Chapter 14 “Is Your Heat Cycle Here?”…

Chapter 14 "Are you in heat?"...

Lin Yunshu was dismissed from backstage.

He didn't see Zhou Yu again for the rest of the day.

Zhou Yu was angry again, his face dark as he dispatched Lin Yunshu to oversee the main venue while he himself remained in the "dirty and smelly" backstage area.

This reversal of roles set off alarm bells for Lin Yunshu.

What kind of boss would take on the grunt work himself while letting his subordinate bask in the limelight? Lin Yunshu had certainly never encountered one.

Zhou Yu’s capricious behavior had just added another entry to its record. Lin Yunshu couldn’t fathom his thought process, so he simply followed orders, maintaining utmost vigilance as he supervised.

Exhausted, he returned to the hotel late that night, but Zhou Yu hadn’t yet come back.

The next day, Lin Yunshu woke up early, only to find that Zhou Yu had left even earlier.

Troubled, Lin Yunshu entered the bathroom, replaying the events of the previous day, but couldn’t pinpoint anything he had done wrong.

He accidentally knocked over a bottle of mouthwash. As he bent down to retrieve it, he realized his lower back was aching terribly.

"Hiss..."

He could barely move. After a moment, he slowly straightened up, leaning against the sink for support.

He placed the mouthwash on the counter, lifted the hem of his pajamas, and was startled to see a red mark encircling his waist.

It was from Zhou Yu holding him tightly in his sleep the previous night.

Lin Yunshu’s mind buzzed—this spelled trouble.

What could have made him so furious?

Frowning, he turned and leaned against the sink, rubbing his sore back while pulling out his phone to call someone.

Just as he was scrolling through his contacts, Li Xun’s call came through.

Lin Yunshu answered, "Hello, Assistant Li."

"Hey, Secretary Lin, are you up?" Li Xun’s end sounded quiet.

"Yes," Lin Yunshu replied. "Getting ready to head out."

"Alright, I called to remind you to be extra careful around the boss today," Li Xun got straight to the point.

Lin Yunshu’s hand, which had been massaging his waist, paused. This was precisely what he wanted to ask. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing major, just annoying," Li Xun said. "Yesterday, I accompanied the boss to inspect a subsidiary. On the way back, the CEO of Zhenxing Jewelry waylaid us. He somehow got wind that the Mu deal fell through and thought he had a chance. He pestered the boss relentlessly."

His tone was bitter. "After that, the boss has been in a foul mood. Even we got scolded, so I’m giving you a heads-up. If anyone approaches you today, don’t be too accommodating—that’s the boss’s intention."

Was that the reason?

Lin Yunshu mused, "Okay, I understand. Thank you."

"No problem. I’ll let you go then."

"Alright, goodbye."

After hanging up, Lin Yunshu stared at his still-glowing phone screen. The mirror reflected his slightly furrowed brow.

After a moment, he shook his head, put down his phone, and leaned over the sink to wash his face.

Once he finished washing up, he went to the closet to change into formal wear. Today was the first day of the grand event, and their attire needed to be more meticulous than usual.

Lin Yunshu was also wearing a Cassi haute couture suit. The custom-tailored shirt and suit elevated his presence significantly.

The shirt was made of extremely soft fabric, but for some reason, it felt scratchy on his neck today—something he hadn’t noticed during the fitting.

There was a slight stinging pain on the back of his neck, not severe, like tiny needles prickling him.

Lin Yunshu pulled his collar aside and used his phone to check the back of his neck. It was smooth and flat; his gland wasn’t feverish or swollen. It probably wasn’t his heat.

But after a moment of hesitation, he took two extra suppressants just in case. After all, today was a big day, and nothing could go wrong.

He arrived at the main venue at 10 a.m. The head coordinator was conducting a final check.

Lin Yunshu looked around but didn’t see Zhou Yu.

"Where’s the boss?" he asked Guo Shengyao.

"The boss is backstage."

"Still there?" Lin Yunshu was surprised.

"Yeah," Guo Shengyao sighed, equally confused. "But he seems to be in a bad mood. It’s probably better that he’s not here with us—spares us from being scolded."

Lin Yunshu gave her a helpless look. "You..."

Guo Shengyao stuck her tongue out playfully.

·

The grand event officially began in the evening.

In the afternoon, guests began arriving. Celebrities walked the red carpet first, then were seated in the guest area on the beach to watch the show.

Afterward, there was an after-party. Celebrities and models were invited into the main venue for the banquet.

Starting in the afternoon, the stinging pain on the back of Lin Yunshu’s neck became more and more noticeable, to the point where it was impossible to ignore.

He struggled through the show, but by the time he entered the banquet hall, he was dizzy and unsteady on his feet.

With many guests around, Guo Shengyao discreetly steadied him. "Master?"

Lin Yunshu leaned against the railing to steady himself, pressing hard on his temples with his index finger.

Something was wrong with his body.

He was dizzy, and his head felt ready to explode.

In just a short while, Lin Yunshu broke out in a cold sweat, and his heart was pounding wildly in his chest.

Guo Shengyao moved to shield him from the view of other guests and whispered, "What’s wrong with you?"

She felt somewhat nervous, unsure what was going on.

Lin Yunshu had seemed perfectly fine all day, but in the short time it took to go upstairs, he had gone pale, his lips losing color, seeming breathless.

She stamped her foot in worry, reached out to touch Lin Yunshu’s forehead, and flinched from the heat.

"Yikes!" she exclaimed, "Master, you have a fever!"

Lin Yunshu gritted his teeth.

No, it wasn’t a fever.

...His heat cycle had arrived.

Lin Yunshu pursed his lips, his expression growing more serious.

He pulled Guo Shengyao’s hand away, straightening up and trying to maintain a steady tone. "I’m fine, I’ll go upstairs to rest for a bit."

The banquet hall was on the second floor of the hotel, while Lin Yunshu’s suite was on the top floor. Guo Shengyao immediately steadied him. "Alright, I’ll take you up."

"No need," Lin Yunshu brushed her off, "I can go by myself. Keep an eye on things down here."

"But, Master—!"

Guo Shengyao was left behind, watching Lin Yunshu’s receding figure, wringing her hands anxiously.

Lin Yunshu headed straight for the elevator, walking faster than ever before, with uncharacteristic panic.

He needed to cross the banquet hall and then pass down a long hallway. A path he usually walked without a second thought now felt interminable.

Lin Yunshu’s heart was racing.

His gland was already burning up, swollen. With every step, he could feel the collar rubbing against that tender skin, making him shiver all over.

This was terrifying.

This heat cycle was terrifying.

Lin Yunshu had never experienced such a sudden and intense onset of heat before—it felt like it came out of nowhere.

His steps faltered, and he used all his strength to hold his pheromones in.

He absolutely refused to let himself show signs of heat in public.

"Secretary Lin!"

Suddenly, someone blocked his path—it was Mr. Zhao from Zhenxing Jewelry.

Perhaps having been turned down by Zhou Yu yesterday, he was now trying his luck with Lin Yunshu.

Lin Yunshu closed his eyes for a moment, forcing a smile. "Mr. Zhao, long time no see."

"Long time no see, Secretary Lin," Zhao Ping said eagerly. "You got a minute to talk?"

"Sorry, not right now," Lin Yunshu replied.

Zhao Ping’s smile stiffened. He hadn’t expected Secretary Lin to reject him so bluntly—after all, Secretary Lin was usually very approachable.

"Don’t rush, don’t rush," Zhao Ping tried to ingratiate himself. "I’ll keep it short. There’s an antique show next week with many fine pieces. I heard you have an interest in ancient artifacts. I was wondering if you’d honor us with your presence..."

"Mr. Zhao," Lin Yunshu interrupted, forcing a strained smile, "I’m not sure where you heard that, but I actually don’t know the first thing about antiques."

"Oh, Secretary Lin," Zhao Ping looked skeptical. "You’re being too modest. Everyone knows you’re an expert in this area..."

Lin Yunshu gradually tuned him out, only seeing his animated expressions and moving lips.

In his extreme dizziness, a trace of pheromones escaped uncontrollably. Lin Yunshu’s face instantly turned ashen.

"Sorry, I must excuse myself."

He sidestepped Zhao Ping and strode quickly toward the corridor.

"Hey, Secretary Lin! Lin..."

Before Zhao Ping could finish, the man in front of him had vanished.

He stood there dumbfounded, belatedly sniffing the air.

"What’s that smell?"

Sweet.

·

Zhou Yu glanced at his phone for the thirty-sixth time.

Missed calls: 0. Unread messages: 0.

Lin Yunshu hadn’t contacted him even once.

They had been apart all day, an entire day! And Lin Yunshu hadn’t even bothered to call him.

At the very least, he could have reported on his work, right?!

Zhou Yu’s heart swelled with anger. He loosened his collar and downed another glass of ice water.

Well done, Lin Yunshu.

You can stare at male models but not at your boss? What does a boss lack compared to a male model?

Zhou Yu secretly made up his mind. He would wait another fifteen minutes for Lin Yunshu.

If Lin Yunshu still didn’t contact him after fifteen minutes, he would take the initiative to go find him—

He would condescend to drag Lin Yunshu back and demand an explanation!

Zhou Yu opened the countdown timer on his phone. Just as he clicked start, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in his peripheral vision.

Secretary Lin was walking toward him quickly.

His heart leaped with joy, and he casually canceled the countdown, though he kept his expression neutral, crossing his arms as he waited for Lin Yunshu to approach.

Though it was rather pathetic, he had to admit that the moment he saw Lin Yunshu, the jealousy and anger that had built up all day vanished without a trace.

Lin Yunshu was walking very fast, much faster than his usual pace.

Is he walking so quickly just to see me?

Zhou Yu felt a secret delight, hardly daring to believe he held such importance in Lin Yunshu’s heart.

He suppressed a smile with effort, waiting with composure.

Secretary Lin was getting closer. Zhou Yu instinctively stepped forward, but at the corner of the corridor, Lin Yunshu turned into it abruptly.

Zhou Yu: "What the...???"

In an instant, he was thunderstruck.

After a few seconds, his mind went blank, followed by embarrassment from his mistaken assumptions and rising anger.

Without a second thought, he immediately chased after him.

The corridor was empty, growing more quiet the further he went, the laughter and chatter of the banquet faded into the distance behind him.

"Lin Yunshu,"

Zhou Yu called out at the hurried figure ahead:

"Lin Yunshu!"

But the person in front acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing on his way until he stopped in front of a lounge door a few meters away from the elevator.

Zhou Yu, with his faster pace, easily caught up to him.

Lin Yunshu bent over, gripping the door handle of the lounge, when Zhou Yu grabbed his arm and pulled him up straight.

Lin Yunshu jolted violently.

"Lin Yunshu, you—" Zhou Yu suddenly paused.

The suppressed anger froze on his features, and his eyes widened in shock.

It wasn’t just because of Lin Yunshu’s pale, tear-streaked expression, but also because of the incredibly sweet scent that surrounded him.

Zhou Yu’s heart jolted.

"Are you in heat?"

Lin Yunshu was trembling intensely all over, his skin burning hot.

His back pressed against the lounge door, he gripped the handle tightly behind his back, his eyes filled with helplessness and frustration.

He smiled bitterly—this was the second time.

It was the second time he had been in this state in front of the same alpha.

His consciousness nearly fading, Lin Yunshu closed his eyes heavily, his nose stinging as he made a decision.

The door handle was pressed down, and the heavy solid wood door creaked open slowly, spilling out warm light.

Lin Yunshu raised his head, his reddened eyes locked on the alpha before him.

He grabbed Zhou Yu’s collar, summoning the last of his strength to pull hard.

The two of them tumbled into the warm, golden light together.

Click!

The door locked.

Author's note:

----------------------

A certain man surnamed Zhou, after reading this, was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Excellent!"

————

P.S.: The next chapter will still be updated the day after tomorrow. This is the last (or second to last) update every other day before the VIP chapters. [Please, I beg you.]