Chapter 33: High and Mighty Alpha Young Master

Though elite Alphas possessed keener senses for pheromones, this was the first time Shen Yanzhi had truly experienced firsthand just how sensitive he was to scents.

What on earth was that Omega doing?

Shen Yanzhi furrowed his brow.

Did he really need to make him live out in the courtyard first?

An image suddenly flashed through his mind: Zhou Wu looking terrified with that massive White Tiger Collar around his neck.

Shen Yanzhi’s frown eased a little. It actually didn’t look bad.

But before he could go give Zhou Wu another lesson, a servant arrived to relay a message that his mother was inviting him to the Main Dining Room for dinner.

The villa was so vast and labyrinthine that even hiding two children quietly within it would escape Mother Shen’s notice unless she deliberately searched for them.

Shen Yanzhi nodded indifferently and made his way from the bedroom to the Main Dining Room.

A long dining table was covered with a pristine white tablecloth.

Mrs. Shen sat at the head of the table. Though she was no longer young, her poise and bearing were utterly impeccable.

Once the meal began, she glanced at Shen Yanzhi several times before finally speaking. “Do you really plan to keep ‘sponsoring’ that child named Su Bai?”

Her tone was even, revealing little emotion, as if she were merely making casual conversation. “If you simply need a diligent, grateful study companion…”

“In fact, there are some powerful merchant families who are eager to send their own children to the Academy to befriend you…”

Shen Yanzhi listened quietly. He could tell his mother was mildly displeased yet still trying to reason with him—this in itself was a form of helpless acquiescence.

He picked up his napkin and leisurely dabbed at the corner of his mouth. Then, with a sudden shift in topic, his tone as light as if he were suggesting an extra dessert, he said, “Not just Su Bai. Mother, I want to sponsor another one.”

He looked up, meeting his mother’s abruptly frozen gaze, and smiled faintly.

“Su Bai brought along a little Omega whose mind was injured.”

Omega?

A crack appeared in the composure on Mother Shen’s face.

Shen Yanzhi found it endlessly amusing. He continued in a tone laced with near-pity, as if he had truly been touched by that slum Omega.

“He can barely understand words, but the moment he sees me, he loses all control over his pheromones… He’s truly pitiful.”

A fool, as well?

Mother Shen drew a deep breath, her voice taut. “Yanzhi, I know you’re a kind child, but—”

“Moreover,” Shen Yanzhi interrupted her at just the right moment, deliberately letting a boy’s wonder and fascination bloom across his face.

“He’s very good-looking.”

In that instant, he clearly saw his mother’s shoulders tremble almost imperceptibly. She was visibly shocked, utterly unable to accept his words.

Shen Yanzhi was satisfied.

As expected, an outstanding son falling for an ordinary Beta still wouldn’t truly pierce their parents’ bottom line.

But what if… it was a dim-witted Omega instead?

Life was just too boring.

His parents were always utterly pleased with him. Everyone flattered him, second-guessed his intentions, and scrambled to curry his favor.

He craved something far more interesting—like watching them crack. Seeing his parents fly into hysterical rages at him, desperately wielding their authority to control him.

Then he would dismantle it all, one piece at a time, uncovering every hidden card they had up their sleeves.

Even if they grew desperate and tried to strike at the root.

He would never lose.

Because this whole farce of “adoration” had always been nothing more than an experiment he himself had directed from start to finish. That Omega named Zhou Wu? He couldn’t care less.

This little test would not only ripple through his stagnant life with something worth savoring but also serve as valuable practice.

For the day he finally seized complete control of the family from their hands… it would be all the more foolproof.

~~~

After dinner, Shen Yanzhi followed the trail of fruit fragrance down to the first floor. He slid open the glass door and stepped into the Front Courtyard Garden.

The sunlight outside was perfect.

Sure enough, there was Zhou Wu by the Fountain.

Zhou Wu was clumsily standing on tiptoe, holding an old plastic bowl he’d dug up from some corner. He strained to catch the water pouring from the Angel Sculpture’s mouth.

Clear water splashed onto his sleeves and collar, trickling down his wrists and leaving faint wet trails.

Oblivious to it all, he carefully carried the water over to pour on the flowers.

Silly and tirelessly delighted.

Shen Yanzhi approached without a sound.

Perhaps the prior intimidation lingered too deeply—Zhou Wu caught sight of him from the corner of his eye and immediately dropped the bowl. Instinctively, he darted behind the dense Rose Thicket to hide.

He knew his mother’s eyes and ears were nearby.

Shen Yanzhi frowned slightly but walked in with patience. It wasn’t long before he dragged Zhou Wu out.

Zhou Wu’s arm was yanked free, a petal now stuck in his hair. He squeezed his eyes shut, covered his head, and braced himself as if awaiting a blow.

Meanwhile, Su Bai had hurried over at the sound, clutching a half-read book tightly in his hand.

He had been sitting on a nearby bench, reviewing his studies while keeping an eye on Zhou Wu.

“Young Master Shen?” Su Bai’s voice was thick with unconcealed worry.

He had no idea what Zhou Wu had done wrong this time. All he’d done was water the flowers.

Shen Yanzhi didn’t lose his temper. Instead, he smiled mildly.

“I’m here for him. To teach him how to control his pheromones.”

The expected scolding never came. Instead, Zhou Wu felt a warm, slender hand gently settle on his head, even ruffling his hair ever so lightly.

He opened his eyes in surprise.

Shen Yanzhi was still speaking to Su Bai, but in secret, he released the faintest trace of pheromones.

Soft, soothing—a cool Woody Fragrance carrying a subtle, almost hypnotic sweetness. A scent crafted to draw in Omegas.

?

Zhou Wu was enveloped by it, his gaze turning dazed for a moment.

Su Bai only noticed the hand on Zhou Wu’s head.

He was a little surprised but could say nothing. He could only grip his book tighter and stammer, “Th-thank you… Young Master Shen.”

And so Zhou Wu was led away by Shen Yanzhi. Dazed by the fragrance, he followed him back inside the villa.

However, the moment the heavy door behind them clicked shut, sealing off all outside eyes, Shen Yanzhi released his hand.

The veneer of gentleness vanished in an instant. Zhou Wu jolted awake to the sudden chill, the air now thick with cold, oppressive pressure.

Only then did he realize, too late, that he’d been tricked.

As regret filled him and he glanced back toward the door, a sudden grip clamped around his neck.

“Sit.”

Shen Yanzhi shoved him down onto a chair.

Then he settled into an armchair of his own, arrogantly stretching out as he unbuttoned his neatly fastened shirt.

He lifted his gaze and realized Zhou Wu was subconsciously staring at his collar. A sudden smile curved his lips.

A slender hand shot out without warning, clamping precisely onto the back of Zhou Wu’s neck.

Zhou Wu shuddered violently, forced to tilt his head back. He collided with a pair of bottomless eyes that held no trace of amusement.

“Do you like me?”

“…”

“I told you before.”

Shen Yanzhi pinched the gland at the base of his neck, gripping it just like one would the scruff of a small animal.

“Reel in your pheromones.”

Zhou Wu’s cheeks flushed crimson in an instant.

Pinching someone else’s gland was an outrageous invasion, brimming with possessive dominance. Even in his naivety, he instinctively recoiled in discomfort and resistance.

“Why can’t you understand plain words?”

Shen Yanzhi had heard that low-grade Alphas and Omegas sometimes couldn’t control their pheromones, but he simply couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Why, after he’d said it several times, was there still no response?

To him, it was so elementary he couldn’t even explain it.

It was like casting pearls before swine. A flicker of unmistakable impatience stirred in his chest.

Zhou Wu’s eyes reddened.

He was squeezing so hard. His gland burned hot and ached.

The fruit fragrance around them thickened even more.

Already flustered, Zhou Wu now keenly sensed the anger rising in the other man. He struggled desperately to pull away.

That hand tightened at once, pinning him firmly in place.

Terrified, Zhou Wu clutched his head again and hunched his shoulders.

Shen Yanzhi stared at his cowering posture, guessing he’d taken plenty of beatings before.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he spoke again, his tone softened unexpectedly.

“Have you eaten? Hmm?”

How could anyone be this dim-witted?

He stepped back and first slapped an inhibitor patch onto Zhou Wu’s neck. The skin there was already red. Good thing the patch covered it up.

Shen Yanzhi beckoned with a wave, and a servant delivered a plate of chocolates.

“Open your mouth.”

The priority now was changing Zhou Wu’s reaction to him. Otherwise, who’d believe they were entangled?

He fed Zhou Wu a piece. Zhou Wu had already eaten, but he didn’t dare refuse.

The moment it hit his tongue, he realized it was something new and delectable. So sweet, with a creamy filling.

Zhou Wu’s eyes brightened for a moment.

Like a sheltered little dog seeing the world for the first time.

Shen Yanzhi let out a low chuckle and released his own pheromones—sweet-tinged ones. His hand gently ruffled Zhou Wu’s hair.

“Good boy.”

Training an animal was straightforward enough. It just took patience: rewards for good behavior, punishment for mistakes.

But a person wasn’t an animal, after all.

Zhou Wu’s body went rigid, his dark, glossy eyes meekly downcast. This time, though, he wouldn’t be fooled again.

“Don’t take off the patch on your neck.”

“Next time you see me, don’t run.”

“Come to me on your own and say my name.”

Shen Yanzhi leaned in close, half-bent over him, his handsome face inches away. He slowed his voice.

“What’s my name?”

Zhou Wu looked up blankly.

Shen Yanzhi’s displeasure was obvious. He lowered his voice, enunciating each syllable with crystal clarity.

“Shen Yanzhi.”

“Say it.”

He held out another small piece of chocolate. Zhou Wu had no appetite left, but he parted his lips anyway, mumbling through it.

“Shen… Yanzhi.”

Shen Yanzhi kept him pinned and drilled it into him one more time, ensuring it stuck.

“What are you supposed to do next time you see me?”

He offered yet another piece. This one had melted slightly in his palm, smearing onto his fingers.

Zhou Wu knew better than to waste food—he’d get hit for that—so he instinctively licked the man’s fingers clean.

For some reason, that sparked anger in the other man. The pheromones turned icy in a flash.

But the fury lasted only a heartbeat before Shen Yanzhi laughed instead—a mocking sound.

So this was how inferior Omegas were? Natural-born temptresses.

Had those earlier pheromones been deliberate too?

Still, realizing such a tiny gesture could spark the right misunderstandings, he decided Zhou Wu had his uses after all.

“Keep going.”

“?”

Zhou Wu hesitated, tongue darting out. He was actually a little repulsed.

Wasn’t it clean already?

But he feared the consequences…

Shen Yanzhi watched, his pheromones shifting into a tangled mess of revulsion and restraint.

His lips curled in disdain. Abruptly, he undid his shirt buttons entirely and shoved the fabric aside.

He settled back into the chair and patted his long legs.

“Come here.”

Zhou Wu glanced at his bare chest, then up at his face. He froze, unmoving.

Shen Yanzhi’s expression darkened instantly. Zhou Wu jolted in fright and stumbled forward, clambering awkwardly onto his lap. His head was immediately pressed down.

His lips met the man’s shoulder.

“Suck a mark on it.”

The low voice rumbled in his ear as a hand locked onto the back of his skull.

“You know how to do this, right?”

The woody fragrance swelled around them, dense and enveloping.

Faint threads of sweetness wove through it—like amber tucked into wood crevices, mellowed soft by sunlight. Restrained, yet intoxicatingly rich.

A top-tier scent, without a doubt.

Top-tier Alpha…

Zhou Wu’s mind fogged over. He could only duck his head.

It tickled a little.

This Omega weighed more than expected in his arms.

A trace of fruit fragrance seeped through the inhibitor patch. Zhou Wu’s hair occasionally brushed his ear.

It was Shen Yanzhi’s first time pressed so intimately against an Omega.

A fool like this, no less.

But for the sake of his scheme, it was bearable.

Maybe the inhibitor was dulling it, making the scent unusually faint.

That fruit fragrance wasn’t nearly as cloying anymore.

Shen Yanzhi finally let himself inhale it properly. What was it exactly—citrus? Apple…?

Zhou Wu glanced up. Shen Yanzhi’s nearest ear had turned red.

Before they knew it, their young bodies were crushed together, radiating heat. Inevitably, both stirred with arousal.

The instant Zhou Wu realized, Shen Yanzhi wrenched him away and dug his fingers viciously into the matching spot on Zhou Wu’s collarbone.

“？？”

Zhou Wu flinched in pain, desperate to flee, but Shen Yanzhi held him fast and pinched repeatedly.

Just as planned—Zhou Wu’s pale skin marked up evenly under pressure.

Shen Yanzhi inspected the result and nodded, grudgingly pleased. At last, he let go.

Zhou Wu yanked his clothes back into place. Any fleeting notion that the Alpha’s scent was appealing evaporated.

He gritted his teeth, eyes brimming red, his fear of Shen Yanzhi renewed and deeper than ever.

He was worse than the villains back at the orphanage.

…

Meanwhile, Su Bai stood ramrod straight, shadowing a stern etiquette instructor as he drilled the basics of poise.

He meticulously imitated every subtle movement—how to rise with elegance, how to walk with poise—his full attention unwavering, not daring to slacken for even a moment.

He only hoped that when school resumed, he could face fewer criticisms. That way, perhaps he could better protect 05…

The etiquette teacher watched him, her expression gradually softening as she decided this boy was indeed worth teaching.

Su Bai was handsome. Though he had suffered from malnutrition before, he would surely recover with time. Already, he carried a hint of the refined air belonging to a young master of a great family.

At that moment, the door was gently pushed open.

Su Bai instinctively glanced over and saw Zhou Wu standing in the doorway, clutching a small bag of chocolates tightly to his chest. His eyes and the tip of his nose were both red.

Su Bai’s heart clenched hard. Ignoring the etiquette teacher beside him, he rose immediately and hurried over.

“Zhou Wu?” His voice was low and urgent. “What happened? Did someone bully you?”

Zhou Wu simply shook his head and shoved the bag of mouthwatering chocolates into Su Bai’s hands in one go.

“Little Bai, eat.”

Su Bai stared blankly at the bag of sweets in his grasp.

The etiquette teacher frowned from the sidelines. After that, Su Bai could no longer focus.

As for the other one… She glanced at Zhou Wu, who sat in the room but stared blankly out at the garden. He showed no potential for improvement whatsoever!

She wondered if Su Bai had noticed.

05 pretended to zone out while lightly touching the red mark on his collarbone.

For the moment, diverting the protagonist gong’s attention had worked reasonably well. The protagonist shou showed no signs of falling in love either. It was just… thinking of his sealed functions.

05 let out a worried sigh.