Blocking the system when alone with Qi Fan had become a sort of reflex; by the time Sheng Zhiyu realized it, he had already given the command.
Perhaps due to the inherent irritability of an Alpha, looking at the smiling face in front of him triggered a strange urge to cause trouble.
With his long lashes lowered and his dark eyes curved, Sheng Zhiyu smiled lazily. “Instead of helping An Yu cook, Teacher Qi is here to manage me, a fellow Alpha? You certainly have a lot of free time.”
“An Yu asked me to come up.” Qi Fan did not let go, his thumb slowly pressing and rubbing against Sheng Zhiyu’s wrist. “He was worried something might happen to Xiao Yu’s hands. What would we do if you couldn’t help him tie his apron in the future?”
An apron? What a nonsensical reason.
“Even if I needed help, why would I want a fellow Alpha to do it?” Sheng Zhiyu stared at the man and smiled. “Teacher Qi, even if you like being helpful, shouldn’t you pick someone who isn’t the same kind as you?”
The scent of iris was supposed to be gentle and lingering, but it had turned cold due to its owner’s mood.
Qi Fan calmly felt the surging pheromones, his emotions not stirred in the slightest.
An eighteen-year-old Alpha ought to be this guarded.
Did the eighteen-year-old Sheng Zhiyu always have such a reckless and arrogant side?
Before he could find an answer, An Yu’s breathless voice came from outside the door.
“Xiao Yu?”
Qi Fan’s gaze sharpened, and he immediately felt the person in front of him push away, leaving decisively.
“I’m here.” Sheng Zhiyu pushed open the bathroom door and shut it tightly after stepping out.
There was no verbal warning, but the meaning of the action was clear—don’t come out.
As he closed the door, Sheng Zhiyu noticed his fingertips were shaking slightly; it was a physical reaction from the intense confrontation with another Alpha.
Clearing his mind, he looked up to see An Yu standing at the door holding a first-aid kit.
“You…” An Yu sensed the Alpha pheromones almost instantly. His expression flickered with panic, and he hastily ducked behind the door.
Sheng Zhiyu paused, then picked up the scent blocker in the room and sprayed himself before turning on the ventilation system.
Once the scent was less intense, An Yu tentatively stood in front of the door again. “Are you okay? I smelled Xu Tu’s pheromones when I was helping him with his bandage earlier.”
As an Omega, An Yu naturally knew what kind of trouble leaked pheromones could cause an Alpha. Since Xiao Yu was young, he was worried something might go wrong.
The blocker worked, and the scent on his body receded significantly. Not only the iris scent he had released, but the smell of dark ebony and agarwood had also vanished.
The stinging sensation of being repelled by one’s own kind faded, but Sheng Zhiyu felt strangely… empty.
Instinct is a beast; it is either fed to satisfaction by a sweet and soft Omega, or crushed and intimidated by a higher-ranking member of its own kind.
An Yu didn’t know what he was thinking and assumed he was dizzy and unwell. He quickly opened the kit. “The production team prepared this. There’s a suppressor inside. Do you want to take a shot first?”
He found the suppressor and intended to leave it there to give the Alpha some space.
However, as soon as he looked up, he saw the young master’s clear, dark eyes staring at him fixedly. His thin, pale lips moved slightly as he whispered, “Will you help me with the shot?”
In an Omega’s mind, Alphas are extremely dangerous—dominant, controlling, and invasive. During their rut, an Alpha’s danger level doubles.
…This was the first time he had seen a rutting Alpha who could be described as “spoiled” or “cute.”
An Yu’s heart wavered uncontrollably. Even though his instincts warned him of the danger ahead, he couldn’t help himself. “Sure, if you need me to.”
Sheng Zhiyu lowered his long lashes. To show he was harmless, he even leaned halfway across the bed and held out his fair right arm to An Yu.
The suppressor provided by the team was a general version for both Alphas and Omegas. It wasn’t as effective as Sheng Zhiyu’s own, but given the situation, he couldn’t be picky.
An Yu took out the syringe, but he paused when he saw the Alpha’s pale arm.
Even with the blocker, he could still feel the invisible pressure of the pheromones at such a close distance.
Moreover, although he had injected himself many times, this was his first time helping someone else, and he felt a bit lost.
During his moment of hesitation, a fluffy purple head leaned toward him. Sheng Zhiyu rested on his other arm, his cheek slightly pressed down, and asked softly, “Is Brother An Yu nervous?”
An Yu was stunned for a moment, then let out a laugh and couldn’t help but reach out to rub Sheng Zhiyu’s head.
“Are you some kind of kitten?”
Although he had blocked Lin Weiyu, the notification for favorability points still echoed in his mind. He had already gained 90% of the first stage’s favorability.
Sheng Zhiyu was about to work harder to finish the remaining 10%, but the bathroom door suddenly swung open.
An Yu stared blankly as Qi Fan, smelling of irises, appeared in Sheng Zhiyu’s room. His brain stalled, and he didn’t know where to start.
Qi Fan glanced at him coldly, then looked at Sheng Zhiyu, who was lying by the bed with messy hair.
…If he had come out any later, would he have seen the “kitten” not only asking for head pats but also rolling over to show its belly?
“Qi Fan?” An Yu was surprised.
Before he could ask anything else, he heard Sheng Zhiyu say unhappily, “He came to remind me to take the suppressor.”
An Yu realized what was happening. Qi Fan had said their families were old friends; as an elder, it was normal for him to look after an acquaintance during the filming.
“Give it to me, I’ll help him.”
Qi Fan walked between the two with a cold expression. Because his manner was so natural, An Yu didn’t even realize anything was wrong and subconsciously handed him the syringe.
“Then I’ll leave it to Teacher Qi. I’m going downstairs to prepare dinner.”
As soon as An Yu turned around, his sleeve was gently caught. He looked back to see Sheng Zhiyu looking down unhappily. “Can you manage all that by yourself?”
“It’s okay, someone came downstairs to help. I’ll need you and Teacher Qi to go buy ingredients in a bit.” An Yu patted his hand comfortingly. “Leave dinner to me.”
Sheng Zhiyu lay on the bed and watched An Yu’s back, his eyes slightly dazed.
He didn’t look back until he felt a slight sting in his skin.
Qi Fan had finished the injection and tossed the bottle into the trash.
Sheng Zhiyu looked at the pink bandage on his arm and was silent for a while. “…What kind of taste is this?”
“An Yu prepared it for you.” Qi Fan smiled, though his eyes remained cool. “After all, eighteen-year-old kids are hard to please.”
This was a deliberate provocation. Sheng Zhiyu didn’t care and lazily looked up. “But Omegas are easy for Alphas to please.”
To please him, An Yu didn’t need such flashy things at all.
Qi Fan’s gaze dimmed slightly. By the time he looked back, Sheng Zhiyu had already gotten off the bed.
It was as if the suppressor brought by the Omega was a miracle cure, instantly improving his state.
Sheng Zhiyu checked the time. “We still need to buy ingredients, don’t we? Let’s hurry up.”
When going out, the guests had to carry their own camera equipment. With the lens in front of them, Sheng Zhiyu and Qi Fan had almost no interaction.
The spare suppressor worked quite fast, but after returning from the supermarket, Sheng Zhiyu felt a strange heaviness.
Lin Weiyu’s noisy voice would only make the discomfort worse, so Sheng Zhiyu hesitated but decided not to unblock him.
Besides, the ABO world was unique, and the system couldn’t block the reactions caused by this special period anyway. Lin Weiyu was of little use.
It was 6:30 PM by the time they finished shopping. Sheng Zhiyu received a message from An Yu saying that dinner would be a barbecue in the outdoor courtyard.
Sheng Zhiyu agreed. Just as he moved the items to the yard, he saw An Yu busy at the grill.
Xu Tu, who had said he would help, was nowhere to be seen. Sheng Zhiyu frowned. Despite his slight dizziness and discomfort, he walked over to the smoky grill.
“Why are you alone?” Sheng Zhiyu took a wet wipe and reached out to wipe the sweat from An Yu’s forehead.
An Yu was stunned for a moment, then returned a gentle smile. “They don’t know how to grill, so I sent them to the kitchen to prep the ingredients.”
Using a lack of skill as an excuse to be lazy—Sheng Zhiyu scoffed inwardly. “I’ll help you.”
“Sure, then I’ll leave this pile to you.” An Yu didn’t stand on ceremony. The two worked together, and only when the food on the grill began to sizzle and cook did they relax a little.
The smell of meat should have been appetizing, but Sheng Zhiyu felt the air was very thick. Instead of making the dizziness go away, it triggered more discomfort.
“Xiao Yu, are you still feeling unwell?” An Yu asked softly. “Do you want to go rest?”
Sheng Zhiyu looked down, clumsily controlling the heat. “It’s fine. I’m okay.”
An Yu wanted to persuade him to go back, but seeing him adjust his state, he didn’t know if he should say more.
“Why are you daydreaming? It’s going to burn,” a low male voice warned from behind.
An Yu’s attention snapped back to the grill. He was panicked to find the vegetables in his hand were about to burn. In his rush to save them, they slipped and fell into the charcoal fire.
The flames leaped for a moment. Just as he was about to get burned, a large hand blocked the way.
Qi Fan stood between the two distracted cooks and the grill. He used tongs to remove the charred vegetables, then looked at An Yu. “Are you hurt?”
An Yu protected his hand. His first instinct was to say no, but before he could speak, Qi Fan handed him a bottle of water.
Sheng Zhiyu snapped out of the messy smells around him and saw Qi Fan’s large hand twisting open the water bottle to rinse An Yu’s slightly scorched fingertips.
Whether out of shyness or embarrassment, the red on An Yu’s cheeks spread to his ears. He awkwardly allowed Qi Fan to hold his wrist and rinse it.
After washing the soot off An Yu’s hands and hearing the notification that his mission value had been met, Qi Fan let go. He looked up to see the young master staring intently at the charcoal fire nearby.
Sheng Zhiyu’s eyes were slightly out of focus; he looked like he was lost in thought.
Qi Fan raised an eyebrow. After confirming An Yu had returned to grilling, he took a wet wipe.
Sheng Zhiyu was still distracted when a cool sensation suddenly blocked the chaotic smells that had been bothering his nose, trailing across his face.
He reached up to touch the wipe on his face and saw Qi Fan walking toward him with clear purpose.
Sheng Zhiyu felt confused. “…What are you doing?”
“Acting cute in front of An Yu might be your tactic, but right now he’s busy cooking and can’t see you.” Qi Fan glanced at him. “Clean yourself up, soot-faced kitten.”
Sheng Zhiyu: “…”
After wiping away the bit of ash on his face, the chaotic smells rushed back in.
Sheng Zhiyu found it hard to bear. Eventually, he left the grill and sat down at the dining table.
Even though he tried to help… he truly had no cooking experience. He had almost never participated in an outdoor barbecue, so even when alone with An Yu, he couldn’t really show off any skills.
Qi Fan was the complete opposite. Whether it was controlling the heat or handling the food, he was very skilled.
His proficiency made him look composed, and this “master of everything” performance was very charming.
Several idle guests standing by the grill couldn’t help but exclaim, “I wanted to say this in the kitchen earlier. Teacher Qi seems very good at cooking?”
Qi Fan replied with a gentle smile, “Yes, it’s a hobby.”
Then, the onlookers let out low, envious sounds of admiration.
Sheng Zhiyu looked away and pressed his temples again, enduring the throbbing pain.
Dinner was ready quickly. The guests arrived one after another. Seeing An Yu and Qi Fan busy, no one dared to just sit there like Sheng Zhiyu; they all went to help carry plates.
An Yu sat down next to Sheng Zhiyu with two plates of grilled meat and whispered, “These two plates were grilled specifically for you. Try them.”
An Yu’s favoritism and care were obvious. Sheng Zhiyu smiled and said thank you.
Dinner included an interaction segment where guests shared the fun they had while preparing the meal.
After being snubbed by Sheng Zhiyu, Xu Tu had become much quieter. He didn’t speak much and didn’t mention the broken plate.
He only occasionally looked toward Sheng Zhiyu, staring intently at his pale wrist.
Sheng Zhiyu didn’t participate much in the dinner conversation. First, because the meat An Yu grilled for him was delicious, and second… his sense of smell seemed to have become even more sensitive.
In addition to the chaotic smells of the barbecue, he smelled a mixture of other scents.
This clearly wasn’t something a guest was intentionally releasing; it was his own body becoming more sensitive… that suppressor from the morning was indeed not strong enough.
As he finished the last piece of meat, he met An Yu’s gaze beside him.
The Omega looked worried and had been silently watching him.
Sheng Zhiyu realized he had been ignoring him and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
“Is it not good?” An Yu asked hesitantly. “You look like you’re in pain.”
“…No.” Just as Sheng Zhiyu was about to explain the misunderstanding, a plate of brightly colored food landed in front of him.
He looked at the variety of vegetables on the plate and slowly looked up.
Qi Fan placed an identical serving of grilled vegetables in front of An Yu as well. “Of course, you’ll get tired of it if you only eat meat.”
An Yu suddenly realized and looked at Sheng Zhiyu apologetically. “Sorry, Xiao Yu. I was only thinking about getting you meat. That was my mistake.”
Suddenly, his reputation for being picky was confirmed, and he was forced to eat a plate of his most hated vegetables. Sheng Zhiyu expressionlessly stabbed a small piece of meat with his fork.
Dinner ended, and the first day of recording was nearing its conclusion.
However, before dismissing them, the production team announced the final task: guests needed to go back and write a letter to the person they liked. Before the lights went out at 11:00 PM, they had to put the letter into the small mailbox on that person’s bedroom door.
This was a standard procedure for dating shows. Sheng Zhiyu shouldn’t have had any objections, but now he felt strangely tired. He didn’t want strangers coming near his territory.
He had to get back quickly and take another shot of suppressor.
When they dismissed, because it was still early, some guests paired up to explore the villa further.
Watching the figures walk away, Qi Fan turned around, only to see that the usually proactive Sheng Zhiyu had already entered the villa.
An Yu was holding a cup of orange juice and didn’t seem ready to go back yet. His gaze slowly circled around before landing on Qi Fan.
But before he could speak, Qi Fan gave a regretful smile.
“Have you decided who to give your letter to?” Qi Fan asked.
An Yu hesitated, then nodded.
Qi Fan bowed his head and picked up his jacket from the back of the chair. “Good. Then I’ll head back first.”
________________________________________
While going upstairs, Sheng Zhiyu was certain he had entered his rut.
Lin Weiyu had warned him that this body’s ruts after the glands matured were not easy and now at eighteen, he was in the peak of maturity.
His steps were heavy. Sheng Zhiyu frowned and grabbed the handrail, but a hand suddenly covered his fingertips from behind.
Then came that extremely annoying scent of jasmine.
“Xiao Yu, you don’t look very well. Has your rut started?” Xu Tu’s face appeared behind him. He showed none of the retreat from the morning; instead, he was smiling. “Do you need help from an Omega you’ve already marked?”
If an Alpha’s rut isn’t managed properly, the consequences can be serious. In an unfamiliar environment, being comforted by a familiar Omega is usually the best choice.
Sheng Zhiyu lowered his gaze and looked at Xu Tu’s malicious face, then suddenly smiled.
He let go of the handrail. Just as Xu Tu thought he was about to agree, Sheng Zhiyu slowly grabbed his chin.
The grip wasn’t heavy, but it forced him to look up.
“Who taught you to use pheromones to influence me?” Sheng Zhiyu’s voice was clear, lacking the heavy, panicked breathing of an Alpha in heat. “Using pheromones to lure me this morning and coming here now… it seems the person behind this knows me very well. Is it Sheng He?”
That name, which shouldn’t have appeared, stung Xu Tu’s ears. His expression changed, and panic flickered in his eyes.
…Didn’t they say this young master only knew how to play and would run off the moment he was lured by an Omega’s pheromones?
How could he still be so rational during his rut?
“Deliberately rubbing blood on my wrist—did you think your pheromones would definitely influence me? You wanted to cause a scene during the show to create a buzz, right?” Sheng Zhiyu scoffed. “Such a low-level scheme. It really could only come from Sheng He.”
Although Sheng Zhiyu was recording the show as a band vocalist, his identity as a young master of the Sheng family remained.
The production team wouldn’t dare dig too much into his privacy.
And the fact that Sheng Zhiyu’s pheromone test showed issues was something that only happened in recent months. To plan this in such a short time… Sheng He’s initiative was quite strong.
This brother wanted to bring Sheng Zhiyu’s playboy reputation to the public eye. If a pheromone scandal broke out, even better at least it would put pressure on his position as the successor to the Sheng family.
Xu Tu’s face turned pale, and he gritted his teeth in denial. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only came on the show because I wanted to make up with you.”
“Save those words to fool yourself.” Sheng Zhiyu sneered and leaned closer to his face.
The faint scent of iris was alluring yet extremely oppressive, causing a layer of cold sweat to break out on the Omega’s back.
Xu Tu saw clearly… what was in Sheng Zhiyu’s eyes wasn’t a desire for possession, but a desire for destruction.
Suddenly, he finally began to feel afraid.
“You want to get some benefits from Sheng He, but have you considered that I could completely destroy you?” Sheng Zhiyu smiled. “After all, I am the only eldest young master the Sheng family is willing to acknowledge.”
That fear became physical, causing goosebumps to break out across Xu Tu’s skin. He bit his lip. “I… I’m sorry…”
How revolting.
Sheng Zhiyu let go and said coldly, “Get lost.”
After Xu Tu scrambled away, Sheng Zhiyu returned to his bedroom and injected another suppressor.
He entered the bathroom again, filled the tub with water, and turned on the ventilation fan. He intended to use this extreme method to endure until the medicine took effect.
Feeling extremely dazed, the Alpha’s hunting instinct began to slip from the control of his reason.
In several blurred moments, a thought occurred to Sheng Zhiyu… if An Yu came to deliver a letter later, should he just go out like this?
Omegas are soft-hearted. If An Yu saw him like this, perhaps he would feel pity or a desire to protect him… to comfort him, he might even let him smell some pheromones.
Sweet cream with 83% compatibility should be very delicious.
As if responding to Sheng Zhiyu’s thought, there were two knocks at the door.
Sheng Zhiyu slowly came to his senses and stood up from the tub. With his clothes soaking wet, he put on a bathrobe.
He made his hair even messier, rubbed his watery eyes, and put on a weak, haggard look before opening the door.
Then, he met the gaze of a handsome, cold man.
Qi Fan narrowed his long eyes and saw through his intention almost instantly. He let out a low laugh. “What, trying to hunt An Yu?”
Seeing that it was him, Sheng Zhiyu lost interest immediately and tried to close the door. “Closed for business. No visitors.”
But his movements were slowed by the rut. Before the door could close, Qi Fan had already entered.
Even with the ventilation system on, the room was filled with the scent of iris.
Sheng Zhiyu said lazily, “You just barged in like this. Aren’t you afraid of being filmed?”
Qi Fan didn’t care. “There are no cameras on this floor.”
Because this floor was specifically for the two Alphas with special status.
A movie star and a young master of the Sheng family—the primary condition for these two agreeing to the show was that their private lives would not be made public.
Qi Fan looked at his wet, clumped hair, his eyes darkening. “You didn’t look like you were ‘closed for business’ just now.”
Sheng Zhiyu gave a lazy laugh. “Qi Fan, do I need to be that clear?”
“No.” Qi Fan looked down at Sheng Zhiyu, who was sitting unguarded on the edge of the bed.
…The kitten in the morning would wag its tail and act cute to be liked, but now there was only arrogance and indifference.
“Anyway, I’m just here to gloat…” Qi Fan said calmly, “to see my rival in a miserable state.”
The provocation was clear. In the past, Sheng Zhiyu would have snapped back.
Unfortunately, his Alpha instincts were making things very difficult for him. In his daze, he strangely remembered the night with Qi Fan before entering the instance.
His fangs felt itchy. When they touched the tip of his tongue, he seemed to recall a peculiar sensation… a kiss.
The kiss in the hotel.
A kiss from Qi Fan.
…They were bed partners, after all.
Thinking of this, Sheng Zhiyu suddenly reached out, grabbed Qi Fan’s wrist, and pulled him toward him.
An Alpha’s rut is never something to be underestimated.
Sheng Zhiyu tilted his face up. His pure black eyes were like a net, catching Qi Fan’s gaze.
The corners of his lips curled slightly, his voice rising in provocation. “Qi Fan, does your offer to help from this morning still count?”
The faint scent of iris was like a surging mist, silently invading the man in front of him. This was a pheromone lure driven by Alpha instinct. If the person in front of him were an Omega, they would almost certainly be locked in a space made of pheromones.
But Qi Fan was an Alpha. He wasn’t easily captured or fooled. The thick scent of dark agarwood grew calmly among the iris flowers, like a traveling snake, slowly coiling up from where the two touched.
The two pheromones seemed to blend into a complex, aromatic scent.
“Help?” A spark of a smile appeared in Qi Fan’s eyes, but he wasn’t as easy to talk to as he had been in the morning. “You and I are both Alphas. How are we supposed to help?”
Looking down, he clearly saw Sheng Zhiyu’s crimson tongue lick his fangs.
It was a very bold and dangerous move.
Sheng Zhiyu gripped his wrist. Their pheromones touched at the skin where they were most concentrated outside of the glands, sending a current through their bodies and sparking a fierce desire for conquest.
He applied some strength to his wrist. Even during a rut, an Alpha’s explosive power is quite impressive.
Or perhaps Qi Fan wasn’t on guard; either way, he was dragged onto the bed.
Having succeeded, Sheng Zhiyu’s free hand landed on the man’s hip bone. His movement wasn’t very practiced. “Do you want to bite me, or be bitten by me?”
Iris intertwined with agarwood. After the tentative start, the lingering scent was sharp and stimulating.
Although the Alpha’s pheromones were shouting for possession and suppression, Qi Fan allowed Sheng Zhiyu to press over him. This self-torturing flirtation that betrayed instinct was like an excellent stimulant, far more exciting than simply controlling an Omega.
Sheng Zhiyu felt exactly the same.
The back of his neck was already stinging painfully. Every sense on his skin was screaming at him to stay away from his own kind, yet the more it did, the itchier his fangs felt.
The person in front of him didn’t stop this absurd hunt. Instead, he slowly raised his handsome eyes, his amber gaze trapping Sheng Zhiyu’s own.
Qi Fan’s answer was composed. “Then, do you want to bite me?”
If it were just a simple temporary marking, Sheng Zhiyu naturally wanted to—it was Alpha instinct.
But biting an Alpha?
His thoughts were scattered, and he couldn’t reach a firm conclusion.
During his moment of silence, Qi Fan leaned down and took his earlobe in his mouth, biting it with moderate pressure.
“You want to bite, don’t you?” His sexy, deep voice ground against his ear. It sounded like a suggestion, but left no room for refusal. “If you don’t want to, then I’m coming in.”
That wouldn’t do.
Sheng Zhiyu grabbed his collar and pulled him down. His white teeth pressed against the man’s neck, and he bit down on one side without regard for anything else.
The taste of agarwood, with a hint of metallic bitterness, filled his mouth.
Then, he heard Qi Fan let out a deep sigh.
“…You’re biting the wrong spot, and you don’t know your own strength.”
“You really are an unqualified Alpha.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Sheng Zhiyu’s chin was gently tilted up, and his lips, stained with blood, were kissed.