Eleven

Gu Yunchi vanished mid-cigarette, slipped out of the Evening Banquet, probably off to sleep with someone. Wen Ran found a corner to stand in, watched the parade of people, glanced toward the corridor by accident, and caught an Alpha in a dark grey suit walking out with an omega one after the other—omega's hair slightly mussed, face visibly flushed.

That Alpha—Wen Ran paused. If he remembered right, this was someone from the dinner at Huyan Mansion when Wen Rui had taken him. Wei or Tang, he couldn't recall. Wen Ran silently turned back, took a sip of orange juice to steady himself.

But the shock wouldn't settle. The Alpha casually grabbed a drink, chatted with someone nearby, swept his gaze toward the corner, and Wen Ran looked up just in time to watch helplessly as the man walked right up to him.

"Aren't you Wen Rui's little brother?" The Alpha settled against the table, sizing Wen Ran up.

His eyes made Wen Ran uncomfortable. And knowing what that Alpha had just been doing, Wen Ran shifted back without making it obvious, forced out: "Uncle."

"Oh, so you do remember me." The Alpha leaned in slightly. "I hear you've been getting close to Gu Yunchi lately?"

Blatant fishing. Wen Ran shook his head. "No."

"Even if you have, it's fine. Everyone's gonna find out eventually. Speaking of which—Gu Yunchi isn't easy to deal with, right? Looks down on everyone, terrible temper, acts like he's God's gift to the world, nobody's good enough for him."

Anyone bold enough to mock Gu Yunchi that openly—you couldn't find a handful in the whole Capital City. Wen Ran concluded the Alpha's surname was Wei.

The Wei Family—Capital City new money, climbed to the top of the League pyramid through the marriage between their only son Wei Lingzhou and the Council Chairman's eldest daughter, hungrily chasing to surpass the Gu Family, but still nowhere close to being actual rivals, always kept firmly under their heel.

The Alpha in front of him was probably Wei Lingzhou. No wonder he had it in for Gu Yunchi.

But what was there to be bitter about? Married into the Council Chairman's family, scored massive perks and benefits, and still had the nerve to cheat out in the open—lucky he wasn't drowned in a pig cage. That Wen Rui could pal around with this type, birds of a feather.

"I don't know. I don't really spend time with him." Wen Ran answered with apparent seriousness. "But there must be a reason he looks down on people."

Wei Lingzhou seemed a little surprised, stared at him, then after a beat, smiled inscrutably. "Can't tell. You've got some bite too."

Wen Ran frowned, all innocence. "What do you mean, Uncle?"

"Lingzhou." Wen Rui materialized out of nowhere, patted Wei Lingzhou's arm. "What are you chatting with a kid about?"

"A kid." Wei Lingzhou straightened up, snorted a laugh. "No wonder you're so innocent."

After they left, Wen Rui asked, "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing." Wen Ran took a sip of orange juice. "Probably drunk and losing it."

The Evening Banquet wrapped up, but there was a more private social round still to go—Wen Rui said he wasn't going. Chen Shuhui's face darkened. Wen Ran figured she knew about Wen Rui and Fang Yisen too, and opposed it.

But Fang Yisen was the victim. Wen Ran looked at him. Fang Yisen seemed to sense it, looked back. Wen Ran guiltily looked away.

"Forget it. Useless son, I'll just go myself." Chen Shuhui glanced at Wen Rui as she said it. Wen Rui stood there, hands in pockets, expression flat—looked either disdainful or too lazy to argue.

In a way, Chen Shuhui was a very impressive omega. Decisive, hard-handed, went from a cellist steeped in music to single-handedly holding up a crumbling Company. Apart from everything else, Wen Ran admired her.

On the drive back, Fang Yisen sat in the passenger seat, Wen Ran and Wen Rui in the back. Before pulling out, Wen Rui told the driver, "Take Wen Ran home first."

"You'll pass my place. Let me off here." Fang Yisen said.

Wen Ran turned to look out the window. Maybe he shouldn't be in this car.

A few seconds of silence. Wen Rui said, "Go to my place." He had his own place in the city.

Fang Yisen said, "You have a business trip tomorrow. Rest early. I've still got some documents to deal with when I get back."

Wen Rui didn't say anything, face dark. The driver was old hand at this—said nothing, drove straight to Fang Yisen's apartment complex entrance. Fang Yisen opened the door and got out, Wen Rui got out too. The door had barely shut when the driver hit the gas and kept going.

Through the rear window, Wen Ran watched Wen Rui grab Fang Yisen by the wrist and pull him into the complex. Fang Yisen didn't resist, just followed quietly.

Didn't understand why Wen Rui had the looks but kept doing rotten things. Mood heavy and tangled, Wen Ran suddenly wanted to hear Gu Yunchi curse out the Wen Family again—maybe he'd feel a little better.

Friday. Wen Ran went to the Preparatory School for the entrance exam. The Preparatory School reported directly to the League government—baseline entry requirement was Pheromone level A-Class or above, plus passing a specific assessment. The reason he'd be sent there was simple: Gu Yunchi studied there, and most of the students came from extraordinary families—a resource, a symbol.

Gu Yunchi hadn't been home the last couple of days. Heard he'd gone off to some Preparatory School-organized activity, and the activity was restricted to S-Class. As for why someone like Gu Yunchi—who barely set foot in school—would bother attending, clearly because he didn't want to see him. Wen Ran knew this perfectly well.

The exam ended at four. Wen Ran stood at the empty school gate with his Backpack, didn't think much about it, and decided to head to Gu Yunchi's Residence—to keep his beloved model company. Once he enrolled there'd be no excuse to keep showing up and bothering him every day. This was the last stretch.

Didn't call the driver. Wen Ran arrived outside the Villa District on his own. Over this period, the security had gotten used to his face through the car window, so they called Gu Yunchi's bodyguard to check, and after confirmation drove him in a patrol car to the villa entrance.

"I thought you weren't coming today!" BDH-339 was thrilled to see him.

"Finished the exam early, so I came over."

Wen Ran went to the Small Living Room. Parts covered the floor, nearly reassembling into a helicopter. No blueprints needed during assembly, so progress moved fast—completion imminent. He set down his Backpack, dropped to the floor, and got to work. BDH-339 came over to keep him company.

In a blink it was dark. While Wen Ran was focused on the model, BDH-339 had secretly called the chef to make dinner. Wen Ran had no choice but to stay and eat. After eating, he remembered tomorrow was Saturday, so he kept assembling without worry—Gu Yunchi wasn't home anyway.

When he remembered to check the time, it was past nine. Wen Ran asked casually, "When's your young master getting back?"

"Today."

"Huh? Then I'll head back first."

"Don't go yet. He's almost home, and the monitoring system shows he's got a fever again."

Just then, sounds came from the living room. Wen Ran walked out and saw Gu Yunchi toss his Backpack onto the sofa, then head for the elevator. On the way, he glanced at Wen Ran. "Is this your house or mine."

He always looked especially vicious at times like this. Wen Ran swallowed. "Yours. I'll get out of your way."

"Should I call a doctor for you?" BDH-339 also held its tongue—days now and it still hadn't finished grinding those twenty pounds of coffee beans.

The elevator doors slowly closed. Clearly answering BDH-339's question, but Gu Yunchi's eyes were on Wen Ran. "No need."

"You can't leave." The elevator had barely gone up before BDH-339 blocked Wen Ran. "He won't see a doctor again. You... can you help me take care of him?"

"I feel like I'm gonna get hit." Wen Ran of course wanted to put on a good show when Gu Yunchi was sick, but those eyes just now looked like they wanted to kill someone. Life came first. He said, "Just send him some medicine and pour him water. I'll head back first."

"No! Please, please, please..." Before the begging finished, the system suddenly lost his data. BDH-339 shrieked, "Ah! He took off the Wristband! This lunatic—running a fever and he still wants to shower!"

Wen Ran was also pretty surprised. "Your young master really loves being clean..."

In the end, he still couldn't leave. Under BDH-339's pleading, Wen Ran took the Inhibitor and Fever Reducer upstairs. Before opening the door, BDH-339 stopped him again, somewhat seriously: "I have to tell you something. Do you remember Gu Yunchi's last fever? It broke in one afternoon—faster than any time before."

"I remember."

"Well, actually it's because your Neck Ring's setting wasn't at the highest. Pheromones leaked out, so he got better so fast. You understand?"

"Understood." Wen Ran froze suddenly. "Huh?"

"Um... can you turn the setting down one notch now?"

The logic was simple—no need to think hard to figure it out. No wonder BDH-339 had been so insistent on him staying. Wen Ran hadn't expected Gu Yunchi could actually smell the pheromones he released, hadn't expected he himself was some kind of miracle cure.

Since BDH-339 had figured this out, Gu Peiwen must have known long ago. So Wen Ran couldn't refuse—the cameras had been on from the start, the audience seats filled with the big shots who held the Wen Family's life and death in their hands. He had to perform professionally, flawlessly.

"Got it." Wen Ran said, his hand finding the side of the Neck Ring. Beep. The setting dropped one notch.

The sex addiction could be handled by other omegas—plenty of people willing to climb into Gu Yunchi's bed—but the rest could only be solved by him, the high-compatibility match. Had to admit, the Wen Family had really nailed this lifeline.

"Don't be upset." BDH-339 drooped its eyes sadly. "It was an instruction from the Chairman's assistant. Maybe they need you to help him be less troubled by these issues going forward. Today... let's just try."

"I understand." Wen Ran smiled, reassuring. "It's what I should be doing anyway." Otherwise how would he have the right to be here? Tutoring was a thin excuse, a respectable label, plus that sixty-million project—there was no such thing as a free lunch.

BDH-339 asked, "But why am I sad, Wen Ran?"

Wen Ran was a little surprised. He reached for the door, paused, looked down at BDH-339. "Maybe because you treat me as a friend."

In the Wen Family, a chess piece for fame and fortune. In the Gu Family, a dose of medicine for Gu Yunchi's pheromone going haywire. Sounded indispensable, irreplaceable—but really just a tool everyone ordered around, stared at coldly, looked down on. A strange, contradictory position. Wen Ran accepted it all without complaint. He was good at accepting these things. Could only, had to accept them.

But someone would actually feel sad for him—even if it was a robot.

He pushed the door open and walked in. Very quiet. Only the linear light at the head of the bed was on, doing nothing for the actual lighting—the room was so dim he couldn't see his own feet. A scent Wen Ran had never smelled hit him. Very faint, like flowers or fruit mixed with a hint of wine. Probably Gu Yunchi had switched to another high-end fragrance. Wen Ran sniffed a few times, his mind suddenly empty except for one thought: ask him what brand.

He'd never had any interest in perfume. First time smelling something this attractive. Couldn't even figure out why.

The room was too big. Walking further in, he could vaguely see Gu Yunchi in the bathroom, but the light wasn't on—probably just out of the shower. Wen Ran was scared, but ultimately resigned himself and spoke: "I brought you medicine."

No response. Wen Ran turned toward the bed, wanting to set the medicine on the bedside table. After a step or two, he heard Gu Yunchi's footsteps coming out of the bathroom. Unhurried. Once they hit the carpet, the footsteps went from clear to muffled. Wen Ran didn't dare look back—afraid one glance would earn him a scolding.

He set the Inhibitor and Fever Reducer on the bedside table, poured half a cup of water. The muffled footsteps behind him were already close. Wen Ran set down the cup, turning around as he asked, "Did you drink? If you did, you can't take—"

The unfinished sentence was cut off. Before Wen Ran could see clearly, Gu Yunchi had him by the throat and pinned to the bed. A muffled grunt of surprise escaped his throat.