Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Ruan Shuyang wasn't foolish; Chi Ye's reminder naturally sparked suspicion, though he kept it hidden from Chi Ye.

Later, he carefully traced the necklace around his neck, feeling the almost imperceptible bump.

He knew it was a tracker but had never mentioned it.

He vaguely sensed Pei Siyue’s possessiveness and knew the tracker must have been placed by him.

He accepted it willingly.

In this world, love didn't come without a price, nor kindness without reason. He wasn't someone living in an ivory tower; fate had weathered him for over a decade.

If Pei Siyue’s affection hinged on tracking his movements, he was prepared to accept it.

His life was a simple commute between school and home, with nothing he couldn't share with Pei Siyue.

He had noticed the tracker long ago but never brought it up.

What he truly hadn't known was that an Enigma's pheromones could control someone without their awareness.

His greatest fear was mental manipulation; most of Yu Xianpo’s life tragedies stemmed from it.

Pei Siming froze, his joints stiff like a puppet on a stage, as he slowly turned to look at Ruan Shuyang, as if disbelieving that Ruan Shuyang knew and had tolerated it all this time.

Ruan Shuyang suddenly asked Pei Siming softly, “Do you know how I met him?”

His voice was so faint it seemed it might shatter with a breath of wind. “The night you gave me to Lu Zheng, he saved me. To help me through the heat triggered by Lu Zheng’s pheromones, he marked me.”

“Without you, I might never have met him. If my brother used his pheromones to control me, then you are the one who set it all in motion.”

“You ruined me.”

The soft words landed on Pei Siming like a crushing weight. Pei Siming swayed unsteadily and collapsed to the ground, as if all his strength had drained away, his shoulders slumping.

“If my brother truly is the demon you claim, then it was you who pushed me into his path.”

“I’ve always been good at reading people since I was young—whether someone harbored good or ill intentions, I could almost always tell at a glance.” Ruan Shuyang spoke, looking at Pei Siming on the ground, his eyes filled with sorrow. “At the time, I thought you meant me no harm.”

“But it seems I was too foolish.”

That day, when Ruan Jianchuan asked him to go along, he neither refused nor fled, partly because Ruan Jianchuan wouldn’t tolerate refusal, and partly because he believed Pei Siming wouldn’t harm him.

But he hadn’t expected to be so foolish, to trust his intuition so completely, and to suffer the hardest fall of his life.

Pei Siming managed a smile more wretched than a cry. “That door—I deliberately left it open.”

“If you had run out and sought my help that night, I wouldn’t have stood idly by.”

“I—I was just too slow, too slow to realize how much I cared about you.”

Ruan Shuyang, however, offered a cold smile, a mix of mockery and sarcasm—an expression rarely seen on his clear, delicate face, which stunned Pei Siming.

“You always say your brother isn’t a good person, but no matter how flawed he is, he would never give an Omega away.”

Pei Siyue respected Omegas more than anyone.

Pei Siming had no defense. He opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a single word.

“I once dreamed of becoming a Beta.”

But now it was impossible.

“You destroyed my dream.”

That night truly altered his life.

If Pei Siming hadn’t taken him to the club, he wouldn’t have been induced into heat by Lu Zheng’s pheromones, wouldn’t have desperately run and collided with Pei Siyue, wouldn’t have met Pei Siyue.

If he hadn’t fallen into a false heat, he believed Pei Siyue, given his character, wouldn’t have marked him on their first meeting.

He might have truly continued using the cheapest inhibitors, becoming a Beta with completely atrophied glands and reproductive organs.

He thought being a Beta was preferable to being an Omega—no worries about heats, no induction into heat by Alpha pheromones, no permanent marks, no carrying another person’s traces forever.

But all of that was now a pipe dream.

Ruan Shuyang stood still for a moment, then suddenly sensed something and turned around to see Pei Siyue standing not far behind them, his expression dark, his deep black eyes unfathomable.

The tall Enigma stood behind them, appearing calm, but his pheromones pressed down on Pei Siming, making breathing difficult.

Ruan Shuyang felt that Pei Siyue’s pheromones were like an ocean storm, with waves capable of drowning everything.

Pei Siyue extended a long, powerful hand, the veins on its back faintly visible.

Ruan Shuyang heard him say, “Come here, Ruan Ruan.”

Pei Siyue’s tone was icy and firm, yet a hidden fragility lay beneath the surface.

Pei Siyue was worried—worried he wouldn’t come, worried he truly believed Pei Siming’s words.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and was about to step forward when Pei Siming suddenly gripped his hand desperately.

Pei Siming clung desperately to his hand. “Don’t go. My brother is controlling you. You’re under his mental control now. You think all your actions are voluntary, but you’re being affected by his Enigma pheromones without realizing it. You—”

Ruan Shuyang didn’t look back, firmly shaking off Pei Siming’s hand.

Omegas weren’t strong, but Pei Siming could no longer hold onto Ruan Shuyang’s hand, as Pei Siyue’s pheromones made breathing impossible, forcing him to let go.

Ruan Shuyang walked over slowly, step by step, and reached out to take Pei Siyue’s hand.

Pei Siyue’s large hand felt cold for the first time, but he immediately clasped Ruan Shuyang’s in return, his body temperature gradually warming.

Two bodyguards appeared behind Pei Siyue unnoticed and directly led away the dazed Pei Siming, who couldn’t comprehend why Ruan Shuyang had walked over.

Watching Pei Siming disappear from sight, Ruan Shuyang slowly lowered his head, becoming unusually quiet.

He gradually loosened his grip on Pei Siyue’s hand.

Just as their clasped hands were about to separate, Pei Siyue clasped his hand again and said calmly, “You’re still sick. Let’s go home early.”

Pei Siyue took a step forward, but Ruan Shuyang remained standing still.

He didn’t move, didn’t lift his head, his arm dangling limply in Pei Siyue’s grasp.

Pei Siyue stopped and looked back at Ruan Shuyang, who kept his head down, only the top of his woolen hat visible.

Ruan Shuyang wanted to break free.

Winter was cold, but never had Pei Siyue felt it so bitterly, so cold it chilled him to the bone.

“Brother.”

Ruan Shuyang’s voice trembled slightly, his fingertips quivering as if he were afraid of what was to come.

“My illness… it’s better now. I want to stay at school tonight.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Pei Siyue’s pheromones suddenly erupted chaotically, flooding the area to a terrifying degree.

Ruan Shuyang jumped, his shoulders tensing, and even his breathing became cautious.

Despite his pheromones seeming on the verge of losing control, Pei Siyue’s voice remained calm: “Why?”

Ruan Shuyang was straightforward. “I want to get away from your pheromones, to think clearly about how I really feel.”

Around Pei Siyue, or in any place permeated with his scent, Ruan Shuyang always felt unable to think rationally, influenced by Pei Siyue’s pheromones.

He could sense it clearly.

He just wanted a quiet place to sort through his feelings.

Afraid that Pei Siyue might misunderstand, he added, “Brother, I really just want to think things through. I’ll return tomorrow.”

Pei Siyue looked at Ruan Shuyang and suddenly asked, “Do you regret meeting me?”

Because Ruan Shuyang had previously wanted to become a Beta.

Ruan Shuyang froze. It was something he had never considered, and for a moment, he didn't know how to respond.

Not getting an answer immediately, Pei Siyue couldn't bear to hear it, afraid that he might lose control if he did.

He closed his eyes, wanting to compel Ruan Shuyang to come back with him, but the image of Ruan Shuyang saying “I know” earlier flashed through his mind—so docile, so subdued, like a doll with no emotions of its own.

Ruan Shuyang had always known.

Suddenly, he released his hand and walked away without looking back, afraid that if he held on any longer, he wouldn’t be able to let go and would just take Ruan Shuyang back with him.

Moreover, he had a feeling that he might not be able to control his pheromones much longer.

Lately, his pheromones had been like a volcano on the verge of eruption, barely suppressed by his will, but now he could no longer contain them.

The rampant pheromones surged like erupting lava, capable of burning others and hurting himself.

Ruan Shuyang listened as the footsteps faded away, gathering his nerve to look up, only to catch a glimpse of Pei Siyue’s disappearing back.

In the blink of an eye, Pei Siyue was completely gone.

As the last class of the afternoon ended, the university campus gradually buzzed with activity, filled with the sounds of other students chatting and studying.

Surrounded by the bustling campus, Ruan Shuyang only felt loneliness and cold.

Even though the weather was much warmer than the previous week.

He tightened his puffer jacket, sniffed, and still felt the cold wind seeping through the fabric, into his bones.

The sky darkened, the clear blue gradually fading into an oppressive shade of deep gray.

Ruan Shuyang went to the cafeteria and grabbed a quick bite for dinner, then headed to the library to quietly do his homework and review.

The longer he stayed away from Pei Siyue's pheromones, the more lucid his thoughts became, and the more he missed the other's scent.

He knew clearly that his body was dependent on Pei Siyue's pheromones—not just for healing, but also, as Pei Siyue had said, because their genes instinctively craved superior pheromones.

Once exposed to a true Enigma pheromone, anyone would become addicted.

Ruan Shuyang thought to himself.

Would he never be able to break free from dependence on Pei Siyue's pheromones? Would he have to be tethered to him for the rest of his life?

What if... what if Pei Siyue didn't want him anymore...

Just the thought of that possibility made his heart feel as if it were being torn apart, leaving him struggling to breathe.

Tears silently fell onto the library desk.

Knowing that his body was helplessly addicted to something it couldn't live without, he felt afraid—afraid of the unknown future.

Someone gently patted his back. He quickly wiped his tears and turned to see Chi Ye standing behind him, looking at him with a serious expression.

Since it wasn't appropriate to talk in the library, Chi Ye pointed to the café downstairs, suggesting they go there.

Thinking Chi Ye had something to say, Ruan Shuyang quickly stood up and followed him.

It was evening, and the café was nearly deserted. They found a corner seat, and Chi Ye ordered two cups of vanilla-flavored milk.

After the milk was served, Chi Ye asked, "Did Pei Siyue bully you? Why were you crying in the library?"

Ruan Shuyang froze momentarily, then realized Chi Ye had seen him crying.

He didn't know how to explain, and in response to Chi Ye's concern, he simply said softly, "He didn't bully me."

It was just that too many things were pressing on his heart, and he didn't know who to talk to.

Seeing the concern in Chi Ye's eyes, he couldn't help but confide, "Senior, I was just thinking about how I used to want to be a Beta."

"In high school, the doctor warned me that if I kept using the cheapest inhibitors, my gland and reproductive cavity would atrophy completely. I knew, but I didn't care. I thought being a Beta would be fine."

No pheromones, no worries about heats, no risk of being triggered into heat by others—unlike Omegas, who had fatal vulnerabilities.

So back then, all he wanted was to study hard, get into university, and leave the Ruan family. He never considered the issues of underdeveloped glands or reproductive cavities, nor did he ever imagine having any connection with someone like Pei Siyue, a golden boy.

They were originally from two different worlds. Ruan Shuyang had never thought of getting close to such an exceptional individual, let alone engagement.

He just wanted to make a clean break from the Ruan family, even if it meant becoming a Beta.

"But it was ruined."

Ruined by Pei Siming.

If Pei Siming hadn't taken him to see Lu Zheng, he wouldn't have been induced into a pseudo-heat by someone's pheromones, wouldn't have met Pei Siyue, and Pei Siyue wouldn't have marked him.

His gland and reproductive cavity wouldn't have started developing under the stimulation of Enigma pheromones.

He wouldn't have become addicted to Enigma pheromones.

Of course, he wouldn't have met Pei Siyue.

When Pei Siyue asked if he would regret meeting him, he felt truly lost.

If he hadn't met Pei Siyue, he might have lived an ordinary, uneventful life—less vibrant and dazzling than now, but spared the troubles of Omega pheromones.

Chi Ye listened quietly, probably able to guess what had happened to Ruan Shuyang.

Ruan Shuyang was originally Pei Siming's fiancée, but the engagement was later broken off due to Pei Siming's mistake—a mistake likely related to Ruan Shuyang's inability to stay a Beta.

He comforted softly, "You don’t need to worry so much. It is what it is; you should focus more on the future. Dwelling on the past is pointless."

"Whether you’re a Beta or an Omega, as long as you’re happy, that’s what matters."

Ruan Shuyang replied with a soft smile, "I know, senior."

But there were still lingering worries in his heart.

"Junior," Chi Ye suddenly brought up another matter, "After I graduate next year, I’ll be going to the U.S. for my master's. I’ve already received an offer."

Ruan Shuyang immediately said, "Congratulations, senior."

Chi Ye looked at Ruan Shuyang intently and said seriously, "Junior, I hope you always have a free soul and remain happy and fulfilled."

"If you ever feel things get tough here, you can come to the U.S. and find me."

"Freedom..." Ruan Shuyang murmured the word softly, his bright almond-shaped eyes fixed on Chi Ye as he asked, "Senior, do you think I’m free now?"

Chi Ye had a vague feeling that something had happened between Ruan Shuyang and Pei Siyue that he didn’t know about. Although he secretly hoped the two would break up, after being enlightened by Chi Hang and understanding many things, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything dishonest.

"You are free," Chi Ye said with certainty, looking at him. "Those who are not free have no light in their eyes."

Ruan Shuyang finally showed a genuinely happy smile, peaceful and warm.

"Senior, you will also be happy and find a good partner."

Just then, his phone buzzed with messages. Ji Huai said Pei Siyue had something to give him and was waiting by the dorm.

His heart tightened, worried that something might be wrong. He quickly said goodbye to Chi Ye, went upstairs to get dressed and grab his things, and hurried to the dorm.

Ji Huai was waiting under the dorm's streetlight. Seeing him, he handed over a box and said, "Mr. Pei asked me to give you these medicines. He said even if your temperature's back to normal, you need to finish the full course to make sure the treatment holds."

Ruan Shuyang took the box, thanked him quietly, and then asked, "Where is... Brother?"

"I don’t know," Ji Huai shook his head. "Jiang Wu gave me the stuff. I don’t know where Mr. Pei is."

**

After leaving the school, Pei Siyue didn’t go home but went to the company first to go over some things with Jiang Wu and Cheng Yi. He wasn't going to be in the office for the next few days, so he needed to handle urgent tasks in advance.

Both Jiang Wu and Cheng Yi, as Alphas, could sense the turbulent pheromones radiating from Pei Siyue—as if he might lose control at any moment, turning from a well-dressed enforcer into an outright savage. They were too scared to step into the office.

Jiang Wu stood at the office door, listening to the work arrangements. Afterward, he asked nervously, "Boss, what’s going on? Are you about to have one of your episodes?"

He knew Ruan Shuyang had been sick recently. If something had happened to Ruan Shuyang, he didn't even want to think how severe his boss’s episode might be.

Pei Siyue looked at Jiang Wu expressionlessly and didn’t answer.

Jiang Wu ventured cautiously, "Boss, if you can’t control your pheromones, maybe you should go to the research institute to have some extracted, or... or prepare an emergency plan in advance."

He didn’t dare say "get restrained" outright, but the implication was clear. He believed Pei Siyue would understand.

Better to be restrained and ride it out alone in a corner than to lose control completely during the rut.

After finishing his work instructions, Pei Siyue only told Jiang Wu, "I’m not going to the research institute."

Going to the research institute to have his pheromones extracted would mean handing over his weakness to others—something Pei Siyue, with his controlling nature, would never allow.

Jiang Wu watched with trembling legs as Pei Siyue took his car keys and left the company alone late at night, with a bad feeling.

The boss really looked like he was about to snap. How bad an Enigma’s rut could be, Jiang Wu didn’t dare imagine.

In this state, Jiang Wu was worried something might happen to Ruan Shuyang.

Trying to ignore the potential retaliation from the Enigma, he texted Ruan Shuyang: "You doing okay? Fever better?"

It was already past 10 p.m. Ruan Shuyang lay in his dorm bed, the curtains drawn, but he couldn’t sleep.

He missed Pei Siyue’s pheromones, and he missed Pei Siyue himself.

Thinking back carefully, he had indeed grown dependent on Pei Siyue’s pheromones, unable to live without the Enigma's pheromones.

At first, it was only necessary for treatment, but later, he began to want it even when he wasn’t sick.

He wasn’t stupid; he could guess that Pei Siyue had done this on purpose—always sharing his pheromones from the start, making him gradually dependent.

There was no escape now.

If Enigma pheromones were a huge cage, he was already locked inside, unable to leave.

Usually, when he hesitated about something, Pei Siyue would also use his pheromones to gently coax him, nudging him toward the choices he wanted.

Before he realized it, he hadn’t noticed these things, but now, looking back on the past few months, there were indeed many such instances.

Just as Pei Siyue had said, he was not a good person in the traditional sense.

Of course, Ruan Shuyang never expected Pei Siyue to be truly good—as long as he treated him well, that was enough.

And Pei Siyue had indeed been very good to him.

He bought him a house and a car, helped him with his career. Without Pei Siyue, he wouldn’t have the peaceful and happy life he had now.

Maybe he would still be struggling to cut ties with the Ruan family and worrying about his living expenses.

Brother... Ruan Shuyang murmured in his heart.

His phone buzzed with a few messages. He took it out and saw Jiang Wu’s text, surprised.

Ruan Shuyang: My illness is better now. Why do you ask?

Jiang Wu: The boss seems off, like he’s about to have an episode. I was worried something was wrong with you.

If it wasn’t a health issue, then were they fighting?

And not just a small argument—a breakup-level fight?

Otherwise, he really couldn’t understand why the boss would be having episodes.

Ruan Shuyang was startled and immediately sat up in bed: Episode?

Ruan Shuyang: Does Brother have some hidden illness?

Jiang Wu: ...It's his rut.

Jiang Wu: The boss's pheromones are all wrong. I suspect his rut is approaching.

Ruan Shuyang: I see, I'll head over.

Jiang Wu: ...?

Jiang Wu: No, if the boss is really in his rut, you'd better not go. I'm afraid it might be dangerous for you. Let the boss tough it out alone. Just give him a call to check in.

Ruan Shuyang: It's alright.

He put down his phone and remembered what Pei Siyue had once told him about an Enigma's rut.

Enigmas don't have a fixed rut. It's only triggered when their emotional swings are intense or their emotions become extremely heightened.

So, was Pei Siyue experiencing intense emotional fluctuations or intense emotions?

Ruan Shuyang hadn't realized it because he thought Pei Siyue seemed very calm at the time, only his pheromones felt overwhelming.

Was he already on the edge of a rut?

He suddenly grew worried.

An Enigma's rut should be similar to an Alpha's—caused by a buildup of pheromones over time or emotional instability leading to pheromone turmoil. The most effective way to handle it is to calm their pheromones.

So, a marked Omega can calm an Alpha's rut.

He is Pei Siyue's marked Omega. If the other were experiencing a rut, he should be able to help.

Pei Siyue had always satisfied his need for pheromones every time he required them and helped him through every pseudo-heat.

If Pei Siyue were truly in a rut, Ruan Shuyang wanted to be there for the Enigma, whose pheromones might be unstable and raging at this moment.

Just as Pei Siyue had always been there for him.

Even though he knew it might be dangerous.

An Alpha with chaotic pheromones could hardly control their emotions, let alone an Enigma with higher-grade and more volatile pheromones.

He was still going to go.

Maybe it was foolish, maybe it would bring him danger, but he was willing to trust Pei Siyue.

Pei Siyue was the Enigma who had worked hard to develop Omega Mark Cleansing Technique medication and pheromone-blocking materials.

He was also the Enigma who had always fought to give him freedom.