Chapter 370 - Teased until red

Chapter 370: Chapter 370 - Teased until red

By the time Jai finally came downstairs, dinner had already been served.

He had washed his face, fixed his hair and changed into a clean shirt, but there was one problem he hadn’t anticipated. His waist was aching terribly. Every step reminded him of exactly how he’d spent the last three hours, and the culprit responsible for it was probably back at Yunfeng’s mansion sleeping peacefully.

That bastard.

Jai rubbed his waist as he descended the last few steps, silently promising to make Shao suffer the next time they met.

Unfortunately, Shinju happened to look up just then.

"What’s wrong with your back?"

Jai’s hand immediately dropped. "Nothing."

"Then why are you walking like that?" Shinju frowned, studying him. "Was your bed uncomfortable? I told you we should replace those old mattresses when we moved back in."

Jai faltered halfway across the living room.

His bed?

Uncomfortable?

The memory of Shao pulling him close flashed through his mind, and heat immediately rushed to his cheeks.

"N-no! It was comfortable. Very comfortable, actually."

Shinju raised an eyebrow.

Jai realized how enthusiastic he’d sounded and hurriedly rubbed his face. "I mean, the mattress is fine. My waist’s just a little stiff from all the work yesterday."

"Then stop overusing your powers. You only recently recovered from exhausting yourself."

"I know, Dad."

Shinju still looked concerned, but thankfully he didn’t question him further. He gestured toward the dining table instead. "Come eat before everything gets cold."

Jai eagerly escaped to the table, only to discover that he’d walked straight into another problem.

Grandpa Kailun was sitting opposite his usual seat.

The old man had a bowl of soup in front of him and a smile so wide that Jai immediately became suspicious.

"Grandpa?"

"Ah, there you are." Kailun looked him up and down with unconcealed interest. "Had a good rest?"

Jai paused.

Something about that smile was deeply unsettling.

"Yeah. Why?"

"No reason. You certainly look refreshed."

Jai glanced down at himself.

Refreshed?

He felt as though someone had taken him apart and put him back together incorrectly.

Kailun’s smile widened.

Jai sat down slowly, keeping his eyes on his grandfather. The old man merely picked up his spoon and began eating as though nothing unusual had happened.

Shinju placed a large bowl in front of Jai.

"Here. Your three-hour vegetable soup."

Jai looked down.

Oh.

Oh, no.

The vegetables had completely surrendered.

The carrots had dissolved into an orange mush, the cabbage was practically transparent, and the potatoes had thickened the broth into something resembling paste. There wasn’t a single recognizable vegetable left.

Shinju folded his arms. "Well? This is exactly how you wanted it."

Jai picked up his spoon with trembling dignity.

"Looks delicious."

He took a mouthful.

His expression stiffened.

It wasn’t terrible, exactly. It was just that every vegetable had lost whatever individual flavor and texture it once possessed. The whole thing tasted like something a hospital would serve to a patient who had forgotten how to chew.

Across the table, Kailun watched him with obvious amusement.

"Three hours is a long time to spend on something," the old man remarked casually. "I hope it was worth it."

Jai inhaled his soup.

He immediately started coughing.

Shinju jumped up and patted his back. "Slow down! Nobody’s taking your food."

Jai coughed harder, his eyes watering as his father hurriedly handed him a glass of water.

"Honestly, what is wrong with you today?" Shinju grumbled. "First you run yourself ragged upstairs, and now you can’t even eat properly."

Jai nearly choked again.

Across the table, Kailun calmly continued eating.

That smile hadn’t disappeared.

Jai stared at him over the rim of his glass.

He knows.

The realization hit him with horrifying clarity.

Grandpa Kailun knew.

But how?

Had he heard something? Had he seen Shao leaving? Or, worse, had he used his astral projection to wander upstairs?

Jai felt the blood drain from his face.

Kailun noticed immediately. The old man gave him a small, reassuring wave beneath the table, indicating that he should calm down.

Jai managed a stiff smile.

Unfortunately, Kailun seemed to interpret his silence as permission to continue enjoying himself.

"Speaking of hardworking young men," he began, "how is that Shao doing lately?"

Jai’s spoon stopped halfway to his mouth.

Shinju looked up. "Shao? He’s fine. Yunfeng had him helping with the outer defenses this morning."

"Ah, such a dedicated young man." Kailun nodded approvingly. "Always working hard, even when everyone else is resting."

Jai slowly lowered his spoon.

"Grandpa..."

"What?" Kailun looked at him innocently. "I’m praising your mate. Shouldn’t you be happy?"

Jai wanted to crawl beneath the table.

Shinju, however, seemed pleased by the subject. "He’s reliable. Doesn’t complain about difficult work, either. I’ve been considering putting him in charge of one of the patrol groups."

"Oh, I’m sure he has excellent stamina," Kailun agreed.

Jai’s face turned scarlet.

"Grandpa!"

Both older men looked at him.

Jai immediately pretended to be interested in his soup.

"What?"

"Nothing," Kailun replied pleasantly. "I was only saying Shao seems like a strong young man. Very energetic."

Shinju nodded. "He is."

Jai closed his eyes.

This was torture.

His own father was unknowingly helping his grandfather torment him.

Kailun took another leisurely spoonful before continuing, "And he’s very considerate, too. Always coming over to deliver food. Such dedication. You don’t find many young men willing to make that much effort just to see someone."

Jai nearly dropped his spoon.

Shinju chuckled. "He’s been helping us with supplies quite often. Good kid."

"Very good," Kailun agreed. "Though perhaps we should invite him inside more often. It’s rather cruel to keep such a hardworking fellow standing outside the door."

Jai’s head snapped up.

Kailun met his gaze and smiled.

Shinju frowned thoughtfully. "He’s welcome to visit. I never said otherwise."

Jai almost laughed.

Welcome to visit?

His father had practically developed a sixth sense for detecting when Shao was within twenty meters of him.

Kailun seemed to share that opinion, because he gave his son a rather unimpressed look.

"Really? Then why does that poor boy always look like he’s waiting for permission to enter a military compound?"

"Because he has manners," Shinju replied.

"Ah. Manners."

Jai couldn’t take it anymore.

"Can we please talk about something other than Shao?"

Kailun raised his eyebrows. "Why? I thought you liked him."

"I do!"

"Then what’s the problem?"

Jai opened his mouth.

Closed it.

Shinju gave him a strange look. "You’re acting awfully defensive. Did you two argue?"

"No!"

"Then eat your soup."

Jai obediently shoved another spoonful into his mouth, wishing the mushy vegetables would somehow end his suffering.

For a few minutes, the conversation shifted toward the work around the compound. Shinju discussed the progress on the garden and mentioned that the patrol teams had found another damaged section of fencing. Jai listened with relief, occasionally contributing a few words while carefully avoiding his grandfather’s eyes.

He was beginning to think the worst had passed when Kailun suddenly sighed.

"You know, seeing all these young couples settling down makes me feel old."

Shinju glanced at him. "You are old, Father."

"Have some respect. I’m still perfectly capable of beating you."

"Of course you are."

Kailun ignored the sarcasm and looked toward Jai.

"Yunfeng and Muchen already have such an adorable little boy. That child is barely bigger than my palm, yet everyone in the compound is fussing over him." He chuckled fondly. "I held him the other day. Such a clever little fellow."

Jai relaxed slightly.

Finally, a safe subject.

"Yeah. He’s cute. Did you see how he kept chasing Yuki’s monkey around the garden?"

"I did. He’s a lively little thing." Kailun smiled, then added almost casually, "Makes me wonder when I’ll get to hold a great-grandchild of my own."

Jai froze.

His spoon slipped from his fingers and clattered against the bowl.

Shinju looked up.

Kailun continued, apparently oblivious to the devastation he’d just caused. "I’m not getting any younger, you know. It would be nice to have a little one running around this house before I become too old to enjoy it."

Jai’s mind went completely blank.

A child.

His child.

With Shao.

His hand moved unconsciously to his stomach.

Fuck.

He was an omega.

Muchen was an omega too, and he’d just given birth.

Which meant...

Wait. Could I get pregnant too?

Jai stared down at his stomach in horror.

He and Shao hadn’t exactly been thinking about children when they’d sneaked upstairs earlier.

In fact, Jai distinctly remembered telling Shao that if it happened, they’d deal with it.

At the time, he’d been far too distracted to consider what that actually meant.

Now, sitting at the dinner table with his father and grandfather, the possibility suddenly felt alarmingly real.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

What if he really did end up pregnant?

He imagined himself walking around the compound with a swollen belly while Shao hovered behind him like an overprotective bodyguard. His father would probably forbid him from lifting anything heavier than a spoon, and Grandpa Kailun would be absolutely unbearable.

Then he remembered Muchen’s premature delivery.

The emergency surgery.

That tiny baby floating inside a sphere.

Jai swallowed.

He wasn’t even sure whether he was ready to become a father.

Across the table, Kailun noticed his hand resting against his stomach.

The old man’s smile slowly widened.

"Oh?"

Jai immediately snatched his hand away.

"Nothing!"

Kailun hadn’t even asked a question.

Shinju looked between them, utterly confused. "What now?"

"Nothing," Jai repeated, grabbing his water.

Kailun leaned back in his chair, looking thoroughly satisfied with himself.

"Well," he said cheerfully, "there’s no need to rush. I’m a patient man."

Jai stared at him.

His grandfather winked.

Jai decided, right then and there, that he was never eating dinner with this old man again.