My Fierce Beta Husband is Surprisingly Sweet | Chapter 25 | A Tender Care | Novela.app

Three days remained before the Lunar New Year. Li Zhenting was young and athletic, so his wound healed quickly. He stayed in the hospital for two more days, obediently following the regimen and getting his dressings changed. Finally, the doctor relented, saying he could return home to recuperate, provided he avoided any strenuous activity. If the wound reopened, it would be even harder to heal. He was warned that if he felt no improvement, he must return to the hospital immediately. Li Zhenting followed the doctor’s orders to the letter. Once home, he hardly left his bed except to eat the meals delivered to him, use the restroom, or pour kibble for Golden. Everything else was handled by the staff from his shop. He lay prone on the bed, bored, scrolling through his phone. Over the past few days, Li Zi had finally begun replying to his messages. She still wouldn't pick up his calls, and her replies were cold, but at least the weight in his heart had finally lifted. "Golden, it looks like your mistress doesn't want you anymore. Why don't you just stay with me?" he said to the Golden Retriever lounging by the bed. "She hasn't even mentioned me sending you back." Golden wagged his tail once, offering a silent response. "Sigh." "It must be nice being a dog. I envy you. No worries, no overthinking—just staying by your owner's side." He reached down a hand to catch Golden’s swaying tail. Golden looked at him with sleepy, misty eyes, not quite understanding what this human wanted. Despite the interruption to his nap, the dog affectionately nuzzled Li Zhenting’s hand, a gentle display of trust. The bond between Li Zhenting and Golden hadn't actually started when he saved Li Zi in the park. It began when he used to climb over the wall to chat with her, and Golden would bark incessantly at him as an intruder. In a moment of desperation, he had tossed down half a roasted chicken he’d intended for his own dinner. It successfully distracted Golden and made the dog very fond of his scent. From then on, every time he climbed the wall, he brought snacks. Golden eventually learned to wait by the wall for his "tributes." A deep "comradeship" was forged between man and dog. Later, when school got busy, Li Zi would even entrust the dog to him for walks. Li Zhenting didn't just take Golden to the small park; he took the dog across half of B City. They drew countless stares, saw the sights, and ate all sorts of random treats. Naturally, Golden ended up with diarrhea once, and both man and dog were sternly lectured by Li Zi. On the day of Li Zi’s sensitive period, it was Golden who had run to Xi’an Street to find him and lead him back to her. To Li Zhenting, Golden was more than just a link to Li Zi or a lover’s pet—he was a special friend. "Can you grow up a little slower? Live for a few more decades, okay?" "Woof!" Golden replied. A few minutes later, the previously lethargic dog suddenly became active. His tail wagged vigorously as he began to bark toward the door. There was only one person who could make Golden this excited... Li Zhenting felt his heart skip a beat. He looked toward the door with anticipation. *Click.* The door was pushed open. "Brother Li, I brought you lunch." It was Tang Jiu. The sudden drop in expectation made Li Zhenting pull the duvet over his head. How annoying—it was the first time he found Tang Jiu’s face irritating to look at. "Ah, it looks like Brother Li is still sleeping." Who was Tang Jiu talking to? A faint suspicion rose in his heart, but he didn't dare dwell on it. He didn't want his hopes dashed again. "Give the food to me. I'll remind him to eat when he wakes up." That voice—clear and cold as ice clinking in a jade ewer—it was Li Zi! Li Zhenting began to sweat under the covers. He held his breath, listening to the exchange outside. "Alright then, I'll leave Brother Li to you, Sister Li Zi. I'm heading back to the shop." "Mhm. Thank you for your hard work." Footsteps gradually approached the bed. Li Zhenting felt a surge of nerves. Although he had imagined seeing her a thousand times, now that she had actually come to him, he didn't know what to say. Should he ask, *'Are you still angry?'* Should he say, *'I'm sorry?'* Or, *'Forgive me, I'll never do it again?'* He gripped the corner of the duvet, agonizing over his words. "Good boy, Golden. Have you been behaving yourself here?" Li Zi was petting Golden, her tone incredibly gentle. This made Li Zhenting feel a sudden pang of jealousy toward his "comrade." Li Zi rarely spoke to him like that! *Stupid Golden, you scheming dog!* To be honest, this wasn't the first time he’d been jealous of the dog. Though he hated to admit it, ever since he started following Li Zi to walk the dog, he had envied Golden’s place by her side. To be able to pounce on her freely and without restraint, to always be comforted with such tenderness—who wouldn't want that privilege? Li Zhenting gritted his teeth. Suddenly, the duvet was whipped away, exposing a disgruntled Li Zhenting to the open air. He froze, meeting Li Zi’s knowing gaze. The embarrassment of being caught faking sleep washed over him. "Since you're awake, stop hiding under the covers. Come and eat." Li Zi didn't press the issue. she simply brought over a small bed tray, set it up at the foot of the bed, and signaled for him to get up. Li Zhenting obediently sat up, following her instructions in silence. She didn't make the patient exert himself. With great consideration, she opened the containers and arranged the meal on the tray, waiting for him to reach out and eat. Li Zhenting was intimidated by the situation—Li Zi, serving him? He felt uneasy all over. He glanced hesitantly at the woman standing beside him, hardly daring to move. Seeing him hesitate, Li Zi looked puzzled. "Why aren't you eating? Is it because the wound makes it hard to move?" She frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then sat on the edge of the bed, picking up the bowl and chopsticks. "Shall I feed you?" Terrified, Li Zhenting shook his head immediately and reached for the bowl. "No, no, I can eat by myself." He finished the bland meal in a few large gulps and then watched cautiously as she cleared the things away. It was too strange. Why had Li Zi suddenly come over, offered to feed him, and even cleaned up after him? Although he craved her tenderness, he had never imagined her taking care of him like this. Li Zi wasn't the type of person who should be doing these things. Li Zi spoke again, repeating the request she had made before their last bitter parting. "Lie down. Let me see the wound." This time, Li Zhenting didn't dare refuse. He lay prone obediently and pulled up the hem of his shirt himself. Because he was healing fast, the bandages had already been removed, giving Li Zi a direct view of the injury. It was clearly a knife wound, a sneak attack from behind. Fortunately, the blade hadn't been large, so the entry point wasn't particularly wide, but one could still sense how the muscle had been torn and the flesh mangled at the time. Li Zi’s lips pressed into a thin line. She reached out, carefully touching the skin around the injury, not daring to touch the wound itself. "?" Li Zi noticed the man beneath her suddenly becoming restless. She looked down and realized the situation. "It seems your injury really isn't that serious," she mocked mercilessly. Li Zhenting’s face flushed instantly. "The last time... was before your exams." "And you didn't handle it yourself?" As they broached these topics, the tension between them eased, and Li Zi’s tone softened considerably. Sensing the change in her, a sliver of the grievance Li Zhenting had been suppressing leaked out. He muttered softly, "How could I have time... I've been busy, and then I got hurt." Her hand was still on him, but it had moved down from its previous position. "Your 'tool' is in the nightstand. Do you want it?" He started to lift himself up as if to reach for it, but Li Zi pressed him back down. "You're still thinking about that now?" she said, exasperated. "I guess... I haven't worked out in over a week, and I've been lying here eating and drinking. My muscles are probably fading. I don't look good anymore, do I?" For some reason, Li Zhenting’s tone turned strangely sarcastic. Li Zi looked at the man—still lean, with clear muscle lines and a waist she could wrap her arms around—and her eye twitched. She truly couldn't understand the logic of the male brain. "You want it, don't you? I'll satisfy you." She pushed back the hand he had excitedly extended toward the nightstand. Instead, she took the scarf hanging from the headboard and tied him up. *** A bharal, wounded by its own recklessness, was bound by an angry snow leopard and tossed into a mountain cave. Its forelimbs could no longer move, and its vision was completely obscured. It was tense; every slight change in its surroundings caught its attention. Suddenly, something began to circle and observe outside the cave, testing the boundaries. The sheep shivered, wondering fearfully: *Who is it? A vulture or a snake? What does it want? Will it come in, or is it just passing by?* The loss of its senses made it apprehensive, yet even more sensitive to the environment. Its world was pitch black. The thing outside seemed to be constantly trying to enter. The bharal held its breath. Suddenly, there was movement at the sealed entrance of the cave, and a sliver of light seeped in. It began to yearn for that light. *Is it my master?* it thought. *Has she forgiven me? Has she come to take me out?* With such longing, every sound from the outside world made it tremble with excitement. *Hurry, hurry, I'm right here. Please, forgive me.* It thought urgently. Living up to its expectations, something suddenly breached the fortress of its confinement and found it. "Ugh—!" In the desolate surroundings, the long-awaited touch made its entire body shudder. It tried to move its forelimbs to get closer, but the bindings rendered them useless. It whimpered, hoping the other would notice and save it. Heaven does not betray those who are sincere. After it missed a connection once more, the thing suddenly seized it with precision. To be seen, to be wanted—at that moment, it felt an incomparable sense of bliss. *Let me see more light! Take me away!* As if hearing the desperate cry of its heart, the creature leaned in. Fangs clamped onto the back of its neck, bringing a flash of pain that instantly dragged it out of the darkness. Countless rays of white light pierced the gloom before its eyes. It looked back and saw, as expected, its divine master, its hunter—the snow leopard. It arched its back in a gesture of sacrifice, allowing the leopard to carry it by the scruff, finally feeling the reality of returning to the world of light. *** "Clean yourself up." Li Zhenting’s head emerged from the duvet. Li Zi tossed him a wet wipe, which he caught mechanically, his expression still dazed and soul-shaken. He didn't rush to wipe himself down. Instead, he stretched his neck, which had been held in one position for too long, and turned his head—only to find a curious dog face staring right at him. Only then did he realize that Golden had been in the room the entire time. The "Canine Patrol" had witnessed everything they just did. *Dammit.* A wave of shame flooded his heart. He immediately began wiping away the sweat that had built up from being smothered under the covers. *It's over. How am I supposed to face Golden normally after this?* he thought miserably. *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 岩羊 | Blue Sheep / Bharal | A metaphor used for Li Zhenting in the literary sequence. 雪豹 | Snow Leopard | A metaphor used for Li Zi in the literary sequence. 易感期 | Sensitive period | Refers to a period of physical or emotional vulnerability (often used for menstrual cycles or ABO tropes). 汪汪队 | Canine Patrol / Doggy Squad | A humorous reference to the dog watching them (slang for "Paw Patrol").