’s hand. “Chan Chan, press that spot again.”

Shi Chan blinked, understanding what Xi Ming might mean. He took a slow breath, repositioned his hand, and gently applied spiritual energy.

Xi Ming’s hand clenched on the bed, his eyelids trembling slightly. “I think I felt something…” It wasn’t very clear, but there was a faint sense of pain.

It was a signal. Over the next two days, Xi Ming’s legs recovered rapidly, and the sensations in his legs became more pronounced.

As the pain in his legs grew, so did the light in Xi Ming’s eyes.

Pain signified hope—the hope of standing again.

Ever since his legs were injured, Xi Ming had been weighed down by despair. Once a military powerhouse known as the “Star of the Empire,” he had fallen into obscurity. The thought of never standing again haunted him, shattering his spirit.

But now, everything was different. He was walking a new path, entirely unlike his previous life. His legs were regaining sensation!

A powerful energy wave suddenly erupted, shattering the windows of their rented house. The overwhelming spiritual pressure spread out in all directions. Outside of the small area where Shi Chan stood, the rest of the house was destroyed, with furniture reduced to rubble.

Countless people turned their attention toward the source of the disturbance, realizing it came from a powerful Alpha.

Xi Ming reacted instantly. “We need to leave!”

Shi Chan glanced at Xi Ming’s standing figure without saying a word. Grabbing their essential items and placing them into his spatial pendant, he immediately followed Xi Ming as they fled the Huàlín District.

By the time others arrived to investigate, the two had already vanished.