Su Xu looked up and down at Zhong Yi. “You’re quite greedy, little friend.”
“…Who are you calling a little friend? You’d better remember our relationship.” Zhong Yi corrected him, clearly displeased. “I’m your boyfriend.”
He stood up abruptly. “Forget it then. I don’t care to kiss you anyway.”
He said that yet when he leaned closer, his tone dropped low and teasing. “Just wait two months and see how I’ll kiss you then.”
After taking a few steps forward, something occurred to him. He turned back and asked, “By the way, when’s your next heat?”
Su Xu froze for a second, then replied calmly, “When the time comes, I’ll come find you.”
An Omega’s heat usually comes once a month. Those without partners often relied on inhibitors but the side effects weren’t small.
The medicine only suppressed the current episode, pushing all that emotion and need into the next, which made the following heat even stronger, even more unbearable. Long-term use would damage the body and in severe cases, cause mental instability.
If an Omega had a partner, however, all they needed was a dose of their lover’s pheromones injected into their glands.
It would instantly soothe them, lasting long and causing no side effects. For that reason, Omegas with partners usually chose to spend their heats together.
But Su Xu hadn’t even differentiated yet. Heat? What heat?
When that time came, how was he supposed to fool Zhong Yi?
He couldn’t really expose his neck and let the other bite him, could he?
And if he slipped up, what then?
Su Xu’s thoughts wandered.
Zhong Yi, walking beside him, turned to speak and caught sight of Su Xu’s downcast eyes. His gaze lingered on the patterned stone walkway, lost in thought as if the person next to him didn’t exist. Zhong Yi frowned, suspicious.
What’s with him?
I’m right here and he’s daydreaming?
“You’re not thinking about Zhong Heng, are you?” Zhong Yi asked sharply.
“No.” Su Xu’s tone was lazy. “I was just wondering why you didn’t wear your height insoles today.”
Zhong Yi was silent.
After a moment, Su Xu added casually, “Are we going to watch a movie, or…?”
“No.” Zhong Yi’s gaze darkened instantly.
“Hmm. If you don’t have anywhere in mind, then why don’t we both just go home?”
“Don’t even think about it.” Zhong Yi reacted at once, catching Su Xu by the wrist before he could walk away. “You brought up my height on purpose, didn’t you? You wanted to make me mad so you’d have an excuse to leave early, right?”
Su Xu blinked, his long lashes like the soft sweep of a brush. A faint smile curved his lips as he spread his hands helplessly. “What can I say? My little trick has been seen through by my boyfriend.”
The word “boyfriend” softened Zhong Yi’s expression immediately.
“Don’t think you can talk your way out of this.” He huffed. “Come on.” He pulled out his terminal and tapped a few times. “We’re going to Lantern Bloom!”
Lantern Bloom again.
Su Xu’s eyelid twitched. Memories of what happened there flashed in his mind. It was pure black history.
He stopped walking, ready to refuse but Zhong Yi added, “I heard from Zhong Heng that you like baking, that you used to make him cakes all the time. I know a dessert master at Lantern Bloom. He’s there today. I’ll take you to try his work.”
“…Alright,” Su Xu replied.
They headed to Lantern Bloom together.
Halfway there, Su Xu opened his terminal. Message notifications chimed one after another and all of them were from Zhong Heng.
“Where are you? Who did you go into the booth with? What are you doing?”
“You’re not answering?”
“Fine. Su Xu, you’ll regret this.”
The last message had been sent ten minutes ago.
Su Xu’s expression didn’t change as he scrolled through them, not even raising an eyebrow, as if he were looking at spam messages from a stranger. After a while, he closed the terminal again.
“Who was that?” Zhong Yi asked, glancing sideways. “Sounds like a curse spell.”
“Zhong Heng,” Su Xu answered simply.
Zhong Yi snorted, amused. “Him, huh.” His tone dripped with disdain. “Do yourself a favor and keep your distance. He’s useless, arrogant and full of nonsense. Spend too much time around people like that and you’ll start catching it.”
Su Xu smiled. “Got it.”
Just being able to enter Lantern Bloom and being treated well inside were two entirely different things.
Zhong Heng had a VIP card, sure but he was broke; most services were out of reach. Zhong Yi, however, was different.
No one knew where this mysterious relative of the Zhong family had appeared from but he clearly wasn’t short on money.
He’d practically bought Su Xu and as soon as they stepped inside, staff members came forward to greet them with deference.
“Good afternoon, Young Master Zhong.”
“Welcome back, Young Master Zhong.”
“Pleasure to see you again, Young Master Zhong.”
Every person they passed recognized him.
Just what kind of background did this nineteen year old, white haired punk have?
How could a kid who dressed like a rebellious street rocker own this much?
Su Xu tried to recall the plot of the original book but his memory of the early chapters was vague at best. Later, he’d even skipped the main story to read only the spicy scenes. He didn’t remember any character like Zhong Yi existing at all.
He studied the boy beside him, walking through the lavish halls of Lantern Bloom as if through his own home. His pale hair gleamed under the lights, his black clothes patterned with skulls.
“Boyfriend,” Su Xu called slowly.
“Hmm?” Zhong Yi answered instantly, like a dog responding to its name.
“Are you a regular here?”
“Yeah.” Zhong Yi nodded easily. “I own shares in the place.”
That explained everything.
No wonder he’d been so extravagant before. No wonder the Zhong parents’ attitude toward him was so strangely polite.
They walked through the garden path until they reached a quiet building tucked deep inside the complex. When they stepped in, Su Xu immediately spotted the dessert master busy at work in the open kitchen.
The man was elderly, gentle-faced. When he saw Zhong Yi, he greeted him warmly, then looked toward Su Xu. “And you must be Young Master Zhong’s boyfriend?”
“Yes,” Su Xu replied with a polite smile. “Hello.”
The master returned the greeting, then pushed forward an exquisitely decorated cake. “Please, have a taste. Young Master Zhong messaged me at noon saying he’d be bringing you over, so I started preparing this right away. It just finished, about ten minutes ago.”
Su Xu’s eyes brightened immediately.
Even before tasting it, the rich aroma of cocoa filled the air. His mouth watered at the scent alone.
He sat down, watching the master’s skilled hands slice a perfect piece. Every movement was neat and precise.
Taking the offered spoon, Su Xu thanked him sincerely and tasted the cake.
The top was covered in fine chocolate flakes, dark and fragrant, the slight bitterness quickly melting into a subtle sweetness. Inside were three layers, soft and airy as clouds. The texture of the sponge combined perfectly with the rich filling.
It was the kind of dessert that could lift your mood in an instant.
Truly worthy of a master’s hand.
Delicious. Su Xu’s eyes curved in delight. He turned toward Zhong Yi. “Want a bite?”
Zhong Yi was playing a game on his terminal without looking up. “You eat. I don’t like sweets.”
Su Xu raised an eyebrow.
Didn’t like sweets yet knew the top dessert chef here personally?
The master chuckled softly and explained, “Actually, this cake was supposed to be topped with gold foil. But I figured you might not care for that kind of thing, so I switched to chocolate shavings instead. I heard you enjoy baking too, would you like to learn how this one’s made?”
“Yes!” Su Xu nodded eagerly. “Please teach me.”
After washing his hands, he joined the master in the kitchen, carefully following each step.
“I used a bit of cherry liqueur from the Hill Star System,” the master explained, “The cherries there are larger, redder and much sweeter. Makes the liqueur smooth and fragrant. I always order from there online, you should try it sometime.”
“If you find baking the crust too much trouble at home, you can skip it. Just adjust the mixing method accordingly…”
“The stirring technique goes like this, see? Gentle at the wrist…”
Su Xu listened closely, absorbing every tip with genuine interest. Just as the cake was nearly finished, his terminal suddenly chimed.
“Sorry.” He wiped his hands and checked it. It was a call from Zhu Pan.
“Xu Xu, it’s getting late. Why aren’t you home yet?”
Su Xu glanced at the time. Somehow, it was already past eight in the evening. He glanced at Zhong Yi, who looked half-asleep beside him. “I’m at my boyfriend’s place,” he said.
“Boyfriend?” Zhu Pan sounded startled but quickly regained composure. “Ah, I see. Still, you’ve only just differentiated a few days ago, your pheromones must still be unstable. Don’t stay out too late, alright? Go home soon.”
“Okay.” Su Xu’s voice softened.
He looked down at the table. The cake was still half-finished, the cream and fruit not yet layered. A hint of regret touched his expression. He turned to the master and said, “Thank you for your guidance but I have to go. The cake…”
“I’ll take care of it,” the man said kindly. “No need to be so polite. Since you’re Young Master Zhong’s boyfriend, you’re an honored guest. And seeing someone who truly loves baking makes me happy. Why don’t we exchange contacts? I can send you some of my notes and tutorials later.”
“That’s so kind of you,” Su Xu said with a smile, taking out his terminal. His black-and-white eyes were bright with anticipation. “Thank you, teacher.”
The master chuckled.
After exchanging contacts, Zhong Yi stood up. “Let’s go. I’ll drive you home.”
“Alright.”
They left Lantern Bloom and got into the hovercar. Before long, they arrived at the Su residence. Zhong Yi glanced sideways. “You’ve got nothing else to say to me?”
Su Xu’s eyes curved into a smile. “Thank you.”
He meant it. Zhong Yi hadn’t been interested in desserts at all yet he’d spent hours keeping him company.
Zhong Yi let out a quiet snort. “That’s it? Just thank you? Can’t you do something a little more sincere?”
“Something more sincere…” Su Xu thought for a moment, his tone utterly earnest. “It’s not too late for you to cancel the engagement……. ”
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Coffee: useful. Translator: useful. You: potentially useful.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · The Inner WorldChapter 2 · Pheromone Testing CentreChapter 3 · Low Grade OmegaChapter 4 · Faking to be Top tier OmegaChapter 5 · Zhong YiChapter 6 · The culprit behind the videoChapter 7 · Lecture ticket of powerful military OfficerChapter 8 · Zhong Heng acting like a thugChapter 9 · General ChuChapter 10 · Do you really like that good for nothing, Alpha?Chapter 11 · Chen TingyiChapter 12 · Class AssessmentChapter 13 · Call me HusbandChapter 14 · Almost Like AffairChapter 15 · Lantern BloomChapter 16 · Mild Pheromone overflowChapter 17 · Hi, WifeChapter 18 · Or you can kiss me. I’m not pickyChapter 19 · It’s not too late for you to call off the engagementChapter 20 · My BoyfriendChapter 21 · Kidnapped?Chapter 22 · Sister in LawChapter 23 · So you didn’t differentiateChapter 24 · PrinceChapter 25 · That Alpha… is none other than His MajestyChapter 26 · My mom said you’re too oldChapter 27 · Do you still have me in your heart?Chapter 28 · You Can call me Brother in law or sister in lawChapter 29 · I fell in love with you at first sight.Chapter 30 · What kind of friend? Alpha, Beta, or OmegaChapter 31 · Your current boyfriend is hereChapter 32 · I can protect youChapter 33 · Mental suppressionChapter 34 · It doesn’t matterChapter 35 · Watched another horror movie?Chapter 36 · Did you hear thatChapter 37 · You’d know what it tastes like once you try itChapter 38 · He is my boyfriend, his name is Zhong YiChapter 39 · This is what I just received from your father todayChapter 40 · Who did you return the photos of me and Su Rui to?Chapter 41 · As a result, Rui Rui ran away with meChapter 42 · Constitutes accomplice behaviorChapter 43 · You can’t stay in the second bedroomChapter 44 · No one will think you are inferior anymore.Chapter 45 · I am inferior, what’s it to you?Chapter 46 · Let’s wait until the debt collectors come knockingChapter 47 · Focus on your studiesChapter 48 · Am I that valuable?Chapter 49 · From now on, call me MasterChapter 50 · I have always been tolerant of beautiful MenChapter 51 · Don’t be so recklessChapter 52 · He’ll only get more excitedChapter 53 · Call him sister in lawChapter 54 · You haven’t even fulfilled your obligations yetChapter 55 · What? Grandma Su Xu is sick?Chapter 56 · That wasn’t what he meant at all!Chapter 57 · I could actually share him with youChapter 58 · Why was someone added at the last minute?Chapter 59 · You can’t record videos here.Chapter 60 · I like it tooChapter 61 · Distinguish between two similar pheromones.Chapter 62 · Why do you think I blocked you?Chapter 63 · Why hasn’t Su Xu replied yet?Chapter 64 · His Majesty never comes back to eatChapter 65 · Hide your things wellChapter 66 · Connection?Chapter 67 · Maybe I can even inhale it for some comfortChapter 68 · So you don’t run awayChapter 69 · Will you be with His Majesty?Chapter 70 · Take itChapter 71 · Who is this person?!Chapter 72 · Who did you just call worthless?Chapter 73 · Weren’t we talking about Mr. Su and His Majesty?Chapter 74 · Aren’t you very capable?Chapter 75 · As expected of Wu ChuChapter 76 · Help him sleep?Chapter 77 · Su Xu’s Alpha was His MajestyChapter 78 · You really are something, playing favorites like thatChapter 79 · World of a novelChapter 80 · I simply… know them inside outChapter 81 · Wait for meChapter 82 · But I think you’ve become a lot cuter latelyChapter 83 · The feeling of me kissing you?Chapter 84 · Our Xuxu… is finally becoming an adultChapter 85 · Rare stolen moments for an affair like this.Chapter 86 · What kind of death-level love triangle battlefield was this!?Chapter 87 · It was practically torture!Chapter 88 · What sinful karmaChapter 89 · You weren’t worried I’d get angry?Chapter 90 · I’m going to mark youChapter 91 · Who did you go with?Chapter 92 · Chu Xian….. You really aren’t humanChapter 93 · Did this man actually know how to kiss?Chapter 94 · After all, he’s still the current boyfriendChapter 95 · Did they mark you again?Chapter 96 · It’s not my bloodChapter 97 · Did you seduce another alpha??Chapter 98 · After that, don’t use that kind of thing anymoreChapter 99 · Even at this point, Su Xu is still lying to him!Chapter 100 · What’s wrong with you?Chapter 101 · Don’t tell anyoneChapter 102 · I Think my hear startedChapter 104 · A wedding?Chapter 104 · You’re Wu JiChapter 105 · Exceptionally Beautiful OmegaChapter 106 · If you’re with him, aren’t you afraid of being cheated on?Chapter 107 · “Am I the same person as him?”Chapter 108 · What important matter could Chu Xian possibly have to do?Chapter 109 · Did the boss actually steal someone else’s partner?Chapter 110 · Wu Chu is preparing for his weddingChapter 111 · I know better than you what’s so great about Su XuChapter 112 · Chu Xian had gotten a bit tannedChapter 113 · Su Xu, your boyfriend is here!Chapter 114 · I’ve completely lost face!Chapter 115 · Don’t you think your sister-in-law is interesting too?Chapter 116 · I will definitely tell Wu Chu the truth.Chapter 117 · Didn’t you already meet your boyfriend today?Chapter 117 · Why do I need to take a day off on Saturday?Chapter 119 · This is a TrapChapter 120 · This is the future queen chosen by their monarch!Chapter 121 · Could it be that Su Xu went directly to the scene?Chapter 122 · Slipped the ring on Su Xu’s ring fingerChapter 123 · You have no experienceChapter 124 · I haven’t even mentioned your lover in Galaxy A yetChapter 125 · He suddenly had a strong urge to kiss Qi YanChapter 126 · May I ask what you encountered?Chapter 127 · It’s not Jiang Cang, it’s Jiang CangxingChapter 128 · Where does the money come from for a single line of code?Chapter 129 · This is unbelievable!Chapter 130 · Su Xu slammed the box shut.Chapter 131 · This is so weird!Chapter 132 · This person and Teacher Sang are mutual followers!Chapter 133 · I can finally keep my promise and come see youChapter 134 · Extra 1: He’s mango FlavouredChapter 135 · Extra 2: Boyfriend meets ParentsChapter 136 · Extra 3: The Game (1)Chapter 137 · Extra 4: The Game (2)