Chapter 89

The fever subsided at just the right time.

On the day before school resumed, Jiang Zhihuo and Yan Mu made another visit to the hospital.

Blood was drawn, routine tests were carried out, and after retrieving the report, the doctor asked Yan Mu to wait outside the consultation room. He then closed the door and spoke with Jiang Zhihuo alone about the situation.

The secondary differentiation process proceeded without issue. The estrus inhibitor had been administered in time, and no abnormal physical conditions had developed.

The doctor enlarged the report on the screen. Compared to the last time, when only the outline of the reproductive cavity had been visible, the image now appeared much clearer and more direct. Jiang Zhihuo instinctively touched his lower abdomen.

The doctor circled a section on the screen and said, “The conception process for male omegas differs from that of females, as their physiological structures are fundamentally not the same.”

“Only an alpha can cause a male omega to conceive. A mark must be made first, followed by knotting within the body. This should have been covered in your biology classes, so there’s no need for me to elaborate. What I must remind you of is this. Although the chances of pregnancy without a mark are low, it’s still necessary to take proper contraceptive measures during estrus, just in case.”

“Ahem…” It was still a little embarrassing to hear this said out loud. Jiang Zhihuo’s ears turned red as he replied, “Understood.”

The doctor then went on to explain a long list of precautions related to estrus.

The symptoms during estrus were similar to those experienced in the heat phase of omega differentiation. For a period of time, the body would continue to respond, showing signs such as internal fever, shortness of breath, and an accelerated heartbeat. Ordinary omegas could rely on inhibitors, but Jiang Zhihuo’s case was unique. He was unable to use them. Taking everything into account, the only viable method for him was assistance from an alpha.

During the two-to-three-day estrus period, symptoms had to be suppressed through xx.

In other words, where previously light contact or kissing had been enough to alleviate the fever, it had now progressed to the point where only engaging in xx with Yan Mu could suppress the estrus symptoms.

Fortunately, the estrus lasted only two to three days. Otherwise, going into estrus at any time and only being able to resolve it through xx—just thinking about it was unbearably indecent.

“Once you’re back, make sure to explain everything clearly to your alpha. If anything happens with your body, inform me right away.”

“Alright.” Jiang Zhihuo nodded, then said, “By the way, doctor, there’s one more thing.”

Although the estrus symptoms had left his mind in a haze, the sensation of their skin touching remained vivid in Jiang Zhihuo’s memory. “I don’t know how to describe it. When the two of us touched, it felt like…”

“Mhm?”

Jiang Zhihuo searched his mind for the right words. “Like an electric shock… a tingling sensation all over…?”

But after speaking, he felt the words failed to convey what he truly meant. It was difficult to describe—a feeling akin to a sudden rush of adrenaline, a surge of hormones overwhelming the senses, something the body understood instinctively but the tongue could not articulate.

He tried a more fantastical comparison. “It’s like my entire consciousness gets emptied, as if my soul drifts into another dimension… maybe… something like that?”

The more Jiang Zhihuo spoke, the more uncertain he became. At first, the doctor rubbed his chin in thought. However, when he heard that last description, his eyes lit up, and a look of delight spread across his face.

That expression was far too strange. Jiang Zhihuo waved his hand. “No, doctor, don’t get the wrong idea.”

Doctor: “Besides that, is there any other kind of special reaction between the two of you?”

Jiang Zhihuo wasn’t sure what the doctor meant by ‘special reaction,’ but since the question had been raised, the doctor must have had something in mind. After thinking it over, he replied, “I’m not sure if this counts, but Yan-ge can’t touch others for certain reasons. Yet when I touch him, nothing happens.”

The light in the doctor’s eyes grew even brighter. “Can you tell me more?”

“Mhm.” Before coming to the hospital, Jiang Zhihuo had already discussed it with Yan Mu. It wasn’t that Yan Mu had never sought medical help. Back when the drugs were forced on him, he had been far too young, and his body couldn’t handle the intense effects. Each time, after a series of examinations, the conclusion remained the same.

Incurable. The stress-induced symptoms were irreversible. Physical contact with others should be minimized. A blood sample was to be left behind, and they would be notified once any research breakthroughs were made.

But this raised a question that defied logic. If the drug had caused pheromone rejection, then why was Jiang Zhihuo the only one able to touch him?

Jiang Zhihuo gave a brief explanation. “Because of the drugs, he’s extremely sensitive to pheromones and rejects them completely. The moment someone touches his skin, it turns red and painful, but with me, it doesn’t happen.”

The doctor’s eyes grew even brighter. His glasses nearly gleamed with reflected light.

Jiang Zhihuo: “?”

“I have a hypothesis, and it happens to align with the subject of my current research,” the doctor said. “It’s a term that sounds rather fantastical, and there’s no medical basis to support it.”

“What term?” Jiang Zhihuo asked.

Doctor: “Soulmate.”

Jiang Zhihuo: “……”

Wasn’t this exactly the kind of development you’d see in a romantic anime?

“In medicine, the hypothesis is referred to as complete pheromone compatibility.” As he spoke, the doctor extended both index fingers and touched their tips together. “When the secondary gender genes of two individuals reach perfect compatibility, physical contact can lead to excessive pheromone secretion, triggering a physiological response similar to the feeling of being in love.”

“Of course, that’s merely an objective explanation. In truth, it’s caused by dopamine being transmitted through the nervous system, which leads to the dilation and heightened activity of the heart, blood vessels, and other areas. That reaction then loops back from the muscles to the nerves in a repetitive cycle.”

Jiang Zhihuo: “……?”

“You two don’t react to other people’s pheromones, do you? For example, the alpha doesn’t enter a susceptibility period.”

“That’s true.” Jiang Zhihuo nodded.

The doctor’s eyes lit up even more.

Jiang Zhihuo: “?”

This doctor was usually gentle and wore a friendly smile. After all, only with such a demeanor would patients lower their guard and speak openly during consultations.

However, at this moment, the doctor’s expression was undeniably exaggerated. It was likely his passion for the research topic that made him seem, quite frankly, a bit like a mad scientist.

“Far too rare!” The doctor slapped the table. “Alphas and omegas are already uncommon. Out of over seven billion people in the world, the probability of complete compatibility is close to zero. ‘Soulmates’ exist only as an academic hypothesis! If possible, could I draw a vial of your blood?”

Jiang Zhihuo: “……”

“Wait, wait!” Jiang Zhihuo hadn’t even had time to react. “This soulmate thing… what’s it actually good for?”

A flash of white light reflected off the doctor’s glasses. “There are two possible benefits we can infer.”

“First, it might help alleviate the alpha’s pheromone rejection symptoms.”

“Second,” the doctor lifted his chin slightly, narrowed his eyes, and gave a knowing look, “it may be… particularly pleasurable.”