Ruan Shuyang was astonished. Pei Siyue didn’t seem like someone who’d be affected by marking—he was strong and confident, impervious to external influences.
Yet now Pei Siyue claimed he too was affected by the mark.
Ruan Shuyang felt this was his responsibility. If not for helping him, Pei Siyue wouldn’t have been affected by the mark.
He tried to tell Pei Siyue, “I’ve already figured out what to do. You don’t need to trouble yourself helping me.”
Pei Siyue asked, “What do you plan to do?”
“I’ll be going to university soon,” Ruan Shuyang told Pei Siyue. “Then I can leave the Ruan household. Nothing he says will affect me anymore.”
By then, he had no intention of returning to the Ruan household.
“Besides… I don’t want you helping him either.”
He didn’t want Pei Siyue assisting Ruan Jianchuan—or rather, he didn’t want anyone helping Ruan Jianchuan.
He wanted to witness the Ruan family’s downfall.
This was the secret buried deep within his heart.
Pei Siyue lowered his gaze and studied him for a moment before dropping the subject. “I’m leaving City B on a business trip tonight. I’ll be back next Wednesday.”
“If anything happens, you can call me.” Pei Siyue paused before adding, “Anything at all.”
Ruan Shuyang’s voice was soft and pliant, utterly obedient: “Okay.”
“Keep the necklace on at all times while I’m gone. Don’t accept any other Alpha’s pheromones.”
“Okay.”
“If you want my pheromones, call the driver and have him bring you here. My room retains the most residual pheromones—you can go there.”
“Okay, okay.”
This time his voice stuttered slightly. Why did it sound like his needs were so great?
“One more thing.” Pei Siyue suddenly scooped Ruan Shuyang up, carrying him lightly upstairs to the study. He set him on a chair, then picked up a specially made ice pack from the desk. Inside were two slender vials containing clear liquid.
“This is my pheromone extract. It should last until you return from your trip.”
As he spoke, Pei Siyue produced a black bag and placed both the ice pack and a key inside.
“Keep the key, but don’t remove it lightly.”
After saying this, Pei Siyue handed the black bag to him.
“Don’t worry about Pei Siming while I’m gone. Father has grounded him; he won’t be able to leave for now.”
Ruan Shuyang felt a stinging sensation in his eyes again.
Though it sounded like Pei Siyue was controlling and restricting him, he had thoughtfully and earnestly considered every detail for him.
After Yu Xianbo passed away, no one had ever been this kind to him.
He took the black bag and solemnly promised, “I’ll take good care of myself. You don’t need to worry.”
Ruan Shuyang was driven back to the Ruan residence at dusk. The Pei family driver dropped him off and departed immediately. Ruan Jianchuan tried to seize the moment to speak, but the driver left without a second glance, offering no opportunity.
Ruan Shuyang followed obediently, head bowed.
The time spent at Pei Siyue’s home had been as beautiful as a dream—a place where he felt cherished and cared for.
Now the dream was over, and he had to face the harsh reality.
At the Ruan residence, no one cared about him. They only sought to use him or take their frustrations out on him.
Fortunately, he had removed the necklace before arriving home and stored it along with the bag Pei Siyue had given him in a nearby parcel locker. Otherwise, that black bag might have been rummaged through by Ruan Jianchuan, and the enigma pheromones would have been exposed.
At the Ruan residence, no one would use pheromones against him. Their methods were far more direct—
insults and torment.
In the Ruan family living room, Ruan Qi was nowhere to be found, still out late into the night. Ruan Jianchuan and Pan Lan sat on the sofa. Ruan Jianchuan’s expression was dark and sullen, while Pan Lan’s face betrayed venom and schadenfreude.
Ruan Jianchuan demanded harshly, ” After all this time, what have you managed to get from the Pei family?”
“Or at the very least, have you uncovered any information? About the Peis? About their stance toward the Ruan Corporation?”
Ruan Shuyang silently calculated the time in his mind.
It was nearly the end of July now. He only needed to endure one more month…
If only he could find a summer job, then he could figure out a way to leave the Ruan household early.
He closed his eyes briefly, then timidly replied, “Pei Siming is under house arrest. He hasn’t been able to do anything lately, and I didn’t manage to find out anything.”
“House arrest?” Ruan Jianchuan immediately pressed, “By whom? And for what reason?”
“Mr. Pei himself confined him. I don’t know the reason either.” Ruan Shuyang kept his head bowed. “He didn’t say much when I visited today. I couldn’t get anything out of him.”
Yes, he didn’t say much. He was mainly focused on treating his illness.
After he finished speaking, Ruan Jianchuan’s expression darkened noticeably. His gaze fixed on Ruan Shuyang, filled with displeasure.
Pan Lan interjected from the side, “I don’t believe a word he says. Does he think he’s grown wings and can fool us now? He won’t take us seriously unless he gets a lesson. We should—”
Ruan Jianchuan raised his hand to stop Pan Lan, his tone stern and warning. “I’m giving you one last chance. Next weekend is Mr. Pei’s birthday banquet. Find a way to attend. ”
“I don’t care who you ask for help. Either get some shares back from Pei Siming, or ask Mr. Pei or Pei Siyue for money—either way is fine.”
“In short, if you don’t bring back something next weekend, you can go practice more at the racetrack.”
Ruan Jianchuan fixed Ruan Shuyang with a piercing stare and demanded, “Understood?”
“Yes, understood.”
After another long moment, Ruan Jianchuan waved him away, and Ruan Shuyang was finally permitted to go upstairs.
Returning to his room, he collapsed onto his bed, utterly drained.
He had felt so happy and content at Pei Siyue’s place, yet after just a few words back at the Ruan residence, he was too exhausted to speak.
Whatever was happening at Ruan Jewelry—or rather, whatever threat to Ruan Jianchuan’s position within the company—had stripped him of patience, driving him to pressure his son.
He knew Ruan Jianchuan well. From the man’s expression, he could tell this was an ultimatum. If he couldn’t attend Pei Yan’s birthday banquet next weekend or bring back something, he’d be dragged to the horse ranch.
The horse ranch was a nightmare he couldn’t bear to recall.
He’d been forced to sit on horseback, his entire body covered in scrapes, occasionally even whip marks.
It seemed he’d have to find a way to move out next week.
After another long while, when he guessed the rest of the Ruan household had retired, he tiptoed out to retrieve the package Pei Siyue had sent him from the parcel locker.
Staring at the clear liquid inside the ice pack, he felt a wave of reassurance wash over him.
Though Pei Siyue was absent, the gifts and pheromones he’d sent remained with him.
He picked up the necklace and held it gently.
There would always be a way, he thought.
**
That evening, Jiang Wu rode to the airport with Pei Siyue.
Pei Siyue handled business matters while Jiang Wu browsed real estate listings near T University.
The boss, for reasons unknown, plans to buy a house near T University, demanding it be within a ten-minute walk—calculated at Omega’s walking speed.
The neighborhood environment is naturally top-notch, but there’s one peculiar requirement: he wants to shell out the cash to buy up every unit above, below, and next door.
With such an intense territorial instinct, why doesn’t the boss just buy a standalone villa? What on earth possessed him to buy near T University?
Still, despite Jiang Wu’s grumbling, he diligently carried out the boss’s orders, sifting through listings sent by agents.
After wrapping up his business affairs, Pei Siyue asked Jiang Wu, “Has the HR department at Ruiji finalized the new summer internship program?”
“It’s done.” Jiang Wu promptly forwarded the HR email to Pei Siyue. “I’ve reviewed it—no major issues.”
A few days prior, Pei Siyue had suddenly instructed Ruiji to have the domestic headquarters HR department issue another summer internship recruitment. This time, the conditions were exceptionally favorable: the age requirement was lowered to 18, the location was set at Ruiji headquarters, and the pay was a highly competitive 500 yuan per day for interns.
It was practically charity work.
After all, most interns ended up photocopying documents and doing odd jobs. Given their short tenure, they couldn’t handle major projects and were limited to peripheral tasks.
But Pei Siyue was the boss. Ruiji was his empire, built from the ground up. He called the shots.
After reviewing the HR recruitment notice and confirming it was sound, Pei Siyue forwarded it to Ruan Shuyang.
Ruan Shuyang was busy retrieving a package from the parcel locker at the time and hadn’t seen the message. Upon returning to his room and reading it, he was astonished by the conditions listed in the recruitment notice.
“Open to applicants over 18? Five hundred a day?”
That good?
Ruan Shuyang wasn’t new to job hunting. He’d reviewed many corporate postings before, and most summer internships required at least junior-year status or attendance at a higher education institution. He’d never seen a major company recruit anyone simply because they were eighteen.
Curious, he asked Pei Siyue: “Is this Ruiji’s job posting?”
Ruan Shuyang: I didn’t see it on the official website.
Pei Siyue: Have you checked Ruiji Group’s job openings?
Ruan Shuyang: Of course. I’ve looked at all the postings from well-known local companies.
He’d been seriously searching for a summer job, but hadn’t found anything suitable.
Pei Siyue: This one just posted today.
Ruan Shuyang: With such great terms, is this for connections? An internal hire?
Pei Siyue: No, you can apply.
Ruan Shuyang: Alright then.
If it were before, he might have declined, afraid of bothering Pei Siyue with his resume—he’d already caused enough trouble.
But tonight, he faced an even bigger problem. He genuinely needed to find a job so he could afford to move out. With that urgency, he didn’t hesitate to send his resume.
Ruan Shuyang: Thanks, I’ll send it.
Pei Siyue: Need help polishing your resume?
Ruan Shuyang stared at the message on his screen, feeling an inexplicable flush on his cheeks.
Though he knew Pei Siyue and the other likely knew him well, sending his resume felt strangely shameful—like falling into a different dimension and exposing a secret before him.
Ruan Shuyang: My teacher already reviewed it. No need to trouble you.
Pei Siyue: Okay.
By the time they finished chatting, the car had pulled into the airport. Jiang Wu got out to carry the luggage, and they walked together toward the private jet’s dedicated entrance.
Pei Siyue tucked his phone away, not pressing further for the resume.
What Ruan Shuyang might not have realized was that the email address listed on that job posting belonged to Pei Siyue.
By the time he messaged Pei Siyue, it was already late. Ruan Shuyang didn’t send his resume immediately but went to rest first.
The next morning, he organized his resume and prepared to send it over.
Truthfully, there wasn’t much to write on the resume—mostly grades and a few awards, with very little social practice experience.
The Ruan family, wanting to avoid media reports of child abuse that could impact stock prices and company value, paid his tuition but offered nothing beyond that.
When Yu Xianbo was still alive, the Ruan family occasionally took him out for fun. But after his death, those moments of joy vanished like bubbles, scattered by the wind.
He rarely participated in group activities and wasn’t close with most classmates. He just silently went to school, came home, did his homework, and endured Pan Lan’s occasional harshness and bullying.
He had long wanted to leave the Ruan family.
But as an omega with no relatives besides his biological father and no place to go, he had nowhere to turn.
At that time, his greatest hope was getting into university.
He had longed to leave the Ruan household.
But as an omega who hadn’t reached adulthood and had no relatives besides his biological father, he had nowhere to go.
Back then, his greatest hope was getting into university. He believed that once admitted, he could live on campus and escape this place. But now it seemed leaving would have to happen sooner.
Because Ruan Jianchuan seemed impatient. If he didn’t bring back a result by Saturday, he suspected Ruan Jianchuan would personally give him away or send him back to Lu Zheng.
He couldn’t let that happen again. He had to leave as soon as possible.
But why was Ruan Jianchuan so anxious? He hadn’t been like this before.
After sending out his resume, he searched online for news about Ruan Jewelry.
Shakeups among top executives in major conglomerates are usually tightly controlled to avoid impacting stock prices and market value. Yet fragments of information still surface through online investor discussions, allowing one to piece together the bigger picture.
Chairman Ruan Jianchuan’s position was unstable, and he was urgently seeking external support.
When Pei Siming approached Ruan Jianchuan for collaboration, he did indeed inject substantial capital. However, this investment wasn’t unconditional—he demanded equity stakes and key management positions within the group.
Pei Siming has taken a significant chunk of Ruan Jianchuan’s power, diminishing his standing within Ruan Jewelry considerably. Several of Ruan Jianchuan’s uncles have also seized the opportunity to carve out a share of his authority.
Just days ago, Ruan Jianchuan’s flawed decision cost Ruan Jewelry tens of millions in profits—a catastrophic blunder for the declining company. If he fails to deliver tangible results soon, next week’s board meeting could strip him of all executive roles, leaving him with only a minority stake.
No wonder they’re so desperate to force him…
Ruan Shuyang pondered thoughtfully.
Truthfully, among his grandfather’s children, Ruan Jianchuan’s abilities were quite ordinary. Back then, if not for his mother, Ruan Jianchuan would never have become chairman of the Ruan Group.
Yet the Ruan family exploited his and his mother, continuing to humiliate them.
What he told Pei Siyue was true—he didn’t want his help. He only wanted to see the Ruan empire crumble, or at the very least, witness the Ruan family stripped of everything.
After submitting his resume to Ruiji Technology, he continued job hunting.
Few jobs were available for an 18-year-old high school graduate. Most were manual labor gigs, typically hiring only Alphas or Betas since Omegas were considered too frail.
The remaining options were tutoring positions, but even tutoring employers avoided Omegas, fearing unexpected heat cycles could cause problems. He had registered his details with tutoring agencies but received no responses.
He scoured job sites again, filtering through listings and submitting applications one by one.
Unfortunately, most applications went unanswered. The only response came from Ruiji Technology, scheduling him for an interview at 10 a.m. on Friday.
That afternoon after submitting his resume, he wandered around his neighborhood but found no suitable summer part-time jobs. He returned home and started sketching design concepts instead.
Immersed in the drawing, he forgot all other thoughts. Glancing down at his necklace while capturing the flurry of ideas in his mind, he completed a design draft in one fluid motion.
So engrossed in his work, he lost track of time until evening fell.
When he finally checked his phone after finishing the design, he discovered several messages from Pei Siyue.
Pei Siyue: How’s your body feeling today?
Pei Siyue: Do you need pheromones?
Ruan Shuyang immediately replied: Sorry, just saw your messages.
Ruan Shuyang: My body feels fine today.
Ruan Shuyang: I kind of want pheromones.
He couldn’t quite pinpoint any discomfort today—just normal growing pains he could endure. But perhaps because he was in a bad mood, he found himself craving pheromones. Before he knew it, he’d opened a bottle of pheromone extract and used some.
Pei Siyue: I’ll come back on Wednesday to reapply your mark.
Pei Siyue: Have you been wearing the necklace properly?
Ruan Shuyang blushed, feeling nervous about being scolded, but still couldn’t bring himself to lie. Pei Siyue: I haven’t been wearing the necklace.
Ruan Shuyang: But I’ve mostly stayed home. No unfamiliar Alphas have come near, so I didn’t wear it.
Right after replying to Pei Siyue’s message, his call came through. His cool, deep voice came through the phone receiver.
“Is it that you don’t like this necklace?”
“I don’t dislike it.” Ruan Shuyang fumbled to answer the call, whispering, “I like it very much. It’s just too valuable.”
I’m afraid to wear it, worried the Ruan family might notice something.
“I finished the design sketch for the necklace today. I’ll send it to you. If it’s okay, I’ll return the necklace so you can have it reworked and restoned according to the sketch.”
“No need to return it,” Pei Siyue simply said. “Send me the sketch. I’ll have someone make a new one.”
“Ah, but, but…”
Ruan Shuyang opened his mouth to speak, yet found no words.
Pei Siyue only asked, “You truly don’t like it?”
“No, I love it.”
“Then wear it.” Pei Siyue’s tone brooked no refusal. ” Wear it all the time and send me a photo.”
Soon after, Ruan Shuyang hung up the phone, put on the necklace, and stood in front of the mirror in his room to take a photo.
But as he took the picture, he felt strangely awkward. He’d never stood in front of a mirror like this to take a photo for someone else before. His expression felt unnatural, an inexplicable shame crept over him, as if he were doing something wrong.
Perhaps it was the influence of his classmates.
He’d heard male beta classmates in his class talk about who-knows-who sending seductive photos.
So deep down, he felt sending such a photo was a bit like temptation.
Nevertheless, he took a serious photo and sent it along with the design sketches to Pei Siyue.
After a busy day, Pei Siyue finished washing up and was about to go to bed when he saw the photo Ruan Shuyang had sent him.
The first design sketch was stunning: a chain strung with slender, irregularly shaped shells, featuring a pendant below in the form of a thorny rose. Large petals were intertwined with thorns, the pattern both vintage and opulent.
A ruby was set at the rose’s center.
He clicked to the second photo. In it, the young omega wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans. The necklace rested on his slender, fair swan-like neck, the chain gently pressing against a sliver of delicate collarbone. The ruby adorned his snow-white chest, adding a touch of vibrant color to his usually clean, handsome appearance.
Perhaps unconsciously nervous during the shoot, Ruan Shuyang’s small pearly teeth bit his lower lip, his large eyes reflecting an unnatural tension.
Pei Siyue’s Adam’s apple bobbed briefly before he messaged Ruan Shuyang: Beautiful.
Pei Siyue: Don’t share these photos with anyone else.
Ruan Shuyang: Okay.
His face still felt hot even after lying down in bed. He couldn’t resist patting his flushed cheeks, thinking to himself: Why would he share these with others? He mustn’t do anything so embarrassing again.
**
The next morning, Pei Siyue handed Ruan Shuyang’s design blueprint to the R&D department, instructing them to produce two more pieces based on it. He specified that a micro GPS tracker should be embedded within the rose petals of one of them.
**
Before he knew it, Wednesday arrived. His job search showed no progress, yet Ruan Shuyang was dragged by Ruan Qi to attend Chi Heng’s birthday party.
Since it was Chi Heng’s birthday celebration—and Chi Heng himself had personally invited him—he felt no particular anxiety. He accompanied Ruan Qi there with calm composure.
The Ruan family ranked near the bottom of high society; only Ruan Jianchuan could afford a chauffeur. Pan Lan and Ruan Qi usually drove themselves when going out.
Ruan Qi agreed, which was highly unusual. The car pulled up near the villa where the Chi family banquet was held, stopping in front of a coffee shop.
Ruan Shuyang asked warily, “What are we doing here?”
Ruan Qi said in a warning tone, “Get out. I’m taking you to meet someone.”
Ruan Shuyang followed him out and entered the café with Ruan Qi.
Chi Ye’s 21st birthday celebration was grand, deliberately held at a rented country estate in the suburbs. Guests were invited to arrive in the evening for the banquet and dance.
Ruan Qi had deliberately brought Ruan Shuyang out early specifically to introduce his to someone.
The second son of the Chi family turned 21 this year and was about to graduate from university. Word had it that this young man had big plans—he intended to study abroad and start his own business. His parents, worried he might never return, wanted to secure a fiancée for him first, hoping to tie him down.
Word had it that Mrs. Chi had set his sights on the second daughter of the Wen family, intending for Chi Ye to dance the first dance with Miss Wen tonight to get acquainted.
But someone wasn’t having it.
Yu Ling, the eldest son of the Yu family, had long harbored feelings for Miss Wen. Unfortunately, it was a case of unrequited love—Miss Wen had never shown any interest in him.
Undeterred, he had even arranged for someone to seduce Chi Ye tonight, hoping to sabotage the arranged meeting between Chi Ye and the second Miss Wen.
As soon as Ruan Shuyang entered, he saw two beautiful omegas already seated before Yu Ling.
When he saw Ruan Qi leading someone in, Yu Ling casually glanced up. His gaze froze upon seeing the newcomer. He never imagined Ruan Qi could bring such a stunning omega—pure and innocent yet subtly alluring, with large eyes that seemed to hold unspoken words. Had he not already been captivated by the Wen family’s daughter, he might have been bewitched by this beauty himself.
He couldn’t help asking Ruan Qi, “Where did you find this omega? Don’t tell me you swindled or tricked someone into coming.”
“Impossible,” Ruan Qi shook his head immediately. “This is my younger brother.”
“Your biological brother?” Yu Ling couldn’t believe it—they looked nothing alike.
Ruan Qi’s appearance was exceptionally ordinary, the kind of Alpha you’d never spot in a crowd. Where on earth did he find such a stunning omega brother?
Ruan Qi: “Biological.”
Yu Ling: “Full sibling?”
“…Same father, different mother.”
“I knew it,” Yu Ling scoffed. “If it weren’t for genetic modification, your Ruan family wouldn’t have such a gorgeous omega.”
Ruan Qi’s face darkened instantly, but he dared not react in front of Yu Ling.
Ruan Shuyang kept his head down, struggling to stifle his laughter. Suddenly, tonight’s banquet seemed rather promising.
This Yu Ling might be abstract in his actions, but he sure had a way with words.
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