Unlike Liang Shen, who was motivated more by sympathy, Lu Yue simply felt a spontaneous curiosity—he wanted to know what the pheromones of this Alpha, whose compatibility with him was so high, actually smelled like.
Seeing the girl before him crying, tears falling like broken strings of pearls, Lu Yue felt a stabbing pain in his chest, as if pricked by needles.
His fingers twitched slightly as he picked up the tissue and gently wiped her tears.
“…Stop crying.”
“I… I haven’t finished yet.”
Bai Long wiped her tears roughly, not caring that her vision was blurred.
Lu Yue looked at her eyes, red as a rabbit’s from crying, with an expression on his face that even he didn’t realize could be described as gentle.
“Okay. Go ahead. I’m listening.”
“Before… I used to think you had a terrible temper, getting angry so easily, and I was really scared of you. Now I realize I was wrong. You’re actually a really good person. You just talk tough, but in the end, you never actually do anything to me. You just have a sharp tongue and a soft heart.”
She didn’t even know what she was saying anymore—rambling, not making much sense, just pouring out everything she wanted to say.
“Mr. Lu, you’re so good.”
“Wuwu, not only rich and handsome, but also so considerate. If only you were my dad, wuwu… I really wish I had a dad who cared about me like this, wuwu…”
“…”
Let’s not go that far.
…
Lu Yue felt like he might be a bit out of his mind—when Bai Long said she wanted to thank him by inviting him to her place, he actually nodded and agreed without thinking.
By the time he came to his senses, he had already stepped out of the car.
By now, the sky had completely darkened, and the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, stretching his shadow long across the ground.
Lu Yue subtly glanced around.
Even though the apartment Bai Long rented was relatively clean and tidy, in the eyes of the pampered man, it still seemed too worn-down.
Not only was there barely any greenery, but so many people lived here—right by the roadside, close to the night market.
With so many vehicles coming and going, and the hawking voices so loud—how noisy must it be? How could anyone sleep at night?
Still, Lu Yue kept these complaints to himself. After all, this was Bai Long’s home, and it wasn’t his place to criticize.
With that thought, he couldn’t help but glance at the girl leading the way ahead.
The inside of the apartment complex was different from the outside—no streetlights. Bai Long was worried Lu Yue might trip in the dark, so she took a spare flashlight from her backpack and walked ahead, lighting the path.
“Mr. Lu, be careful here. There are some stones piled up—left behind by the workers renovating a few days ago. They’ve just been sitting here ever since.”
Lu Yue’s eyes flickered slightly. There was hardly anyone outside at night, and no other distracting smells.
The two of them were close, and as the night breeze brushed past, he could only catch the girl’s distinct, clean, sweet scent.
Looking at this slender, beautiful Alpha—dark hair, pale skin, shining like a star even in the night, so captivating it was hard to look away—
Lu Yue suddenly understood why her friend had suggested she find a sugar daddy to rely on.
She definitely had the capital for it. Even though she wasn’t an Omega, her pheromones alone were enough to captivate and intoxicate an Omega.
If it were him…
He would be willing to provide for her.
When this thought popped into Lu Yue’s mind, it startled even himself.
What are you thinking, Lu Yue? Didn’t you say this was just a marking transaction?
Haven’t you always worked so hard to avoid being marked, relying on inhibitors for so long to escape the influence of arrogant Alpha pheromones?
Calm down. There are plenty of Alphas more attractive than her. Don’t get bewitched.
Lu Yue irritably ran a hand through his hair. Lost in his chaotic thoughts, he didn’t register Bai Long’s warning at all.
He had only taken a few steps when he missed a stair and lost his balance completely, unable to react in time.
“Mr. Lu!”
While walking, Bai Long hadn’t just watched the path ahead—she had also been keeping an eye on the man out of the corner of her eye.
Seeing him about to fall, she quickly turned around and reached out, catching him just in time.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…It’s fine. I just couldn’t see clearly in the dark and missed a step.”
Was it her imagination, or did his voice sound deeper than usual?
Because she had reached out to steady him, her hand was still pressed against his chest, not yet withdrawn.
As he spoke, even through the thin fabric, she could feel warmth—and the rise and fall of his chest.
“Th-that’s good then. As long as you’re okay.”
Bai Long swallowed hard, trying not to let her mind wander.
“Then stick close this time, okay? Just a little longer—we’re almost home.”
Her tone sounded like she was coaxing a child, but Lu Yue didn’t mind.
He felt the girl’s hand pull away from him, the smooth, soft sensation fading along with it.
To be honest… he felt a little disappointed.
No matter how much he reminded himself not to be affected, Bai Long’s pheromones captivated him far more than he had imagined.
“Bai Long.”
“What is it, Mr. Lu?”
“It’s too dark.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry—the apartment complex I live in isn’t great. A lot of it’s old and poorly maintained, and the motion-sensor lights are broken. Usually when I come back it’s still light out, so I forgot there aren’t any lights here. Sorry you have to put up with this.”
The girl felt genuinely embarrassed. She had invited him to her place for a meal, only to make him stumble through the dark.
With that thought, she instinctively glanced back at Lu Yue. In the hazy night, his features didn’t seem as sharp or cold as usual.
They looked soft, even gentle.
“Mr. Lu, don’t worry. I’m here—I won’t let you fall.”
She didn’t pick up on his hint.
And he couldn’t bring himself to say anything more.
His fingers twitched slightly. After a moment of silence, he quietly withdrew the hand he’d tentatively extended into the darkness.
She coaxed you a little, and you really started acting like a child? Aren’t you ashamed? A grown person wanting to hold hands.
Lu Yue took a deep breath. Part of him was relieved Bai Long hadn’t seen his impulsive gesture in the dark; part of him regretted she hadn’t.
From then on, Lu Yue paid close attention to where he stepped, following the person in front of him stride by stride.
Like stepping in snowy footprints, when she slowed, he slowed too. When she picked up the pace, he matched her.
As they walked, Lu Yue’s lips curved slightly.
The air was filled with the girl’s pleasant scent, and his ears caught the soft, gentle sound of her voice carried by the night breeze.
Earlier, he had complained about how bumpy and long the path was, but as long as he was walking it with Bai Long, even a little longer seemed just fine.
Bai Long had no idea what Lu Yue was thinking. She guided him carefully past the scattered stones, and only when they reached the building entrance did things get easier.
Bai Long’s building didn’t have an elevator—they had to take the stairs.
Luckily, she didn’t live too high up, only on the third floor. After such a long walk, climbing five or six flights would have been exhausting.
“Mr. Lu, I live alone here, so I don’t have spare slippers. Would disposable ones be okay? If you’re not used to them, you can just walk in—I plan to do a deep clean this weekend anyway.”
“It’s fine. Disposable ones are okay.”
He was particular, but he wasn’t overly fussy.
Besides, he was a guest in her home and knew basic manners.
After changing his shoes, Lu Yue followed Bai Long inside.
He had visited Liang Shen’s home before, but his whole family had been there.
Staying alone with just one Alpha and one Omega like this, however, was a first.
Since she lived alone, the apartment was small—probably only around 40 to 50 square meters.
It had been fine for Bai Long by herself, but with Lu Yue added, the space suddenly felt much tighter.
“Mr. Lu, don’t just stand there—go sit on the sofa and rest. Here’s the remote. You can switch channels if you want. I’ll go cook—it won’t take long.”
Lu Yue hardly dared to move, afraid he might accidentally knock something over.
Only when the girl said this did he cautiously step toward the sofa.
He took the remote she handed him but didn’t press anything. After she went into the kitchen with the ingredients, he finally looked around the room.
So small.
With such a tiny place, wouldn’t it feel cramped living here?
And there were hardly any belongings in the room—the furnishings and decorations were simple to the point of being bare, as if she could just grab a bag and leave anytime.
It lacked a sense of lived-in warmth.
In Lu Yue’s family, everyone was busy with work, and it was rare for them all to gather except during holidays. Still, whenever he returned home, there was always at least one or two family members around.
In the past, he hadn’t given it much thought—to him, it was just normal.
But now, it struck him that what he considered ordinary and taken for granted was something Bai Long could only dream of.
If it weren’t for the girl’s fresh, sweet pheromones filling the space, even he might have felt a sense of unfamiliarity and unease.
“Mr. Lu, do you have any dietary restrictions? Can you handle spicy food?”
“I can eat most things. Just not too spicy.”
“Okay, are there any ingredients you don’t like? Like cilantro or green onions?”
As she spoke, Bai Long reached for the apron hanging nearby and prepared to put it on. But just as her hands went behind her back, a shadow fell over her from above.
Then the crisp scent of white cedar surrounded her.
Lu Yue had walked over and, with natural ease, gently guided her hands aside before taking the apron strings from her.
By the time Bai Long realized what was happening, he had already tied the apron neatly around her.
“No cilantro, and no ginger either. Other than that, everything is fine.”
After saying this, he lowered his gaze to look at her, his expression carrying a gentleness she had never seen before.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Huh? No, no, you’re the guest. Just sit and relax. I won’t take long.”
Lu Yue could tell Bai Long genuinely wanted to thank him and make him a proper meal.
Seeing her determined attitude, he didn’t insist further and returned to the sofa.
The rich aroma of stir-fry soon began wafting from the kitchen, filling the entire space.
Even Bai Long’s pheromones were gradually masked by the heavy scent of cooking oil and spices.
At this moment, with Bai Long’s pheromones no longer detectable, Lu Yue should have been free from their influence.
Yet his gaze remained fixed on her, never straying toward the television.
Lu Yue stared intently at the girl’s figure in the kitchen.
The pale nape of her neck peeked out whenever her ponytail swayed, and her slender waist—he recalled how easily he could span it with one hand that night.
Not only did her appearance perfectly align with his aesthetic preferences, but her pheromones were also, damnably, exactly to his liking.
As he watched, his thoughts drifted back to what Bai Long had said in the car earlier.
Her friend had said she didn’t want her to struggle too much and hoped she could find a sugar daddy to take care of her.
If she was going to find a sugar daddy anyway…
Why couldn’t that sugar daddy be him?