Chapter 92: Pheromone Extraction Fluid
Ye Zhile was preparing to head back to class, but Wen Yumiao and Ye Junting were both strongly opposed to the idea. They argued that his pheromones hadn’t stabilized yet, and going out to expose himself to other pheromones would only be adding fuel to the fire.
However, Ye Zhile simply stuck a suppressant patch onto the back of his neck and said nonchalantly, “I’m not living on campus. I’ll come back as soon as my classes are over. Besides, I’ll be careful. Don’t worry.”
Wen Yumiao and Ye Junting exchanged a helpless look and finally relented.
Ji Shuohan also learned about Ye Zhile’s return to school. When he arrived that day, Ye Zhile was playing with Dudu. Ji Shuohan walked over and sat down, and even though the youth only spared him a single glance before ignoring him, he didn’t feel discouraged.
“Your pheromones aren’t stable yet; you still need to be very careful,” Ji Shuohan said.
Ye Zhile looked up. “I know that. You don’t need to tell me.”
Ji Shuohan didn’t mind his attitude. He continued, “There are many Alphas at the university, and I won’t be by your side to provide pheromone soothing as often…”
“Why are you acting like a nagging old man?” Ye Zhile said impatiently. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“My point is… why don’t you move back to the Shouling-fu?” Ji Shuohan carefully observed the Omega’s expression. Seeing him remain expressionless, he pressed on. “That way, you can receive pheromone soothing every day when you come home… I mean, I can provide my pheromones to you in a timely manner.”
Ji Shuohan weighed his words carefully, fearing the Omega might misinterpret something and overthink it. It would be a massive loss if he ruined the chance he had worked so hard to regain just because of a slip of the tongue; it simply wouldn’t be worth it.
“I won’t!” Ye Zhile rejected him flatly. “Who are you to control me? I’ll live wherever I want. This is my home. You should be grateful I haven’t kicked you out yet!”
Ji Shuohan was left speechless. He eventually nodded. “Alright.”
He didn’t mention the matter again and turned to play with Dudu instead.
Seeing his submissive appearance, lacking even a hint of his usual temper, Ye Zhile felt a bit irritated. It felt like a punch landing on cotton—he hadn’t hurt anyone, but instead ended up annoying himself. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing if he actually voiced that frustration?
Ye Zhile gave a light ‘hmph’ and clapped his hands. “Dudu, come here.”
“Mama…” Dudu crawled over.
Ye Zhile felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He doubted his own ears. “What did you say?!”
Dudu clapped his hands and then shouted toward Ji Shuohan, “Baba!”
Ye Zhile glared at Ji Shuohan, who avoided his gaze, looking at the ceiling, then out the floor-to-ceiling windows…
“Dudu! You only have one father, and that’s me!” Ye Zhile said huffily. He picked Dudu up. “Let’s go! Time for a nap!”
Ji Shuohan watched Ye Zhile’s retreating figure as he carried Dudu upstairs. Dudu looked back at him cheerfully, clapping his tiny hands and shouting, “Baba!”
Ji Shuohan couldn’t help but smile.
Chapter 93: Do You Want to Settle Down and Be with Me?
Ye Zhile returned to classes a few days later. He had taken a two-year hiatus, so he resumed his studies where he left off. When Leng Xingtu heard he was coming back, he was over the moon. As soon as classes ended, they invited Lu Xingyan and Han Haocheng out for a meal.
“It really has been ages.” Leng Xingtu cupped Ye Zhile’s face, looking him over. “Your complexion looks okay, but you’re still so thin.”
Ever since Ye Zhile went to his grandmother’s house, they hadn’t seen each other. During Ye Zhile’s hospitalization, Leng Xingtu had been grounded by his father for being too playful and arrogant, which apparently damaged his father’s image as a Count. He was only released once the new semester began.
“No way, I’ve actually gained weight recently.” Ye Zhile made a peace sign. “Two pounds!”
“Is it because your Papa forces you to drink nutritional soup every day?” Leng Xingtu said, seeing right through him.
Ye Zhile hooked his arm into his friend’s, looking pitiful. “Exactly! I’m about to vomit from drinking so much of it, but if I don’t, he gets angry.”
Leng Xingtu laughed at him. “Be careful Uncle Wen doesn’t hear you saying that.”
“That’s why I’m only telling you quietly. I wouldn’t even dare tell my Father; those two are completely in sync.” Ye Zhile’s expression of ‘cowardly yet disdainful’ was hilarious, and Leng Xingtu laughed at what a wimp he was.
Han Haocheng and Lu Xingyan couldn’t find a way into their conversation and just ate their food—until Lu Xingyan suddenly placed some food in Han Haocheng’s bowl.
Ye Zhile’s eyes widened. “You two… is this ‘brotherly love’ or…?”
“Homosexuality,” Leng Xingtu said flatly.
Ye Zhile was stunned. “You’re together?”
“Yeah.” Lu Xingyan nodded.
Han Haocheng looked out the window, his ears turning bright red. Usually the rowdiest one, he was the quietest today. After the initial shock passed, Ye Zhile offered his blessings. “Congratulations! May the lovers finally be united!”
“Actually, I still like Omegas, especially ones like Lele,” Han Haocheng suddenly blurted out.
Lu Xingyan turned to him. “Wait, then why didn’t you say you still liked Omegas when we got together?”
“Didn’t you say we should ‘give it a try’?” Han Haocheng argued back. “Although… I do think Alphas are quite good now…”
The reason they got together was actually quite funny. Both of them liked someone like Ye Zhile, but neither could have him. They both decided to move on, but under the influence of some atmospheric lighting at a specific moment, they suddenly saw each other in a new light. It had to be said, it was quite a capricious decision.
“Well, you’re too late now. The arrow has been shot; there’s no turning back!” Lu Xingyan declared with finality.
“I never said I wanted to turn back,” Han Haocheng glared at him.
Ye Zhile’s eyes darted between the two of them, then he leaned his head on Leng Xingtu’s shoulder. “I think… I ship the ‘Repressed Stoic Gong’ and the ‘Cool Guy Shou’ dynamic.”
“Plus one!” Leng Xingtu high-fived him in perfect sync. “But I think the probability of friends becoming lovers ending in a breakup is as high as ninety-nine percent!”
“Well said. Don’t say it again,” Lu Xingyan warned him.
Leng Xingtu shrugged fearlessly, his expression saying, ‘What are you going to do about it?’
After eating, the group walked out of the restaurant and parted ways. Ye Zhile stood by the roadside waiting for his driver, but the person who arrived wasn’t the Ye family driver—it was Ji Shuohan.
“I’m here to pick you up.” Ji Shuohan stepped out of the car.
Ye Zhile glanced at him and ignored him once he got into the car, until Ji Shuohan handed him a small, finger-sized vial filled with a transparent liquid.
“What’s this?” Ye Zhile glanced at it but didn’t take it.
“This is my pheromone extraction fluid. Keep it with you; it can provide pheromone soothing for you,” Ji Shuohan said.
Upon hearing this, a strange surge of anger rose in Ye Zhile’s heart. “Are you crazy? Who are you trying to impress with this? Does this self-sacrifice and self-satisfaction give you some sense of accomplishment?”
“Zhile, I didn’t think of it that way.” Ji Shuohan didn’t get angry, though his heart ached sharply. “You have to go to class, and I can’t be by your side every moment. This can be used whenever you need it.”
Ye Zhile snatched the small vial from his hand, clutching it in his palm. He stared out the window in silence.
Translator’s Note: Pheromone extraction fluid? That sounds incredibly painful to produce! It’s clear Ji Shuohan is trying hard to make up for the past, but Zhile isn’t ready to let him off easy. Also, our side couple Lu Xingyan and Han Haocheng are so chaotic! “A turtle looking at green beans” (王八看綠豆) is a classic Chinese idiom for two people who shouldn’t match but somehow fit perfectly.
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