Chapter 13: Which Alpha is so bold as to leave a scent on you?”
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“Are you joking?” Yuna asked.
“No, I’m serious. It might hurt a bit,” Zhao Jiu earnestly said. “I might need to see a doctor.”
Zhao Jiu seemed to have an epiphany, but it was in the wrong place—his brain had a leak.
Yuna had no intention of waking him up.
Song Youji, calm and reserved on the surface, appeared gentle and harmless, but in reality, he was strong-willed and stubborn, just like the rest of his family. Zhao Jiu was clueless about matters of the heart, but he was also a determined person who wouldn’t turn back even after hitting a wall.
Yuna was curious about how things would end up between them if Song Youji indeed differentiated into a Beta.
Song Youji finished changing and came out. He noticed a man with golden hair and purple eyes standing next to Zhao Jiu, immediately recognizing him as his elder brother’s friend and the King of Keya, Yuna.
However, after his father’s incident, his elder brother hadn’t contacted him, making Song Youji feel a bit awkward about meeting him now.
Zhao Jiu didn’t take his eyes off him and said with a smile, “You do look better in white.”
Ignoring Yuna beside him, Zhao Jiu walked up to Song Youji, helping him adjust his tie. Song Youji nodded and lowered his eyes. His long eyelashes fluttered like raven feathers, and Zhao Jiu’s hand itched to scratch him. His hand moved involuntarily upward, gently holding Song Youji’s chin.
“Why does your face feel so soft when you look so thin?” Zhao Jiu asked sincerely.
Song Youji glanced at Yuna, who looked completely indifferent. From his reddened ears to the base of his neck, Song Youji felt a strange heat. He slapped away Zhao Jiu’s hand. “Let go! Don’t touch me.”
“Forgive me, Your Majesty.” Zhao Jiu put his right hand over his heart and bowed slightly to Yuna.
Yuna returned the courtesy expressionlessly and said to Zhao Jiu, “Rein in your pheromones.”
“I’m sick.” Zhao Jiu said.
Yuna: …
It was a fact he stated, but he was asking for trouble.
Zhao Jiu was sick? Song Youji rarely saw the failed expression management of a king. He looked at the two men in bewilderment.
Song Youji couldn’t smell it himself, but in Yuna’s eyes, he had become a peach soaked in a wine barrel, his entire body exuding Zhao Jiu’s scent.
Zhao Jiu didn’t care. He left his mark on Song Youji, and no one else would dare to covet him.
The celebration banquet proceeded on time. Song Youji didn’t want to be in crowded places, so he only needed to make a brief appearance when Zhao Jiu announced the engagement. The rest of the time, he stayed in the lounge undisturbed, enjoying some quiet time.
Bang, bang, bang…
“Sir, housekeeping.” A somewhat childish voice sounded outside the door. Without much thought, Song Youji allowed entry.
When Siwan opened the door, he was immediately choked by the strong smell of alcohol. “Cough, who’s been drinking?”
Wearing high-end clothing, Siwan didn’t look like a janitor at all. Alert, Song Youji stood up, ready to press the alarm, but Siwan quickly stepped forward and held his hand. “Wait, I’m Siwan Pulan, a junior from the same medical school as Song Jing.”
After saying that, he frowned, sniffing Song Youji. “So, it’s you.”
Is this the effect of S-class Alpha pheromones? So domineering.
But why did Zhao Jiu release so much pheromones in front of Song Youji? Like marking territory!
Hearing his elder brother’s name, Song Youji lowered his guard a bit. “Has my elder brother arrived?”
“He’ll be here soon. I’ll be outside to guard later. You’ll have at most half an hour.”
Siwan underestimated the effectiveness of S-class Alpha pheromones. Despite taking suppressants, he felt uncomfortable all over after smelling Zhao Jiu’s scent. Rubbing his dizzy head, he said to Song Youji, “Isn’t this scent bothering you?”
“What smell?” Song Youji lowered his head to smell his own sleeve. “I can’t smell anything.”
Siwan sneezed, and at that moment, a janitor disguised as Song Jing pushed a cleaning cart and entered. Siwan quickly ran out, closing the door behind him. “It must be fast, ha!”
“Big brother!” Song Youji’s nose started to tingle as soon as he saw Song Jing’s face.
Song Jing also detected the scent of Zhao Jiu’s pheromones on Song Youji. He furrowed his brows slightly, reached out to touch Song Youji’s hair, his voice choking, “These past few days…”
No comforting words could soothe Song Youji’s inner grievances. Song Jing pulled Song Youji into his arms, “I’m sorry, I didn’t protect you.”
Song Youji couldn’t speak; he just silently cried in pain.
“I’m here to take you away. I’ll send you to a place where they can’t find you, where you can live freely.” Song Jing choked until he lost his voice.
Song Youji, with teary eyes, looked up, “Big brother, what did mother say?”
Although the thought of Cheng Yuan made him suffer greatly these days, he still hoped to hear from Song Jing that Cheng Yuan regretted her actions. The most painful thing between parent and child was being disappointed by her, yet unable to sever the blood ties.
She was the one who gave him life, taught him to talk, held his hand as he learned to walk, and gave him a goodnight kiss before sleep. In his childhood, many beautiful memories were associated with his mother’s presence.
Song Youji deluded himself into thinking that maybe Cheng Yuan had been deceived, perhaps she regretted sending her own son into a dangerous situation.
“…” After a long silence, Song Jing spoke with a hint of resentment, “Mother hopes you stay with Zhao Jiu, letting the marriage alliance proceed. Youji, she is your mother, but now she’s blinded by obsession. I know you have a soft heart, but this time you can’t forgive her again.”
Song Jing recalled the day when Cheng Yuan knelt in the living room, begging him to persuade Youji to comply. “Your father is about to be secretly executed. Only Youji can save him! Only Youji can save him!”
This news shocked Song Jing to the core and put him in a painful dilemma. On one side was his father’s life, and on the other was his brother’s happiness and freedom for a lifetime.
After much hesitation, Song Jing, with Yuna’s help, secretly went to see his father. He wanted to know his father’s decision.
“I’ll take you away from here. The matters of the Song family shouldn’t be your burden. In the future, no one can dictate your marriage and your future.”
This was father’s choice, and also the decision that Song Jing considered the most correct.
Song Youji slumped down, thankfully caught by Song Jing before he fell to the ground.
He felt utterly desperate, like a puppet without a soul, staring blankly at the floor with teary eyes.
“Youji…” Song Jing felt both heartache and helplessness. He wanted to lift Song Youji up, “Let’s leave now.”
“I can’t go.” Song Youji stood up slowly, eyes lifeless, “I promised Zhao Jiu to act in this play with him.”
Song Jing: “At this point, you’re still thinking about these things?!”
He could disregard Cheng Yuan, but he couldn’t neglect his siblings at home. If he left with Song Jing, given Zhao Jiu’s personality, he would certainly not spare them.
And…
“Promises made cannot be broken.” Song Youji wiped away his tears, straightened his clothes, and stiffly resembled a robot. He said expressionlessly to Song Jing, “Big brother, you go first. Zhao Jiu hasn’t troubled me. Compared to Mother, he has been excessively good to me.”
Looking at him in this state, Song Jing became even more worried. “Youji, don’t be like this…”
“Senior! They’re here, hurry!” Siwan rushed in, seeing the two brothers lost and soulless, realizing that the plan for today had failed. He tightly held Song Jing’s wrist, pulling him away. “If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!”
As Song Jing was being pulled away by Siwan, Song Youji returned to the sofa, sitting down, forcing a look as if nothing had happened.
General Newman knocked on the door, “Mr. Song, the Marshal is about to announce the engagement. Please come down with me.”
Song Youji opened the door and went out with him.
In the banquet hall, Zhao Jiu was toasting the media and distinguished guests. He confidently spoke, “Today is not only a celebration for the triumphant Three Summer Legion, but also the day I announce a matter that has long been anticipated by the public—the engagement between the Zhao family and the Song family.”
Except for a few informed individuals, the audience below erupted in commotion.
“I believe everyone knows that the Zhao family and the Song family formed an engagement many years ago. And today, I will fulfill the commitment made back then with the second son of the Song family, Song Youji. We will establish our engagement. A propitious day will be chosen, and we will be wedded as a couple.”
Simple words, a straightforward impact. Cameras clicked and buzzed, and the families waiting to connect with Zhao Jiu were enraged.
While Zhao Jiu looked from afar at Song Youji on the stairs, he extended his hand towards him. In the gaps between the numerous layers of white magnolias placed on the stairs, Song Youji descended slowly in a white suit. His skin was as white as snow, and his lips were as red as cinnabar, but a blurred side profile left the onlookers stunned.
“I can’t believe it! Is that Song Youji?! How… how can he be so good-looking?” a journalist whispered.
Another person replied, “General Song and Mrs. Song are famous beauties in Keya, so how could their child be any less? But he has grown up so well, inheriting all the advantages of his parents.”
If he were Zhao Jiu, being schemed by such a beauty would be worth it.
Moreover, it seemed that Marshal Zhao wasn’t angry at all, indicating that heroes do indeed succumb to the charms of a beauty.
Zhao Jiu held Song Youji’s hand, confidently facing the crowd below. His gaze swept over the red corners of Song Youji’s eyes, and his eyes were dark.
Pinching Song Youji’s waist, he pulled him into his arms without hesitation and forcefully kissed him.
So sudden?!
Song Youji instinctively tried to evade but was forcefully held by Zhao Jiu’s chin. Using a tone audible only to the two of them, he spoke coldly, “If you make any more trouble, I won’t mind taking you in front of them.”
“Song Youji, you really have some skills. Just in the blink of an eye, you went to provoke other wild men. Which Alpha is so bold, daring to leave a scent on you, hmm?” Zhao Jiu’s gaze was fierce. He turned to block everyone’s view and fiercely kissed Song Youji.
Author’s Note:
Zhao Jiu (has turned dark)
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