“I am here for work,” Su Yanqing replied in a low voice while withdrawing his hand.
Yun Xi felt a bit dazed. He was just about to ask exactly how many jobs Su Yanqing was working when he noticed someone approaching from the corner of his eye. It was Researcher Li, who had come over to check after hearing the voices.
“Yun Xi, you have not left yet? Oh? Professor Su is here as well.”
Su Yanqing nodded. “Professor Li.”
Researcher Li let her gaze linger between the two of them. She noticed they were standing extremely close, completely breaking normal social boundaries. Furthermore, Yun Xi’s face was noticeably redder than it had been when he was just with her. Given the situation, Researcher Li had a bold suspicion.
Gossip is human nature. Researcher Li raised an eyebrow and said, “Yun Xi, do you know Professor Su? In that case, regarding the matter you mentioned earlier, you can ask Professor Su for advice. He is an expert in this field and might have a good solution for you.”
Yun Xi immediately felt a chill of apprehension. Although he had indeed considered flirting with Su Yanqing when his heat was approaching, it should not be at this time or in this place. This was especially true next to a researcher with a serious scientific expression who looked ready to write a thesis on his “irregular heat cycle” at any moment.
This was far too academic!
Before he could figure out what to do, Su Yanqing looked at him and asked, “What happened?”
Yun Xi’s mind raced. “I think the method Professor Li told me is quite good. I will not trouble Professor Su.” After saying that, he quickly tried to change the subject. “By the way, do you not work at Guanghua University? How can you also work at the research institute? Is it a part-time job?”
Researcher Li was surprised to hear this. “Yun Xi, are you really unaware of Professor Su’s background?”
Yun Xi blinked. What background did Su Yanqing have? Was he not just the pitiful “real young master” of the Su family and a specially appointed associate professor at Guanghua University? Did he have another identity?
Researcher Li glanced at Su Yanqing. Seeing that he had no intention of stopping her, she introduced him. “Yun Xi, you should know who Tracy Leslie is, right?”
“Of course. There is no Omega who does not know him.”
After all, Tracy Leslie was one of the few figures written into textbooks while still alive; he was a titan in the field of pheromone research.
About a hundred years ago, humans were only divided into men and women, and the three genders of Alpha, Beta, and Omega did not yet exist. It was not until a certain virus swept through humanity that people began to differentiate into Alphas, Betas, or Omegas. Unmarked Omegas would trigger Alpha riots during their heat, leading to many tragedies. To avoid such disasters, men and women who differentiated into Omegas were mostly confined to their homes until they were marked by an Alpha and their pheromones could no longer be smelled by others.
This situation lasted for decades until forty years ago, when Tracy Leslie developed the first generation of suppressants, finally allowing Omegas to live without being tortured by their heat cycles. Although long-term use had side effects, those effects were negligible compared to being trapped at home like a commodity without freedom or dignity.
However, why did Researcher Li suddenly mention Tracy Leslie? Did Su Yanqing have some connection to this legendary figure?
Seeing Yun Xi’s confused expression, Researcher Li laughed and shook her head. “Professor Su studied under Tracy Leslie. He is the last disciple personally acknowledged by the old gentleman. During his master’s degree, Professor Su independently developed an improved version of the suppressant patch, which became extremely popular after it was launched. Our director invited Professor Su multiple times before he finally agreed to come here. It is fine to call it a part-time job, since Professor Su also has his own research team in Country G.”
Yun Xi’s mouth slowly fell open. He never expected Su Yanqing to have such a prestigious background. If his mentor was such a great figure, it made sense that Su Yanqing could join Guanghua University and become an associate professor at such a young age.
After going through a long list of Su Yanqing’s achievements, Researcher Li’s throat felt a bit dry. She glanced at Yun Xi’s stunned face and then at Su Yanqing, who was staring intently at Yun Xi with a calm expression.
“And Professor Su is still single,” she said, winking suggestively at Yun Xi.
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Yanqing finally reacted.
“No.”
Researcher Li was stunned. “No what?”
Su Yanqing shifted his gaze from Yun Xi to Researcher Li and said, “I am not single.”
Researcher Li froze. She wondered if she had tried to set up the wrong person.
Before she could think of a way to fix the situation, Su Yanqing smiled and said something that completely paralyzed her. “Yun Xi and I are currently dating. We will be getting married around next month. I would like to invite you to the wedding then.”
Long after being brought to Su Yanqing’s office, the image of Researcher Li’s shocked face still seemed to linger before Yun Xi’s eyes. He felt a strange sense of guilt, though he did not know why.
“Drink some water.” Su Yanqing handed a glass of water to Yun Xi.
Yun Xi snapped out of it, took the glass, and took a sip.
“Is there a reason you came to the institute?” Su Yanqing asked.
“Well, my heat is a bit unstable, and regular suppressants are not very effective. So, I asked the researchers here to customize a suppressant for me. I was almost out of it at home, so I came to pick it up,” Yun Xi explained honestly.
He sat on the office sofa with his head slightly lowered. Su Yanqing stood beside him and could clearly see the back of his neck. There was a fancy suppressant patch on it; it was milky white, cut into the shape of a flower with semi-transparent edges.
The roots of Su Yanqing’s teeth felt itchy. He looked away and said, “I know. Qin Zhi is in charge of that, right? He took the day off today. Did you get the suppressant?”
“I got it.”
“What was Professor Li talking about?”
“It was just about the heat,” Yun Xi stopped abruptly, cleared his throat, and said, “It was nothing.”
Su Yanqing gave him a deep look and slowly sat down beside him. “Yun Xi, when you said you loved me, were you lying to me?”
Yun Xi was drinking water and immediately choked upon hearing this, coughing violently. Su Yanqing watched him cough in silence, patting the Omega’s back with moderate force.
After a long while, Yun Xi finally recovered. Warning bells rang in his mind as he wondered what Su Yanqing meant by that. First of all, it was certain that Su Yanqing must have overheard his conversation with Professor Li, specifically the sentence “I do not like him at all.”
Yun Xi wiped the water from the corner of his mouth with his knuckle and said cautiously, “How is that possible? Why would you say that suddenly?”
Su Yanqing did not answer. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, “Yun Xi, I hate lies. If you lie to me, I cannot guarantee that I will not do something to hurt you.”
Yun Xi felt a mysterious chill down his spine, but he forced himself to explain. “Did you hear what I said to Professor Li just now? Actually, I was not talking about you. I was talking about another Alpha I hate very much. He also has a high compatibility with me and always pesters me. He even intentionally releases pheromones to induce my heat. I do not like him one bit.”
Su Yanqing turned his head to meet Yun Xi’s gaze, the emotion in his gray eyes indifferent. “Is that so?”
Yun Xi nodded vigorously.
“And when Professor Li suggested you go to that Alpha to get through your heat, did you also think that method was quite good?”
Yun Xi was speechless. He had shot himself in the foot. He held his head in his hands and surrendered. “Fine. Actually, the Alpha I was talking about was you. I said I did not like you because I was shy. I felt embarrassed that just interacting with you for a while would cause my heat to come early, so I lied.”
After saying this, Yun Xi peeked at Su Yanqing. Seeing that Su Yanqing still looked noncommittal, he screamed inwardly in frustration. He felt he had completely lost this round and that Su Yanqing had seized all the initiative. This was not good.
In a flash of inspiration, he suddenly caught a blind spot and his spirits lifted. He looked up abruptly, his eyes bright as he stared at Su Yanqing. “Professor Su, the fact that you are being so mean right now, does it mean you are jealous? Because you thought I did not like you and liked another Alpha instead?”
Su Yanqing paused and lowered his eyes.
Yun Xi was overjoyed and pressed his advantage. “If you can get jealous, does it mean you actually like me a little bit too?”
Su Yanqing turned his head away. Yun Xi grabbed his chin and forced him to turn back, his face filled with an uncontrollable smile. “Su Yanqing, just admit it. You have fallen in love with me!”
Su Yanqing looked at the Omega before him without a word, seeing his own reflection in the Omega’s eyes. It was indeed a face filled with unmistakable jealousy.
That raging fire was about to burn away his last shred of reason. It made him want to snatch the prey before him into his nest, pierce that eyesore of a suppressant patch with his canine teeth, and inject all of his pheromones. He wanted to lick every inch of the prey’s skin with his tongue until the prey was covered in his scent from the inside out, without missing a single spot.
How would the prey react then? Being so delicate, he would probably cry and beg him to stop. But begging would be in vain. He had waited for too long and was far too restless.
Su Yanqing remained silent, just staring at him. Yun Xi’s smile gradually faded under that gaze. The gland at the back of his neck throbbed, and his legs felt weak. His sixth sense warned him that the Alpha before him was dangerous and that he should flee immediately.
But what could be dangerous about Su Yanqing? He was the submissive “real young master,” the gentle “white moonlight” who could not even talk back when he was teased.
“Mmh!”
While his thoughts were still wandering aimlessly, the Alpha’s features suddenly loomed larger. It was not until a hot breath hit his lips that Yun Xi suddenly snapped out of it and realized what was happening.
Su Yanqing, Su Yanqing had finally talked back.
Yun Xi stared blankly, his lips unconsciously parting slightly. A hot and slick piece of soft flesh took the opportunity to slip into his mouth, conquering every corner. Yun Xi was pressed down onto the sofa, his lips forced wide open as the faint sound of wetness echoed in his ears.
Su Yanqing was kissing him. He thought blankly.