Watching Wen Zhiyu’s retreating figure, Li Qingchi’s expression remained utterly calm, like a detached deity with no desires. He stared for a moment, then turned and walked in the opposite direction from Wen Zhiyu.
After handling matters at the police station, he immediately drove back to the War Chain Department. The moment he pushed open his office door, he saw Li Siyu sprawled casually on the right-side sofa. Seeing him enter, Li Siyu gave a casual greeting: “Bro.”
Li Qingchi swept him with a cold glance. “From now on, you’re not allowed to enter my office without my permission.”
“Huh?” Li Siyu was taken aback, almost wondering if he’d misheard, after all, in all the time he’d been at the War Chain Department, his brother had never set such a rule for him. “Who pissed you off?”
“You’re an eyesore.” Li Qingchi’s words were sharp and merciless.
Like he’d swallowed gunpowder.
Li Siyu was caught off guard by his words, somewhat helpless. “Did I do something to upset you recently?”
Li Qingchi: “…” He didn’t answer, instead giving Li Siyu a look that said “figure it out yourself,” then walked straight to his desk, sat down, and turned on his computer.
The screen displayed a string of pending work tasks.
Li Siyu walked over to the desk and placed a black briefcase on its surface. “You said the last batch of medication had side effects, but I checked the lab’s research records, there’s no record of the kind of uncontrollable state you described. The research doctors haven’t found a specific cause either. For now, just use the previous batch.”
“When I used that batch of injections before, I never experienced loss of control either, it only happened that one day.” Li Qingchi recounted the situation.
Li Siyu speculated: “Then is it possible that something happened that day that upset you enough to lose control, rather than it being a side effect of the injections?”
Li Qingchi fell silent, then began to recall.
Impossible. That beta was ill, but in the end, he couldn’t release pheromones, how could he have affected him?
Li Siyu paced over to his side and glanced at the computer screen. “Specialized Pheromone Research Institute? You’re heading there later? I don’t recall the War Chain Department assigning them any new projects recently.”
Li Qingchi pulled himself out of his thoughts, his gaze returning to the screen. “The project is still in the planning stage, it hasn’t officially launched yet. If you’re that bored, you could go in my place. It’s been a long time since you’ve been back there, hasn’t it?”
At the mention of that topic, Li Siyu let out a light scoff, his brows and eyes lowering in what seemed like deep annoyance. He didn’t bother hiding his feelings: “Since I gave up the Research Institute so decisively to come to the War Chain Department, that proves I have no attachment to that place whatsoever. That kind of place…” His tone turned icy. “I don’t want to go back even once.”
“I hope your heart truly matches your words.” Li Qingchi was noncommittal.
Li Siyu responded with a cold laugh.
“By the way.” Li Siyu shifted the topic. “Your pheromone fluctuation threshold has been very wide lately. Grandfather asked me to find out what’s going on.”
Because of his special constitution, Li Qingchi’s suppression bracelet was connected to multiple analysis devices that could monitor in real time whether his pheromone fluctuations exceeded stable ranges.
Li Qingchi asked flatly in return: “Has it?”
“Yes, and quite noticeably.” Li Siyu raised an eyebrow. “You can’t sense your own pheromones? Why ask when you already know.”
Then he made a show of leaning in to sniff at Li Qingchi. “Your pheromones are about to spill over. I heard you went to Yulin Mansion a few days ago, is it because of an omega there? No…” If it were an omega, there would definitely be residual pheromones on him; he wouldn’t fail to smell them. “A beta?”
An image flashed through Li Qingchi’s mind, that detestable beta threatening him for the first time. His gaze darkened, though his expression remained utterly composed: “You think I’d go to a place like that to find someone to satisfy my needs?”
“True. That’s really not your style.” Li Siyu didn’t doubt the truth of his words in the slightest. “That place is filthy. But don’t go behind my back to those strays while lying to me.”
His phone dinged. Li Qingchi glanced at it, his voice flat: “So what if I did go after those strays? Do I need to report to you first?”
As he spoke, he reached for his phone. The note on the screen showed it was that insufferable beta, this person seemed to cling to him at every moment. His brow furrowed involuntarily.
Xiao Yu: [Dr. Li, come out to eat. This restaurant is running a promotion, discounts, don’t miss this chance, it won’t come again. The food is amazing, trust me.]
Looking at the bouncing text on the screen, Li Qingchi could almost picture Wen Zhiyu’s expression when typing it and that feigned familiarity in his tone, as if the two of them were close.
A blackmailer inexplicably latching onto him, it was endlessly irritating.
If they’d just maintained the transactional relationship of blackmailer and blackmailed, that would’ve been fine. But what was this now? Evolving from blackmailer and blackmailed into friends? He had no such inclination.
He raised his hand and replied: [Not going. The War Chain Department has work.]
A message immediately appeared at the top of the screen: “The other party is typing…”
Soon, a new message popped up.
Xiao Yu: [How can Dr. Li go back on his word? Is this how you usually are at work too? The same with your patients and subordinates? Or are you upset because I moved the time up?]
Li Qingchi: [You’re overthinking it.]
It had nothing to do with the time, he had never agreed to Wen Zhiyu’s request from the very beginning. He had treated his lack of response as a rejection, but it seemed Wen Zhiyu had interpreted it as tacit consent.
Xiao Yu: [Oh, so it’s just me you treat this way? That’s so mean. Dr. Li really holds a grudge. Even if I did force you to treat me, you don’t have to be so resistant. Who knows, maybe we could even become friends down the line?]
Friends. Li Qingchi stared at the word for a moment.
Who the hell wants to be friends with you? But he only cursed inwardly. He felt he ought to learn a thing or two from Li Siyu.
Li Siyu’s famous saying: Curses are meant to be said out loud, once you say them, your heart feels clean. Bottling them up too long will drive a person crazy.
There was a time when he thought cursing was a powerless act, that it served no purpose. But now he felt it was indeed a decent way to vent, after all, when faced with powerless situations, you do need a powerless way to let off steam.
Wen Zhiyu wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily. Seeing no reply, he sent another message.
Xiao Yu: [Dr. Li? If you don’t come, I’ll go find you instead. You’re at the War Chain Department right now, aren’t you?]
Li Siyu had no habit of prying into others’ privacy. Besides, his brother’s phone served a single purpose, work calls and nothing else. Utterly dull. Just from the sudden frost on his face, he knew his brother had run into some thorny trouble at work.
Sure enough, the next second, Li Qingchi clenched his phone, stood up, and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” Li Siyu asked.
“To return a call.” Li Qingchi even added an explanation. “Official business.”
Li Siyu could see through it at a glance, what kind of official business could make his brother this anxious? A knowing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “You’re going to see that beta, aren’t you?”
Silence was his only answer.
Li Qingchi walked out of the office, entered the empty conference hall of the War Chain Department, closed the door, and leaned against the doorframe as he dialed the number.
After a few rings, the call connected. A faint sound of breathing came through the other end, as if waiting for him to speak first.
“Where are you now?” Li Qingchi’s tone was flat.
“At the restaurant, waiting for you, Dr. Li.” Wen Zhiyu’s voice came through. “I’ve been sitting here for an hour. They thought I was just here for the heating and almost kicked me out. But hey, if you’d like, I can come to the War Chain Department right now.”
“No. I have no interest in having a meal with you. No one in their right mind would willingly sit at the same table as someone who blackmails them.” Li Qingchi stated the facts.
But Wen Zhiyu’s comprehension was clearly out of the ordinary: “Got it, so you just don’t want to eat with me alone? Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ll bring a third wheel along.” Whether it was a genuine misunderstanding or pure stubbornness was anyone’s guess.
The other party kept pressing forward. It seemed this meal was unavoidable. Rather than going back and forth, it was better to end it quickly. Li Qingchi let out a breath. “Send me the address. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
A message popped up at the top of the screen, a real-time location from the other party.
“I’ll be waiting.” Wen Zhiyu’s voice trailed upward at the end.
Li Qingchi immediately opened the door, went downstairs, started the engine, and the car drove out of the War Chain Department gates. He sped along the road until he reached his destination.
It was a very ordinary restaurant, at least it looked unremarkable from the outside. The weather was cold, and a hazy layer of white mist covered the window glass.
Wen Zhiyu stood at the entrance with his back to him, drawing a smiley face on the fogged-up glass with his finger. Li Qingchi walked up behind him before he turned around in surprise, his cold hand brushing inadvertently against the hem of Li Qingchi’s coat.
Li Qingchi lowered his gaze. The other’s eyes held surprise, his cheeks flushed red from the cold.
“Didn’t you say you were inside soaking up the heat? Why are you out here?” he asked, his voice betraying no emotion.
“That little kid inside is too rowdy. I came out for some air.” Wen Zhiyu glanced sideways into the restaurant.
That little kid.
“Was she coerced into coming too? Like you did with me?” Li Qingchi’s tone was indifferent, laced with a hint of mockery.
A flicker of amusement passed through Wen Zhiyu’s eyes. “I only used that trick on you. She’s usually stuck to me like a piece of plaster, no coercion needed.”
“Then why not have her treat you? Based on what you said, she’d be more than happy to oblige.” Li Qingchi approached from a different angle, throwing out the core question again.
“Because I like you. I like your pheromones. Besides, you’re a doctor, isn’t it more fitting to come to you?” Wen Zhiyu said with a smile, startlingly candid.
Li Qingchi’s gaze on him deepened, trying to find a crack in his expression, proof that he was lying. But there was none. Wen Zhiyu was smiling, his expression no different from the day he first blackmailed him.
But his eyes were serious, this was definitely not a lie or a joke.
So he ranked these three points in order: first, he was a doctor with more experience with this condition; on that basis, he discovered his pheromones weren’t bad and were acceptable; and finally, he liked him?
That last sentence was most likely nonsense, insignificant.
He tugged at the corner of his mouth, without a trace of a smile: “Sweet talk might fool others, but don’t go fooling yourself with it.”
The smile on Wen Zhiyu’s face faded a little, looking somewhat forced, but a few seconds later it returned to normal.
Li Qingchi keenly caught his awkwardness, shifted his gaze away from his face, and looked through the glass door into the restaurant: “Let’s go, no need to talk about this anymore. Let’s go eat.”
He treated eating as a task; once the meal was done, the task was complete, and he didn’t want to waste too much time.
The restaurant had sliding glass doors. Wen Zhiyu had been outside for too long, and his hands had gone numb from the cold, lacking any strength. He pushed several times, but the glass door didn’t budge.
Li Qingchi stood behind him and naturally reached out to push the door. In that instant, the back of his hand brushed lightly against Wen Zhiyu’s cheek, it was icy, devoid of any warmth, and he instinctively swallowed.
After pushing the door open, he quickly withdrew his hand.