Shen Yan had arrived at a small town near the border this time. It was home to many ethnic minorities, and thanks to strong local protections, the residents had preserved their unique customs intact. There were no towering concrete buildings commonly seen elsewhere—only rustic wooden houses and charming stilted dwellings.
The locals all wore deep blue clothes adorned with red threads, and their speech was somewhat accented. The innkeeper’s wife loved sharing her homemade pickles with guests, communicating with Shen Yan and his companions in broken sentences.
It was summer, and the area often experienced the rainy season. In low-lying areas, snakes, insects, and rodents ran rampant.
The innkeeper earnestly warned them to always carry a flashlight and a stick when going out at night. Most of the snakes here were venomous, and the nearest hospital with antivenom was about thirty to forty miles away along mountainous roads. If bitten, the chances of survival would be slim.
As dusk bled into the sky from the horizon, Wen Xiuran held Shen Yan’s hand as they walked along a forest path, where wild rabbits occasionally darted out from the grass.
Perhaps because the place felt so untouched, Shen Yan seemed to let his instincts take over—chasing after rabbits, lunging at birds, and inevitably tumbling to the ground. Each time, Wen Xiuran would come over and meticulously wipe the mud from his hands.
“You seem to really like rabbits,” Wen Xiuran said as he cleaned the dirt from under Shen Yan’s nails. “You chase them every time they appear. When we get back to school, move out of the dorms. I’ll buy you lots of rabbits.”
Shen Yan shook his head dismissively. “You rich kids wouldn’t understand. Only the ones you get for free are the best. Buying them ruins the fun.”
Wen Xiuran chuckled and nodded. “You always have such twisted logic. I can never win an argument with you.”
Shen Yan sat on Wen Xiuran’s five-figure jacket, propping his chin in his hands as he watched the other man meticulously clean the mud off him. He couldn’t help but wonder—how did someone as good as Wen Xiuran end up falling for a scoundrel like him?
“If I hadn’t drugged you back then, would you have still ended up with me?”
The moment the words left his mouth, Shen Yan suddenly realized he sounded just like those love-struck fools who constantly ask their partners, “Do you love me?” The thought made him feel like he was getting a little too carried away.
That wasn’t a good sign for Shen Yan.
Wen Xiuran looked up, pinched Shen Yan’s cheek, and found it amusing. “Finally admitting it?”
“You’re really something,” Wen Xiuran said, feeling a surge of anger at the memory of being drugged. But since the culprit was Shen Yan, he couldn’t bring himself to hit or scold him. Instead, he gritted his teeth and muttered, “If I had lost control back then, you’d probably still be lying in a hospital bed right now.”
“So, you’re saying you didn’t lose control?” Shen Yan said quietly. “You forced me to drink that medicine, and then you used that debilitating spray on me.”
Shen Yan leaned in expressionlessly. “Which means you were fully conscious the entire time, right?”
“You’re quite the player, huh?”
Wen Xiuran pressed his lips together and averted his gaze. “Even if you hadn’t drugged me, I might have still ended up with you—just not as soon.”
Shen Yan nodded, signaling for him to continue.
“Back then, I was resistant to you,” Wen Xiuran said, lost in thought. “But I couldn’t explain why. Still, that’s all in the past. Since I like you, I might as well be with you sooner.”
His gaze burned intensely as he looked at Shen Yan: “If you prefer using medicine, I don’t mind either. Next time, I can also find some other options…”
Shen Yan couldn’t take it anymore and pushed him aside. He felt that Wen Xiuran had been putting on an act all along—what aloof, untouchable ice prince? Clearly, he was just repressed and horny, with his mind constantly fixated on bedroom matters.
Typical alpha behavior, every last one of them—utterly shameless.
Remembering the fading bruises on his knees, Shen Yan retaliated by biting Wen Xiuran’s earlobe hard before standing up abruptly and walking away without a backward glance.
The inky night gradually swallowed the outline of the small town. The village square was the venue for the bonfire gathering, and scattered flickers of light moved toward it amidst laughter.
Dry grass and fallen leaves rustled in the gentle breeze, while a few weathered wooden chairs were haphazardly placed beside mud-stained cushions.
Children laughed and played in a corner, their clear voices echoing across the open space. Adults dressed in ethnic attire stood in small groups, murmuring among themselves, their eyes drawn to the unlit torches.
The moon hung above the treetops, casting a cold glow that draped the square in a hazy veil. The air carried the scent of smoke, along with a faint undercurrent of tension and excitement.
Shen Yan pulled Wen Xiuran to a secluded corner, fiddled with his camera to adjust the settings, and frowned slightly.
“Shen Yan, Professor Liu has been looking for you these past two days.”
Wen Xiuran glanced up at Lin Bai, his nose twitching slightly before lowering his head without a word.
Shen Yan sighed. “I knew it.”
They had been here for a week already, and with Wen Xiuran constantly clinging to him, it was inevitable that some things would fall by the wayside.
“Is this your partner? You two share the same scent,” Lin Bai greeted with a smile.
Wen Xiuran nodded smugly. “Yes.”
Lin Bai extended his hand. “Wen Xiuran, hello. I’m Lin Bai.”
They shook hands briefly before parting.
Shen Yan asked, “You know him?”
Lin Bai shifted his stance, leaning against a nearby pillar. “My parents used to work in research at the Wen Corporation. I often visited them there. Besides, how many people in S City share the Wen surname?”
Shen Yan pulled Wen Xiuran into his arms, nuzzling his hair playfully. “Didn’t realize you were so famous. From now on, you’ll just have to take care of me.”
Wen Xiuran’s face flushed slightly as he nodded.
Shen Yan noticed that Wen Xiuran behaved completely differently around others compared to when they were alone. This contrast was especially amusing in someone over six feet tall.
Lin Bai tactfully excused himself, leaving the two alone.
As Wen Xiuran kissed his collarbone, Shen Yan’s mind grew hazy, though a fleeting thought surfaced—back in the office, he’d seen Lin Bai’s student file, which listed him as an orphan. So how could his parents have worked at the Wen Corporation?
Wen Xiuran nipped at his collarbone, and Shen Yan hissed, promptly dismissing the thought.
Originally planning to stay only half a month, Wen Xiuran ended up extending his trip to leave together with Shen Yan.
After returning to school, Shen Yan followed Wen Xiuran’s suggestion and moved into a new place with him. Wen Xiuran even set aside a study and an art studio just for him.
Wen Xiuran, who used to stay in the lab until late at night, stopped coming home late during the second semester of his freshman year.
At first, Shen Yan was curious. Though Wen Xiuran was reluctant to explain, Shen Yan eventually pressed him until he revealed the reason.
Wen Xiuran wanted to marry Shen Yan after graduation. While his family didn’t oppose it, there were objections within the company. So, Wen Xiuran gave up pharmaceutical analysis and switched to finance, hoping to take over the company as soon as possible.
Shen Yan watched as Wen Xiuran knelt on the floor, washing his feet while explaining the reason. Silently, he pulled his foot away and stepped barefoot on Wen Xiuran’s **.
The spot was too sensitive, and Wen Xiuran’s breathing grew noticeably heavier. Shen Yan’s voice was unreadable: “You should have discussed something like this with me.”
He pressed down harder, clearly angry.
Wen Xiuran’s face flushed as he tilted his head back in discomfort, explaining, “I’ll handle everything. You’re already so busy every day—I didn’t want to distract you further.”
Shen Yan withdrew his leg and wordlessly burrowed under the covers. After more than a year together, he could tell Wen Xiuran’s feelings for him were genuine.
But Wen Xiuran also had the possessiveness and controlling tendencies typical of an alpha. He had moved out of the dorm because Wen Xiuran couldn’t stand the scent of other alphas on him. Alphas were highly efficient and intense workers, making them sought after by many companies.
Yet when Shen Yan later started his own studio, he only hired betas.
He knew that if he insisted on hiring alphas, Wen Xiuran would at most sulk in silence. As long as Shen Yan coaxed him properly, it wouldn’t escalate.
Shen Yan was someone who knew how to read the room. Right now, countless eyes were watching them. As a beta, Shen Yan was beneath the notice of the board members. There had even been omegas who openly confronted him, only to be chased away by Wen Xiuran.
Shen Yan absentmindedly bit his nails. Deep down, he knew—many omegas were eyeing Wen Xiuran, and their relationship wouldn’t last forever. If anything happened between them, some bold omega would surely try to steal Wen Xiuran away. Once an alpha and omega formed a bond, a beta like him would be cast aside without a second thought.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to gather enough funds and move abroad. Wen Xiuran had given him property and land. If he sold them off, he could make a decent sum. But Wen Xiuran would notice such a move almost immediately.
Wen Xiuran slowly leaned in, pulling Shen Yan into his arms and murmuring an apology: “I’ll tell you in advance from now on, I promise. I was wrong.”
“You don’t have to tell me.” Shen Yan’s tone was flat. “But let me make this clear—if I’m not informed, then whatever you do has nothing to do with me. Don’t say you’re doing it for my sake.”
Shen Yan was warm on the outside but cold within. He never lost his temper, always distancing himself from situations like an observer.
When omegas had come to provoke him before, Shen Yan had simply called Wen Xiuran to handle it. After the matter was resolved, he showed no lingering resentment. Wen Xiuran already knew his temperament, so hearing these words, he only assumed Shen Yan was throwing a tantrum. Without another word, he kissed him again.
The warm yellow light illuminated their intertwined fingers.
Shen Yan gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Having been together for over a year, Wen Xiuran had always consciously taken medication before his rut to minimize the harm to Shen Yan during those periods.
Previously, that omega had inadvertently revealed that there was another omega with exceptionally high compatibility with Wen Xiuran. It seemed this person was even the family’s designated partner for him. If this omega were to appear before Wen Xiuran, what should he do?
His career had just begun. He couldn’t possibly manage without Wen Xiuran’s support.