Chapter 8: Empathy

Chapter 8: Shared Sensation

"So handsome!!"

"Seductive... utterly captivating!!"

"My apologies... I couldn't resist doing something naughty."

On the electronic screen, Ying Mingche's heart rate had only risen by 5 beats per minute and showed no further upward trend. It was a very stable and safe reading.

The surrounding onlookers displayed varying degrees of shock and curiosity, unsure of what would happen next. With less than a centimeter separating them, even a slight tilt forward would cause their noses to brush. If one were to bite the other end of the pocky, their lips would likely meet.

The director announced, "The attacker may begin."

Yuan Shiyuan, who had remained motionless until now, suddenly reached out and cupped Ying Mingche's face with both hands.

Ying Mingche looked up, clearly seeing Yuan Shiyuan's slightly parted lips—somewhat red and moist. As his cheeks were gently caressed, soft pink strands of hair brushed lightly against his brows and eyes, creating a subtle, tingling sensation.

He instinctively wanted to grasp Yuan Shiyuan's waist, to tell him to stop moving.

But the director interrupted, "The defender can only defend!"

Ying Mingche narrowed his eyes, looking somewhat displeased, but could only return his hands to his sides.

Yuan Shiyuan still hadn't made a move, so the director urged again, "Attacker, begin your attack!"

Yet Yuan Shiyuan seemed not to hear. Everyone assumed he was about to concede, as biting down now would almost certainly result in a kiss. No Alpha could accept such intimate physical contact with another Alpha.

Ying Mingche sat with an air of composure, but the next second, his pupils suddenly dilated.

Yuan Shiyuan abruptly straddled Ying Mingche's lap, the single chair groaning under the strain. Under Ying Mingche's stunned gaze, he gripped the back of Ying Mingche's head with one hand, half-forcing him, pulling his hair to make him look up.

"Mmm—" The Alpha, forced into an upward gaze, let out a muffled groan from his throat.

On the electronic screen, Ying Mingche's heart rate instantly shot past 120 and began climbing at an alarming rate!

The staff gasped.

Soft fingertips pressed against his tender scalp. Though the touch was gentle, the presence overwhelming Ying Mingche's senses was fierce.

Their eyes met, and he saw Yuan Shiyuan's focused expression, his eyes burning with an equally intense desire for victory.

Ying Mingche felt as if he had been suddenly ignited, his entire body buzzing with excitement.

"Hah? Is that all you've got?" He steadied his breathing. "I thought you would just—"

Before he could finish, Yuan Shiyuan suddenly leaned in for the attack, their noses almost touching. Ying Mingche instinctively tried to pull away, but his hair was held in a tight grip.

"Don't move." Yuan Shiyuan deliberately pressed his knuckle against Ying Mingche's neck, reminding him of the rules. "Look up."

"Look at me."

Yuan Shiyuan had been meticulously calculating the best angle. After thorough observation, he found the perfect position and maintained remarkable restraint. He gently bit down on the piece of pocky, his lips and teeth making no direct contact—only their noses brushed lightly.

The faint sound of the pocky breaking echoed through every corner via the microphone.

Chocolate crumbs scattered between their almost-kissing lips.

Ying Mingche, who had earlier snapped the pocky arrogantly and boasted confidently, now sat stiffly like a tamed dog.

They were so close, yet Yuan Shiyuan's eyes seemed to look right through him, completely ignoring his presence.

Perhaps it was the lighting, but Yuan Shiyuan's lips looked unusually red. The thin pocky held between his teeth, his focused expression—it was indescribably sensual.

As soft pink hair brushed against the corner of his eye, Ying Mingche felt hot, and a strange, alluring scent filled his senses.

How odd—they were both Alphas, so why did Yuan Shiyuan smell so good?

Ying Mingche completely forgot this was a game. His senses, continuously stimulated, caused his breath to tremble unnaturally. Though there was no further physical contact, the heat of Yuan Shiyuan's breath felt like saliva, dampening the seam of his lips.

Their breaths intertwined. Though they weren’t kissing, it made him dizzy.

"Ying Mingche's heart rate: 145, 146... Yuan Shiyuan's heart rate: 62!"

Compared to Ying Mingche's loss of control, Yuan Shiyuan remained excessively calm. Straddling Ying Mingche, his slender hand pressed firmly against the back of Ying Mingche's head without room for refusal, his eyes still clearly observing the electronic screen behind.

The heart rate monitor emitted a dangerous alarm—but it wasn’t the only one. Aside from Ying Mingche, several other Alphas who were merely watching had their heart rates rising too.

The live stream comments exploded instantly.

"Holy shit, is this allowed to be broadcast??"

"These Alphas pretending to be all calm, each acting unbothered, yet all their heart rates are skyrocketing. [facepalm]"

"Good thing it's just Weibo. [laughs][pulling up pants]"

"The atmosphere is getting heated—watching this gets me all fired up. [dog head]"

"Yuan Shiyuan's heart rate actually dropped?!"

"Help, this isn’t a pocky game—it’s a dating show flirty scene!!"

The outcome of the game was beyond doubt.

While everyone else's heart rates were soaring, Yuan Shiyuan's not only didn’t rise but actually dropped.

It showed just how strong his mental fortitude was.

Someone as proud as Ying Mingche probably rarely lost. Yuan Shiyuan had expected him to protest loudly and refuse to accept defeat, but surprisingly, Ying Mingche remained quiet throughout, calmly accepting the loss.

Only his gaze held a strange intensity.

Ying Mingche found a moment to slip away to the restroom.

The sound of running water echoed in the bathroom as Ying Mingche splashed cold water on his face, trying to cool down. After doing this over a dozen times, he suddenly lifted his wet face and saw his own excitement-flushed eyes in the mirror.

"Bro." Ying Mingche steadied his breathing, though a tremble lingered in his voice. "He got me so excited."

A face identical to his own appeared in the mirror.

Ying Mingxi was silent for a moment before saying, "I can feel it."

...

The group variety show was originally planned to film for three days but was suddenly put on hold.

Yuan Shiyuan guessed it might be due to an issue with one of the members, most likely Bao Jin's rut.

When he returned to the dorm, sure enough, the pungent, choking scent of gunpowder filled the air.

Yuan Shiyuan turned on the fresh air system: "Dude, you're having ruts way too often."

An Alpha's rut typically lasts 3 to 7 days, with no fixed duration—it ends once they regain full mental clarity. Bao Jin had gotten so many shots of inhibitors and sexual inhibitors not long ago. How'd it come back so fast?

Bao Jin’s rut was back again.

Bao Jin’s breathing was rough, a vein bulging on one side of his neck, his streaked red hair damp and clinging to his temples.

Once the inhibitors took effect and he calmed down slightly, he shot a sharp, confused look at Yuan Shiyuan.

"How come you have no reaction at all?"

Bao Jin was fully aware of his own condition earlier. Even if Yuan Shiyuan had a higher level, he shouldn’t have been completely unaffected.

"I’m not very sensitive to pheromones."

That didn’t sound quite precise, so Yuan Shiyuan added, "And I don’t reject pheromones from other Alphas either."

Normally, Alphas repel each other—exposure to another Alpha’s pheromones can range from mild discomfort to severe nausea or even fainting.

But Yuan Shiyuan was naturally not sensitive to Alpha pheromones. He could smell them, but he couldn’t sense their aggressive edge. To him, Alpha pheromones were just like perfumes with different scents.

The dorm felt like it was on fire, way too hot. Yuan Shiyuan casually took off his jacket, but then an unusual sensation surged from his gland.

It felt a bit itchy.

He had never experienced this kind of reaction to other Alphas’ pheromones before.

This had led to many misunderstandings in the past.

During his school days, many Alpha classmates refused to believe he was an Alpha.

He often got cornered by other Alphas in the restroom.

"Are you really an Alpha?"

"No way, do Alphas even look like you?"

"…"

A group of hormone-driven Alphas surrounded him, staring with excitement and curiosity, insisting on checking if he was an Omega pretending to be an Alpha.

In the end, Yuan Shiyuan took them all on single-handedly and beat them to a pulp. He planted his foot on one Alpha’s chest, thinking his strength and pheromones would settle the matter.

Unexpectedly, they only got more excited.

S-Class Alphas were extremely rare. Yuan Shiyuan had only encountered S-Class pheromones a handful of times before, let alone been immersed in them at such close range.

Maybe it was because Bao Jin’s pheromones were high-grade that they triggered a different reaction in him?

It wasn’t unpleasant, though.

The gland was in a rather private spot, so he couldn’t easily describe the sensation. If he had to put it into words, it felt like a feather tickling the soft flesh inside his gland, as if something was about to emerge.

The itch was almost negligible, and Yuan Shiyuan certainly wasn’t going to mention it to Bao Jin.

What would be the difference between saying his gland was itchy and telling his bro his dick was itchy?

"Not sensitive to Alpha pheromones, huh?" Bao Jin said, "No wonder you can ignore my pheromones."

Most people couldn’t even be in the same room with Bao Jin, let alone withstand the aggression of his pheromones.

The pheromones of another Alpha continued to spread heavily, enveloping Yuan Shiyuan like a net. His gland grew even itchier, but glands were delicate—he couldn’t scratch it.

He could only distract himself, making conversation: "Your pheromones actually smell pretty good."

"…"

Bao Jin propped himself up with one arm, resting the other on his knee, and let out a low laugh. "Do you know what it means to say something like that to an Alpha, especially one in rut?"

Yuan Shiyuan: "?"

Bao Jin tossed his streaked red hair back, revealing dark, predatory eyes.

"You’re asking for it."

Yuan Shiyuan had only meant it as a casual compliment.

It finally dawned on him—complimenting someone’s pheromones was like praising their primary sex characteristics. Translating what he’d just said, it was basically the equivalent of, "Damn, bro, you’re huge."

"Bros shouldn’t talk about fucking each other—it’s bad for the friendship."

"Who said we’re brothers?"

Perhaps the inhibitors were working—the restless agitation suddenly subsided. But Bao Jin realized this episode of frenzy was unusual.

"Find another place to stay later," he said.

No way. It was rare to meet a straight guy this pure. Yuan Shiyuan replied, "You keep having ruts—if no one’s around to keep an eye on you, things could go wrong."

"Worried I’ll die?"

"I’m just concerned about you."

"How concerned?" Bao Jin pressed, "Prove it."

Yuan Shiyuan shot back, "How do you want me to prove it?"

Bao Jin said, "Let me smell your pheromones."

He was curious about what Yuan Shiyuan’s pheromones smelled like—and why, even during his rut, he felt no rejection toward Yuan Shiyuan’s presence.

Yuan Shiyuan: "My pheromones have no smell."

Bao Jin: "How is that possible?"

"Why would I lie?" Yuan Shiyuan took two steps closer, freely pressing Bao Jin’s face toward his gland. "Here, smell for yourself if you don’t believe me."

"...You!"

"Why are you nervous? We’re both straight." Yuan Shiyuan chuckled.

"…"

Bao Jin had been harassed by other men before. He was dead afraid of Alphas and particularly disgusted by good-looking ones. He never imagined he’d one day bury his face in another Alpha’s gland.

He should have felt repulsed, but the gland before him was incredibly pale, like pure, untouched snow.

Softer and more delicate than ordinary skin, the gland resembled melted cream—fine and smooth. Warm under the light, it emitted a faint, elusive fragrance.

Bao Jin could sense Yuan Shiyuan's pheromones, which were not aggressive like those of ordinary Alphas but gentle, enveloping him like warm sunlight. He narrowed his eyes, lowered his head to sniff again—it smelled fragrant.

But it wasn’t the scent of pheromones.

“What is that smell?”

If it wasn’t the scent of pheromones, then what was it? Perfume?

“Is there a smell on me?” Yuan Shiyuan raised his arm to sniff but didn't smell anything. “Probably just sweat.”

“…”

“Did you figure it out?”

“Your pheromones have no scent.”

Bao Jin said, “But that’s not normal.”

How could an Alpha’s pheromones have no scent?

“What’s so abnormal about it? Maybe it’s because I presented early.” Yuan Shiyuan brushed it off. “The doctor said it could also be due to poor nutrition during my childhood, which stunted my development, so my gland didn’t develop very well.”

“Not developing well, yet you still presented as an S-class?” Bao Jin suspected the other was showing off but muttered to himself, “There really is no scent…”

Was this the reason he didn’t reject Yuan Shiyuan’s proximity? Was this why Yuan Shiyuan could resist the effects of his pheromones?

Bao Jin pondered, as if Yuan Shiyuan were some rare specimen, and lowered his head to sniff again.

Honestly, Yuan Shiyuan truly had no intention of showing off. The Alpha’s breath against his gland made it feel warm and slightly itchy.

He suddenly realized their position seemed a bit gay.

If it were anyone else, Yuan Shiyuan would have suspected they were about to make a move on him.

Yuan Shiyuan had actually encountered such a situation before—an Alpha acting like a close buddy, hugging and rubbing against him, saying it was normal between brothers, only to try and lick his gland the next second.

He was straight, not stupid—how could he not see the excitement and restlessness in the other’s eyes?

When he complained about it to other friends, instead of taking his side, they asked in a suggestive tone, “So did they manage to lick it?”

Yuan Shiyuan even saw the same excitement and restlessness in his buddies’ eyes.

Bao Jin, however, was reassuring. There was no lust in his eyes, only the pure curiosity of a straight guy.

Straight buddies were definitely more reliable.

Go ahead and sniff, you won’t find anything anyway.

The intense scent of gunpowder pheromones lingered around them.

Yuan Shiyuan felt as if he were trapped in a damp, hot cave, surrounded by the Alpha’s firm, scorching muscles.

His gland grew even itchier: “You’re so hot, you’re making me sweat all over. I need to take a shower.”

Overwhelmed by the heat, he tried to struggle free but ended up accidentally brushing his fingers against Bao Jin’s gland instead of pushing him away.

The gland, freshly injected with inhibitors, was unusually sensitive. Bao Jin let out a gasp. He pinned Yuan Shiyuan’s hands above his head and warned hoarsely, “Stop moving.”

The next second, he couldn’t look away.

Bao Jin suddenly realized he had Yuan Shiyuan pinned beneath him in a predatory stance. Yuan Shiyuan’s shirt had ridden up, revealing a slender, pale waist.

Meanwhile, Bao Jin, wearing a black tank top, accentuated his well-defined muscles. The contrast in skin tone and physique created a striking visual impact, giving Yuan Shiyuan the illusion of being completely restrained.

Yuan Shiyuan’s skin was tinged with a faint pink hue, and against his light pink hair, his face looked strikingly radiant.

It might not be appropriate to describe an Alpha as “alluring,” but at that moment, with his gland slightly flushed, Yuan Shiyuan did seem rather enticing.

For a split second, Bao Jin felt the urge to bite down.

His gaze darkened as he leaned in, his nose almost touching Yuan Shiyuan’s gland, when a cold voice abruptly interrupted them.

“What are you two doing?”

Looking past Bao Jin’s tensed arm, Yuan Shiyuan saw someone leaning against the doorway. The person had an innocent face, long legs, and though he was smiling, his eyes were dark and icy cold.

It was Ying Mingche.

The scene was indeed hard to ignore. Yuan Shiyuan coughed awkwardly. “Bao Jin lost his balance and accidentally fell on me.”

“Oh, how careless. Was it intentional? Well, if it was just an accident…” Ying Mingche glanced at their entangled figures, his smile not reaching his eyes. “I thought you two were having a secret affair.”

“…”

Bro, that’s not how you use that phrase, is it?

Bao Jin was still in his sensitive period, and the appearance of another S-class Alpha felt like a provocation. He turned Yuan Shiyuan’s face back toward him and said coldly, “What’s it to you?”

Ying Mingche replied with a mocking smile, “I’m just curious when you two became so close.”

“I’m starting to ship you two.”