Chapter 56

This kind of act of declaring ownership didn’t make much sense, but it felt warm, like being tossed into a bundle of cotton, making the whole heart feel warm and fuzzy.

Even after putting Yan Mu in the bus, this sentence didn’t leave Jiang Zhihuo’s mind.

His ears were still burning.

Jiang Zhihuo didn’t dare look in the mirror, afraid he’d see his earlobes red enough to bleed.

Lately, people were always talking about Yan Mu, so much that he’d gotten used to it.

It wasn’t that Jiang Zhihuo wanted to be around Yan Mu all day, but rather that the people around them kept staring at them, asking what was really going on, what stage they were at. Jiang Zhihuo would reply, “Really, we’re not together,” but the listeners would just scoff and say, “Huo-ge, do you think we believe that?”

Whether they believed it or not didn’t matter; whether they were together was between the two of them. It wasn’t like they were dating anyone else.

But undeniably, Yan Mu being away for the past three days to join the competition felt quite unusual.

The forum’s CP girls had no sugar to feed on and were quite lonely, and Jiang Zhihuo himself felt bored too.

That afternoon, Jiang Zhihuo lay on the sofa with one leg over the other.

He was at Li-ge‘s house now; Li-ge’s father, Li Hao, wasn’t home, having gone to another province for a case these past two months.

Back when they used to live together, Li Hao often traveled for work too, disappearing for two or three months at a time, only sending money without calling. Li Muhe would have to watch the news to find out what his father was up to.

Officer Li was quite well-known and popular nationwide for his efficient case-solving skills and frequent appearances on legal TV programs, earning many fans.

Jiang Zhihuo was on his phone, scrolling through his previous chat history with Yan Mu.

Not long ago, Yan Mu had sent a super cute message.

Yan Mu: Got to attend a review meeting.

Yan Mu: Wait for me a bit.

Jiang Zhihuo: ?

Yan Mu: A guide from Qu Xiao.

He sent a few pictures.

Qu Xiao, the unreliable playboy, was full of flirtation tricks. He’d compiled a set of reply lines for lovers and shared it with Yan Mu, but knowing Qu Xiao, Jiang Zhihuo figured he probably just found them online.

The tricks went something like this.

Different ways to reply to your lover—

When you’re busy.

Low EQ version: Wait, I’m busy.

High EQ version: Wait for me a bit, baby; I’ll be right there!

When your lover sends you a selfie.

Low EQ version: Nice.

High EQ version: Wuwuwu, my baby is so gorgeous, I just want to kiss, hug, and lift you up QwQ.

Jiang Zhihuo seriously imagined the aloof Yan Mu grimacing at this cheesy guide, then picked the least cringy line from it. He chuckled softly as he replied.

Jiang Zhihuo: Where’s your wuwuwu, my baby, QwQ?

Yan Mu: That would kind of break my character.

Simply saying “wait for me a bit” was already the biggest compromise Yan Mu could make.

Jiang Zhihuo: Wuwuwu, I see. Yan-ge, beinglike this is so cool, ehehe QwQ, mwah!

Yan Mu: ……

Jiang Zhihuo looked at the six dots on the screen and chuckled at himself again.

A fragrant smell wafted from the kitchen—Li Muhe’s soup was ready. Jiang Zhihuo jumped off the sofa, put on heat-resistant gloves, and helped carry it out.

The food was served, and Li-ge‘s cooking was as excellent as always. There were three dishes and one soup, with both meat and vegetables, a balanced mix.

Since coming back to Lincheng, this was the first time Li Muhe and Jiang Zhihuo had a proper meal together. They’d talked for hours about where to eat but couldn’t decide, so they cooked at home.

The division of labor was clear—Li Muhe did the cooking, and Jiang Zhihuo handled clearing the table and washing the dishes.

They hadn’t seen each other in three or four months, but the two brothers weren’t the least bit awkward. They chatted while eating, with the TV in the living room playing in the background.

The TV was airing the latest news.

Several senior high school students had run away from home due to the pressure of their final year.

Before leaving, they had each left behind a note and then disappeared, leaving no trace.

“Father’s been investigating this case recently,” Li Muhe said, placing a piece of rib in Jiang Zhihuo’s bowl.

At the mention of Li Hao, Jiang Zhihuo’s expression gradually dimmed. “I know.”

“Mhm, he thinks this isn’t a simple case of running away from home.”

“Of course it’s not. It’s too obvious. In this mobile payment era, there’s no way someone could leave without any transaction records. Even the SkyEye system couldn’t track them down—it’s like they vanished. It’s pretty clear. They were either abducted or jumped off a cliff, as they can’t still be in the city. Many people are guessing that, but the authorities can’t confirm it for fear of causing panic.”

“Is that so?” Li Muhe smiled. “Then why did our smart Xiao Huo only score 330 on the midterms?”

“…” Jiang Zhihuo nearly choked and said with a wry face, “Li-ge, can we not talk about this?”

Li Muhe looked at him indulgently, his eyes curving into a smile. “You seem pretty happy lately.”

Jiang Zhihuo scooped up a bite of rice and said, “It’s alright.”

Li Muhe changed the subject and asked, “That person you always call—are you two together?”

“Ah?” Jiang Zhihuo was stunned for a moment before realizing who Li Muhe was referring to. He put down his chopsticks. “Not yet!”

Why was Li-ge being so gossipy too!?

He felt his family had discovered his relationship. Without thinking and with no logic at all, he blurted out, “He-he-he, he’s an alpha! H-Haven’t I undergone a secondary differentiation into an omega? So technically, even if we are together, it wouldn’t count as being in a same-sex relationship! At least we have different secondary genders!”

Li Muhe hadn’t expected this kind of reaction from Jiang Zhihuo. He’d only casually asked, but Jiang Zhihuo’s urgent explanation made his smile freeze on his face.

Li Muhe’s lips pressed down a bit, his smile turning a bit bitter. He lowered his head to pick up some food, hiding his expression as he said, “I see. As long as it’s your decision, I won’t object, Xiao Huo.”

After dinner, Jiang Zhihuo helped wash the dishes in the kitchen. They had to thoroughly clean the house, which had been uninhabited for a long time and covered in dust. Li Muhe put on sleeve covers and an apron, sweeping and mopping.

Jiang Zhihuo turned off the water and asked, “How long will you be staying this time?”

Li Muhe’s voice came from the living room. “About a month or so. This project’s in Lincheng.”

After finishing the dishes and loading the clean tableware into the sterilizer, Yan Mu’s call came through, probably because his review meeting had ended.

Jiang Zhihuo wiped his hands clean and went to the balcony to take the call.

Ever since he’d said he wanted to pursue Jiang Zhihuo, Yan Mu had been very proactive.

Although he wasn’t particularly talkative, he was gradually learning how to engage in small talk. However, he hadn’t quite mastered the art, so it felt a bit awkward.

He said, “It’s pretty here. The hotel is by the river, and there’s a bird on the window.”

“What kind of bird?” Jiang Zhihuo asked.

“A sparrow.”

Jiang Zhihuo laughed, “Then why didn’t you just say it was a sparrow?”

Yan Mu answered seriously, “Because then you would ask me.”

The newly in-love Yan Mu was both naive and a little cunning.

They also talked about today’s competition questions. They were incredibly hard, involving cosmic deflection forces. The test provided several complex formulas and required the participants to use them to calculate the mass of a specific black hole.

“Are these questions insane?! Are they trying to pick a few of you competition participants for the space agency?”

“Maybe.”

Jiang Zhihuo leaned against the balcony railing while on the phone, sunlight warming his back, making him feel comfortable and relaxed.

Li Muhe’s voice came from the room. “Xiao Huo, could you hand me the dustpan?”

“Sure,” Jiang Zhihuo replied, “Coming!”

On the other end of the line, Yan Mu heard the noise and asked, “Who are you with now?”

“Li-ge,” Jiang Zhihuo replied, passing the dustpan. “I came here for lunch; the house has been empty for too long. Got to help with cleaning later.”

Yan Mu stayed silent for a moment on the other end.

Jiang Zhihuo asked, “Are you coming back tonight?”

Yan Mu replied, “Probably not tonight. The others want to stay and look around. I’ll return tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for you, Yan-ge.”

After hanging up, Jiang Zhihuo helped Li Muhe tidy the room. They laid out the bedsheets and soft blankets, each holding a corner, shaking the duvet to fluff it up.

“Xiao Huo, are you really not coming back to live here?” Li Muhe asked.

“Nope, I’ve already paid the rent there,” Jiang Zhihuo said.

Li Muhe: “Alright then. I’d like to visit sometime if that’s okay?”

Jiang Zhihuo: “Of course, come over anytime!”

Li Muhe smiled.

The house was huge. After finishing the cleaning, it was already past 5 p.m. Jiang Zhihuo didn’t stay for dinner; he grabbed his clothes and headed to Xiang Yao bar.

Wen Da was still in Hawaii attending a wedding. According to Boss Qu, it was Wen Da’s cousin’s wedding, and the family was super rich. The wedding was going to last seven days and seven nights, so the earliest Wen Da could return would be Sunday. Anyway, Wen Da was pretty happy about it, treating it like a week-long vacation from school.

Qu Xiao didn’t come to the bar tonight; he had a date. The night before, he’d asked Jiang Zhihuo to teach him bartending, and Jiang Zhihuo had shown him a foolproof method. Now, he was probably showing off in front of some new girlfriend.

At 9:45 p.m., a well-dressed man in a suit arrived at the bar on time and ordered a drink called Amber.

Amber was a cocktail made by mixing gin, vermouth, Chartreuse, and bitters. The finished drink was clear and beautiful, like amber, with a rich and mellow flavor.

Jiang Zhihuo served the drink to the man.

The man took the glass but didn’t drink right away. Instead, he called out, “Shin.”

“Hello.” Jiang Zhihuo turned around, always polite as the bartender Shin.

“Do you want to stay here forever?” The man asked.

“What do you mean?” Jiang Zhihuo asked.

“The bar.” The man tapped the table twice. “I remember you said you’re a senior in high school? Is it too much pressure?”

Jiang Zhihuo lowered his gaze. “Yes, school is boring.”

The man took a sip, the strong alcohol swirling in his mouth, and said bluntly, “You’re not like this at school, Jiang Zhihuo.”

Jiang Zhihuo widened his eyes in feigned surprise, but with so many people around, he couldn’t break character. He could only lower his voice and say, “You’ve been investigating me?!”

“Yes.” The man admitted it without hesitation. “I think you’re interesting. Why do you pretend like this?”

“Keeping a straight face helps sell drinks. There’s commission.” With his cover blown, Jiang Zhihuo could only be honest.

The man smiled and shook his head. “Kid.”

He didn’t talk to Jiang Zhihuo for long. After finishing his drink, he handed him a business card. “If you get tired of this place, you can come find me.”

Jiang Zhihuo looked at him with a mix of curiosity and caution. “Why?”

Boys of his age often exhibited a self-assured vigilance, even though they had not yet fully developed their worldview, which made them easy to coax.

The man smiled his usual smile. “To help you find your ideal.”

And with that, he left.

After the man left, Jiang Zhihuo lazily picked up the black and gold-edged business card. It had the man’s name on it—Fu Xiuwang, Executive Manager at XL Entertainment.

Four months ago, Jiang Zhihuo had received a text from Li Hao.

It used encrypted terms, which translated to: Investigation target—Bai Zhengou, Fu Xiuwang.

He took a picture of the business card and placed it into a folder named ‘Profile Report.’

A personality profile could be built in many aspects. The design of a business card, including its decorative patterns, could reveal a person’s character traits.

Jiang Zhihuo stayed at the bar for a while longer. Soon, the next bartender came to take over, and he went into the locker room to change clothes.

“Shin, are you off now?”

Another server who was resting in the locker room saw Jiang Zhihuo come in and made room for him.

“Yeah,” Jiang Zhihuo sighed with relief and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.

The feeling of keeping up appearances was like having the top button buttoned up, choking and stifling.

He stepped into a curtained area, changed clothes, came out, folded his uniform neatly, put it into the locker, and slung his bag over his shoulder. “I’m leaving.”

“Got it.” The resting server, scrolling through Weibo, looked up and waved at him. “Take care on the way.”

Jiang Zhihuo lifted his foot to leave.

However, after a couple of steps, he suddenly crouched down.

“Shin, what’s wrong?” The server asked.

Jiang Zhihuo waved his hand, unable to speak.

His lower abdomen suddenly began to hurt so intensely he couldn’t make a sound. He thought it would be like before, only a couple of twinges that would ease after squatting for a bit, but this time was different. It felt like countless needles were stabbing inward, sharp pain making him break out in a cold sweat.

Seeing him like this, the server quickly stood up and walked toward him, only to see Jiang Zhihuo’s face pale as a sheet of paper.

The pain in his lower abdomen intensified, the sensation almost rushing to his head. His neck began to feel hot, his breathing became labored, and a feverish feeling spread all over his body.

Jiang Zhihuo’s vision blurred in an instant, and his body swayed forward as he lost consciousness, collapsing straight ahead.

“Shin! Shin!”
……
Yan Mu got Qu Xiao’s call and didn’t wait for the school bus; he hurried back by himself.

Qu Xiao had been flirting with a girl then, impressing her with his cool, showy bartending skills. When he was about to succeed, his phone suddenly rang.

“Boss, Shin suddenly fainted. I called 120. Do you know any of his friends? Can you help notify them?!”

Without a second thought, Qu Xiao called Yan Mu. “Your baby Shin fainted at the bar! Hurry back!!”

Yan Mu rushed into the hospital room and saw Li Muhe sitting by Jiang Zhihuo’s side. He was holding Jiang Zhihuo’s hand, pressing it to his forehead, his face full of worry, while the machines nearby beeped steadily.

Yan Mu walked into the room, stared intently at the hand being held, and lowered his voice to ask, “What did the doctor say?”

Li Muhe recognized this young man as someone he had briefly met in the office. He let go of Jiang Zhihuo’s hand, tucked it back under the blanket, and said, “It was too late; they only did a sonography, and the results aren’t out yet. But I got a call from another doctor—they transferred him to the ABO Department. They’ve only administered painkillers and saline for now. The other tests can only be done tomorrow.”

Jiang Zhihuo was still asleep in the hospital bed. He must’ve been in pain the whole way here, his brows still tightly furrowed. Yan Mu leaned in and slowly released his pheromones.

An alpha’s pheromones could calm an omega to the greatest extent, especially since Jiang Zhihuo still bore traces of his mark, even if it had faded to only 5%.

Jiang Zhihuo slowly relaxed because of this familiar scent, his furrowed brows smoothing out.

Yan Mu gently brushed his hand over him.

In the single hospital room, one was asleep while the other two were awake, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Yan Mu wasn’t the type to start conversations, so after a moment of silence, Li Muhe spoke first, “You two seem pretty close.”

“Yes,” Yan Mu said, looking at Jiang Zhihuo’s face. “We’ve known each other for a long time.”

Li Muhe: “This is my first time meeting you.”

When Xiao Huo was ten, Li Hao had brought him home. They’d lived together for so many years, but Li Muhe had indeed never met Yan Mu.

These words, in the ears of a certain vinegar jar, could be interpreted in many ways. Earlier, Li Muhe’s gaze at Jiang Zhihuo had been too ambiguous, and Yan Mu had held back his emotions for a long time.

However, before he could say anything more, Jiang Zhihuo, lying on the hospital bed, stirred again. His brows, which had only relaxed, furrowed tightly once more, sweat broke out on his forehead, and his lips trembled.

His breathing and heartbeat quickened, and the nearby monitoring equipment’s beeping sped up as well.

“Xiao Huo!” Li Muhe stood up in panic, about to press the call button to summon the doctor.

“Wait.” Yan Mu stopped Li Muhe.

He had caught a strong whiff of pheromones!

During the sports meet, Jiang Zhihuo’s inhibitor shots were scheduled for the afternoon. By the usual calculation of every four hours, it was now time for another shot.

“Where’s his bag?” Yan Mu asked.

“Here.” Li Muhe handed it over.

Yan Mu found the special inhibitor from inside, carefully tilted Jiang Zhihuo’s head, and inserted the syringe into his gland.

Gradually, Jiang Zhihuo’s expression eased, and the monitoring equipment returned to its normal pace.

Beep—beep—beep—

It was fine now.

Li Muhe relaxed, and Yan Mu put away the used inhibitor, tossing it into the trash can by the door. When he came back in, he saw Li Muhe sitting with his fingers intertwined.

The ward’s light was pale and dim, and Li Muhe’s gaze was equally faint. “How did you know Xiao Huo needed an inhibitor?”

“The pheromones, you…” Yan Mu actually wanted to ask, “can’t you smell it?” But then he saw the bitter smile on Li Muhe’s face.

“I see.”

Li Muhe was a beta; he couldn’t smell the pheromones.

No matter whether Xiao Huo was an alpha or an omega, he couldn’t smell his pheromones.

“Are you staying here tonight?” Li Muhe asked.

Yan Mu gave a soft ‘mhm.’

“If that’s the case, I’ll go back to get some things. The doctor will do rounds at eight in the morning. I’ll come back then.”

“Okay.”

The painkillers had sedatives in them. After taking two painkillers, Jiang Zhihuo slept through the night. When he woke up and saw someone resting by his bed, he realized he had been brought to the hospital.

?

What happened yesterday?

Wasn’t it merely a stomachache? How did he end up in the hospital??

Jiang Zhihuo hadn’t figured out the situation himself, and just then, Yan Mu also woke up.

“Yan-ge?” Jiang Zhihuo’s eyes lit up. “You’re back?!”

“Are you feeling okay?” Yan Mu asked.

“I’m alright, not feeling much anymore. What exactly happened last night?”

Yan Mu shook his head. No answers yet—they had to wait for the doctor.

Last night, Yan Mu had gone to buy some simple toiletries for the room, even dragging in his suitcase, complete with face wash.

Jiang Zhihuo washed up and cleaned his face, making himself look fresh and neat. Not long after, Li Muhe also came in, bringing congee—chicken congee with a rich chicken flavor soaked into the soft rice.

He served a bowl to Jiang Zhihuo and one to Yan Mu.

Jiang Zhihuo enthusiastically promoted his brother’s skills. “You’ve got to try it! Li-ge‘s cooking is excellent!”

Li Muhe smiled and said to Yan Mu, “You had a tough night.”

With Jiang Zhihuo around, the atmosphere wasn’t awkward. He introduced Yan Mu to Li-ge and, conversely, chatted non-stop in his cheerful mood.

“Li-ge‘s cooking is seriously good. Before I moved out, he used to make breakfast. I’m such a foodie I even trained myself to wake up early for it. But for the past couple of years, I’ve gone back home.”

“As for Yan-ge, a few months ago I never thought we’d be sitting here so peacefully. We really didn’t get along at first. Every time we met, we argued. We even chased the same girl. I told you about that.”

As he spoke, Yan Mu grabbed Jiang Zhihuo’s hand. Jiang Zhihuo’s words stopped abruptly. Feeling the touch in his palm, he remembered what Yan Mu had whispered in his ear on the day he left.

You are mine.

Those words were etched in his heart, something he’d tease Yan-ge about in the future, but for now, he could only savor them.

Jiang Zhihuo was suddenly at a loss for words. “Um… anyway, just… hehe…”

Li Muhe smiled. “Eat up. Stop talking.”

Jiang Zhihuo lowered his head and focused on the congee. After finishing and tidying up, the doctor came in.

It was the same doctor from the ABO Department who had seen him for the A to O symptoms before—the department head.

The doctor pressed on two spots on his lower abdomen and asked if they hurt.

One spot didn’t hurt, but the other did when pressed. Jiang Zhihuo answered truthfully.

The doctor nodded, indicating he understood the situation.

“Doctor, what exactly is wrong with Xiao Huo?” Li Muhe asked.

“It’s nothing major. Let’s talk first.” The doctor had met Yan Mu before. Yan Mu had accompanied Jiang Zhihuo to his initial visits, and he knew he was an alpha.

Since he had been transferred to the ABO Department in the middle of the night, it clearly had to do with his secondary gender. The doctor apologetically said to Li Muhe, “I’m sorry, but could you please step out for a moment? I need to discuss some things with these two.”

Li Muhe was slightly taken aback. “Me?”

The doctor explained, “We may need this alpha’s cooperation later. I’ll explain the details shortly. Is that okay?”

Li Muhe nodded and cooperatively stepped out, closing the door behind him.

The doctor left only Yan Mu in the room, which made Jiang Zhihuo a little nervous. He swallowed hard, waiting for the doctor to deliver his findings.

However, the doctor smiled happily and said, “Congratulations, your secondary differentiation is going very smoothly. I’ve reviewed the sonography results, and everything looks normal.”

“The reason for the abdominal pain is because you’re developing a reproductive cavity.”

Re-pro-ductive? Cavity?

Jiang Zhihuo: “?”