Endless Summer

Looking at the transcript alone, there was nothing wrong with Yu Zhiling.

A sudden Heat Phase, no Inhibitor on hand, and he had no choice but to call someone he knew to accompany him to the Safe House.

It is true that for some Omega, a Heat Phase can be triggered late if their Pheromone has been leaking for a long time.

But it just so happened that when Shi Qi was nowhere to be found, Yu Zhiling also happened to avoid the usual symptoms of a Heat Phase—no weakness in the limbs, no total collapse of strength.

A series of coincidences stacked together, as if calculated to ensure things unfolded exactly as they did.

If it had been planned all along...

He vaguely remembered Shen Qianyu mentioning a similar situation a long time ago.

After messaging Shen Qianyu to ask, Shang Sui received an unexpected answer.

Back at the hotel, he confirmed it once more: 'Are you sure?'

Shen Qianyu’s voice came through the other end of the line: 'There is only one drug that can freely regulate a Heat Phase. It is addictive and causes Pheromone disorder and emotional instability. It was added to the prohibited list three years ago.'

'During that time, our hospital admitted many patients. Once addicted, it wasn’t just Omega using it; Alpha were, too. So I am certain.'

Before Shang Sui could speak, as if knowing what he wanted to ask, Shen Qianyu continued: 'Using the drug alone doesn’t carry heavy consequences—at most a fine or community service. But if one is involved in trafficking, it is at least two years, and more if the quantity is large.'

'I see...' Shang Sui said, lost in thought.

'Is someone you know using it? Or is it something else?'

Shang Sui answered the question with another: 'I hope someone has been doing their dirty work thoroughly.'

Even if Yu Zhiling wasn’t involved in trafficking, there were other ways.

It would just be a bit more troublesome; it would take some effort to handle.

It seems someone has offended him.

Shen Qianyu offered a three-second silence for the unlucky soul and suggested: 'This drug was originally researched to replace the Inhibitor from Huanyun Group. If you have your family help check, it will be faster.'

After emerging from that nightmare, Shang Sui’s luck had miraculously improved. To use an inappropriate metaphor, it was as if he had used up all his bad luck. Things often unfolded according to his wishes, as unbelievable as a movie script.

Jiang Yan had witnessed similar situations several times and once suspected that Shang Sui was cheating.

Once, after reading some novel, Jiang Yan had naively said to Shen Qianyu: 'Don’t you think Shang Sui is like a protagonist favored by fate, and we are just the NPCs clapping on the sidelines?'

Without waiting for an answer, Jiang Yan turned to Shang Sui: 'Gege, can you rewrite my fortune so I can enjoy some of that, too?'

'I don’t ask for much—just let me make a fortune and keep my family from nagging me to find a partner.'

Shang Sui looked at him with an expression reserved for idiots, likely thinking that since a fool had delivered himself to his door, he might as well tease him, and told Jiang Yan to go back and wait.

Jiang Yan waited for three days full of hope before finally realizing Shang Sui was playing with him.

Despite this, Jiang Yan remained deeply convinced of his luck and insisted on dragging Shang Sui into investing in Huijian Restaurant.

Thinking of this, Shen Qianyu couldn’t help but smile.

He brought the topic back: 'I heard the source of the drug has always been hard to find. If you really manage to track it down, it will be quite an achievement.'

-

On the last day of the School social practice activity, the Chemical Engineering department organized a tour of the flower fields.

Qi Jiang’s flower fields were famous nationwide, serving as the vital raw material for various Inhibitor, Isolation Agent, and Pheromone Perfume products. Compared to touring factories and laboratories, the boundless, ocean-like expanse of flowers instantly captivated the students. Without needing any prodding from their teachers, once the formalities were over, everyone spontaneously started taking photos to record the view.

Shi Qi walked with Lin Yan, accompanied by Qin Shuhe, who had come over to sketch.

Shi Qi omitted the part about his Special Sensitivity Period and told them about Yu Zhiling. Both were shocked by the end of it.

'Damn, he really is a beast in human clothing,' Qin Shuhe said, thoroughly disgusted. 'He uses being an Omega to engage in sexual harassment without consequence, and he’s so self-righteous about meddling in relationships... Yu Zhiling really is an eye-opener. This is my first time seeing this breed of asshole.'

Lin Yan’s voice trembled with anger: 'Should we tell your family?'

Thinking about what kind of mess might have been going on in Yu Zhiling’s head all these years while he was with Shi Qi made Lin Yan feel sick.

'I’ll go back and tell my sister to stop working with him.'

Because Shi Qi and Yu Zhiling were friends, Jiang Yoning had gone out of her way to look after him, helping him secure endorsements and introducing him to many connections. If she cut ties with him, it would cause significant trouble for Yu Zhiling’s career.

'If only we could get a connection to Huanyun Group,' Qin Shuhe said, looking at the vast sea of flowers in the distance.

'Didn’t Yu Zhiling endorse Elowen Pheromone Perfume? Elowen is a brand under a Huanyun Group subsidiary. Judging by his tone the other day, that endorsement must be important to him. I really want to see this asshole lose his job completely.'

The fields they were touring belonged to Huanyun Group, and the factories and labs they had visited earlier were also under its name.

However, the Huanyun Group headquarters focused on biopharmaceuticals and technological innovation, and neither of their families had any intersections with them.

Shi Qi was quite open-minded: 'Forget it, I already beat him up, anyway.'

At this, Shi Qi looked into the distance.

The area was planted with vibrant Endless Summer hydrangeas. Clusters of blue-purple and pink-white flowers looked like clouds, rolling continuously to the edge of the horizon, merging with the creamy blue sky in the distance.

Students from Meiyan Academy were setting up easels to capture the dreamlike scene. Qin Shuhe had finished his work quickly, which was why he had the time to come over and chat.

Because it was the story of their first meeting that Shang Sui had once fabricated, Shi Qi had a good impression of Endless Summer. Thinking of this, he asked:

'Where is Shang Sui?'

'Ge has been quite busy lately; he didn’t come to class yesterday either,' Qin Shuhe said, then realized something. 'Wait, did you two have a fight? Why don’t you know his schedule?'

Shi Qi didn’t like hearing that and instinctively retorted: 'We’re doing just fine.'

Lin Yan couldn’t help but laugh, then feigned a serious tone to Qin Shuhe: 'You can eat whatever you want, but you can’t say whatever you want. Our baby and his husband are doing just fine.'

'...'

Shi Qi was feeling sleepy. Nearby, there was an ice cream cart shaped like a buttered bread roll. He told the two of them, found a parasol, ordered a juice, and sat down.

The voices of Qin Shuhe and Lin Yan faded into the distance. Shi Qi’s eyelids grew heavy, his head nodding until he finally gave up the struggle and fell asleep on the small wooden table.

The brilliant sea of Endless Summer entered his dreams. Shi Qi dreamt he climbed onto a villa balcony where an Alpha stood, facing a white oak easel that stood a head taller than Shi Qi.

He couldn’t see his face clearly, but the Alpha’s frame, caught between youth and manhood, was incredibly striking.

'You’re painting again,' Shi Qi heard himself say. 'Don’t you get bored, staying here all by yourself?'

The man looked at him with a calm expression but didn’t speak.

Used to his coldness, Shi Qi continued on his own: 'The guards downstairs still haven’t found me. I’m pretty good, right?'

'...'

'I memorized their patrol routes; I can sneak you out,' Shi Qi said, spreading his hands and counting off his fingers. 'The chubby one hides in the corner to smoke, the tall skinny one falls asleep in the afternoon. The one who isn’t fat or thin is the most diligent, but he never looks up carefully. As long as you leave the easel on the balcony, he’ll think you’re still there and won’t notice.'

The other still didn’t speak.

What is this?

The 'him' in the dream didn’t seem to mind. But in his drowsy state, Shi Qi felt as though he were watching from a god’s-eye view while also participating, and he couldn’t help but feel dissatisfied with the Alpha’s coldness.

Are you Shang Sui?

If you’re going to ignore me, why should I bother coming over?

Yet in the dream, he seemed exceptionally fond of that Alpha, pestering him with endless chatter while receiving little in return.

This went on for days, and the 'him' in the dream began to lose heart.

Since he was a child, he had been pampered by everyone around him. Shi An and Jiang Li gave him whatever he wanted; Jiang Yoning teased him occasionally but mostly called him 'baby' at every turn. Even at School, everyone loved playing with him.

Clearly, in front of others, he was the quiet one, but because the Alpha was too taciturn, he had to keep finding topics.

It felt fresh at first, but after a while, Shi Qi didn’t want to keep making a fool of himself.

Even if this Alpha was beautiful, like the protagonist living in a high tower in a fairy tale.

'Hey,' Shi Qi said, sitting on the balcony, swinging his slender, straight legs in the molten-gold sunset, 'if I’m annoying you, I won’t come tomorrow.'

The Alpha looked at him for a moment and suddenly asked: 'What is that on your back?'

Shi Qi hesitated and reached back to touch it. He couldn’t find anything, but he lost his balance and tilted to the side—

He was sitting on the balcony, and in his panic, he fell backward. Shi Qi’s eyes widened suddenly.

Oh no, I’m going to fall!

Fortunately, the other reacted quickly and caught him.

Shi Qi, still shaken, crashed into his arms. His nose stung from the impact. Just as he was about to ask what was on his back, he caught the rich, sweet scent of the Alpha.

Hm?

Shi Qi’s attention was instantly captured.

It smells so good.

As if unable to watch him look so dazed, the other reached out and tore something off.

It was a cat-eared sticky note, secured with a piece of colorful patterned tape, likely to keep it from falling off.

[If you find my cat, please contact his guardian, Jiang Yoning.

Phone number: XXXXXXXX

P.S. This cat has a bad temper. Please bear with him; there will be a generous reward.]

'Do you often get lost?'

Shi Qi finished reading the note and looked up, seeing the Alpha smile for the first time.

He had always looked like he was keeping people at a distance, but now it was as if the ice had melted. His eyes held a shimmering, alluring tenderness, completely different from his usual cold face.

Shi Qi was stunned for a second, then quickly realized he was mocking him for being slow.

'...I didn’t! My sister just wrote that randomly!'

He retorted unhappily, then blinked his deep gray eyes, as if seeing something rare and interesting: 'You spoke?'

So, he still wanted to see him?

Why didn’t he just say so?

Whatever. He would be generous and not hold a grudge against the poor ghost trapped on a balcony.

'My name is Shi Qi,' he said, looking up at him, secretly twitching his nose to try and remember the scent. 'What’s your name?'

'Xiao Qi?' A familiar voice entered his eardrums like a butterfly beating its wings, pulling him from the beautiful dream back to reality.

'Hm...?'

Shi Qi opened his eyes, dazed.

He hadn’t dreamt in a long time, but he had dreamt twice recently.

So... what did that tall, cold, autistic-seeming Alpha in his dream smell like?

He only remembered it was very fragrant.

'Why are you here all alone?'

Just waking up, Shi Qi’s thoughts were sluggish. He said slowly, 'I was a bit sleepy, so I told Lin Yan and the others to go on ahead.'

Shi Qi looked up and saw Shang Sui standing against the light, his light brown eyes exceptionally bright.

Miraculously, his dream had partially matched the story Shang Sui had described.

Or perhaps it should be the other way around?

It was precisely because he saw the Endless Summer and thought of Shang Sui’s story that he had such a strange dream.

Although Qi Jiang was sunny, the wind was strong. Countless light, small flowers were blown about, rustling.

Shang Sui worried he might catch a cold and asked, 'Weren’t you cold after falling asleep?'

Shi Qi thought silently to himself.

This one is better.

The one in the dream who didn’t like to talk can go cool off somewhere else.

Shi Qi shook his head, stood up, and asked, 'What have you been busy with lately? Qin Shuhe said you didn’t come to class yesterday.'

'Looking into something.' Shang Sui had wanted to tell him that Yu Zhiling would likely be sentenced for the prohibited drug, but then he thought, even if he wanted to claim credit, he should wait until the matter was handled so he could present it perfectly.

'I’ll tell you when it’s over.'

The only thing related to him recently...

Shi Qi thought for a moment: 'Yu Zhiling?'

'Are you still very angry? I should have hit him a few more times that day.'

Shang Sui said half-jokingly, 'If Xiao Qi looks at me, I won’t be angry anymore.'

Shi Qi couldn’t help but retort: 'Are you a cat or a dog? You need a master to watch you.'

He hadn’t meant anything by it. Unexpectedly, Shang Sui seemed to have hit a switch, laughing until his whole body shook; the blooming Endless Summer behind him couldn’t compare to how eye-catching he was.

'What are you laughing at?' Shi Qi was confused, yet his ears grew hot from his laughter.

'I prefer being the master.' Shang Sui finished laughing and wore a slightly troubled expression. He reached out and gently tapped the tip of Shi Qi’s nose:

'Good baby.'

'?'

'You got some pollen on you while you were sleeping.'

Shi Qi’s cheeks flushed, the skin where he had been briefly touched still holding the other’s warmth. Before he could respond, Shang Sui slipped a Lily of the Valley woven bracelet onto Shi Qi’s slender wrist.

The pure white flowers were still dotted with transparent water droplets, looking as if they had just been woven.

'A replacement for your Bracelet.'

Shi Qi hadn’t expected him to remember. His eyes lit up: 'Thank you.'

Seeing his cute reaction, Shang Sui felt an itch in his heart and ruffled his hair again.

He hoped to personally put other accessories on Shi Qi in the future.

A sparkling Ring? Or a gemstone collar?

He had many beautiful Choker, and against Shi Qi’s snow-white, slender neck, every one of them would look perfect.

Shi Qi felt something was off as he had his hair ruffled.

Why did it feel like Shang Sui’s series of actions were really like treating a cat or a dog...

Before he could decide if he was being played, Shang Sui added the second half: 'But if Xiao Qi likes it, I can be a dog, too.'

He said with a smile, 'I will be very obedient, Master.'