Back at home, Baitang was feeding Hongtang his dinner when the front door suddenly slammed open. Yunshu had returned much earlier than usual, looking visibly angry. At the same time, Hongtang immediately became alert.
When Yunshu approached, he was still covered in the lingering pheromones from the nightclub. The scent made Baitang recoil in disgust. To him, it was proof that Yunsu had not truly changed.
Noticing his discomfort, Yunshu immediately tried to explain. However, Hongtang faithfully stepped between them, determined to protect his owner. Holding the puppy in his arms, Baitang quickly apologized for the barking and begged Yunshu not to punish him.
Only then did Yunshu realize how strongly the nightclub pheromones clung to him. He calmly reassured Baitang that he would not hurt him. He also made it clear that he had not been involved with any omega. The scent only remained because he had helped someone and then come straight home.
Even so, Baitang struggled to believe him. Given Yunsu's past behavior, he assumed the alpha had been doing the same terrible things as before. To prevent any misunderstanding, Yunshu explained exactly what had happened. He had not touched the omega. He had not hurt him. Instead, he had paid off the young man's debts so that he would no longer be forced to work in such a degrading place.
Then Yunshu apologized. He admitted that although he could not remember the past, there was a chance he had once forced Baitang into similar situations. He swore that he would never attend those parties again. He would never be intimate with anyone else, and he would never intentionally make Baitang sad again.
Hearing those words brought back painful memories. Years ago, Baitang had fallen deeply in love with Yunsu. After the death of his grandmother, Yunsu had been the only person who stayed by his side. He comforted him, cared for him, and patiently waited for him. Baitang had married him while still very young. At the time, Yunsu treated him with such gentleness and affection that he completely captured his heart.
Everything changed later. When Baitang discovered him with other partners, he demanded a divorce. Contrary to what others believed, he was never weak. He fought back many times. Unfortunately, Yunsu saw through every attempt and tightened his control over him. Eventually, Baitang realized that the alpha's tyranny was like a fog he could never escape. The very day he tried to resist, he was forcibly marked and bound to Yunsu for life. Because of that, he eventually stopped caring about who Yunsu spent time with. As long as the alpha was happy, Baitang endured it in silence.
Yunshu understood why trust was so difficult. If he were in Baitang's position, he would not believe someone like Yunsu either. The damage ran far too deep to heal overnight. That was why he planned to slowly build a new foundation of trust and create a safe world for him.
Soon afterward, they returned to the hospital for additional examinations. The nurses could hardly hide their amazement as they watched an alpha faithfully accompany his omega to every appointment.
While they waited, however, it became obvious that Baitang had grown even quieter and more cautious after the nightclub incident. Yunshu worried that if this continued, he would become completely isolated. Trying to start a conversation, he casually asked whether Baitang had been keeping in touch with Professor Shu.
Unfortunately, because of Yunsu's terrible reputation, Baitang immediately misunderstood. He assumed Yunshu had become interested in Professor Shu and wanted to pursue him. Protectively, Baitang reminded him that his senior already had a partner. The title senior came from the fact that both of them had attended the same academy. Although Professor Shu had been several years ahead — when Baitang first enrolled, Professor Shu had already been preparing to graduate.
Yunshu found himself getting angry once again at the original Yunsu. Because of all the horrible things he had done, even innocent questions were now being interpreted in the worst possible way. To stop those thoughts from spreading, Yunshu gently reassured him. He had no intention of harming Professor Shu. In fact, he was not interested in anyone else. He already had Baitang, and Baitang was so adorable that he could not imagine looking at anyone else. The omega immediately blushed in embarrassment.
When it was finally time for the appointment, they headed toward the examination room. The moment Yunshu heard the specialist's name, he froze. The doctor in charge of gland disorders and related illnesses was named Lin Bishu. Not only did he share the same name as Yunshu's best friend from his previous life, but he looked exactly like him as well. In his former world, Lin Bishu had been a renowned obstetrician and gynecologist.
Yunshu became convinced that his friend had somehow arrived in this world too. He hurried ahead so quickly that he nearly left poor Baitang behind. Upon meeting him, Yunshu was stunned. The name was the same. The appearance was the same. Yet the doctor showed no sign of recognizing him. Was it really just a coincidence?
Meanwhile, Dr. Lin saw an alpha suddenly rushing into his office and assumed he had entered the wrong department. He immediately started directing him toward alpha-related services. Embarrassed, Yunshu explained the misunderstanding and introduced Baitang. He clarified that he was only accompanying his partner for examinations. The doctor smiled and remarked that it was nice to see such a large alpha still caring so deeply about his spouse.
Meanwhile, Baitang quietly wondered whether it was really acceptable for an alpha doctor to examine him. Yunshu reassured him that Dr. Lin was a medical professional.
After examining Baitang's glands, Dr. Lin's expression darkened. The damage was severe. The glands showed clear signs of violent injury and repeated forced markings. He immediately concluded that such sensitive areas could not have been damaged by a stranger. The only likely culprit was Baitang's alpha.
Ordering a nurse to take Baitang away for additional tests, Dr. Lin remained behind with Yunshu. Then he angrily demanded to know why he had torn the omega's glands with sharp objects capable of causing life-threatening injuries. The gland damage had triggered an extended heat cycle that lasted nearly two months. Dr. Lin found it impossible to believe that Baitang's partner had failed to notice.
Although Yunshu was now searching for ways to repair the damage, the doctor explained that they first needed to wait for the examination results. There was also a possibility that Baitang would experience another heat during treatment. For that reason, he recommended medication rather than any further marking, which would only worsen the injuries.
Despite Yunshu's promises that he would never mistreat Baitang again, Dr. Lin remained furious.