Su Xu’s body went rigid.
A moment later, a dull ache spread from his shoulder, slow and belated. Three buttons of his shirt had been undone by Chen Tingyi; the collar was tugged backward, the third button nearly pressed against his Adam’s apple.
This exposed a wide stretch of pale skin at the back of his neck, along with half of his prominent shoulder blade, delicate, beautiful and heartbreakingly fragile.
Almost instantly, Su Xu reacted. He yanked his shirt back up, covering most of the marks tightly and thoroughly.
Chen Tingyi straightened.
The two met each other’s gaze in the mirror.
Perhaps because he was too exhausted, Chen Tingyi’s cheeks looked even more gaunt than they had back when they were still in school. There was no expression on his face, still the same cold, indifferent look as before.
His crimson eyes were fixed unblinkingly on Su Xu’s reflection in the mirror, giving off an unsettling, almost pathological aura.
Su Xu froze. “Your eyes.. ”
The red in those eyes was shockingly saturated, as though fresh blood flowed within them. Yet Su Xu remembered very clearly that Chen Tingyi’s eyes had always been brown.
The next second, Chen Tingyi lifted his hand and put on a mask. This one was similar in style to the previous mask, except that it completely concealed even the eye area, covering it tightly.
“Where did the pheromones come from?” Chen Tingyi asked.
Su Xu pressed his lips together and said nothing.
According to the original plot’s progression, Chen Tingyi should have interrogated Su Xu next, questioning him relentlessly until Su Xu revealed the entire truth. That, in fact, was how Chen Tingyi initially became interested in Su Rui,
“Forget it,” Chen Tingyi spoke again. “It’s not important.”
Su Xu: “?”
…Huh?
A flicker of confusion shot through Su Xu’s eyes.
This wasn’t right.
Why wasn’t Chen Tingyi following the script?
Chen Tingyi reached out, intending to tug Su Xu’s collar downward. Su Xu, however, clenched his grip tightly, firmly resisting him. The two were locked in a stalemate for two seconds before Chen Tingyi compromised, sliding his fingertip over the fabric of the shirt to lightly rub against Su Xu’s gland.
Lowering his voice, he asked, “How long until your differentiation period? And what will your pheromones smell like?”
A prickling, tingling sensation spread throughout Su Xu’s body, making it difficult for him to endure.
For an Omega, the gland was an extremely important and sensitive area. Su Xu had never allowed anyone to touch it before, this was the first time he had ever experienced such stimulation.
His body tensed even further in spite of himself, his spine arching forward, the lines of his form sharply defined. His hand moved back, striking Chen Tingyi’s arm with force, producing a crisp, ringing sound.
“Don’t touch me.” Su Xu lowered his voice.
“I can’t touch you?” Chen Tingyi’s tone instantly sank. “Then who can?”
Su Xu pressed his lips together.
Chen Tingyi bent down, his mouth nearly brushing the rim of Su Xu’s ear. “Is it that useless Zhong Heng, the one who doesn’t know a single thing and wouldn’t dare make a sound in front of me? Or that Zhong Yi with a head full of white hair, probably hasn’t even finished growing all his fur yet? Or perhaps that childhood sweetheart of yours who popped out of nowhere, Chu Xi’an?”
“…You were following me.” Su Xu turned his head slightly, trying to avoid Chen Tingyi. His throat felt tight. “The person at the speech last time, it was you.”
“It was.. ” Chen Tingyi admitted without hesitation.
Before Su Xu could speak, Chen Tingyi’s gloved hand pressed down on his shoulder.
“Su Xu.” His voice was hoarse. “There are only the two of us here. There’s no Su family and no cameras or recording devices. I swear to you on my character that today’s conversation will never be spread. Tell me the truth, have you really never, not even for a single second…”
He paused, as if drawing on every ounce of strength in his body, then asked, “liked me?”
Su Xu: “……”
Su Xu lowered his gaze. “No.”
The hand resting on Su Xu’s shoulder tightened abruptly.
Inside the factory, it was so quiet that even a falling pin would have been audible. After a long moment, Chen Tingyi nodded. “Very well. Very well indeed.”
He repeated it two or three times in succession. His voice grew colder as he said, “I know about your family’s situation. I always thought you had your reasons, that was why you broke off the engagement with me and blocked me but now it seems I was overthinking things. Then again, that makes sense. To be able to bewitch even His Majesty into wanting to get engaged to you, that truly is your skill, Su Xu.”
Su Xu froze.
His Majesty?
Before he could press for clarification, darkness fell over his vision.
Chen Tingyi’s left hand completely covered Su Xu’s eyes, blocking out every shred of light. The texture of the leather made Su Xu’s eyeballs move instinctively beneath it, only to be hindered and trapped.
In a low voice, Chen Tingyi said, “Sleep. When you wake up, everything will be over.”
“In this world, there will never again be an Alpha named Chen Tingyi… who loves you.”
Su Xu felt as though he had slipped into a long, drawn out dream, one that was not particularly pleasant.
When he finally woke, he discovered that he was lying on a soft bed, surrounded by a space that was entirely unfamiliar. Sitting up abruptly, Su Xu hissed in pain, a sharp ache flaring from one side of his shoulder and neck.
He lifted his hand and gently rubbed at it.
Glancing around, Su Xu noticed a smart butler standing by at the doorway, a large letter “C” plastered to its forehead. This kind of robot was typically standard equipment in hotels.
He was back?
Throwing off the covers, Su Xu stepped barefoot onto the plush carpet and headed toward the bathroom.
Turning on the faucet, he splashed cold water onto his face twice. Only after he was fully awake did he lift his head.
In the mirror, his complexion looked slightly pale, his lips much lighter in color than usual. He had clearly been changed into a different set of clothes, still a white shirt but the size was larger than his own, making it look ill fitting, particularly around the sleeves and the waist, which hung loose and empty. Fortunately, the pants were the right size.
Something occurred to Su Xu. He frowned and turned his head, intending to pull open his shirt to check the size, only to catch sight of the dense cluster of bite marks on his shoulder.
Su Xu: “……”
He froze for a moment, then muttered, “Tsk. What are you, a dog? Can’t chew it through and still have to keep biting.”
Just then, the terminal on his wrist went crazy with incoming alerts. He opened it to see Zhu Pan’s incoming call.
The moment the connection was made, Zhu Pan fell silent for two seconds, then let out a long breath of relief. “Xu xu! What’s going on with you? Did something happen earlier, are you in a bad mood? Why did you suddenly decide to go on a three day trip? And during that whole time, when I called you and sent messages, you never replied”
Chen Tingyi even contacted Zhu Pan?
Su Xu replied casually, “I wasn’t feeling too well. Thinking about getting married made me a bit stifled.”
Zhu Pan paused. “Then how do you feel now? Are you better?”
Su Xu: “Mm.”
“Look at the mess you caused, why aren’t you coming back right away, ” At that moment, Su Dianlin’s furious shout could be heard from far away.
Hearing it, Zhu Pan immediately scolded him, “Su Dianlin, how can you talk like that? Do you have any sense of being a father at all? What if you scare Xu xu?”
After that, her tone softened as she tried to soothe him. “Xu xu, don’t be afraid. You know your father, he has a bad temper. He’s really just worried about you… You’re an Omega, after all. Going such a long distance alone is so unsafe and you weren’t answering your communications before, your mother was worried sick, afraid something might have happened to you. I almost called the police… Th.. that aside, you’ve pretty much had your fun outside now. It’s time to come back, isn’t it?”
Zhu Pan circled around the topic before finally getting to the point. “Oh, right. Something major happened in our family, something involving you. You’ll need to come back before a decision can be made.”
“What is it?” Su Xu asked, his mind suddenly jumping to the words Chen Tingyi had spoken earlier.
Bewitching His Majesty into getting engaged to him…
“It’s a very serious matter. It can only be explained properly face to face. Where are you right now? Mom will come pick you up.”
Su Xu said, “No need. I’ll be back soon.”
Zhu Pan replied, “All right, all right. How long will it take? I’ll make your favorite braised pork ribs.”
Su Xu said, “Not sure yet. I’ll tell you the exact time once I’m on the hovercar.”
The communication ended. After thinking for a moment, Su Xu logged into his terminal and searched the keywords “His Majesty” and “engagement,” but nothing came up.
He deleted the word “engagement” and tried to search for His Majesty’s appearance but the system prompted that the information was classified. His current clearance level was insufficient to access it.
Frowning, Su Xu opened his chat history with Chi Lin. Their last effective exchange still stopped three days ago.
He didn’t dwell on it any further.
No matter what had happened, everything would be made clear once he returned home.
He left the bathroom and instructed the hotel butler to help him purchase concealer and clothes. Moving unhurriedly, he carefully covered the marks on his neck, then changed into the new outfit. Only then did the tension in his body finally ease.
Glancing at the size tag of the clothes tossed onto the floor, Su Xu commented, “Pervert.”
Desert Star.
Several Alphas who had come over for a meal glanced around Chen Tingyi as they spoke. “Boss, where’s that beautiful Omega you brought with you before? Why didn’t he come with you today?”
“Did he just join and already take time off? I’m so jealous I’m not an Omega too. I want a vacation as well!”
“Oh, give it a rest. Even if you were an Omega, take a look at your face, could you compare to that Omega from before?”
“Hey, I don’t like hearing that!”
The group bantered back and forth but when Chen Tingyi failed to respond for a long while, they exchanged looks and immediately shut their mouths. One by one, they retreated sheepishly in the direction of the cook.
“Damn, are you serious? Did you see the look in the boss’s eyes just now? Scared the hell out of me. That Omega actually doesn’t even want someone like our boss, a top tier Alpha?”
“Hard to say. Just from the way that Omega looks, you can tell he’s top tier as well…”
“Hiss, yeah, that’s true.”
Chen Tingyi did not move, as if he hadn’t heard a thing. It was only when the voices gradually faded and the group changed the topic of conversation that he finally stood up and returned to his room with steady, measured steps.
On the bed in the room lay a white shirt.
Chen Tingyi sat down beside it and reached out, brushing his fingertips lightly over the fabric. His brown eyes darkened as he did so, though it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
After a few seconds, Chen Tingyi leaned back, grabbed the shirt and draped it over his face.
Aside from that creamy gardenia scent that had already faded considerably, the shirt carried another, even lighter and clearer fragrance. It was so faint that only by breathing carefully could one discern it at all.
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The chapter is finished. The chaos is not.
☕ 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)