Chapter 40

Tim looked incredulously at his young master, extremely astonished: “Young master, what are you looking for Young Master Ruan Tang for?”

Things are different now; Ruan Tang has already married that terrifying Bluebeard Duke, and his young master shouldn’t go looking for trouble with Ruan Tang for Young Master Ruan Xi’s sake.

“I need to find Ruan Tang. I was wrong, I know I was wrong, I truly was wrong...” Zhou Yao murmured, his eyes full of excited light: “I want to make up with him, I want to marry him.”

It was as if he could hopefully see his and Ruan Tang’s beautiful future right before his eyes.

“Young master, what are you saying?” Tim was startled, almost thinking his young master had water in his brain: “You weren’t beaten silly, were you? Young Master Ruan Tang is already married; his husband is Duke Auston. We can’t mess around and cause trouble for the family...”

Zhou Yao looked at Tim in disbelief, extremely shocked: “Married? You’re saying Ruan Tang is already married, to Auston?”

Married? How could Ruan Tang possibly be married?

In his previous life, at this time, Ruan Tang had been single until he disappeared...

How could he be married this time?

Even to a monster like Auston, a pervert? Had he been reborn not into their past, but into an alternate parallel world?

Or had his rebirth—like a butterfly flapping its wings—altered the timeline of this world and changed how things developed?

“Yes, Young Master Ruan Tang and Duke Auston have a wonderful relationship. Duke Auston simply holds Young Master Ruan Tang up to the heavens, giving him whatever he wants. Who could have imagined before the marriage? Such a madman as Lord Auston actually became tender and gentle for the sake of an Omega.” Tim couldn’t help but sigh.

Actually, he rather liked Ruan Tang. In the past, he had advised Zhou Yao more than once not to treat Young Master Ruan Tang that way for the sake of Young Master Ruan Xi, after all, Ruan Tang was his fiancé.

He could tell that his young master actually truly liked Ruan Tang too—

But his young master wouldn’t listen.

Now, Ruan Tang was married and doing well; the bond between them was completely severed, missed. His young master seemed to have finally awakened.

If that wasn’t asking for it, what was?

Listening to Tim’s incessant talk about the affection between Ruan Tang and Auston, Zhou Yao felt dazed, his heart being cut like knives, torn and pained.

If Ruan Tang was already married, then why did heaven send him back? To make him watch Ruan Tang be with someone else without any chance to get close again?

Was his rebirth a punishment from heaven?

Zhou Yao clenched his fists, his gaze dark, feeling as if his internal organs were burning.

“By the way, young master, Young Master Ruan Xi called saying he wants to see you, probably about his recent online backlash, wanting you to help him suppress it. Should we handle this?” Tim sighed deeply inside, seeing his young master react this way whenever Ruan Tang was mentioned, lamenting in his heart that if only he had known then what he knew now.

To change the subject and stop Zhou Yao’s expression from growing so gloomy, Tim immediately brought up Ruan Xi’s matter.

Lately, whenever Zhou Yao was depressed about Ruan Tang’s marriage, only bringing up Ruan Xi could lift his spirits a bit...

Although Zhou Yao was just a young master, he was the only son, deeply doted on by his parents, and held considerable power. Ruan Xi had often used him to settle various matters in the past.

Unexpectedly, this time when Tim mentioned Ruan Xi, Zhou Yao’s expression became even darker.

Whenever Zhou Yao thought about how he had been deceived by Ruan Xi in his previous life into misunderstanding and harming Ruan Tang, he wanted nothing more than to kill Ruan Xi. Even though in his past life Ruan Xi’s mask had shattered, the truth had been exposed to the world, and he was hated by all, ending up pitifully begging on the streets, Zhou Yao’s hatred still couldn’t be dispelled even after starting over.

He hated Ruan Xi, but he hated himself even more for the harm he had done to Ruan Tang...

Although this was just a parallel world and he didn’t know what had happened between Ruan Xi and Ruan Tang that led to Ruan Xi’s online backlash, he no longer wanted to provide any assistance or help Ruan Xi with anything. He even wanted to kick him while he was down...

“What is there to see? Doesn’t he have his own fiancé? Why come to me? There’s nothing for me to see him about.” Zhou Yao said darkly, word by word. “And about his online backlash, why should I help him suppress it? Is our family a charity? No meddling. I won’t deal with it.”

He was utterly disgusted with Ruan Xi beyond measure. Even hearing the name, not knowing what had happened, he didn’t want to help this person in the slightest.

Tim looked at his young master in shock, not expecting that this time he had really thought it through, even losing interest in matters concerning Ruan Xi, who had been like a bewitching charm to him.

It seemed the change was truly significant; the shock had been severe.

However, he actually thought this was very good, and immediately responded quietly: “Yes.”

If his young master could see Ruan Xi’s true face, even if he had missed out on Ruan Tang, in Tim’s eyes it would still be a blessing. He hoped that his young master had truly lost interest in Ruan Xi this time and it wasn’t just a whim.

“Wait, I’ve been muddled recently and don’t know many things. Later, compile the recent events, especially those concerning me and Ruan Tang. I want to look them over carefully and consider some things properly.” Zhou Yao suddenly thought of something and ordered Tim.

He still couldn’t believe that heaven could be so cruel to him...

Letting him start over was just making him experience heart-wrenching pain and complete loss again.

Although Tim didn’t understand the reason, thinking that his young master had been living drunkenly and muddle-headedly recently, and had even been beaten up, perhaps the beating had truly awakened him. So Tim didn’t suspect anything and immediately responded: “Okay, I understand.”

Without Zhou Yao’s help to suppress the matter, the insults against Ruan Xi on the interstellar social network surged wave after wave. Everyone, whether they knew about this incident or not, after being informed, had a terribly bad impression of Ruan Xi. This time, Ruan Xi’s reputation was thoroughly ruined throughout the entire empire.

…

Meanwhile, Ruan Tang knew nothing of all this. As soon as he arrived home, he was cornered by Auston. Auston pushed his wheelchair, frowned at him, and immediately demanded: “Isn’t there something you need to tell me?”

This Omega was simply too disobedient.

Ruan Tang immediately played dumb: “I don’t know what you want me to tell you, my lord?”

“For example, about what’s been happening online these past few days.” Auston helpfully offered a hint.

Ruan Tang was afraid that if he told Auston, he would blow things out of proportion. He had deliberately concealed it from Auston and never told him. But facing Auston’s interrogation, he still chose to play completely dumb: “What things online?”

“You’ve got quite the nerve, not daring to tell me about such a big incident, being attacked online like this.” Auston shot him a glance.

Ruan Tang immediately said: “Oh, you mean the online stuff, my lord. It wasn’t a big deal; I handled it myself and simply forgot to tell you.”

Auston gave him a cold look and softly snorted.

After a long moment, he looked at Ruan Tang displeased and said: “Actually, you’re just afraid I’ll go crazy and punish those people because of this, aren’t you?”

He knew Ruan Tang too well.

There was no way Ruan Tang had forgotten to tell him about this.

Ruan Tang really wanted to say, “I didn’t expect you to have that much self-awareness,” but obediently said instead: “Of course not. I just felt I could handle this matter myself, so I didn’t tell you, my lord.”

“I didn’t want to trouble you, my lord. See, didn’t I handle this pretty well?” For matters that could be resolved with legal means and without him suffering any loss, he really didn’t want Auston to be making threats and killing for him.

Creating bloodshed would just cause another storm.

Auston was already too sharp and exposed. Ruan Tang was very afraid that one day the Emperor would take a dislike to him and move against him.

Right now, Ruan Tang just wanted to live a quiet little life.

He really didn’t want to break this peace; killing people was truly unnecessary.

“Hah, if I were you, I’d tear their mouths apart.” Auston snorted in dissatisfaction, as if criticizing Ruan Tang’s way of handling things as too soft.

Ruan Tang thought to himself, ‘This is exactly what I was afraid of, which is why I hid it from you.’

But he didn’t show it at all and only smiled: “You have your way of handling things, my lord, and I have mine. Do you think my way of handling it is bad?”

Auston was already crazy enough; he had to be rational and not go crazy along with him.

“...It’s acceptable.” Auston snorted, then after a long pause said: “But next time something like this happens, you must not hide it from me.”

He had held back only because he saw that Ruan Tang hadn’t suffered any loss and had handled it fairly well, and also because Ruan Tang had been determined to hide it from him.

However, it was wrong for Ruan Tang to hide things from him; he needed to be taught a lesson.

He was his Omega; almost getting bullied without him knowing a thing and being deliberately kept in the dark—how could that be allowed?

“Okay, I understand. I’ll remember, my lord.” Ruan Tang responded obediently.

Watching Auston act all awkward and tsundere, Ruan Tang suddenly found this bluffing duke very adorable. He knew in his heart that Auston’s restraint and scolding were out of concern for him, and his eventual compromise was also respecting his wishes and listening to him...

This Alpha seemed fierce, but in reality, he was a particularly gentle, warm-hearted man.

Since his mother had fallen ill, Ruan Tang couldn’t remember how many years it had been since he had been cared for and restrained like this. His heart suddenly felt especially warm and sweet.

“...What are you staring at?” Auston felt uncomfortable with Ruan Tang staring at him so intently and snapped at him irritably.

This Omega was getting bolder and bolder, actually daring to stare at him so rudely.

But Ruan Tang stared at the man in front of him without any fear and said very seriously: “Nothing. I was just wondering what you really look like, my lord. Could you take off your mask and let me see?”

He suddenly really wanted to see Auston’s face.

Auston always wore a mask and had never once revealed his true face in front of Ruan Tang.

When he first married Auston, Ruan Tang had never been curious about his appearance. He just wanted to live well, coast through life, waiting for Auston to get himself killed, and then he would find another way out. He neither wanted to see what Auston looked like nor had he ever thought of exploring this Alpha’s heart. Although they were nominally husband and husband, Ruan Tang had never considered being together forever, understanding each other, or entering each other’s inner world.

But now, for some reason, Ruan Tang wanted to know what Auston looked like...

He wanted to get to know him anew.

“No.” Auston refused flatly, raising his hand to tightly cover his mask, and scolded irritably: “Why on earth do you want to see what I look like?”

He was fierce, but Ruan Tang wasn’t scared at all.

Ruan Tang looked at him innocently and puzzledly, his curiosity growing even stronger: “Why not? We’ve been married for so long. Don’t I even have the right to know what my own husband looks like?”

He just wanted to see his face and remember it forcefully.

“I’m disfigured. There’s nothing to see.” Auston was like a cat with its fur up, covering his mask tightly as if expecting trouble, and said to Ruan Tang with disdain: “Why are you so curious?”

He didn’t want Ruan Tang to see his face at all.

“That’s okay, I don’t mind. Even before I married you, I already knew about your face... Is it strange to want to know what your own husband looks like?” Ruan Tang stepped forward, pressing in: “And I don’t just want to know what you look like; I also want to know what your pheromones smell like...”

In all this time since their marriage, Auston had never once revealed his pheromone scent in front of him, always using a pheromone masking plug.

Only now did Ruan Tang realize that he had never known what Auston’s pheromone scent was.

He knew almost nothing about this husband of his.

Auston never touched him; aside from scenting him and asking for stories, he was utterly gentlemanly, never exposed his pheromones, and always slept in a separate room.

In the past, Ruan Tang had been perfectly content with this.

But now, Ruan Tang felt things were different.

He wanted to see Auston’s face, to smell his pheromones, and to be marked by him.

“There’s nothing nice to smell. You, get back, keep your distance!” Auston’s wheelchair rolled back quite a bit from Ruan Tang’s advance as he shouted: “How can you be so shameless, an Omega like you!”

Weren’t Omegas supposed to be timid, conservative, shy, and cowardly?

How come the one in his house was getting bolder and bolder, almost ready to ride on his head?

“Wanting to know my own husband’s scent, how is that shameless?” The more Auston reacted, the more Ruan Tang wanted to provoke him, constantly testing his boundaries: “You smell my pheromones every day, and I don’t say anything. Now, as a matter of courtesy, I want to smell yours. That shouldn’t be too much, should it?”

“Stop coming closer! Get back right now!” The perfectly safe Auston had never imagined that one day he would be harassed by an Omega, so he immediately scolded again.

But Ruan Tang ignored him and kept approaching.

Just then, a servant who was taking care of Tang Yun and her three children suddenly burst in, saving Auston who was nearly cornered by Ruan Tang.

“Madam, my lord...” He looked incredulously at Auston, who was almost at the end of his rope from Ruan Tang’s advance, utterly astonished.

He had long known that Auston doted on Ruan Tang, but in their eyes it was just doting; no one had ever imagined that Auston would actually let Ruan Tang get the upper hand, that Ruan Tang would dare to be so bold and unrestrained in front of Auston.

The servant’s eyes were full of shock, and the way he looked at Ruan Tang instantly changed; he even accidentally addressed Ruan Tang first.

Wanting to regain some dignity in front of the shocked servant, Auston immediately shook off Ruan Tang’s hand and said very seriously to the male servant: “What is it?”

This tactless male servant had better have some important matter, or else he wouldn’t be forgiven.

“My lord, madam, the instruments monitoring Young Master Ruan Yang just showed that his brainwaves have slight fluctuations.” The male servant, who normally wouldn’t dare provoke the scourge that was Auston, had only dared to interrupt because of a serious matter. Recovering himself, he took a deep breath and reported.

Ruan Tang was stunned, his heart clenched: “My brother, he—”

Ruan Yang had been injured on the battlefield years ago. All physical damage had been repaired immediately, but he had never woken up. Euphemistically, he was a vegetable, but in reality, his electroencephalogram had been a flat line for years, essentially no different from a brain-dead living corpse.

However, back then, Tang Yun and Ruan Yue had refused to give up on him, and although Ruan Ming was emotionally cold, he also had deep feelings for his eldest son and didn’t want him to die.

The Ruan family was wealthy, so they kept him alive with money and medicine.

No one had expected him to wake up, but now his brainwaves had slight fluctuations...

What did brainwave fluctuations mean? It meant that Ruan Yang was no longer in a brain-dead state; was it possible that he could wake up?

Ruan Tang no longer had time for small talk with Auston. He rushed to Ruan Yang’s bedroom at once. Looking at Ruan Yang, still in a comatose state as before, he wondered if this time heaven had truly favored them and a miracle really had occurred.

Within less than half an hour, the most authoritative brain specialist in the Imperial Star, known for his ability to snatch people from the King of Hell, was invited to the house by Auston.

“There are indeed slight brainwave fluctuations, but the signs are too minute; they appeared briefly and then disappeared...” After examining Ruan Yang in detail from all aspects, the specialist looked at Ruan Tang with a grave expression and sighed.

Ruan Tang’s heart was panicked, nervous beyond measure: “Doctor, since there are signs of brainwave activity, that means my brother isn’t completely brain-dead. In this situation, can it be treated? Can he still wake up?”

Although Ruan Tang was very young when Ruan Yang had his accident and his memories weren’t particularly vivid, he clearly remembered that this brother, old enough to be his father, was the pride and hope of the family. Although he was stationed at the border and didn’t return often, he was very good to Ruan Tang, doting on him dearly. Whenever he came back, he would carry Ruan Tang on his shoulders and take him all over the Imperial Star looking for good food and fun things...

He had completely fulfilled the duty of “elder brother like father.”

“His brainwave fluctuations are too weak. There are only two treatment options now.” The doctor considered for a moment and said solemnly: “One is conservative treatment. This treatment is very safe, but his brainwave activity is too weak. After treatment, he might lie like this for ten, twenty years, or even a lifetime, with only a remote possibility of waking up...”

Ruan Tang immediately pressed: “And the other one?”

“The other is a highly stimulating treatment for the brain. As long as there are signs of brainwave activity, there is a great possibility of cure and awakening. But once it fails, he will be completely brain-dead, with no chance of recovery.” The doctor hesitated for a moment before saying: “As the family, you need to consider carefully.”

Ruan Tang fell into a daze, unable to snap out of it for a long time, his breathing heavy.

For Ruan Yang, these treatments led to only two possibilities. Conservative treatment would maintain the status quo, letting him continue to sleep, hoping a miracle would happen and he would wake up someday.

The other meant either complete death or complete life—

As the only conscious relative now, looking at Ruan Yang sleeping in bed, Ruan Tang truly didn’t know how to make such a significant decision for Ruan Yang, which choice would be the most correct.