Chapter 31

Wen Ran fell asleep hoping the Fever Reducer would fix things, but when he woke up the next day still burning up, he knew something was wrong.

Stuffy. Even in the air-conditioned room he felt stuffy. A heat somewhere in his body that wouldn't dissipate, like it was seeping out from between his bones. His mind was hazy, he couldn't focus, and there was this nameless restlessness—more accurately, a need or a craving, though Wen Ran hadn't figured out what it was yet.

Tao Susu noticed something was off, leaned over: "Are you in heat? A couple days ago you just looked weak, but today you seem worse—your face and ears are really red, and your Gland too."

Wen Ran could barely hold his pen steady. Reluctant as he was to face it, he had to admit: "Probably."

"Then I'll go to the Clinic and get you an Inhibitor. You take leave, rest a few days, you'll be fine."

"I can't use an Inhibitor." Wen Ran muttered to himself. "The doctor said I can't."

"What?"

"Nothing. I'll skip my next class. The Inhibitor... don't bother, we have one at home."

"Okay, but tell me if you're not feeling well."

After class ended, Wen Ran packed his Backpack and went to the office to ask for leave. The teacher worried about him being unsafe on the road, and only let him go after personally hearing Wen Ran call his family's driver. Song Shuangang happened to come by to hand in materials, so he waited a moment and left the office with Wen Ran.

Close to class time, students had gradually filtered back to their classrooms, and the hallway went quiet. Wen Ran walked slowly with his head down, Backpack on his back. Fearing he'd collapse mid-step, Song Shuangang kindly held him up.

At the same time, Wen Ran heard He Wei's voice: "Wen Ran? What's wrong with you?"

Wen Ran raised his head, but his gaze landed first on the Alpha beside He Wei.

The instant his eyes met Gu Yunchi's, a ringing exploded in Wen Ran's head, his heartbeat kicked up, and he could almost clearly feel his temperature rising—in that second he suddenly understood what he was craving.

Since returning to the Capital City he hadn't seen Gu Yunchi again. Only a few days, but it felt like forever.

Gu Yunchi's hair seemed a bit shorter, his brows and eyes more clearly visible. Wen Ran looked at that not-very-expressive face, and suddenly burst into tears—eyes open, tears just spilling out, big drops hitting the floor.

Song Shuangang froze, patted his pockets—no tissues. For a moment he was helpless.

"Wh-why is this happening." He Wei was caught off guard too. "Last time you were fine..."

Gu Yunchi just looked at Wen Ran without speaking. And Wen Ran, in a slurry of thoughts, remembered Chen Shuhui's warning, and clumsily wiped his tears. His throat shook too hard to speak. He could only bow to Gu Yunchi and He Wei, then with great effort raise a hand to wave at Song Shuangang, and finally walked into a nearby stairwell, gripping the handrail as he went down.

From behind came He Wei's heated scolding, the words blurred with rage: "—! ...! —...! Believe it or not I'll really go tell Grandpa Gu!"

On the way home, rain started to drizzle. Wen Ran pressed his head against the passenger seat back, holding a few tissues in both hands, burying his face in them, soaking up the tears.

He was grateful He Wei and Song Shuangang had been there in the hallway, otherwise he might have uncontrollably gone up to Gu Yunchi and asked if he could help him—and gotten called out for sexual harassment.

Almost home, Wen Ran blew his nose, looked up, and saw the Garden gate wide open, a car parked at the villa entrance, several bodyguards leading someone out of the car. He made out the side profile—Fang Yisen.

The driver had just unlocked the door, and Wen Ran immediately got out, Backpack on, and followed the bodyguards into the house.

Fang Yisen was brought to the sofa but didn't sit, just stood quietly. He wasn't wearing glasses, but there were no signs of struggle or injury on him. Wen Ran exhaled in relief.

The bodyguards went to stand by the door, and only then did Aunt Fang dare come over with a glass of water, set it on the coffee table, then asked softly: "Why are you back so early? Not feeling well?"

"A bit of a fever. Don't make me dinner tonight, I probably won't be able to get up."

"Then take some medicine. Call me when you wake up if you want to eat."

"Okay, thanks Aunt Fang."

The rainy day was overcast, the living room even darker. Aunt Fang silently went back to her room. Wen Ran noticed Fang Yisen's fingers curled up, his body seeming somewhat stiff, and asked worriedly: "Assistant Fang, is something uncomfortable?"

"No." A very faint smile on his pale face, Fang Yisen said, "Could you trouble yourself to turn on the..."

Before he finished, Wen Rui came home. He glanced at Fang Yisen first, then at the ceiling light, immediately reached up and hit the switch—the living room flooded with light.

Wen Rui's hair and clothes were damp with rain. He walked up to Fang Yisen and said: "Don't want the suicide note anymore?"

Fang Yisen's body twitched, but he didn't speak.

"I've told you, right? One more time and I'll implant an omega Gland into you, make it so you die without me."

Wen Ran's heart went cold. He stared at Wen Rui in disbelief.

He and Chen Shuhui really were mother and son—cold-blooded, ruthless lunatics at their core.

To make a Beta suffer until he becomes an omega, leaving endless side effects and aftereffects—maybe Wen Rui didn't love Fang Yisen at all, it was just an Alpha's possessiveness and need to conquer, wanting to strip away the other's dignity completely, to make someone who wouldn't submit into his possession.

Fang Yisen still didn't respond, just looking at the water glass on the coffee table. A phone ring shattered the dead silence. Wen Rui answered, said a few words, hung up, called toward the housekeeper's room for Aunt Fang. Aunt Fang came out quickly. Wen Rui said: "Clean up the guest room, turn on the lights, take him to rest, get him something to eat."

"I'll do it right now."

Before leaving, Wen Rui stared at Fang Yisen for a few seconds, then turned and walked out of the living room, instructing the bodyguards at the door: "Watch him closely."

"Go upstairs and rest." Wen Ran was dizzy and feverish and barely holding himself together, but seeing the dark circles under Fang Yisen's eyes, he guessed the man hadn't slept in a long time. "Eat something, get some sleep, you'll feel better."

Fang Yisen nodded. Wen Ran took him upstairs. The guest room light was already on. Aunt Fang came out: "Assistant Fang, I'll make something to eat, bring it up in a bit."

"No need, thanks." Fang Yisen said, "I'm a bit sleepy, want to sleep first."

"Okay, tell me if you get hungry." Aunt Fang reminded Wen Ran to rest well, then went downstairs.

Walking into the guest bedroom, Wen Ran said: "There are pajamas in the closet, you can shower before sleeping, it'll be more comfortable."

"Thanks." Fang Yisen nodded at him. "Don't worry about me. You rest too, remember to take your medicine."

"Mm."

Back in his room, Wen Ran couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed face-first into the blanket. With shaking hands he opened his Mobile Phone and called the doctor.

"Hi doctor, I think I'm in heat... wanted to ask, really can't use an Inhibitor?"

"Using an Inhibitor now would seriously affect your Pheromone concentration and activity, and your Gland function would be damaged. I still recommend having a high-compatibility Alpha release Pheromone for soothing—this might be the best and only option." The doctor paused a few seconds after speaking, got no answer from Wen Ran, then called out: "You okay? Can you hear me?"

"I hear you, I hear you." Wen Ran couldn't even open his eyes. "I understand, thank you."

After hanging up, Wen Ran forced himself to stay awake, typed 'Fenqi Period' into the browser.

The years when he should've been taking health class, he spent in the research lab and the Hospital. They implanted a Gland in him, injected Pheromone, turned him into an omega—but no one told him how to be an omega, no one taught him how to behave around an Alpha.

So he never fully shed his original Beta gender awareness, and in his ignorance, his first heat arrived.

Skimming through various pages, the answers were always the same: Inhibitor, marking, or sex. None of them fit him—so the doctor was right, the best option really was an Alpha's Pheromone.

Wen Ran turned off his phone. One voice in his head kept repeating 'Gu Yunchi', another voice popped up saying 'can't go'.

He really couldn't go. Whether it was Chen Shuhui's warning or the possibility of Gu Yunchi's disgust and scolding, he couldn't go.

Forcing his eyes shut, Wen Ran quickly sank into a dazed unconsciousness.

He had many chaotic dreams, finally landing in a soft, wet mass—like a blanket soaked in hot water.

......

His body jerked violently, his vision fractured. Wen Ran opened his eyes, gasping in the dark. Drenched in sweat, he stared blankly for a long moment, then reached behind himself—wet. Very wet.

Pushing down the panic and disbelief, Wen Ran went to the bathroom.

After showering, changing into clean pajamas, his condition hadn't eased at all—instead he felt hotter. Wen Ran raised a hand to his face. His palm was hot, his face was hot, the moisture in his eyes briefly cool, then immediately boiling, burning his eye sockets.

His heart racing, Wen Ran felt his Gland pulsing hot too. He'd never been so acutely aware of its existence.

Like a sentence being passed—sentencing him to officially become a member ruled by Pheromone.

His reason completely collapsed. Wen Ran, trembling, dug out a business card from his Backpack, made a call. After the call ended he put on his Neck Ring, threw on a jacket, stumbled downstairs, and ran out the door past the bodyguards' stares.

The rain had stopped. A little past seven in the evening, Wen Ran sat hunched in the back seat. This was the first time he'd contacted Gu Yunchi's driver, so he could get to the villa entrance without obstruction.

The driver didn't ask questions, drove steadily, and soon delivered Wen Ran.

Wen Ran thanked him, got out, walked into the Garden, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows saw several Alphas sitting in the living room—Lu Heyang, He Wei, and a few others he didn't recognize—drinking and chatting. Gu Yunchi was leaning back on the sofa, his gaze casually fixed on some spot, looking a bit detached.

Not expecting Gu Yunchi's friends to show up right then, Wen Ran weakly rubbed his face, walked to the side of the villa, crouched against the wall, and buried his head in his knees.

After a while, he heard a slight movement, looked up—BDH-339 was standing in front of him.

"I saw you on the surveillance." BDH-339 was very worried. "Did something bad happen?"

"I think I'm in heat... I wanted to come ask if he could release some Pheromone for me."

BDH-339 moved closer, blocking some of the night wind for him, and said worriedly: "I feel like you're going to get yelled at again."

"It's fine, getting yelled at is to be expected."

Not to be expected—deserved. But there was no choice. Without being able to use an Inhibitor, if he couldn't get Gu Yunchi's Pheromone, the Fenqi Period wouldn't end, and even normal life would be impossible.

"The young master's friends came back to the country today, just stopping by, they'll leave soon." BDH-339 said. "Don't be scared, I'll stay with you."

In less than five minutes, several cars stopped outside the Garden, then voices came from the gate. Wen Ran struggled to stand, peeked out a little from behind the wall. BDH-339 hid behind him, showing half a small body.

A group came out the door. He Wei looked around: "Where's our teacher BDH-339? Why isn't he seeing us off?" Then asked, "You're really not coming? Didn't we agree you'd hang out here, then go to the bar together?"

"Not going." Gu Yunchi said briefly.

He Wei snorted twice: "Fine then, we're off. Make it up next time."

Going down the steps, Lu Heyang, who hadn't spoken, suddenly looked to the left. Wen Ran quickly pulled back behind the wall. BDH-339 was startled and immediately scooted further in too.

The cars started and drove off. Wen Ran walked out from behind the wall with heavy steps. The living room light fell on Gu Yunchi's back. He lit a cigarette with his head down, and only when Wen Ran walked close did he slowly turn to look at him.

The Alpha's face was half lit by the light, half hidden in the night, showing no surprise at Wen Ran's arrival.

He kept silent, didn't ask. Wen Ran had to speak first: "I... I came to ask you for a favor."

"You're in heat." Gu Yunchi looked at him.

A flat, stating tone, but Wen Ran's heart skipped. From the moment he'd heard Gu Yunchi's voice, his body had started shaking uncontrollably. Now, facing the Alpha's gaze, he could barely think at all, and instinctively shook his head: "Probably not."

Gu Yunchi pinched out the cigarette he'd taken a few puffs of, and walked back into the living room. Wen Ran dug at his palm, went around the flower bed, stepped up and followed him in.

The moment he stepped inside, Wen Ran forgot his answer from twenty seconds ago like he had amnesia, and said with a blank mind: "I'm in heat."

Gu Yunchi stopped, turned to look at him.

Wen Ran was flushed red all over from the heat—from face to ears, lips to collarbone. Under his jacket were hastily-thrown-on pajamas, his hair a mess, his eyes wet and unfocused.

The huge living room was silent. BDH-339, acting deaf and mute, walked straight past Wen Ran and Gu Yunchi, eyes forward, silently heading straight for the kitchen—and halfway there knocked over a gift box Gu Yunchi's friend had brought, without even looking back.

"In heat and running around everywhere, want to end up on the news?"

'I didn't run around anywhere, I came straight to your house. I was afraid it wasn't safe, so I didn't even take the bus—I called your driver and asked him to bring me here.' Wen Ran couldn't wait a single second, kept talking in one breath. 'I can't use too many Inhibitors. If I had the comfort of a high-compatibility Alpha Pheromone, it would help a lot. I wanted to ask if I could smell your Pheromone.'

When he said that last half-sentence, Gu Yunchi lowered his eyes and turned the Wristband's setting to the highest level. After a beep, Gu Yunchi looked up and said, 'This afternoon at the Preparatory School you were still pretending we didn't know each other, and now late at night you come running here in your Fenqi Period saying you just want to smell my Pheromone. Such a lame excuse—do you think I'm as brainless as you? Are you going to walk out on your own, or should I throw you out?'

Normally Wen Ran would immediately turn and leave and not bother him again, but right now physiological instinct overrode reason, his palms red from digging at them, he struggled out: "It's true, and... didn't I help you last time too?"

Gu Yunchi casually slid a hand into his pocket, asked flatly: "What did you help me with."

Staring at each other in silence for a few seconds, Wen Ran's shoulders slumped, he shook his head. He wasn't sure if Gu Yunchi was asking deliberately, but he was sure he shouldn't bring up the Little Fishing Village again—especially in such an embarrassing scene, it would be a desecration of those beautiful memories.

"I'm sorry, but I'm really not lying to you, and I'm not trying to sexually harass you." Wen Ran hung his head. "I'll head home then. Don't go to sleep, have a drink early."