Chapter 72: Very Tasty
"Ye Tianlin…" Liang Xiaoluo's voice was weak and trembling.
She struggled against his overwhelming presence, her hands frantically trying to push him away. But Ye Tianlin's deep, husky voice made her heart shudder.
"Liang Xiaoluo, I want you," he murmured, his breaths heavy as his eyes burned with unrestrained desire. The raw intensity in his gaze sent chills through her.
"Don't…" she whimpered, her voice barely audible. Liang Xiaoluo was desperate, clutching her stomach protectively. She couldn't let him lose control—not now, not with a fragile new life forming within her.
Her tear-streaked face and trembling voice finally pulled him back to reality. "Don't hurt it," she pleaded, sobbing. "I'm begging you."
Ye Tianlin froze. His senses dulled for a moment, but then his gaze sharpened, following her hands, which were cradling her stomach. The realization hit him like a tidal wave: she wasn't just protecting herself—she was protecting their child.
His breath caught. Their child.
The weight of her words shattered the haze of his desire. "I know it may not mean much to you," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion, "but this child means everything to me."
For a moment, Ye Tianlin was speechless. He stared at her, awestruck by her vulnerability. She looked so fragile, so raw, so… real.
Then, as if to make up for his earlier lapse, he shifted beside her, laying his ear against her stomach. Liang Xiaoluo gasped. "What are you doing?" she stammered.
He didn't answer right away. Instead, his hand gently brushed over her stomach, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "Can it hear me? Is it breathing yet?"
His touch was tender, his words almost reverent. It was a side of Ye Tianlin she had never seen before.
"It's still forming," she muttered, her face flushed with embarrassment.
He sat up abruptly, rubbing the back of his neck as if to hide his awkwardness. "I'll, uh, let you rest. I'll call you for breakfast," he said hastily, almost tripping over his words. Before leaving, he turned back to add, "This child means a lot to me, too."
As the door clicked shut behind him, Liang Xiaoluo stared at the ceiling, her mind racing. For a fleeting moment, his words had filled her heart with warmth. "Am I going crazy?" she muttered, shaking her head to dispel the unfamiliar feeling.
Outside the room, Ye Tianlin leaned against the door, his expression complicated. His heart raced as he tried to process what had just happened. What was this strange sensation in his chest? Why did he feel so out of control around her?
Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, a familiar face appeared at the end of the hallway. Ye Tianhao. The sight of his brother immediately brought back the memories of the previous night—memories that reignited his simmering anger.
Ye Tianlin stormed down the hallway, grabbing Ye Tianhao by the collar before the younger man could react. "Ye Tianhao," he growled, his voice dripping with fury.
Ye Tianhao's eyes widened. "What are you doing? Let go!" he snapped, trying to wriggle free. But Ye Tianlin's grip tightened, and his eyes burned with unrelenting rage.
"You crossed the line," Ye Tianlin hissed. "You dared to lay a hand on her?"
"She came to me!" Ye Tianhao shot back, his voice laced with defiance. "She seduced me! What was I supposed to do?"
The audacity of Ye Tianhao's words sent Ye Tianlin over the edge. Without a second thought, his fist connected with Ye Tianhao's jaw, sending the younger man sprawling to the ground.
Ye Tianhao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, laughing bitterly. "What gives you the right, Ye Tianlin? Just because Grandpa favors you? One day, you'll regret this!"
"Enough!" The commanding voice of Ye Tianqing cut through the tension like a blade. The eldest brother stepped forward, his expression cold and unyielding. Without hesitation, he slapped Ye Tianhao across the face.
"Apologize," Ye Tianqing demanded. His voice brooked no argument.
Ye Tianhao stared at him in shock. "You hit me?" he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"Apologize," Ye Tianqing repeated, his tone firm. "You've gone too far this time."
But instead of apologizing, Ye Tianhao's eyes burned with hatred. "Fine. You think you're so high and mighty, don't you? Just wait, both of you. One day, I'll make you pay for this."
With those parting words, Ye Tianhao stormed off, leaving behind a tense silence.
Ye Tianqing turned to Ye Tianlin, his expression unreadable. "You've always ignored Tianhao's antics before. Why is this different?"
Ye Tianlin's response was immediate, his voice unwavering. "Because this time, it's about Liang Xiaoluo."
The weight of those words hung in the air, their meaning clear. For Ye Tianlin, Liang Xiaoluo wasn't just anyone—she was someone worth fighting for.
Ye Tianqing studied his younger brother carefully before asking, "Tianlin… have you fallen for her?"
The question caught Ye Tianlin off guard. For a moment, he looked at his brother in stunned silence. Had he?