Chapter 87

A gunshot rang through the headphones as the screen slowly darkened.

Jiang Zhihuo exited the game interface.

Yan Mu asked, “A victory?”

“Yeah.” While collecting quest rewards one by one in the game lobby, Jiang Zhihuo let out a sigh. “So boring.”

There was nothing to do.

He had finished all the practice papers, didn’t need to take on a part-time job, and played games, often running into elementary school kids. Two rounds were filled with clueless players, three rounds ruined by trolls. There was no real gaming experience to speak of. Only a few days of vacation remained, yet he felt too lazy to think. Once idle, he couldn’t even figure out what to do with himself.

“You can help me copy questions.” The God of Learning Yan still hadn’t finished his practice papers.

For once, Jiang Zhihuo didn’t argue. He tossed his phone onto the sofa, turned around, and asked, “Which one do I need to copy?”

With one hand freed, Yan Mu pushed two sets of practice papers toward him.

Jiang Zhihuo picked one up and began writing without hesitation.

Helping the God of Learning Yan copy questions wasn’t difficult. Write with a slightly messy hand, add two lines of explanation to put on a show, and the sense of prestige would naturally emerge. If anyone came by to take a look later, they’d inevitably exclaim how impressive it was. Writing more beyond that would be nothing but a waste of ink.

After spending a long time with Yan Mu, a subtle atmosphere gradually formed between them. Neither of them looked up much, each focused on their writing, yet if someone were to approach now, there would be nowhere for them to slip in.

“Yan-ge.” Jiang Zhihuo slouched to the side without the slightest sense of proper posture, resting his cheek on one hand. Recalling something from a few days ago, he casually brought it up to Yan Mu. “A few days ago, I had a meal with Wen Da and Qu Xiao.”

“How was it?” Yan Mu asked.

“Mhm…”

Jiang Zhihuo recalled the scene from that day.

From the moment he sat down, Wen Da and Qu Xiao had stared at him without blinking. With Yan Mu absent, the two focused all their attention on him, as if trying to stare a hole right through his body.

Jiang Zhihuo raised his hand to block their gaze. “Stop staring. The persona’s already collapsed, so accept it. Let’s treat it like we’re getting reacquainted, all right?”

The image of Shin as a cold, untouchable flower on a high peak had left too deep an impression. After all, those two rich kids knew countless people, yet among them, only Yan Mu and Shin could truly master that icy, aloof air.

Young Master Yan was cold by nature. As for Shin… damn, he faked it that convincingly.

The moment Jiang Zhihuo opened his mouth, that layer of illusion shattered. Wen Da and Qu Xiao immediately showed blank, confused expressions.

Wen Da: “I… still can’t get used to it. How about you go back to pretending?”

“That’s not happening,” Jiang Zhihuo rejected without hesitation. “Keeping up the aloof act is exhausting. I enjoy talking!”

Qu Xiao shook his head in a daze. “This feels way too surreal.”

Surreal or not, they still had to eat.

They had known each other for a long time. Once everything was laid bare, Jiang Zhihuo completely let himself go. Whenever they spent time together, Huo-ge was always the one to liven things up and set the pace. Wen Da and Qu Xiao forgot all about the cold facade he used to have within minutes and shifted the conversation to Fu Xiuwang.

Jiang Zhihuo carefully picked through the parts he was allowed to say, piecing together a rough outline. After hearing it, Wen Da and Qu Xiao remained stunned for a while.

“Seriously? They lured someone over and tampered with… damn, that’s just disgusting…”

Jiang Zhihuo didn’t want to go further into the topic. Sometimes, human nature has no bottom line. Once you started sinking, there was no way to pull yourself back out.

Wen Da and Qu Xiao talked it over for a while. Jiang Zhihuo occasionally added a word or two. The atmosphere remained relaxed.

Then, Jiang Zhihuo caught a scent. It didn’t smell like food. “Do you guys smell something?”

Qu Xiao sniffed the air. “Old Wen, is that your pheromone?” He shoved Wen Da to the side. No matter how much Shin looked like an A, after his secondary differentiation, he was now an omega.

Alphas could be affected by omega pheromones. Likewise, omegas could also be influenced.

Qu Xiao urged, “Hurry and reapply the spray.”

Wen Da quickly went to the restroom to take care of it. When he came back out, he said to Jiang Zhihuo, “Sorry, I lost track of time.”

“It’s fine.” Jiang Zhihuo showed no sign of being affected.

“That’s good.” Wen Da sat down. “Honestly, I always thought you were an alpha. Then I saw on the forum that you became an omega. It really surprised me. What does secondary differentiation feel like?”

“It doesn’t feel like anything.”

He only had to hold hands, kiss, and move into a love rival’s house, then also grew a reproductive cavity and endured stomach pains that felt like dying and coming back to life.

Now, estrus can occur at any time soon; the moment an alpha’s pheromones are in the air, the brain turns to mush.

Eh?

Jiang Zhihuo’s thoughts came to a halt.

Getting dazed from smelling alpha pheromones?

Then why was he completely fine earlier?

As he was thinking that, Qu Xiao, sitting across from him, also brought it up. “A body that’s immune to pheromones is pretty rare. Young Master Yan didn’t react either. You know about that time during military training, right? An omega chased all the way into Young Master Yan’s dorm, deliberately released pheromones, and triggered the whole room of alphas into their susceptibility period. They almost lost control and lunged at the omega. Young Master Yan was the only one who remained completely unaffected.”

“Mhm?” Jiang Zhihuo asked, “Yan-ge was fine?”

“Yeah,” Wen Da replied. “I’ve never seen Young Master Yan go through a susceptibility period.”

Jiang Zhihuo: ??

Never seen it?

Then, what was happening that day during his secondary differentiation, when Yan Mu suddenly appeared out of nowhere and marked him during what was clearly a susceptibility period?

“You copied it crooked.” Yan Mu looked up at Jiang Zhihuo and saw a row of formulas sliding downward like a tilted chute, slanting off at a forty-five-degree angle.

“You were distracted, Xiao Zhou,” Yan Mu said.

“I was thinking about something.” Jiang Zhihuo crossed out the crooked line and rewrote it. “I heard from Wen Da and the others that you don’t react to pheromones, Yan-ge?”

“……” Yan Mu didn’t know how to answer for a moment.

Jiang Zhihuo looked puzzled: “?”

“I can’t say there’s absolutely none,” Yan Mu chose his words carefully. “With others, it’s true, I’ve never reacted. With you…”

Yan Mu trailed off halfway, then got up to pour himself a glass of water.

The conversation ended there. Jiang Zhihuo didn’t intend to press further. There was no point in the two of them guessing back and forth; it was better to ask the doctor in a few days.

It was New Year, after all. No matter how simple, some sense of celebration was still necessary. The ingredients for New Year’s Eve dinner had been bought in advance. That evening, they cooked three dishes and one soup themselves, just the right amount, with no need to eat leftovers for days.

After lunch, Yan Mu and Jiang Zhihuo went out to buy spring couplets. They pasted bright red ‘Fortune’ characters on both the front door and the room door.

Along the way, they also managed to collect all five blessings while on the bus.

This year, the Five Blessings didn’t cost anything; they’re given away, all collected within minutes. He collected the complete set in minutes. As soon as he tapped open the page, he received a Universal Blessing. After writing two ‘blessing’ characters, he drew the Dedication Blessing twice in a row. In the end, he used the Universal one, rather extravagantly, to exchange for the Harmony Blessing.

The TV had been on during cooking, playing the Spring Festival special. The God of Learning Yan had maxed out cooking skills. Even though it was his first time making any of the dishes, each one came out neatly presented. Jiang Zhihuo snapped a few photos, adjusted the colors in a cheerful mood, and posted them to his Moments.

Jiang Zhihuo: New Year’s Eve dinner. [photo]

Not long after, the post received likes and comments. Among them, Tang Anmiao’s comment was especially eye-catching—

Tang Anmiao: !!!!!! Damn, damn!!!!!! Aaaaahhhhhhhhh! kswl¹[Note: “kswl” = “磕死我了,” slang for “I’m obsessed/This is killing me (with cuteness)!”]!!

Jiang Zhihuo replied: ?

Tang Anmiao: It’s nothing, Huo-ge! I just went a little crazy!!

Jiang Zhihuo didn’t understand what was going on in a girl’s head. After finishing dinner, he checked his Moments again and saw that Yan Mu had posted something as well, only one minute before his post.

It was the same New Year’s Eve dinner.

What did it mean when two people posted the same New Year’s Eve dinner?

It meant they were spending New Year together this year.

Why were they spending New Year together?

Because they were obviously married!!

It wasn’t hard to guess what went through a CP girl’s mind. Jiang Zhihuo leaned over to Yan Mu and showed him Tang Anmiao’s comment. “Yan-ge dropped sugar and drove people mad.”

Jiang Zhihuo didn’t mind the forum girls shipping them. After all, without sugar, there’d be nothing to ship. The thread was still up. He and Yan Mu would read through the posts together now and then.

At 8 PM, the two sat on the sofa watching the Spring Festival Gala. The TV was on, but in truth, both of them were focused on their phones. Group messages, private messages—notifications buzzing nonstop. Only when the performances were playing did things quiet down for a while.

Tang Anmiao: Huo-ge, happy New Year’s Eve to God Yan too (help me pass it on to the God of Learning; since you two live together, I’ll send it to one of you).

Jiang Zhihuo: Got it. Happy New Year!

Tang Anmiao: !!!!

Tang Anmiao: Seriously? You two really live together?!!!

Jiang Zhihuo thought to himself: Of course it’s true. We’ve been living in Dorm 4, Room 5²[T/N: I think this is just a joke he made up himself.] for an entire semester already.

He snapped a photo of Yan Mu playing on his phone but paused before sending it.

In the photo, Yan Mu’s fingers were slightly curled. His hands were especially good-looking. The fingers were slender with faint veins running across the back.

Jiang Zhihuo: Never mind.

Tang Anmiao: What?

Jiang Zhihuo: I took a picture. My Yan-ge looks too good. I’m not sending it to you.

Tang Anmiao: That’s enough!! Huo-ge, you’ve gone too far!!!

Jiang Zhihuo quietly saved the photo for himself, then jumped between a few group chats, grabbing red envelopes. Before long, Li Muhe sent over a money transfer. Jiang Zhihuo hadn’t even seen how much it was before Li Muhe’s video call came through.

“Xiao Huo, happy New Year’s Eve.”

The video was lively, filled with people.

Right before the New Year, the lab had taken on a last-minute project. Contributing to scientific progress meant the holiday wasn’t limited to only these few days. The senior students were all asked to stay, and now a group of them were gathered together, full of noise and activity. Li Muhe found a moment to send Jiang Zhihuo some lucky money.

“Happy New Year’s Eve!” Jiang Zhihuo glanced at the red envelope—good grief, 6666.

He pulled Yan Mu over to join the call first.

Seeing someone through a screen wasn’t as awkward as meeting in person. Yan Mu also said, “Happy New Year’s Eve.”

After a quick greeting, Jiang Zhihuo jumped back into the conversation and said, “Li-ge, I can’t accept this lucky money. I’ll return it to you.”

“Don’t send it back. It’s for Yan Mu, too.” Li Muhe said. “It’s not much, just a small token.”

Jiang Zhihuo: “This isn’t much? When did Researcher Li become this impressive?”

They hadn’t chatted for long before the seniors behind Li Muhe got completely carried away. They called out New Year’s greetings to the camera and told Jiang Zhihuo to hand Li Muhe over.

“He is always working with you guys. What’s wrong with me chatting with my ge for a bit during the New Year?”

“You two can talk later,” said one of the seniors, who had met Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu before. “Let your little boyfriend keep you company first.”

Little boyfriend—that nickname had Jiang Zhihuo laughing for quite a while.

Yan Mu gave him a slight rub.

The two leaned against each other. When it got a bit cold later, Yan Mu went to the room and brought out a blanket. They curled up under it together.

Fireworks were banned in the city, but small sparklers and firecrackers were still allowed. Sparks crackled and burst open, and from downstairs came children’s laughter now and then.

Jiang Zhihuo pulled the blanket up a little higher. The cold was setting in, and drowsiness was creeping over him, making his eyelids grow heavy.

Jiang Zhihuo said, “Yan-ge, can you help close the window?”

Yan Mu said, “It’s already closed. It wasn’t opened.”

Jiang Zhihuo hunched his shoulders. “Then why do I feel a cold wind blowing in?”

He hadn’t meant anything by it at all when he spoke, but Yan Mu lowered his head, their foreheads gently touching.

The scent on Yan Mu was pleasant, lingering at the tip of his nose. Jiang Zhihuo naturally closed his eyes.

“It’s fine.” Yan Mu asked, “Do you want to go to sleep inside?”

“Mhm.” Jiang Zhihuo lingered for a moment longer, his body loose and drowsy with laziness.

Just then, Yan Mu’s phone rang. Someone was calling through video.

At the same time, Jiang Zhihuo suddenly clutched his chest with one hand, his fingers curling inward little by little, wrinkling the collar of his shirt.

“Xiao Zhou?”

“I’m fine!” Jiang Zhihuo let go of his chest, tried to steady his breathing, and gave a smile. “Yan-ge, go ahead and answer. I’m too tired. I’m going to sleep.”

With that, Jiang Zhihuo quickly hopped off the sofa and walked to the room. The moment the door closed behind him, he slid down slowly with his back against it.

His legs had gone weak; he couldn’t even stay standing.

His heart pounded furiously against his chest, each beat stronger than the last. The back of his neck burned with a sharp sting.

A sudden roar, like the sound of heavy machinery, rang in his ears. His chest felt as if it were soaked in thick liquid. Every breath was a struggle.

Everything had come on far too abruptly, more intense than any previous episode. There had been no warning, no time to react. Relying solely on willpower, Jiang Zhihuo forced himself to the desk. The inhibitor, the drug—they were all in the bag…

He Miaomiao had called in the video call. On the other end of the screen was a large New Year’s Eve dinner spread. Dressed in pink loungewear, He Miaomiao waved at the camera. “Young Master Yan, Happy Spring Festival!”

Another person entered the frame. Qin Nian appeared beside He Miaomiao. His blonde hair was tied back, with a few loose strands falling near his ears.

“Xiao Mu, Happy New Year’s Eve.”

“Happy New Year’s Eve,” Yan Mu said.

The three chatted for about ten minutes. With the connections between them, there was no way to avoid mentioning the matters related to Yan Buwei.

Qin Nian said he had gone to visit Yan Buwei today. In less than a week inside, he was already noticeably haggard. Someone accustomed to a life of comfort simply could not endure the plain meals and harsh conditions of the detention center.

As soon as Yan Buwei saw Qin Nian, he threw himself at the glass like a madman, pounding on it over and over.

The glass was too thick. Even after pounding until his hands turned bruised, not a single sound could get through.

Places like this were the best at driving people insane. It didn’t matter who you were before. Once inside, you were just a suspect, no better, no more dignified than anyone else.

Qin Nian had compiled all the insults against Yan Buwei from the internet into a thick stack of printed pages and showed them to him one by one.

Yan Buwei cared most about saving face. Back then, he had staged everything to build a good reputation for himself. Now, with his image completely shattered and the entire internet turning against him, each insult cut deeper than the last, like knives stabbing into his body. He couldn’t take it.

Qin Nian watched his expression distort bit by bit as he screamed at him, voice broken, like a rabid dog. In the end, the prison guards dragged him away.

“Pathetic.” Qin Nian gave a scornful smile. “Can’t even handle this much.”

After ending the video call, Yan Mu didn’t return to the room right away.

He sat on the balcony for a while longer.

The night of New Year’s Eve was neither dark nor quiet.

Lanterns hung from every balcony, and the bushes downstairs were adorned with strings of colored lights. Children played with sparklers, their excitement uncontained. A few small figures huddled together, cheerful and full of noise.

A sense of ease settled in Yan Mu’s heart, something he had never felt before.

He had never dared to imagine carefree days like this before, and now he didn’t want to let them go.

Happy New Year’s Eve. May the year be a good one.

He said it silently in his heart.

He didn’t sit for long. Yan Mu got up, shut the floor-to-ceiling windows tightly, and turned off the lights in the living room.

But when he pushed open the bedroom door, he froze.

The scent of pheromones rushed at him. Jiang Zhihuo was nearly kneeling on the floor, drinking water nonstop, over and over. On the ground were an empty packet of pills and a used inhibitor.

“Yan-ge…”

He saw Yan Mu and caught the faint scent of rain lingering on him.

It was hidden beneath a layer of masking spray, but he still caught it.

In that moment, it felt as if some force pushed him forward. Every cell in his body began to throb, to scream, to cry out endlessly, telling him—

It’s this person. It’s this scent.

Yes, pounce on him.

Let him embrace, let him kiss, let him mark, let him *³[T/N: This word is censored in raws.].

An unbearable itch flared across his lower back, intense to the point of madness. It was a kind of torment, impossible to endure, as if something inside him was missing. He wanted to tear himself open, to split himself apart, to receive something, whether scalding or warm, he didn’t know its shape, didn’t know if it would fit, but at this moment, he wanted it with overwhelming urgency.

This was omega’s estrus.

The instinct of an omega in estrus. The primary condition granted by his secondary gender.

The curtains were tightly drawn, and light from the room cast the shape of the door onto the wall behind.

Inside, the room was in complete disarray.

Jiang Zhihuo lifted his face, his eyes filled with a dense mist, the corners of his eyes flushed red. He looked at Yan Mu with an expression full of chaos and confusion, his voice soft and helpless.

“Yan-ge, the drug and the inhibitor don’t work… I really can’t take it anymore…”

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  [Note: “kswl” = “磕死我了,” slang for “I’m obsessed/This is killing me (with cuteness)!”]
• 2
  [T/N: I think this is just a joke he made up himself.]
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  [T/N: This word is censored in raws.]