The wound on Zhou Yi’s head covered a terrifyingly large area, but fortunately, it was not particularly severe. The bleeding had been stopped at Chu Yanyi’s quarters last night, and looking at it in the daylight, it did not even require stitches.
As Doctor Wu disinfected the injury for him, she observed his expressionless face and teased, “What happened? Did you really bump into a door? Anyone who didn’t know better would think Mr. Chu punished you.”
Zhou Yi pursed his lips, staring at the textured lines on his gloves without making a move.
It had been his first time entering Mr. Chu’s bedroom last night. The room was just as he had imagined—orderly and styled in cool, quiet tones. Perhaps because it was a private space, the Alpha’s pheromone scent lingered faintly; though weak, it assertively declared its presence.
If he were an Omega or a Beta…
“Keep it away from water for these next few days, otherwise it’ll scar easily.” The pain on his forehead vanished abruptly as Doctor Wu tossed aside the reagent in her hand, asking in a serious tone, “Are you still getting headaches lately? Any sensation in your gland? What about your right hand? Have you tried speaking at all?”
Zhou Yi shook his head.
“If you don’t say anything, I won’t know how to answer when Mr. Chu comes over to ask about your condition next time. He already caught on a bit when I brushed it off last time.”
“It’s no easy task being a private physician. My colleague is still out searching for medication because of you and hasn’t returned yet.” Doctor Wu let out a sigh, yanked off her gloves, and wheeled her chair back toward the computer.
Zhou Yi’s eyes lit up suddenly. He walked up to Doctor Wu and typed a line onto her screen.
Doctor Wu squinted, looking at Zhou Yi for a long moment as if hesitating to speak. The man’s gaze was direct, clear, and unyielding.
“Fine, it’s not a major issue anyway.” Doctor Wu tied her hair behind her head, tapping the keyboard as she seemed to consider how to simplify the medical terms. “…Having a problem with your gland doesn’t mean you aren’t an Alpha anymore. Right now, you just temporarily can’t secrete pheromones. Mr. Chu’s intent is to use medication to see if it can gradually recover. If you take your medicine on time, you’ll get better eventually.”
“As for the painkillers… if you haven’t been taking too many at once, you shouldn’t build up a tolerance this quickly. I’ll switch you to this one first to see if it works.”
Zhou Yi nodded, turning to leave.
“By the way, Xiao Yi, where did you learn about this specific drug?” Doctor Wu paused, asking aloud.
“This medication does more than just relieve pain… Have you been… experiencing hallucinations and auditory illusions?”
Zhou Yi stood before the door. Light streamed in through the window behind him, casting the hallway and his shadow in a deep, solitary hue.
He turned his head slightly, his gaze dark and unfathomable. Doctor Wu felt a sudden, sharp thud in her chest, a faint instinct telling her that something was wrong.
She had encountered all sorts of figures before serving Chu Yanyi—from desperate outlaws to high-society nobles. Those experiences had made her resilient, yet today, this slave without even a proper name managed to pierce through that tough shell with a single, quiet glance.
Could it just be a coincidence? This Alpha appeared completely clueless about pharmaceuticals; it wasn’t impossible that he simply picked this one by chance from among various painkillers.
Zhou Yi bowed slightly, a posture expressing gratitude.
No matter what, he could not allow himself to see strange things or hear strange voices while out with Mr. Chu, bringing disgrace to his master.
Traveling from the manor to the designated club required crossing more than half of the Third District. Even using the fastest flyer, it would take nearly half a day.
Chu Yanyi was in no hurry. He finished his lunch unhurriedly, drank a bit of wine, and took a brief afternoon nap before taking Zhou Yi to change clothes.
The attire was tailor-made and somewhat tricky for one person to put on alone. Chu Yanyi fastened the topmost button of his shirt, reached out to pick up the cufflinks from the servant’s tray, and asked with a genial smile whether Zhou Yi’s wound still hurt and how his medication was going recently.
Zhou Yi, who had just finished changing and walked over, raised his head blankly. All the rehearsed explanations he had prepared evaporated the moment he met Chu Yanyi’s eyes.
Perhaps because he had just woken up, the outer corners of Chu Yanyi’s eyes were still slightly moist. His blue eyes resembled a pool of warm spring water, almost drowning anyone who looked into them.
Even leaning on a cane, the man’s posture remained tall and elegant. He looked at Zhou Yi attentively, the curve of his lips perfectly set, gentle as a spring breeze.
Yet Zhou Yi felt a sense of guilt in his chest. Fingering the candy box in his pocket, he had the illusion of being completely seen through.
“Even if it isn’t deep, it still looks fairly severe,” Chu Yanyi scanned the servant currently bending down to buckle his belt, gesturing for Zhou Yi to step forward.
He turned around, his fingers brushing over the slightly reddened skin surrounding Zhou Yi’s wound: “It would be my sin if you ended up disfigured; even as a ghost, Ying Yu wouldn’t let me off the hook.”
Hearing the name Ying Yu, Zhou Yi’s breathing paused noticeably. He lowered his head silently, as if trying to make it easier for Chu Yanyi to touch him, attempting to settle the restlessness and unease rising inside him at the sound of that name.
“You might hear a lot of things about Ying Yu in a moment, as well as his name. Do you remember what I taught you?” Chu Yanyi spoke softly, leaning down to whisper by Zhou Yi’s ear, “Do what you want to do. Ignore the people you don’t care to acknowledge. With me around, you can be as unbridled as you like.”
Zhou Yi took a deep breath and remained still, only the pinky finger of his left hand trembling neurotically out of excitement.
During this period, he had already tried imitating the arrogant guests he had seen on the starship, yet Chu Yanyi never seemed satisfied. He truly didn’t know how else he could act arrogant, feeling dejected for a while before summoning the courage to ask Chu Yanyi directly.
Chu Yanyi hadn’t been angry. He sat calmly behind his large desk, looking down as he toyed with the hourglass: “The most arrogant person I’ve seen?”
Chu Yanyi had looked up with a wicked smile: “It was actually you.”
Zhou Yi had frozen on the spot, his lips trembling, unsure of how to react.
“So when the time comes, no matter who speaks to you or what they do to you, just do whatever you want. If you don’t want to talk to them, don’t. If you’re unhappy, show it. Even if a fight breaks out, it doesn’t matter,” Chu Yanyi had raised an eyebrow. “As long as I am here, nothing will happen to you.”
Chu Yanyi was telling the truth. People said this lover of Ying Yu’s relied on Ying Yu’s power to act brazenly, but no matter how Chu Yanyi looked at it, this man’s arrogance seemed carved into his bones.
Even his current expressionless demeanor was enough to intimidate certain people.
He picked up the belt from the other side, using it to gently lift Zhou Yi’s chin under everyone’s watchful eyes, letting out a satisfied smile: “Now this looks quite good.”
Zhou Yi raised his head, licked his lips, and emitted a raspy “mm” from his nose.
The silver contours of the flyer sliced silently through the sunlight. Chu Yanyi leaned against the window, staring at the shrinking landscape below. The vast manor turned into a paper box, followed by desolate, empty mountain ranges, with the surrounding highways resembling silver snakes.
Chu Yanyi narrowed his eyes as the bustling city center came into view. He could no longer recall the scene when he first arrived in the Third District; back then, he was busy trying to survive, busy contacting various factions, busy expanding his influence… Chu Yanqi had been sent to the Empire at the time; she wanted to drop out of school to help, but Chu Yanyi had scolded her harshly.
Back then, Ying Yu—as well as the upper-class figures of Desert Planet θ—were merely individual symbols to him, high and mighty representations of power.
He pressed against the glass and turned his head, impassively observing Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi sat on the other side gnawing on his finger while flipping through a picture book. He maintained a proper sitting posture, his black hair meticulously combed back, looking even more like an obedient, well-behaved wealthy heir in this tailored suit.
Chu Yanyi recognized the cover of the book—it had been flipped through by Zhou Yi until it was practically worn out. Zhou Yi seemed to have a soft spot for picture books.
Despite being given a terminal, Zhou Yi hardly ever used it, as if he had already learned everything he wanted to know.
Such as the semi-fictionalized rise of Chu Yanyi, or the news of Ying Yu’s death.
A soothing symphony played inside the flyer. Listening to the sound of pages turning, Chu Yanyi slowly relaxed his fingers resting on the armrest, unconsciously closing his eyes.
There were too many chaotic matters; he hadn’t slept a full night in three days, having only napped briefly at noon.
By the time Chu Yanyi woke up, they were half a system hour away from their destination.
Chu Yanyi rubbed his shoulders. Before he could speak, Zhou Yi handed him a glass of water at a comfortable temperature.
“You didn’t sleep?” Chu Yanyi took a sip of water, his voice still carrying a bit of raspiness as he teased, “Isn’t it boring? Taking you out is much better; Chen Ke and the others can be too noisy sometimes.”
Zhou Yi blinked blankly, pointing to his throat as if taking those words literally.
“True. The doctor said your vocal cords aren’t actually damaged, so why can’t you speak? Still, if you take your medicine on time, you’ll recover eventually,” Chu Yanyi supported his chin, remarking with a casual smile.
Zhou Yi’s face turned deathly pale. Touching the raised patterns on his candy box, he parted his lips. In the end, combining gestures and typing, he disclosed to Chu Yanyi the fact that he had privately asked Doctor Wu to change his medication.
“I thought you didn’t plan on telling me,” Chu Yanyi leaned back against the seat, chuckling softly.
Zhou Yi remained motionless with dropped eyes, his left hand tucked behind his back gripping his right wrist tightly. Whatever the outcome, he was prepared to accept it.
“Why so nervous? Come closer.”
Zhou Yi stepped up to Chu Yanyi as if marching toward his execution.
“You didn’t shave properly,” Chu Yanyi pointed at his own chin, pulling out his portable military knife and placing it in Zhou Yi’s hand. “Go on.”
Zhou Yi looked up in surprise, then quickly lowered his head to avoid eye contact.
“Don’t worry. Whether you change your medication or not has nothing to do with me.“
Zhou Yi’s Adam’s apple trembled twice, as if unable to comprehend Chu Yanyi’s meaning. Concealing this matter should have naturally warranted punishment from the master.
Seeming to understand his thoughts, Chu Yanyi let out a sigh: “Zhou Yi, your personal affairs have nothing to do with me. You don’t need my permission for everything. You and I share only a working relationship, not one of master and slave. Desert Planet θ abolished slavery long ago. When I ask you to be obedient, I simply hope you won’t make mistakes at work or hinder others. Put this way, can you understand?”
Zhou Yi’s pupils quivered violently as he tightened his grip on the knife handle. He hadn’t touched such a dangerous object in a long time, yet the feel of it in his hand right now felt incomparably familiar. If… if he wanted to do something bad to Mr. Chu… why would Mr. Chu trust him so much…?
First came confusion, followed immediately by an overwhelming wave of guilt that nearly swallowed him whole.
“What’s wrong? If shaving with your left hand is inconvenient, I’ll have someone outside help you.”
Zhou Yi shook his head rapidly, turning around with the compact military knife to step into the small attached bathroom to the side.
Moments later, Zhou Yi stepped back out, presenting the knife to Chu Yanyi with both hands.
Chu Yanyi didn’t take it, merely pinching Zhou Yi’s chin to inspect it from left to right, his smile gentle: “That’ll do. What about the collar? Can you put it on by yourself?”
Zhou Yi froze for a long moment. Chu Yanyi watched him calmly, his posture relaxed and detached. It was not until dusk settled entirely that no sunlight remained outside the window.
A guard outside stepped in to inform Chu Yanyi that they were about to arrive. Only then did Chu Yanyi rise leaning on his cane, uttering a nonchalant “understood.”
“Forget it, since you can’t use your right hand, I’ll do it,” Chu Yanyi stepped past Zhou Yi, picking up the collar placed on the seat.
Although invisible from the outside, the interior of the collar had been modified, fitted with tracking and electric shock features.
The buckle clicked shut with a sharp snap. Unhurriedly, Chu Yanyi patted Zhou Yi’s shoulder: “This knife is a gift to you. Perform well tonight, and there will be a reward when we return.”