“I’m so exhausted, stood for a full two to three hours, I don’t want to wear high heels for the rest of the year.”
“My legs are numb, and the air conditioning is blowing right at us. They really don’t treat the hosts like human beings.”
“Are we going for supper later? My treat? How about barbecue?”
“No, I’m not eating! I’m on a diet!”
As soon as the evening party ended, the backstage instantly became crowded. The corridor was filled with the sound of footsteps, irritating Jiang Heng even more, his temples throbbing.
He curled up on the sofa, reluctantly nudging the clothes that were pressing against his head. Shen Huaizhi was coming back. But he was reluctant to return the clothes.
“Just a little while longer, I’ll change quickly before Shen Huaizhi comes in.”
The conversation outside the door resumed.
“Okay, then I’ll go change first.”
“Shen Xiaodi, do you want to grab a late-night snack?”
Shen Huaizhi’s voice was clearly heard in the dressing room, as if he were already standing at the door. “No, not tonight. Next time.”
“Got it, got it. You have your Omega to keep you company. We single dogs should all go home and deal with our own stuff. There’s a lot of work to do for New Year’s.”
“Can you not mention such painful topics!” After a few teasing remarks, the voice faded, and footsteps gradually receded.
For a moment, the corridor seemed to quiet down again. Shen Huaizhi stood at the dressing room door, and as he opened it, he hesitated.
A familiar scent seemed to be nearby, and Shen Huaizhi couldn’t help but remember Jiang Heng’s sudden dash to the stage earlier.
In fact, there was a moment when he wanted to go down and find Jiang Heng, but with his responsibilities, he couldn’t leave his post.
So for the next half hour, he kept trying to glance at the audience seats. He remembered clearly the direction where Jiang Heng was sitting, but even so, the lighting was too dim to see anything there.
Shen Huaizhi’s finger hovered over the doorknob. Before opening it, he had never imagined he would see such a scene.
The slender figure of an Omega curled up on the not-so-large leather sofa. Though the person’s back was facing him, their head was turned toward the door. He could clearly see the Omega’s face buried in a white shirt—the same shirt he had worn earlier today, before changing for the stage.
For a moment, Shen Huaizhi almost lost control of his actions, almost succumbing to the impulses of his subconscious mind.
The sound of the lock being engaged echoed loudly in the quiet dressing room, amplifying the silence. Sensing his presence, Jiang Heng, who had been facing away from him, slowly lifted his head from the shirt. His breath seemed slightly hurried, and even as he lay there, Jiang Heng’s chest rose and fell visibly. With a furrowed brow, he appeared somewhat pained, as if struggling to endure something. The usually pale color of his lips now had a hint of crimson due to constant licking, with even a faint trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He had bitten his tongue again. The metallic taste of blood from his lips and tongue helped Jiang Heng stay awake for a short while.
As their eyes met, Jiang Heng momentarily panicked. Damn, he had been too absorbed just now, forgetting about the time and even failing to notice Shen Huaizhi opening the door. But as the Alpha approached, the discomfort, unease, and even restlessness he had felt before seemed to be pacified. Just by being close.
Jiang Heng immediately sat up from the sofa. His coat was a bit disheveled from his previous curled-up position, but it was still evident that the clothes were not his size.
Shen Huaizhi’s expression dimmed. Regardless of the Alpha, seeing his Omega wearing his clothes, clinging to his scent as if it were an addiction, was difficult to suppress negative thoughts. The more high-ranking the Alpha, the more they desired to possess the other. Shen Huaizhi’s breath became erratic with the desire to dominate.
Meanwhile, Jiang Heng seemed a bit flustered at the moment. He hastily tossed aside the shirt in his hand, as if the person who had been lying on the sofa with their head buried in the shirt wasn’t him. He gritted his teeth and watched his hand as it reached for the zipper of the coat. But after hesitating for a while, he didn’t make any further movements.
“Jiang Heng.” The earlier worry had turned into a mess of thoughts. This situation was very rare, even more unbearable than when Jiang Heng was in heat and Shen Huaizhi was enticed by his pheromones. The pheromones might not make Shen Huaizhi lose control, but Jiang Heng’s behavior could. Any hint of pretend anger disappeared at this moment, leaving only concern. Even a slight feeling of regret emerged fully.
Shen Huaizhi took two steps forward. His pheromones enveloped Jiang Heng completely in just a second. They climbed up from the hem of his clothes, from his neck, from his ankles, inch by inch. The internal heat, the throbbing in his brain, the gradually uncontrollable emotions were slowly devoured in those few seconds.
Mixed in the scent of lemon-scented barrier spray, the melting snow’s breath became increasingly dominant, even causing Jiang Heng to entertain the idea that even without marking, this person could consume him with pheromones alone.
He couldn’t help but grab the hem of his clothes with one hand, allowing himself to endure the soothing effect of the Alpha’s pheromones. During this time, Shen Huaizhi had already walked up to him, watching his expression shift from pain to gradually enjoying it as if in reverence. This greatly pleased the Alpha. Shen Huaizhi half-squatted down, hanging his head low, and slowly raised his hand to cover Jiang Heng’s cheek.
For a moment, Jiang Heng even felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. He was being stared at by Shen Huaizhi in such a way that he couldn’t discern the emotions in the Alpha’s eyes. He felt as if he were firmly held, as if—there was no escape. Shen Huaizhi’s palm was still cold, resting on his slightly warm cheek, effectively relieving his burning sensation.
Whether it was due to pheromones or not, he unconsciously nuzzled against the other’s cheek. This realization made Jiang Heng’s ears instantly burn. This awareness was even scarier than being unaware. When he wasn’t aware, at least he could hypnotize himself, attributing subconscious actions to the influence of pheromones.
Like realizing he was drifting off, the Alpha’s fingertips flicked at his cheekbone. “Jiang Heng, why are you wearing my clothes?” The Alpha’s voice seemed to carry indiscernible emotions.
Hearing this, Jiang Heng’s consciousness immediately returned, his expression momentarily blank. He even concocted countless reasons in his mind. But Shen Huaizhi’s pheromones were different from before; they were too dominant, even making him entertain thoughts of submission.
Forced submission. This was truly an unpleasant experience.
It was as if his subconscious was telling him to yield to the other, not to lie, not to defy. Realizing this, Jiang Heng’s subconscious brain resisted, and he even recoiled, even thinking of kicking the other. But the Alpha seemed to sense his intent, his eyes flickering, and he chuckled lightly.
Shen Huaizhi’s gaze swept over his cheeks inch by inch, then over the clothes on his body, as if observing something. Suddenly, Jiang Heng realized what the emotions in the Alpha’s eyes represented.
Before, Jiang Heng had seen on Baidu that Alphas in front of their Omegas had really poor self-control. They might be very rough and domineering in claiming their Omegas, even disregarding the other’s resistance and directly marking them. Regardless of the method, Omegas would ultimately submit to the other. Compared to that, the oppression of pheromones was already considered quite gentle.
He had never seen Shen Huaizhi’s eyes turn red before. But this time, he clearly saw a hint of redness in the other’s eyes. How hard it must be for him to endure. Upon waking up, Jiang Heng realized. If he were in Shen Huaizhi’s shoes and Shen Huaizhi wore his clothes, he would probably… go a little crazy too.
That bit of rebellious emotion disappeared instantly. Jiang Heng blinked and whispered, “I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable.” Shen Huaizhi raised an eyebrow.
Due to Jiang Heng’s backward movement, his hand remained suspended in the air, no longer touching the other’s cheek. Seeing him looking at himself like that, Jiang Heng broke the ice: “So, I came over! Although my behavior is a bit abnormal, but I’m your boyfriend, wearing your clothes to alleviate some discomfort shouldn’t be a big deal, right?”
He said it all in one breath, then changed his tone, softly adding, “After all, we Omegas are quite delicate and can’t bear this slight discomfort.” After he finished speaking, he looked at Shen Huaizhi’s expression.
The other’s gaze deepened slightly. “Then why were you rubbing my clothes?” Shen Huaizhi’s tone was calm, as if coaxing. Jiang Heng’s brain faintly heated up, and his breathing rhythm was disrupted. He shifted his buttocks slightly to get closer to Shen Huaizhi.
“The clothes have the most pheromones on them,” Jiang Heng honestly answered, seemingly unaware of how much impact his words would have on the Alpha. After speaking, he lowered his eyelids, as if observing the changes in Alpha’s emotions.
Shen Huaizhi’s expression became much lighter than before, but the emotions in his eyes remained deep. “I’m having a sensitive period, feeling uncomfortable.” “I want to soothe with your pheromones.” Jiang Heng’s voice, word by word, was like nails tapping on Shen Huaizhi’s ears. Although it was a very normal statement, in his ears, he heard the deliberate implication of seduction.
Jiang Heng’s obedient and straightforward response temporarily robbed Shen Huaizhi of his ability to think. He felt a bit helpless. What gave Jiang Heng the misconception that he would never hurt him? This was probably also a form of trust.
The feeling of regret from before grew stronger. After a while, he restrained himself and reached out to pat Jiang Heng’s head. “Jiang Heng, do you know what your behavior entails?” His tone carried an unmistakable restraint, even lower than usual.
Jiang Heng blinked, staring into Shen Huaizhi’s eyes for a moment, then hooked his lips into a slight smile. “I know,” he paused for a moment, then continued, “So, brother, do you want to give me a bite?” There was a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Being looked at so straightforwardly by his Omega, Shen Huaizhi began to doubt if he had any patience left.
Jiang Heng didn’t know. What did this mean, that he tolerated any behavior from the Alpha? This was not good at all. Indeed, what tempted him was not pheromones but Jiang Heng’s overly straightforward behavior. It was like fireworks exploding on flat ground, instantly robbing one of the ability to think. And as Jiang Heng spoke, he glanced at Shen Huaizhi and adjusted his school uniform jacket, which scratched at Shen Huaizhi’s heartstrings once more.
It itched and hurt. Then, Jiang Heng leaned back, slowly stretching his legs backward until they extended beyond the edge of the couch. He even directly lay down on the couch. Jiang Heng’s head faced downwards, exposing his neck completely to Shen Huaizhi’s gaze. The fragile gland seemed to have a fatal attraction, causing Alpha to unconsciously shift his gaze away.
Shen Huaizhi closed his eyes. “Isn’t it already better?” He had just soothed him with pheromones, and Jiang Heng’s emotions and state had obviously stabilized.
Jiang Heng’s head buried in his arm, his voice muffled, “I don’t want to go back to taking suppressants.” “I want your mark.” As soon as he said this, even Shen Huaizhi couldn’t help but curse inwardly. He didn’t know if Jiang Heng was doing this intentionally or not, but he couldn’t deny that he couldn’t refuse any of Jiang Heng’s requests.
After a while, Shen Huaizhi sighed lightly. “This will be the third mark.” Whatever the case, three times was a critical point. “Our compatibility is too high. You might not be able to leave me in the future.” Shen Huaizhi explained slowly, his voice low and hoarse, “This is different from washing off a lifelong mark. Once marked, you can’t wash it off if you become addicted.”
After he finished speaking, he noticed Jiang Heng’s back stiffening slightly. Shen Huaizhi smiled helplessly. “So, this third time…” Before he could finish his sentence, he heard Jiang Heng’s somewhat impatient voice, muffled and frustrated, “Why do you talk so much nonsense, Shen Huaizhi!” “If you don’t want to mark me, then I’ll… I’ll…” He trailed off without saying anything further.
“You’re my boyfriend, what’s wrong with marking me?” After a moment, he simply changed the topic, “Anyway, sooner or later I’ll be yours completely. Isn’t it good to be a little addicted?” “Don’t all you Alphas like to completely possess your Omega…” Jiang Heng’s voice trailed off, becoming smaller and smaller.
By the end, he seemed a bit embarrassed himself. If Shen Huaizhi hadn’t been squatting beside him, he probably wouldn’t have been able to hear anything he said. There was a moment of silence in the locker room. The strong scent of pheromones gradually dissipated, but the smell of odor barrier spray remained, and it wasn’t clear how much Jiang Heng had sprayed to make the scent so strong that even Alpha’s pheromones couldn’t mask it.
After a while, Jiang Heng felt his arm going numb from lying on it for so long. Just as he was about to shift position slightly, Shen Huaizhi chuckled softly, “Jiang Heng, although ‘completely mine’ means exactly that, it’s not quite like that.” He seemed helpless yet restrained, stopping halfway through his words, but he reminded, “It might hurt a bit.”
Jiang Heng’s eyelids trembled, and he gritted his teeth, “I know, just hurry—ah!” Before he could finish speaking, Alpha had already leaned down, their position just right for Shen Huaizhi to mark him. As the canine teeth sank into the gland, pain spread from the back of his neck.
At that moment, a rich scent of roses emanated from Jiang Heng’s gland, blending with the snow melt. Shen Huaizhi’s eyes flashed as he looked at Jiang Heng’s nape, then he suddenly reached out and gently patted Jiang Heng’s back. His movements were gentle and slow.
Jiang Heng’s back stiffened again for a moment, his attention completely captured by Shen Huaizhi’s gentle touch. He couldn’t help but think, if they were to do such things in the future, would Shen Huaizhi be this gentle too, even comforting him like he would a child? Realizing his thoughts were wandering, Jiang Heng cursed himself inwardly.
Before he could pull his thoughts back, a sensation even stronger than before, almost making his scalp numb, spread from his gland throughout his body. It was too intense. He struggled to control his breathing, but as soon as he moved, Alpha’s hand pressed firmly on the back of his neck, preventing him from moving.
Jiang Heng tried to calm his breathing, unable to stop himself from inching forward a bit. Alpha seemed annoyed, and his canine teeth sank in deeper, causing another wave of pain mixed with the previous sensation. Jiang Heng could only reach out, clutching the edge of the couch, restraining himself from moving. His legs, which were hanging over the edge of the couch, couldn’t help but bend up.
The process of this impromptu marking was indeed far too lengthy, to the point where Jiang Heng gradually lost his ability to think. By the time he came to his senses again, Shen Huaizhi had already grabbed his right hand, which was clutching the edge of the couch, and forcefully intertwined his fingers with his, gripping them tightly.
His left hand was still patting Jiang Heng’s back intermittently. By the end of it all, Jiang Heng’s forehead was covered in sweat, even though there was no air conditioning in the locker room, and the weather wasn’t hot at all. His back was heaving violently, trying to use breathing to alleviate the intense sensation he had just experienced. It was only during this impromptu marking that Jiang Heng truly understood what He Ci meant by the high compatibility AO mark.
Shen Huaizhi remained squatting beside him, and Jiang Heng could feel his breath spraying near his gland. Just as Jiang Heng moved to speak, he felt a soft sensation on his gland. Shen Huaizhi was kissing his gland gently, one after another. Although it was just innocent kissing, it created a romantic atmosphere.
In that moment, Jiang Heng felt the receding heat spreading from his heart again. Shen Huaizhi’s movements were so gentle, like feathers brushing over his gland, yet they made his gland itch. The gland was a sensitive and private area, normally feeling embarrassed even with a slight touch, let alone being kissed by Alpha like this.
Jiang Heng’s eyelids trembled, and his breathing became even more erratic. But Shen Huaizhi, seemingly insatiable, continued to kiss him intermittently without saying a word. After enduring for a while, Jiang Heng couldn’t take it anymore. He simply turned to the side and tilted his neck back.
Because of the prolonged impromptu marking just now, his eyes had a misty look, giving him a somewhat pitiful appearance. Yet his movements were quite bold. Shen Huaizhi lowered his gaze to look at him, his eyes filled with intense desire. The desire to devour him whole.
“No time has been stronger than today.” But as this thought emerged, his chin was softly touched by lips.
Jiang Heng seemed a little annoyed, his eyes filled with dissatisfaction. The distance between the two suddenly narrowed, and they could even feel each other’s breath.
It was warm.
Jiang Heng’s lips only lingered on Shen Huaizhi’s chin for a second.
Shen Huaizhi lifted his eyelids. Although fleeting, it seemed like Jiang Heng’s breath still lingered on his chin. He closed his eyes.
Jiang Heng, with a wooden face, said, “Stop kissing.”
Who continuously kisses someone’s glands intermittently without stopping? Shen Huaizhi didn’t mind this posture, even though it was tiring. Seeing him pouting after finishing the mark, Shen Huaizhi couldn’t help but smile. “Okay,” he said.
He accepted it too readily.
Jiang Heng gritted his teeth again, wanting to say something. Just now, he realized that his throat was also quite hoarse, and he even trembled slightly. This realization made his ears even hotter.
“But,” Shen Huaizhi said with a smile, raising his gaze to stare at Jiang Heng’s eyes seriously, “I did want to kiss you back at the supermarket earlier.”
At his words, Jiang Heng paused, as if unpleasant memories were triggered, and he furrowed his brows.
Due to the impromptu marking, his legs felt a bit weak, and when he sat up, he felt somewhat dizzy. If it weren’t for Shen Huaizhi reaching out to support his back, Jiang Heng even doubted if he could have fallen.
How embarrassing!
“Earlier, at the supermarket, I…” Jiang Heng hesitated, unsure how to phrase it in a way that would make Shen Huaizhi believe him and assure him that he wouldn’t lie again in the future.
“Jiang Heng,” Shen Huaizhi reached out to touch Jiang Heng’s flushed cheek. Seeming to realize, he smiled again, then lowered his gaze, and the desire in his eyes gradually dissipated.
“It’s my fault,” Shen Huaizhi’s voice was low and gentle, tinged with remorse. “I’m not angry.”
Jiang Heng lifted his eyelids.
Seeing his reaction, Shen Huaizhi continued, “I shouldn’t have lied to you about being angry.”
His apology was too quick, leaving Jiang Heng no time to organize his own apology.
Clearly, it wasn’t Shen Huaizhi’s fault.
Jiang Heng’s expression went blank for a few seconds. “No, Shen Huaizhi, you make me look like the bad guy,” he raised his chin, meeting Shen Huaizhi’s gaze. “I shouldn’t have lied to you.”
He wasn’t used to admitting mistakes so proactively, exposing his vulnerability to the person in front of him.
As he spoke, without waiting for Shen Huaizhi’s response, he continued, “At that time, I was really upset.”
“I wanted to hold your hand, it was a last-minute lie,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh. He hadn’t expected Shen Huaizhi to be so perceptive of his emotions, to the point of even detecting that his statement was deceitful. Yet, despite that, Shen Huaizhi had allowed him to hold his hand.
This person seemed to have no temper when facing him.
“I haven’t seen Jiang Jin for a long time,” he said, his voice lowering completely from its previous fierceness. “But I know he has a new child.”
Jiang Heng didn’t quite believe it. In this world, two people unrelated by blood wouldn’t resemble each other so much.
So seeing that boy in the supermarket confirmed, from whichever perspective, that he was indeed Jiang Jin’s child, his half-brother.
This realization made his emotions at that moment incredibly low.
There were too many coincidences in this world, and for a moment, he didn’t know whether to curse fate or to curse Jiang Jin. Why did Jiang Jin deserve happiness?
He blabbered on about the psychological impact this incident had on himself, still feeling a bit uneasy as he glanced at Shen Huaizhi.
“He talks too much nonsense! This, damn it — really isn’t something a strong Omega should do. Analyzing one’s emotions in front of others is just foolish. But after saying it out loud, that stone that had been weighing on his heart seemed to shift a bit. At least, the impression of their family of three seemed to have lightened.
Shen Huaizhi kept looking at him as he spoke, and even after he finished, and fell silent, Shen Huaizhi softly called out, “Jiang Heng.”
This person seems to really like calling out his name. Jiang Heng thought. It felt like he was confirming his presence, yet also carried infinite tenderness.
Jiang Heng responded. Shen Huaizhi propped himself up on the sofa with one hand, lowering his eyes and softly asked, “Can I kiss you now?”
This question was really too sudden. Though it’s the most normal thing between lovers, after he asked, it seemed to carry an unclear meaning, making the atmosphere in the dressing room instantly stagnant. Who asks for permission between loved ones?
Jiang Heng’s expression momentarily blanked. Then, not only did his ears burn, but he even felt his cheeks heat up. He cleared his throat, “Isn’t it unnecessary to ask about such things beforehand?”
As his words fell, Shen Huaizhi chuckled lightly. Despite having been staring at him all this time, he still didn’t make a move.
After a while, Jiang Heng, feeling a bit impatient, said, “Shen Huaizhi, why aren’t you kissing?”
The moment he finished speaking, a hand covered the back of his head. Unlike usual, it didn’t carry any chill, and the warmth from the palm even made Jiang Heng slightly widen his eyes.
Soft lips pressed together, causing Jiang Heng to instinctively close his eyes. The touch felt too unfamiliar, making Jiang Heng somewhat at a loss as he reached out to grab Shen Huaizhi’s collar.
In just a few seconds of being close together, Shen Huaizhi stepped back slightly. Just as Jiang Heng was about to open his eyes, the other person lowered his head again, as if engulfing him. Teeth gently grazed his lips.
In that moment, Jiang Heng felt the urge to retreat. But before he could act on that thought, it was firmly pushed back.
This kiss, initially tender and gentle, suddenly became more aggressive. The nature of Alphas predisposed them to take the lead in such matters, guiding Omegas to the next stage of conquest.
In the midst of this process, Jiang Heng’s mind gradually blanked out.
In the moment when his tongue explored between his lips, a strong arm wrapped around his waist. The other party seemed to restrain himself, yet also struggled to do so. The palm rested on his waist, causing their bodies to tilt forward slightly, abruptly reducing the distance between them, even pressing intimately against each other.
Jiang Heng wasn’t sure if everyone looked like this when kissing. He felt as if he was drowning, with Shen Huaizhi’s kiss both inexperienced and filled with desire. His tongue roamed from his upper palate to finally hooking onto Jiang Heng’s tongue. In that moment, Jiang Heng even forgot how to breathe.
Shen Huaizhi’s hand slipped under Jiang Heng’s clothes, touching his waist. The skin there instantly heated up. Yet Shen Huaizhi, seemingly unsatisfied, brushed his fingertips across Jiang Heng’s skin, making him unconsciously lift his head.
The waist is a sensitive area, and being touched like this, Jiang Heng instinctively resisted. His hands, previously placed obediently on Shen Huaizhi’s shoulders, began to push him away.
He thought Shen Huaizhi would reassert control as before, but unexpectedly, he loosened his grip because of Jiang Heng’s resistance.
Shen Huaizhi’s lips carried a faint smile as he flicked the water stain at the corner of Jiang Heng’s lips. “Uncomfortable?” It sounded like a casual inquiry.
Jiang Heng subconsciously bit his lip. He hadn’t fully recovered yet, and his tone sounded somewhat different, almost like he was being a bit coquettish.
But Shen Huaizhi obediently responded, “Okay.”
Jiang Heng probably didn’t know the extent of his own allure with that previous action. But since it was their first kiss, he couldn’t be too forceful; he might scare his Omega.
Shen Huaizhi helped straighten Jiang Heng’s clothes, then lowered his head again to gently peck Jiang Heng’s lips.
Jiang Heng’s lips had turned crimson, perhaps because they had never experienced such sensations before, even showing a hint of swelling, looking somewhat pitiful.
This time, Jiang Heng obediently tilted his head back, almost longing for more.
After the soothing kisses ended, Shen Huaizhi hooked his arm around Jiang Heng’s neck, pulling him into an embrace and patting his back gently.
Just as Jiang Heng’s thoughts were starting to clear a bit, Shen Huaizhi’s excessively gentle actions seemed to scatter them again. Responding belatedly to Shen Huaizhi’s earlier question, Jiang Heng murmured, “Quite comfortable.”
He was so honest that for a moment, Shen Huaizhi found it somewhat amusing yet also felt like he was being particularly rogueish. The words he had just said were indeed just teasing, and he hadn’t expected Jiang Heng to answer seriously. But since he did, Shen Huaizhi continued along with his words, “Will you kiss me next time?”
Holding Jiang Heng, Shen Huaizhi could clearly feel his body stiffen at the moment he asked this question. Despite his usual toughness, this person was still quite shy in such matters. Shen Huaizhi thought he needed to take it slow.
But before he could continue, he noticed Jiang Heng burying his head into his shoulder, his voice suddenly muffled. Jiang Heng grabbed onto the hem of Shen Huaizhi’s clothes, perhaps due to the temporary mark or his excessive honesty. Even though he felt embarrassed, Jiang Heng still forced himself to say, “Yes.”
“Can we kiss like we did this time?”
Such straightforward words left Shen Huaizhi’s mind momentarily blank. It even nearly made him lose control. Before he could make the next move, Jiang Heng stiffly said again, “But don’t put your hands inside.”
As he spoke, Jiang Heng reached out and wrapped his arms tighter around Shen Huaizhi’s waist.
That would be too much. Omegas could also have extreme reactions.
After a while, Shen Huaizhi chuckled softly, “Okay.”
Hopefully.
—
The New Year holiday lasted three days in total. Perhaps because of the intensity of that night, Jiang Heng spent the entire day in bed before finally recovering.
Even when he woke up, his mind was filled with images from the dressing room, but he couldn’t quite remember how he got out of there or how he made it home. He only remembered feeling weak in the legs as he walked.
This realization led Jiang Heng to decide to ignore Shen Huaizhi for half a day after school started. It was embarrassing to think that just a kiss made him so weak. It was not the behavior expected of a fierce Omega.
When Jiang Heng got up, he noticed that the housekeeper had been in his room again, but this time, she hadn’t touched anything. If he hadn’t accidentally left some things behind the door before he slept, which were now moved, he might not have noticed.
Although he had met Xie An before and understood that she was concerned about him, this realization still made Jiang Heng feel slightly uncomfortable. He had explicitly stated not to enter his room casually. He used to lock his door when sleeping, but last night he was too tired and forgot to do so.
Jiang Heng checked the time and realized it was already past 7 p.m. The housekeeper had already left.
After sleeping for so long, he had a bit of a headache. After resting for a while, he decided to call Xie An. Surprisingly, luck was on his side this time. Usually at this time, Xie An would be busy in the lab. He rarely initiated calls to her, so when she answered, Jiang Heng suddenly felt at a loss for words.
But Xie An spoke first, sounding quite cheerful. Jiang Heng guessed they must have made some breakthrough in their experiments. He couldn’t help but smile back, “Then eat more.”
Xie An didn’t ask why he suddenly called, instead inquiring about his recent situation, asking if he had been eating well and if he had lost weight. Her questions made Jiang Heng feel a bit embarrassed, even though Auntie was acting on Xie An’s instructions, her intentions were good.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Heng finally spoke up, “Mom, next time, don’t let Auntie enter my room at will.”
Xie An seemed surprised by Jiang Heng’s sudden statement, “Okay, I’ll tell her. Did something happen?”
Listening to Xie An’s tone, she seemed unaware of the situation. Jiang Heng fell silent again, feeling relieved. He wasn’t even sure what he was afraid of.
The topic passed by casually. Xie An asked a few more questions, then hesitantly asked, “How are things going with Shen Huaizhi lately?”
Jiang Heng hesitated for a moment, then replied, “It’s going fine.”
Xie An seemed relieved and then brought up, “Will you be coming back for the New Year this year? My experiments may not be finished until after the New Year, so I might have to spend it in a distant city.”
Jiang Heng wasn’t too surprised by this. He hadn’t planned to stay in the nearby city for the New Year anyway. He just suddenly realized how fast time was passing. It felt like the New Year was coming up so quickly. After agreeing, Xie An seemed reassured, “The hospital has been reminding you to come for a follow-up check. When you come back for the New Year, find time to go for the check-up?”
“Do you have enough suppressants there? If not, I’ll have someone deliver them. We’ve recently improved the Omega suppressants in the lab. They have fewer side effects and are less harmful to the body.”
Jiang Heng subconsciously glanced at the safe. He estimated he wouldn’t need suppressants for a long time, but he didn’t refuse Xie An’s suggestion.
After finishing the call with Xie An, almost half an hour had passed. He had disappeared for a whole day. As he logged onto WeChat and was about to chat with Shen Huaizhi, his hand was bombarded with constant “ding dong” sounds.
When his phone finally recovered, Jiang Heng realized he had been added to a group. Jiang Heng looked at the group name: “Three Alpha Men and One Omega”, with four members in the group.
Jiang Heng: ?
In the group, Chen Xingchi and He Ci were still frantically messaging.
[Chen Xingchi: How about next Friday night? It’s a holiday, so Thursday night wasn’t satisfying enough.]
[He Ci: Okay, the birthday star, speak up the loudest.]
[Chen Xingchi: Hehe, no need for that, right? Isn’t this just consulting your opinions?]
[Chen Xingchi: We don’t need to buy gifts either.]
[He Ci: Nobody was planning to buy gifts anyway. Look, besides me, is there anyone else in this group even acknowledging you?]
[Chen Xingchi: …]
Jiang Heng raised an eyebrow and glanced at the group members, Shen Huaizhi was also there.
He thought for a moment.
[Waterworks Wang Hang: Birthday?]
Seeing him speak up, He Ci and Chen Xingchi seemed surprised.
[He Ci: You’re still alive?]
[Chen Xingchi: Can you even get up?]
These two acted as if they had agreed on something.
Jiang Heng twitched his lips, as if they were talking as if he had done something fatal.
Seeing he didn’t respond, the two Alphas continued their conversation.
[He Ci: Did the squad leader go easy on you?]
[Chen Xingchi: Probably.]
[Waterworks Wang Hang: ? Idiots.] These two idiots, always full of garbage in their heads.
What’s even more shameful is that he actually understood it instantly.
[Waterworks Wang Hang: @Shen Huaizhi] [He Ci: Getting defensive?]
[Chen Xingchi retracted a message] x2
[He Ci retracted a message] x3
[Waterworks Wang Hang: Don’t be scared, if you have the guts, continue. What did I do?]
Half a minute after sending the message, He Ci and Chen Xingchi didn’t reply.
Jiang Heng sneered.
His phone vibrated again.
[Shen Huaizhi: They’re quite right.]
Sent as a private message.
Jiang Heng: …
Author’s Note: What are they talking about? Jiang Heng, can’t you see it’s heating up? Do you get it?
1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Enjoy reading ❤️”
