Kindly read this novel at https://secondlifetranslations.com/novel/pheromone-scam/
Chapter 8 “Mr. He Yuan… he ran away.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t cause addiction. It will only create a slight dependency, without causing significant trouble.”
“I see…” Fu Sheng closed his eyes, his black hair falling onto his forehead. His face remained calm without causing any waves, making him even more difficult to fathom. “I will consider desensitisation therapy. We can decide later.”
“Okay, understood.”
After the research scientist finished collecting information and left, Fu Sheng called in a trusted subordinate to ask a few questions, such as whether He Yuan had come to see him before leaving the hospital, and how He Yuan had behaved after waking up.
Learning that He Yuan hadn’t visited him even once before leaving the hospital, and that he had remained calm after waking up, Fu Sheng nodded with understanding. He calmly gave instructions to his subordinate, “Investigate He Yuan. Find out his purpose in going to Central Street Library six years ago, how he got involved in the Soulmate[1] group fight, his family background, past experiences, his acquaintances, and the scars on his glands. I want to know everything in detail.”
“Yes.”
“… ” Fu Sheng gazed at the ceiling with a cold and stern look in his eyes.
He met He Yuan during a hostage situation at the Central Street Library. He Yuan was the hostage, and Fu Sheng was the soldier leading the rescue operation. During the rescue, Fu Sheng noticed He Yuan, who quietly protected the children and women in the crowd.
He Yuan had a clean and fair complexion, exuding a gentle scholarly aura from head to toe. In the Fu family, known for their military and bandit-like traits spanning three generations, he was a rare exception. Yet, he caught Fu Sheng’s attention.
Fu Sheng had a favourable impression of people with a gentle temperament and a scholarly air. Moreover, He Yuan happened to meet his aesthetic standards, making it hard for Fu Sheng to ignore him.
That was their first encounter, but even with interest, it didn’t reach the point of stirring his pursuit. After all, He Yuan was a Beta.
Fu Sheng was always rational and well aware that being involved with a Beta would bring countless troubles. So when he encountered He Yuan for the second time at Soulmate, he chose to exercise restraint.
The second time was at soulmate, just after its opening. Fu Sheng had acquired shares, although it was inconsequential. He attended the grand opening party at the invitation of Fang Gaomin.
During the ensuing chaos, the party turned into a brawl. Fu Sheng discovered He Yuan with an injured cheek and sent him to the hospital.
Fu Sheng chose to restrain himself and analysed that the chances of a long-term relationship with He Yuan were very low. He had no intention of entangling himself with He Yuan. However, during their third encounter, He Yuan launched a gentle yet firm pursuit.
Fu Sheng raised his hand to cover his eyes. He Yuan, you better not deceive me.
Within a week of being held in the detention centre, Fang Gaomin’s appearance had deteriorated significantly due to weight loss.
At a considerable cost, Fang Ji temporarily managed to extract Fang Gaomin from the detention centre. The Fang family was surprised that the process went smoothly, and they immediately thought of the items they had sent, suspecting that a certain important figure was satisfied.
He Xingwen and the He family had no one like Fang Ji to save them. He Xingwen was locked up in the detention centre and couldn’t get out, while the He family quickly declined and moved out of the military compound.
Fang Gaomin, after being tortured in the detention centre, immediately told his family upon release, “The police officer surnamed Wang personally ‘took care’ of me in private, torturing me to the point of wishing for death!”
“How dare he use illegal methods?” Fang Gaomin’s parents were furious. “Go to the hospital for a medical examination and file a lawsuit against him.”
They were well aware that Wang Yuanyao from the Capital Criminal Investigation Brigade was the lackey of that important figure. With their significant losses, they naturally desired revenge. Since they couldn’t bite the real culprit, getting rid of the watchdog at their doorstep would be satisfying enough.
Fang Gaomin weakly shook his head. “No signs of injuries were found.”
Confused, His parents questioned him further, asking about the specific forms of torture he had endured. They pushed Fang Gaomin to the brink of a mental breakdown, causing him to scream and act like a madman, terrifying everyone in the Fang family. When the doctor came and administered a sedative, they learned from him that Fang Gaomin likely had severe psychological trauma.
“He was likely injected with some form of psychoactive drug and tortured through psychological suggestions and electric shocks. It’s a common method of interrogation in the military, which doesn’t cause physical harm but directly affects the mind. In the later stages, he will need psychological treatment; otherwise, there is a risk of mental confusion or breakdown leading to accidents,” the doctor explained.
Father and mother Fang thought that Wang Yuanyao had resorted to torture to extract information from Fang Gaomin. Fortunately, they had kept some secrets hidden from Fang Gaomin.
They reassured Fang Gaomin to rest well and not to worry. They had already confirmed that Fang Ji would return the following week, and once he returned, the current difficulties faced by the Fang family would be resolved soon.
As Fang Gaomin curled up on the bed, he heard their words and bit the back of his hand until it bled, his face filled with feelings of hatred, envy, and unwillingness.
Fang Ji, in their eyes, was the only one that mattered!
***
After recovering from his injuries, He Yuan first went to the school to handle his resignation procedures. After finishing, as he walked out of the school gates, he received an unmarked message stating that the military district was investigating him and that there were people monitoring his apartment.
He Yuan deleted the message, knowing that Fu Sheng had begun to suspect him.
He remained steadfast and headed to the now-sealed Soulmate. The once lively and magnificent pub now stood empty, with almost all the storefronts on the street closed. Only a few dessert shops and cafes remained open. The source of this chapter is g.com.
Surrounded by commercial high-rises, even if the street was currently under investigation, it would soon regain its bustling atmosphere.
He Yuan stared at Soulmate for a while before turning and walking towards the cafe across the street.
The cafe had a wall with large floor-to-ceiling windows, offering a clear view of the bustling street. He could see the sign board of Soulmate. Fang Gaomin was seated by the window, sipping black coffee, spending the whole afternoon there.
After being extracted from the detention centre, Fang Gaomin had nothing to do. He came to this place every day, regardless of whether it was for his jade material business or to establish connections. This bar was his base.
His connections, his flourishing career, all began at this bar and reached its peak there. He no longer needed to rely on Fang Ji, and those people no longer saw only Fang Ji. He, alone, could make everyone look up to him.
But overnight, all his efforts went to waste. He ended up in prison, and in the end, it was still Fang Ji who had to rescue him.
Fang Gaomin was deeply impacted and filled with despair.
“Fang Gaomin.”
Fang Gaomin looked up and saw He Yuan standing in front of him. He sneered, “Didn’t Fu Sheng f*ck you to death?”
He Yuan sat down and replied, “Is it your doing?”
Fang Gaomin feared Fu Sheng but not He Yuan. Even at his lowest point, he considered himself far superior to He Yuan.
“In the past, you always avoided us. As a teacher, you were self-righteous and looked down on us, the prodigal children. So why are you voluntarily approaching me now? Is it to mock me?” Fang Gaomin looked him up and down, his gaze insolent. “Or… are you afraid after getting f*cked by Fu Sheng and seeking comfort from me?”
He Yuan remained unmoved, as if Fang Gaomin’s words didn’t sting him.
Fang Gaomin continued, “I was mistaken about you and Fu Sheng’s six-year relationship. But even if Fu Sheng made it through the first phase, there’s no guarantee he’ll survive the second phase of the mating frenzy. Sooner or later, he will choose He Beijia. If not He Beijia, it will be another Omega.”
Please note: System kindly requests you to read all of her translations exclusively on Second Life Translations. Posting her works on any other website is not authorised by System.
[1] For cuties who don’t recall Soulmate, it’s the pub where Fu Sheng holds substantial interest, also the place the Fang and He family killed the beta for the land