The KTV was bustling with people.

Aside from him and Duan Jiayan, the others were playing as if they had no intention of going home. Especially  Chen Yue, who had started shaking his head around while rapping. 

Lu Xingci lowered his eyes and looked at Duan Jiayan who was leaning against him, and who just moments ago had said something shocking.

After the other party said his flirtatious words, not only did he audaciously lie down on him, he even leaned in to sniff him.

Just like a puppy.

If he was not completely aware that Duan Jiayan only liked his pheromones, he did not know what kind of weird thoughts he’d get after being touched so intimately by the other person. 

When Duan Jiayan moved in to sniff at his scent glands again, Lu Xingci finally had enough.

He pulled the boy slightly to the side to stop his nonsensical behaviour before telling Chen Yue, “I’ll be going back first.”

Chen Yue had just finished a very exciting rap and turned around to ask curiously, “Going back? It’s still a little early.”

“I’m sending him back,” Lu Xingci motioned to the unconscious Duan Jiayan. “And dropping by the pharmacy to buy some hangover medicine while I’m at it.”

Chen Yue looked at both of them with a subtle look in his eyes and laughingly said, “Then I won’t hold you back, you go on.”

Lu Xingci paid no heed to the insinuation in Chen Yue’s words and half pulled, half carried Duan Jiayan up. The latter looped an arm around Lu Xingci’s shoulders and asked, “We’re leaving?”

Lu Xingci gave an ‘en’ in reply.

He thought back to the last time they ate at Hai Di Lao, Duan Jiayan was drunk then and similarly had hooked his arm around his shoulder. Back then, Duan Jiayan and him still had an innocent student relationship with one another. 

Now……

It should still be an innocent student relationship.

“Let’s go,” Duan Jiayan said, still latching on to his words from before. “Let’s go to the door to pick up prawns.”

Lu Xingci said resigned, “Not going.” 

“Why?” Hearing that, Duan Jiayan’s fingers jerked slightly and scratched his back.

Lu Xingci felt his cat-like strength and joked, “Because I already have one on my back.”

“……” Duan Jiayan responded after a while. “Who are you scolding? I’m not a prawn.”

“Then what are you?” 

“I’m……” Duan Jiayan pondered, deep in thought. “A handsome hottie that refuses to divulge my name. If you have no idea what to call me, you can choose to call me daddy.”

“Duan Jiayan, you’re not actually drunk are you?” Lu Xingci conversed with him as he brought him out of the KTV. “Why do you perpetually like being someone’s father?”

“I like a lot of things,” Duan Jiayan laid on him and mumbled. “I also like you—”

He paused before adding on, “—your body’s pheromones.” 

Lu Xingci could feel a slight migraine building from the heartless pause.

He felt that if he continued letting Duan Jiayan mess around like this, a change might take place in their innocent student relationship.

There was a pharmacy not far from the KTV.

After buying the hangover medicine, Lu Xingci brought Duan Jiayan back to the hotel. After entering his room, he thought it’d be best to let Duan Jiayan eat his medicine earlier. As he was bending his head down to open the box of medicine, an arm hugged his waist from behind. 

Lu Xingci paused his movements.

Someone had plastered his face onto his back. The action was then followed by a waft of a strong floral scent.

He heard the person muttering in a low voice, “I want to take a bath.”

Perhaps because he was drunk, his voice leaned towards sounding a little muddled. Lu Xingci turned back and took a look, thinking that perhaps he might not get a good sleep if he smelt too much of alcohol, “Then take your medicine first, you can go shower after a short rest.” 

Duan Jiayan thought about it and felt that what Lu Xingci said made sense. He gulped down the hangover medicine without much thought.

After feeling like he had more or less rested, he leaned on Lu Xingci once again and announced, “I want to shower.”

Lu Xingci turned and saw Duan Jiayan still lying on him after making his announcement, “Are you able to stand? Don’t slip while taking your shower later.”

“Slip? No such thing,” Duan Jiayan was very confident in himself. “A master never slips.” 

After he was done talking, he reluctantly let go of Lu Xingci’s arm. Leaving the other person would mean that the alpha pheromones would no longer smell as strong.

This was especially so as he made his way to the bathroom with shaky steps, he pretty much could no longer smell Lu Xingci’s scent.

Duan Jiayan felt slightly lost but at the same time, he really wanted to take a shower. After some thought, he whipped his head around and said, “Wait for me to come out, don’t move.”

Initially, as Lu Xingci watched the other walk unsteadily, he was still worried if he’d be able to properly take a shower. Who would have thought he’d get to hear Duan Jiayan speaking to him as if he was some elder speaking to a little kid? He almost burst out laughing as he replied, “I’ll wait for you to come out?” 

Duan Jiayan nodded and spoke matter-of-factly, “Wait for me to come out, I want to continue hugging you.”

Lu Xingci, “……”

“If you dare move,” Duan Jiayan say that the other wasn’t saying anything and assumed he had not heard what he said. He narrowed his eyes threateningly. “You’re dead meat.”

Oe Wlcuml gfjiis vlv yegra bea ijeutlcu atlr alwf, “Tbe regf jgf olfgmf.” 

Gejc Aljsjc cbvvfv jcv jmmfqafv atja tlr kbgvr kfgf lcvffv olfgmf, “P tbqf sbe mjc ecvfgrajcv atf vjcufgber rlaejalbc sbe jgf lc.”

“Ktfc P kbc’a wbnf, rb sbe mjc ifa wf ilnf,” Lf ijeutfv jr tf kjamtfv Gejc Aljsjc fcafg atf yjatgbbw. Ktf ijaafg xfqa aegclcu jgbecv jr tf wjvf tlr kjs lcab atf yjatgbbw, jr lo tf kjr nfgs gfiemajca ab ifjnf tlw. Oe Wlcuml rjk atlr jcv atf ijeutafg lc tlr fsfr vjgxfcfv, “Kjxf sbeg alwf ab rtbkfg, P’w cba ublcu jcsktfgf.”

After the bathroom door was closed, the muffled sound of running water came. Along with the warm mist came tendrils of pheromones seeping out from the cracks in the door, not unlike a plant growing out of the bathroom.

Lu Xingci’s finger, which was scrolling through his phone, paused. 

Realising that he wouldn’t be able to play on his phone any longer, he turned off the screen and proceed to fall into a daze.

Duan Jiayan was taking a while to shower. Just as Lu Xingci suspected that he might have fainted in the bathroom, a sound came from inside the bathroom.

The sound of running water stopped as well.

Later the sound of someone walking carried over but just as quickly as the sound came, it was followed by a heavy silence. 

He could hear the sound of Duan Jiayan breathing from the bathroom, it was very short.

Lu Xingci hurried over to the bathroom door, “What happened?”

There was no response.

He frowned and knocked on the door before asking again, “Duan Jiayan, are you okay?” 

There seemed to be a response but through the heavy door, the person’s sound was very soft so he could not hear it too clearly.

Lu Xingci thought it over before deciding to push the door open and walk in.

The moment he entered, the smell of an omega’s pheromones became even stronger. The warm mist in the bathroom tangled with the sweet pheromones, much like the roots of a tree.

Lu Xingci’s footsteps paused. 

The hotel’s bathroom and toilet are installed together, a glass wall has been placed in the bathroom to separate the space. It seemed like Duan Jiayan accidentally stepped on the bathroom’s anti-slip mat after leaving the bathroom and slipped.

Before he pushed the door open, Duan Jiayan most probably tried to stand by himself but failed. His legs were curled slightly, it seems that his fall was not a light one.

He did not manage to wear his clothes in time. His limbs looked slender, with slim ankles and wrists. As his head was tilted downwards, his thin backbone curved in a way that resembled a butterfly.

His whole body looked dazzlingly pale. 

Lu Xingci shut his eyes and suppressed the extraneous thoughts in his heart as he asked, “Are you okay?”

Duan Jiayan raised his head to look at him.

Perhaps due to the pain, his eyes looked slightly red. Lu Xingci caught his eyes and froze, his ears subtly got hotter.

Duan Jiayan not fully conscious brain struggled for a moment before finally realising who it was in front of him. 

He blurted, “How did you get in here?”

“……”

Duan Jiayan ignored him and held his arms out.

Due to his actions, a big portion of his skin was revealed. Under the bathroom lights, shadows were cast on the divots of his collarbone. 

Lu Xingci looked at the arm stretched out towards him, there were still beads of water rolling down.

Duan Jiayan saw him looking at him with no reaction and reached his arms out once again.

Lu Xingci watched Duan Jiayan urge him along, took an unused towel from the side and draped it over his body. He adjusted the towel, making sure that it covered him entirely.

Duan Jiayan was not expecting to be smothered by the towel and froze, “What are you do—” 

Without waiting for him to finish his sentence, Lu Xingci bent over and directly carried Duan Jiayan up.

Duan Jiayan was initially not used to being carried and so struggled a little before giving in to Lu Xingci.

Duan Jiayan could smell Lu Xingci’s scent. From his angle, he could also see the boy’s neat-looking adam’s apple.

Duan Jiayan paused, “Do you know, your way of greeting someone without making a sound is incredible dangerous?” 

Lu Xingci followed his line of logic and pondered over it a little, “So am I dead?”

“By right, you should be,” As he spoke, Duan Jiayan suddenly got closer to his nape and unconsciously rubbed against his scent glands. Immediately after taking advantage of him, he smiled innocently, “But you smell very nice so I won’t be calculative with you.”

Lu Xingci’s eyelid twitched slightly.

Just now, Duan Jiayan’s illegal behaviour caused some inappropriate thoughts to flash through his head. 

Afraid that he’ll continue making a fuss, Lu Xingci tightened his grip and carried the person a little tighter. After wak=lking to the bedside, he placed Duan Jiayan on the bed carefully, making sure not to expose Duan Jiayan’s ****.

It might have been due to the heavy fall but Duan Jiayan was very well-behaved during this process, not making a fuss.

Lu Xingci reached out to brush aside damp strands of hair covering his forehead. After his bright eyes were exposed, he asked, “Your clothes, do you need me to bring it out for you?”

Duan Jiayan nodded. 

After entering the bathroom, Lu Xinci shut the door and leaned his back against it for a moment.

The bathroom was still saturated with the pheromones of an omega. Together with the heavy water vapours in the shower, it formed a net, trapping his five senses.

He hesitated for a moment before raising his palm and placing it on his nape.

It was hot. 

The boy’s fingers were pressed against the bathroom door, his head tilted down, adam’s apple slowly moving.

He can’t even remember the last time he blushed.

The next morning, Duan Jiayan was awoken by the sound of Song Yi knocking on the door.

He slept extremely soundly, from the moment he shut his eyes till morning. Duan Jiayan slowly got off his bed and opened the door. Song Yi, who was already well-dressed and ready to go, looked at Duan Jiayan and realised that he just got out of bed, and hurried him, “Xiao-Duan! It’s already 8 o’clock! Hurry up!” 

Duan Jiayan shot him a look, “Hurry up for what?”

Song Yi, “What do you mean for what? The school bus is leaving in half an hour, are you sleepwalking?”

Duan Jiayan heard the keyword ‘school bus’ and suddenly remembered that today was the day for the visit to the museum.

He turned around, grabbed his clothes and rushed to the bathroom. 

Song Yi saw him rushing to take a shower and smelled the strong scent of alcohol in the room. He casually asked, “You went drinking last night?”

The moment Song Yi arrived in Zhou City, he left with a few omegas to see the tattoo artist in the internet-famous bar. He did not know what Duan Jiayan was up to last night but looking at him this morning, Song Yi paused, “You did not get drunk right?”

He still remembered Duan Jiayan’s terrifying performance from the last time he got drunk. If it was not for Lu Xingci being there, who knew what trouble Duan Jiayan would have gotten up to.

Duan Jiayan said while brushing his teeth, his words slightly muffled, “I probably got drunk.” 

Song Yi was worried, “Who did you go out to play with? Did you come back by yourself?

Duan Jiayan spat out the foam in his mouth and his words got much clearer, “I went with Zhou Xingchen and the rest to a KTV.”

He was a little confused, “I don’t even remember how I got back here.”

Song Yi took a look at the open box of hangover medicine. He was certain that a drunk Duan Jiayan would not have the capabilities to buy his own medicine and so came to a conclusion, “Someone had to have sent you back, though we don’t know who that unfortunate samaritan is.” 

There were too many students in Yi Zhong’s second year and so they had to take turns visiting the ABO museum. Class 10 was assigned to be the first class to visit.

After getting off the bus, Duan Jiayan saw Chen Yue.

Duan Jiayan was just thinking of asking him for the identity of the person that sent him back when he heard Zhou Xingchen’s voice behind him.

“Lu-ge. You haven’t fully woken up?” Zhou Xingchen asked as he walked along. “I saw you taking a nap just now on the bus.” 

“I’m a little tired,” The boy’s reply was slow and lazy. Due to his fatigue, his voice carried a vague nasal note. “Didn’t get a good sleep last night.”

Zhou Xingchen gave an ‘ah’ in response. Thinking that someone was on the same boat as him, he fervently asked, “Is it because you couldn’t get used to sleeping on the hotel bed? Me too, I got back early this morning and was just about to sleep when I heard people quarrelling along the corridor. The man’s volume sure is something. You could hear him shouting too?”

Lu Xingci was about to answer when he noticed someone standing in front of him.

He stared at the other person’s light brown hair for half a beat before replying Zhou Xingchen, “I did not hear anything quarrelling.” 

The corners of his eyes curved slightly as he laughed, “I was taking care of my ancestor.”

Zhou Xingchen paused, “Huh?”

Duan Jiayan seemed to have realised something was up and turned around. 

He looked at Lu Xingci, the latter’s eyebags seemed to be a little green. It seemed he really did not get a good night’s sleep.

Zhou Xingchen came to the realisation that the ‘ancestor’ Lu Xingci was referring to was Duan Jiayan and could not resist choking out a laugh, “Duan Jiayan, are you not embarrassed? Last night Lu-ge had to help take care of you, this makes it twice now.”

Duan Jiayan looked at him, wondering where he got the courage to provoke him from, “Then when your drunk self was lying on the sofa humming, are you not embarrassed?”

Zhou Xingchen, “What’s there to be embarrassed about? Hu Li won’t look down on me for that.” 

Duan Jiayan, “Then all the more there is no need for me to be embarrassed because there is no one that will look down on me.”

Zhou Xingchen, “……”

Lu Xingci waited for the two kids to be done bickering before motioning Duan Jiayan over, “Come over and let me take a look.”

Duan Jiayan looked at him from the corner of his eyes. 

Lu Xingci was staring right at him, as if waiting for him to go over.

Duan Jiayan could not figure out what he meant and so unconsciously attacked him, “You want to take a look at your ancestor?”

“Yes,” Since he refused to come over, Lu Xingci decided to amiably make his way over instead. “Let me see if you slept well or not.”

Duan Jiayan never thought Lu Xingci will say that and in a moment, was not sure how he should react. 

Contrary to his kind words, the moment his alpha pheromones got closer, Duan Jiayan could feel a sense of suppression from him.

Lu Xingci’s eyes were hooded as he gave Duan Jiayan a once over.

“Not bad,” He laughed. “There’s no dark eye circles.”

After entering the ABO museum, the students were split into groups of 20 to be accompanied by a guide who will explain to them the exhibits in the museum. 

What most people were more excited about was the omega exhibition. It featured information on alpha-omega lifelong mating bonds. Although the museum used more academic terms and models to explain the process of the mating bond, some words and illustrations were still able to stimulate one’s imagination.

Duan Jiayan could hear people snickering among the crowd, a girl beside him was also completely flushed. She looked both embarrassed and curious at the same time.

The tour guide was used to such a scene and treated the group of students kindly. They gently said, “There are fewer omegas around, their bodies are also weaker compared to betas and alphas. If they choose to make with a beta, there is a possibility that problems might arise later on in their relationship. That’s why for students that are omegas, when you are choosing your other half, it is advised that you choose an alpha……”

The guide was very comprehensive, almost as if they had memorised an entire textbook. 

Since young Lu Xingci had attended physiology class. This was something he had heard a million times and so was feeling a little bored at the moment.

Not far from him, he could hear Duan Jiayan mumbling, “Why is the process of giving a mating bond so bloody?”

Song Yi froze, not comprehending what he said, “What about this is bloody?”

Duan Jiayan also could not understand Song Yi, “Don’t you feel pain looking at that? Even the model looks like it’s in pain.” 

Song Yi could not resist laughing, he lowered his voice and said, “This is no big deal, you never watched porn before?”

“I don’t think I’ve watched any alpha-omega ones before,” Duan Jiayan lowered his voice too. “I only watched those with betas. Why are alphas born like this?”

Duan Jiayan had difficulty accepting it, “It’s so perverted to have sex with.”

Song Yi was about to laugh himself silly. 

Lu Xingci could hear their conversation loud and clear.

He did not mean to eavesdrop but though Song Yi and Duan Jiayan had lowered their volume, their voice was still not exactly soft.

Usually in school, these two brothers’ conversations would still be caught by Zhao Minjun on the podium. Hence he’d definitely be able to hear them from such a close distance.

Lu Xingci wanted to laugh, especially when he caught sight of Duan Jiayan’s wide-eyed look. He felt that the other was genuinely astounded by everything around him. 

He glanced over and found Duan Jiayan’s ears were a very light shade of red.

He was embarrassed.

It’s just, this big boy, with a personality of a firecracker, who usually did not know the meaning of self-control, was embarrassed by something most people already knew.

Chen Yue saw him looking amused and could not resist asking, “Lu-gou, what are you smiling about?” 

Lu Xingci lazily replied, “It’s nothing.”

Chen Yue saw that he had no intention of replying and so stopped asking. He motioned with his chin, “The guide just said that over there is where they display the bottles of omega and alpha scents. We can go over to smell and see if there is a scent that we like. Apparently, there was someone that relied on this method to find their mate. First you’ve to find a scent that you like, then find an alpha or omega with that scent.

Chen Yue looked over, there were close to twenty 1.7 metre tall wooden cabinets. These cabinets were placed in the formation of a ring, with each shelf being stocked full with various pheromone perfumes. It was like this was a pheromone museum.

A signboard nearby stated that there were 13,274 kinds of pheromone perfumes on display and was the most famous exhibit in Zhao City’s ABO museum. 

As Lu Xingci and Chen Yue made their way over, they could hear Zhou Xingchen saying, “This smell really nice, I feel like this has to be Gu Li’s pheromones.”

As he spoke, he lowered his gaze and looked at the label on the cabinet, “F*ck? How is this the smell of beach rose? It’s not China rose?”

Zhou Xingchen stared at the label on the cabinet, about to go crazy. Duan Jiayan smirked, “I feel like there is a need to tell Gu Li about this matter.”

Zhou Xingchen smacked him on the shoulder, “Go go go, don’t make trouble.” 

Duan Jiayan followed along Zhou Xingchen, after seeing him get the scent wrong multiple times, teased, “Xiao-Zhou, your skills of identifying a woman by her scent is abysmal.”

Zhou Xingchen was bothered by his teasing and just so happened to see Lu Xingci also trying out the scents. He hurriedly asked, “Lu-ge, what scent is that in your hands?”

Song Yi chimed in, “Class monitor, you like this kind of scent?”

Lu Xingci’s gaze shifted past Song Yi to Duan Jiayan who was right beside him. Voice calm, he said, “I like it.” 

After hearing that he liked the scent, Chen Yue got excited and specially came over from the shelf behind to take a look, “What scent is it?”

Lu Xingci moved to the side to allow them to see the label on the shelf.

Freesias.

Duan Jiayan looked at the words on the label and froze. 

This is… the scent of his pheromones.

The author has something to say: I like your pheromones.

*

Tea: Bam title drop! Also, DJY is such an adorable yet dangerous drunk. God bless LXC and what he had to deal with.