Chapter 59

Chapter 59

The initial hint of lemon scent was faint, a gentle wisp that brushed his nose before vanishing, only to reappear soon after, growing stronger until it became impossible to ignore.

Ying Xi lowered his gaze to Li Yang, who was clutching the back of his neck with an unusual, almost odd expression.

Massaging the area, the pain gradually faded. Li Yang frowned and withdrew his hand, his whole body tensing for no apparent reason.

He pursed his lips awkwardly. Perhaps it was psychological, but though the pain had subsided, his nape still burned, making him repeatedly reach up to touch it, as if to soothe the uncomfortable heat.

"I'm fine," Li Yang said, meeting Ying Xi's worried gaze. He mustered a smile, rose on his toes, and grabbed Ying Xi’s head to affectionately mess up his hair. "Just felt a little off earlier. It's gone now."

The pheromone scent had vanished completely. Ying Xi bent down, letting him mess with his hair.

"I noticed your pheromones earlier."

Li Yang’s fingers stilled. After a moment of thought, he asked, "More or less than before?"

Ying Xi: "Slightly more."

Even now, he could still sense that subtle, enticing pull, urging him to seek more.

Li Yang blinked. "Then I should probably monitor it. I’ll go ask Dr. Xu later."

His fringe had gotten longer, slightly obscuring his eyes.

Ying Xi reached up and brushed them aside, revealing those luminous, striking eyes. "I’ll go with you," he said.

Li Yang nodded, then remembered something. "Let’s go out tomorrow. Wen Yun’s coming too."

"Okay," Ying Xi agreed.

Nearby, Wen Xinci, who had been watching them closely, his eyes red as if stained with blood, immediately raised his hand upon hearing about the outing. "If Wen Yun’s going, I'm coming too. We’ve graduated—won't have many opportunities to see you all after this."

Li Yang had no objections. Seeing Ying Xi’s indifferent expression, he nodded in agreement.

Wen Yun, however, disagreed. "We don't get along. Going out together will just lead to arguments."

"Who’d bother arguing with you?" Wen Xinci retorted.

"Two tagalongs are bound to clash," Wen Yun said disdainfully.

Wen Xinci was speechless. He stubbornly insisted on joining, even jumping up to grab Wen Yun’s red hair, clenching his teeth as he pressured him to agree.

Wen Yun figured being the lone tagalong wasn’t ideal either, so he reluctantly gave in.

The wind grew stronger, and the buzz of conversation around them intensified.

Most couldn’t stand the idea of parting ways after graduation, while a few felt no sentimental ties, leaving immediately after the photos were taken.

Li Xu and Ying Sui stood nearby, chatting with some teachers.

Noticing Ying Xi and Li Yang about to leave, Li Xu smiled and asked, "What are your plans after this?"

"Should we hold an engagement ceremony?" Ying Sui inquired.

"No need," Ying Xi replied. "Neither of us likes crowds."

Ying Sui understood and exchanged a glance with Li Xu, silently agreeing to keep it simple with just family.

Li Yang felt the engagement ceremony was optional. The ring exchange had already elevated their relationship—they were now each other’s fiancés.

As the temperature rose, the cicadas’ drone turned piercing.

Li Yang rubbed his ears, then headed home with Ying Xi.

After resting for a while, a stabbing pain flared up again in his nape, pulsing in waves. Frowning, Li Yang got up, took out an inhibitor patch, and applied it to the sore spot in front of the mirror.

The cooling sensation spread quickly, like a cooling gel pad, but beyond that, he felt nothing else.

He took out his phone and texted Dr. Xu about the day’s symptoms.

Dr. Xu: "Frequent stabbing pain? What were you doing before this started?"

"Taking graduation photos."

"Crowds don’t usually trigger this. Typically, strong emotions trigger pheromone spikes," Dr. Xu replied.

Still uneasy, Li Yang went to the hospital for tests.

"There's a slight increase," Dr. Xu said, reviewing the report. "But not by much—just one-thousandth of typical Omega/Alpha levels."

Li Yang nodded, then suddenly asked, "Do you think this could lead to a pseudo-heat?"

"Highly unlikely," Dr. Xu said with a reassuring smile. "Your fluctuation levels are too low to trigger that. Unless they spike dramatically, your constitution shouldn’t cause any issues—just steer clear of those situations."

Li Yang exhaled in partial relief.

"It’s summer break—try to stay away from crowded areas," Dr. Xu added. "The same goes for your partner. He’s at even greater risk than you."

Li Yang listened carefully.

"Any recent reactions to your partner’s pheromones?" Dr. Xu closed the report and handed it to him.

Due to the college entrance exams, Li Yang had hardly had any contact with Ying Xi and hadn’t been exposed to much of his scent. "We haven’t been close lately," he said simply.

Dr. Xu nodded in understanding. "Got it. Send your partner in."

Li Yang opened the door.

Ying Xi sat on a chair outside, gazing absently at the opposite wall. At the sound of the door, he turned, his stern expression softening into a smile.

"How was it?"

"No major issues. Just needs to be watched. Your turn now." Li Yang sat beside him. "I’ll wait here."

Ying Xi agreed. Before entering, he couldn’t help tousling Li Yang’s hair, then went into the doctor’s office.

The two spoke inside for far longer than he'd expected. Li Yang had assumed it would take ten minutes, but a full thirty minutes later, Ying Xi emerged.

"Let’s go," Ying Xi said, taking hold of his hand.

"What did you talk about?" Li Yang asked curiously.

"My pheromones are somewhat irregular," Ying Xi explained. "We tracked it for a while, but it’s nothing concerning."

Li Yang recalled their last kiss and self-consciously rubbed his neck.

Could the kiss have caused this?

He was lost in thought the whole way home, only coming back to himself when he saw Lingdang running around with her new coat.

As if sensing Li Yang was laughing at her fur, Lingdang paused mid-movement, gave a soft meow, and jumped onto the sofa.

Li Yang scooped her up and placed her on his lap, scratching her chin with his right hand while holding his phone in his left, looking through part-time listings.

Ying Xi handed him a glass of juice and leaned over as he sat down, catching sight of the job postings. "Looking for a part-time job? I’m planning to as well."

"You want to work with me?" Li Yang blinked.

"Yeah," Ying Xi said. "After being away for a few days, there’s nothing much to do at home. Might as well get jobs."

Li Yang considered suggesting he could work at his family’s company, but seeing Ying Xi’s serious expression, he scrolled through the listings he found suitable and discussed them with him.

The two shared their part-time job plans in the family group chat.

Li Xu was fully supportive: "Don’t take anything too exhausting. If you don’t mind, you can come to the company."

Ying Xi and Li Yang both flatly refused working at Ying Corporation.

Li Yang settled on a quiet, out-of-the-way café.

The job description was clear—few customers, light workload, with only one person needed to run the shop.

Because of this, all tasks fell on one person, but the pay was relatively high.

Li Yang applied, and the employer got straight to the point and asked about his gender.

"I’m a Beta," Li Yang replied.

"Being a Beta is perfectly fine. You’re hired—you can start anytime."

Li Yang was surprised, not expecting to get the job so easily. He confirmed he’d start in a week.

"I want to go too," Ying Xi said, resting his head on Li Yang’s shoulder, his tone soft. "I don’t want to be apart from you."

The tender words made Li Yang's hair stand on end. Too flustered to respond, he pushed Ying Xi’s head away, making him sit up straight.

"They only need one person, and it has to be a Beta." Li Yang said with a smile. "You can find a part-time job near me."

It was a good suggestion. Ying Xi agreed right away: "Okay."

Over the course of a week, the four of them hit five cities.

Wen Yun, thanks to his eye-catching hair, was the center of attention everywhere, outshining even Ying Xi’s handsome face.

After the trip, once they got home, Li Yang was dead tired that he passed out right after showering.

Lingdang wanted to play with him and jumped onto the bed, but when she got no response, she butted his chin questioningly, meowing softly.

Ying Xi picked her up and placed her in the living room, waving her off to play by herself.

The black cat unhappily showed her claws, but Ying Xi pointed to the snacks and asked if she wanted some.

Instantly, all her tough act vanished as she rolled onto her back, exposing her belly in a playful submission.

Ying Xi, used to her games by now, opened a snack and placed it in her bowl.

Then he returned to the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind him. Sitting in a chair, he crossed his long legs and rested his chin on his hand, just watching the figure on the bed.

The boy’s breathing was even, his fine features perfect, his smooth, pale skin bathed in warm light.

Despite the trip, Li Yang hadn’t gotten any darker.

Ying Xi remained in that position for a long time before finally coming to, turning off the lights and going to sleep.

The next day, Li Yang and Ying Xi started their part-time jobs.

Ying Xi worked as an NPC at an escape room a kilometer away from Li Yang’s workplace, carrying props and in horror makeup.

The moment the boss saw his photo, he wanted him to work as a greeter.

Upon meeting him in person, the boss enthusiastically pushed for him to work the front desk, asking if Ying Xi was interested.

Ying Xi politely declined, preferring to stay in the escape room, doing his job scaring people.

After a week of work, Su Shaoning blew up his phone with over a hundred texts.

Li Yang finally replied with, "If you keep bothering me, you won’t get a single cent." Su Shaoning immediately backed off.

Perhaps he had told Li Yuyue, because after a few hours of peace, Li Yuyue started blowing up his phone with messages from different numbers, hounding him for money.

He claimed he didn’t want much—just a million upfront.

Li Yang, normally unshakable at the café, couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh at the message.

"If you’re lying in a coffin, I wouldn’t mind burning that much for you."

Perhaps shocked by the harsh words, Li Yuyue flew into a rage, cursing him with insults.

"I’ll give you 100,000 to cut ties. That’s it," Li Yang replied coldly.

Li Yuyue agreed instantly, then tried to haggle for more. Only when Li Yang threatened to block him did he finally stop messaging.

Peace at last.

Li Yang put his phone down.

The café was indeed remote, with fewer than ten customers a day.

It opened at 10 a.m. and closed by 5 p.m. The owner, a young man, was hardly ever there.

After work, Li Yang would wait at the intersection for Ying Xi so they could head home together.

When the exam results came out, Li Yang wasn’t surprised—his score was right around what he'd expected.

Ying Xi scored five points higher, and they put in for the same university.

During the second week of work, Li Yang woke up early and stared at his reflection, seeing something different about himself but unable to pinpoint what.

"Do I look different to you?" Li Yang tilted his head up, leaning close to Ying Xi. "It’s only been ten days of work. Why do I feel like I’ve matured a lot?"

"You’ve become even more handsome and adorable," Ying Xi said, his gaze fixed on the face inches from his.

He wasn’t lying—upon closer inspection, Li Yang’s features had gotten noticeably sharper.

Usually, Omegas and Alphas had more striking looks, while Betas tended to be more ordinary.

But Li Yang didn’t look like a Beta at all.

"Really?" Li Yang curved his lips. "Maybe it's because my skin is fairer—fair skin hides a multitude of flaws, after all."

"Yangyang is handsome no matter what." Ying Sui cupped his face and gently pinched it.

The soft, smooth cheeks were impossible to resist, and only when Li Yang playfully begged him to stop did Ying Sui finally withdraw his hand.

They didn’t hold an engagement banquet, just had a meal with Li Xu and Ying Sui to formalize their engagement.

His phone vibrated—a seven-figure sum so huge it practically burned his fingers. Li Yang didn’t dare to count exactly how much he had received so far, keeping it all lumped together.

Perhaps because the college entrance exam results were out and everything was settled, far more people were out and about.

The coffee shop’s customer numbers swelled from just a few people to twenty or thirty a day.

Li Yang got asked his gender multiple times a day. Upon hearing he was a Beta, they were stunned, then left disappointed.

Since gloves were required for work and no one could see his ring, Li Yang simply strung it on a necklace and wore it that way.

The gender questions dried up, replaced by curiosity about his age and why he was already married.

Li Yang only smiled without further explanation.

The day he received his college admission letter, the weight off his shoulders finally vanished.

To get their money, Li Yuyue and Su Shaoning even seized the chance to pretend to care about him that day.

Li Yang remained unmoved, shooting back a warning for them to stay in line if they wanted their money.

Li Yuyue and Su Shaoning hastily complied.

Li Yang gave a scornful smirk and put away his phone.

The coffee shop was nearly packed, and the owner, figuring Li Yang was swamped, stayed to help.

As he worked the espresso machine, Li Yang couldn’t help but ask, "Why are there so many people in the shop lately?"

"There’s a nearby escape room blowing up online, driving traffic here," the owner explained. "I heard there’s an NPC with a knife and a saw who’s seriously hot."

Li Yang immediately thought of Ying Sui, unsure if it was him, but the image of him expressionlessly chasing people with a knife and saw was so absurd it cracked him up.

"Here, this one." The owner dug up a photo and showed it to Li Yang.

The boy in the photo had ghostly scar prosthetics, and though the base was terrifying, it couldn’t hide his sharp bone structure.

The prop he held was so large it took up the entire screen, and his gaze into the camera was cold, exuding ice-cold aloofness.

It was indeed Ying Sui.

"Hold up." Just as Li Yang was about to ask the owner to share the photo with him, the owner suddenly noticed something. He zoomed in on the photo, his eyes fixed on the necklace around Ying Sui’s neck. "Why does this look so familiar?"

He looked at Li Yang, then back at Ying Sui. "Did couple merch dropped already? This guy’s only been exposed and popular for two days."

Li Yang was about to explain when the owner rubbed his chin. "It couldn’t be that quick… So there’s only one possibility. Is he the fiancé you mentioned before?"

Li Yang didn’t hide it, smiling and nodding.

The owner was stunned but more excited about guessing right. "I friggin’ knew it! I knew there had to be a reason you had matching items. Wow, I’m so smart."

A dagger-sharp glare suddenly pierced through the air. Li Yang instinctively glanced up.

Five men sitting in the corner immediately lowered their heads, suddenly engrossed in their phones.

Li Yang frowned. Based on their hulking frames, he could roughly tell they were Alphas.

"More people means more weirdos," the owner muttered under his breath, noticing their hostility. "These guys have been coming for days."

Li Yang had no memory of them.

The owner guessed his thoughts. "At first, they came separately. But the last two days, they’ve been sitting together, trashing the place. Be careful—those five are certifiably unhinged. Best not to engage with them."

Li Yang nodded seriously and focused on the machine.

"Don’t you guys have cake here?" Less than a minute after the owner’s warning, one of the men walked up to the counter, flashing a grin.

The layout of the counter was obvious at a glance, and the menu was right above them—there was no way he hadn’t seen it. The "cake" was just an excuse to talk.

Just as Li Yang was about to shut him down, a rancid stench suddenly hit him.

He frowned. It had been so long since he’d smelled something like this that he initially thought some food had gone bad—until he saw the man’s shit-eating grin and realized he was pumping out pheromones on purpose.

Since the counter was far from the seating area, the other Omegas and Alphas in the shop didn’t notice.

"You’re an Omega, right?" The man leered when he saw Li Yang’s frown, leaning in slightly. "We were betting on it. Put my money on Omega—pay up, boys."

Li Yang glanced at a nearby cup, calculating how many seconds it would take to smash it into the man’s face. "Wrong guess."

"What? You’re telling me you’re an Alpha? With that small frame? Where are the Alpha traits?" The man snorted dismissively, eyebrows raised high.

Li Yang picked up the cup and slammed it down hard.

The man, already suspicious he might get hit, flinched away. Realizing it was a bluff, he glared furiously, ego bruised. "What’s your problem?"

"I was about to take out the garbage." Li Yang grabbed a handful of coffee grounds, his meaning clear.

"The hell’s that supposed to mean?" The man slammed a fist on the table.

The owner walked over, smiling but raising his voice. "Careful—that table’s the most expensive thing here. Set me back 58K."

The man froze mid-rant. Though he kept grumbling profanities, he lowered his hand and even brushed over the table to prove he hadn’t damaged it.

His pheromones were the vilest stench Li Yang’d ever choked on. Holding his breath didn’t help, so he stepped aside to make coffee, letting the aroma of the beans clear his nose.

"A Beta, putting on airs," the man sneered, having guessed Li Yang’s gender.

The owner promptly upended a fresh iced coffee on his head.

"Oops, my bad. You keep asking about people’s genders—so damn rude my hands rebelled."

The ice cubes hit the man’s skull, liquid dripping down his face. Enraged, he raised a foot to kick the table.

The owner reminded him again, "Careful. 58K. Most expensive one."

The man retracted his leg, jabbing a finger furiously at the owner. "You’re done. You assaulted me on purpose. I’m calling the cops—you’re paying me 58K!"

"Hand slipped." The owner pulled out 20 yuan, smiling as he placed it on the table and pointed at the security camera. "Here’s your cleaning fee. Take it and leave, and we’ll call it even. Call the cops, and I’ll have to report you too—harassment for pestering people about their gender."

"What harassment? He’s just a Beta!" The man’s eyes bulged so wide they nearly popped out, his already twisted face now downright grotesque.

"You were also releasing pheromones recklessly. Doesn’t that count as harassment?" The owner gestured for him to look behind.

The man was too agitated and lost control of his pheromones, making several customers in the shop take notice. They had long grown impatient and wanted to confront him.

Seeing this, the man rolled his eyes, as if realizing his mistake, and threw out a threat, "You just wait," wiping the coffee off his face as he walked away.

Two seconds later, he hurried back, grabbed his twenty bucks, and fled.

The remaining four companions saw this and quickly got up to leave as well. One of them even left his contact information for Li Yang, hinting he should call.

Li Yang shot him a "you're an idiot" look and tossed the note into the trash.

The man bit back his words, remembering what his companion had done, and left in silent frustration.

"Bad luck," the owner cursed under his breath as soon as the door closed. "We’re closing early today. Let’s go grab something good to eat and shake off the bad vibes."

With their departure, the air finally cleared.

Li Yang smirked at the owner’s act, cleaning the machine while thanking him.

"I did it on purpose," the owner waved it off. "I only did that because I saw you were about to throw punches. If you’d actually hit him, I’d be on the hook for damages, so I just threw coffee as a warning."

Li Yang paused. He *had* wanted to act, but after weighing the consequences, he’d restrained himself.

"Anyway, I should thank you. If you’d actually fought, I’d be the one paying for it," the owner sighed. "But it’s understandable. You kept your cool dealing with trash like that. If it were me, I’d probably have shoved a plunger down his throat to teach him how to speak properly."

Li Yang laughed again. "Was the table really worth fifty-eight thousand?"

"Nah, I lied. Just fifty-eight hundred." The owner grinned, recalling the man’s ridiculous, fearful expression.

True to his word, they closed an hour early that afternoon.

After cleaning up, the owner invited Li Yang out for dinner.

Li Yang smiled and declined. "Can't this time. Rain check?"

The owner nodded knowingly. "Got it, got it. You’re meeting your boyfriend."

Li Yang didn’t deny it—he and Ying Xi had plans to watch the latest movie together that evening.

They parted ways, and Li Yang headed straight to the escape room entrance to wait for Ying Xi.

The crowd was so large that a queue had formed at the entrance, forcing him to stand aside and message Ying Xi.

Before long, someone in a mask and hood emerged from the shop, his face hidden.

Li Yang recognized him instantly and gave a subtle wave.

Ying Xi quickly approached, took his hand, and quickly led them away.

"Look at you, famous now," Li Yang teased, glancing back at the crowd. "All those people came because of you."

"No," Ying Xi removed his mask and hood. "They’re here for the escape room."

"The owner showed me one of your photos—it's got two million likes online," Li Yang tilted his head.

Ying Xi frowned. "Then I’ll have to quit. Too many people."

Big crowds meant his pheromones risked becoming unstable.

Li Yang nodded in agreement and asked what he planned to do next.

Ying Xi thought for a moment. "Bring Lingdang to work at a cat café."

Li Yang’s eyes lit up. "Now that's a genius idea!"

Back at home, Lingdang—who had been lounging on the rug chewing a toy—suddenly got chills, dropped the toy, and warily scanned the room before settling back down.

*

With the movie at seven, they hit up dinner first.

While queuing for the theater, Li Yang noticed the unusually large crowd.

The line moved so slowly that people started pushing.

"What's the holdup? We’ve been stuck here forever—move it!"

"Chill out! The staff at the front are checking tickets slowly. We want to get in too!"

"Unbelievable. What’s going on today? This is ridiculous—I’ve already wasted ten minutes."

"..."

"Sorry, sorry!" A harried employee in uniform rushed out from the emergency exit, mopping his brow as he bowed apologetically. "The scanner’s broken, so we have to check tickets manually today. Really sorry about this."

Nobody wanted apologies—they just urged him to hurry.

The young man nodded, clenched his jaw, and edged to the front to start checking tickets.

As he passed Li Yang, Li Yang spotted the white suppressant patch on the back of his neck and paused.

"What's your deal?" Two other staff members grumbled at him. "Hurry up! Because of you, the line’s backed up so much."

The young man, who had just wiped his sweat, was sweating buckets again. He kept apologizing as he worked quickly.

The snail-paced line finally moved, and in the blink of an eye, only a few dozen people remained.

The young man’s face was pale, his forehead beaded with sweat.

He swallowed hard, his vision going fuzzy. As he turned to explain his condition, his supervisor’s warning about docked pay echoed in his ears.

Jaw tight, he pulled out a tissue to wipe his face.

To every person he checked in, he mumbled 'sorry'—until someone slipped something into his hand.

Startled, he looked up.

Standing before him was a pale guy holding popcorn, his sharp features softened by a warm glint in his dark eyes. "I thought you might need this."

The young man glanced down and realized it was a suppressant. He quickly pocketed it, his voice thick with gratitude. "Thank you. I really did need this."

"No big deal. I’m glad to help." Li Yang smiled, understanding that he’d been enduring to avoid revealing he was an Omega.

The young man discreetly injected the suppressant.

His raging pheromones finally stabilized, and he exhaled in relief, watching as the two entered the theater—his gaze lingering on the cola in one of their hands.

"Stop spacing out!" another staff member snapped. "Speed it up, or I’m reporting you to the supervisor."

"Don’t!" The young man jolted back to work and resumed checking tickets.

Once the rush ended, he finally had a break. He bought two colas and hurried into the screening room.

The movie started—a suspense thriller with an intense atmosphere. The theater was utterly silent, everyone fixated on the screen.

Li Yang slowly munched on popcorn, eyes locked on the screen as his mind raced, trying to deduce who the killer might be. Then, a cautious voice whispered beside him.

"Excuse me, may I pass? Thank you."

"Sorry, thank you."

Someone placed something in the cup holder next to Li Yang, said a quick thanks, and hurried away.

Li Yang glanced down and saw it was a Coke. Puzzled, he looked toward the retreating figure.

"The ticket-checking staff," Ying Xi identified him.

"Just what I needed—I was getting thirsty," Li Yang said softly, picking up the cola. "I’ll pay him back after the movie."

Ying Xi nodded silently, his gaze drifting past other couples cuddled up before settling on Li Yang’s hand resting on the popcorn bucket.

"I'll take that," Ying Xi said, taking the bucket.

Li Yang wondered why he suddenly wanted to hold it when his hand was firmly grasped.

Their hands warmed together as Ying Xi straightened, his handsome face lit intermittently by the screen’s glow.

Li Yang chuckled and laced their fingers together, turning back to the movie.

After two hours of brain-bending twists and three shocking twists at the end, Li Yang, like everyone else, was left stunned, amazed by the airtight plot.

When the credits started, the audience erupted into chatter.

"Did you guess the killer?" Li Yang said in amazement. "It was actually *him*."

"No," Ying Xi admitted with a smile.

After holding hands, most of his attention had been on Li Yang’s ever-changing expressions—finding him completely adorable. Though he followed the plot, he hadn’t bothered deducing the killer.

"Let’s go," Li Yang said, standing and throwing away his empty cup into the trash before seeking out the staff member who’d given them the cola.

"No need! The suppressant you gave me really saved me," the young man insisted, waving his hands frantically when Li Yang offered to pay for the drink. He looked on the verge of tears. "That was my way of thanking you. Please, keep it."

"Alright," Li Yang said, putting his phone away. His voice was soft, calming the boy's nerves. "Then thank you for the cola. Next time, I’ll treat you to something else."

The young man grinned and nodded eagerly.

Li Yang asked why he was still working with his heat coming up.

"It’s not my heat," the boy explained. "I just went through secondary gender presentation and my pheromones are all over the place. I wanted to take leave, but if I do, I’ll forfeit three days’ wages."

He’d assumed Li Yang was also an Omega—until he noticed the nearly flat gland on the back of Li Yang’s neck, unlike the prominent ones typical of Omegas. It clicked.

"You’re a Beta?"

"Yeah," Li Yang said, glancing at Ying Xi waiting nearby before preparing to leave.

"I used to be a Beta too," the young man admitted, lowering his head dejectedly. "I don’t know why I differentiated into an Omega—and a substandard one too."

Before Li Yang could console him, the boy quickly composed himself, touching the back of his neck and realizing his suppressant patch was still on.

He peeled it off carefully, crumpled it, and tossed it into the trash.

A faint, unfamiliar scent brushed past Li Yang’s nose, making him pause. He guessed it was leftover scent from the boy’s patch.

It was too faint to be unpleasant, yet something about it unsettled him, triggering some buried unease.

Instinctively, Li Yang rubbed the back of his neck—a thinking habit of his.

"Huh?" The boy frowned, sniffing himself. "My pheromones are stable now, but I just picked up a strange scent. Is someone else’s scent leaking too?"

Li Yang stiffened. After a quick goodbye, he hurried to Ying Xi’s side and signaled they should go.

"Can you smell my pheromones?" Li Yang asked anxiously, grabbing a scent patch just in case.

Ying Xi stopped, leaned in close to his neck, and inhaled carefully before murmuring, "No."

Li Yang let out a relieved breath but applied the patch anyway, hurrying home in case his condition became unstable and he needed suppressants.

During his shower, the agitation inside him grew, a growing agitation coiling around him like an inescapable net.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his chaotic thoughts, dragging out his shower.

Half an hour later, when Li Yang stepped out in his pajamas, a hint of mint hung in the air.

The crisp, soothing fragrance instantly dissolved his unease.

"Ying Xi, did you have a drink?" Li Yang asked, figuring he’d drunk something mint-flavored from the fridge.

The living room was empty. No one answered.

After a minute of blow-drying his hair, Li Yang searched the entire house but found no sign of Ying Xi.

Strange…

Then it hit him.

Realizing the source of the mint scent, he strode to the opposite door.

The facial recognition lock chimed. The moment Li Yang pulled the door open, a powerful wave of pheromones engulfed him, wrapping tightly around his body.