Shi You felt himself being lifted off the ground.
The air was filled with the scent of late autumn, a cold, woody fragrance that gently soothed his tense nerves, softening the edges of his thoughts. It reminded him of a long time ago.
When he was a child, he often sat alone on rainy days, watching the rain fall.
The drizzle would soak the air, turning the whole alley hazy and sleepy beneath the sound of endless rainfall.
He would sit quietly on a stone bench, staring blankly at the gloomy sky. The damp air seemed to drift nowhere.
A girl passing by hesitated for a long time before timidly approaching him. She reached out and lightly tapped his shoulder, asking softly,
“Are you… sad about something?”
Shi You lifted his head.
His face was calm and expressionless, distant in a way that made him seem cold, or perhaps simply indifferent, like the rain itself.
“I’m not sad…” he said. “I like rainy days.”
The girl looked into his empty eyes, clutching her umbrella tighter. After a long internal struggle, she whispered carefully, “But Shi You… You look so lonely. You’re always alone….”
Her childish voice was swallowed by the rain.
Shi You watched her walk away, her small figure disappearing into the mist, before tilting his head back toward the falling drizzle.
He didn’t understand what the girl meant by “lonely.” He’d only recently learned the meaning of the word “like” in class.
The teacher said that liking something meant wanting to be close to it.
He wanted to be close to the rain, so that must mean he liked it.
Mushrooms couldn’t comprehend human emotions. Just like him, they didn’t quite understand the so-called pheromone induced obsession that Alphas and Omegas often talked about.
That girl said being alone was lonely.
Shi You buried half his face into his knees, his quiet eyes reflecting the fine strands of falling rain.
But mushrooms didn’t need anyone else. They were born to exist alone.
So, he must have always been lonely.
When Shi You opened his eyes again, he found himself lying on a soft sofa.
The temperature in the room was just right, warm and comfortable. A humidifier was working quietly nearby, the faint hiss of mist blending with the hum of the heater. The room was dim, lit only by a small orange-tinted lamp by the table.
For a long moment, Shi You simply stared, dazed, his brain too sluggish to figure out where he was.
“You’re awake?”
The familiar, pleasant voice came from above his head. Only then did he realize he was still leaning against someone’s arm, Lu Yicheng’s arm.
Lu Yicheng was wearing glasses, a laptop balanced on his lap as he worked. Meanwhile, Shi You had his small face pressed against Lu Yicheng’s arm, clinging tightly to it, wrapped in a soft blanket.
Shi You blinked in confusion. Before he could even speak, a cup was suddenly placed in front of him.
“Drink this,” Lu Yicheng said.
Shi You’s brain wasn’t fully functioning and his body felt soft and lazy. He didn’t want to move, didn’t even want to let go of Lu Yicheng’s arm.
He stared blankly at the cup, then instinctively leaned forward, lips brushing against the rim.
The man holding the cup stiffened slightly but soon adjusted, tilting it closer to his lips.
Shi You took a small sip and smacked his lips.
It was bitter, cold medicine.
Lu Yicheng noticed his unwilling expression, so he reached out again, gently tilting the cup and coax him to drink it all.
By the time Shi You had been force-fed the whole thing, he looked even more deflated and his brows wrinkled tight as he whispered pitifully, “It’s so bitter…”
Lu Yicheng’s gaze softened at that.
Shi You glanced around the room again and finally realized this wasn’t a dream. He was truly at Lu Yicheng’s home, and worse, still clinging to him.
He sat up slightly, the blanket slipping down. “I… how long was I asleep?”
“Forty minutes,” Lu Yicheng replied. He bent down to pick up the fallen blanket and covered him again.
“Oh…” Shi You mumbled. The woody scent of Lu Yicheng’s pheromones was strong at this distance, clean and crisp like cedar. His body instinctively leaned closer. “You brought me in, didn’t you?”
“Who else? You think you flew in here?” Lu Yicheng flicked his forehead. “Why were you sitting outside?”
Shi You rubbed his forehead, then turned his face to the other side and mumbled, “You told me not to climb over your balcony.”
Lu Yicheng frowned. “That’s not what I meant.”
“You were sick, barely dressed, sitting out there in the cold. Why didn’t you just call me?”
“I was going to,” Shi You said weakly. “But I suddenly felt dizzy… Wait, do I even have your number?”
They stared at each other for a beat before Shi You blinked in realization. “Oh! From when you helped me collect my package!”
Lu Yicheng was speechless. He dropped the blanket over Shi You’s face.
Shi You quickly pulled it off, only to hear Lu Yicheng’s low voice beside him: “Your phone number”
He took out his phone, opened WeChat, and waited. When Shi You didn’t respond, he said with calm patience that carried a hint of warning, “Hurry up.”
Shi You quickly recited his number.
Lu Yicheng’s rolled-up shirt sleeves revealed the soft folds at his forearm. His long fingers moved fluidly as he typed the number.
Soon, Shi You’s WeChat profile popped up. His avatar was a pouting child wearing sunglasses, and his username was boldly written as Miracle YouYou.
Lu Yicheng stared at it for a moment before the corner of his lips twitched upward. “Childish.”
He pressed Add Friend.
“Accept it when you get back,” he said flatly, putting away his phone as if nothing had happened.
Shi You didn’t quite know how to respond. Though he’d just been teased, he couldn’t help but feel secretly delighted, he had Lu Yicheng’s WeChat now!
Then, as if remembering something, he asked, “Where’s the spruce plant that was beside me?”
“Over there,” Lu Yicheng said, glancing toward the indoor shelf. “I tended to it a little. It’s on the rack now.”
Shi You followed his gaze.
The little spruce stood tall and vibrant on the shelf, its needles fresh and green, giving off a clean, woody scent.
“It looks so nice there,” Shi You said with a faint smile. “You don’t need to call it temporary. I actually meant to give it to you, it smells like you.”
Lu Yicheng watched his soft lashes flutter twice, his cheek squishing gently against his arm. For a fleeting second, the urge to reach out and pinch his face surfaced, but he quickly frowned at his own ridiculous thought.
“Feeling better?” he asked, shifting slightly to free his trapped arm. “If you are, let go of me.”
“I’m not better yet,” Shi You said shamelessly, burrowing even deeper against him before reluctantly loosening his grip.
He didn’t understand why Lu Yicheng’s tone had changed so suddenly, but he nodded honestly anyway.
“You really have no filter,” Lu Yicheng muttered, straightening up.
If it were another Alpha, one less restrained, this naive Beta might have already lost his innocence by now.
And yet, when Lu Yicheng leaned closer, he caught a faint, fleeting scent, sweet, like cream. But when he tried to pinpoint it again, it was gone.
“Stay here and eat the cake,” he said, grinding his teeth slightly. He placed a slice of strawberry shortcake in front of him, then stood, grabbing the towel hanging over the chair. “I’m going to wash up.”
Shi You watched him disappear into the bathroom, then looked down at the cake.
It was from Fecake, a famous patisserie, fluffy cream, glossy strawberries, a neat little label. The dessert looked almost too cute to be associated with someone as cold as Lu Yicheng.
He took a bite. The sweetness washed away the lingering bitterness of the medicine, coating his throat with soft cream.
As he chewed, he heard the sound of running water from the bathroom. His ears turned slightly red.
Why was he taking so long to shower?
The clock on the wall was blurry in the dim light. Time ticked quietly by. Listening to the steady rhythm of water, Shi You pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
The scent on the blanket, that cool, woody autumn fragrance, wrapped around his senses. He buried his face into it, wanting to drown in that scent completely.
That pull again. That uncontrollable attraction.
Was this what they meant by pheromone reaction? But he wasn’t even an Omega.
He just… wanted to be close to Lu Yicheng.
Was that what it meant to like someone?
As drowsiness crept over him, Shi You fell asleep wrapped in Lu Yicheng’s scent, surrounded by gentle warmth and mist.
A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened.
Lu Yicheng emerged in a simple T-shirt, towel in hand, drying his hair. His damp bangs softened his normally sharp features.
He poured himself a glass of water, then noticed Shi You sleeping soundly on the sofa. The Beta’s breathing was slow and even, long lashes resting on his cheeks, wrapped up in a blanket like he belonged there.
This mushroom really did act like he owned the place.
Lu Yicheng stood beside the sofa, watching him in silence for a moment. Then he reached out and poked his cheek.
Soft, softer than he expected.
So thin, yet his face still had some baby fat left.
Feeling the touch, Shi You stirred and opened his eyes.
Lu Yicheng froze, startled by both his own action and Shi You’s sudden wakefulness. “Did I wake you?”
Freshly showered, the man’s cedarwood scent was stronger than ever, clean, crisp, intoxicating. Shi You blinked sleepily, then smiled faintly. “You smell nice after your shower.”
He paused, sniffed himself, and said innocently, “Should I take one too?”
Lu Yicheng nearly choked on air. “That would be… very strange.”
His mind was already filled with dangerous thoughts, and the alcohol still lingering in his veins wasn’t helping. This naive Beta’s innocent words were testing the limits of his patience.
He ran a hand through his damp hair, checked the time, already past midnight.
He should go to sleep. But the Beta was still here, running a fever. Maybe he should go unlock the door to Shi You’s apartment for him.
Just as he turned to move, Shi You suddenly grabbed at his pant leg, his voice low and nervous, “So… it’s okay to hug, right?”
His body trembled faintly, the feverish heat making his skin oversensitive. He couldn’t control it, the craving for touch, for warmth.
Lu Yicheng looked down at him. “And what do I get out of that?”
Shi You blinked, thinking seriously. “What do you want?”
“I usually let the other party make an offer first,” Lu Yicheng replied dryly.
Shi You’s brow furrowed in thought. He didn’t have much, just a small apartment, some books, and his own peculiar identity as a mushroom. Then he remembered something.
“Mushroom?” he muttered softly. “I can show you my tendrils… You wanted to see them, right?”
Lu Yicheng stared at him, half amused, half speechless.
Fine. Not exactly a fair trade, but… acceptable. He’d blame it on the alcohol later.
“Show me then,” he said, sitting down opposite him, extending his hand.
Shi You swallowed nervously.
Lu Yicheng’s gaze wandered over him as he waited, the air between them thick with tension.
Then, from behind Shi You, thin, pale-pink filaments began to unfurl, soft, delicate tendrils that glimmered faintly.
They slid forward, wrapping around Lu Yicheng’s forearm, inching up to his palm.
The fine threads brushed across his fingers, winding between them, before the tip of one rested gently in his open hand.
Lu Yicheng watched, eyes darkening. He couldn’t tell if the Beta knew how alluring this looked. Slowly, he closed his fingers around the soft filaments.
Shi You jolted violently, as if struck by lightning.
“So sensitive,” Lu Yicheng murmured, a hint of amusement in his tone.
“They just… haven’t been used in a while,” Shi You stammered, his skin flushed crimson, neck nearly translucent from heat.
“They get sore like hands do… and no one’s ever touched them before…”
Lu Yicheng’s gaze slid down from his face to his neck. He tugged lightly on the tendrils, signaling him to come closer.
Shi You’s eyes lit up instantly.
He practically launched himself forward, wrapping his arms around Lu Yicheng’s waist, face buried against the man’s chest, utterly shameless.
“Give me some pheromones,” he mumbled. “I feel awful. The fever’s bad, and my tendrils ache. I’ll massage you, you just… give me some pheromones, okay?”
Lu Yicheng stared down at him, speechless. He’d never met anyone like this, so bold and yet so pure.
But seeing the Beta’s trembling frame and flushed skin, covered in those soft tendrils, he couldn’t bring himself to push him away.
After all, they had made a deal.
He sighed and gently patted Shi You’s back, releasing his pheromones.
The scent of cedarwood filled the room, calmer, gentler this time. It flowed over Shi You’s senses, lulling his feverish mind into peace.
It was unlike anything Shi You had ever experienced.
The pheromones soothed him more deeply than any physical touch ever could.
Wrapped in that comforting scent, in that warmth, Shi You felt himself melting.
The temperature, the humidity, the air, everything here belonged to Lu Yicheng. Everything he liked.
After a long, contented silence, his voice came, soft and sincere:
“Yicheng… would you like to keep a mushroom?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ COFFEE OFFERING
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · MushroomChapter 2 · Blocking The RoadChapter 3 · Pectoral MuscleChapter 4 · Delivering MealChapter 5 · CoatChapter 6 · NeighbourChapter 7 · CookiesChapter 8 · BalconyChapter 9 · MyceliumChapter 10 · Don’t PinchChapter 11 · Warmth and NourishmentChapter 12 · Speak without RestraintChapter 13 · On the bedChapter 14 · InterviewChapter 15 · InjuredChapter 16 · So WetChapter 17 · Drink WineChapter 18 · Play AgainChapter 19 · HostChapter 20 · RomanceChapter 21 · KissChapter 22 · What should Daddy do?Chapter 23 · Washing FeetsChapter 24 · MoodChapter 25 · No kissing allowedChapter 26 · Broken BridgeChapter 27 · Blind DateChapter 28 · Dinner PartyChapter 29 · FamilyChapter 30 · Heat Sensitivity PeriodChapter 31 · LickChapter 32 · AgainChapter 33 · BabyChapter 34 · SeminarChapter 35 · Matcha TroubleChapter 36 · SpankingChapter 37 · EroticChapter 38 · JealousyChapter 39 · Little Male ServantChapter 40 · I want…Chapter 41 · Deep ConnectionChapter 42 · ToothpasteChapter 43 · DifferentiationChapter 44 · A KissChapter 45 · The Taoist TempleChapter 46 · Chasing SomeoneChapter 47 · Feeding the MedicineChapter 48 · The MessageChapter 49 · Get DownChapter 50 · Soft WaistChapter 51 · HeatChapter 52 · Deep Within the ForestChapter 53 · SensitivityChapter 54 · The Little Perverted MushroomChapter 55 · Turn AroundChapter 56 · DisappearanceChapter 57 · Don’t NurtureChapter 58 · MadnessChapter 59 · The ReasonChapter 60 · Declaring OwnershipChapter 61 · I Love YouChapter 62 · KitchenChapter 63 · Sneaking into BedChapter 64 · AdulteryChapter 65 · The Muscle Show!Chapter 66 · Was It Fun?Chapter 67 · In Front of the MirrorChapter 68 · The LondonChapter 69 · Don’t Be SadChapter 70 · End of Main StoryChapter 71 · Extra 1Chapter 72 · Extra 2Chapter 73 · Extra 3Chapter 74 · Extra 4Chapter 75 · Extra 5