Chapter 9

Although he had already inhaled the intense pheromones once, receiving such a fierce surge again was still overwhelming for the delicate Omega, causing him to whimper softly in pain even in his unconscious state.

Fortunately, having experienced it once before, this time he adapted noticeably faster.

Soon, the trembling fragile flower in the pouring rain no longer shook so violently, and the Enigma pheromones gradually receded.

The remaining trace transformed into a gentle drizzle, like a pair of powerful hands tenderly soothing the pitiful little Omega cradled in his arms.

Jiang Zhiyu didn’t mind helping him twice, but such a chaotic and unstable heat cycle meant it was time to get a proper checkup at the hospital.

After placing the little Omega temporarily in the bathtub, Jiang Zhiyu opened the bathroom door and stepped out. To prevent the strong agave scent from drifting downstairs and disturbing the guests, he shut the door behind him.

After changing into fresh clothes, Jiang Zhiyu’s body regained its clean, crisp scent. Just as he was about to return to the bathroom to check if the Omega had awakened, a sudden knock came from outside the door.

The voice outside called, “Uncle, it’s Sheng Yi. Are you in there? I need to discuss something with you.”

Jiang Zhiyu furrowed his brows slightly.

“Uncle, if it’s convenient, can I just come in?” the voice continued.

Before Jiang Shengyi could push open the door, it suddenly swung open from the inside.

Standing there was a tall, handsome Enigma, even more robust and strong than an Alpha, his brows lowered as he looked at the visitor.

“Anything you want to say can wait until tomorrow at the company,” he said.

The door opened just a crack, clearly signaling no one was welcome inside.

“The company’s full of eyes and ears,” Jiang Shengyi replied with a forced smile, clearly unwilling to give up. “We’re uncle and nephew, why not share something more personal here? I just saw Liu Xiangheng downstairs. I’ve already had a brief talk with him about our upcoming cooperation. Jiang Group just acquired a plot in West Harbor Bay, right? I’m planning to collaborate with Liu’s company to develop a mixed commercial and residential complex…”

Jiang Zhiyu leaned casually against the doorframe, one hand lazily in his pocket, the other resting lightly on the frame. Before he heard more, he cut him off decisively: “That land isn’t suitable for commercial use.”

Jiang Shengyi’s words stuck halfway: “Why not? I’ve already had the planning documents prepared, and from what I heard, the government is interested in developing the surrounding area and relocating nearby…”

Before he could finish, a faint sound came from inside—like the bathroom door sliding open.

Jiang Shengyi’s expression shifted playfully as he glanced inside. “So that’s why you wouldn’t let me in—because you’re secretly hiding someone?”

Jiang Zhiyu said nothing but cast a sidelong glance.

The fragile Omega’s face was still flushed, his peach blossom eyes shimmering with tears. He seemed confused but froze upon hearing the familiar voice.

Jiang Zhiyu said casually, “You should go downstairs.”

With that, he slammed the door shut.

Jiang Shengyi touched his nose, finding it amusing. He’d always thought his uncle acted with thunderous authority, never letting anything slip. Yet here, in such an important moment, he was hiding a lover inside and had just been caught.

He was curious whether the uncle’s lover was a vigorous Alpha or a dependable Beta—definitely not an Omega.

Jiang Shengyi walked briskly down the spiral staircase. At the foot of the stairs, Yin Chu was waiting. Seeing the pleased look on his face, he asked, “How did the talk with Zhiyu go?”

Jiang Shengyi threw an arm around Yin Chu’s shoulders and led him to a quiet corner.

Yin Chu subtly slipped out of his embrace, tidying his slightly long hair and complaining coquettishly, “Don’t mess up my hairstyle.”

Jiang Shengyi’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Do you know what I just discovered?”

“What?” Yin Chu asked, puzzled.

“He puts on this righteous front all day, but behind the scenes, he’s far more scandalous than you realize.”

Yin Chu’s expression darkened. “Sheng Yi, he’s your uncle, your elder. How can you speak ill of him behind his back? Zhiyu isn’t the kind of person you say he is.”

Jiang Shengyi knew Yin Chu had always idealized his uncle and never looked at reality. Growing anxious, he said, “You weren’t upstairs with me, so how do you know what dirty things he’s been up to? He promised to throw me a celebration party, but do you know he’s hiding a lover in his room right now? Damn it, he might have already marked them for life.”

Yin Chu was stunned speechless.

*

Jiang Zhiyu had originally planned to hand Ling Ran directly over to Ling Su to take home, but he hadn’t expected the little Omega to be so overtaken by heat.

He had even soiled the bed.

Out of necessity, Jiang Zhiyu carried him to the bathroom.

After inhaling a large amount of Enigma pheromones, Ling Ran’s heat had temporarily subsided. His consciousness was slowly returning, but his weak legs hadn’t recovered, and he stumbled, collapsing onto the floor.

Before him appeared a pair of long, slender legs. Ling Ran lay prone, a pitiful pout on his face as he looked up.

Jiang Zhiyu crossed his arms and looked down at him from above.

“Get up.”

The tone was commanding.

Ling Ran sulked, trying to push himself up with his arms, but his thin, weak limbs trembled and grew soft. He collapsed back down with a thud, clutching the lean, cold white ankle of the man.

Jiang Zhiyu stepped back half a pace and squatted down in front of him.

Omegas were delicate, but why could they be so fragile as this?

How could a mere heat reduce him to such a puddle before his eyes?

Ling Ran sensed a deep, heavy gaze fixed on him. The more he tried to rise, the weaker he felt; his head spun with dizziness.

He truly hadn’t meant it.

“Ugh…” he whimpered weakly like a helpless little beast, crawling pitifully at his feet, his throat releasing a faint, plaintive hum of grievance.

Jiang Zhiyu stared at the furry crown of his head.

It looked soft and inviting to touch.

Suddenly, a pair of large hands reached out. One slid around his waist, resting on his abdomen; the other cradled his legs. With gentle strength, Jiang Zhiyu lifted him off the floor and carried him toward the sofa.

“The floor’s cold,” Jiang Zhiyu remarked lightly.

This was the first time Ling Ran had been held so intimately while conscious.

He looked up, seeing only the man’s cold, stern profile.

From this angle, Jiang Zhiyu’s appearance was completely different from Sheng Yi’s.

Handsome, aloof, noble, and disdainful of all.

Jiang Zhiyu set him down on the sofa. Ling Ran’s cheeks were flushed red; his hands nervously twisted at the edges of his clothes, clearly embarrassed.

“Afraid of me?”

Ling Ran shook his head repeatedly. “No, no…”

But he looked terribly scared.

Jiang Zhiyu asked, “Have you ever been to the hospital during your heat before?”

Ling Ran fiddled with his clothes again, lowering his head like a child who had done wrong.

“No.”

Though there were five people in his family, four were Alphas; he was the lone frail Omega, treated as a mere tool to benefit the family.

No one ever taught him about Omega physiology, nor cared whether he developed properly. The family only needed him as a leverage for power and profit, exploiting his value as an Omega.

The only one who ever showed him care was his sister, Ling Mo, but she was busy with company affairs and, as an Alpha, wouldn’t be delicate enough to teach her Omega brother about physiology.

Jiang Zhiyu seemed to have anticipated this answer. “Your body is no longer suitable for suppressants. Continuing injections could damage your health and seriously affect your reproductive tract development.”

Ling Ran’s rosebud lips parted slightly, cheeks flushed. “Reproductive… tract?”

Jiang Zhiyu felt like he was giving a physiology lesson to an ignorant child. “The Omega’s reproductive tract is best suited for gestation. If it’s damaged, you may never be able to conceive or bear children, which many Alphas strongly dislike.”

Ling Ran touched his lower abdomen and nodded firmly.

He had never been to a hospital for such checks and didn’t know if his reproductive tract was damaged.

As he touched himself, the quiet room suddenly echoed with two rumbling stomach growls.

Ling Ran’s ears flushed deeply, wishing he could bury his head beneath the sofa.

He thought he heard a low chuckle nearby and the sound of the door opening and closing.

Looking up, he saw he was alone in the room.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and slump back onto the sofa.

Soon after, someone knocked at the door.

“Please come in,” Ling Ran whispered.

The visitor was Song Yi, who wheeled in a small trolley. He moved to Ling Ran’s side and lifted the lids off the plates.

Inside were various exquisite little cakes, looking sweeter and softer than those downstairs, very tempting.

Ling Ran licked his lips, feeling even hungrier.

Song Yi smiled warmly. “Mr. Ling, please enjoy. Director Jiang instructed that these are all for you—take as many as you like.”

Ling Ran’s eyes sparkled, and he eagerly popped a small cake into his mouth. The sweet cream flavor exploded on his tongue.

“Thank you, Uncle,” Ling Ran mumbled through his mouthful.

Song Yi’s mouth twitched but he maintained a perfect smile. “No problem, Mr. Ling. Please enjoy. If you need anything, just call me.”

After Song Yi left, Ling Ran indulged himself, eating to his heart’s content.

When finished, he obediently pushed the trolley to the door and called for Song Yi, but no one answered.

He quietly opened the door and peeked out.

The main hall downstairs was empty; people had moved to the lawn outside, chatting and laughing. Some had changed into swimsuits and were having a poolside party.

Song Yi was nowhere to be seen.

Ling Ran tiptoed out, intending to grab a few more cakes downstairs.

Suddenly, he spotted a tall man at the center of a group, surrounded like a star. Among the crowd, Jiang Zhiyu always seemed the most dazzling and radiant.

Unconsciously, Ling Ran stared at his face for a long moment before shifting his gaze slightly.

He then noticed not far from Jiang Zhiyu stood Jiang Shengyi, his long-unseen fiancé.

And standing with Sheng Yi, raising a glass and laughing, was none other than Yin Chu.

Ling Ran froze, watching the intimate pair, his eyes slowly filling with tears.

So, Sheng Yi wasn’t incapable of smiling—he just wouldn’t smile at him.

Sheng Yi wasn’t always cold and heartless—his tenderness and care were reserved for another.

Unable to bear it, Ling Ran turned and ran upstairs, this time directly into Jiang Zhiyu’s bedroom, collapsing onto the large goose-down bed.

Burying his cheeks, silent tears rolled down.

The celebration banquet ended successfully; Jiang Zhiyu’s goals were achieved, and all business matters had been settled except for final details to be confirmed at the company.

He returned upstairs to his room and saw a small mound rising on his bed.

Approaching and lifting the covers, he found a curled-up little Omega inside.

Ling Ran had cried himself to sleep, and when cold midway, instinctively snuggled under the covers.

When Song Yi came in and tried to wake him, Jiang Zhiyu stopped him.

The next morning, Ling Ran woke drowsily in the goose-down bed, eyes wide as he searched the bed and found only himself.

It seemed Jiang Zhiyu hadn’t returned to sleep but had left the big bed to him.

Feeling guilty, Ling Ran came downstairs and saw the man calmly having breakfast in the dining room.

“Uncle, good morning,” he greeted obediently.

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at him quietly, then said, “Come here.”

Ling Ran obediently took small steps over and stood by the table.

“Sit down and eat.”

Song Yi came forward to pull out a chair for him, and Ling Ran sat obediently, slowly sipping porridge.

He wanted to ask when he could go home.

Before he could speak, the man across from him fixed his gaze on his head.

“After you finish eating, I’ll take you for a checkup.”

Ling Ran swallowed a mouthful of porridge and asked, “Checkup for what?”

“Your glands,” Jiang Zhiyu said, wiping his lips, his eyes deep and serious, “and your reproductive tract.”