Chapter 9: Pheromones
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This small villa was located in a scenic area by the mountains and water. Over ten years ago, when it was first put on the market, Old Master Shen bought one. After Shen Yao turned eighteen, the villa was transferred to his name through a lawyer.
He didn’t live here year-round, but someone had always taken care of the villa, keeping it clean and tidy. Except for the sense of loneliness, everything else was fine.
As soon as the message was sent, the phone rang.
The light from the crystal chandelier reflected on the cool tiles. Shen Yao sat alone on the large European-style sofa in his black bathrobe, sitting up straight.
There was no expression on Shen Yao’s exquisitely pretty face, like a vividly contrasting medieval oil painting.
He hung up the phone, blocked all of Xu Yibai’s contact information, and the already quiet villa became even quieter.
When Shen Yao slept, he left a lamp on. The dimly lit room made him feel comfortable, with the scent of lavender on his pillow.
He closed his eyes to cultivate sleepiness, but unconsciously frowned. Shen Yao suffered from insomnia, the severity of which varies.
He anticipated that he wouldn’t have a good night’s sleep tonight. He took out the medicine from his pocket and swallowed it with hot water.
The side effects of sleeping pills were strong, and when Shen Yao woke up the next day, his head was spinning. He sat on the bed for a while before getting up.
Shen Yao walked downstairs barefoot and found that the maid hired to clean the house daily had already arrived.
The maid, wearing an apron, was kneeling on the floor and cleaning. She was startled by the noise upstairs, her face was full of surprise.
She had been working for Shen Yao for several years, and this was the second time she had seen him. The first time was when they signed the contract.
The maid asked nervously, “I didn’t know you were back… Did I wake you up?”
“No,” Shen Yao said. “I woke up on my own.”
Because she was not familiar with Shen Yao, the aunt just nodded obediently and continued to clean the floor.
The morning sunlight was perfect, and Shen Yao and the aunt were each busy with their own tasks without much interaction.
There was a dance studio on the second floor, and Shen Yao played some quiet and gentle music before starting his morning practice.
He had been free lately because he knew Xu Yibai would come looking for him. He deliberately moved to this unknown address and took some time off from the dance troupe, neither needing to train nor perform.
Shen Yao could even guess Xu Yibai’s current mood.
The romantic surprise he had prepared last night was of great significance to Xu Yibai, as he thought Shen Yao had taken him to the clouds.
But the next moment, the purpose of lifting him to the clouds was just to push him down.
Xu Yibai should be frantically looking for him now, but Shen Yao believed that Xu Yibai was a gentle enough person to control himself.
He gave Xu Yibai enough time to calm down, and by the next meeting, Xu Yibai should be able to sit with him calmly at a table.
Shen Yao had been living in the villa for three days and didn’t mind being alone. He could spend a whole day in the dance studio by himself.
Only when night fell would Shen Yao go out.
Wearing a duckbill cap, he walked into Youlan Pavilion with ease, just as he did a few nights ago.
This was a well-known money squandering establishment, with an open bar on the first floor and increasing privacy as you went up.
Shen Yao had come for three consecutive days, and because his face was very recognizable, the bartender had already recognized him.
He was a Beta, wiping the glass in his hand and smiling as he asked casually, “Why are you back again, the same as before?”
“Mm.”
The bartender skillfully made a glass of Golden Fizz, which had a refreshing and slightly bitter taste, low alcohol content, and was suitable for those who wanted to try a light drink.
As he turned around to hand the drink over, he saw an Alpha sitting next to Shen Yao, trying to strike up a conversation.
The bartender couldn’t help but chuckle, politely turning the Alpha down for Shen Yao. After the person left, he joked, “What number is this?”
After all, this was a bar, and there were plenty of people who came with the intention of meeting someone. But with the high minimum charge and good security, most people would leave after being rejected.
Shen Yao took a sip of his drink and replied, “I don’t know.”
The bartender smiled without saying anything and went to make drinks for other customers.
Sitting on a high stool with his legs naturally resting on the ground, Shen Yao raised his eyes and looked around the bar without a word.
The yellowish light in the bar made it appear dim, and the music was not too loud. He unconsciously held his breath, gripping his glass tightly with force before gradually relaxing.
“What’s wrong?” The bartender came back and asked, “You seem to be daydreaming again?”
The bartender often saw Shen Yao staring off into the distance, his pretty lips pursed and his soft, smooth jawline tense.
Just because he always wore a duckbill cap, the bartender couldn’t see his eyes.
Shen Yao came back to his senses and took another sip of his drink. “I wasn’t lost in thought, just thinking about something.”
He actually didn’t like talking to strangers, but this bartender not only seemed familiar with him, but also saved him from a lot of trouble and spoke with tact.
The bartender blinked at him and asked, “Are you waiting for someone? If you are, you can show me that person’s photo. If I see him, I’ll give you a heads up.”
Shen Yao didn’t deny it and looked at him, asking, “Would that be considered a breach of customer privacy?”
“It would,” the bartender admitted, “but it doesn’t count if you don’t tell anyone.”
The bar was located near the door, and every time it opened or closed, a night breeze would blow in.
Shen Yao habitually turned his head to see who it was, but his gaze froze this time.
It was raining outside, and the tall Alpha walking in had already put away his black umbrella, holding it by his side. Yan Zhixing still had his usual serious expression, and his mixed-race features looked even more profound in the dim lighting. He couldn’t help but notice Shen Yao, his gaze pausing for a second before continuing to walk towards his usual spot near the liquor cabinet.
“It seems like you’ve been waiting for him?” The bartender said meaningfully, “I actually guessed a long time ago that you might be waiting for him.”
“Why?” Shen Yao finally looked away from Yan Zhixing and asked.
The bartender shrugged. “Because I like to observe my customers, and you two have a similar temperament.”
Temperament was a vague word, and Shen Yao couldn’t help but laugh.
The smile quickly faded from his face and he said to the bartender, “Make me a Brandy Cusca and do you have paper and a pen?”
The bartender raised an eyebrow. “So eager?”
The pen scratched against the paper, making a “rustle” sound, and Shen Yao’s expression was so focused that it was as if he were carving. His handwriting was as strong and graceful as that of a master calligrapher.
–“Do you need the most beautiful vase?”
Shen Yao’s contact information followed.
Shen Yao needed to find a reliable umbrella for himself, and Yan Zhixing was the best solution he had found, with many impeccable qualities that Shen Yao found hard to fault when considering certain necessary conditions.
He spent most of his time abroad, so he wouldn’t be able to keep tabs on Shen Yao, and their time together could be greatly reduced.
Yan Zhixing was the type of person who was deep and scheming. He had seen everything, both the dark and the light.
So Shen Yao felt that it would be better to be honest and open about his desires, rather than disguising them.
If Yan Zhixing was like other Alphas and only wanted a beautiful and obedient vase, then Shen Yao could promise to be just that.
Shen Yao folded the note and took out the cash he had intentionally brought with him, rolled it up as a tip, and handed it to the waiter. “Please give the drink and the note to the gentleman over there, thank you.”
The waiter took the tip in stride, picked up the tray, and headed towards Yan Zhixing’s table.
He watched the waiter’s back.
If Yan Zhixing didn’t want it, he would choose to give up and find someone else.
The waiter arrived at Yan Zhixing’s table, placed the tray down, and served the cocktail. The rim of the glass was surrounded by lemon peel, and then coated with sugar as a hard shell.
It was a very gorgeous drink.
“The beautiful Omega gentleman at the bar ordered this drink for you, and he left you a note,” the waiter explained quietly.
After he finished his explanation, he walked away quietly with the tray.
Yan Zhixing didn’t look in Shen Yao’s direction. He could guess that the Omega was probably observing his every move.
He picked up the note on the table, but didn’t read it. Instead, he folded it and then folded it again.
Yan Zhixing’s expression was cold and detached, like polished glass. He raised his wrist and released his fingers at the rim of the glass, letting the note fall into the drink.
His actions were all observed by Shen Yao and the bartender.
“He doesn’t seem interested in you at all,” the bartender smiled wryly, feeling a bit regretful. “In fact, he seems to dislike you.”
Even though he was rejected in this way, Shen Yao’s expression didn’t change much. His fingers unconsciously tapped the rim of the glass as he agreed, “He does seem to really dislike me.”
Shen Yao finished the rest of his drink in one gulp and stood up to leave.
At that moment, the bar suddenly became noisy. Shen Yao instinctively looked in that direction and then held his breath in shock.
The Omega’s excessively sweet pheromones diffused in the enclosed space, like an overpowering perfume that made people dizzy.
This Omega was in heat.
Shen Yao’s expression finally changed, his glands suddenly feeling hot. His legs went weak, almost causing him to kneel on the ground, but he managed to grab onto the table in time.
“Are you okay?” The bartender was startled by his sudden reaction. Although he was a Beta, he had some knowledge about Omega biology. Sometimes, an Omega can be affected by the pheromones of another Omega in heat.
Shen Yao’s cold and pale skin gradually turned red, and sweat dripped from his forehead. He found that he couldn’t control his glands, and the sweet and greasy apricot blossom scent was about to be irresistible.
The bartender jumped out of the bar counter. He knew how dangerous an aroused Omega could be. Before anyone noticed, he quickly helped Shen Yao out.
He hid Shen Yao in the adjacent lounge and instructed him, “I’ll help you get the suppressant. Remember to lock the door.”
As his body temperature rose, his head began to feel fuzzy. Shen Yao bit his tongue to stay alert and nodded.
He curled up on the sofa, pulling open his collar to cool off, his breathing scorching.
He realized he had some bad history with this place. He had a terrible experience the first time he came, and today was no exception.
The room was still chaotic.
While other Alphas were gradually losing control, Yan Zhixing was unaffected. He saw the security guards move towards the corner and walked out of this sudden uproar expressionlessly.
As he walked out of the space, his footsteps suddenly stopped. A faint apricot blossom scent filled the air, like a hidden thread.
Yan Zhixing’s pupils shrank in disbelief, and his Adam’s apple rolled down. Before he could react, he was already following the scent, chasing after the pheromone’s trail.
He stopped in front of the closed door of the lounge.
Despite the strong scent of Omega pheromones just now, his heart rate didn’t increase at all. But now, every drop of blood in Yan Zhixing’s body seems to be boiling. He could hardly control his instincts, and even had the urge to kick the door down.
He wanted to pull the Omega out of the room, kiss him, and mark him.
Yan Zhixing’s hand trembled uncontrollably with excitement, and he took out a pill from his pocket and swallowed it. He didn’t even chew the pill before swallowing it. He took twice the usual dosage.
The effect of the medicine was fast, like a block of ice falling into hot water. Yan Zhixing quickly regained his calm. He was afraid of hurting the Omega inside, exerting so much force on the door handle that it bent.
After regaining his clarity, Yan Zhixing found himself sweating slightly on his back, feeling sticky.
The scent of apricot blossoms inside the room was getting stronger and stronger, wafting through the crack in the door like an enchanting dream.
Four years ago, when he returned to China, he was forced to mark an Omega here due to someone’s plan.
The memory of an Alpha in his estrous period was blurry, and he only remembered the panicked voice of the Omega in the pitch-black room, struggling desperately at first.
Biting and scratching, the sharp voice made him feel annoyed.
Later, after calming down, the Omega cleverly tried to appease him with pheromones, but it had the opposite effect.
He had a strong compatibility with the Omega in terms of pheromones, causing Yan Zhixing to lose even more control. His palm pinched every inch of the Omega’s skin, and he bit the delicate glands countless times.
In the end, all Yan Zhixing could remember was the Omega’s uncontrollable sobs and the overwhelming scent of apricot blossoms in the room.
He had been searching for this Omega for four years.
And now, four years later, fate had brought them back together as if orchestrated by some divine power.
Yan Zhixing took a deep breath and opened the door. The Omega inside, who had lost all strength, collapsed into his arms.
Instinctively, he held the Omega tightly.
The body was burning hot, but it was soft and comfortable to hold.
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