UNCLTRD chapter 30

Even though the road was cleared, there were still many vehicles stuck in the area. The winding mountain path was scattered with fallen rocks, and progress was slow. Chen Qiusu,Yang Shao and Yang Tao waited at the farmhouse restaurant and even had breakfast before the assistant arrived.

They weren’t there for leisure, so there wasn’t much to pack—just two sets of tracksuits that needed to be destroyed.

While Chen Qiusu discussed some matters with the assistant, Yang Shao took Yang Tao back to the car. To keep his distance from Chen Qiusu, he deliberately sat by the window.

With the heater in the car on full blast, the inside of the car quickly became stifling. Yang Shao rolled the window down to get some fresh air. The car was parked in a windy spot, and cold mountain air rushed in eagerly.

The mountain breeze was relentless, morning or night. Standing in the wind in his wrinkled clothes, Chen Qiusu looked nothing like his usual stern and meticulous self. Instead, he seemed uncharacteristically laid-back, his exhaustion adding a touch of laziness to his demeanor.

Was Chen Qiusu alright? He looked fine now, but what if his condition worsened at night? Should he remind him to go to the hospital?

Yang Shao found himself zoning out, staring in Chen Qiusu’s direction. He thought he might have a bit of obsessive-compulsive behavior—or, more accurately, he was obsessed with Chen Qiusu. It was rare to see him dressed so sloppily, and Yang Shao had an almost uncontrollable urge to iron the wrinkles out of his trousers.

“Daddy? Daddy!” Yang Tao, restless as ever, called out. He had been playing in the car for a while but quickly got bored when his dad didn’t respond. “Daddy, why are you staring at Uncle Chen and ignoring me!?”

Chen Qiusu turned upon hearing Yang Tao’s voice, coincidentally locking eyes with Yang Shao. At that moment, Yang Shao panicked, blinking nervously and darting his eyes around the car before turning away abruptly.

Was Yang Shao… staring at him? But why?

Chen Qiusu didn’t understand. All he saw was the car window slowly inching closed.

What a troublesome father and son duo!

What kind of lousy car was this? The automatic window took ages to roll up. Yang Shao silently cursed. Why was the heater cranked so high—did they think it was free? He could hardly breathe!

Why had he been staring at Chen Qiusu? Which eye of his had been staring? And which eye of Yang Tao’s had caught him staring?

Yang Tao!

Yang Shao shot Yang Tao a fierce glare, finally finding someone to vent his frustration on. Seeing Yang Tao take off his jacket, he barked, “Who told you to take off your jacket? Put it back on now!”

“What? Why are you so angry all of a sudden?” Yang Tao pouted, too scared to talk back. He obediently put his jacket back on. “But it’s so hot in here…”

The car was stifling, like a sauna. But Yang Shao didn’t care about the heat now—he’d found the perfect excuse to scold Yang Tao.

“If you also come down with a fever and cold, I’ll take you to the hospital for a shot.”

At the mention of a shot, Yang Tao let out a humph and zipped his jacket all the way up to his neck, using his actions to prove to his dad that he wouldn’t get sick.

The assistant reminded Chen Qiusu, “Perhaps Mr. Yang and his son have waited too long. You should go, sir. I’ve noted everything you’ve instructed.”

Chen Qiusu nodded and walked straight toward the car. Knowing Yang Shao was sitting by the window, he habitually went around to the other side. As soon as the car door opened, Yang Tao threw himself onto his lap.

“Uncle Chen!”

Chen Qiusu returned just in time. Yang Tao was about to complain that his dad had threatened to take him for a shot. Remembering how Chen Qiusu had sneezed yesterday, Yang Tao quickly added, “Uncle Chen, you can’t get sick again, or Dad will spank both of us.”

This was pure nonsense, completely made up! When had Yang Shao ever said he’d spank Chen Qiusu?

Yang Shao wanted to drag Yang Tao back and find some tape to seal his mouth shut.

Chen Qiusu knew Yang Shao hadn’t said anything like that and chalked it up to Yang Tao misinterpreting things, but he still couldn’t help coughing lightly to mask his embarrassment.

“Don’t cough,” Yang Tao said hurriedly, covering Chen Qiusu’s mouth as if trying to save him.

Holding Yang Tao, Chen Qiusu sat down in the back seat. He was worried that his cold might spread to the boy, so he tried to pass him over to Yang Shao. However, Yang Tao, having just been scared by his dad, now clung to him for a sense of security.

Once the car started, neither Chen Qiusu nor Yang Shao said a word. Fortunately, Yang Tao kept the atmosphere lively, climbing and bouncing around the spacious backseat.

Tired of sitting in the middle, Yang Tao wanted to lean against the window. Afraid to ask his dad to switch places, he climbed onto Chen Qiusu’s lap instead. Not only did Chen Qiusu not stop him, but he even helped steady him by the arm. Sliding down onto the seat gap beside him, Yang Tao ended up squishing Chen Qiusu toward the center.

No matter how spacious the backseat was, it was only enough for a small child to move around. With two grown men sitting back there, accidental bumps and brushes were inevitable. Chen Qiusu felt his arm graze Yang Shao’s jacket several times.

So much for avoiding him—despite his efforts to sit away from Chen Qiusu, Yang Tao’s unpredictability foiled him. Yang Shao mentally vowed to deal with his son later.

The two adults sat in awkward silence, the lack of conversation only heightening the discomfort. After some hesitation, Yang Shao finally broke it. “What about the stuff in my truck?”

Hearing Yang Shao speak to him voluntarily made Chen Qiusu inexplicably pleased. “My assistant will handle it. He’ll find someone to sell the goods. As for the truck… you’ll need a replacement.”

After the incident, the small truck was beyond repair; a new one was the only solution.

“Oh…”

In the warmth of the heater, the scent of Chen Qiusu’s pheromones grew stronger and more pervasive, wrapping Yang Shao like an invisible net. He pressed closer to the car door but found no escape. “Are you going to the hospital?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yang Shao regretted it. It sounded as if he cared about Chen Qiusu, and any conversation involving pheromones inevitably carried a hint of ambiguity. But this wasn’t just about the pheromones—Chen Qiusu still had a fever.

Besides, was he really worried about Chen Qiusu? No, he was worried about himself—about getting entangled with him again.

Chen Qiusu glanced toward the driver and answered vaguely, “You two can head back first.”

Yang Shao understood. Chen Qiusu planned to visit the hospital but wanted to keep it discreet, even from the driver. Otherwise, his family might grow suspicious about their marriage arrangement.

For some reason, this secrecy felt like a private little secret between them, momentarily easing the awkward tension.

The car no longer felt as stifling. Yang Shao rested his elbow on the door, his body relaxing—until something heavy fell onto his shoulder. Turning his head, he found Chen Qiusu had fallen asleep against him.

Chen Qiusu looked visibly unwell, his illness clearly lingering. His pale skin and lack of energy showed he hadn’t fully recovered. Of course, a healthy body was a prerequisite for being in heat. Right now, he could barely stay awake, let alone deal with anything else.

Lowering his gaze, Yang Shao studied Chen Qiusu’s sleeping face. His brows furrowed slightly, nostrils flaring with heavy breaths, and his cheeks were faintly flushed.

“Uncle Chen…” Yang Tao called, wanting him to look out the window. Seeing his dad gesture for silence, he quickly covered his mouth.

Yang Shao beckoned Yang Tao over with a quiet “Come here.”

The car’s smooth ride made it easy for Yang Tao to climb down and crawl to his dad. Sensing he might be in trouble, the boy obediently nestled by his dad’s side.

“You’re being a nuisance. Don’t push Uncle Chen’s patience just because he spoils you,” Yang Shao whispered.

Honestly, Yang Shao thought Chen Qiusu deserved to be pestered by Yang Tao, if only for a year. After that, Chen Qiusu might not have the chance to deal with such antics anymore.

A year…

At the thought of their one-year timeline, Yang Shao felt like a fool for getting so worked up over Chen Qiusu last night. Why did he care so much? If Chen Qiusu couldn’t handle it, that would be a blessing to omegas everywhere—he’d be doing them a favor.

Perhaps sensing his thoughts, the sleeping Chen Qiusu shifted against his shoulder, letting out a faint hum.

Yang Tao, realizing he’d gone too far, nestled into the gap by the car door, sitting quietly between Uncle Chen and his dad.

Although still feverish, Chen Qiusu wasn’t completely unconscious. He knew he was leaning on Yang Shao’s shoulder, and he was surprised Yang Shao hadn’t pushed him off—or that he hadn’t forced him awake.

He blamed it all on sleep paralysis. Otherwise, why did he feel glued to Yang Shao?

As they approached the city, Yang Shao debated whether to wake Chen Qiusu, but before he could, the man stirred and opened his eyes.

“Sorry about that.” Politeness was second nature to Chen Qiusu. He had used Yang Shao’s shoulder as a pillow, so an apology was mandatory. “Drop me off at the next intersection.”

The car and driver were left to Yang Shao and his Yang Tao, while Chen Qiusu told the driver he had something to take care of and got out at a bustling intersection.

Only Yang Tao poked his head out of the car window to wave goodbye to Chen Qiusu, while Yang Shao casually glanced at the man in the rearview mirror.

“Dad, shouldn’t we drop Uncle Chen off? He’s all alone.”

Drop him off? Why not care about his own dad once in a while instead of fussing over Uncle Chen so much?

Yang Tao’s grandparents and great-grandmother hadn’t seen him all morning or the previous afternoon, so they were thrilled to have him back. Bursting with energy, Yang Tao animatedly recounted the events of the previous day, particularly the part about Chen Qiusu squeezing into a small-sized tracksuit, which had everyone in the Chen family in stitches.

Speaking of Chen Qiusu, someone noticed his absence. Chen’s mother asked Yang Shao, “Didn’t Qiusu come back with you?”

Yang Shao rubbed his nose awkwardly. “He… seemed to have something to do.”

Though he said this casually, inwardly he was hoping nothing serious was wrong with Chen Qiusu. Hopefully, he’d take care of everything at the hospital and return home well. If something happened at home, there wouldn’t even be time to send him to the hospital, let alone explain it to the Chen family.

…..

At the hospital, Chen Qiusu was no longer eligible for treatments to lower the concentration of his pheromones. Instead, he was prescribed medication for his fever and cold.

This outcome wasn’t unexpected, and Chen Qiusu didn’t press the doctors further. He didn’t want to make things difficult for them.