Chapter 53

Ruan Yang had awakened. Although his body could not move much yet and would require long-term rehabilitation to move freely, his consciousness and spirit had fully returned to clarity.

When his accident happened, he was still young, and having been kept alive by the best medical technology all along, time had left no mark on this towering Alpha.

His features were still as handsome as ever, but the gravity in his eyes revealed the vicissitudes of passing time.

Ruan Tang had not seen his brother awake and not comatose for many years. The two brothers looked at each other, both speechless.

“Big Brother… do you still recognize me?” After a moment of silence, Ruan Tang stood up first and walked over to Ruan Yang’s side, sitting on his bed.

Ruan Yang grasped his hand firmly, just like in childhood: “Xiao Tang, I’m sorry. For all these years, I failed in my duty as a big brother, as an Alpha. I didn’t protect you, didn’t protect Xiao Yue and Mother, and made you all suffer so much…”

Although he had been in a coma, his consciousness had been able to vaguely perceive changes in the outside world.

Sensing that after his accident, his mother and younger sister had successively met with misfortune, and the whole family had collapsed, with all the burden falling onto their family’s youngest, most vulnerable Omega little brother… Ruan Yang felt an indescribable anguish. He struggled several times to wake up, but simply could not…

He had been powerless against everything that happened to Ruan Tang, his mother, and his sister.

All he could do was watch Ruan Tang endure hardships and suffering.

As the only Alpha in the family, Ruan Yang felt he should have been the pillar and guardian of the household. He never imagined that over these years, not only was he powerless to stop the family from nearly falling apart,

but he also had to rely on his youngest brother for protection.

Ruan Yang was overwhelmed with guilt.

Ruan Tang shook his head, but his emotions were too stirred to calm down: “It’s fine, it’s fine. Everything is getting better now. As long as you’ve woken up, Big Brother, our family is moving in a good direction…”

The days of hardship are all in the past.

He had made it through; Ruan Yang was awake. From now on, he would no longer be a person without kin or ties.

The brothers talked endlessly; it was getting late, and Ruan Tang planned to go rest. But Ruan Yang suddenly looked up and asked him: “I still haven’t met your Alpha? Why hasn’t he come? When can you have him come see me?”

He knew his younger brother was married, and knew the other party was powerful and treated his brother well, but regarding his brother’s never-visiting Alpha, Ruan Yang still felt he should meet him to be at ease.

Ruan Tang’s gaze turned a bit somber: “Alright, I’ll have him come meet Big Brother, so you can see him.”

He knew that although Auston doted on him immensely and gave him everything he wanted, he had never thought to become part of his life. Thus, even though Auston had provided the best medical care for his mother and siblings, he had never intended to meet them.

But Ruan Tang still wanted to try, to have Auston, the person he loved, meet the people he most respected.

Auston didn’t want to be part of his life, but Ruan Tang stubbornly wanted him to become a part of his life.

“What kind of person is he?” Ruan Yang looked at Ruan Tang with some concern. Even while lying down and hazy, he knew that Ruan Tang’s Alpha had never come to see them even once.

Although the news he received was that Auston doted on Ruan Tang enormously, he still worried the other party wasn’t good enough to his brother, didn’t care enough…

That everything was just Ruan Tang forcing himself to endure.

He wanted to see this person with his own eyes.

“He is a very, very good person.” At the mention of Auston, a faint smile immediately appeared at the corners of Ruan Tang’s mouth: “He is the single ray of light that redeemed me in my darkest, most difficult moments.”

Although Ruan Yang had not yet seen Auston in person, seeing the expression on Ruan Tang’s face and the smile at his lips as he mentioned him, most of his heart was put at ease: “That’s good.”

What he feared most was that his younger brother had married the duke only to compromise for their sake, ruining his life…

As long as Ruan Tang felt happy and joyful, that was enough.

…

After Ruan Tang finished telling Auston a story as usual that evening, he stayed in his room instead of leaving. He looked at Auston, took a deep breath, somewhat unsure how to broach the topic: “My Lord, um…”

He had matured a lot, had learned to handle others with ease, putting on various masks.

But when facing Auston, on some occasions, he still couldn’t help feeling a little nervous…

“What’s wrong?” Auston saw that he wasn’t leaving and wasn’t speaking, so he looked at him in confusion.

Ruan Tang bit his lip gently, still not knowing how to start: “I…”

This Alpha was extremely good to him, gave him everything he asked for, but specifically refused to reciprocate his feelings.

“Do you want something again? Or is there something you need my help with?” Seeing him hesitate, Auston took the initiative to ask.

Seeing Ruan Tang look at him with expectant big eyes, distinct in their black and white…

Auston immediately clicked his tongue lightly inwardly, thinking this Omega was far too skilled at acting spoiled.

Staring at him with such eyes practically made him want to pluck the stars and moon from the sky for him.

Ruan Tang had been so nervous his palms had sweated, but he hadn’t expected Auston to ask that, and he suddenly relaxed, letting out a light laugh: “Will you give me whatever I want, my Lord?”

He was no longer nervous all of a sudden.

“Not necessarily. It depends on the specifics. If your request is too excessive, I certainly won’t agree.” Looking at his smile, Auston suddenly felt he couldn’t let him be so smug.

Omegas could not be spoiled too much; he could not let Ruan Tang think that whatever he asked, he would agree to.

Hearing his pompous words, Ruan Tang chuckled.

This Alpha practically took the trait of “loving someone to life and hating them to death” to the extreme when it came to him; every few days he simply felt uncomfortable if he didn’t give him something…

Ruan Tang didn’t believe there was any request of his that Auston would consider excessive and refuse.

Looking at the Alpha before him, he inexplicably felt a sense of confidence.

“What are you laughing at? Acting so arrogantly when you want a gift?” Auston saw him laughing like this, becoming less and less afraid of him, with absolutely no authority before him, and flew into a rage from embarrassment.

But Ruan Tang wasn’t afraid of him at all, taking his angry bluster as outright bluffing: “Do you know what I want, my Lord?”

“What do you want?” Auston stared at him and asked.

Completely clueless as to what rare treasure this Omega wanted that he couldn’t even bring himself to ask openly?

However, if it could earn a smile from Ruan Tang, Auston felt that even the most priceless treasure, he would be willing to put in extra effort to obtain for him.

After all, a beauty is like a famous painting; having it at home to look at can also please his eyes and heart.

If Ruan Tang was in a good mood, then he would follow suit.

“My big brother, he finally woke up today.” Instead of answering his question, Ruan Tang started a different topic, talking about Ruan Yang’s condition.

Auston looked perplexed, thinking these two issues were completely unrelated: “I know. Haven’t I already hired the best doctors in the imperial capital for his rehabilitation?”

He had learned of Ruan Yang’s awakening almost at the first moment, and had immediately contacted the best doctors in the entire imperial capital.

At that moment, he had thought that Ruan Tang would be so happy to know this news…

And indeed, Ruan Tang’s spirits had been high all day because of Ruan Yang’s awakening.

Seeing Ruan Tang so happy, Auston even involuntarily thought to himself, if Ruan Tang could be so easily pleased, he might as well find ways to cure Ruan Yue and Tang Yun, so Ruan Tang could be this happy every day.

“I came to thank you, my Lord.” From the care given to his family, Ruan Tang could fully see how thoughtful and thorough Auston was with him. Even if he didn’t love him, his kindness was impeccable.

Ruan Tang felt he had to express his thanks.

Auston hadn’t heard him say thank you in a long time, and immediately felt awkward all over. Without thinking, he said, “What’s there to thank for? You are my collection. Making you happy increases the value of my collection; it’s simply something that pleases me.”

He always followed his own whims and didn’t care about Ruan Tang’s thank you.

In fact, Ruan Tang’s thanks made him feel distanced, not close enough.

Ruan Tang smiled at him without speaking.

In that moment, he felt he especially, especially liked the Alpha before him.

“What do you actually want?” Auston, under that gaze, grew even more uncomfortable and couldn’t help asking with a hint of exasperation.

Ruan Tang finally mustered the courage to say it: “I want… you to come with me tomorrow to meet my brother. He really wants to see you, my Lord.”

In truth, he often felt embarrassed in front of Auston. Auston was constantly giving him things, while it seemed he had nothing to offer in return.

To keep asking and taking was really too much.

“See your brother? What’s there to see?” Auston hadn’t expected Ruan Tang to make such a request, immediately his expression stiffened, and he refused without thinking: “No.”

If Ruan Tang had any other request, he could agree, but this one item of meeting his family, Auston absolutely did not want to agree.

He had never thought of being with Ruan Tang for the long term. Now that they were partners, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to agree to Ruan Tang’s request, but meeting him would always feel weird and easily give people the wrong idea.

Having spoken the words, Ruan Tang was no longer afraid at all.

He immediately looked at Auston and stubbornly pressed: “Why? Aren’t you willing to give me whatever I want, my Lord?”

“No reason. And when did I ever say such a thing?” Auston refused to be fooled by him.

He didn’t want to give Ruan Tang any promises, and likewise didn’t want to face his family, didn’t want to see the hope in his family’s eyes for him and Ruan Tang to grow old together, happy for life.

But Ruan Tang’s skin suddenly grew thick: “You didn’t say it, but that’s what you’ve always done.”

“For no reason, why do you insist on me seeing your brother?” Seeing him press on, Auston furrowed his brows irritably.

Ruan Tang said bluntly: “Because my brother is worried about me. I want my brother to see how good you are to me, how happy and joyful I am now, so he can be at ease.”

“If I were your brother, seeing a brother-in-law like me would probably make me unable to rest easy for life.” Hearing this, Auston gave a self-deprecating sneer.

He was an Alpha who was disfigured, disabled, and had a volatile temper. If it were him who had a younger brother married to such a thing, he would only think it was like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung, so aggrieved he would want to tear them apart on the spot.