Chà Chà Novel

The Parched Land — Chapter 39

Fu Baiqi’s condition gradually improved, but he did not wake.

Because his treatment still required Fang Fengzhi’s pheromones, Fang Fengzhi had to extend his leave and remain at the hospital.

A week passed before Fu Baiqi finally opened his eyes.

The first person he saw was Fang Fengzhi, quietly working beside him.

By then, Min Zhi’s mark had faded completely. Instead, after spending every day in the ward, Fang Fengzhi carried Fu Baiqi’s woody scent.

Noticing movement on the bed, Fang Fengzhi paused. Realizing the man had finally awakened, he hurried to call a doctor.

All his indicators had returned to normal. He would only need further rest.

Fang Fengzhi followed the doctor outside. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Does he still need my pheromones?”

“He hasn’t fully recovered. It would be best for you to stay nearby.”

Fang Fengzhi stood still for a while before slowly returning.

Fu Baiqi sat expressionlessly on the bed.

His injuries ought to hurt now that he was awake, but he seemed able to endure them. He merely frowned without making a sound.

When Fang Fengzhi came back, his gaze followed him.

Uncomfortable beneath that attention, Fang Fengzhi suppressed his feelings and asked, “Are you thirsty?”

Fu Baiqi nodded slightly.

Fang Fengzhi brought him warm water.

Fu Baiqi was still wondering whether he could hold the glass steadily when its rim touched his lips.

Fang Fengzhi thought nothing of it. He had often cared for his sick mother this way.

Fu Baiqi, however, stiffened with unfamiliarity.

His throat was too dry to speak easily, so he let Fang Fengzhi continue.

The glass tilted slowly. Warm water passed his parted lips, moistening his mouth and then his throat.

He felt himself coming back to life.

The Omega beside him filled his senses with chamomile.

Throughout that lightless sleep, there had been no sound and no images—only this scent, surrounding him.

“Would you like more?”

Fu Baiqi shook his head, watching Fang Fengzhi turn away.

“How long was I asleep?”

His voice remained weak.

“Almost a week.”

“I’ve arranged your leave from work.”

Fu Baiqi seemed tired. He lay back without speaking, though his eyes still followed Fang Fengzhi.

Fang Fengzhi had already told his parents that he was awake. They would probably arrive soon.

For now, being alone with him felt painfully awkward.

He moved the chair beside the bed farther away.

Fu Baiqi looked over.

“Why are you sitting so far away?”

Fang Fengzhi paused.

“I don’t want to disturb your rest.”

“You won’t.”

Fu Baiqi frowned.

Fang Fengzhi understood what he meant but pretended otherwise, answering with the man’s own past words.

“You said before that having me too close made you uncomfortable.”

“And I’m not wearing a pheromone-blocking patch today.”

He sat down and turned to his laptop, saying nothing more.

He knew Fu Baiqi’s temperament.

The man was distant by nature. Someone else always had to approach first. If he was in a good mood, he might offer a few reluctant replies. If they ignored him, he certainly would not bother with them.

As expected, Fu Baiqi had no answer.

Only an inexplicable irritation remained.

He had indeed said that before.

Back then, he disliked Fang Fengzhi. Seeing him always stirred a resentment at being trapped.

But now that feeling was gone.

Perhaps because they had not seen each other for so long, looking at Fang Fengzhi brought something he could not quite name.

It was not necessarily that he wanted to talk.

But they should not be this distant.

Seeing no wish to converse, Fu Baiqi refused to invite a cold response and swallowed what he had meant to say.

Later, the caregiver and his mother arrived.

While they talked, Fang Fengzhi quietly stepped outside.

Fu Baiqi spoke with his parents while glancing toward him. Watching Fang Fengzhi leave without a word, he unconsciously frowned.

Fang Fengzhi sat in the corridor.

After their previous confrontation, he felt uncomfortable around Fu Baiqi’s family. Besides, he was practically an outsider now. It was better not to intrude.

The door opened behind him.

Fu Baiqi’s father came out.

Fang Fengzhi reluctantly greeted him.

“Dad.”

The middle-aged Alpha looked at him with a helpless expression.

“Have you told him about that yet?”

Fang Fengzhi knew he meant the divorce.

“Not yet.”

The man nodded.

“Then don’t mention it for now.”

Fang Fengzhi did not answer.

“Your mark has faded. His mother and I have discussed it. We can pretend we know nothing, as long as you settle down with him from now on.”

Fang Fengzhi’s eyes widened slightly.

He had not expected them to make such concessions for the sake of pheromones.

What a strange family.

Before, he had treated them with the respect he would give his own parents, and they had never appreciated it.

Now, after everything had happened and he had made his intentions clear, they had suddenly become forgiving—as though the family could not function without him.

He shook his head.

“But he admitted himself that he was unfaithful.”

“I can’t pretend I don’t know.”

He moved to leave, but the man called him back.

“Fang Fengzhi!”

He seemed to have struggled over the words, his expression troubled and almost pitiable.

“Baiqi was wrong. But he’s still ill, and he needs your pheromones. For the sake of your marriage, could you care for him a little longer?”

Fang Fengzhi stopped.

It was true. Fu Baiqi still needed his pheromones and had not recovered.

He had intended to discuss the divorce once the man woke. But walking away under these circumstances felt wrong.

Seeing his hesitation, Fu Baiqi’s father added, “The year is almost over. Wait until after New Year to bring it up.”

Fang Fengzhi returned to the room in silence.

Fu Baiqi’s parents had left. Only the caregiver and Fu Baiqi remained.

Perhaps because he had been without Fang Fengzhi’s pheromones for a while, his face had grown pale, his scent weak and almost fading.

That was what complete compatibility meant. Even the slightest change in the other person could be sensed.

Fang Fengzhi slowly released his pheromones.

Fu Baiqi noticed and quietly looked toward him.

He had always known Fang Fengzhi was good at caring for people.

However coldly he was treated, he remained considerate of others—gentle and compliant.

Fu Baiqi had never valued it.

That care had seemed dispensable.

Unnecessary.

Surrounded by chamomile, he felt comfortable enough to fall asleep.

He blinked and watched Fang Fengzhi’s back.

Now, at his weakest, he found that being cared for this way was rather nice.

He remembered the brief happiness in Fang Fengzhi’s eyes when he woke. Afterward, Fang Fengzhi had tended him gently, never mentioning divorce.

When he had asked about Fu Baiqi’s infidelity, his voice had sounded so sad.

He had often sounded that way after Fu Baiqi spoke harshly to him.

Remembering everything Fang Fengzhi had done, Fu Baiqi suddenly felt it was not merely an attempt to please him.

There seemed to have been affection behind it.

A strange ache spread through his chest. His heart beat heavily several times.

He suddenly wanted to be closer.

Although it was a private room, there was a second bed for family.

Fang Fengzhi slept there at night.

Tonight was no different.

The atmosphere had become awkward since Fu Baiqi woke, but Fang Fengzhi could not stay too far away. He had to continue sharing the room.

Their mingled pheromones filled the air.

The woody scent surrounded Fang Fengzhi.

At first, he had feared it might induce a heat. But whether Fu Baiqi’s pheromones were too weak or Min Zhi’s mark had left some lingering effect, the intense craving he used to feel was absent.

Over the past few days, he had grown accustomed to the scent.

It was merely a pleasant perfume.

Gradually, his eyes grew too heavy to keep open.

Half asleep, he heard a rustling behind him.

He thought he was dreaming.

Then a hot body pressed against his back.

His drowsiness vanished.

He struggled, accidentally touching the man’s injury.

Fu Baiqi gave a muffled groan.

Fang Fengzhi stopped.

“What are you doing?”

Warm breath brushed his ear.

“Don’t move. Let me hold you for a while.”

As Fu Baiqi had imagined, Fang Fengzhi was soft, easily enclosed in his arms.

He lowered his face into the back of Fang Fengzhi’s neck.

Chamomile surrounded him, seeming to warm his cold blood.

Fang Fengzhi went rigid.

He did not understand why Fu Baiqi had suddenly become so intent on closeness.

The man’s breathing grew hotter, moving nearer to his gland.

Fang Fengzhi shuddered, abruptly pushed him away, and stood.

He glanced at the man on the bed, put on his coat, and left.

“I’m going out for a moment.”

He went straight to the hospital’s small garden.

Only after breathing the fresh night air did his tense body begin to relax.

Fu Baiqi had been strange all day.

His gaze constantly followed Fang Fengzhi, and now he had done this.

It was not difficult to guess why.

Fated mates were like that. Pheromones made them instinctively seek closeness.

Fang Fengzhi had once been the same.

Smelling Fu Baiqi’s pheromones had made him want to press close.

Now, without a blocking patch, that response had appeared in Fu Baiqi instead.

Fang Fengzhi was afraid he might suddenly mark him.

His hand tightened around his phone.

He wanted to call Min Zhi.

But it was late, and he was afraid of disturbing his sleep.

Then his phone rang.

An unsaved number appeared on the screen.

He had never named the contact, but he spoke to that number almost every day.

He answered.

“Mr. Min?”

The man’s low, resonant voice sounded especially clear in the quiet night.

“What are you doing?”

A faint tingling touched Fang Fengzhi’s ears.

“I’m… sitting downstairs at the hospital for a while.”

The body that had been rigid beside Fu Baiqi softened. Warmth spread through him.

“Can’t sleep?”

After a moment, he decided not to mention what had happened.

“Mm.”

“Then I’ll come keep you company.”

“There’s no need!”

Afraid he would actually come, Fang Fengzhi hurried to add, “I’m going back to bed soon.”

There seemed to be a quiet laugh on the other end.

“Why so flustered?”

Fang Fengzhi’s face warmed.

He said nothing.

Since that day, Min Zhi had actually come to see him at the hospital every day.

Afraid of being discovered, they rarely dared exchange more than a few words before parting.

Today, work had kept Min Zhi away.

They had gone only one day without seeing each other.

And already, Fang Fengzhi missed him unbearably.