Chapter 36

Chapter 36

That night, Ying Zhiyu finished his shower and climbed into bed.

They ended up abandoning Xu Kuo’s bed, both squeezing onto the upper bunk on Ying Zhiyu’s side.

Ying Zhiyu had already switched off the dorm lights. Fumbling in the dark, he found Li Xi’s shoulder, seemingly intending to help him undress.

Li Xi lay on the inner side of the bed, facing Ying Zhiyu.

As Ying Zhiyu began to lift his shirt hem, Li Xi’s body flinched slightly, and he caught Ying Zhiyu’s hand. “…I don’t necessarily have to do this.”

Ying Zhiyu let out a low, questioning hum.

He had thought Li Xi’s tacit agreement to “sleep together” was an implicit invitation.

Li Xi was quiet for a moment before murmuring, “I just wanted to see you.”

Ying Zhiyu: “…”

Just to see him?

But earlier that week, he had spent the first three days at Li Xi’s downtown home, even staying until Thursday morning. It had only been one night since Thursday—did Li Xi really come to the university on Friday just to see him?

After saying “see you,” Li Xi fell silent.

Ying Zhiyu pondered, then tentatively asked, “Is it that the dependency period hasn’t actually passed yet?”

An Omega’s pheromone dependency period after being permanently marked by an Alpha typically lasts about seven days. The symptoms are somewhat similar to a heat, though milder and only triggered by the Alpha who marked them.

However, by the timeline, Li Xi’s “dependency period” should already be over.

He just… wanted to see his Alpha before the business trip.

Or perhaps… get one more hug.

So, without a word, Li Xi acted on his feelings.

Ying Zhiyu only felt Li Xi’s arms wrap around his waist, his head burying into Ying Zhiyu’s shoulder.

Ying Zhiyu’s lips curved upward involuntarily, though he said, “Hmm, I guess I’ve just got too much dirty stuff on my mind.”

The next day, Ying Zhiyu had to get up early to catch his flight.

The previous night, firstly, the dorm bed was too narrow and genuinely inconvenient.

Secondly, considering how frequent their intimate moments had been lately due to the “dependency period,” Ying Zhiyu joked, then thought about his upcoming week-plus exchange visit to the southern lab.

If the Omega went cold turkey from his pheromones then, it could cause more trouble, even triggering a pseudo-heat. So initially, Ying Zhiyu didn’t release his pheromones, just gently massaged and soothed the gland at the nape of Li Xi’s neck.

He hadn’t actually planned on marking him.

But just as the movements of the person beside him grew quieter and Ying Zhiyu withdrew his hand, ready to sleep, a low, almost gritted voice suddenly came through the darkness not long after.

“Ying Zhiyu… you did that on purpose!”

“…”

An hour later, having explored new positions on the single bed—narrow with low railings—while ensuring safety and stability, Li Xi seemed utterly exhausted, collapsing on top of him and panting.

Ying Zhiyu smoothed a hand over the other’s sweat-dampened, heaving back.

He swore up and down that his initial intention had been entirely good—absolutely no thought of leading his Omega on into trying new positions.

Ahem.

At least, he hadn’t expected it to be quite so… unexpectedly enjoyable.

Li Xi helped Ying Zhiyu get ready.

Ying Zhiyu was traveling with his advisor, and someone from the other lab would pick him up at the airport, so he was already in a full suit for the trip.

As Li Xi adjusted Ying Zhiyu’s tie, he said, “No need to be overly cautious. You’re my person—if there’s a chance for you to shine, just take it.”

After a pause, Li Xi added, “If anyone tries any underhanded tricks, don’t be afraid to stand your ground. LI will back you up.”

Ying Zhiyu’s previous life principle had almost always boiled down to four words: avoid trouble and keep the peace.

This included that time at the lab group dinner for Ying Zhiyu’s School of Biology at the biomedical university, when the thirty-year-old Alpha PhD made those disparaging remarks.

Once Ying Zhiyu and Li Xi’s relationship became public, and the academic circle learned that Ying Zhiyu was Li Xi’s person, some would inevitably try to curry favor, ensuring that any news about Ying Zhiyu would find its way to Li Xi’s ears.

That was how Li Xi found out that someone had been secretly “tripping Ying Zhiyu up.”

In that kind of setting, comments about advisors having granddaughters or professors having daughters—wasn’t that a veiled jab implying Ying Zhiyu relied on currying favor with superiors, or even planned to sleep his way to the top?

It wasn’t just a denial of all Ying Zhiyu’s past efforts and achievements; it was also a subtle belittling of the value of any future honors he might earn.

Li Xi was protective and couldn’t stand hearing such talk.

Ying Zhiyu found it somewhat amusing.

People are like that.

When you’re on the same level as someone, if you’re just a little better than them, their competitive jealousy can burn like a raging fire, ready to consume their rationality.

But when you leap beyond their level, to a place they can’t reach, that rivalry tends to fade away, and might even turn into a desire to befriend or latch onto you someday.

Ying Zhiyu maintained a very calm attitude toward most people who hadn’t actually harmed him.

He said dismissively, “He already apologized to me privately. It’s unlikely he’ll try anything later. With the backing of the Xi estate, who would dare pull any tricks behind my back?”

Li Xi didn’t reply.

Perhaps he thought Ying Zhiyu was too soft-hearted.

But Ying Zhiyu just shook his head and explained with a faint smile, “I just don’t want to get tangled in unnecessary entanglements.”

A gentleman judges actions, not intentions.

Those feelings of jealousy, rivalry, or baseless hostility, as long as they don’t harm him, are just other people’s own life lessons to work through.

Essentially, they have nothing to do with Ying Zhiyu.

Moreover, as someone now in a “higher position,” the first thing he should guard against is unconsciously becoming like those bullies who once freely oppressed others.

No one should end up living as the kind of person they hate.

-

While Ying Zhiyu was away on a business trip, Li Xi officially continued to throw himself into his work in his role as a director of the LI Group.

His current position is Senior Director of the LI Group's Core R&D Department.

His daily work primarily involves shuttling between the LI headquarters and the laboratory.

Two weeks later, Ying Zhiyu finished his business trip and returned to the capital.

That afternoon, Ying Zhiyu went home first to take a shower. Since it was still early, he personally went to the LI Group to pick Li Xi up from work.

After finishing a team brainstorming session, Li Xi left work promptly without staying a minute longer—a rare occurrence.

His department colleagues were practically cheering in unison.

Watching Ying Zhiyu walking hand-in-hand with Li Xi out of the office was like witnessing a walking, modern-day "Daji reborn"—the legendary temptress.

And that's meant as a compliment.

Ah, young Alphas are great, young Alphas are wonderful. It would be best if he could captivate their boss so thoroughly that he’d forget all about work, just like an emperor neglecting his court duties for his beloved!

In the high-rise office of Building No. 3 at the LI Group headquarters,

Li Qin stepped away from the floor-to-ceiling window. Li Lv, with one hand in his pocket, remarked with amusement, "Over the past two weeks, our third brother worked five days a week, slept in the office for four of them, and even spent the entire last weekend at the lab headquarters in the West District without leaving."

Downstairs at the LI Group building, a low-key luxury car that had just exited the underground parking lot suddenly pulled over to the side of the road.

Ying Zhiyu stepped out first from the right rear door, followed by Li Xi emerging from the other side.

Perhaps planning to stroll around the nearby commercial district, the Alpha, holding the Omega’s hand, leisurely walked along the sidewalk, with a security vehicle trailing slowly behind.

Li Lv glanced at his watch and stroked his chin. "The workaholic Omega clocking out before 4 p.m.? The sun must be setting in the east today."

Li Qin, already back at her desk, seemed uninterested and continued working.

"Young newlyweds—if you want to go on a date, you can clock out now too."

Li Lv clicked his tongue, then suddenly remembered something and asked, "...Your husband just gave birth, aren’t you going home to keep him company?"

Li Qin paused briefly in front of her computer screen and replied calmly, "I'll go home when I'm done."

Li Lv shrugged, unable to understand how married couples could differ so much between the honeymoon phase and the settled stage.

He couldn’t help but sigh, "It’s better to be like me—flitting through a field of flowers without a single leaf sticking. So carefree, so unrestrained."

Li Lv’s marriage was entirely different from those of Li Qin and Li Xi.

Li Qin’s Omega was her childhood sweetheart—a pure love story from the start. Li Xi’s Alpha was essentially a "purchased consort," so of course, he had to defer to Li Xi in everything.

As for Li Lv, his marriage was purely a business alliance, bound by interests.

He and his Omega had agreed even before marriage to lead separate lives, and his partner had no desire to be permanently marked by any Alpha.

Since Li Lv had no intention of competing with his eldest sister for the LI Group succession, there was no pressure to produce an heir. Thus, he and his Omega maintained an open marriage.

Aside from family gatherings, they rarely saw or contacted each other.

Li Qin felt nothing about her brother’s boast of "flitting through a field of flowers without a single leaf sticking."

She looked up from her computer and simply said, "That Ying Zhiyu is no simple character. Look into the research projects and directions of the lab he’s currently affiliated with, and see if there’s any overlap with the LI Group’s business."

Li Lv raised an eyebrow. "You suspect they’re colluding behind the scenes?"

Li Qin shook her head. "It’s just a hunch."

She simply felt that for a young Alpha in his early twenties, Ying Zhiyu had shown too much composure and flawlessness in every situation.

How could an ordinary person, suddenly elevated to a higher social class, behave so impeccably when facing a once-unattainable circle?

Upon hearing this, Li Lv pondered, "Given our third brother’s current state—protecting his little Alpha like a mother hen—if he finds out you’re investigating his Alpha, he’s likely to be displeased."

Li Qin had already returned to her work, unfazed, and drew a clear line.

"You’re the one investigating, not me."

Li Lv chuckled. "Right, as always, I’m the one doing all the dirty work."

Even protesting their third brother’s entry into the board, barring him from returning home, while he himself had to go back and put on a show.

Ah, these Alphas—so cunning! So hypocritical! So treacherous!

Changing the subject, Li Lv straightened up, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Alright then, let’s see who outsmarts whom. May the best player win."