Chapter 68: Just Wanting a Little Pheromone
Since the pineapple shortcakes couldn’t be kept, Ye Zhile shared them with everyone. Xiao Ruo ate them with great relish, praising him all the while, “Madam’s skill at making snacks is truly wonderful.”
“Then eat more,” Ye Zhile smiled.
“Will do!” Xiao Ruo said.
Ye Zhile had nothing to be busy with. He looked at the closed door upstairs and went back to his room for an afternoon nap.
When he woke up, it was almost dinner time. Ye Zhile felt a bit uncomfortable all over. His chest felt tight. When he stood up, he swayed for a moment and only steadied himself by leaning against the bed.
For someone lacking pheromones, this room was like a frozen cave, so cold that Ye Zhile couldn’t find a trace of warmth.
The dinner today was Western style. Ruan Chenxin didn’t know how to use a knife and fork. A sharp sound of cutlery scraping against the plate rang out. Ye Zhile felt flustered hearing it and couldn’t help but remind him, “This steak is very tender; you don’t need to cut so hard.”
Ruan Chenxin was momentarily embarrassed. He looked at Ji Shuohan. “I’m sorry, Brother Shuohan. I don’t know how; can you teach me?”
Ji Shuohan casually demonstrated for him once. Ruan Chenxin was overjoyed. “Thank you, Brother Shuohan.”
Ye Zhile felt that his voice was loud enough to pierce his heart. He covered his chest and stood up. “You two eat slowly.”
“Auntie Zhang, please boil a bowl of congee for me,” Ye Zhile called toward the kitchen. Auntie Zhang poked her head out and smiled. “Okay, I’ll send it up to you in a bit.”
“Thank you, Auntie Zhang,” Ye Zhile said, heading upstairs.
“Choosing not to eat when it’s time to eat, then wanting to eat later—that’s just troubling people,” Ruan Chenxin muttered, his voice not quiet. Ji Shuohan heard it.
He watched Ye Zhile’s thin, frail back as he went upstairs until he disappeared at the staircase. Then he glanced at Ruan Chenxin and said expressionlessly, “It’s not as if we aren’t paying her wages.”
With that, Ji Shuohan also put down his knife and fork and went upstairs, telling Xiao Ruo to bring a cup of coffee to the study later.
Ruan Chenxin’s face froze. How could he have forgotten? The wages of the servants in the Leader’s Manor were higher than those of white-collar workers outside. He was indeed overthinking things.
But then he felt unwilling again. No matter how you looked at it, he had saved the life of the Empire’s Leader. Was he just going to be dismissed so easily? Although the Leader said he would give him a lot of money, what he wanted was far more than that.
Ye Zhile accompanied Dudu in the nursery. He leaned against the railing of the small bed, teasing Dudu with his finger.
Dudu was now four months old and could already roll over. Every time Ye Zhile saw him huffing and puffing to roll over, he found it amusing. That clumsy yet hardworking little appearance was truly too cute and lovable. He never tired of watching it.
Ji Shuohan stood at the door of the nursery. As soon as he entered, he saw the youth’s gentle, sweet smiling face. He was dazed for a moment.
“My Lord?”
Ji Shuohan snapped out of it. “Are you not feeling well?”
Ye Zhile stood up. He was ecstatic, hesitating. “Mhm… a little.”
“Oh.” Ji Shuohan had no further words. He turned and went to the study.
Ye Zhile felt like a self-important clown. If this were before, shortly after they were married, Ye Zhile would surely have foolishly thought My Lord was concerned about him. A casual, perfunctory greeting would have made him happily overthink things for half a day.
But he now knew what it looked like when My Lord didn’t love him, so he felt the coldness after My Lord’s amnesia even more keenly.
Ye Zhile stood motionless for a long time. Finally, he moved his body and gave a bitter laugh. He turned to look at Dudu’s tender, soft face.
“What if your father never remembers for his whole life…”
Ye Zhile went back to his room and showered. When he came out, he sneezed. He quickly dried his hair and crawled into bed, but when he reached out, his forehead felt a bit hot and his body felt weak.
Ye Zhile climbed out of bed. He might have a bit of a cold, but more than that, he needed pheromones. The doctor said that if his body didn’t receive an Enigma’s pheromone comfort soon, the most severe consequence would be the removal of his glands.
He didn’t want that, and he didn’t want to worry his family because of it.
Ye Zhile came to My Lord’s bedroom. The room was filled with pheromones that had disappeared for a long time and then suddenly returned. It was as if he were submerged in a warm ocean, but it was far from enough. His long-empty body needed more.
Ye Zhile went straight to the walk-in closet and found a set of clothes My Lord had worn but hadn’t yet been sent for laundry. He held it to his nose, carefully soaking in the scent.
“What are you doing?”
Ye Zhile was somewhat intoxicated. Over the past year, his health had become even worse than before and couldn’t handle such a fright. A sudden, sharp questioning rang out. His hands and feet shook, and he looked up in alarm. Seeing the expressionless Supreme Leader, he said softly:
“I just wanted a little pheromone.”
Ji Shuohan didn’t speak. Ye Zhile felt both ashamed and aggrieved, his eyes immediately filling with a layer of mist. “I’m not a thief… Why is My Lord being so fierce…”
As he spoke, Ye Zhile’s tears fell with a “patter.” At the same time, he thought to himself: What kind of Omega has to be so humble just to get some pheromones?
“I wasn’t being fierce,” Ji Shuohan said. At the same time, he released his pheromones. The scent of crisp cedar immediately covered the scent of freesia. “If you need it, you can just tell me.”
Ye Zhile lowered his head, feeling as if he had no dignity left. To receive pheromones for his own Omega, he had to ask? Shouldn’t it be given proactively?
The cedar scent came on strong. Ye Zhile couldn’t quite handle it; his legs went weak and he was about to collapse. Ji Shuohan took a large stride forward to catch him, helping him sit on the bed.
Ye Zhile’s consciousness was hazy. He opened his eyes to see the man’s furrowed brows—he didn’t look full of heartache like before. Instead, he seemed confused by his behavior.
Ye Zhile leaned weakly in Ji Shuohan’s arms. His body couldn’t handle the sudden, violent surge of pheromones at all. But he didn’t know, and Ji Shuohan didn’t know his physical condition either. Hearing the youth wanted pheromones, he simply supplied them in abundance.
Ye Zhile’s vision grew more and more blurred. Under Ji Shuohan’s puzzled gaze, he fainted.
“Ye Zhile?” Ji Shuohan patted his face lightly. The youth had lost consciousness. He carried him to the bed and called for a doctor.
Xiao Yuanqing came over. After examining Ye Zhile, he looked at Ji Shuohan with an “unworthy of pity” expression. Ji Shuohan looked like he believed he was innocent through ignorance, his face cold and indifferent.
“His health is poor; you have to give him pheromones in moderation. You gave so much all at once—how is he supposed to handle it?” Xiao Yuanqing was somewhat angry. Back then, Ji Shuohan had been personally involved in everything for Ye Zhile, doting on him to the extreme. Now, he couldn’t even handle such a small matter correctly.
“Understood,” Ji Shuohan said.
Xiao Yuanqing was very disappointed. He said, “I hope in the future you’d better be prepared to kneel on durians. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee Lele will forgive you.”
Ji Shuohan looked at him indifferently. At this moment, the nature of an Enigma was revealed in full. Enigmas were inherently like this—scornful, disdainful… their ultra-stable psychological quality and high intelligence made them abnormally rational and cold-blooded.
Translator’s Note: “Kneeling on durians” is a popular Chinese slang/meme for a husband being punished by his wife. Ji Shuohan’s “Enigma nature” is really showing—he’s so logical that he’s being unintentionally cruel. Lele’s health is so fragile; let’s hope the amnesia doesn’t last too long! See you in the next update! I hate this~ huhuhu~
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