He didn’t want to deprive Ruan Shuyang of the joy gained from friendships, especially since Ruan Shuyang had hardly any friends growing up.
Though reluctant, he understood clearly that Ruan Shuyang wouldn’t belong solely to him, wouldn’t be his omega alone.
Because having friends made Ruan Shuyang happy.
So he made concessions: as long as Ruan Shuyang wore a GPS-tracked necklace, he would allow him to interact with others.
He reviewed the files in his inbox again, selecting one particular artist.
It was time to avenge his little omega.
His initial agreement to Ruan Jianchuan’s investment had one sole purpose:
The equity in Ruan Jewelry.
On the third day of school, the military training began.
Omegas generally have delicate constitutions, so their training was much simpler: standing in the shade and marching in step.
The drill instructor dared not push them too hard, afraid some omega might collapse and end up in the hospital.
Even so, Ruan Shuyang ended up with aching muscles every day. After showers, he’d fall asleep exhausted during massages from Pei Siyue, too tired to feel embarrassed or blush.
The ten-day training flew by. That weekend, Pei Siyue took Ruan Shuyang to Ruiji Hospital for a full-body skin treatment.
His naturally good skin tone meant that after the treatment, he looked as fresh and fair as if he’d never endured boot camp.
The following Monday marked the official start of classes.
History department courses were much less demanding than those in science and engineering. Even subjects like advanced calculus, which nearly every major required, had reduced difficulty. For Ruan Shuyang, the coursework wasn’t challenging, and the academic workload wasn’t heavy.
During the second week of classes, clubs and student organizations began recruiting new members.
He had already received the application form from Chi Ye and decided to join his club. He genuinely loved the club’s atmosphere and had found something meaningful to contribute—
designing jewelry for game characters.
Many pieces he’d envisioned—too intricate to craft in reality—could now be brought to life on game characters, fulfilling another dream.
After sending his completed form back to Chi Ye, he received a message about a Thursday dinner gathering.
He checked his schedule and replied he could attend.
That evening at home, he informed Pei Siyue: “Brother, I have a club dinner this Thursday, a class dinner on Friday, and I’m going to an escape room with classmates on Saturday.”
Pei Siyue listened to these three social engagements and felt inexplicably that the little omega was busier than he was. He himself might not have three social events in a week because he disliked them.
Though he wished to stop every one, he simply said, “Got it.”
Then he asked, “Need a ride?”
Ruan Shuyang shook his head immediately. “No, I can get home on my own.”
“Don’t stay out too late.” Pei Siyue walked beside him, lifting his chin. “Be home by ten at the latest.”
Ruan Shuyang nodded. “Got it.”
“One more thing.” Pei Siyue’s gaze deepened as he looked at him. “No drinking when I’m not around.”
Ruan Shuyang answered obediently, “Okay.”
But after replying, he asked Pei Siyue curiously, “Brother, what does drinking feel like? Is alcohol tasty?”
Ruan Shuyang’s almond-shaped eyes were clear as water, brimming with innocent curiosity.
He’d never had the chance to drink before. Even at his engagement banquet, it had been merely for show in front of the media—no guests were actually served alcohol. Yet he kept hearing others talk about drinking, some saying it tasted good, others saying it didn’t. His curiosity was piqued.
Pei Siyue nodded. “I’ve tried it. It doesn’t taste good.”
“People who’ve never drunk before get drunk easily the first time.”
Ruan Shuyang, like an inquisitive child, pressed on: “So what does it feel like to get drunk?”
Pei Siyue instantly saw through his thoughts, gently tapped his forehead, and explained: “Like a patient waking up from general anesthesia. Your subconscious takes over your brain, and you start talking nonsense.”
“Jiang Wu got drunk once and kept singing ‘Only Mom Is the Best in the World.’ He cried, saying he was still a baby, hugged a tree insisting it was his childhood toy car, and insisted on taking it home.”
Ruan Shuyang’s eyes widened in shock. He never imagined the seemingly rational and gentle Jiang Wu could turn into this when drunk. Getting drunk was terrifying—it felt like becoming a completely different person.
Seeing his warning had taken effect, Pei Siyue added, “So don’t drink when I’m not around.”
Ruan Shuyang nodded vigorously. “Got it, big bro. I won’t drink.”
Holding onto the resolve to abstain from alcohol and return home before 10 PM, Ruan Shuyang headed to the club activity dinner.
Compared to some massive clubs with hundreds of members, Chi Ye’s club only had about twenty people. His principle was that quality mattered more than quantity, especially since he didn’t want to recruit people who did nothing but pass him love letters.
During the dinner, the twenty-odd people split into two tables. Ruan Shuyang spotted some new faces who had gone home for summer break and returned after the semester started.
Someone asked Chi Ye, “Boss, are these new recruits for our club? Did recruitment start this early this year?”
Club recruitment wasn’t like the student council’s—it was largely up to the president. Gu Jin simply replied, “This is an internally selected freshman. Formal recruitment hasn’t started yet; I’m still screening resumes.”
Everyone knew their club had projects that could look great on resumes—maybe even pay well—so applications flooded in. Gu Jin was getting headaches reviewing them, feeling even more exhausted than when he volunteered for Alpha.
“Wow, pre-selected?” the questioner was clearly shocked. “What kind of background gets our boss to pull strings like that?”
Gu Jin thought for a moment before replying, “Fate.”
Though it seemed more like a missed connection.
The club dinner was quite boisterous. Gu Jin had the waiter bring over a whole case of beer, opening several bottles and pouring everyone a glass.
When it came to Ruan Shuyang, he immediately said, “No thanks, I don’t drink.”
“So well-behaved?” Gu Jin raised an eyebrow. “Little brother, we’re all adults here. We can drink.”
Ruan Shuyang smiled. “No, thanks.”
Gu Jin was about to say more when Chi Ye kicked him under the table. He quickly dropped the subject, asked the waiter for an orange juice, and moved on to pour drinks for the next person.
Chi Ye sat next to Ruan Shuyang. After Gu Jin left, he lowered his voice and asked, “Did Pei Siyue forbid you from drinking?”
Ruan Shuyang gave an embarrassed smile, neither confirming nor denying it, but Chi Ye understood.
He closed his eyes briefly, feeling a dryness in his throat as a bitter liquid rolled through his body.
Why? Was he truly no match for Pei Siyue?
At the table, others drank and discussed game development. Ruan Shuyang listened, occasionally chiming in. He felt he was learning a lot about game creation, even entertaining the illusion that he could abandon jewelry design and switch careers to game development.
Only Chi Ye beside him was unusually quiet, seemingly in a bad mood. He downed glass after glass of liquor. After watching for a moment, he quietly urged, “Senior, you should slow down. You’ll get drunk easily.”
Chi Ye forced a smile. “It’s fine. I won’t get drunk.”
In fact, the more he drank, the more alert he became.
After three rounds of drinks, several people got up to go to the restroom. When Chi Ye followed them, someone ordered a sparkling drink and asked Ruan Shuyang if he wanted some.
Ruan Shuyang asked curiously, “What is this?”
The person replied, “Sparkling drink.”
It actually contained a bit of alcohol, though only about 2% ABV. They usually ignored that trace alcohol content and drank it like regular soda, so they didn’t warn Ruan Shuyang.
Ruan Shuyang said thanks, took a bottle of the fizzy drink, poured it into a cup, and drank it.
By the time Chi Ye returned from the restroom, Ruan Shuyang had already downed most of the ice-cold fizzy drink. Feeling lightheaded, he leaned on the table, grinning foolishly without realizing it.
Chi Ye frowned and immediately checked what Ruan Shuyang had been drinking. Discovering the alcoholic sparkling drink, he snapped irritably, “Who gave him this? Didn’t we say he doesn’t drink?”
The staff member who’d given Ruan Shuyang the drink flinched. “B-boss, he can’t handle even a drop of alcohol? This was just a little sparkling drink.”
Chi Ye knew sparkling drinks weren’t considered alcohol in their eyes, and they hadn’t meant to get Ruan Shuyang drunk. He could only instruct, “Next time, don’t give him anything with even a hint of alcohol.”
The staff member quickly replied, “Got it.”
Chi Ye looked at Ruan Shuyang, who was slumped over the table with a silly grin, and tentatively asked, “Are you still sober?”
Ruan Shuyang was slow to react. He lay on the table for a moment before realizing Chi Ye was addressing him. He mumbled, “Sober.”
Chi Ye was skeptical. He waved his hand in front of Ruan Shuyang’s face. “What number is this?”
Ruan Shuyang stared at Chi Ye’s hand, furrowing his brow as if it were an extremely difficult question.
Chi Ye: “…”
He sighed. “Where do you live? I’ll drive you home, okay?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ruan Shuyang seemed to snap out of it. He shook his head hastily. “No.”
Chi Ye froze. “Why not?”
Ruan Shuyang’s face turned serious. “I promised my brother I wouldn’t have any contact beyond social distance with anyone else.”
Chi Ye: “…”
Frustrated, he gritted his teeth. “Then call him to see if he’s free to pick you up.”
He refused to believe Pei Siyue was so busy he couldn’t spare time to drive a college student home.
Even when he himself got drunk occasionally, his own brother couldn’t be bothered to pick him up—he just had the family driver haul him home.
Ruan Shuyang’s mind wasn’t entirely clear; complex thoughts were beyond him. After hearing Chi Ye’s words, he instinctively fumbled in his pocket for a while before finally pulling out his phone and dialing Pei Siyue.
The call connected quickly, with some commotion audible on Pei Siyue’s end.
“What’s wrong?”
“Brother…” Ruan Shuyang’s voice was softer and more velvety than usual. Slumped over the table with drunken eyes, he murmured, “I can’t seem to walk anymore. Can you come pick me up?”
“Sure.” Pei Siyue agreed immediately, then asked, “Where are you now?”
“I’m at… I’m at…” Ruan Shuyang tried to answer, but his mind was a muddled mess. He could only mumble, “At the restaurant.”
Then the phone slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.
It must have hit something when it landed, because the call disconnected automatically.
Chi Ye, who had been listening the whole time: “…”
He was so close to Ruan Shuyang that he could hear the sounds coming from the receiver.
Pei Siyue had asked Ruan Shuyang where he was, but hadn’t gotten a specific answer.
He hadn’t even said where he was—no wonder he couldn’t come pick him up.
He reminded him, “You didn’t say where you are.”
As he spoke, he picked up the phone, considering answering if Pei Siyue called again and revealing Ruan Shuyang’s location.
But five minutes passed, and Pei Siyue didn’t call back.
Chi Ye frowned and urged, “Pei Siyue probably won’t come. Why don’t I take you back first? Shall I drive you to the dorm?”
Ruan Shuyang shook his head. Though his mind wasn’t entirely clear and his limbs felt as limp as noodles, he still remembered the promise he’d made to Pei Siyue.
“It’s okay, senior. You don’t need to worry about me. I can rest for a bit and walk on my own.”
Chi Ye looked at Ruan Shuyang, who seemed barely able to stand, and couldn’t bring himself to leave.
After all, he’d brought Ruan Shuyang to the gathering and failed to keep an eye on him while he drank. He couldn’t just walk away without doing anything.
By now, most of the club members had left. Gu Jin walked over and saw Ruan Shuyang slumped over the table. He asked Chi Ye, “Boss, what’s wrong with our freshman?”
Chi Ye: “He drank too much.”
Gu Jin immediately offered, “Then let’s take him home.”
Chi Ye replied, “…He’s waiting for Pei Siyue. He won’t let anyone else take him.”
Gu Jin was utterly shocked. “Little brother, are you dating Pei Siyue?”
Otherwise, why wouldn’t he let anyone else take him home?
Ruan Shuyang lay face-down on the table, looking at Gu Jin with a confused expression, unable to grasp what Gu Jin was saying.
Is he dating Pei Siyue?
Why would he be dating Pei Siyue? What does dating even mean?
It seems to mean being in a romantic relationship.
He’s dating Pei Siyue?
Ruan Shuyang sat up abruptly in shock, only to slump back onto the desk, utterly drained, the next second.
How could this be? Why would an outsider think he was dating Pei Siyue?
They were clearly just in a doctor-patient relationship. Pei Siyue was his brother.
Yet a voice whispered in his heart: Pei Siyue wasn’t his biological brother, yet he cared for him more than anyone else in this world.
He’d asked Pei Siyue why, but the other told him to figure it out himself. He’d never truly understood.
Now, one person after another was misunderstanding the nature of his relationship with Pei Siyue.
Perhaps to outsiders, their closeness looked like romance.
So, did Pei Siyue see it that way?
Before Ruan Shuyang could sort through his thoughts, someone entered the restaurant. The figure glanced around briefly before heading straight for their table.
Ruan Shuyang recognized Pei Siyue’s scent instantly. The moment he drew near, Ruan Shuyang sensed it. By the time he looked up, Pei Siyue was already standing beside him, one arm casually draped over his shoulder.
Ruan Shuyang detected the cold, watery undertones in Pei Siyue’s pheromones, signaling his displeasure. “Are you upset, Brother?” he asked.
Pei Siyue lowered his gaze. “Why were you drinking?”
Ruan Shuyang answered in a sweet voice, “Brother, I wasn’t drinking alcohol. I only had sparkling drinks.”
Pei Siyue glanced at the half-empty sparkling drink bottle beside the table.
Very well. Even the alcohol content of a soft drink could knock this little omega out. From now on, he absolutely couldn’t let him drink alone outside.
He didn’t want to argue with someone who’d had too much to drink. He simply scooped the person up in his arms, gave a slight nod to Chi Ye and Gu Jin, then turned and left.
After watching Ruan Shuyang being carried away by Pei Siyue, Gu Jin exhaled in relief and said to Chi Ye, “Boss, looks like our freshman really is dating the Pei family’s eldest son. Otherwise, Pei Siyue wouldn’t have come to pick him up personally and just carried him off like that.”
Pei Siyue was a man of status—countless people sought his attention daily, keeping him perpetually busy. If he didn’t genuinely care, why bother coming himself? He could’ve easily sent a driver or secretary.
Consider how Chi Heng handled a drunk Chi Ye.
But after speaking, Gu Jin waited in vain for Chi Ye’s response.
He turned to look at Chi Ye, only to find him frowning deeply, his expression unusually stern.
Chi Ye clearly remembered Ruan Shuyang hadn’t mentioned his whereabouts, yet Pei Siyue had still come.
He turned to look at Chi Ye, only to see the other man frowning deeply, his expression unusually stern.
Chi Ye clearly remembered Ruan Shuyang hadn’t revealed his location, yet Pei Siyue had found him in no time. Clearly, he’d known Ruan Shuyang was here from the start, which is why he came directly.
Was he constantly monitoring his movements? Or had he placed some kind of tracking device on Ruan Shuyang?
Chi Ye thought of how completely unsuspecting Ruan Shuyang seemed around Pei Siyue and felt a headache coming on. He’d have to find time to warn her.
Otherwise, he feared he might fall victim to Pei Siyue’s mind control or manipulation.
**
After leaving the restaurant, Pei Siyue helped Ruan Shuyang into the car, reclined the seat so he could lie down, then moved to the driver’s side. After buckling both their seatbelts, he didn’t rush to start the engine. Instead, he gently traced Ruan Shuyang’s cheek with his thumb and asked in a low voice, “Why won’t you listen?”
“Disobedient?” Ruan Shuyang lay in the passenger seat, turning his head to look at Pei Siyue beside him. The interior lights were dim, blurring Pei Siyue’s expression. He could only sense the tall figure leaning down to watch him.
Ruan Shuyang frowned, puzzled, thinking for a moment before defending himself: ” No, I was being good.”
“Where were you being good?” Pei Siyue countered. “You were drinking.”
“I wasn’t drinking,” Ruan Shuyang protested, sounding a bit aggrieved. “It was sparkling soda.”
He just didn’t know why, after drinking it, his limbs felt weak and his mind couldn’t think straight.
Pei Siyue finally understood how Ruan Shuyang handled alcohol—he’d always believed he was drinking soda, not liquor.
What a little fool, believing everything others said without checking the label himself.
He didn’t want to argue with a drunkard and was about to drive him home when Ruan Shuyang suddenly said, “Brother, I’m very obedient.”
The little omega’s eyes were clearly glazed over with drunkenness, his rationality nearly gone, yet he still spoke in a soft, gentle tone: “I remembered what I promised you, big brother. I kept my distance and didn’t let them drive me home. If you hadn’t come, I was planning to walk back myself.”
Pei Siyue tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his heart softening against his will.
Despite his overwhelming need for control, he couldn’t bring himself to inflict pain.
He had indeed been furious when he arrived today. Ruan Shuyang hadn’t misread his mood—he was upset. Seeing him drinking alone until he couldn’t stand had made him want to punish him, but now he couldn’t muster the cruelty.
He gently placed his hand on Ruan Shuyang’s cheek, releasing a trace of pheromones to soothe her. “Sleep for a while.”
Unconsciously, Ruan Shuyang closed his eyes and had already fallen asleep by the time the car entered the residential complex’s underground garage.
Pei Siyue carried him upstairs, laid him on the master bedroom bed, helped him remove his shoes and socks, and fetched a hot towel from the bathroom to wipe his hands and feet. After finishing these tasks, he tucked Ruan Shuyang under the covers and was about to leave when he suddenly felt Ruan Shuyang tug at the hem of his shirt.
Ruan Shuyang seemed to have regained consciousness, gazing at him with clear, almond-shaped eyes that held a shimmering, watery light.
Pei Siyue heard him ask, “Brother, are we dating?”
Before Pei Siyue could answer, Ruan Shuyang closed his eyes again. He lay on the bed breathing evenly, covered by the soft quilt, only his small head peeking out.
Ruan Shuyang slept soundly, his cheeks rosy. It was unclear whether he had been fully awake when he asked that question.
Pei Siyue watched for a moment before turning to fetch the hangover remedy.
At first, he’d thought Ruan Shuyang should learn the misery of a hangover—so he’d be more cautious at future gatherings.
But later, he couldn’t bear to see it.
The little omega was growing more delicate by the day; a hangover headache might even make him cry.
Truth be told, he was the one who’d spoiled him this way.
He returned with the hangover remedy and a cup of warm water, gently lifting Ruan Shuyang to cradle the little omega in his arms.
This time, Ruan Shuyang seemed to be in a deep sleep. Even being moved showed no sign of waking; he only leaned his head softly against Pei Siyue.
He placed a pill in Ruan Shuyang’s mouth and lifted the cup to feed him water, but Ruan Shuyang was too dazed from sleep to drink or swallow on his own.
Pei Siyue watched for a moment, then tilted his head back to take a sip of water. Holding Ruan Shuyang’s head, he fed him the water mouth-to-mouth.
As he fed her, his tongue gently pushed the pill to the back of Ruan Shuyang’s throat, making it easier for the small omega to swallow.
With the pill at the back of his throat, Ruan Shuyang instinctively swallowed the mouthful of water he had in his mouth, sending the pill down his esophagus into his stomach.
After administering the medicine, Pei Siyue tried to pull away, but Ruan Shuyang’s delicate tongue hooked around his.
Ruan Shuyang sucked lightly on his tongue, the pressure so faint it was almost imperceptible.
Yet Pei Siyue’s gaze instantly darkened. His grip around Ruan Shuyang’s waist tightened as he pressed his lips against the small omega’s.
Ruan Shuyang leaned softly into his embrace, unaware as he was kissed, his breath stolen away.
Pei Siyue carried the pheromones Ruan Shuyang craved most. Kissing allowed him to absorb his partner’s scent, and he found himself relishing it, accepting the kiss with surprising ease—even craving more.
He adored Pei Siyue’s pheromones. Once he discovered kissing could grant them, he craved it constantly.
But kissing robbed him of breath. After being consumed so deeply, he gasped for air and instinctively struggled.
Pei Siyue slowly released Ruan Shuyang, laying him back down on the bed.
After the kiss, Ruan Shuyang resembled a flower meticulously nurtured, its petals tinged with an alluring hue. A vivid crimson flush spread across his cheeks and lips, and his breath carried the sweet, delicate scent of lily of the valley.
Pei Siyue closed his eyes briefly, his breathing slightly heavy.
Truthfully, his self-control wasn’t strong, which was why he never dared linger long in Ruan Shuyang’s room.
This room was saturated with Ruan Shuyang’s pheromones. Staying too long stirred his own desires, and he feared losing control.
He couldn’t lose control. Anything happening now could genuinely harm the young omega’s body.
He was too small.
So he always left quickly. This time should have been no different, but when Ruan Shuyang hooked his arm and kissed him, he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
Watching Ruan Shuyang sleep so blissfully unaware, he gave a wry smile, glanced down at himself, and resignedly returned to his room for a cold shower.
He really didn’t know who the one who’d done wrong was.
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