Chapter 36

That night, after showering, Ying Zhiyu climbed into bed.

They eventually ignored Xu Kuo’s old bed and squeezed together on Ying Zhiyu’s side.

He had already turned off the dorm lights. In the dark, he reached out, brushing against Li Xi’s shoulder, seemingly trying to help undress him.

Li Xi lay on the inner side of the bed, facing Ying Zhiyu.

When Ying Zhiyu began lifting the hem of his shirt, Li Xi’s body recoiled slightly, grabbing his hand. “I… don’t have to do this.”

Ying Zhiyu murmured, “Mm?”

He thought Li Xi’s earlier acceptance of “sleeping together” was a hint of something more.

Li Xi stayed quiet for a moment, then whispered, “I just wanted to see you.”

Ying Zhiyu: “…”

See me?

He had already spent the first three days of the week at Li Xi’s downtown home. Even Thursday morning he’d stayed there. And now, just one night later, Li Xi came to the school just to see him?

After saying “see me,” Li Xi fell silent.

Ying Zhiyu considered, then tentatively asked, “Is it… that the dependency period isn’t over yet?”

After an Alpha permanently marks an Omega, the pheromone dependency period typically lasts about seven days—somewhat like a mild heat, only responding to the marking Alpha.

By the calendar, Li Xi’s dependency period had indeed ended.

He just… wanted to see him before the trip.

Or… maybe get a hug.

So Li Xi didn’t speak; he simply acted on his feelings.

Ying Zhiyu felt Li Xi’s arms wrap around his waist, his forehead buried into Ying Zhiyu’s shoulder.

A small smile tugged at his lips, though he said, “Hm, that’s just my mind wandering to… inappropriate thoughts.”

The next morning, Ying Zhiyu had to wake early for the airport.

Last night, the dorm bed was too narrow for comfort.

Plus, given the recent dependency period, their interactions had already been frequent.

He had only lightly massaged Li Xi’s nape to soothe him, not intending to mark him.

Yet as Li Xi settled closer, Ying Zhiyu had just withdrawn his hand, ready to sleep, when a low, almost growled voice came from the darkness:

“Ying Zhiyu… you did that on purpose!”

“…”

An hour later, after experimenting with new positions on the narrow bed with a low railing, Li Xi, exhausted, collapsed against him, breathing hard.

Ying Zhiyu smoothed the sweat-dampened back.

He swore, initially it had been with pure intentions, absolutely no plan to guide his Omega into a new position.

Cough.

At least, he hadn’t expected it would feel… this good.

Li Xi helped adjust his clothes.

Ying Zhiyu was going on a business trip; the lab staff would meet him at the airport, so he was already dressed in a suit.

Li Xi, adjusting his tie, said, “Don’t be overly cautious. You’re mine. Just do your thing.”

He added, “If anyone tries underhanded moves, don’t worry. LI’s got your back.”

Ying Zhiyu’s usual principle: avoid unnecessary conflicts.

At a previous lab dinner, a thirty-year-old Alpha doctor had been difficult.

Once Ying Zhiyu and Li Xi’s relationship became public, anyone who wanted to curry favor would make sure news of Ying Zhiyu reached Li Xi.

Then Li Xi realized someone had been subtly sabotaging Ying Zhiyu all along.

In such settings, any remark implying Ying Zhiyu had climbed the social ladder unfairly, or would in the future rely on his marriage, was a sneering attempt to undermine his achievements.

Li Xi couldn’t stand it.

Ying Zhiyu just found it amusing.

People are like that.

When someone is in the same tier as you, even slight superiority can ignite envy.

But when you rise beyond their reach, the envy vanishes, sometimes turning into a quiet desire to befriend.

Ying Zhiyu remained calm with those who hadn’t caused him real harm.

He didn’t mind: “He already privately apologized. With Li Xi backing me, who dares make moves behind my back?”

Li Xi said nothing.

Perhaps he thought Ying Zhiyu was too soft-hearted.

Ying Zhiyu just shook his head, smiling, “I don’t want to get entangled in unnecessary cause and effect.”

A gentleman judges actions, not thoughts.

Jealousy, envy, baseless hostility—if it doesn’t harm you, it’s just someone else’s life lesson.

It has nothing to do with Ying Zhiyu.

And as a “person at the top,” his priority was to avoid unconsciously becoming the kind of bully he once despised.

You can’t live your life as someone you hate.

While Ying Zhiyu was on the trip, Li Xi continued his work as a LI Group director.

He now served as Senior Director of LI’s core R&D department, shuttling between headquarters and the lab.

Two weeks later, Ying Zhiyu returned from the lab visit.

That afternoon, he showered at home and personally picked up Li Xi from work.

Li Xi had left immediately after a team brainstorming session—rarely had he left so promptly.

Colleagues nearly cheered.

Seeing Ying Zhiyu holding Li Xi’s hand as they left, they looked like a “reincarnated Daji” walking in human form.

Ahem, meant positively.

Young, attractive Alpha—so impressive it could distract the boss endlessly.

In LI Group Headquarters’ Tower 3, Li Qin stepped away from the floor-to-ceiling window. Li Lü, hands in pockets, said with interest:

“In the past two weeks, our third brother spent four of five workdays sleeping in the office. I hear last weekend he even stayed two days straight at the Xicheng lab headquarters.”

Outside, a discreet luxury car pulled over.

Ying Zhiyu exited from the rear right door, followed by Li Xi from the other side.

Perhaps planning to stroll nearby in the business district, the Alpha held the Omega’s hand, walking slowly as the security vehicle followed.

Li Lü glanced at his watch, stroked his chin: “The workaholic Omega gets off before four. The sun’s about to set in the east.”

Back at the office, Li Qin seemed uninterested, focused on work.

“Young lovebirds. If you want a date, you could clock out now.”

Li Lü clicked his tongue, then asked, “…Brother-in-law just had a child. Aren’t you going home to be with him?”

Li Qin paused, calmly: “After work.”

Li Lü shrugged, unable to understand married life—why the difference between honeymoon and old-married-life feels so stark?

He couldn’t help but sigh: “I’m better off—roaming freely, untouched, completely carefree.”

Li Lü’s marriage was completely different from Li Qin and Li Xi’s.

Li Qin’s Omega had been a childhood friend and first love, a pure romance. Li Xi’s Alpha, by contrast, was essentially a “bought-in prince consort,” and naturally, everything had to revolve around him.

Li Lü’s marriage, on the other hand, was purely a business alliance—bound by interests. He and his Omega had agreed before marriage to “do their own thing,” and neither wanted to be permanently marked by any Alpha.

Li Lü had no intention of competing with his elder sister for the LI Group inheritance, so there was no pressure of producing heirs. His marriage remained open; aside from family gatherings, they rarely met.

Li Qin felt nothing about her brother’s comment, “Roaming among flowers without touching a leaf.”

She lifted her eyes from the computer and only said, “That Ying Zhiyu isn’t ordinary. Check his current lab, research topics, directions—and whether there’s any overlap with LI Group’s business.”

Li Lü raised an eyebrow. “You suspect they’re secretly working together behind the scenes?”

Li Qin shook her head. “Just a hunch.”

She simply thought that this young Alpha, barely in his twenties, Ying Zhiyu, remained unnervingly composed in every situation.

Suddenly crossing social classes, facing a new elite circle, how could an ordinary person behave like that?

Li Lü pondered. “With Third Brother’s current state, he protects that little Alpha like a mother hen with her chicks. If he finds out you’re checking his Alpha, he probably won’t be happy.”

Li Qin returned to her work, expression calm, setting boundaries.

“You’re the one checking, not me.”

Li Lü chuckled. “Ah, so all the bad deeds are mine, right?”

Even protesting against Third Brother joining the board, refusing him to go home—yet he himself would go back to put on appearances.

Ah, these Alphas…

Cunning! Hypocritical! Scheming!

He straightened up, eyes glinting with excitement. “Fine, let’s test our skills. May the best one win.”