Chapter 9: The Married Beta Rushes to the Airport

Chapter 9: The Married Beta Rushes to the Airport

Bai Yu’s heart was in his throat. Secretary Zhou’s reply had been strictly official, and he had no idea when Situ Jing’s anger would subside.

Bai Li was still awaiting a donor match, and Bai Yu dreaded losing Situ Jing’s crucial assistance at this critical juncture.

On Friday, Bai Yu followed an online video tutorial to prepare a pot of chicken soup, which he then brought to the hospital.

Bai Li sat on her bed, happily savoring the soup from her thermos.

Bai Yu took out his phone, tapped on Situ Jing’s all-black profile picture, then closed it. He reopened it, drafted a message, then deleted it entirely, fearing that too many messages might only irritate Situ Jing further.

Bai Li looked at him with curiosity. "Brother, you seem preoccupied. Are you in love?"

Bai Yu immediately turned off his phone screen. "What’s going through your head? I wish I had time for romance."

Bai Li playfully stuck out her tongue. "I was just guessing. Why such a strong reaction? Is it about me?"

"No," Bai Yu reassured her. "I’m thinking about school starting in September and the coursework I need to review."

Two hours later, Bai Li needed to go for a check-up. Bai Yu accompanied her to get a number and waited with her in the seating area.

A wall-mounted screen displayed the latest news headlines.

Situ Jing appeared on the news, his profile sharp and distinct. The wound on his nose had healed, and a faint smile played on his lips.

Unusually, he was dressed in a white suit, looking refined and elegant, with a silver watch on his wrist.

A curly-haired Omega reporter was interviewing him, her eyes shining with unconcealed admiration and envy.

The news headline read: "Hengyu Group Invests 100 Billion to Acquire Overseas Chip Technology Company, Set to Launch New Product Line." Given that all electronic products require chips, it was clear that Situ Jing’s acquisition would be highly profitable.

An automated voice called Bai Li’s number. She nudged Bai Yu’s shoulder. "Brother, I’m going in."

"I’ll wait here for you," Bai Yu replied, watching Bai Li enter the examination room. The TV then switched to the next news segment.

*

After the interview, Situ Jing rewarded his project-weary employees with ten-thousand-yuan bonuses and sent several five-thousand-yuan red envelopes into the work group for them to claim.

Amid a flurry of colorful messages thanking the boss, the workweek drew to a close.

The male reporter, still lingering outside the Hengyu Technology building, saw Situ Jing emerge from the elevator and eagerly approached him. "Mr. Situ, today’s interview was truly exceptional."

"Was it?" Situ Jing maintained a polite distance and did not linger.

The reporter followed him for a few steps. "May I have a few more words with you?"

Situ Jing cast a dismissive glance at the reporter. "My money only bought a five-minute prime-time segment. I didn’t agree to waste any extra time on you."

The reporter was stunned, clearly unaware that Situ Jing was so unapproachable in private. After all, he was the most attractive Omega reporter at the station. "Mr. Situ..."

"Also, I suggest you use some mouthwash."

Situ Jing walked directly toward the Maybach waiting nearby, ignoring the reporter’s shocked and bewildered expression.

Secretary Zhou opened the car door for him. "Boss, where to?"

"Yanting."

That reporter was just one of many who had tried to get close to him. In the past, countless others—elegant, intelligent beauties, seductive women slipping hotel keys into his suit pocket, or foreign students "accidentally" stumbling into his arms—had only ever elicited a hint of scorn from him.

Situ Jing closed his eyes to rest, and unexpectedly, Bai Yu came to mind.

Compared to those people, Bai Yu was in a completely different league in terms of looks or intelligence. But when it came to foolishness, he would undoubtedly take the prize.

Strangely, Bai Yu’s eyes never held the ambition those others did. More often, they reflected fear in dimly lit private rooms, embarrassment in bathrooms, or panic at the sight of his bleeding.

Yet, this was someone who would weep for the protagonist of a third-rate revenge drama—whether from emotional depth or sheer sentimentality, it was hard to say.

The next day, Dr. Jiang Ming arrived to conduct Situ Jing’s routine check-up.

The machine emitted rhythmic beeps as Jiang Ming extracted pheromones from the gland on Situ Jing’s neck and drew venous blood.

Holding the test report, Jiang Ming said, "Your pheromone imbalance is starting to improve. How has your sleep been lately?"

Situ Jing lay on the bed, gazing at the surgical lamp above. "Not bad. How long until the symptoms disappear completely?"

"Depending on your physical condition, it might take a year or two for the symptoms to fully subside. We’ll need to monitor your progress."

"Good."

Jiang Ming set down the report and looked at Situ Jing. "Is your partner still around?"

Situ Jing replied, "He can be. Why?"

Jiang Ming was slightly surprised by the answer. He had expected a simple "yes" or "no," not a "he can be."

The emotional lives of the wealthy were always more complex than those of ordinary people. The longer Jiang Ming worked with the Situ family, the more he believed it. He wondered how the young Beta and Situ Jing managed their relationship.

"What I mean is, since you have a partner and your Abnormal Pheromone Syndrome is improving, you could try environmental therapy."

"Environmental therapy?"

"Human pheromones are closely linked to emotional fluctuations. Overseas studies suggest that changes in interpersonal or physical environments can have a lasting impact on pheromone levels. Simply put, a change of scenery—whether a vacation or getting away from your everyday life—could help your condition."

Situ Jing sat up. "Are you sure you’re my surgeon and not a psychologist?"

Jiang Ming was accustomed to Situ Jing’s sharp wit and smiled. "If I were, I’d ask for double pay."

"No, you won’t get the chance."

Years ago, the family patriarch had arranged for twenty years of psychological services for both brothers, though Situ Jing seldom availed himself of them.

To believe one’s children are ill is itself a kind of illness. Perhaps everyone in his family was a little unwell.

Jiang Ming said, "Even if it doesn’t sound like a conventional treatment, I suggest you give it a try."

Situ Jing picked up his phone from the nearby tray and scrolled down to a picture Bai Yu had sent a few days earlier.

It was a photo of Bai Yu and a girl in a striped hospital gown. The girl was thin, with a bright smile, though she didn’t resemble Bai Yu much. Compared to the photo in Secretary Zhou’s file, she had lost a lot of weight.

Did Bai Yu think a single photo would make him feel pity?

He probably overestimated his sense of decency.

Scrolling further up, he saw the messages from the morning after at Xidun Manor:

[Mr. Situ, is your injury better?]

[I’ve gone back to review my coursework. Wishing you all the best. Blink.gif]

*

Bai Yu was having lunch with Bai Li in her VIP hospital room. The meal was generous, with two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup.

Bai Yu had only ordered a single bowl of rice to share with Bai Li.

The phone on the table rang. Bai Yu walked over, unlocked it, and saw a message from Situ Jing.

Situ Jing: [Yunjing Airport location]

Situ Jing: [2.]

A location, followed by just the number 2. What did it mean?

Bai Yu thought for a moment and figured it meant he needed to get to Yunjing Airport within two hours.

Go to the airport? Where was he supposed to go?

But there was no time to dwell on it. Yunjing Airport was far from the city center, and making it from the hospital in two hours would be cutting it close. He had to leave immediately.

Otherwise, if he was late again, Situ Jing might truly lose his patience.

Bai Li seldom saw Bai Yu looking so serious—his brows furrowed, lips tight, like a superhero in a movie gearing up for a mission to save the world. "Brother, what's wrong?"

Bai Yu put down his unfinished lunchbox and chopsticks, hurriedly grabbed his black crossbody bag, and said, "I’ve got an urgent gig to catch. Take your time eating!"

"Oh..." Bai Li watched as Bai Yu rushed out. "Be safe."

Bai Yu left the hospital, hailed a taxi, and said, "Driver, please hurry! My girlfriend and her secret lover are secretly flying off on vacation. I need to catch them!"

The driver was on it and slammed on the accelerator, zooming off.

*

In the airport VIP lounge, Situ Jing stood by the window, a cigarette in hand, looking out at the airport access road.

Secretary Zhou walked in. "Boss, the private flight clearance has been approved. The plane is ready, waiting for you to board."

It was almost time, but there was still no sign of him.

Situ Jing irritably stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and was about to turn away when he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye.

He looked out the window again and saw someone getting out of a taxi by the roadside, leaning against a tree in the greenbelt and throwing up violently.

"Secretary Zhou, go down and pick him up."

Secretary Zhou glanced at the figure dashing forward and suddenly felt that this young man was truly different in the boss's eyes.

Was it because he was the first?

Bai Yu took a photo of the airport and sent it to Situ Jing: [I'm here.]

The taxi driver was efficient, but Bai Yu had thrown up everything he ate for lunch, his mouth filled with the taste of stomach acid.

Situ Jing didn’t reply, but soon Secretary Zhou called.

"Mr. Bai Yu, do you have a passport?"

"No, why?" Bai Yu asked, still panting.

"There’s an express service counter at the airport for fast-track passport service. I’ll take you there first."

"Where are we going with the passport?"

"The boss is going to Singapore on a business trip and wants you to accompany him. He’s already on the private plane. After we finish with the passport, I’ll take you to him."

Secretary Zhou found Bai Yu, noticed his crumpled T-shirt and cargo pants, and first took him to change clothes before heading to take photos and process the documents.

In such a rushed and hurried manner, Bai Yu hurried to Situ Jing’s private plane.

Before leaving, Bai Yu asked Secretary Zhou, "I wanted to ask if there’s any progress on finding a bone marrow match for my sister?"

Secretary Zhou pointed to the window of the private plane: "You can ask the boss directly about this. Preferably when he’s in a good mood."

"Okay." Bai Yu boarded the plane, and the cabin door closed.

The cabin was spacious, with a starlit ceiling, branded massage chairs, a bar stocked with assorted drinks, and separately designed bedrooms and a billiards room further inside.

Bai Yu walked over to Situ Jing. "Mr. Situ."

Situ Jing was holding a travel magazine and said calmly, "Sit."

Bai Yu was still queasy. After sitting down, his stomach felt uneasy, so he drank a glass of water.

Situ Jing reclined his seat, put on a black eye mask, and prepared to nap until they landed in Singapore.

As the plane took off slowly, Bai Yu felt sick again, and he quickly covered his mouth.

Hearing the noise, Situ Jing lifted his black eye mask. "If you vomit here, I’ll throw you out."

Bai Yu nodded with his hand over his mouth, stood up, and rushed to the restroom.

Situ Jing put his eye mask back on and lay down. Not long after, there was noise again nearby.

The cabin temperature was very low, so Bai Yu requested a blanket.

After reaching the stratosphere, Bai Yu stood by the window, excitedly watching the cloudscape and taking a few photos.

Then, he returned to his seat, reclined his seat, and lay down like Situ Jing.

Situ Jing thought he had finally calmed down and slowly unfurrowed his brow, only to hear a rumbling sound from the other’s stomach.

"Gurgle, gurgle~"