The warm, heavy scent of ebony and agarwood acted like a shroud of mist, drifting through the small space and creating an oppressive aura unique to an Alpha.
This wasn’t an intentional release of pheromones from Qi Fan, but rather a sharp, instinctive rejection of his own kind. Sheng Zhiyu could faintly sense that Qi Fan’s pheromone level was exceptionally high.
“Messing around?”
Because of his status, hearing such a critical and contemptuous word made Sheng Zhiyu’s heart stir slightly.
Qi Fan’s gaze slowly drifted toward Sheng Zhiyu’s collar. The eighteen-year-old boy was slightly thinner than he remembered, wearing an oversized T-shirt covered in gaudy, rebellious graffiti.
Though he had always known this face was handsome, the impact of the eighteen-year-old Sheng Zhiyu was far greater than expected.
Even with the “non-mainstream” purple hair and the low-class silver chains around his neck, he was still extraordinarily difficult to look away from.
Qi Fan reached out unhurriedly, hooking Sheng Zhiyu’s collar and pulling the fabric aside to show him a spot stained with lip gloss.
…It was indeed lipstick.
The original owner of this body was a spoiled rich kid. To spite his father, he had enrolled in a private high school in name only while spending his time running an underground band.
“Underground” meant the lifestyle was wild and loose. Since Sheng Zhiyu was a wealthy Alpha with a prominent background, he was constantly surrounded by endless numbers of men and women of all genders.
Sheng Zhiyu briefly sifted through the original owner’s memories and realized he could recall no fewer than five faces from today alone, each of whom he’d had ambiguous contact with.
While there was no actual kissing, leaving behind pheromones or lipstick marks was usually unavoidable.
Qi Fan’s eyes darkened as he watched Sheng Zhiyu’s thoughtful expression. He pressed his thumb against the moist, sweet lipstick stain and lightly smeared it.
“You truly are the most infuriating young master in the Sheng family,” he mocked. “Not only do you dye your hair purple, but you also have to physically show Mr. Sheng just how ‘colorful’ your social life is?”
To the driver, this looked like an elder scolding a junior, but Qi Fan’s System couldn’t help but chime in:
【Brother Fan… even though your identity is Sheng Zhiyu’s elder, you two are competitors after all. Is there really a need to manage his lifestyle?】
Furthermore, one’s words and actions were supposed to align with the original character’s persona after entering a trial. That was professional ethics.
The System observed for a moment. He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but ever since entering this world, he felt like Qi Fan had been in a bad mood.
He had been unhappy this whole time.
And this mood didn’t seem like the low spirits caused by a punishment or a demotion, but rather…
Before the System could figure it out, Sheng Zhiyu who had been cornered and silent in confusion suddenly changed his expression.
He tilted his head back slightly. His purple hair made his face look glowingly pale, and his beautiful eyes widened, leaking a hint of innocence.
“Are you trying to discipline me on behalf of my family?”
Qi Fan narrowed his eyes, his gaze turning cold.
In the next second, the boy’s slender hand suddenly wrapped around his neck, applying slight pressure to his shoulder.
Qi Fan’s core strength was excellent; he didn’t budge an inch. Sheng Zhiyu used that stability to pull himself closer.
“In the Sheng family, no one besides my dad has ever lectured me like this.” His tone was pitiful, but a fresh, vibrant scent of iris aggressively flooded the backseat.
It was an act of defiance from a lower-ranked Alpha, a bold and outrageous provocation directed at the man in front of him.
“And, if getting someone’s pheromones on me counts as ‘messing around’…”
Sheng Zhiyu raised his hand. His wrist, overflowing with floral scent, brushed past Qi Fan’s jaw. The cool fragrance felt like a shallow trail of water drifting along his features.
“Then Mr. Qi is covered in my scent now. Does that mean you’re messing around with an Alpha like me, too?”
To anyone listening, this conversation was pure provocation and offense between Alphas. The driver, who had been silent, couldn’t help but warn: “Young Master!”
Only then did Sheng Zhiyu lazily arch an eyebrow. He pushed Qi Fan away and turned to open the car door.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Chen. I’m just joking with Mr. Qi.” After speaking, he got out of the car and waved his hand. “Thanks for driving me home. Bye!”
The young master walked away with a light step, leaving a lingering, thick scent of iris inside the car.
Uncle Chen nervously watched the man’s expression through the rearview mirror. He had been a driver for the Sheng family for over ten years and had basically watched Sheng Zhiyu grow up. He couldn’t help but say: “The Young Master is a bit mischievous, but he doesn’t mean any harm. Please don’t take it to heart, Mr. Qi.”
Even though this Mr. Qi had dealings with the Sheng family, his background was far from simple. Uncle Chen naturally didn’t want the two families to become enemies because of the boy’s impulsive actions.
However, Qi Fan didn’t have the look of anger or annoyance the driver expected. He merely gave a casual hum of acknowledgment.
Uncle Chen was a Beta and didn’t know how strong the pheromones were just now, but he instinctively reached to turn on the car’s air purifier.
Then he heard the man in the back seat speak in a slow, calm voice: “No need.”
Only when every inch of his skin no longer resisted the scent of iris did Qi Fan let his lips curl into a faint, subtle smile.
He certainly got into character quickly.
________________________________________
Sheng Zhiyu returned to the Sheng residence just before dinner. As soon as he entered, a servant came to greet him.
“Young Master, Mr. Sheng is waiting for you in the study.” She then whispered, “Mr. Sheng He is there as well.”
Sheng He was Sheng Zhiyu’s half-brother, brought into the family only after the death of the late Mrs. Sheng. He had always acted respectfully toward Sheng Zhiyu, the “legitimate” young master, but in reality, he was very ambitious.
Knowing that being three years older gave him an advantage in inheriting the family business, he had studied tirelessly. Since joining the household, he had acted humble and content, earning his father’s deep trust.
With those two in the study specifically waiting for him, there was no way it was good news.
Sheng Zhiyu gave a quiet “I know” and went upstairs to take a slow shower.
The scent of the Omega on him had faded to almost nothing, but the smell of ebony and agarwood followed him like a shadow. Because of the “distorted” Alpha setting of this body, Sheng Zhiyu felt a dull, dry sense of discomfort.
…As an Alpha, the original owner seemed a bit abnormal.
【Your guess is correct.】
【Because the original owner was born prematurely, there were some issues during his secondary differentiation. Although he is a high-level Alpha, his resistance to Omega pheromones is low. The PII value in his glands is slightly higher than average…】
Lin Weiyu’s professional analysis missed the point. Sheng Zhiyu frowned.
[So? Summarize it for me in one simple sentence.]
【Basically, you can be seduced by any Omega’s pheromones, but you cannot find a high-compatibility partner. Because of this, you easily get bored of an Omega after marking them. Once your glands fully mature, your rut will be very difficult to endure.】
The “boredom” meant that while he could taste 100% of the pheromones during the first marking, his physiological instinct would lose interest in the partner as the number of markings increased in every sense.
…No wonder the setting for the original owner was a “playboy young master.” It turned out there was a pathological reason.
After his shower, Sheng Zhiyu roughly blew his purple hair until it was half-dry. Wearing loose loungewear, he headed downstairs.
The study was in the south wing of the first floor. Sheng Zhiyu knocked twice and pushed the door open without waiting for permission.
Two pairs of eyes immediately landed on him.
His father’s displeasure was obvious, while Sheng He stared at his face for a moment before slowly looking away.
Sheng He quickly adjusted his expression and smiled at Sheng Zhiyu. “Dad, let’s talk about work tomorrow. Xiao Yu is here.”
“Fine. You’ve been following this project from the start, so I’m naturally at ease.” Mr. Sheng put down his documents and took a sip of tea before looking at Sheng Zhiyu. “What’s with your hair? Bored of the gray already?”
Sheng Zhiyu sat lazily on the sofa. Hearing this, he raised a finger and twirled a lock of hair. “It’s alright. If you think gray is better, I’ll change it back.”
The teacup was slammed back onto the table. Mr. Sheng looked at him coldly. “So, you really don’t plan on going back to school?”
“Didn’t you already take it upon yourself to apply to a university abroad for me?” Sheng Zhiyu flashed a smile. “So, does it really matter if I go back to school now?”
Mr. Sheng was completely enraged by his indifferent attitude. He threw a stack of contracts in front of him. “If you’re not going back to school, you shouldn’t be running off to join some dating show!”
Sheng Zhiyu raised an eyebrow and looked down at the contracts on the table.
This was the root cause of the original owner’s fallout with the Sheng family: joining a show to chase the protagonist.
“Just having some fun.” Sheng Zhiyu casually picked up the contract and flipped through it. “Why are you so angry? Anyway, don’t you have a capable son helping you share the burden of the company?”
He didn’t even look at Sheng He when he said this, but his tone was filled with contempt.
Sheng He’s expression stiffened for a split second before returning to normal. “Xiao Yu, Dad is doing this for your own good.”
“Oh, then thanks, Dad. The contract is fine, right? Though I’ve already signed it.”
Mr. Sheng was too angry to speak. Sheng Zhiyu glanced at him, felt there was nothing left to say, and stood up lazily. “I’m going out to eat. I’m starving.”
After he left, Sheng He stood up to soothe his father’s anger. “Dad, Xiao Yu is at an age where he loves to play. Just let him be.”
“Let him be? I let him be, and what does he have to show for it? He skips school to start a band, and an underground one at that. As soon as he gets a little famous, he runs off to a variety show. He has a hand in everything, but he’s good at nothing!” Mr. Sheng rubbed his temples tiredly and sighed. “With this ‘playboy’ attitude, how can I ever feel safe handing the company over to him?”
Sheng He, who had been maintaining a warm and earnest smile, felt his face freeze at those last words.
…So, no matter how rebellious Sheng Zhiyu was, and no matter how hard Sheng He worked, the heir had already been decided?
Mr. Sheng didn’t notice his reaction; he simply waved a hand. “You can go now.”
Sheng He gave a submissive reply and slowly walked out the door.
Dinner at the Sheng house was a tedious affair. When Sheng He reached the ground floor, he saw the young master had already changed clothes again and was jiggling his car keys, preparing to leave.
Sheng Zhiyu’s actions were always flashy and impulsive. After a brief, unpleasant talk with his father in the study, he didn’t even bother to show up for dinner.
Sheng Zhiyu gave him a calm glance. As he passed, the faint scent of iris was subtle yet carried an incredibly strong presence. “I’m full. Tell Dad I’ve gone out.”
Sheng He opened his mouth, but in the end, all he said was, “Drive safely.”
Sheng Zhiyu didn’t care what kind of mess the Sheng family would be in. He picked a car he liked and floored it out of the garage.
He had already seen the official recording date for the dating show in the contract; it was two days away.
Aside from the preparations before filming, he needed to meet the protagonist in advance.
This world was like a competitive stock-market romance; if he wasn’t proactive, he would have too many rivals later on.
Upon reaching his destination, Sheng Zhiyu got out of the car and picked out a bouquet of irises at a flower shop. He quickly tidied his hair and walked toward a dessert shop on the street corner.
The mission protagonist this time was the owner of this dessert shop—a sweet, soft Omega who was an expert at baking.
Arriving at the shop, Sheng Zhiyu was about to push the door open when he suddenly spotted a familiar figure through the glass window.
…Mr. Qi, who had driven him home just over an hour ago, was currently sitting inside.
The man calmly took a sip of his coffee and slowly looked up. As if he had expected this, there was no surprise in his eyes.
Instead, he quietly locked eyes with Sheng Zhiyu.