Shen Yan unconsciously smacked his lips, his throat as dry as if stuffed with burning cotton. He weakly raised his hand and adjusted his sitting position with little strength.
Warm yellow light spilled over his hand like water. Slowly lifting his head, he saw the tape wrapped around his fingers.
Recalling the absurd events of the past two days, Shen Yan couldn’t help but frown, feeling a throbbing pain in his head.
Exhausted, he glanced around, but there was no one in sight.
It seemed Wen Xiuran had already left. Resting for a while shouldn’t be a problem. With that thought, he leaned back.
Suddenly, as if remembering something important, Shen Yan abruptly sat up straight, his brows furrowed. He grabbed his phone, eyes fixed on the screen to check the date, then collapsed back onto the bed like a deflated balloon.
Thank goodness. Shen Yan let out a relieved sigh. The competition registration deadline hadn’t passed yet.
But his draft wasn’t finished, and he had no idea whether his teacher had responded to the sketch he’d sent earlier.
Lost in thought, he opened WeChat and saw a pending payment notification in Wen Xiuran’s chat. Staring blankly at those three words, he froze for a moment.
He had deliberately asked Wen Xiuran before, and the man had straightforwardly claimed to have no prejudice against betas. But after waking up, he’d left right after paying.
No matter how sweet their words, alphas were all the same. Or maybe not—betas without pheromones couldn’t form bonds with alphas, so there was no reason for the other to feel any attachment.
Shen Yan’s nose tingled with bitterness. Taking a deep breath, he burrowed deeper into the blankets before slowly tapping the notification.
The next second, Shen Yan practically jumped off the bed in shock, eyes wide as he stared at the six-figure pending payment. “Do rich second-generation heirs really pay this much for a hookup?” he muttered in disbelief.
He’d originally hoped for long-term resources from Wen Xiuran, but looking at this, a one-time payout wasn’t bad either. At least all that effort hadn’t been wasted.
The thought made Shen Yan grin. Following the principle of “payment for services rendered,” he decisively deleted Wen Xiuran from his contacts.
The hotel was located in the heart of City S, bustling with a constant flow of guests. The lobby was crowded, filled with the noise of chatter. A dazzling chandelier cast brilliant light, while the marble floor reflected the hurried figures passing by.
The front desk, made of deep brown hardwood, was polished and spotless, adorned with elegant brochures and fresh flowers. Behind it, a massive digital screen embedded in the wall scrolled through the hotel’s service information and promotional offers.
Several uniformed staff members busily attended to the guests, their fingers flying across keyboards as they efficiently handled check-ins and check-outs, all with practiced smiles.
“So.” Wen Xiuran’s knuckles turned slightly white from the pressure as he rested his hands on the table. His lips were tightly pursed, his face tense, his voice low and restrained. “So, the guest in room 520 has already left, is that right?”
“Yes,” the front desk staff replied with a nervous smile. “He checked in using his own ID. We had no right to detain him.”
Wen Xiuran gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable as he muttered a quiet “thank you.” Then, with heavy steps, he walked over to a nearby sofa and slowly sat down.
The hotel lobby was still bustling with people, the noise rising and falling in waves.
Wen Xiuran paid no attention to his surroundings, his gaze fixed on the red exclamation mark on his phone, his emotions inexplicably tangled.
Why had he been deleted? It seemed he had still managed to scare him off.
But no matter what, things needed to be clarified. Wen Xiuran hated leaving matters unresolved.
Since they had already slept together, he wasn’t about to let go. Alphas were inherently possessive. Wen Xiuran clasped his hands together, his expression darkening. If Shen Yan thought he could just walk away without taking responsibility, he wouldn’t let this beta off so easily!
The problem was, Wen Xiuran didn’t have Shen Yan’s phone number, and there was likely no way to contact him. He didn’t want to rely on his family to dig up Shen Yan’s information—some things were better handled personally.
“Achoo!” Shen Yan sneezed violently, rubbing his nose in annoyance.
The studio was unbearably stuffy, the air thick and stagnant. A few old ceiling fans spun lazily overhead, creaking with each rotation.
Sunlight slanted through the dust-covered windows, casting golden beams where motes of dust drifted aimlessly. Easels were scattered haphazardly around the room, the paint on the canvases drying slightly under the heat.
Discarded papers and brushes littered the floor, and the water in the corner had turned murky, emitting a faint, unpleasant odor.
Outside, the relentless chirping of cicadas only added to the irritation.
Watching Shen Yan sneeze repeatedly, Xu Chu—who had been wolfing down his meal beside him—paused mid-bite and teased, “Could it be someone’s thinking about you?”
“Who knows? Plenty of people have their eyes on me.” Shen Yan raised an eyebrow, his brush deftly applying another layer of base color to the traditional painting. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk.” Xu Chu clicked his tongue, setting down his lunchbox as his gossip-loving soul ignited. “You didn’t come home for two nights. I never would’ve guessed you had such stamina.”
“…” Shen Yan choked on his words, lowering his head to dip his brush in paint without responding. His hand hesitated for a moment.
Misreading the situation, Xu Chu suddenly stood up dramatically, pitching his voice higher. “You heartless bastard! Don’t tell me you just walked away without taking responsibility?”
Shen Yan was both exasperated and amused by Xu Chu’s wild imagination. He shook his head helplessly, tossing his brush aside, his teeth gritting slightly as he thought of Wen Xiuran.
At first, the excitement of receiving the transfer had distracted him from his physical discomfort. But once he got back, he realized something was off. His waist ached, his neck felt stiff, and the back of it was covered in bite marks. The skin above his waist wasn’t in much better shape either.
After Shen Yan left the hotel, people on the street couldn’t help but glance back at him repeatedly. A few petite omegas who passed by him blushed instantly, their eyes filled with shyness and fluster.
Before long, an alpha blocked his path, forcing a stiff smile with furrowed brows. His tone was helpless as he said, “Bro, I don’t know if you’re an S-rank alpha or if your partner is, but could you spare a thought for the rest of us? This level of pheromone suppression is unbearable for anyone.”
Only then did Shen Yan realize he must still be carrying Wen Xiuran’s scent on him. He apologized expressionlessly, then tugged his collar higher.
Next, he hurried to a nearby pharmacy to buy suppressant spray. Before even leaving the store, he twisted off the cap and frantically spritzed himself. After finishing two bottles, he returned to his dorm and scrubbed himself over and over until his skin turned red, finally stopping only then.
But the hickeys on his body were stubbornly hard to wash off. In the sweltering heat, he had no choice but to wear a high-collared jacket to cover them, sweat pouring down his skin as if it would never stop.
In his mind, Shen Yan cursed Wen Xiuran countless times, his brows knitted tightly together, his expression growing darker by the minute, irritation gnawing at him.
“Shen Yan!” The class monitor stood at the door, holding a report as he called out loudly, “Professor Xu wants to see you.”
“Got it.” Shen Yan set down his pen, responded, and then got up to leave the classroom.
The hallway outside was faintly permeated with the scent of suppressant spray.
Shen Yan kept his head down as he walked, but as he turned a corner, a dark figure suddenly darted out. Caught off guard, Shen Yan had no time to dodge and collided squarely with the other person. A sharp pain shot through his head, making him suck in a breath through gritted teeth.
Through his disheveled bangs, Shen Yan saw someone hastily approaching, movements tense as they stammered an apology, “Hey, you okay? I didn’t mean to—”
“Shen Yan?” The tone shifted slightly once the other person got a clear look.
His head still throbbing, Shen Yan forced himself to look up only to see He Yi standing before him.
“Didn’t expect it to be you,” He Yi said with a pointed edge to his words, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Never thought I’d end up at the same university as the high school legend.”
Shen Yan’s mind was preoccupied with finding Professor Xu and had no patience for He Yi’s nonsense, so he didn’t bother engaging.
But He Yi wasn’t about to let it go. He took a step forward, blocking Shen Yan’s path, his voice sharp and aggressive as he demanded, “Do you remember Xu Shiyan?”
“Don’t know him.” Shen Yan’s frown deepened, his face openly impatient as he raised his voice. “Move.”
“Back then, you shamelessly seduced Shiyan when you were still young. And now you’re trying to latch onto Xiuran?”
He Yi refused to back down, standing firmly in front of Shen Yan with his arms crossed, delivering a blatant warning. “Let me make this clear—you better stay away from Xiuran. I can’t stand betas like you, scheming your way up the ladder.”
“I still have those photos of you and Shiyan. If you dare harass Xiuran again, I’ll send them straight to him!”
Shen Yan couldn’t help but burst into laughter, the sound dripping with sarcasm as he replied in a peculiar tone, “Xu Shiyan and I broke up ages ago. Am I supposed to remain celibate for him? Should I erect a memorial tablet for him too?”
With that, the Beta took a slight step forward, straightening his posture as he fixed He Yi—who was gaping in shock with a steady gaze. His words were laced with disdain: “We’re all adults here. If you want, I could have photos with you too.”
“Would you like that?”
A voice suddenly cut in from behind them.
“Shen Yan?”