MTY chapter 3

Lu Ziqing’s brain finally caught up.

No wonder his dad insisted on making Lin Yu move in with him without giving any explanation.

The old man must have caught wind of the rumors but didn’t want to deal with them himself, so he forced Lin Yu to move in to shut them down.

But still…

Lu Ziqing muttered, “You didn’t have to be that blunt.”

That was way too much information. His brain nearly short-circuited.

Lin Yu: “You told me to say it.”

Lu Ziqing: “…”

Alright, he did ask for it.

Lu Ziqing: “You could’ve put it a little more tactfully…”

Lin Yu thought for a moment. “‘There are rumors that my relationship with President Lu goes beyond that of a superior and subordinate’—would that sound more tactful?”

Lu Ziqing: “…Forget it, just pretend I never asked.”

He was a bit troubled. He had originally planned to talk to his father about the cohabitation arrangement in a few days, but now that he understood the reason behind it, he could see why his father made this decision.

It really was the fastest and most efficient way to shut down all the gossip.

Lu Ziqing ran a hand through his hair. “It’s getting late. Go wash up and get some rest.”

He was about to grab a set of pajamas for Lin Yu, but Lin Yu shook his head and declined, saying he had brought his own sleepwear and toiletries, so there was no need to trouble him.

Lu Ziqing watched as Lin Yu crouched down and took out a soft, white cotton pajama set from his suitcase. The pajamas had a Doraemon print.

Lu Ziqing was a bit surprised. “Your sleepwear style is kind of cute.”

He had assumed that someone like Lin Yu—a workaholic city professional—would have dull, monochrome pajamas in gray, white, or black.

Lin Yu replied earnestly, “Since I was a kid, I always wished I had a good friend like Doraemon. That way, he could help me solve a lot of problems, and I wouldn’t have so many headaches.”

Lu Ziqing watched him take out his toiletries. “So your water bottle with the Pikachu design—does that mean you want a Pokémon companion too?”

“No,” Lin Yu said. “Since water conducts electricity, I just hope that one day, while brushing my teeth, I’ll get electrocuted and pass out. That way, I won’t have to go to work.”

Lu Ziqing: “…”

He wasn’t sure if Lin Yu was joking.

After all, he had never seen someone crack a joke with such a serious expression—like they were presenting at a shareholders’ meeting.

Lu Ziqing: “I thought you liked working.”

After all, his father often praised Lin Yu as a competent and intelligent employee—hardworking, highly efficient, and meticulous.

Lin Yu: “Being good at something doesn’t mean I like it.”

Lu Ziqing: “Is there anything you’re not good at?”

He was genuinely curious. Someone like Lin Yu, a straight-A student from childhood, had to have some weaknesses, right?

Lin Yu, however, said nothing.

Lu Ziqing coaxed, “Come on, tell me. I won’t tell anyone.”

Lin Yu looked at him. “Are you sure you want me to say it?”

Remembering the results of his last round of questioning, Lu Ziqing immediately said, “Never mind, I’m not that curious.”

Lin Yu quietly let out a breath. “Then, I’ll go take a shower.”

…..

Lin Yu ended up showering for half an hour.

Normally, he could finish in ten to fifteen minutes. He had a daily shower routine, and with his short hair, the process was quick and efficient—almost like a robot completing a programmed task.

But tonight…

He had lied to Lu Ziqing.

To avoid being kicked out, he had hidden something.

As the warm water streamed down his body, Lin Yu rubbed the gland on the back of his neck, his pale face flushing with an unnatural pink.

The truth was… he was currently in heat.

Although he injected suppressants every morning, that day’s dose was wearing off.

He had already felt faint when he dragged his suitcases to Lu Ziqing’s doorstep.

His body was drenched in cold sweat, his face pale, and the gland at the back of his neck had swollen and reddened.

But to keep from being kicked out, he had pulled up his collar to cover his gland, sitting on the sofa as if nothing was wrong.

When Lu Ziqing was interrogating him earlier, he had nearly reached up to rub his gland several times. In the end, he forced himself to endure it, subtly shifting back into the couch to relieve some of the discomfort through small movements.

Now that he was finally in the bathroom, he let out a sharp breath—at last, he could relax.

For an omega, the use of suppressants had its limits.

When Lin Yu had first differentiated, he had relied heavily on suppressants. His heat periods came suddenly and intensely, requiring double the usual dose just to get through them.

But one time, he suffered an acute shock and was rushed to the hospital. After a full-body examination, the doctor warned him to strictly control his suppressant intake, or else his body could develop resistance, leading to even worse consequences in the future.

Since then, Lin Yu had strictly followed medical advice, limiting his dosage to no more than 10ml every 24 hours.

Even if the last few hours became unbearable, even if the suppressant lost its effect, he had to endure it.

To minimize its impact on his daily life, he usually injected it at around 7 AM—this way, if it wore off, it would happen at home, in bed, the safest and warmest place in the world.

Today, however, the suppressant had worn off early—likely because he had only taken 9ml in the morning and had exhausted himself at work.

Lin Yu stood under the shower for a long time, first using hot water, then pressing a cold towel against his gland.

Only when the swelling barely subsided did he let out a long breath and slowly step out of the shower.

When he finished drying his hair and left the bathroom, he saw that the lights in the living room had been turned off. He assumed Lu Ziqing had gone to bed already and let out a small sigh of relief.

He wasn’t yet familiar with the layout of the Lu Ziqing’s apartment. From what he recalled, Lu Ziqing had mentioned earlier that his guest room was across from the master bedroom. After exiting the bathroom, he had to turn left, and then—

A door on his right suddenly opened.

A warm, yellow light spilled out. Lu Ziqing, dressed in loose-fitting pajamas, stood in the doorway, backlit by the glow. He lowered his gaze and looked at him. “Done?”

Lin Yu: “…Mm.”

Beneath his calm expression, he instinctively tightened his grip on his pajama hem.

Lu Ziqing: “Your room is across the hall. The bedding is in the closet—you’ll need to set it up yourself. If you need help, just call me.”

Lin Yu: “…Thank you.”

The neckline of his sleepwear was a little loose. As he turned to leave, he worried that Lu Ziqing might see the gland on his neck. So, feigning discomfort from the heat, he casually tugged up his collar to cover it.

He turned around and started walking toward his bedroom.

Just as he took his first step, Lu Ziqing suddenly said, “Wait a minute.”

Lin Yu’s heart leaped into his throat, pounding violently.

Without warning, Lu Ziqing’s hand reached out from behind, his fingertips brushing against Lin Yu’s cheek like a feather.

“Your good friend’s nose fell off.” Lu Ziqing spread his palm open leisurely, revealing a small piece of red fabric. “Do you want to sew it back on?”

Lin Yu looked down and saw that the red nose on the Doraemon design on his pajama top had fallen off.

He took the piece of fabric and said, “…Thanks.”

His racing heartbeat gradually calmed, but the remnants of his earlier panic still lingered, thudding in his chest. He was afraid Lu Ziqing would notice something unusual.

“That’s all you have to say?” Lu Ziqing remarked. “You seem a little nervous. Am I really that scary?”

Lin Yu: “…Good night.”

Lu Ziqing: “One more?”

Lin Yu: “…Sweet dreams.”

Lu Ziqing couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, Nobita-kun, good night.”

His laughter was light, like a cool evening breeze drifting softly behind Lin Yu’s ear.

Lin Yu suddenly felt an itch at the back of his neck.

…The suppressant must have completely worn off, he thought. Tomorrow morning, he’d better inject the full 10ml.