Chapter 25: Memory Fragments

Zhu Zhixi thought that this unreasonable request would be rejected by the stingy man one hundred percent of the time. Then he could openly mock how stupid Fu Rangyi’s insistence on compensation was.

However, the reality developed in another direction.

Fu Rangyi stared at him and asked seriously, “Are all the requests you make within my capabilities?”

Huh?

Zhu Zhixi was somewhat caught off guard. He had originally thought that the two of them would have a back-and-forth exchange, naturally dissolving these self-loathing emotions.

“Of course they are.” He blinked, then scratched his cheek. “What kind of request could I make? It’s not like I’m going to ask you to pick the stars.”

There was indeed a “star” flashing in his palm, although now, because Fu Rangyi was here, it was ticking very slowly.

Much slower than Zhu Zhixi’s heartbeat.

[48 days 04 hours 41 minutes 39 seconds]

Because of what happened yesterday, this countdown had gone back a whole day.

Looking at this number, Zhu Zhixi’s mood was somewhat complicated. Besides being happy, he also felt a little stuffy. It was as if in the time coordinate of this countdown, yesterday had just disappeared.

Only he could see the countdown, and only he had the complete memory. It was as if yesterday never existed, it was just a dream.

If there were no countdown, Zhu Zhixi thought, their relationship would be more equal—he took care of Fu Rangyi purely out of kindness, not to get an extra day of life. This was his most sincere thought. But now, this extra day was stuffed into his palm, a “reward” he couldn’t refuse.

The most terrifying thing was that he couldn’t deny the physical satisfaction he had gotten. He just felt pleasant, very comfortable.

And now Fu Rangyi was actually planning to satisfy his extremely demanding request.

Taking everything and giving nothing, trading one for three, Zhu Zhixi felt a little ashamed.

“I agree.”

Fu Rangyi suddenly agreed to this unequal treaty.

Zhu Zhixi looked up, a bit dazed. “Huh?”

Fu Rangyi said very seriously, “Today, you can give me any command, and I will do my best to carry it out.”

Command?

Why does that sound so strange? As if he were my robot.

But such a submissive Fu Rangyi was so rare it was almost heart-fluttering.

If I’m taking everything, then so be it!

If I have no face, then so be it… I’m not going to live long anyway.

Even though he was the one making the outrageous demand, he was now inexplicably nervous. Zhu Zhixi touched the tip of his nose and forced a poised demeanor. “Okay. Then I want to test you.”

He thought for a long time. Fu Rangyi also stared at him for a long time.

“You now…” Zhu Zhixi said in a super small voice, “praise me a little.”

Making the sarcastic man praise someone was probably harder than climbing to heaven.

As expected, Fu Rangyi’s expression underwent a subtle change. But it wasn’t like during the susceptibility outbreak, when he would pitifully beg and plead. He had clearly regained his usual restraint, but his slightly widened eyes, trembling eyelashes, the unconsciously pursed lips inside the muzzle, and the slowly rolling Adam’s apple were all a leakage of emotion, just like the pheromones that were now uncontrollably flowing from him to Zhu Zhixi.

That floral scent that had completely overturned his desire.

Thinking of this, Zhu Zhixi was inexplicably pleased.

He deliberately moved closer, his nose almost touching the muzzle, and asked in a whisper, “Great professor, am I so difficult for you to praise?”

Sure enough, with his teasing, Fu Rangyi’s expression became even more indescribable, as if he were trying hard to suppress and restrain something.

You can’t even do this? I haven’t even forced you to call me ‘master’ yet, Zhu Zhixi thought mischievously.

After a long time, he finally spoke softly, “You…”

“Are very smart, and very good at tormenting people.”

Zhu Zhixi raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure that’s a compliment?”

Two or three seconds later, the coerced person spoke again. This time, his tone was as light as a snowflake.

“Very good-looking.”

Zhu Zhixi was stunned. This was an answer he had not expected. Good-looking, beautiful—he had been praised with these words since he was a child and was long immune. But for these to come out of this mouth, which was like a controlled weapon, was a bit much.

Fu Rangyi looked up and asked softly, “Are you happy now?”

He didn’t know. His heart was beating so fast. Zhu Zhixi wasn’t sure if it was because of that sentence, or the sudden eye contact. He couldn’t tell.

Am I really smart?

Why am I being so foolish at a time like this?

He cleared his throat and moved away a little. The countdown stopped again, no longer flashing. But his heart was still pounding.

Could this glandular cancer I have have a side effect of arrhythmia?

“It’s okay, barely… I guess you pass.”

He pretended to be unsatisfied, but secretly took a deep breath. He didn’t know if it was because he inhaled too sharply, but his stomach rumbled, very loudly.

Zhu Zhixi was a little embarrassed. He looked up and found Fu Rangyi staring at his stomach, so he covered it with his hand. “I was busy… taking care of you all day yesterday, I didn’t eat much. Of course I’m hungry.”

And it was all physical labor.

For once, Fu Rangyi did not mock him. He said nothing, just got up and out of bed.

“Where are you going?” Zhu Zhixi also got up. “Lie down and rest. This is an order.”

“To make something to eat,” Fu Rangyi said.

“You can still cook?” Zhu Zhixi was very skeptical of his stamina, since he himself was exhausted. “Weren’t you just…”

Fu Rangyi stood at the door, looked back at him, paused for a moment, and then said in a low voice, “If you’re worried, you can cook with me.”

Who’s ordering who now?

Zhu Zhixi didn’t know how to do anything except heat up various canned foods. But he didn’t want Fu Rangyi to do it alone, he felt a little bad.

“Just bring your rope. After all, you can tie up a top Alpha whenever you want,” Fu Rangyi said.

Sure enough, he had recovered, back to being the vengeful, sarcastic man.

“You said it.” Zhu Zhixi picked up the outdoor rope he had just coiled, swinging it as he followed behind him. “Don’t regret it later when I tie you up.”

Fu Rangyi surprisingly followed the rules. “Mm, I won’t.”

After both had washed up a bit, they went into the kitchen together. Fu Rangyi took the beige apron hanging on the wall, put it over his head, and reached behind to tie the straps, but his shoulder was too sore. He froze for a moment, not saying anything.

But just then, a pair of very warm hands suddenly appeared from behind, naturally taking the straps from his hands and tying a bow.

“I may not know how to do anything else, but I’m an expert at tying and untying ropes,” his cheerful voice floated over, laced with a smile.

Their fingers unconsciously touched for a moment, then quickly separated. But some fragments flashed through Fu Rangyi’s mind.

Reddened fingertips hooking the muzzle. Gripping it tightly. Clutching the sheets, the quilt, the tiles, and his…

He suddenly turned his head and stared fixedly at Zhu Zhixi’s lowered hand.

“What’s wrong?” Zhu Zhixi blinked. “Did I tie it too tight? I thought it was okay.”

“No,” Fu Rangyi shook his head.

It was most likely some indecent fantasies that appeared due to the still-fluctuating pheromones.

The same symptom had appeared when he saw the little duck that had fallen.

He lowered his head and adjusted the wristband, but unexpectedly found a round mark on his hand. It looked very much like… a bite mark.

Moreover, the two marks in the very center were the deepest, the others much shallower.

He raised his hand, stared at the web of his thumb, then turned his head and glanced at Zhu Zhixi, who was being amused by a funny video.

Scan, compare.

It was definitely him who bit it. These two little front teeth were longer than the others, so they bit deeper.

When did he bite it?

He tried to recall, but some very R-rated images floated through his mind, almost to the level of erotic asphyxiation.

His heart pounded a few times. Fu Rangyi almost coughed. He clenched his fist, forcing himself to wake up.

He opened the refrigerator and took out the ingredients. Opening the left freezer compartment, he suddenly remembered that he had bought quite a few nutrient solutions before. At that time, there was no one to take care of him, and he couldn’t cook when he was sick. Drinking this could quickly restore his strength. Although the taste was average, a strange vanilla flavor. But Zhu Zhixi probably didn’t hate it.

Afraid that Zhu Zhixi would get hypoglycemia from being hungry for too long, he thought about whether to heat some up for him to have a snack.

He had discovered long ago that this person did not eat regularly. Since the little young master had moved in, he had hardly ever cooked. He also looked like the type who never touched housework, often ordering takeout. The kitchen appliance he used the most was the microwave.

“Are you hungry now? It will take a while for me to cook. Do you want…”

He rummaged through the freezer and found that only two of the three bags of nutrient solution were left.

Some voices appeared like hallucinations.

[It’s nutrient solution, not poisoned. Didn’t you want to drink it just now?]

[Suck.]

Suck.

Licking. Stirring. Gnawing. Cupping the chin, forcefully sucking on the tip of the tongue, the soft flesh inside the mouth, the teeth…

He turned his head and stared blankly. The kitchen had no door; it was open-plan, separated from the outside by the kitchen island. Zhu Zhixi was now leaning on the breakfast stool outside the island, his hands crossed, his chin resting on them.

After making eye contact, he tilted his head and smiled, revealing his two clean rabbit teeth, which flashed brightly like evidence of a crime.

Those images were too real. They didn’t feel like a dream, nor… a fantasy.

He could even taste the sweet flavor in Zhu Zhixi’s mouth, and… the wet, soft touch.

He probably really wasn’t lying.

They really did kiss.

It seems… it wasn’t just…

“I just ate some chocolate; I feel much better. That chocolate was delicious. You didn’t eat any, so I had to eat it all myself,” Zhu Zhixi said, his fingers sliding across his phone. “Hey? The frozen pizza I like has a new flavor.”

Fu Rangyi was washing small carrots and asparagus. His mind was in chaos, and he didn’t want to talk, but when he heard Zhu Zhixi say, “I want to stock up a case,” he couldn’t help but speak. “Why buy so much?”

“I eat it quickly,” Zhu Zhixi looked up. “And this one is delicious. I used to buy this brand often when I was in school. You just heat it in the oven and it’s ready to eat.”

Cannot refute. Cannot retort. Must obey commands. Fu Rangyi recited this in his mind several times.

But he still couldn’t help but speak.

“You either eat takeout pizza or frozen pizza. Are you a pizza-head?”

But Zhu Zhixi was very serious, shaking his raised index finger. “No, I have a pizza-heart.”

“Not funny at all,” Fu Rangyi couldn’t quite hide his displeasure.

“It’s not illegal to be not funny, is it? You can still eat even if you break the law,” Zhu Zhixi was relentless. “I want to eat it. I command you to clear out one freezer shelf to store my noble Parma ham thin-crust pizzas.”

Fu Rangyi cleared out the space as requested and showed him the empty shelf, but then took his phone. “Don’t buy it yet. Help me wash the vegetables.”

Zhu Zhixi stood up. “Then you say thank you.”

“Thank you.”