Chapter 72

The check-up steps weren’t troublesome. After confirming that his heartbeat was normal, his pulse was steady, and there were no unusual reactions in his body, Luo Qin drew a tube of blood, collected some pheromone samples, and took a quick scan of the gland area.

The specific results would need to be analyzed at the hospital to be known, but based on the preliminary examination, Yu Xi’s secondary differentiation had gone very smoothly.

“Congratulations! From today onward, you’re officially an Omega!” Luo Qin packed up his medical kit and patted Yu Xi’s shoulder.

“I’ll need to run some tests later. Once the results are out, I’ll prepare the most suitable Suppressant for you. Of course, use Suppressants as little as possible—having an Alpha mark you during your Heat Period is better.”

As he spoke, Luo Qin glanced leisurely at Yi Chen and added a jab: “But skip this unromantic Alpha who ruthlessly isolated you during your heat period, yeah?”

Yi Chen: “…”

Yi Chen smiled. “Get lost.”

“Just stating facts.” Luo Qin maintained his professional smile. “Not convinced? Let’s duke it out.”

Yi Chen shoved and dragged Luo Qin out. Luo Qin struggled to turn back to Yu Xi. “Call me if you need anything! Even if this idiot tries to isolate you again!”

With those words, there was a “bang,” and Yi Chen pushed Luo Qin out the door, slamming it shut. He let out a long breath of turbid air.

Turning back, his eyes met Yu Xi’s.

Yu Xi leaned against the table, sipping water, and smiled.

His eyes curved happily, his smile full of joy.

Yi Chen felt utterly helpless. “Stop laughing.”

“Fine, no more laughing.” Yu Xi was unusually agreeable and promptly set down his water cup. “Then I’ll go back to sleep.”

Yu Xi turned to leave, but after taking just two steps, his waist was encircled from behind. Yi Chen directly pinned him against the wall in the room.

The air conditioning was still on in the room, making it cool. The air carried the scent of peppermint pomelo—even breathing felt refreshingly chilly and comfortable.

—The pheromones from Yi Chen’s susceptible period the night before hadn’t fully dissipated.

The pheromone concentration wasn’t strong. Yu Xi, having just gone through his heat period, was now incredibly resilient and wouldn’t be affected by such a mild level.

Exhausted, Yu Xi flopped straight onto the bed. Yi Chen lay down with him, arm around his waist.

Only after becoming a true Omega did Yu Xi first feel the oppressive presence of an Alpha’s pheromones toward an Omega—for the first time. Of course, this had to do with the Alpha’s control.

Last night, Yi Chen’s pheromones had surged wildly, as if desperate to mark him, to fuse with him, to meld him into his very bones and blood. But now, Yi Chen’s pheromones made him feel extremely comfortable, like a cool evening breeze on a sweltering summer night, drawing him closer.

Yi Chen leaned in toward Yu Xi as well.

After his secondary differentiation into an Omega, Yu Xi’s gardenia scent had become even sweeter and clearer.

He couldn’t resist brushing his nose tip against Yu Xi’s gland.

It was soft and smooth, still bearing his tooth marks.

The gland was very sensitive. His breath made Yu Xi itch, and he instinctively tried to dodge aside.

Yi Chen wouldn’t let him escape. He grew bolder, nipping at the gland, his teeth lightly grazing it.

For Alphas and Omegas, this action was far too intimate.

For Yu Xi and Yi Chen, this had once been their daily routine.

Yu Xi thought he should dodge now.

But he didn’t want to.

At this moment, they weren’t driven by instinct, nor would they suddenly fall into a heat or susceptible period.

They simply let their affection grow wildly in this intimate, ambiguous, unrestrained quiet.

“Why did you come last night?” Yi Chen’s voice brushed past his ear.

“I don’t know.” Yu Xi closed his eyes and answered.

“You don’t know?” Yi Chen didn’t believe it.

“It was just an impulse.”

After saying that, Yu Xi fell silent too.

People often used “impulse” to describe actions the body took without logic.

But “impulse” itself had an underlying logic.

The reason for the “impulse” was always some idea in the brain that needed that push.

Perhaps…

Yu Xi dissected his thoughts, forcing himself to admit something he’d been avoiding, something he never dared acknowledge.

—Perhaps, he wanted to say something to Yi Chen.

Yi Chen had said he didn’t want to wait anymore.

What about Yu Xi? What was he waiting for?

Yu Xi kept his eyes closed. He was so sleepy that his voice came out hoarse.

“I’m so annoyed with you.”

“I don’t know how you do it—how you can kiss me on camera after we started the CP hype? How can you make that expression in front of the lens?”

“I can’t tell if you’re sincere or just acting.”

“I can’t be as natural as you. I couldn’t do it, and I never thought you’d agree to the hype.”

Yu Xi’s voice grew softer.

“But… I’m happy.”

“I’m happy that you agreed.”

Thump thump.

Thump thump—

Yi Chen’s heart felt like it was going to explode.

He grasped Yu Xi’s hand, pinching his fingertips. Yu Xi didn’t pull away. Yi Chen leaned closer, kissing his neck and earlobe.

The room was very quiet.

In this ambiguous silence, they gradually drifted off to sleep.

When they woke again, Liu Yun and Guan Zifan were both in Yi Chen’s living room.

They saw Yu Xi emerging from Yi Chen’s room.

Liu Yun: “？！”

Guan Zifan, seeing Yu Xi: “O.o?”

Liu Yun: “You got him?”

Guan Zifan: “You two are sleeping together now?!”

Hearing each other’s words, Liu Yun and Guan Zifan: “?”

“You didn’t know?” Liu Yun asked Guan Zifan.

“How do you know?” Guan Zifan asked Liu Yun.

“…”

Guan Zifan had come to Yi Chen’s place because Yu Xi hadn’t answered his calls all night, hadn’t said what he was doing, and had just said, “I’m canceling the CP hype,” before rushing out. Unable to reach him, Guan Zifan came here on a hunch and ran into Liu Yun, who was there to see Yi Chen.

Liu Yun naturally had the passcode to Yi Chen’s place. She’d been surprised when Guan Zifan said he was looking for Yu Xi, but now seeing Yu Xi and Yi Chen emerging hand-in-hand from the room, she was calm.

“When did you get here?” Liu Yun asked Yu Xi.

“Wait, didn’t you say you came to cancel the CP hype? How are you coming out of his room?!” Guan Zifan lost his composure.

Liu Yun: “Cancel the CP hype? Quite the unique way to do it.”

Guan Zifan: “You two are back together now?! Weren’t you supposed to have a grudge against him?”

Yi Chen: “A grudge?”

Yu Xi: “…”

Bombarded with questions, Yu Xi grew exasperated and ignored them all, sitting on the other end of the sofa.

“I underwent secondary differentiation last night,” Yu Xi said.

“Secondary differentiation?” Liu Yun wasn’t familiar with it yet. “What’s the situation?”

Guan Zifan explained Yu Xi’s condition to Liu Yun. She nodded in understanding. “Now we can find an opportunity to announce this.”

“Yeah, I’ve already prepared in advance.” Guan Zifan gave Liu Yun a standard professional smile. “Give me a moment.”

Liu Yun nodded. Guan Zifan turned, grabbed Yu Xi’s ear, and pinched. “If you’re heading out, just say so! No word all night, and you hit your heat period— what if something happened?! I still haven’t settled with you for disappearing all day last time! And now this?! I’m too lenient with you usually, that’s why you keep going off the rails!!”

“I’m taking him back now!” Guan Zifan looked up with another professional smile. “You all keep chatting.”

Guan Zifan dragged and hauled Yu Xi away, stuffing him into the car and forcibly transporting him home.

While driving, Guan Zifan lectured Yu Xi, mainly about not vanishing without a word. “Even if you’re going out, be fully disguised. You weren’t photographed yesterday—that was luck. What about next time? Too many eyes on you. An ordinary person doing normal things gets blown up and twisted into scandals. Be careful, be cautious,” and so on.

He’d occasionally toss in a “Got it?” or “Remember that?” Yu Xi listened earnestly, answered earnestly, and during Guan Zifan’s pauses when he tired of scolding, earnestly zoned out.

Yu Xi hid his phone in the corner and quietly sent a message.

[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: Sis.]

[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: I thought about it,]

[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: And I kinda want to get back together.]

[Geng Shanglou] replied quickly.

[Geng Shanglou: [confetti][confetti][confetti]]

[Geng Shanglou: Congrats congrats on taking the first step!]

Yu Xi turned off the screen and looked out the window.

The sky was clear and blue, distant mountains shrouded in haze. It was the height of summer.