Chapter 151: First Mark

Chapter 151 Initial Mark

When Liang Xu arrived at the hotel, he could barely stand.

His body was burning hot, his lips pressed tightly together, and he staggered out of the car.

Zhang Ping helped him put on a mask and a hat, then took him into the room via the staff elevator.

Liang Xu unscrewed a water bottle, his trembling hands spilling half of it onto the bedsheets as he gulped down a few mouthfuls. He had no time to care, slumping onto the edge of the bed.

Zhang Ping said, "Just wait, Shi Lv should be here soon."

Liang Xu gave a faint hum in response.

The suite was located on the top floor of the hotel, with 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Haicheng’s finest golden beach. The sea stretched dark below, with only the faint outlines of distant boats visible, while the city’s neon lights flickered on the other side, blotting out the night sky. The dense spotlights from the business district outshone the stars.

Zhang Ping drew the curtains shut, making sure no light got in, then walked to the door and turned off all the lights.

Once everything was prepared, he stood by the entrance, glancing at his watch—9:56.

The reason Shi Lv wasn’t allowed to arrive early was to prevent him from encountering Liang Xu in this state.

But now that everything was ready, Zhang Ping paced nervously by the door, checking his watch repeatedly. Fortunately, at exactly ten o’clock, the elevator chimed open.

Shi Lv was always punctual. Since the employer had only given him this one instruction, he made sure to follow it precisely. He had arrived at the hotel twenty minutes early, waited in the lobby for fifteen minutes, timed his elevator ride perfectly, and even lingered on the 28th floor for forty seconds—all to ensure he arrived at exactly the right moment.

Zhang Ping let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He grabbed Shi Lv and instructed, "No questions, no talking, don’t turn on the lights. Just give the mark."

Shi Lv tensed. "Not even the lights?"

Years of scam-awareness training instantly put him on high alert.

Zhang Ping scratched his nose and explained, "Well, my cousin... uh, he was hurt badly by an ex, and he’s not in a good place mentally. He also has..."

He hesitated before continuing, "He also has light-triggered seizures. If he sees light, he’ll have a mental breakdown and start lashing out and biting people. So absolutely no lights, no small talk—just grope your way to the bed and give him a temporary mark."

Shi Lv: "...Alright."

He set his backpack down by the door, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.

The room was completely dark, impossible to see anything, but the sound of ragged breathing filled the air—choked-back moans turning into soft, stifled whimpers.

Shi Lv’s back prickled with goosebumps.

He was young and inexperienced, and stumbling into this situation was downright unnerving. With no light to guide him, he felt his way toward the bed and awkwardly introduced himself, "H-Hello, I’m Shi Lv. I’m the Alpha here to give you a temporary mark."

The only response was another pained gasp.

Bracing himself, Shi Lv reached out and touched the person on the bed.

The first thing his fingers brushed was a slender waist—Liang Xu had shed his suit jacket, and his shirt had ridden up, leaving his bare skin exposed. Shi Lv’s fingertips landed just above his navel, the soft warmth of his stomach rising and falling with each breath.

"..."

Shi Lv quickly withdrew his hand, not daring to explore further. Instead, he found Liang Xu’s shoulder and gently pulled him up.

Though still a student, Shi Lv was strong from regular sports, easily wrapping an arm around Liang Xu’s back to support him. He then cupped the back of Liang Xu’s head with his palm, guiding it to rest against his shoulder.

At this position, Liang Xu's nose was just an inch away from Shi Lv's pheromone gland.

The scent of rain and forest rushed over him—crisp and clean, yet it seared like wildfire. The next second, Shi Lv's warm breath landed on the gland.

Sharp teeth pierced the skin, and an alien sensation erupted from the back of his neck. The chill of rain-soaked air enveloped him, soothing all the unbearable discomfort.

...It was bliss.

Overwhelming, even.

His body felt like it was drifting in cotton, limp and devoid of strength. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, and Liang Xu turned his head, pressing them into the pillow.

It had been eight years since he last received a mark.

Liang Xu had overexerted his control, his defenses crumbling at the slightest touch. The moment the canines sank into his gland, he clawed at Shi Lv’s arm, fingers trembling as they tightened.

Shi Lv frowned slightly—the omega’s grip was strong, almost painful—but he didn’t shake it off. He knew omegas were physically weaker in this world, akin to women or girls in his past life.

A girl wronged by some bastard, driven to madness—it sounded pitiful. And since Zhang Ping was young, his cousin must be even younger. Shi Lv figured the omega clinging to him was pitiful, so if the omega wanted to hold on, Shi Lv let him.

This was Shi Lv’s first time marking someone, and he was clumsy at it. Meanwhile, Liang Xu had lost his breath entirely and forgotten to call for a stop. Lips and tongue worked the spot until his nape throbbed before the temporary mark was complete.

Shi Lv let out a relieved breath.

The person in his arms was drenched in cold sweat, leaning weakly against him. Shi Lv eased him down with a hand on his shoulder, letting him lie back.

The alpha’s movements remained clean throughout, never straying where it shouldn’t.

Liang Xu’s body was limp as a ragdoll, nearly collapsing onto the bed. The alpha then pulled the blanket over him, tucking it in carefully. Shi Lv clearly lacked experience in caregiving—even such a simple task was done fumblingly, his fingers brushing Liang Xu’s waist once before quickly withdrawing.

Normally, between an alpha and an omega, the omega was the vulnerable one, especially since Liang Xu had lost all mobility. If Shi Lv wanted to claim him fully now, Liang Xu would have no way to resist.

But Shi Lv was clearly the more flustered one. After fumbling with the blanket, tucking the corners firmly under the mattress like a hotel housekeeper, he stood stiff as a cadet at inspection by the bedside.

Shi Lv straightened up. "The temporary mark is complete. Please rest well."

...

—He made to leave.

Liang Xu’s fingers hooked onto Shi Lv’s hem, hesitating a hair’s breadth, then let go.

A freshly marked omega always clung to their alpha—it had nothing to do with emotion or reason, purely a hormonal instinct. Even someone as strong as Liang Xu struggled to suppress it.

But he quickly regained his composure.

Yet that barely noticeable hesitation didn’t escape Shi Lv’s notice.

Payment taken, job done—Shi Lv was a man of professionalism. He didn’t yet understand the rarity of compatible scents and simply thought that if he pleased his employer, he could keep this job longer. Where else would he find such easy work?

Besides, he genuinely pitied this omega.

What kind of heartbreak could drive someone to photosensitive epilepsy and madness?

So he leaned down, carefully adjusting the omega into a more comfortable position, then grabbed a nearby pillow and tucked it into Liang Xu’s arms.

—This was something he’d learned after speed-reading omega pup psychology for a day after accepting the job. Apparently, pups craved softness—soothed them.

To Shi Lv, an omega driven mad by heartbreak was roughly equivalent to someone with emotional damage, which in turn meant they were like needy pups in need of care.

Liang Xu: "...?"

He hugged the pillow, looking slightly dazed.

Even as a kid in the orphanage, he wasn’t an Omega who needed a pillow to sleep—certainly not now.

Shi Lv said courteously, "Good night. Sleep well."

Then, he groped his way out, opened the door with a soft *click*, and gently shut it behind him.

The room sank back into darkness.

Liang Xu picked up his watch—10:15.

Only fifteen minutes had gone by, but it felt like forever.

The pillow was drenched in his cold sweat, but Liang Xu couldn’t bring himself to move a muscle. It wasn’t exhaustion from straining himself—just the deep fatigue of satisfaction. Every time his heat hit, Liang Xu came here—the hotel’s soundproofing and private floors hid everything, leaving no trace for outsiders.

The hotel billed itself as Haicheng’s top resort. Liang Xu had the best suite—panoramic views, the beach and waves just below. But in this room high above the city, he’d never slept a full night.

Now, though, he fell into a heavy sleep.

For once, he slept soundly.

Meanwhile, Shi Lv left the room, preparing to return to school.

A little after ten—if he hurried, he could still make the last subway.

Zhang Ping waited by the entrance and stepped forward the moment he spotted Shi Lv. "How did it go?"

Shi Lv: "Done with the marking. He’s probably out by now."

Zhang Ping exhaled in relief.

He hit the elevator button for Shi Lv. "Let’s go, Mr. Shi. It’s late—I’ll give you a ride back to campus."

To their boss, Shi Lv’s pheromones were a rare miracle cure. Zhang Ping had to keep him happy—if Shi Lv walked, where’d they find another like him?

"Nah, it’s cool. I’ll just take the subway," Shi Lv replied. To him, this job was a stroke of luck. Though he hadn’t officially entered the workforce yet, he already understood workplace etiquette. Zhang Ping was his boss and superior—how could he let his boss drive him home in the middle of the night?

"No, no, Mr. Shi—it’s late and sketchy out. Let me drive you."

"C’mon, it’s fine. I’m a—well, an Alpha. What’s gonna happen?"

"No, no, it’s no trouble—you came all this way at night..."

"Eh, it’s whatever. Not a big deal..."

They went back and forth, but Shi Lv was a rookie—no match for an old hand like Zhang Ping. Ten minutes later, he found himself seated in Zhang Ping’s luxurious car.

It was a luxury MPV—three-meter wheelbase, matrix headlights, a meter-tall grille—all sleek, understated power. The interior featured genuine leather seats—even though Shi Lv didn’t know much about cars, he could tell it wasn’t cheap.

He fastened his seatbelt. "Your car? It’s really nice."

Of course, it wasn’t Zhang Ping’s car—it was Liang Xu’s. Zhang Ping hadn’t switched vehicles after picking him up.

But driving Liang Xu’s car to fetch Shi Lv to help his cousin—no matter how he thought about it, it felt wrong. Zhang Ping lied through his teeth. "Yeah, it’s mine."

Shi Lv was a workplace newbie, but he knew to butter up his boss in conversation. Plus, he genuinely liked the car, so he praised it a few more times.

Zhang Ping: "..."

He gripped the steering wheel tightly the entire way, then dropped Shi Lv off at school.

Before Shi Lv got out of the car, Zhang Ping reminded him, "It's your first day of internship tomorrow. Don’t be late."

Shi Lv naturally agreed.

He entered the dormitory. The day had been a mess, and he planned to shower and sleep. But as he reached for his clothes, he suddenly noticed his wrist.

Then, he finally noticed the sting.

Clear finger marks stood out.

The Omega from earlier had squeezed his wrist hard enough to leave it swollen.