Ultimately, Xiao Shuqing and Yu Siyuan’s father left the consultation room together.
Xiao Shuqing looked down at his phone, reviewing the file attached to his diagnosis titled “Care and Precautions for Omegas with Pheromone Imbalance”:
Grade 3 Pheromone Imbalance
• Primary Symptoms: Delayed or stalled heat cycles; pheromone desensitization, occasional recognition barriers; insomnia, fatigue, vertigo, and physical weakness.
Phase 1: Gland Awakening
• Frequent proximity to an Alpha is required. If the Alpha is top-tier, they should release a small amount of soothing pheromones to stimulate the Omega’s gland, ideally once every 2 to 3 days. Physical contact, such as hugging or touching, yields the best results. Alternatively, a synthetic Alpha healing pheromone topical can be applied around the gland once daily.
Scrolling further down, the document detailed Phase 2: Deep Contact, and Phase 3: Temporary to Permanent Marking.
It was a comprehensive, exhaustive guide spanning seven or eight pages.
To put it in a nutshell. Actually, it was hard to put into words.
Recalling what had just transpired in the consultation room, his embarrassment only intensified.
At the time, Yu Siyuan’s father had asked what was wrong and why he was visiting the gland clinic. The old doctor had put on a face of pure disdain, scoffing, “Him? He used too many suppressants and threw his pheromones out of whack. It’s no big deal. Isn’t he married now? Just go home and cling to your Alpha more to stimulate the gland. He’s young; it won’t even take half a month for his heat to return. But absolutely no biting or marking during the first heat cycle, alright? Tell your Alpha to endure it and wait until next month.”
Having said his piece, the doctor had impatiently buzzed for the next patient, shooing them both out. It was as if the person who had relentlessly called Xiao Shuqing to drag him into the hospital hadn’t been him at all.
Now, a palpable awkwardness lingered between the two men.
“I’m sorry,” Xiao Shuqing said, sliding his phone away as he turned to the older man. “Siyuan losing control of his pheromones was likely my fault. I ran into an Omega in heat on my way back yesterday, and their courtship pheromones accidentally got on my clothes. Siyuan caught the scent when I got home.”
Hearing this, the older man looked over at him.
His narrow, elegant eyes blinked slowly, and his lips curved into a soft smile. “Ah, so that’s what happened. Siyuan is a top-tier Alpha—you knew that, right, Shuqing?”
Xiao Shuqing: “!”
He didn’t know, and it was a fact he found incredibly difficult to reconcile with the boy’s actual demeanor.
Seeing his stunned expression, the father’s eyes crinkled slightly at the corners. “It seems you haven’t smelled Siyuan’s pheromones yet.”
Xiao Shuqing: “?”
He really is a clever fox, Xiao Shuqing thought.
With his mind racing to find a proper response, he chose his words carefully. “My pheromone imbalance is quite severe, and I’ve already explained this to Siyuan. Standard pheromones might be too overwhelming for my system to handle. He was concerned for my well-being, which is why he has refrained from releasing his pheromones around me. I apologize for keeping this from you.”
Instead of being upset, Yu Siyuan’s father let out a soft chuckle. “I’m not interrogating you, dear. I only meant to say that Siyuan is a top-tier Alpha, yet he was so heavily affected by the mere residual scent of a stranger’s courtship pheromones. That is highly unusual. I’m curious, Shuqing—why do you think that is?”
This question landed squarely in Xiao Shuqing’s blind spot.
He hesitated. “Could it be that Siyuan shares a very high compatibility rate with that Omega?”
The older man shook his head dismissively. “How high could it possibly be? A perfect 100% match? The odds of that are one in a hundred thousand; it’s not that easy to come across. No, it’s because Siyuan cares about you immensely.”
Xiao Shuqing: “?”
To be perfectly honest, he genuinely believed it might just be that one-in-a-hundred-thousand chance.
After all, they had both willingly signed a prenuptial agreement. Yu Siyuan was a thoroughbred Alpha-attracted Alpha who was currently working overtime just to rush to a dinner date with his beloved Senior.
Though skeptical, Xiao Shuqing maintained a polite, pleased smile. “I see. It’s comforting to know he cares so much.”
The father’s long, curled eyelashes fluttered as his smile widened. “Of course he does. Honestly, that boy getting that jealous over a stray scent. I’ll have a word with him.”
With that, he pulled out his phone and began typing rapidly.
His screen was fitted with a privacy filter, leaving it entirely black from Xiao Shuqing’s angle. Consequently, Xiao Shuqing missed the rather lively exchange taking place between father and son:
Dad: Sweetheart, it seems your Professor Xiao has a bit of an emotional blind spot.
Dad: I told him you care about him deeply, but he didn’t believe it at all. Did you do something to make him misunderstand you?
Siyuan: [Crying Emoji]
Siyuan: On the day of our blind date, I told him I wasn’t interested in Omegas. [Duck wiping tears.jpg]
Dad: That’s alright! Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Let Daddy think of something. [White fox thinking.jpg]
Siyuan: Okay, Dad. [Duck cuddling.jpg]
By the time Xiao Shuqing drove Yu Siyuan’s father back home, dusk was beginning to settle.
It was six in the evening, just before sunset.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows as commuters rushed home, trapping cars in a lengthy traffic jam.
While waiting at a red light, Xiao Shuqing sent Siyuan a voice message:
“Siyuan, I went to the hospital for a check-up today and ran into your father. I told him my pheromones are highly unstable and that you haven’t marked me out of consideration for my health. If he brings it up, remember to match my story.”
There was no immediate reply.
Xiao Shuqing assumed the boy was simply too swamped with overtime to check his phone. However, even after he arrived home, had dinner, and took a shower, it was already eight o’clock, and his inbox remained empty.
He realized then: Siyuan must be entirely engrossed in his celebration dinner with his Senior, completely detached from his phone.
Wanting to clear his head, Xiao Shuqing stepped onto the balcony and pulled out a lighter, but remembering the doctor’s strict orders to cut out smoking and drinking, he sighed and put the cigarettes back.
He opened the balcony door to let the large dog inside.
The moment the door slid open, a wave of warm, humid air drifted through the screen. It had been raining for the past two days, leaving the scent of fresh earth and damp grass lingering in the air.
The dog let out a couple of contented whimpers, settling down by his feet and gently nudging his leg.
Xiao Shuqing’s gaze softened.
He knelt down and stroked the thick fur around the dog’s neck. His fingers were long and pale, his knuckles elegantly defined.
“Your brother went out for dinner. He might not even come back tonight, so it’s just you and me,” he murmured softly to the dog. “What do you say? Should I steal your brother back for us?”
The dog tilted its head in utter confusion. “Woof, woof?”
“Forget it,” Xiao Shuqing chuckled softly to himself, a self-deprecating smile crossing his lips. “Even if I steal him back today, he’ll run away eventually.”
He let out a quiet sigh. “I can’t exactly lock him up and tie him down forever.”
Besides, what would I even do with him if I stole him back?
Xiao Shuqing, you can’t be that overbearing.
Without his usual coffee or cigarettes to keep him alert, compounded by a lingering headache, the cool breeze on the balcony finally caught up to him. Before nine o’clock, drowsiness took over.
He had intended to read a book to stay awake until ten, but he inadvertently drifted off right there on the sofa.
Yu Siyuan walked through the front door around half past ten. He looked exhausted, carrying the faint, crisp scent of alcohol.
The balcony door was still open, and the apartment was brightly lit, yet entirely silent. After changing his shoes and setting his backpack down, the faint, rhythmic sound of steady breathing caught his attention.
Only then did he notice the figure resting on the sofa.
Xiao Shuqing lay with one arm draped over the armrest, his long hair pooling around him, a copy of Heidegger’s Being and Time resting on his chest.
His eyes were closed peacefully behind his gold-rimmed glasses. Even in sleep, he possessed a refined, ethereal elegance that looked as though it belonged in a fairy tale.
As if drawn by an invisible thread, Siyuan took a few tentative steps closer.
His gaze swept over the older man’s striking features, and his fingertips hovered before gently, almost imperceptibly, brushing against a cheek so smooth its pores were invisible.
The moment he felt the soft warmth beneath his skin, a pang of guilt struck him, and he hurriedly pulled his hand back.
“Um, Professor Xiao?”
Xiao Shuqing was a light sleeper; the soft voice woke him instantly.
Still hazy with sleep, he opened his eyes to see the handsome Alpha hovering over him. Half-believing he was still trapped in a dream, he stared at him intently for a moment before his eyes crinkled into a warm, soft smile. “Yu Siyuan, you’re back.”
The boy nodded. “Mm. Overtime ran until nine-thirty, and Senior Zhou insisted I stop by their dinner because they had a surprise for me. I stayed for just a little bit, which is why I’m late. Professor Xiao, you seem happier than usual today.”
“Did you drink?” Xiao Shuqing asked, suddenly leaning in slightly to catch the faint scent.
“Ah, just one glass. Professor Xiao, my advisor gave me a massive red envelope. Is there anything you want? I want to buy you a gift.”
The boy knelt before him, the living room lights reflecting in his striking eyes like a cluster of tiny stars.
I really must be dreaming, Xiao Shuqing thought.
Otherwise, why would Siyuan immediately think of buying him a gift the moment he received a bonus? What exactly was he to Siyuan?
But tracing his thoughts, he realized there was nothing material he truly desired. After all, he was someone who barely cared about his own existence.
No, that wasn’t entirely true. There was something he wanted.
He wanted someone who could care about him on his behalf.
“I.” He reached up to adjust his glasses.
The physical weight and the cool metal of the frames against his hand jolted him awake. The sensation was far too vivid.
This wasn’t a dream.
He snapped back to reality.
He suddenly realized that the young Alpha was kneeling directly in front of him, while his own hand was resting squarely on the boy’s sleeve. They were sitting incredibly close.
The rich aroma of alcohol mingled with a deep, sweet berry scent hung thick between them—the unmistakable scent of the Alpha’s pheromones.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t fully awake just now.”
He scrambled to sit up properly, turning his head to check the wall clock: 10:37 PM.
“I’m sorry for being late,” the boy said, his face clouding with apology. “Since I missed the morning shift, I stayed to help monitor the project tonight. The trial run didn’t wrap up until nine.”
Finishing at nine meant he had managed to attend his advisor and Senior’s celebration dinner and rush all the way back home within a single hour.
But why? He could have easily stayed out until midnight.
Was it because he knew Xiao Shuqing wasn’t feeling well and was worried? No, Siyuan had promised yesterday that he would return before ten.
“Didn’t your Senior have a gift for you? And wasn’t there something very important he wanted to tell you?” Xiao Shuqing asked gently, pushing down the rising confusion in his chest.
To his surprise, the young Alpha blinked, looking even more bewildered than he was. “He had something important to tell me? How did you know, Professor Xiao?”
As he spoke, a memory seemed to spark. He quickly dug out his phone to scroll through his messages. “Ah, I remember now. No wonder he looked so strange when I said I had to leave.”
Xiao Shuqing: “?”
He had completely forgotten about someone so important to him. Judging by his blank expression, he truly hadn’t internalized a single word of whatever confession or speech his Senior had prepared.
A completely absurd, wild theory began to take root in Xiao Shuqing’s mind.
Testing the waters, he asked slowly, “What exactly did you tell them?”
The boy replied earnestly, “Oh, I just said it was ten o’clock and I had to go home. I told them I promised my family I’d be home before ten, and that I was already running late. Oh, right! Once everyone found out I was married, my advisor even gave me an extra large red envelope and told me to buy a gift for my wife.”
He grumbled under his breath as he fiddled with his phone. “Let me text Senior and ask what he wanted to say. What kind of important news has to be delivered in person, yet can wait four or five days? That’s so weird. I’ve just been too busy lately and completely forgot about it.”
Listening to the boy mutter to himself, Xiao Shuqing: “?”
To be honest, it had been a very long time since he had heard such a textbook, dense “Straight Alpha” speech.
In the end, Xiao Shuqing happened to glance at Yu Siyuan’s phone screen. Above the contact name “Senior Zhou,” the status header flashed “Typing…” back and forth several times before a message finally popped up:
Senior Zhou: When did you get married. Why didn’t you tell us?
Even through the screen, the sheer, crushing awkwardness of the sender was palpable.
Xiao Shuqing didn’t even have the heart to keep watching.
Yet, the kid was still typing back with utter earnestness:
Siyuan: We only got our certificate recently, so we haven’t had a wedding banquet yet. We registered this month; the wedding will be held later.
Then came a completely abrupt follow-up:
Senior Zhou: Do you actually like Omegas?
The kid froze entirely. His brain probably hadn’t even processed the question, but his fingers moved automatically, sending out a string of at least ten question marks in a row.
Only after hitting send did he remember that Xiao Shuqing was sitting right next to him.
Clearing his throat softly, he immediately locked his screen.
With his eyes darting around, he stared blankly ahead and muttered to himself, trying to play dumb. “I’ve never talked to Senior about my personal life. Why would he suddenly ask something like that? How bizarre.”
After saying this, he turned his head toward Xiao Shuqing with a look of hesitation. “Professor Xiao, do I really look like someone who doesn’t like Omegas?”
Xiao Shuqing looked at the young Alpha’s delicate, doll-like face. His cheeks and the rims of his eyes were slightly flushed from the alcohol, and his gaze was completely innocent and clueless with confusion.
Xiao Shuqing silently averted his eyes.
“Yes.”
The kid’s head instantly drooped in defeat. “Oh, okay then.”
Like a little rabbit flattening its ears, he looked entirely deflated by the blow.
After a moment of thought, Xiao Shuqing offered a gentle reminder, “Have you ever considered that your dad seems to know too?”
This time, the little rabbit froze completely. His amber eyes stretched wide and perfectly round.
He sat there completely rigid; even the stray strands of hair on the crown of his head seemed to radiate absolute paralysis.
Xiao Shuqing continued, “It’s just a deduction. Your father likely knows you aren’t interested in Omegas. At the very least, he knows there is something unusual about our marriage. I could clearly gather that much from the few conversations I’ve had with him. I don’t mean anything else by this; I’m just reminding you that your father is incredibly perceptive. He probably knows everything about you like the back of his hand. After all, you’ve lived with him for a very long time.”
There was one more thing he left unsaid: the kid was simply too naive and easily fooled; everything he thought was written in bold text across his face.
With a father as sharp and shrewd as a fox, how could Siyuan ever hope to hide anything?
It was highly likely his father had found out the very first day Siyuan’s sexual orientation awakened.
However, looking at the utterly petrified little creature beside him.
Xiao Shuqing thought: Forget it, I’ll stop while I’m ahead.
He couldn’t say any more. If he pushed further, the boy wouldn’t be able to process it, which meant he’d spend the night tossing and turning, unable to sleep, and probably end up pulling another mandatory all-nighter for work.
Though, seeing him look so completely shocked—with his plump, rosy lips parted slightly in a daze—was undeniably endearing.
He looked incredibly cute.
It made one want to reach out, stroke those beautiful lips, and give them a gentle pinch.
Instead, Xiao Shuqing merely reached out, his fingers lightly brushing against the boy’s cheek and cupping his jaw. “Why are your eyes open so wide? What are you trying to do?”
Having his jaw gently supported, the young Alpha finally closed his mouth, only to feel a wave of heat suddenly rush to his face a second later.
Tugging at his own sleeve, his eyes cast downward in dejection. “I, it’s nothing. I just don’t really want to face the world today.”
Xiao Shuqing was taken aback for a fraction of a second before the corners of his lips curved upward, and he couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “Then why don’t you go to sleep now? By the time you wake up, it’ll be tomorrow’s world.”
“Okay. I guess that’s my only option.”
His voice carried the adorable, sluggish defeat of someone who had completely thrown in the towel.
But it only made him more charming.
Xiao Shuqing couldn’t resist. He smoothed his palm over the crown of the boy’s head, ruffling his soft hair. “Good boy.”