Chapter 7 Lying?

Chapter 7: Lying?

The omega stood behind Chen Su, looking timid, cautiously peeking at the person in the car when Chen Su handed over the medicine.

He had sharp features, a strong bone structure, and wore a uniform with silver tassels, looking like a powerful alpha. But for some reason, the fabric of his trousers around the knees was wrinkled, as if crumpled. But his legs were so long his knees almost pressed into the front seat.

Zhao Jinzong held the iodine bottle, glancing sideways, his gaze passing over Xiao Li and landing on Chen Su's outstretched hand.

Xiao Li shuddered at the glance that lasted less than a second. He was already scared of alphas, and even though this one hadn't released any pheromones, Xiao Li felt a weird hostility and stepped back.

"Chen Su..."

Zhao Jinzong said flatly, "Uncle Wen, it's raining."

Uncle Wen, quick on the uptake, held an umbrella for the omega outside the car. "Rain's heavy. One umbrella won't fit three. How about I take you inside first?"

"Get in," he said to Chen Su.

Chen Su turned. "You go in first."

Uncle Wen closed the door and walked Xiao Li back to the villa.

Chen Su looked at his injured hand. "Let me do that."

He took the initiative to help apply the medicine. As he applied the iodine, Zhao Jinzong raised an eyebrow. "Your omega?"

"Mm-hmm," Chen Su nodded.

Zhao Jinzong said deliberately, "He's not."

Chen Su ducked his head with a smile. "Yeah, he's not."

No one could lie under Zhao Jinzong's gaze, not even Chen Su.

Xiao Li was not Chen Su's omega.

Zhao Jinzong asked, "Why lie?"

Zhao Jinzong's gaze was sharp as a knife, his voice cold. He was clearly asking about the lie, but it felt like he was asking something else—like why Chen Su had washed off the mark.

Chen Su dodged the question. "Last night when I marked you, I wasn't fully conscious. Please forgive—"

As Chen Su wrapped the bandage, Zhao Jinzong hissed.

"Sorry." Chen Su gentled his touch.

"..."

Chen Su added, "Thanks for saving me last night. The temporary mark was an accident, and it's on me. If you need, I can give you pheromone comfort."

Since he was at fault, Chen Su had no right to ask Zhao Jinzong to suffer through removing the mark. An enigma's gland was precious, and Zhao Jinzong was an important figure.

Zhao Jinzong grunted, not saying whether he needed it or not.

Chen Su couldn't read him.

When he finished, he asked politely, "Can I get your contact info?"

"Mm," Zhao Jinzong extended his hand.

Chen Su handed him his phone. Zhao Jinzong typed in a number, dialed, hung up after one ring, and gave it back.

"Call me if anything comes up."

He said it deliberately, meaning more than just that.

Zhao Jinzong was letting Chen Su know he could call, and that there was no need for the procedure.

Three doses of that special medication wasn't something a normal person could handle.

The hospital's calls had all come into the General Administration Office.

"Okay."

After walking Xiao Li back, Uncle Wen returned and took Chen Su to the villa. He jogged off with his umbrella. Soon an engine sounded at the gate, and the black car vanished into the rainy night.

Xiao Li stood with three vials in hand. "You got marked?"

Chen Su's face was blank. "Mm, washed it off."

"Three vials? That's a permanent mark! When?"

"It's nothing." Chen Su went to shower.

When he came out, Xiao Li sat on the sofa, fuming, chin in his hands, lost in thought and pissed off.

Seeing Chen Su, he raised his voice. "That's three vials! That can kill you!"

Even a high-level alpha couldn't handle three vials of that stuff.

Chen Su: "..."

Xiao Li cried in desperation. "You can surgically remove a permanent mark! Why didn't you get the surgery? You could've called me! I'd have come back to be with you! Why'd you inject the medicine?"

Xiao Li knew Chen Su had skin hunger syndrome. He'd been taken in at twelve, and Chen Su raised him for eight years. With that condition, it wasn't surprising he'd been marked. But Xiao Li didn't get why Chen Su wouldn't get the surgery and instead chose to clear it with the medicine.

Chen Su had always been against going to the hospital.

No matter what was wrong, Chen Su wouldn't go.

Even now, after being permanently marked, knowing his body couldn't handle three vials, he still refused hospitalization or surgery—couldn't stand staying in the hospital a second longer.

Chen Su looked at him, voice level. "Get some rest. Don't come back for a while."

Xiao Li froze. He didn't get why Chen Su was reacting like this, why he was telling him not to come back.

Xiao Li blinked, wiped his tears, and released tulip pheromones to show he meant well. "Brother... I'm just worried about you."

Chen Su hummed in response. "I know."

Chen Su went back to his bedroom.

...

The black Bentley sped down the road. About an hour later, it reached the Zhao estate.

At the entrance, Tanzhou, in a white lab coat, was reading some data, looking engrossed.

Uncle Wen held the umbrella and walked Zhao Jinzong to the door.

"Well, well, a rare guest." Zhao Jinzong took off his trench coat, draped it over his arm, and entered the Zhao family villa. He raised a hand, and the servant got the hint and started brewing tea.

Zhao Jinzong, wearing black boots, strode up to the third-floor study. Soon, a servant brought in tea. Zhao Jinzong took a sip without even looking up, as if Tan Zhou might as well have been invisible.

Tan Zhou leaned in toward Zhao Jinzong. "Did you go see the alpha who marked you?"

"..."

"This pheromone... I feel like I've smelled it before." Tan Zhou took a sip of water. "Do I know him?"

"..."

"Could it be someone from the Four Bureaus?" Tan Zhou perked up with interest.

The Four Bureaus refer to the Detection Bureau, the Drug Supervision Bureau, the Information Bureau, and the General Bureau.

Even though Zhao Jinzong didn't answer, Tan Zhou thought it was indeed possible. He worked in the Drug Supervision Bureau, where he met many high-level alphas, and it was common to smell familiar pheromones.

Tan Zhou handed the experimental data to Zhao Jinzong. "I've been digging through research, and it's giving me a massive headache..."

"Mm." Zhao Jinzong flipped through it.

Tan Zhou leaned on the table, watching Zhao Jinzong—still reviewing documents despite being in his susceptible period—and was genuinely impressed. "I still think that alpha who picked Beiqing over you two years ago made the right call."

Zhao Jinzong looked up—

"Is that right?"

"........................" Tan Zhou suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

Two years ago, more precisely a year and a half ago, the Federal General Administration screened the Four Bureaus' database and found an alpha 99% compatible with Zhao Jinzong and sent out a marriage proposal email.

It wasn't rejected, but within just half a month, that alpha married Sheng Beiqing.

Very few people knew about it.

Even fewer knew that alpha's name was Chen Su.

Tan Zhou was banned from entering the Zhao residence that night.

Zhao Jinzong closed the file and sent a message to Chen Su: "Are you free tomorrow night?"