Chapter 44

Ruan Tang watched his utterly wretched state and let out a scornful laugh. "Zhou Yao, what kind of fit are you throwing now?"

He didn't know and didn't want to know what had happened between Ruan Xi and Zhou Yao, but he was thoroughly disgusted by Zhou Yao showing up in front of him every so often to throw a tantrum.

It made him sick to his stomach.

Zhou Yao's eyes involuntarily turned bloodshot. Seeing Ruan Tang's cold and distant demeanor, his heart ached as if cut by knives.

He couldn't help but recall the first time he had seen Ruan Tang. Back then, his family was pressuring him to get engaged, and his heart only had room for Ruan Xi. He had heard that Ruan Tang, the former fiancé of Shen Mozhi, had been clinging to Shen Mozhi, sabotaging the relationship between Ruan Xi and Shen Mozhi. But Ruan Xi was so 'kind,' he valued his relationship with this older brother deeply and refused to believe he was a black-hearted lotus.

To preserve Ruan Xi's naive innocence and make him happy, Zhou Yao coincidentally discovered from the Pheromone Matching Bureau that the Pheromone Matching Rate between him and Ruan Tang was very high.

Zhou Yao thought, since Ruan Xi didn't like him anyway, as long as Ruan Xi was happy. He could marry just about anyone himself. Since Ruan Xi didn't want to lose Ruan Tang as a brother, and Ruan Tang was so fixated on getting between Shen Mozhi and Ruan Xi, he might as well marry Ruan Tang.

Once he became his Omega, naturally Ruan Tang would have no way to seduce his brother-in-law-to-be.

The first time he met Ruan Tang, he was actually very impatient. He thought Ruan Tang, who always targeted and bullied Ruan Xi, must be a vicious, tacky, and mean-spirited Omega. But when he actually saw Ruan Tang, he found his appearance was completely the opposite of his imagination.

He had none of that vulgar, shrewd aura. Instead, he was elegant and refined, with a quiet composure in his brow that made one forget the vulgar world upon seeing it.

At that time, he was holding a book and reading. The shallow sunlight shone on his face, making him look like an angel descending from heaven.

Zhou Yao was stunned by the sight.

Even if he refused to admit it at the time, he had to acknowledge later that he had actually fallen in love at first sight with Ruan Tang. From that very first glance, he had been captivated.

At that moment, he vowed to himself that even if this Omega was a black-hearted lotus, the type he detested most, he would still marry him. He would change him.

At the start of their engagement, he and Ruan Tang had a very happy and beautiful time together. From beginning to end, he was certain that Ruan Tang would be his.

But that beautiful time, in the end, was fleeting.

When exactly had things changed? Zhou Yao couldn't remember anymore... He only knew that by the time he came to his senses and wanted to turn back, he and Ruan Tang could never return to how things were.

And now, he knew he couldn't hope for Ruan Tang's forgiveness. But seeing Ruan Tang humble himself before that cruel demon, Zhou Yao still couldn't resign himself to it...

Ruan Tang was the most beautiful angel in the world, he deserved the best things in the world.

Even if it wasn't him, even if he wasn't qualified... Ruan Tang shouldn't have to marry an Alpha who was a demon like that.

"I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong... I dare not ask for your forgiveness." Zhou Yao steadied himself, his eyes filled with profound grief. "But I'm begging you, let me make it up to you, let me help you, okay?"

He didn't believe Ruan Tang had accepted this marriage to Auston willingly.

Ruan Tang looked at him, at his look of extreme remorse, and gave a cold laugh, his attitude growing even colder. "Make it up to me? Help me? Zhou Yao, what exactly can you do to make it up to me or help me?"

He was utterly sick of the man before him. Back when everyone had deserted him, when no one believed him and he was about to fall into the abyss, he had pleaded desperately, but not a single person was willing to believe him or lend him a hand.

Now that he had finally managed to crawl out of the mud, these people come one by one to his face, talking about making amends, offering help. What's the point of it all?

"I... I don't know how to make it up to you, but if you just say the word, I'll do my utmost to accomplish anything you want..." Zhou Yao took a deep breath. "Just give me the order, even if it means offending the Empress Family and Duke Auston to the death, I will definitely help you get a divorce."

He didn't know what he could do for Ruan Tang, but he knew he couldn't bear to see Ruan Tang continue living so humiliatingly beside that demon, Auston.

Even if it meant offending Auston and losing his own life, Zhou Yao swore he would save Ruan Tang.

"Help me get a divorce? I'm doing perfectly fine, Zhou Yao. What kind of joke are you telling?" When Ruan Tang heard him say he would help him divorce, it was as if he had heard the funniest joke, bursting into loud laughter.

First Wen Run, then Zhou Yao. When he was falling off the cliff, they all stood by with cold indifference. Now they come running to him, full of regret, saying they want to make amends?

And the way they propose to make amends is by patronizingly trying to 'save' him, helping him divorce the husband who helped him, protected him, gave him everything, and helped him piece back together his lost dignity when he hit the lowest point of his life. How ridiculous, how absurd.

Ruan Tang absolutely loathed these self-righteous saviors. Their incessant harassment was even starting to twist him...

Looking at Ruan Tang, who was laughing wildly, Zhou Yao didn't blame him in the slightest. In fact, the guilt in his heart deepened. He felt that all of this was his fault.

It was all him. They were the ones who had pushed Ruan Tang to become like this.

He looked at Ruan Tang with sincere eyes, speaking with utmost seriousness. "...I mean it, Ruan Tang. Just say the word, and I will definitely help you. Even if... even if you will never be mine again..."

He just wanted to save Ruan Tang now.

"...Zhou Yao, I really don't know where you get your confidence. What makes you think I would be eternally grateful for your help in divorcing Lord Auston? That this is a way for you to make amends?" Ruan Tang let out a cold laugh.

Zhou Yao was frozen on the spot, the words he had prepared stuck in his throat. "Ruan Tang, I..."

"When all of you abandoned me, betrayed me, and took Ruan Xi's side, Lord Auston was the only one who stood by me. He wasn't fooled by Ruan Xi. Countless times he pulled me from desperate situations, gave me hope, and helped me piece together the dignity that you all trampled on and I had lost..." Ruan Tang didn't give him a chance to finish, coldly cutting him off, speaking slowly and deliberately. "No matter what you think of Lord Auston, in my eyes, he is the one who gave me hope and pulled me out of the darkness and the mire."

Every word was powerful and resolute.

Ruan Tang knew Auston was a madman, not the ideal or expected Alpha for any Omega. He was good to him, but that goodness wasn't romantic. He might even just be doting on him like he did Simba, treating him like a beloved pet. Because in Auston's eyes when he looked at him, he saw not a shred of lust or an Alpha's possessiveness over an Omega...

He interacted with him peacefully and tenderly, like treating a beloved toy, without understanding what emotions truly were.

But Ruan Tang didn't mind, because Auston had given him so very, very much.

He didn't love him, but the things he gave him were far more than those people who claimed to care about him and wanted to make amends...

Ruan Tang wanted to stay by his side forever.

He had come to like him.

Marrying Auston had once been a last resort, something he had no choice in. But in this moment, choosing Auston was his own choice alone.

Even if Auston wasn't clear-headed, even if he might never love him.

Ruan Tang's thoughts had only been vague before. It wasn't until this moment, when Zhou Yao once again urged him to divorce, that Ruan Tang suddenly woke up to the truth.

He had already fallen for Auston.

Zhou Yao hadn't expected Ruan Tang to say this. His mind went completely blank, and he was stunned on the spot.

"Ruan Tang..."

A voice suddenly came from behind them. They both turned around and saw Wen Run standing there, no one knew how long he had been listening.

Wen Run looked at Ruan Tang and took a deep breath. He found what Ruan Tang had just said hard to accept, having never known that this was how Ruan Tang felt.

But upon reflection, he felt it was all so logical—

To them, Auston was indeed a terrifying demon, but for Ruan Tang in that situation, Auston was precisely the ray of light that rescued him from the darkness.

With the suspension bridge effect at play, Auston was also Ruan Tang's lawful husband.

It was perfectly natural for Ruan Tang to fall in love with Auston.

It was all his fault. He had previously ignored all of this, ignored Ruan Tang's feelings.

"And back then, what were you all doing? You were all pushing me off the cliff, stepping on me into the mud..." Ruan Tang saw Wen Run, but the coldness in his eyes didn't retreat as he continued, "Now, I'm doing well, but you come one by one, putting on the airs of saviors, running to my face to tell me you want to save me, help me divorce. Don't you think it's ridiculous yourselves?"

Wen Run was speechless.

Zhou Yao, however, was frozen in shock, speaking with difficulty. "...Ruan Tang, you're just temporarily blinded by gratitude now. He... he is just a madman. How... how can you possibly be happy with him?"

"You called me a black-hearted lotus, you said I framed Ruan Xi. And now you come saying you want to make amends, and the way to help me is to make me divorce him!" Ruan Tang's pent-up negative emotions finally exploded completely. "But did any of you ever ask me what I want, what I don't want? Am I not even qualified to make my own choices?"

His mother had taught him from a young age that good is rewarded with good, that one should be kind, tolerant, patient, and lie low. Ruan Tang had always held this as the truth, and he had always lived by it...

In the face of others' aggression and provocation, he did everything he could to avoid, evade, not fight, not snatch. Yet these despicable people and these infuriating matters still came to his door again and again, clinging to him, refusing to let him go.

But now, just as he was about to burst, these people come one after another to his face, repenting, saying they were wrong...

The true reason for his mother's dementia and the constant harassment from these infuriating people had finally made Ruan Tang realize that good people don't always get good rewards.

Forcing him to become sharp and fierce.

"I don't need your amends, and I don't accept your apologies." Ruan Tang said word by word. "What is lost is lost. Yesterday is gone. If apologies were useful, what need would there be for the law?"

He coldly looked at the two men before him. "I just hope you will never appear in front of me again. You—disgust me."

Ruan Tang's expression had never been like this before. His face was incredibly dark, as if countless negative, black vortices were gathering around him.

In the past, they had countless times accused Ruan Tang of being a black-hearted lotus, vicious, and twisted.

But at this moment, it felt like Ruan Tang was truly about to become twisted.

And yet they could not say a single word. They didn't even dare to have the slightest thought of blaming him, leaving only endless heartache.

Zhou Yao's eyes were bloodshot, his mind buzzing. Seeing Ruan Tang like this made it hard for him to breathe. He tried to persuade him, "Ruan Tang, don't be like this. Calm down. Being with that madman will only bring you to a bad end. He is doomed to die!"

He didn't know if the future of this world would change, but he truly couldn't bear to watch Ruan Tang stay with someone who was fated to die and who didn't treat him well.

He even felt that Ruan Tang was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.

Zhou Yao thought he meant well, but he didn't expect that his words would be like poking a hornet's nest.

When Ruan Tang heard him so confidently state that Auston was doomed to die, he instantly flew into a rage. He took a big step forward and directly kicked Zhou Yao, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Xiao Tang..." Zhou Yao hadn't anticipated him using force and was completely stunned by the blow.

In his memory, Ruan Tang had always been very gentle and aloof. Even when he and Ruan Xi had done such excessively awful things to Ruan Tang before, he hadn't resorted to violence.

Ruan Tang, who knows where he got the strength, grabbed Zhou Yao by the collar and lifted him off the ground, forcing him to look at him. He spoke slowly, every word seeming to be squeezed out through gritted teeth. "Shut up, Zhou Yao! If I ever hear you say another word about Lord Auston, or link him with death, I swear on my life, I will make sure you die first."

He was usually rather patient with what others said about him, but for some reason now, he couldn't bear to hear anyone say a single bad word about Auston.

Ruan Tang knew that everyone in the Imperial Capital believed Auston was doomed. A mad dog that the Emperor would inevitably discard once he was no longer useful, once the bird was gone the bow would be stored away. No one thought he could live a good life. Even if the Emperor didn't kill him, he would surely drive himself to death in his madness.

But Ruan Tang didn't want him to die. He wanted to protect him—

He wanted Auston to live well, to live together with him.

And it was at this moment that he realized how ridiculous his previous desire to avoid the world, to be in the circle of power but try to stay away from conflict, truly was. The only reason he could live well was because he was living under Auston's protective umbrella, his safe harbor. And Auston's own power and status, in the eyes of those who truly held power in the Imperial Capital, was nothing more than a bubble in the sun...

Otherwise, how could even a spoiled brat like Zhou Yao, who had nothing but a good father, dare to speak within his partner's hearing about him being a dead man walking?

Only then did Ruan Tang realize that he could no longer run away. He couldn't let Auston go on staggering forward alone, lost in his madness. He had to stand up.

To fight for his own destiny and the fate of his mother, brother, and sister, and for Auston's sake.

"Ruan Tang, are you really sure you want to be with Duke Auston? Even if he will never love you, even if the emotional effort you put into him might never be reciprocated?" Wen Run was startled by Ruan Tang's sudden outburst. His eyes darkened slightly as he asked immediately.

As someone who knew that Auston was actually the rebel leader Lucifer, he wasn't worried that Auston would die, or that Ruan Tang would be implicated after his death...

But he truly understood just how terrifying and ruthless this 'Lucifer' was.

He was afraid that Ruan Tang's heartfelt feelings would ultimately be betrayed.

Ruan Tang had already experienced so many failures in matters of the heart. Wen Run truly didn't want to see him get hurt again.

"Whether he loves me or not doesn't matter. As long as I love him, that's enough." Ruan Tang said coldly, slowly and deliberately. "As long as Lord Auston does not abandon me, I will never divorce him in this lifetime. I will always be his Omega."

Auston was just too good to him. He gave him the stars if he wanted the stars, the moon if he wanted the moon. Even knowing that Auston didn't love him, it was hard for Ruan Tang not to be moved by someone like that.

Ruan Tang wanted to stay with him for life.

Hearing the resolute tone in Ruan Tang's voice, Wen Run was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath. "...Alright, I understand."

He owed Ruan Tang. For the rest of his life, no matter what Ruan Tang wanted, he would do his utmost to help him get it. Even if it was that ferocious leader of the rebels...

Deeply aware of what kind of achievements Lucifer would make in the future, of the bloody storm he would bring to the entire galaxy, and of the difficulty of resolving the perilous situation in the Imperial Capital for now, Wen Run even felt that perhaps Ruan Tang becoming Auston's Omega was the best and safest outcome for him.

Ruan Tang didn't have the mind to dwell on what Wen Run understood. He shook off Zhou Yao, whom he had just kicked, and turned to leave.

But Zhou Yao refused to give up, grabbing Ruan Tang's leg from behind and sobbing, "Xiao Tang..."

He simply couldn't bear to watch Ruan Tang repeat the tragedy of his past life.

Ruan Tang was about to kick him off again.

"What are you doing?" Just then, Auston silently wheeled his chair to a spot behind them, looking at them expressionlessly.

Suddenly seeing Auston, Ruan Tang's face went pale. He was startled, immediately snapping out of his violent mood, and looked nervously at Auston. "My Lord, I..."

It wasn't that he was afraid Auston would misunderstand something. It was that he was worried Auston had heard what he had just said, had seen his fierce, twisted side.

Ruan Tang didn't know what kind of Omega Auston liked, but he had seemed quite fond of him before. Ruan Tang guessed that Auston probably liked kind, soft, uncompetitive Omegas, just like what his mother had described.

And because of his own childhood trauma, he probably wouldn't have any fondness for a cold, venomous Omega like the Empress.

"What is Young Master Zhou doing here? Could it be that you don't want to be a human anymore and have decided to be a dog?" Auston coldly swept his gaze over Zhou Yao. Seeing Ruan Tang's pale face, he felt that Ruan Tang had been bullied and harassed again, and immediately sneered at Zhou Yao. "But even if you want to be a dog, you shouldn't be clinging to the leg of my Omega, should you?"

Auston had heard some of the recent rumors in the Imperial Capital. He knew that this Zhou Yao was pestering Ruan Tang, full of regret for his past failed judgment.

Although he didn't like Ruan Tang in a romantic sense, he felt this Zhou Yao was truly too pathetic, with poor eyesight, questionable intelligence, and a possible tendency towards violence. He was completely not the kind of simple-minded, innocent Omega that Ruan Tang could handle...

Therefore, Auston figured it was best to keep this nuisance far away from Ruan Tang.

Zhou Yao immediately let go of Ruan Tang's leg and walked straight up to Auston. Without hesitation, he made a direct plea: "Lord Auston, I beg you to let Ruan Tang go."

"If you really have even a sliver of liking for him, then let him go, I beg you..." Seeing that convincing Ruan Tang was hopeless, Zhou Yao chose to appeal to Auston directly.

This Alpha was crazy, crippled, and disfigured. If he really liked Ruan Tang and had any self-awareness, he should let go rather than drag Ruan Tang down with him.