Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Pei Siyue held his fingers hanging by his side; the little Omega’s fingers were slender and lustrous, like delicate jade bamboo, incredibly soft.

Pei Siyue planted a kiss on them.

Enigma pheromones instantly engulfed Ruan Shuyang, an endless tide surging around him. Unable to withstand it, he went limp, collapsing into Pei Siyue’s embrace.

Pei Siyue bit through his gland and began the marking process.

This time, the Enigma pheromones were overwhelmingly abundant, so much so that he was completely immersed in them. The pheromones flowed not only from his gland but from every part of his body.

Ruan Shuyang melted into a pliant puddle, so weak he couldn’t even maintain his grip on Pei Siyue’s hand. He wanted to press his thighs together, but he lacked the strength even for that.

At the start of this marking, he felt no pain, yet he was even more unable to resist. It was as if Lily of the Valley blossoms were submerged in water, quivering as they gradually unfurled.

The marking seemed to last an unusually long time. Ruan Shuyang felt the pheromones inside him growing increasingly abundant, almost to the point of being unbearable.

He whimpered, asking, “Is it… done?”

Pei Siyue’s breath ghosted over his gland as he replied in a husky voice, “Not yet.”

It felt as though the pheromones were reaching a dangerous threshold. Overwhelmed and unable to contain so much, he begged through tears, “No more… please, no more…”

He put up a feeble struggle but was utterly powerless against Pei Siyue’s strength.

The next moment, his body, already on the brink, completely lost control. He convulsed in spasms, his toes curling, sharp gasps escaping between breaths.

It took a while for him to emerge from the dizzying haze and numbness, but he remained in a daze, reactions delayed.

Pei Siyue slowly withdrew his lips from the gland, licking away the blood droplet, and held Ruan Shuyang close, gently stroking his hair.

When Ruan Shuyang fully came to, he couldn’t bear to meet anyone's gaze. Instinctively, he buried his face in the chest of the very person who'd reduced him to this state, on the verge of tears from sheer embarrassment.

His face was flushed crimson, all the way down to his neck. He couldn’t believe he had lost all composure like that, how he could have been so unable to restrain himself…

Pei Siyue rubbed soothing circles on Ruan Shuyang's back and said softly in a low, husky voice, “Get some rest if you're tired.”

His tone was coaxing.

Newly marked Omegas instinctively rely on the one who marked them. Though deeply embarrassed, Ruan Shuyang still listened to Pei Siyue, finding solace in lying in the Enigma’s arms.

He buried his face against Pei Siyue’s chest, drawing in the Enigma pheromones, and slowly closed his eyes.

The marking had sapped most of his energy, and under Pei Siyue’s soothing pats, he drifted off to sleep.

Pei Siyue picked Ruan Shuyang up and carried him to a room on the second floor, laying him down. He removed his shoes and socks, tucked him under the covers, and then looked down at his own trousers.

Ruan Shuyang hadn’t realized it, but he had dampened Pei Siyue's trousers.

Pei Siyue thought Ruan Shuyang might as well have been made of water—so much of it.

He returned to his room, took a cold shower to cool off, changed into fresh clothes, left a note behind for Ruan Shuyang, and then headed down to his waiting car.

It had been intentional.

He wanted Ruan Shuyang to experience this, so that if during his absence Ruan Shuyang encountered any other Alpha with ulterior motives, this experience would serve as a reminder.

Such extreme pleasure and enjoyment would leave any Omega craving.

Only he could deliver it.

Once in the car, Jiang Wu updated him on business matters. After finishing, Pei Siyue instructed, “Notify Liang Qiang to have Pei Siming participate in the Phase III clinical trial investment for Q15.”

Q15 referred to the post-Mark Cleansing Technique treatment in its Phase III clinical trial.

Once a drug enters Phase III clinical trials, it generally means it’s nearing market approval. Q15, developed for post-mark cleansing medication, had massive market demand. If successfully developed and launched, the profits would be immeasurable.

Jiang Wu was surprised. “Young Master, this is a surefire profitable venture. Letting Pei Siming invest…”

Wouldn’t that be giving Second Young Master an easy win?

As far as he knew, Pei Siming had just yesterday been attempting to scheme against Pei Siyue.

Pei Siyue shook his head and said simply, “It won't turn a profit.”

Because he planned to donate it to the government.

Although Ruan Shuyang hadn’t said it, he could tell that the other hoped more Omegas could receive help with mark cleansing.

He already had enough money; a little more or less didn’t matter. It was better to help realize Ruan Shuyang’s wish.

Jiang Wu didn’t press further. “What's the investment amount?”

“One hundred million.”

The total amount of money Pei Siming and Zhou Wei had between them was roughly one hundred million.

Rather than leaving it to them, it was better to use that money to benefit other Omegas.

**

Ruan Shuyang didn’t wake until after 4 p.m. He had slept deeply, and upon waking, felt disoriented, unsure of the time or day.

It took him a while to fully wake up and recall what had happened before he fell asleep. His face flushed bright red, and he lay in bed feeling utterly flustered before realizing his underwear and pants felt uncomfortable with a dried stiffness. He got up and went to the bathroom to shower and change.

After showering and putting on clean clothes, he noticed a note left by Pei Siyue on the bedside table, telling him he'd left earlier and that Ruan Shuyang could call if needed.

There were six bottles of Enigma pheromone extract in the basement freezer, which should be enough for the week or so ahead.

He also arranged for Ruan Shuyang to start driving lessons the following week; if all went well, he could get his driver’s license before Pei Siyue returned.

Ruan Shuyang pressed his hands to his flushed cheeks, admitting to himself that Pei Siyue’s departure at this time was a relief. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to face him.

He didn’t dare think about what had happened at noon—how could he have been so sensitive? Just a simple mark and…

Shaking his head, he tried to focus on something else.

Since he was starting driving lessons next week, he went online to order a few sets of books related to the driver’s license test, along with polarized sunglasses and other items.

Not long after signing the summer internship contract with Ruiji, he received a sum of money in his bank account. Jiang Wu said it was an advance on his internship salary—a significant sum, more than all the pocket money he had ever received from the Ruan family.

Now that he had some assets, he no longer scrimped on purchases and was much more generous.

By the time he finished buying the driving books, it was already past 6 p.m. Feeling hungry, he went downstairs to find something to eat.

As he reached the lower floor, Ji Huai emerged from the kitchen on the first floor and said, “Mr. Pei was worried you might be scared alone, so he asked me to come keep you company.”

Ruan Shuyang didn’t refuse because living alone in such a large house would indeed make him fearful.

**

The next few days passed quickly. Every day, Ji Huai took care of his daily needs and drove him to and from driving school. Busy with preparing for his driver’s license, he had no time to think about anything else.

Pei Siyue was also very busy, only occasionally sending a few messages, telling him to take care of himself.

By the time he realized, Pei Siyue had been gone for five days.

That day, after finishing his driving practice and returning home, Ruan Shuyang looked at the empty villa. Though Ji Huai was with him, he still felt very lonely and suddenly really missed Pei Siyue.

He wanted Pei Siyue to be with him, holding him, patting him, or even without any intimate gestures, just simply accompanying him would be enough.

Without realizing it, he had become really dependent on Pei Siyue.

This wasn’t good—it might even bother Pei Siyue—but he couldn’t help it.

Perhaps because he missed Pei Siyue so much, he didn't feel like eating dinner and only ate a few bites before feeling full. Ji Huai noticed this and let Pei Siyue know.

That night, before going to bed, Ruan Shuyang received a video call from Pei Siyue.

When the call connected, he saw Pei Siyue sitting in his bedroom, with bright morning light behind him.

The moment he saw Pei Siyue, his eyes filled with tears. He didn’t know why, but he just felt upset.

Was he being too needy? Yet he couldn’t control his emotions.

He missed Pei Siyue so, so much.

Pei Siyue frowned, looking at Ruan Shuyang on the screen, and asked, “Why are you crying? Did something happen?”

Ruan Shuyang only shook his head, but tears kept building up in his eyes.

Pei Siyue’s voice turned stern: “Remember? I said I don’t like it when you hide things from me.”

Ruan Shuyang remembered and didn't dare keep it to himself any longer. He said softly, “I miss you so much.”

“I don’t know why, but I just miss you so much.”

It made him feel kind of awful.

Pei Siyue looked at him for a moment. “Tomorrow, have Ji Huai take you to get your passport and get visas for several countries. That way, next time, you can join me on business trips.”

He didn’t want to be away from his omega either.

Marking affects the omega; it affects the Enigma too. He missed his omega too—he missed Ruan Shuyang.

Enigma pheromones sit at the top of the pyramid and aren't supposed to be affected by anyone. If he hadn’t marked anyone, he would be completely free.

But he had willingly marked Ruan Shuyang and chose to be tied down.

Ruan Shuyang perked up at this and asked in surprise, “Is that okay? Would I disturb you if I went on business trips with you?”

Pei Siyue said with certainty, “No.”

“You’re still on summer break and have plenty of time. Coming with me on business trips will let you visit many places.”

This proposal really excited Ruan Shuyang. “Then I’ll go apply for a passport tomorrow.”

Pei Siyue then asked about something else: “How’s the driving practice? Is it difficult?”

“It’s quite simple.” Ruan Shuyang said proudly, finally having something to boast about in front of Pei Siyue. “Don’t forget, I’m an ace student. Learning to drive is easy. I’ll definitely have my license before you come back, and then I’ll drive you around.”

He had been admitted to T University and was considered an ace student by his teachers, though he kept to himself.

Pei Siyue watched Ruan Shuyang’s bright, confident smile and agreed, “Okay.”

Whether Ruan Shuyang drove for him or not didn’t matter; he preferred seeing Ruan Shuyang looking confident and full of life. He didn’t want to see him as heartbroken and hopeless as when they first met.

After talking awhile, Ruan Shuyang asked Pei Siyue with concern, “How are things on your end?”

“Not bad.” Pei Siyue told him, “The elder just had surgery yesterday. It was successful, and now they’re recovering. They might come back to China in a few months to recover.”

“That’s great.”

He broke into a happy smile.

Pei Siyue looked at him for a while longer before saying, “If you’re feeling uncomfortable, you can sleep in my room at night. It has the most pheromones lingering.”

“Is that okay?” Ruan Shuyang hesitated. “Would it be inappropriate for me to go to your room when you’re not here?”

Pei Siyue told him firmly, “It’s not inappropriate. If you rest well at night, you’ll have the energy to eat and practice driving during the day.”

Because Pei Siyue was very busy, the video call didn’t last long before it ended.

After hanging up, Ruan Shuyang went to the bathroom to get ready for bed. Afterward, he sat on his bed and, for some reason, couldn’t stop thinking about Pei Siyue’s suggestion. He was really tempted.

Pei Siyue was right—resting well at night would give him the energy to eat and practice driving during the day. He needed to get his license early so he could drive for Pei Siyue.

He came up with many excuses for himself but ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation. He opened the door to Pei Siyue’s room.

As soon as he stepped inside, he felt as if he were surrounded by Pei Siyue’s pheromones. The discomfort he had been feeling eased significantly.

He lay on Pei Siyue’s bed, covered himself with the blanket, and sank into the wave of pheromones. It felt so comforting. For the first time since Pei Siyue left, he felt completely relaxed and fell asleep without realizing it.

He had a very strange dream.

He dreamed of lilies of the valley in water, and the flowing water gently soothed him, washing over him. Unconsciously, he opened his mouth and bit down on the blanket and clenched his legs.

He felt so comfortable, as if Pei Siyue were holding him, his hand gently stroking his back…

He gasped sharply and woke up instantly. When he realized what he had done, his entire body burned with embarrassment.

Pei Siyue’s bed and blanket were a mess—he had done it.

Embarrassed and panicked, he stared at the blanket and sheets, then quickly stripped them off. While it was still early and Ji Huai hadn’t gotten up yet, he carried them downstairs to the laundry room and threw them into the washing machine.

He had intended to remove the duvet cover, but it seemed Pei Siyue’s blankets didn’t have removable covers—they were one piece. Helpless, he had to throw everything into the washing machine.

By the time Ji Huai got up to prepare breakfast for Ruan Shuyang, the blanket and sheets were already washed.

Ji Huai heard the noise and walked into the laundry room. “Mr. Ruan, what are you washing? You could’ve left it to me.”

“It’s the blanket and sheets,” Ruan Shuyang replied. “It’s okay, they’re already washed.”

As he spoke, he tried to open the washing machine, but Ji Huai exclaimed in surprise, “But the blankets at home can’t be washed.”

“Huh?” Ruan Shuyang was stunned. “Why can’t they be washed?”

Ji Huai explained, “The material is special. If washed, they’ll clump together and become unusable.”

“I see…” Ruan Shuyang murmured. “Then what should we do if they get dirty?”

Ji Huai said without batting an eye, “Just replace them.”

Ruan Shuyang had never experienced such a luxurious lifestyle and had no idea quilts got replaced when dirty instead of being washed...

No wonder Ji Huai changed his quilt every few days—he had thought it was frequent laundering, but it turned out to be a complete replacement.

"So... what should I do?"

He'd messed up.

"Don’t worry," Ji Huai comforted him. "I’ll just swap it for a new one."

"But... this is the quilt and bedsheet from Pei Siyue’s room."

Ji Huai balked.

Technically, Pei Siyue wasn’t a particularly stern person. He paid well, the work wasn’t exhausting—just daytime duties—and most of the time, he didn't have to live in. On the occasional stay, there was even extra pay. He was actually a very good employer.

It’s just that this employer had an intimidating presence. Often, Ji Huai didn’t dare speak too much with him, nor did he dare enter his room to change the bedsheets and quilt without permission while Pei Siyue was away on business.

Steeling himself, he suggested, "How about you talk to Mr. Pei first?"

Ruan Shuyang looked worried sick and was too scared, but he remembered Pei Siyue saying he disliked secrets, so he decided to confess during their next video call.

That evening, Pei Siyue called him on video. Seeing Ruan Shuyang’s anxious expression, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Ruan Shuyang timidly replied, "I messed up."

He bit his lip, his large eyes filled with unease.

Pei Siyue’s expression remained calm, as if the trouble wasn’t a big deal. "What kind of trouble?"

His calm demeanor slowly eased Ruan Shuyang’s fear, and he explained little by little, "Last night... I accidentally stained your bedsheet and quilt. I put them in the washing machine, but the quilt got ruined."

"I’m really sorry."

Pei Siyue knew the quilts at home couldn’t be machine-washed—stained ones were usually replaced directly.

"Don't worry about it," Pei Siyue told him. "Tell Ji Huai to swap them out with a new set."

Ruan Shuyang breathed a sigh of relief and said obediently, "Okay."

"But..." Pei Siyue added, looking at Ruan Shuyang, "How did you stain them?"

Ruan Shuyang froze, his face turning bright red instantly. His hand went weak, and he fumbled with the phone, causing the screen to shake violently. Thumping sounds came through the speaker.

About a minute later, Pei Siyue finally saw the picture steady. Ruan Shuyang reappeared in the video, his gaze shifting nervously as he answered, "They just... got stained..."

Pei Siyue asked calmly, "Did you get them wet?"

Ruan Shuyang: "!"

Pei Siyue was being mean—how'd he guess?

"Like how you wet my pants last Sunday afternoon?"

Ruan Shuyang’s eyes widened. Had he really wet Pei Siyue’s pants last Sunday?

He really couldn’t remember...

But after waking up, he had felt a sticky, dried-up feeling on his body, so he probably had wet Pei Siyue’s pants.

He didn’t dare look at Pei Siyue’s expression or eyes; flustered, he said, "I’m sorry, I’ll... I’ll be more careful."

"No need to be careful," Pei Siyue told him. "This is a normal physiological response. You don’t need to hide it or feel embarrassed."

Pei Siyue’s super calm attitude slowly calmed him down, and he couldn’t help but mumble in his own defense, "I never used to be like this before."

He never had such thoughts before, didn’t even dream about it—at most, he felt an empty feeling inside his body he couldn't fill, unsure how to satisfy it.

Later, he learned it was a side effect of the suppressants, but after Pei Siyue treated him, that emptiness disappeared.

But now it seemed there were new issues. Ruan Shuyang thought annoyedly and unconsciously asked Pei Siyue, "Why's this happening now..."

His tone was both plaintive and needy.

"Because your primary sex characteristics are developing," Pei Siyue explained. "The maturation of primary sex characteristics usually accompanies the awakening of body awareness."

Ruan Shuyang blinked, puzzled. "Body awareness?"

"Similar to what happened to you last night."

So that was body awareness? His body wanted it?

Ruan Shuyang felt his face was hot enough to cook an egg on and was too embarrassed to continue discussing the topic. "Can we not talk about this?"

"Alright," Pei Siyue said, changing the subject. "I’ll be back in five days."

Ruan Shuyang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled expectantly. "Okay."

Putting aside the embarrassing incident, he really missed Pei Siyue.

**

The day before Pei Siyue returned, Ruan Shuyang successfully obtained his driver’s license. Feeling bored alone at home, he remembered he still had a job and an ID badge, so he decided to go work at Ruiji.

He had been sleeping in Pei Siyue’s room for several days, and the scent inside had faded significantly.

Perhaps the office at Ruiji might have more scent lingering.

But to his disappointment, Pei Siyue spent very little time in the office, and after more than ten days, any remaining scent was even fainter, almost undetectable.

With Pei Siyue absent, he sat alone in the small cubicle next to the office. After sketching a design, he slumped listlessly over the desk, his head drooping.

Jiang Wu had dropped Pei Siyue off at the airport but hadn’t accompanied him on the business trip, staying behind at Ruiji to handle affairs for him. Occasionally passing by the open office cubicle, he noticed Ruan Shuyang looked pretty down. After a moment’s thought, he stood at the doorway and tentatively asked, "Why do you look so down?"

Too embarrassed to admit he missed Pei Siyue, Ruan Shuyang gave another reason: "I’m just kinda bored."

As an avid fan of over-the-top dramas, Jiang Wu felt this was an easy fix.

He immediately jumped in, suggesting, "You could watch some over-the-top dramas."

"Over-the-top dramas?" Ruan Shuyang sat up straight, tilting his head curiously. "Like, TV shows?"

"Yes," Jiang Wu nodded. "I know a few really good ones I can recommend."

Ruan Shuyang perked up.

After leaving the Ruan family, he was like a bird out of a cage—curious about many things he’d only heard of but never experienced or seen, eager to try them.

Back in school, classmates would discuss the latest shows, and he’d been curious but never had the chance to watch.

Usually busy with studies, he had no time, nor did he have the devices to watch shows. His old phone was too outdated—it would lag just from installing video apps. Now, with a laptop and a tablet, he could make up for missing out on shows before.

But he hesitated, "It's work hours right now. Is it inappropriate for me to watch a show?"

"Not at all," Jiang Wu immediately replied. "You're Pei Siyue's life assistant. When he's not around, it's like you're off duty. The fact that you're still in the office already shows how dedicated you are—it's totally fine to watch some shows."

He even used himself as an example: "Look, I sometimes slack off and check my phone during work too. It's completely normal."

Plus, he thought that even if Pei Siyue were here, Ruan Shuyang could still watch shows—Pei Siyue wouldn’t stop him.

Ruan Shuyang had indeed seen Jiang Wu on his phone at work before, so he was convinced.

To distract himself from boredom and stop thinking about Pei Siyue all the time, he decided to watch some shows to take his mind off things.

Jiang Wu enthusiastically recommended several classic over-the-top dramas. Ruan Shuyang installed a video app on his pad, bought a membership, and started watching.

Before he knew it, it was evening. He was still watching on his pad when Ji Huai picked him up and even kept watching in the car. He couldn’t stop during dinner either—completely captivated by the melodramatic storylines, his attention fully diverted.

As a first time watching like this, he unconsciously got absorbed. Before bed, he was still holding his pad, watching and crying emotionally—

"Why won’t this alpha believe his omega—"

"How can this misunderstanding not be resolved!"

"Boo hoo, the poor little omega…"

It was Ruan Shuyang’s first time letting himself watch so freely, and he lost track of time, eventually falling asleep with his pad in his arms.

The next morning, his alarm woke him up, and his eyes were red, like a rabbit's eyes.

When he looked in the mirror, he was startled and dashed out panicked, wanting Ji Huai to take him to the hospital. Instead, he bumped right into a familiar, broad chest.

Pei Siyue steadied Ruan Shuyang and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Ruan Shuyang grabbed Pei Siyue’s hand and said, "My eyes are red."

Pei Siyue looked at them for a moment, then took Ruan Shuyang downstairs. "Don’t panic, let me take a look."

Ruan Shuyang remembered that Pei Siyue was a doctor and could check him, so he gradually calmed down.

Once calm, he gazed surprised at Pei Siyue, who was holding his hand. Pei Siyue’s large hand was as warm as ever, his tall figure moving with graceful, composed steps.

Pei Siyue was back.

He smiled, eyes curving happily. "You’re back."

It made him really happy.