The particle-beam rifle landed under a distant tree, its dark-blue energy glow gradually fading away.
Wang Wu lay sprawled on the ground, surrounded by the torn fragments of her exoskeleton armor. Blood streaked from the corner of her mouth, a vivid reminder of the fight she had just lost.
Wei Qing grabbed her arm and dragged her beneath the tree, setting her against the trunk so she could sit upright.
“Ow, ah, damn… Wei Qing, what’s with the temper? Don’t tell me you really like that Omega?” Wang Wu still couldn’t resist provoking him, even as pain flickered in her eyes.
Wei Qing’s face remained cold. He opened her terminal and sent a brief message to the Mecha Division, instructing them to come and retrieve her.
He glanced down at her, voice detached. “Old Wang asked me to teach you a lesson if I ran into you today. You should know what he meant by that.”
“Hypocrite!” Wang Wu sneered, her tone sharp and fearless despite her injuries. She exposed his excuse with a single word.
Wei Qing stood up, clearly intending to leave. “Wait,” she called after him, “give me a smoke… the pain’s killing me.”
“You’ve got enough strength to talk but not to press the button yourself?”
“Can’t move my fingers,” she muttered, wiggling them slightly to prove her point. “…Really can’t.”
As a genius mecha engineer, Wang Wu could live without many things but never without cigarettes and coffee.
Wei Qing sighed in annoyance, pressed the activation switch on her wrist-mounted vaporizer and a puff of pale pink mist drifted into the air, hovering in front of her.
Cigarettes existed in the beastmen’s world too, though those were the old-fashioned kind rolled by hand. In the interstellar era, they had evolved into a technological indulgence, stored in compact vaporizers, ready to release flavor with a single press.
Wei Qing had once considered using them to block out the scent of pheromones. But the vapors of this age were too mild, engineered for health and leisure rather than distraction. They were useless against something as potent as an Omega’s scent.
He had tried other methods too, wearing toxin masks, nano-filters, anything to muffle his sense of smell. They worked. Too well. The world became blank, scentless.
Wei Qing couldn’t stand it. The beast in him rebelled against the emptiness. To lose his sense of smell was to lose his sense of self.
“Wei Qing,” Wang Wu exhaled a cloud of pink smoke, her voice steadier now thanks to the faint stimulant mixed in. “You really summoned the Crimson Flame… all for that damned wedding? You know the Crimson Flame’s in the middle of an upgrade cycle!”
Wei Qing’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your mouth. It’s not a ‘damned wedding.’ It’s a happy one.”
“You! ” Wang Wu caught herself before finishing the insult. The warning in his gaze silenced her.
She gave a low, humorless laugh. “If he knew what you really are, do you think he’d still accept you?”
Wei Qing’s expression turned to ice. Standing tall, he looked down at her and let out a short, derisive sound. “Whether he accepts me or not doesn’t matter. I’ll have him, one way or another.”
With that, he turned and walked away, boots thudding against the ground.
Wang Wu spat a mouthful of blood in his direction. “Bastard. He really went too far today.”
Leaning back against the tree, she looked up at the dark-blue night sky. Two moons hung high and uneven, one above, one below, casting twin arcs of ghostly light across the land.
That same pale light slipped through the window slats, pooling across the floor where Wei Qing stood. His ears still echoed Zhou Younan’s terrified cry. Now, Wei Qing understood the answer his little test had uncovered.
Zhou Younan was afraid, afraid of his beast form.
At first, when their eyes had met, Wei Qing thought the Omega wasn’t frightened at all. But now the truth stood plain before him.
He shifted, his massive form shrinking and reforming until his human shape returned.
His temperature differed greatly between the two forms and so his combat suit, engineered by the mecha department, was specially designed to stretch, retract and cloak itself accordingly.
In human form, it fit close to his body like a black tactical uniform. When he transformed, the fabric adapted seamlessly, disappearing from sight until he changed back, restoring itself to its original state.
Wei Qing inhaled deeply. The faint trace of catnip lingered in the air and he knew his body had grown addicted to it, to the scent that clung to Zhou Younan.
Even as reason whispered that he should back away, Wei Qing was a man who had always obeyed instinct over logic.
He made his choice at once. If Zhou Younan feared the truth, then he would make sure he never found out.
“Zhou Younan.”
His voice cut through the silence like the first light of dawn.
Zhou Younan froze. The sound of Wei Qing calling his name was enough to steady him. It was as if a lost ship adrift in the dark had suddenly found a harbor. Slowly, his trembling ceased.
He opened his eyes and released the doorknob he’d been gripping so tightly that its imprint remained on his palm.
When he pushed open the metal door of the storage room, he saw Wei Qing standing there, tall, composed and watching him quietly.
Dressed in black, his long golden hair gleamed faintly under the lights and his forest-green eyes shone with a calm depth that could swallow shadows whole.
“Wei Qing!” Zhou Younan ran straight into his arms. “There was a leopard, an Earth animal!”
Still shaken by fear, he didn’t notice that Wei Qing’s hands hung motionless at his sides, not returning the embrace.
“You were scared?” Wei Qing asked, voice even.
“Yes.” Zhou Younan nodded, still clinging to his waist as he glanced around the room. The creature was gone, vanished without a trace.
Releasing Wei Qing, he looked around again, anxious. “It was here just now. I swear I saw a leopard.”
Worried that Wei Qing wouldn’t believe him, Zhou Younan quickly added details. “Its ear had a three-colored tag too. Is it yours?”
“Yes. His name is Wei San.” Wei Qing stepped to the doorway, pretending to inspect the shadows inside. “He used to sneak in here when he was hungry. If he frightens you, I’ll make sure he doesn’t come indoors again.”
Zhou Younan hesitated beside him. “Why would you keep an Earth animal? How long have you had him? Is he difficult to care for? Does he ever hurt people?”
Wei Qing turned slightly, an eyebrow lifting as he looked down at him.
Zhou Younan tilted his head back, waiting for an answer.
The tension in Wei Qing’s face softened. The corner of his mouth curved faintly. “He was a gift from the Emperor. I’ve had him for more than ten years. I don’t know how old he is. He’s easy to keep, gentle, and even affectionate.”
“Then… Did I scare him away?” Zhou Younan looked guilty.
Without a word, Wei Qing shut the door to the storage room. “You’re not afraid anymore?”
“I am,” Zhou Younan admitted honestly. “But I’m also curious. He’s larger than the books describe, more beautiful too and…”
“And what?” Wei Qing asked.
“More lonely…..” Zhou Younan murmured.
A flicker crossed Wei Qing’s eyes. The smile faded from his face as he studied the Omega carefully. “Why do you think he’s lonely?”
“Because Earth stopped spinning long ago. He must have no companions.” Zhou Younan looked away, his lips pressing together, his voice softening. “I just thought… Maybe he feels alone. Did I say something wrong?”
“No,” Wei Qing said slowly. Then, with deliberate nonchalance, he added, “But you might have hurt his feelings. Maybe he’s out there in the woods crying right now.”
Zhou Younan blinked. “He cries?” Guilt pricked at him again. “Have you seen him cry before?”
“I have,” Wei Qing replied smoothly. “Once he learned what loneliness was, he cried.”
“What?” Zhou Younan repeated the phrase, puzzled. “He learned what loneliness was?” It sounded like a riddle.
He lifted his gaze, only to see the mischievous glint in Wei Qing’s eyes.
Realization hit. Zhou Younan flushed red.
Wei Qing had been teasing him all along.
The guilt and fear that had knotted in his chest evaporated instantly. He pressed his lips together in frustration and turned away. “Then let him cry all he wants.”
“Oh, you’re so heartless,” Wei Qing drawled behind him, laughter in his voice as he followed at an easy pace.
That night, Zhou Younan took out a fresh set of clothes, ready to shower.
“You don’t need to undress,” Wei Qing said, pulling him along toward the bathroom.
Zhou Younan froze. “How do you expect me to bathe with my clothes on?”
He looked at Wei Qing in confusion, only to find those green eyes filled with a heat that had nothing to do with the water.
Wei Qing closed the glass door of the bathroom behind them.
“This is an ion shower,” he explained, his voice low, calm. “No water involved. It only takes about three minutes.”
The soft current of ionized air swept through the space, carrying a faint mist that brushed over skin from every direction, cool and warm all at once. It felt unreal, as though invisible hands were tracing the air around them.
Zhou Younan stiffened a little. “It’s… strange,” he admitted. “I’m not used to wind touching everywhere like that.”
“Not a fan?” Wei Qing leaned lazily against the opposite wall, arms folded across his chest, his long golden hair lifting and twisting in the current.
“I’m just not used to it,” Zhou Younan said quickly.
Wei Qing’s mouth curved slightly. “I don’t like getting my hair wet. That’s why I use this kind of shower.”
“Oh.” Zhou Younan understood now; it wasn’t arrogance, just preference. He thought Wei Qing’s tone carried the faintest hint of explanation, something softer than his usual coldness.
“Tomorrow morning I’m heading to the Imperial Palace,” Wei Qing said after a moment. “The Emperor wants to settle the Royal Reeves Hotel incident.”
Zhou Younan hesitated. “Because of me?”
Wei Qing opened one eye, his gaze amused. “Worried for me?”
“…Yes.”
“The Emperor’s been annoyed with that hotel for years,” Wei Qing said, eyes closing again. “It carries the name ‘Royal,’ and His Majesty doesn’t like anyone borrowing that word.”
Zhou Younan’s attention drifted over Wei Qing’s features, his dark, thick eyebrows, the contrast of gold hair against fair skin, the lashes long and shadowed against his cheeks.
“I’ll make breakfast before I go,” Wei Qing murmured. “It’ll be warmer. Don’t forget to eat.”
“Mm.” Zhou Younan nodded automatically, then added, “I can just take nutrient packs.”
Wei Qing turned his head slightly toward him, eyes still closed. “You’re saying my cooking isn’t as good as nutrient packs?”
Caught off guard, Zhou Younan stammered, “Your cooking is delicious.”
Wei Qing chuckled softly, a flash of white teeth showing. “That’s better.”
The atmosphere changed, subtle but tangible. The air between them grew thicker, filled with the faint hum of the ion field and something else, something alive.
A dull ache pulsed at the back of Zhou Younan’s neck. The glands beneath the skin felt hot, heavy and sore. He leaned back against the wall, trying to breathe through it. He knew this feeling, his sensitivity period was approaching.
He needed calm, distance, control. What he forgot was that the small six-square-meter space didn’t allow distance and that another person stood only a few steps away.
Wei Qing moved closer, coming to rest shoulder to shoulder beside him.
Zhou Younan’s body tensed immediately. In his loss of control, he had released a flood of pheromones and now the faint, distinctive scent filled the room like invisible smoke.
He stole a glance at Wei Qing.
Wei Qing closed his eyes, leaning his head lightly against the smooth wall as he took a series of deep, steadying breaths.
His brow bone was prominent, his nose straight and defined, and his Adam’s apple moved up and down with every breath he took, a clear sign of the tension coursing through him.
Zhou Younan, sensing the shift in atmosphere, quietly stepped away without making a sound.
Even though Wei Qing still looked exactly the same as before, his posture was calm, his expression composed, there was something different about him now, something dangerous hidden beneath the surface.
The air between them felt charged and unpredictable, as though one wrong move could ignite it completely.
Zhou Younan instinctively put more distance between them, moving toward the corner of the bathroom, seeking the cold safety of the tiles.
Wei Qing, however, stayed where he was, appearing utterly unaware that Zhou Younan had retreated. His body seemed relaxed, but there was an undercurrent of restrained intensity in the air.
Just when Zhou Younan allowed himself a brief moment of relief, Wei Qing suddenly opened his eyes and turned toward him with a faint, unsettling smile.
Zhou Younan’s instincts immediately screamed that something was wrong. He wanted to step away, to escape the sudden pressure in the air, but before he could move, Wei Qing’s arm came up and pressed against the wall beside him, blocking his only way out.
Wei Qing reached forward, his fingers wrapping tightly around Zhou Younan’s arm, pulling him back with quiet force. “Where are we going?” he asked, his voice low and deceptively calm.
Zhou Younan forced himself to stay composed despite the rising tension. “I wasn’t going anywhere,” he said quickly. “Calm down. I just lost control for a moment. I’ve already put my pheromones away.”
Wei Qing lowered his head without warning, his breath brushing against Zhou Younan’s skin as he buried his face in the curve of his neck.
He inhaled deeply, a quiet sound of satisfaction escaping from his throat, and a look of indulgent pleasure flickered across his face.
“You smell so good,” he murmured, the words dragging softly against Zhou Younan’s ear.
Zhou Younan’s entire body trembled involuntarily, a deep sense of regret washing over him. He cursed inwardly, realizing once again that he had used too much of the medicine.
Wei Qing’s voice came again, rough and hoarse, every word brushing against his nerves like heat. “I think now would be a good time to teach you how to breathe properly,” he said, his tone dangerously low, “otherwise, it would be troublesome if you still couldn’t breathe properly when we get to bed later.”
His words made Zhou Younan’s neck prickle with numbness, the sound of that deep voice sending waves of confusion and tension through him.
Before Zhou Younan could even respond, Wei Qing tilted his head and kissed him.
The wall behind Zhou Younan was cold and unyielding, while the body pressed against him was scorching hot, impossible to push away. Wei Qing’s kiss was fierce, burning, and overwhelming, and Zhou Younan could barely breathe under the intensity of it.
Every breath felt stolen, every second heavy with heat and confusion.
His head began to spin again, his thoughts blurring at the edges.
Finally, Wei Qing stopped moving, pulling back slightly while Zhou Younan gasped for air, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to calm the storm of his own heartbeat.
“I love your dark eyes.”
Wei Qing’s voice was low and gentle as he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss onto Zhou Younan’s eyelids.
The touch was feather light, almost reverent, and it made Zhou Younan’s eyelashes tremble slightly. Gradually, his uneven breathing began to calm, the tension in his chest easing little by little.
“When we kiss,” Wei Qing said softly, his tone patient and soothing, “you can breathe through your nose. Next, I will kiss you slowly. Try to breathe through your nose while I do.”
His eyes were filled with a quiet intensity, a deep and burning look that seemed to pull Zhou Younan in. Under that gaze, Zhou Younan could only nod slightly, his movements small and hesitant, as if he were caught under a spell.
Wei Qing slipped an arm around him and effortlessly lifted him up, pressing his back gently against the wall. Their eyes were now level, close enough that Zhou Younan could see his own reflection in Wei Qing’s dark pupils.
The warmth of Wei Qing’s body spread through him, sharp against the chill of the tiled wall.
Wei Qing smiled faintly, his lips curving with a mix of patience and desire. Then he leaned in, his lips brushing Zhou Younan’s with a tenderness that contrasted the heat simmering beneath it.
He kissed him slowly, lingeringly, savoring every touch as if tasting something precious, like ice cream melting on the tongue. His movements were unhurried, steady, coaxing Zhou Younan to follow his rhythm.
Zhou Younan tried to do as he was told, focusing on the steady pace and learning to breathe gently through his nose. Wei Qing pulled back slightly, the corner of his lips lifting into a pleased smile. “You’ve got it,” he murmured before deepening the kiss again.
The next moment, the kiss grew heavier, the pace deepened, and Zhou Younan once again forgot to breathe. His thoughts blurred, his chest tightened, and the world seemed to narrow until only Wei Qing remained in his senses.
Wei Qing noticed and slowed down, his breath warm against Zhou Younan’s lips as he whispered, “Then breathe through your mouth between my movements, Zhou Younan.” His tone was low and slightly hoarse, the sound vibrating softly against Zhou Younan’s skin.
Time slipped away without either of them noticing. The three minutes of the plasma wind had long passed, and the soft current of air had already faded into silence, leaving only the sound of their breathing filling the small space.
Wei Qing finally lifted his head slightly, his lips still close to Zhou Younan’s ear. “You’ve learned it,” he said in a quiet, approving voice.
Zhou Younan, still dazed, felt Wei Qing’s arm slide more firmly around his waist. Without realizing it, he instinctively wrapped his arms around Wei Qing’s neck for support. His body responded faster than his mind, his pulse quickening with confusion.
Wei Qing caught the uncertain look in his eyes and raised an eyebrow with a teasing smile. “Next,” he said, his voice low and meaningful, “let’s do something that newlyweds should do.”
Zhou Younan’s eyes widened slightly, his mind clearing in an instant. The haze that had clouded his thoughts dissipated, and reality returned with a sharp clarity.
The kiss, though intense, was still something he could accept, something he could rationalize. But that next step, he could not, and would not, take that step lightly.
His heart pounded as he quickly turned his face away. He did not want to cross that line with Wei Qing unless there was absolutely no other choice.
After all, Wei Qing was still the man who could not even stand to look at his own luggage, the man who, in truth, carried a deep and lingering hatred toward himself.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Escape from Zhou familyChapter 2 · Bride To BeChapter 3 · Attacked on SpaceshipChapter 4 · FiancéChapter 5 · Wild one Tastes betterChapter 6 · Cousin, Zhou MoChapter 7 · Wedding DressChapter 8 · Wedding Hall disputeChapter 9 · Marshal Fainted!Chapter 10 · CATNIP!Chapter 11 · His Pheromone is Catnip!Chapter 12 · The show beginsChapter 13 · He likes me!Chapter 14 · He is crazy!Chapter 15 · Auditorium, I brought it. Do you like it?Chapter 16 · Only I can bite your lipsChapter 17 · Wei Qing grabbed his wristChapter 18 · Your posture just now was perfect for kissingChapter 19 · This is… Wei Qing’s leopard?Chapter 20 · Let’s do what newlyweds should do.Chapter 21 · Release your pheromones and overwhelm meChapter 22 · Zhou Younan, I miss you.Chapter 23 · The promise to bite your lip isn’t just for yesterdayChapter 24 · You beast! You enormous beastChapter 25 · My patience is almost at its limitChapter 26 · Touch Wei San? Pluck its feathers?Chapter 27 · Doesn’t Wei Qing like you a lot?Chapter 28 · You’re the dog, your whole family are dogsChapter 29 · How did things turn out like this?!Chapter 30 · Zhou Younan, I love everything about youChapter 31 · Cheetahs do react to catnip.Chapter 32 · Second PrinceChapter 33 · Immersed in the fluffy touchChapter 34 · What can you do to help if you stay?Chapter 35 · Sand WormChapter 36 · I gave Wei Qing a capsuleChapter 37 · His vulnerable period has arrivedChapter 38 · Reason has long since been burned awayChapter 39 · I can’t believe I did that! I’m insane!Chapter 40 · The person I want to protect is my wifeChapter 41 · Zhou Younan, you can only be mineChapter 42 · Until the last star in the universe is annihilated.Chapter 43 · The light in Wei Qing’s eyes dimmed.Chapter 44 · Family?Chapter 45 · The green capsule was in his palmChapter 46 · Zhou Younan was filled with fearChapter 47 · Brother won’t abandon youChapter 48 · What a piece of trash!Chapter 49 · Zhou Younan, are you looking at me?Chapter 50 · Zhou Younan feared Xu QiChapter 51 · Zhou Younan, you’re such a foolChapter 52 · You really don’t want to marry me?Chapter 53 · My braceletChapter 54 · Zhou Younan, I can’t mark youChapter 55 · A symbol of brotherhoodChapter 56 · How old are you?Chapter 57 · Abnormal!Chapter 58 · Did you give Wei Qing the capsules from the tin box?Chapter 59 · Brother, I’ve made up my mindChapter 60 · Doing things for you is my wishChapter 61 · You’re the first person I’ve ever liked, Wei Qing.Chapter 62 · Childhood sweetheartChapter 63 · He can’t live without youChapter 64 · Teacher RigenChapter 65 · Were they running togetherChapter 66 · You two kidnappersChapter 67 · GiftChapter 68 · Don’t look back, just carry onChapter 69 · Maurice Jin is already a thing of the past for meChapter 70 · I finally found youChapter 71 · Who’s your wife?Chapter 72 · How would he interpret his leaving?Chapter 73 · Wei Qing was Wei San?Chapter 74 · Maurice Jin had been assassinated?!Chapter 75 · Turn your face towards the sunChapter 76 · Wei Qing’s eyes were brightChapter 77 · Pheromones are a double edged swordChapter 78 · Don’t stareChapter 79 · He’s the Empire’s MarshalChapter 80 · So WeakChapter 81 · Are you alright?Chapter 82 · Was he really that kind of person?Chapter 83 · He remembered his forgotten goalsChapter 84 · Come on, shoot me in the heartChapter 85 · Why are you unhappy again when I touch you?Chapter 86 · Don’t you even like me anymore?Chapter 87 · Wei Qing transformed into Wei San.Chapter 88 · I’ll give you my love, and I’ll give you my lifeChapter 89 · Just do it for me, okay?Chapter 90 · Don’t bother me until you explain clearlyChapter 91 · I want to stop your time when you still love meChapter 92 · Damn it! Zhou Younan! You just waitChapter 93 · From the very beginning, I had no choiceChapter 94 · From the very beginning, I had no choiceChapter 95 · A gunshot rang outChapter 96 · I grew up in the research instituteChapter 97 · You complete liar! You’re despicableChapter 98 · You will always be the only one in my heartChapter 99 · You are actually the same as meChapter 100 · Zhou Younan, I’m leavingChapter 101 · How could a big cat possibly resist the allure of catnip?Chapter 102 · The EndChapter 103 · Extra: 1