Chapter Index

    Yan Yuzhou forcibly held back his tears, maintaining a clear gaze as he turned to look at Shen Ci.

    Shen Ci’s gentle “Zhouzhou” broke his heart. He forced a smile, suppressing the wounds within, and asked, “Are we starting practice now?”

    Shen Ci looked at him and nodded under his gaze.

    Yan Yuzhou forced another smile, even deliberately laughing louder, as though drawn to the flame, and actively moved in to embrace him.

    The long-missed chest, the refreshing scent of pine.

    Just let him be reckless this one time, under the guise of practice, secretly savoring the scent he had yearned for day and night.

    Shen Ci, on the other hand, wasn’t all that happy. Although the omega in his arms was still soft, who knew how much scent-blocking spray he’d applied before coming downstairs—he’d practically covered himself from head to toe, not a trace of scent could be smelled. Did he really hate him that much?

    But still, he couldn’t bring himself to push him away. 

    Forget it, let him be.

    Silently, Shen Ci released a hint of his pheromones, letting them fully envelop Yan Yuzhou.

    Yan Yuzhou, worried about making Shen Ci uncomfortable, took a moment to indulge in the scent before pulling away on his own. With his head down, he mumbled an explanation, “This should be enough. Grandpa won’t suspect anything.”

    Shen Ci felt a bit unsatisfied, but Yan Yuzhou was right—the concentration was indeed sufficient. He noted the emptiness in his arms, reminiscing about the recent warmth, and gave a faint “Mm.”

    “Tonight, are we staying over at Grandpa’s?” Yan Yuzhou suddenly remembered this thorny issue and asked nervously.

    Initially, he had planned to stay, but… Shen Ci looked at the panic written all over Yan Yuzhou’s face, and the certainty in his answer dissolved in his throat.

    This omega had even moved out of their villa. Making them share a bed now would likely be too much for him, and who knows—he might end up doing something extreme, like taking a half-hour cold shower again.

    With a self-deprecating chuckle, Shen Ci turned to look out the car window, his tone light. “No need.”

    Yan Yuzhou immediately let out a sigh of relief. Finally, Shen Ci wouldn’t have to suffer through the discomfort of being close to him.

    During a simple, everyday meal, Grandpa Shen was delighted by the arrival of his grandson and grandson-in-law, even eating half a bowl more than usual. Yan Yuzhou, on the other hand, seemed to have little appetite, barely eating anything and forcing a smile the entire time.

    Shen Ci took in his expression, a faint gloom settling in his heart.

    This time, Shen Ci declined his grandfather’s invitation for them to stay over, citing pressing matters at the company. At ten in the evening, their driver, Xiao Wang, pulled up to the dormitory building at Wenjing Art University where Yan Yuzhou lived. The moment the car stopped, Yan Yuzhou felt a strange reluctance to part from Shen Ci.

    “Mr. Shen,” Yan Yuzhou bit his lip awkwardly, speaking with a hint of personal desire, “if you’re going back to Grandpa’s in the future, you can just come find me there.”

    Ideally, he’d go back a few more times. That way, when the longing grew too strong, they could at least meet once in a while.

    Unexpectedly, Shen Ci gave a faint smile, his eyes meeting Yan Yuzhou’s with a flash of sorrow that was hard to catch, and he shook his head slightly. “If it’s a burden to you, there’s really no need.”

    “I’m not burdened,” Yan Yuzhou said, a bit bewildered, quickly explaining, “I just…just don’t want to trouble you, Mr. Shen.”

    He was afraid that being close to him would bring Mr. Shen pain.

    To Shen Ci, though, these words came across as hollow and insincere, like forced courtesy. This omega probably just wished he would never come find him again.

    With a sigh, Shen Ci masked his expression, his face turning impassive. The warmth of his pine scent faded, overtaken by a chill reminiscent of snow in the mountains, and his tone carried a hint of ice. “Get out.”

    Yan Yuzhou swallowed, opened the car door, and hurried into his dormitory building.

    In the days that followed, neither of them made contact. Shen Ci seemed to tacitly allow Yan Yuzhou to continue living in the dorm, never bringing up the idea of him moving back. He even instructed the driver, Xiao Wang, to deliver plenty of daily necessities for him. And, almost overnight, Yan Yuzhou’s bank account balance had gone up by several figures.

    It looked like he’d gone from being a spouse to just a financial beneficiary. Yan Yuzhou looked at the notification from his bank with an empty feeling.

    But wait—wasn’t a “benefactor” supposed to demand whatever they wanted from him? That’s how it always goes in the novels! Weren’t they supposed to be so domineering they’d send a driver to bring him home, lock him in a room, and then bite him relentlessly for three days and three nights until he was utterly wrecked?

    Ugh, ugh, ugh, Yan Yuzhou, what are you thinking?! Yan Yuzhou shook off the absurd, melodramatic plotlines that Lin Xiaoguo had incessantly filled his head with, slapping his cheeks, which had grown a bit warm, to snap back to reality.

    He checked the time on his phone, slipped on his shoes, and prepared to head out. That’s right; he’d taken the day off specifically to go to the hospital. He planned to get a dose of suppressant in advance to prepare for this month’s heat cycle.

    After finding the omega specialty clinic, he registered and explained the purpose of his visit to the doctor.

    Suppressants are a standard treatment, with many omegas coming in for injections each month. The doctor directly wrote him a prescription, and after paying, Yan Yuzhou queued up and went to find a nurse.

    It was quick and convenient, like getting a vaccine. Seeing that there was still time, Yan Yuzhou remembered that, during his last heat cycle, even after getting the injection, he’d still struggled with uncontrollable urges. So, he returned to the doctor’s office to ask about his situation and what he could do.

    Yan Yuzhou described his situation, explaining that the suppressants didn’t seem fully effective. After listening, the doctor nodded and asked, “This is rare, but not unheard of. Is your pheromone compatibility with your husband very high?”

    Yan Yuzhou nodded. “Yes, it’s one hundred percent.”

    The doctor raised her eyebrows, remarking in surprise, and then smiled slightly. “Such a fated bond—why use suppressants at all? Just have your husband mark you a few extra times over those three days.”

    A look of reluctance crossed Yan Yuzhou’s face, and he tentatively replied, “Well, I’m planning to divorce him. So, doctor, is there any medication or treatment that could help me stop being dependent on him?”

    The doctor frowned slightly, as if puzzled why two people with such a high compatibility would want a divorce. But it was, after all, a personal matter, and her responsibility was simply to prescribe the right solution. Considering Yan Yuzhou’s request, she nodded.

    “There is an oral medication, but I must warn you—it has to be taken daily and for life. And there are side effects. You might experience some physical discomfort, and, in severe cases, it could impact fertility. Also, it will only help you get through natural heat cycles. If your heat is triggered by external pheromone exposure, the medication won’t be effective.”

    Hearing this, Yan Yuzhou hesitated; the medication sounded risky. But then he thought it over—lifelong medication didn’t bother him, and fertility was something he didn’t care about anyway. If it could help him manage his monthly heat cycles without inconveniencing Shen Ci, it was worth it.

    With that in mind, he gritted his teeth and filled a one-month prescription.

    That night, half an hour after taking the first dose, his stomach churned violently, and he rushed to the bathroom, dry-heaving for a long time. He realized—it was a side effect of the medication.

    Enduring the discomfort, he suddenly recalled how Shen Ci had broken into a cold sweat, nauseous and gagging after being exposed to Yan Yuhe’s pheromones. And strangely, in that moment, he felt like his own suffering was worth it.

    ______________________

    T/N: This lack of communication is killing me!

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