Chapter 17

Chapter 17

After a while, Ruan Shuyang felt much better. Embarrassed to trouble Pei Siyue further, he volunteered, "I feel much better now."

Pei Siyue withdrew his hand, observing Ruan Shuyang's face, which had regained its healthy color, and informed him, "Dinner is ready."

Ruan Shuyang blinked, "We're having dinner now?"

"Yes," Pei Siyue nodded, then asked, "Have you eaten?"

"No."

Ruan Shuyang immediately shook his head. It wasn't until Pei Siyue's reminder that he realized how ravenously hungry he was, feeling as though his stomach was pressed against his back.

The meal was soon brought in by Ji Huai, whom he had met once before. Ji Huai smiled kindly at him and placed the prepared dishes, rice, and hot soup—a generous spread—before him. For dessert, he was even given a delicious pudding.

By the time they finished eating, it was already past nine in the evening. Ruan Shuyang was very full and starting to feel the effects of a food coma.

At some point, the table had been cleared. Pei Siyue stood up and walked behind him, gently placing his fingers on the blocking patch covering Ruan Shuyang's scent gland.

Ruan Shuyang looked up at Pei Siyue in confusion, his eyes still glistening from a recent yawn, and asked softly, "Mr. Pei?"

Perhaps because he had just been marked yesterday, his scent gland was now extremely sensitive, twitching at even the slightest touch.

Pei Siyue’s tall figure leaned over him slightly, his eyes dark and profound.

"You need some pheromone therapy," he said, gently removing the blocking patch from Ruan Shuyang's gland.

Ruan Shuyang grew nervous. "Do I need another mark today?"

With the blocking patch removed, the pale, delicate gland was fully exposed to Pei Siyue's gaze.

The gland's self-repair and healing abilities were excellent, and the Enigma pheromone also promoted wound healing. Thus, in just a day, the bite mark from yesterday was no longer visible. The gland now appeared smooth and pale, looking almost inviting to be bitten again in the eyes of the Enigma.

But what Pei Siyue said was, "No marking, just pheromone comfort. To ensure the treatment's effectiveness, you'll need regular doses of my pheromones."

"Oh," Ruan Shuyang sighed in relief, though a faint, indescribable sense of loss welled up inside him. It seemed that in such a short time, he had already grown somewhat dependent on Pei Siyue's pheromones—the bond formed through marking was exceptionally powerful.

Pei Siyue placed his hand on Ruan Shuyang's shoulder, both soothing and subtly restraining, as gentle, wave-like pheromones slowly seeped from the Enigma's gland into Ruan Shuyang's body.

This sensation was different from yesterday's marking. Yesterday, he had been pounded by waves of forceful pheromones, feeling as though he were being possessed and branded by Pei Siyue's pheromones.

The lily of the valley trembled, drenched.

But this time, the pheromones felt like a gentle, soothing hand, slowly easing the discomfort and cravings within his body—somewhat similar to when Pei Siyue had rubbed his stomach earlier.

It felt so comfortable that he couldn't help but let out a soft, contented murmur.

He closed his eyes in contentment, missing Pei Siyue's expression.

It was the look of someone gazing at prey he was determined to claim.

A few more minutes passed, and the Enigma pheromones slowly faded. The blocking patch was reapplied to Ruan Shuyang's neck. It was almost ten at night.

Very late.

Coming back to his senses, Ruan Shuyang realized how late it was and that he should leave.

He stood up, intending to bid farewell to Pei Siyue, but Pei Siyue spoke first, "I'll have a car take you back."

"Okay," Ruan Shuyang replied, feeling awkward, as usual. "Thank you, Mr. Pei."

However, Pei Siyue's next words were delivered lightly, "Pei Siming wouldn't have time to take you back today."

This was the first time Ruan Shuyang had heard Pei Siming's name from Pei Siyue's mouth, spoken with a tone so cold it was as if he were talking about a stranger.

He twisted his fingers nervously and remained silent.

This time, Pei Siyue didn’t let it go. Instead, he continued on the topic, looking down at Ruan Shuyang with a pressuring tone.

"Do you still like him that much? Even though he abandoned you in the banquet hall today?"

Ruan Shuyang’s expression fell despondent, unsure of what to say.

Pei Siyue went on, "No matter the reason, he shouldn’t have left the Omega he brought alone in the banquet hall."

Ruan Shuyang’s eyelashes fluttered, and he lowered his gaze. The room’s light cast on his face, making it appear so pale it looked almost translucent.

After a long moment, he said quietly, "I’d like to go back now, Mr. Pei."

Pei Siyue didn’t push further this time. He only looked at Ruan Shuyang for a moment longer before saying, "Alright."

A Ruiji Technology car took him back to the Ruan residence. As expected, he encountered Ruan Jianchuan waiting on the sofa when he arrived. Ruan Jianchuan asked him what had happened at the banquet today, and Ruan Shuyang dodged by saying that Pei Siming had been busy talking business and projects with others, and he hadn’t understood any of it.

"If you don’t understand, listen carefully and take notes to memorize it for me later," Ruan Jianchuan said sternly. "Remember any good projects well. Don’t forget your surname is Ruan. You’re part of the Ruan family. When there are benefits, you must think of the Ruan family."

Ruan Shuyang replied obediently, "I understand. I’ll listen carefully and memorize everything next time."

His cooperative attitude meant Ruan Jianchuan only said a few more words before letting him go upstairs.

Ruan Shuyang breathed a huge sigh of relief, picked up his small bag, and went upstairs, grateful that Ruan Jianchuan hadn’t inspected his bag.

Because his bag was now filled with blocking patches, inhibitors, and barrier spray that Pei Siyue had given him.

**

Pei Siming had been drinking with Liang Qiang the whole time. Though it seemed like he had discussed many projects, there was no concrete content to any of it. He had drunk quite a lot and was heavily intoxicated. As he fought to stay coherent to ask more questions, he suddenly saw Liang Qiang stand up and say that it was getting late and they should continue another time.

Pei Siming almost blew up. He had drunk a stomach full of liquor and was so drunk he was was about to throw up, only to be told they would talk another time?!

If it weren’t for that guy Pei Siyue returning to the country to seize power, when would he ever have suffered such disrespect?

Still, considering the promise of a next time, he barely suppressed his anger, bid farewell, and agreed to meet again.

Liang Qiang called a server to escort him out. Pei Siming made it to the entrance, came to his senses enough to remember Ruan Shuyang, and leaned against the doorframe, struggling to support his alcohol-weakened body. He said to the server, "There’s an Omega who came with me named Ruan Shuyang. Help me find him and bring him here."

The server agreed and turned back into the banquet hall.

By the time the server returned, Pei Siming was barely holding himself upright, on the verge of collapsing. He strained to listen as the server told him that Ruan Shuyang, since he wasn't familiar with the banquet, had already been sent back by a car from Ruiji Technology.

Pei Siming felt that something was off, but his near-total drunkenness made it impossible for him to think clearly. He was only helped into a car and laid across the back seat.

Before the driver could even get him home, he was out cold.

**

The next morning, he woke up in his own bedroom at home. Soon after, Zhou Wei knocked and came in to ask how he was. Her biological son had been brought back almost unconscious by the driver the night before, and she was very worried. She had come to check on him early that morning, bringing hangover remedy and watching as Pei Siming took another dose.

"What exactly happened?" Zhou Wei asked anxiously. "How did the project discussions go? Why did you come back so drunk?"

Pei Siming didn’t want to get into business details with Zhou Wei and only answered evasively, "Mom, you wouldn’t understand. Did Father come back last night? How was he?"

"As soon as he got home, he went to the study. I don't know anything else."

Speaking of this, Zhou Wei's mood soured even more. Although she had achieved her dream of occupying the position of Mrs. Pei, she only had the title. Her husband never gave her a second glance, the Pei family relatives didn't take her seriously, and even her own son wasn't close to her.

Not to mention Jiang Ruowan's son from the previous marriage, who treated her like air—sometimes even worse than air.

After washing up and taking the sober-up medicine, Pei Siming also felt very irritable.

Zhou Wei, noticing his expression, asked, "Is it the business matters bothering you? Your eldest brother is just too ruthless. The moment he returned, he kicked you out. We need to find a way to make him agree to let you come back, or make him leave."

Pei Siming knew this all too well. He said irritably, "I've tried everything you mentioned. It didn't work."

"Doesn't your father care either?"

"What would he care about?" Pei Siming sneered. "In his eyes, I'm afraid my eldest brother is his only son."

Zhou Wei gritted her teeth. "We need to find a way to get a handle on Pei Siyue."

Pei Siming asked without much hope, "How?"

"If the Omega he marries sides with us, it won't be hard to control him."

Pei Siming snapped, "Have you forgotten what he said last time when we suggested introducing him to an Omega?"

Zhou Wei: "..."

Just thinking about that incident made her feel so angry it hurt to her core.

Last time, she finally managed to catch Pei Siyue when he returned to the Pei family during a family dinner and took the opportunity to bring up the subject of arranging his marriage and introducing him to an Omega. At the time, their father, Pei Yan, didn't say anything, and the other relatives were just eavesdropping for entertainment. But Pei Siyue directly and bluntly said without sparing her any face—

"I'm allergic to Omegas."

Remembering the expressions the other relatives gave her at that moment, her cheeks still burned with shame.

An Alpha allergic to Omegas—who would believe that?

It was obviously an excuse.

But he couldn't even bother to come up with a better excuse, without any consideration for her dignity.

"However..." Pei Siming said thoughtfully, "If Dad sees me bringing someone home, he might think that big brother should also start a family and might push him to get married."

In this family, only Pei Yan dared to order Pei Siyue around, though even Pei Yan's words weren't necessarily heeded by Pei Siyue.

"Who are you bringing?" Zhou Wei asked. "That Omega from the Jin family?"

"Of course not." Pei Siming shook his head. "Right now I'm engaged to Ruan Shuyang. I can only bring him home."

"Him? A bastard?" Zhou Wei's tone was full of disdain. "Is he even fit to enter our Pei family? Is he worthy of being brought in as your fiancé?"

Hearing Zhou Wei's scornful tone, Pei Siming instinctively frowned and said to her, "Regardless of his background, he is the Omega I'm engaged to now. If I bring someone else home and the media finds out, who knows what they'd write? If this gets out, what would happen to our partnerships? To the company?"

Zhou Wei had nothing to say to that and could only grumble resentfully, "It's all your eldest brother's fault. If he hadn't returned and forced you out, you wouldn't have had to get engaged to someone with such a sordid background like Ruan Shuyang."

"Don't say these things in front of others, especially not in front of Dad," Pei Siming said, feeling an inexplicable anger. "And don't say them in the future either. Loose lips sink ships."

Zhou Wei, seeing Pei Siming's unusually severe expression, was taken aback for a moment before said sulkily, "Fine. Everyone just sees me as easy to bully and likes to vent their frustrations on me."

Pei Siming finally saw his biological father, Pei Yan, at the breakfast table.

During breakfast, he ventured to ask if they should invite Pei Siyue to come home for a meal this weekend. Pei Yan neither objected nor agreed, only saying, "If you can get him to come, it's up to you."

Pei Siming smiled and said okay. After breakfast, he called Pei Siyue.

At that moment, Pei Siyue was sending a message to Ruan Shuyang, asking how he was today, if his stomach still hurt, and if he was uncomfortable anywhere else.

Just as he sent the message, Pei Siming's call came in.

Pei Siyue coldly looked at the name on the screen before answering.

"Big brother."

Pei Siming's voice came from the other end of the phone, somewhat distorted and unreasonably irritating.

"Dad asked me to ask you to come home for dinner this weekend."

Pei Siyue was about to refuse when Jiang Wu knocked and entered, handing him a document. He looked at the document and stayed quiet briefly.

Pei Siming continued on the phone, "I plan to bring my fiancé home this weekend for Mom and Dad to meet. After all, we've been engaged for several months now, and it's time to bring him home to have a meal with us."

"Speaking of which, big brother, you seem to have always been single. Don't be too envious of an Alpha with an Omega like me. Of course, if you are envious, you can always find one soon—"

By then, Pei Siyue had finished reading the document and signed it, cutting Pei Siming off.

"Saturday night? I'll be there. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't say more."

Pei Siming listened to the busy signal with a surprised expression.

He... agreed?

He felt like something was off but couldn't pinpoint what it was.

**

What was off?

Everything was off.

If it were before, Pei Siyue would indeed have had no interest in Omegas and wouldn't have cared either way.

But now, thinking of the light, sweet scent of lily of the valley on Ruan Shuyang, his clear, almond-shaped eyes, his delicate cherry lips, and that glimpse of his slender, pale waist...

He thought Omegas were quite nice too.

Really nice.