Chapter 29: Each Has Their Own Secrets

For the past few days, Fu Rangyi’s browser search history, besides archaeology-related topics and the newly added travel vlogger, had also included many metaphysical subjects.

For example: [What does it mean to see things others can’t see?]
Most answers were pseudoscientific superstitions, like having a “yin-yang eye.”

That was off track. It wasn’t like Zhu Zhixi was seeing ghosts.

Although, with his powerful social talent, even if he did encounter a ghost, he could probably recruit it to be his good friend.

Fu Rangyi suddenly wondered if he could cash out a lot of money on those group-buying shopping platforms.

Even more off track.

Search: [A countdown appeared on my hand, but others can’t see it]
Like the previous times, the search results were mostly unreliable, either from novels or TV shows. He skimmed through them and found no real-life person who had experienced anything similar.

No matter how much research or information retrieval he did, he couldn’t find a similar case.

This kind of thing would seem like a prank or a fairy tale to anyone. In any case, for the knowledge system he had built over so many years, it was an unsolvable problem. But the more he carefully reviewed the various details of his acquaintance with Zhu Zhixi, the more he felt it might be true.

Looking back at their first blind date, Zhu Zhixi didn’t have such a strong desire to get married at the beginning. Instead, he came right out and said he was a Beta who couldn’t have children, clearly just going through the motions.

It wasn’t until their hands accidentally touched, and Zhu Zhixi even actively held his hand. Just like the many times after that, Zhu Zhixi intentionally or unintentionally found ways to have physical contact with him, and would subconsciously look at his palm afterward. Looking back now, he was relying on him to “extend his life.”

If all these details were an act, then Zhu Zhixi was truly a master actor, completely one with his role.

He sent a message to Li Qiao.

[Living Dad: I have some medical questions I’d like to consult you about.]

He roughly described the countdown situation to Li Qiao and asked him if it could be an ophthalmological disease similar to “floaters.”

[Li Qiao: I knew your wife had to have some issues. That brain of his is just not the same as a normal person’s.]

[Living Dad: You don’t have to be so mean.]

[Li Qiao: ? Let me hear who’s scolding me for being mean? Ah, it’s the meanest-talking person in the whole world, Fu Rangyi.]

[Li Qiao: You don’t believe him, do you? No way? We were educated in materialist science!]

[Living Dad (will-sell-him-health-supplements-when-he’s-old version): He’s been having nosebleeds recently, and he said he has a very serious illness and won’t live long. Regardless of whether the countdown is real or not, I want to take him for a comprehensive physical examination. Please help me arrange it.]

[Li Qiao: Am I the family doctor in your love game who has to make house calls in the middle of the night?]

[Living Dad (will-sell-him-health-supplements-when-he’s-old version): That single Omega teacher you met at our department last time, I can introduce you.]

[Li Qiao: !]

[Li Qiao: Pfft, isn’t it just a small physical exam? Leave it to your bro. I guarantee the highest standard. Not a single small stone or cyst will be missed. Absolutely reliable.]

[Living Dad (matchmaker version): Waiting for your news.]

[Li Qiao: Wait a minute, you just said Zhu Zhixi told you he was seriously ill. Then why don’t you just ask him what illness he has? Why go through all this trouble for a big check-up? If you want it to be as comprehensive as possible, there are tons of tests. It’ll take a whole day.]

Fu Rangyi stared at the message, not typing immediately.

Of course, he had thought about asking directly, but Zhu Zhixi had completely blacked out the next morning and was so happy about the physical contact that he was about to jump for joy. He was worried that bringing up what was said about his mother last night would make him sad again. He couldn’t find a suitable opportunity to ask.

Later, he, who hadn’t called home in ages, made a special call to his father to indirectly inquire about Mother Zhu. He then learned that Zhu Zhixi’s mother had died of cancer, and a type of cancer with a high probability of being hereditary.

Connecting these dots, Fu Rangyi had a rough idea. But deep down, he was unwilling to accept it, feeling that it was highly likely Zhu Zhixi was mistaken, or there was an error in the hospital’s examination. Maybe the test results were mixed up; these things happen.

Mhm. Fu Rangyi corrected himself in his mind. Okay, it can’t be considered “common,” but there is a certain probability.

[Living Dad (matchmaker version): I don’t think the doctors he found are as well-connected as yours. I’m leaving it to you. Please let me know the time and place in advance once it’s scheduled.]

Exiting WeChat, Fu Rangyi opened his phone’s notes app, [Little Rabbit Domestication Plan], and added a line at the bottom.

[4. Take leave in advance to accompany him to the physical examination]

As work was about to end, his colleague mentioned the get-together again. Fu Rangyi doubted whether Zhu Zhixi would have time to attend. He seemed particularly busy these past few days, often coming home very late at night, but the museum was only open during the day.

Even so, he had really changed his old habit of sleeping in. Every day, he insisted on getting up early and routinely seeing him off at the entryway. Before work, Zhu Zhixi would propose holding hands to extend his life, and he would quietly release his pheromones. These had almost become daily check-in items. Even when Zhu Zhixi was so sleepy in the morning he could barely open his eyes, he would come over with his eyes half-closed and offer his hand to hold.

A hand that wasn’t fully awake was warm and softer than usual. Very nice to hold.

After savoring the memory, just as Fu Rangyi was about to discreetly inquire about the busy man’s recent schedule, a message arrived from the busy man himself.

[Bad Rabbit: Fu Rangyi!]

[Bad Rabbit: Isn’t tomorrow S University’s New Year’s Cultural Festival? My junior is in the drama club and gave me two tickets. He’s performing too. I heard the script is quite fun. Want to go see it with me? I can also visit your school while I’m at it.]

[Bad Rabbit: To decline, please reply “YES”. To accept, please reply “YESYES!”]

[Pretty Widower: NO.]

[Bad Rabbit: “NO” means “I can’t wait to go see it!”. See, I hadn’t even finished typing and you already jumped in to answer. You’re so impatient ^ ^]

Zhu Zhixi finished typing with a flurry of taps, stuffed his phone into his pocket, and pushed open the gate to the stray animal station alone.

Ever since that day he accidentally discovered Liang Yi’en was hiding something and taking different animals to class every day, he had been trying all sorts of ways to gossip. But Liang Yi’en’s lips were sealed tight, and he couldn’t get anything out of him. When asked if he was in a relationship, the kid would directly change the subject, saying he was swamped with rehearsals lately and invited him to see the drama club’s performance at the cultural festival.

[Senior Zhixi: What’s the script? Don’t tell me it’s Snow White.]
[Xiao En: ?? Why Snow White?]

Besides Snow White, who else has a tragic background, is beautiful, and has the ability to summon various small animals? I think you’re perfect for the role. Disney would send you a cease and desist letter if they saw you.

[Xiao En: No, it’s a script written by a junior female student. To put it simply, it’s about a human girl with a terminal illness who meets an angel sent to collect her soul. In the last ten-odd days, they spend time together and fall in love. The angel ends up exchanging his power to save the girl, but disappears himself.]

What a clichéd fairytale script.

And yet, there was a hint of familiarity.

The first image that popped into his head was Fu Rangyi with a pair of big wings. But he quickly dispelled the image.

It would be more normal if he came to collect me wearing a black cloak and holding a scythe.

[Senior Zhixi: The angel comes to collect her? Is this a Grim Reaper-type angel or a White Impermanence?]

[Senior Zhixi: Are you playing the angel?]

[Xiao En: No.]

[Senior Zhixi: Are you playing the terminally ill girl? Cross-dressing?] Your drama club director has such taste?

[Xiao En: I was originally in charge of props. The director felt there wasn’t enough dramatic conflict and temporarily added a pining, unrequited second male lead role. She said I have a second-male-lead face and the audience would sympathize and get into the play, so she put me on…]

Zhu Zhixi laughed for a long time at this message. Thinking that he could go to the performance and also visit Fu Rangyi at S University, killing two birds with one stone, he readily agreed, got an extra ticket from him, and used the opportunity to find out Liang Yi’en’s rehearsal schedule. He found a time when he would definitely not be at the animal station and secretly went over to see if there was anything strange.

Having known him for so many years, he knew Liang Yi’en’s personality too well. If it was a problem he found hard to talk about, it must be a big problem, and he would never open up until he had figured out the whole story himself.

But Zhu Zhixi was a person with extremely strong curiosity and couldn’t wait at all.

As soon as he entered the small courtyard, the dogs they had rescued greeted him with enthusiastic barks. Zhu Zhixi immediately ran over, rubbing each of their heads to soothe them, and opened the cans he had brought to feed the cats and dogs. He also opened the cages of a few large dogs to let them run freely in the front and back yards.

The cameras in the room were all turned off. He had thought the room would be completely different, but when he went in, it wasn’t much different from his last visit. It was as tidy and clean as ever. The shelves were full of dog food, cat food, and some basic medicines. A bed, a sofa, a second-hand TV left by the landlord, and nothing else.

This was strange. If Liang Yi’en was really keeping a bird or a snake, there should at least be a cage or a tank.

And changing the accompanying small animal every day, was it some kind of summoned beast?

[46 days 10 hours 31 minutes 28 seconds]

Looking at the palm of his hand, he suddenly fell into deep thought. When did this countdown appear? Wasn’t it the day he returned to the country and found the small dog? Found the dog, fainted, woke up, and the countdown was printed on his hand and he could never get rid of it.

Could it be… that little white dog wasn’t a real dog, but a dog demon or something? When I saved it, it wanted to repay my kindness by reminding me that I was about to die, so it cast a spell on me to let me see the countdown?

Liang Yi’en also said he had found a dog. And Liang Yi’en took a different animal out every day.

Zhu Zhixi suddenly took a sharp breath.

Could it really be a demon? A little white dog demon lord that can also transform into other animals!

He immediately called Liang Yi’en. Perhaps Liang Yi’en was busy with drama rehearsals, as it took a long time for the call to connect.

“What’s up, young master?”

Zhu Zhixi said with a grin, “I just suddenly remembered, you told me you found a little dog. I’m having a puppy craving. Do you have a photo? I want to see it.”

“A photo… I think I have one. Let me look for it.”

Just as Liang Yi’en finished speaking, Zhu Zhixi keenly noticed a child’s voice in the background, soft and sweet, and it seemed to be calling out…

“Brother?” he muttered to himself accidentally.

Liang Yi’en: “Who are you calling? Is President Zhu next to you?”

“Ah, no.”

“…Your husband? You two are getting along that well now? Calling him ‘brother’?”

Why are you turning it back on me!

His phone vibrated. It was the photo of the puppy from Liang Yi’en.

“I sent you the photo. I’m still busy here, so I’m hanging up now.”

Zhu Zhixi looked down and clicked on it, a little disappointed.

This dog was clearly a Samoyed. The one he had encountered was a small dog, thin, wearing a blue collar, with its left paw curled up.

They didn’t match. Could it be that I was really overthinking it? After all, demons aren’t exactly a high-probability event…

Clang—A loud noise came from the backyard. Zhu Zhixi followed the sound and found that two little dogs had been fighting and accidentally knocked over the clothesline stretched across the yard.

“You guys really know how to make work for me,” Zhu Zhixi said as he walked over, righted the rack, and bent down to pick up the clothes on the ground one by one.

As he was picking them up, he froze. He picked up one of the items, held it up, and unfolded it.

Aren’t these children’s clothes? Looking at the size of the sweater, Zhu Zhixi estimated it. Probably… for a four or five-year-old?

He suddenly thought of the child’s voice he had heard in Liang Yi’en’s room and on the phone.

He ran to the bedroom and looked under the bed, and sure enough, he found a child’s cotton slippers. He also found a little frog children’s toothbrush and a children’s towel in the bathroom.

Zhu Zhixi’s mind went into another brainstorming session. Between the two possibilities of Liang Yi’en having a secret child with some Omega years ago after tasting the forbidden fruit, and Liang Yi’en encountering a shape-shifting little demon, he resolutely chose the latter. For no other reason than that Liang Yi’en would dare to tell him even if he had killed someone, let alone secretly had a child.

At this thought, Zhu Zhixi suddenly became a little excited.

If the strange thing Liang Yi’en encountered is really related to my countdown, then is there a chance this thing can disappear?

Even though he didn’t have a single piece of concrete evidence yet, Zhu Zhixi was already blissfully swimming in his fantasy, until another call from Zhu Zeran pulled him back to reality.

“Where are you now?”

Zhu Zhixi didn’t know why, but he still answered honestly, “The stray animal station. What’s up, are you coming to find me? Then you might as well donate some money, President Zhu.”

Zhu Zeran arrived in less than half an hour. Zhu Zhixi was playing with a cat.

“How many times have I told you, if you’re allergic, don’t go near cats. Do you think you have too long to live?”

“The kitty came near me.” Zhu Zhixi stood up and pouted. “Besides, aren’t I keeping a distance? What do you want? I called you back, President Zhu was too busy to answer. Don’t pick on me.”

As he got closer, Zhu Zeran frowned.

He was wearing an expensive haute couture overcoat and probably didn’t even plan to sit down for fear of getting fur on it. He got straight to the point, throwing a sealed file folder at him like something out of a TV show, and said bluntly, “Divorce Fu Rangyi.”

“Huh?” Zhu Zhixi was dumbfounded. This script doesn’t seem right.

Whose brother are you anyway? Shouldn’t you throw it at Professor Fu and say, “Divorce my brother and all this is yours”?

But a five-million-yuan check probably wouldn’t move Professor Fu. Finding him five undiscovered archaeological sites would be more like it.

“Da Zhu, is your overbearing CEO sickness acting up again? What kind of drama are you playing with me?” Zhu Zhixi didn’t even want to look at what was in the bag. “Just say what you want to do directly.”

Zhu Zeran sneered, “Who’s the real drama queen here? Are you two done with your fake marriage act? I’m sick of watching it anyway. I didn’t want to expose you in front of Dad, thinking what kind of trouble can kids playing house cause, I’ll just watch the show.”

“Then you can keep watching. Just stay out of my business.” Zhu Zhixi tried to change the subject. “Hey, let me see my sister-in-law…”

Zhu Zeran’s expression darkened. “Fu Rangyi has malignant rut syndrome.”

“I know,” Zhu Zhixi said, relieved. “I thought it was something new. I knew that a long time ago.”

“You knew?” Zhu Zeran laughed with anger. “Do you think this is some minor ailment? Having this disease means he can’t control himself at all during his rut. He might hurt people, he might have violent tendencies. Once he loses his reason, you can’t even imagine what might happen. Stop being so naive.”

“It’s not as serious as you say.” Zhu Zhixi looked at him. “He was in his rut a few days ago, and I was with him the whole time. Nothing happened. He has much better control than you imagine.”

“Every episode is different. This time it was mild, maybe next time he’ll completely lose control.” Zhu Zeran had a headache. “It’s not suitable for you to be with such an unstable person. It’s safer to separate, or you can move back home.”

“I won’t.”

“Since it’s a fake marriage, why not?” Zhu Zeran looked at him incredulously. “Zhu Zhixi, don’t tell me you’ve turned a fake act into a real one and actually fallen for him?”

Zhu Zhixi’s face flushed. “What are you talking about?!”

Zhu Zeran went on a full offensive, his mouth like a machine gun, “Then what’s with the pheromones on you? He put them on you to warn off other Alphas, right? If nothing happened between you two during the rut, why are you wearing a bandage on the back of your neck? Did you fall and land your neck on his teeth? In a few days, are you planning to fall onto his bed and sit on him?”

Zhu Zhixi had always been quick-witted and had rarely lost in his verbal spars with Zhu Zeran over the past twenty-odd years. He didn’t know what was wrong this time, but he was actually left speechless by Zhu Zeran’s interrogation. This made him even angrier.

“You! Anyway, it’s not what you think. Our relationship is very pure. It’s mutually beneficial, each taking what they need. And everything you’ve found out, he already confessed to me a long time ago. We…”

Zhu Zeran crossed his arms and stared at him, questioning, “Then what about the time he injured his physics teacher during his rut in high school? Did he confess that to you too?”

---

Author’s Note:
I have a lot to do today, so I wrote a little less. Sorry about that.

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Small Theater: A Failed Morning Check-in

For several days, Zhu Zhixi’s mind ran wild with theories about Liang Yi’en’s secret and the countdown. He couldn’t sleep at night; as soon as he closed his eyes, all sorts of fantasy stories would pop up, seriously affecting his sleep.

So, on this particular morning, he wasn’t woken up by the alarm. When he opened his eyes again, it was already 10:30 AM.

Fu Rangyi had an 8 AM class and was long gone, probably almost done with his lecture.

Zhu Zhixi got up, heated up the cold breakfast, and ate alone, staring blankly at his palm.

But in reality—
Before Teacher Fu went to work, he fussed around in the entryway for a long time, pretending to pick out and change his shoes. When he didn’t see Xiao Zhu come out, he quietly went to the guest bedroom, raised his hand and knocked twice, and pushed the door open.

There was a lump on the bed. The curtains were drawn tight. Classmate Zhu was still fast asleep.

Wondering whether to wake him up, Fu Rangyi agonized for a precious ten seconds before finally standing at the door and saying softly, “I’m coming in.”

He entered the room, tiptoed past the various obstacles on the floor, came to the bedside, stood there watching for two seconds, then squatted down, tucked the quilt for classmate Zhu, found his warm hand, held it, fingers interlaced for five seconds, and let go.

“Is it paused?” Fu Rangyi said to himself, put Xiao Zhu’s hand back under the quilt, and tucked it in properly. He tiptoed out of the room.

He put a checkmark next to the daily check-in item in his notes and drove to work.