Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ruan Shuyang was in a bad way. Perhaps it was the lingering effect of sitting near two alphas, but after leaving the treatment center, his back ached and his legs felt like jelly. He nearly collapsed after just a few steps.

Leaning against a streetlamp, he closed his eyes as waves of sensation surged through his body.

Images from the night he was marked flashed through his mind.

He remembered the man's body heat, those large hands…

He jerked his eyes open, startled by his own thoughts.

His body was instinctively craving the pheromones of that "Mr. Chi."

It was an Enigma's pheromones—irreplaceable.

Without Mr. Chi’s pheromones, he feared even suppressants would lose their effect.

But how could he find Mr. Chi?

All he knew was that the man’s surname was Chi and that he owned the club. Beyond that, he knew nothing.

The man had left no contact information, and even Su Yan, who had driven him home that night, hadn’t given him any way to reach out.

He had no way of finding that person.

Perhaps… he should go to the club and check it out?

The thought sprang up and spread in his mind like wildfire.

It wouldn’t hurt to go and wait outside the club. Things couldn’t possibly get any worse.

Gathering his strength, he took the subway to the club. Standing before the quiet, elegant five-story European-style building, he felt utterly lost, unsure of what to do next.

During the day, the club was quiet and still, standing apart amidst the bustling city. Perhaps he should wait until evening—maybe Mr. Chi would show up.

But even if he did, what would he say? How could he ask for help?

Just as he was feeling completely helpless, a voice suddenly called out from behind.

"Ruan Shuyang."

He turned instinctively, but the moment he saw who it was, his soul almost jumped out of his skin.

He was wrong—things could indeed get worse. It was Lu Zheng.

His face pale, Ruan Shuyang took a step back, but he tripped over something and fell to the ground.

Lu Zheng approached him with a cruel smirk, his gaze fixed on him like a predator eyeing cornered prey. "I’ve always wondered how you managed to leave the club safely last time," he said slowly. "Since I have time today, why don’t we have a proper chat?"

"No, no—"

Ruan Shuyang shook his head wildly, trying to stand and run. But when he fell, he must have twisted something—every movement sent a sharp, stabbing pain through him.

What’s more, his body was weak and shaky, and he lacked the strength to get up.

He pulled out his phone, trying to call the police, but before he could unlock it, Lu Zheng said to the bodyguard beside him, "Take his phone. Get him in the car."

In despair, Ruan Shuyang watched as a tall, male Alpha bodyguard strode over and reached for his phone—

Terrified, he shut his eyes, bracing himself.

But several minutes passed, and the expected pain never came. Instead, he felt a familiar, icy-cold sensation wash over him.

Gathering his courage, he opened his eyes and saw someone standing in front of him.

Backlit, he couldn’t make out the person’s face at first, only that they were tall—so tall their shadow enveloped him completely.

At the same time, that familiar, cold tide surrounded him.

He had only ever felt this kind of sensation from one person—the Alpha who had marked him that night. No, the Enigma.

He recognized those pheromones.

Was it Mr. Chi?

Surprised and overjoyed, he looked up at the Enigma, feeling for the first time that luck might actually be on his side.

Pei Siyue ignored the bodyguard he had kicked to the ground and crouched down to look at Ruan Shuyang, who was still sitting there.

"Are you hurt?"

Ruan Shuyang felt a sudden blur, and then "Mr. Chi" was crouching in front of him, asking if he was hurt.

Even while crouching, the tall Enigma still towered over him, his presence intensely overwhelming. Ruan Shuyang instinctively grew nervous, stammering, "N-no, I’m fine."

But as he tried to stand up, he twisted his injured foot again and cried out in pain.

Pei Siyue looked down and asked after a moment, "Your foot is hurt. Can you stand on your own?"

Ruan Shuyang mumbled, "I… I don’t think I can."

He was annoyed at himself for having fallen and sprained his ankle.

The summer heat was intense, and Ruan Shuyang was wearing thin ankle pants. Because he was sitting on the ground, the cuffs had pulled up, revealing his pale, slim calves and ankles wrapped in light-colored socks.

One of his ankles was slightly swollen from the sprain, and Pei Siyue could immediately tell which foot was injured.

He reached out and pressed gently on the swollen ankle for a moment before saying, "The bone isn’t injured. It’s just a sprain. You’ll need some ointment."

Feeling flustered and self-conscious in front of Pei Siyue’s imposing presence, Ruan Shuyang softly replied, "Mm-hmm." But before he could finish the sound, he was suddenly scooped up.

Startled, he instinctively threw his arms around Pei Siyue’s neck, afraid of falling.

His slender, pale arms clung to the Enigma’s neck, his forearm unconsciously pressing against the spot where Pei Siyue’s scent gland was.

Pei Siyue’s gaze darkened, but he said nothing. Instead, he shifted his grip on Ruan Shuyang and turned his attention to Lu Zheng, who stood opposite them.

Lu Zheng watched them with a calculating look before finally speaking. "Young Master."

The bodyguard Pei Siyue had kicked earlier was still lying on the ground, unable to get up, but neither of them gave him any attention.

Jiang Wu came running over, out of breath and bewildered.

He had no idea what had just happened. Pei Siyue had suddenly ordered the driver to stop, and the moment the car halted, he had thrown the door open and rushed out.

The Enigma’s speed and reaction time were something an Alpha simply couldn’t match. Before Jiang Wu could react, his boss had already disappeared.

Now, when he finally caught up, he found Pei Siyue holding Ruan Shuyang in his arms—Pei Siming’s fiancée, whom he had seen once before—while standing opposite Lu Zheng. It seemed there'd been some kind of standoff.

His jaw almost hit the floor in shock.

Wait… is this really appropriate?

Why is his boss holding his younger brother’s fiancée?

Who was it that sternly told him to lay off the drama series last time? Well, now even the most exaggerated soap opera plots don’t even come close to this.

The future brother-in-law is openly holding his younger brother’s fiancée on the street.

Have Ruan Shuyang’s legs completely given out, or is supporting an Omega more tiring than holding one?

Otherwise, why would he just hold him like that?

Jiang Wu was totally thrown for a loop, completely at a loss for how to handle the situation.

His boss really doesn’t seem worried that Ruan Shuyang might have been sent by Pei Siming. It’s unclear whether he’s just that confident in his own abilities or simply doesn’t take Pei Siming seriously at all.

It’s as if he’s fallen for a seduction plot and is now holding him himself. Even acting doesn’t need to be this realistic. After all, Pei Siyue has always kept his distance from Omegas in the past—this is the first time Jiang Wu has seen Pei Siyue hold an Omega.

The scene was too shocking, and Jiang Wu momentarily struggled to regain his professional cool as a secretary.

Lu Zheng was the first to speak, asking meaningfully, "If I’m not mistaken, he’s the Second Young Master’s fiancé, right? Eldest Young Master."

This was the first time Ruan Shuyang had been held like this while fully conscious—cradled as if cherished, his head resting against the other’s chest. From his angle, he could only see the Enigma’s elegant yet sharp jawline, his tall nose bridge, and a pair of deep, cold black eyes.

He felt it was inappropriate to speak in such a situation, so he obediently and quietly nestled closer.

But Lu Zheng’s words still made him nervous and uneasy.

He could understand Lu Zheng referring to him as the Second Young Master’s fiancé—after all, he had participated in an engagement ceremony with the Pei family’s Second Young Master, Pei Siming, and was currently his fiancé.

But what did Lu Zheng mean by "Eldest Young Master"? Who was he referring to?

Shouldn’t the person holding him be Mr. Chi?

Anxious and unsettled, he unconsciously tightened his grip on Pei Siyue’s shirt.

Pei Siyue glanced down, noticing the wrinkled shirt but saying nothing. He simply raised his head again and said to Lu Zheng, "The Pei family’s affairs are none of your concern."

Lu Zheng sneered.

Pei Siyue narrowed his eyes, his gaze so deep it was unreadable, his tone icy. "Don’t touch him. You don’t want to know the consequences."

As his words fell, the pressure of his pheromones drained the color from Lu Zheng’s face, nearly causing his legs to buckle.

Alpha dominance is always direct—if your pheromones are stronger, the other party will fear you. Lu Zheng didn’t dare say another word, only watching with resentment and bitterness as Pei Siyue carried Ruan Shuyang away.

Jiang Wu, however, politely walked over and handed out a business card, saying that the bodyguard’s medical bills could be directed to him, before following his boss and leaving.

When he reached the car, he saw Pei Siyue carefully placing Ruan Shuyang in the back seat of the stretch Lincoln. Just as he was about to follow and sit across from them, Pei Siyue gave him an icy look, freezing him in place.

Pei Siyue said indifferently, "Sit in the front."

"Okay."

Jiang Wu swiftly made his way to the passenger seat. As soon as he sat down, he heard Pei Siyue, who was seated across from Ruan Shuyang in the back, say, "Raise the partition."

Jiang Wu obediently raised the partition. Though he was dying to know what was happening, he didn’t dare openly defy his boss’s orders.

**

After they got into the car, Secretary Sun, who was beside Lu Zheng, asked, "Mr. Lu, should we inform the Second Young Master Pei about this?"

It seems like Pei Siming’s fiancée is unusually close to Pei Siyue.

"Inform him? So he can prepare and take precautions in advance?" Lu Zheng revealed a cruel smile. "Why would we spoil such an entertaining spectacle? Let Pei Siming find out on his own."

"I love watching family drama. I really want to see how Pei Siming reacts when he discovers it himself."

**

The back of the stretch Lincoln was spacious enough to accommodate four seats facing each other. Ruan Shuyang sat obediently, not daring to move a muscle.

His current situation was extremely awkward and agonizing. Whether it was because his body knew he was close to the pheromones he craved, his already weak limbs now felt completely powerless. Waves of unfamiliar urges made his entire body tremble, and he was using every ounce of strength to battle the feeling.

Because all his focus was on battling his own body, he didn’t notice what the person across from him was doing until his injured ankle was gently picked up and placed on the other’s lap.

His casual shoes were removed, and his light-colored socks were rolled down to his heels. The Enigma across from him was looking down at his foot, his thumb gently rubbing the tender ankle. The slightly rough pad of his thumb traced patterns, causing a tingly feeling.

The ankle in his hand was slender and fragile, easily encircled by one hand. The skin was delicate and pale, with visible blue veins and fine-boned.

Ruan Shuyang bit his lip, unable to escape the strange sensation. His body seemed to instinctively crave the touch of the person across from him. Wherever he was touched, waves of numbness and shivers ran through him, and he couldn’t help but let out a soft whimper.

Though the sound was faint, it was still captured by the Enigma, whose senses were sharper than an ordinary person’s.

The next second, Ruan Shuyang’s ankle seemed to be squeezed tighter, so tight that it began to hurt.