Pei Siyue touched Ruan Shuyang’s forehead, finding it indeed warm. The lily-of-the-valley scent in the lounge grew sweet and intoxicating.
They were currently flying at 10,000 meters in the stratosphere. The aircraft cruised smoothly, the lounge quiet save for the occasional faint hum of the engines.
No one knew how scorching and humid it felt inside the lounge.
Ruan Shuyang didn’t understand why Pei Siyue was staring at him again with those heavy, dark eyes, yet doing nothing.
He felt so miserable he couldn’t help but cry out softly for help, “Brother.”
“Is it uncomfortable?” Pei Siyue appeared as composed as ever, running a hand through his hair before gently patting his back. “Tell me, are you hot?”
“Hot.”
Ruan Shuyang sniffed, his eyes reddening. His mind was hazy. It felt like a gaping void inside him, desperate to be filled with pheromones for satisfaction. He couldn’t understand why Pei Siyue still refused to give him any.
He held back, then, seeing Pei Siyue make no move, decided to seek pheromones himself.
He remembered Pei Siyue mentioning that bodily fluids contained abundant pheromones too. Last time, it had been through kissing.
His thoughts were hazy as lotus-root-like arms wrapped around Pei Siyue’s nape, slowly drawing his delicate cherry lips closer.
Just a second before their lips met, Pei Siyue’s deep voice asked, “Does it itch inside?”
“No.”
His soft lips pressed against Pei Siyue’s. Pei Siyue parted his lips in response, gently teasing the wet, tender tongue.
He finally tasted the pheromones, like drinking the sweetest mountain spring water, sucking it in endlessly.
Pei Siyue held Ruan Shuyang’s body, returning his kisses while struggling to maintain his composure.
This probably wasn’t a true heat cycle—just a false one triggered by being marked three times.
It wasn’t a real heat, but it still needed to be fully satisfied to subside.
Enigma’s pheromones were ultimately too intoxicating for an omega. Even a slight excess felt like opening a gap that demanded relentless filling to satisfy.
That’s why he’d always been careful not to give too much. Today, however, he hadn’t been able to hold back. Three brief markings had still left Ruan Shuyang craving a higher concentration of his pheromones.
He wanted Ruan Shuyang to be addicted to his scent, to become utterly dependent on him.
Yet he also feared Ruan Shuyang becoming too lost in it, losing himself entirely.
But Ruan Shuyang’s glands weren’t ready for marking yet. He turned the other’s body, positioning him face-down across his own, then gently cradled Ruan Shuyang’s head to deepen the kiss.
Ruan Shuyang felt a tingling numbness at the root of his tongue, letting out a soft moan before sensing Pei Siyue tear off the gland patch at the back of his neck.
The pheromones in the lounge surged instantly. Ruan Shuyang felt as if he were drifting in an ocean, his consciousness gradually slipping away from him.
The scent of lily of the valley gradually grew cloyingly sweet.
Ruan Shuyang didn’t know when he’d been laid flat on the bed. Pei Siyue’s hand slid downward, his head dipping to kiss him again. Under the overwhelming stimulation of enigma pheromones, his mind went completely blank.
When he finally came to his senses, he was breathing softly, feeling so comfortable it was as if every pore in his body had opened. He felt warm and lazy, not wanting to move a single finger.
Pei Siyue was helping him clean up and change into fresh clothes. He felt he should be doing it himself, but he was so comfortable that all his strength had left him.
By the time he slowly recovered, Pei Siyue had already lain down beside him again, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and murmuring, “Did you enjoy it?”
Though Ruan Shuyang still felt shy, having gone through the previous two times made it much easier now. He mustered the courage to whisper, “Very much.”
Pei Siyue’s fingers gently brushed his cheek as his voice softened further. “Sleep soon.”
Ruan Shuyang’s body was indeed exhausted, as if he’d just finished an intense workout that drained every ounce of energy. He nestled close to Pei Siyue but didn’t fall asleep immediately. Instead, he kept his eyes wide open, struggling to stay awake.
Pei Siyue leaned down and asked, “What’s wrong?”
He had sensed Pei Siyue’s desire earlier, yet the older man hadn’t acted on it. In truth, it was his own body’s fault.
But there seemed to be another way to satisfy him—like how Pei Siyue had done it to him.
He couldn’t be the only one enjoying it every time. He couldn’t keep being the one who received without giving back.
As soon as he finished speaking, he distinctly felt Pei Siyue’s pheromones shift. The surrounding scent grew scorching and intense.
Pei Siyue closed his eyes briefly. When he looked back at Ruan Shuyang, his jet-black pupils seemed to hold an abyssal whirlpool—deep enough to swallow a person whole, never to be seen again.
Ruan Shuyang suddenly understood—this gaze actually represented restraint and suppression.
“Brother, you…”
But Pei Siyue reached out to cover his eyes, his palm scorching hot.
“Sleep.”
Pei Siyue’s voice was unusually hoarse.
If not, then don’t sleep at all. After all, the reproductive cavity’s elasticity was more than sufficient—it could accommodate a baby weighing six or seven pounds without truly being stretched beyond repair.
Beneath Pei Siyue’s palm, eyelids trembled lightly, lashes like fine little brushes brushing against his palm.
Ruan Shuyang bit his lip, suddenly mimicking Pei Siyue’s motion as he reached down to touch. His slender, pale hand, delicate as if without bones, was grasped the instant it made contact.
Pei Siyue flipped him over, biting through Ruan Shuyang’s gland for the fourth time today to mark him.
A flood of enigma pheromones instantly surged into Ruan Shuyang’s body. His mind went blank, and the next second, he collapsed limply onto the bed, unconscious.
Pei Siyue jolted upright on the bed, injecting himself with two doses of suppressant before gradually calming down. He watched Ruan Shuyang lying unconscious on the bed, having briefly lost consciousness. Slowly, he released more pheromones to soothe him, observing Ruan Shuyang’s small face relax, his breathing steady, and his chest rising and falling rhythmically.
Pei Siyue smiled bitterly. He really had no choice but to endure this hardship.
If he’d known it would turn out like this, if he’d known Ruan Shuyang would be so bold, he might as well have just bought plane tickets. That would have been better than this situation.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but it simply wasn’t possible now. An omega’s body was too delicate; it needed to be nurtured slowly.
Any mishap now could genuinely harm him.
But the little one was growing increasingly audacious.
He gently stroked Ruan Shuyang’s face. Over time, his skin had grown more radiant—like delicate white porcelain soaked in moonlight, smooth to the touch, more comforting than the finest silk.
The Enigma pheromone nourished his partner’s body, and Ruan Shuyang was thriving.
Of course, he was also becoming increasingly dependent on him.
Peisi got out of bed and took a cold shower. He returned to the room much later, retrieving ointment from the medicine cabinet to apply to Ruan Shuyang’s battered glands.
He had bitten him four times today. The first three markings had made Ruan Shuyang’s body instinctively crave that satisfying, pleasurable sensation. After he had satisfied himself, he hadn’t expected the little omega to want to satisfy him in return.
But that level of satisfaction was utterly impossible for him. It would have been better not to start at all.
He had no choice but to bite him a fourth time.
The cotton swab moved gently as it applied the ointment, but Ruan Shuyang still flinched sensitively.
Only after finishing all this did he climb back into bed. After a moment’s thought, he pulled the other into his embrace to sleep together.
The little omega’s fluffy head rested against his chest, soft strands of hair gently brushing his jawline like feathers drifting lightly from his chin. The lingering sensation refused to fade.
He restrained himself, leaning down to kiss the soft strands. His palm gently patted Ruan Shuyang’s back, soothing the little omega into deeper sleep.
Yet he himself was in agony, struggling to fall asleep, yet unwilling to let go.
Pei Siyue only dozed for a few hours before waking. Sitting at the bedside, he pulled out his notebook to handle work matters.
Ruan Shuyang slept soundly through the entire flight. Had Pei Siyue not roused him to wash up before landing, he might have slept until the plane touched down.
After washing up, the plane prepared for landing. Amidst the flurry of activity, it wasn’t until he sat in the car that the events of last night slowly came back to him.
What happened last night?
He only remembered trying to hold Pei Siyue, then Pei Siyue suddenly bit his gland, and after that, nothing.
Thinking of this, he instinctively reached for his gland, but before his hand could touch it, Pei Siyue grabbed his wrist.
The driver was up front, while he and Pei Siyue sat together in the backseat. Pei Siyue held his hand tightly and whispered, “Don’t move.”
Ruan Shuyang looked puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“It’ll take a few days to heal. I’ll change the dressing later.”
Ruan Shuyang slowly processed the implication. “Did… did you bite me, Brother?”
Pei Siyue stared at him with a stern expression, offering no reply.
He continued his guess, “Did you do it on purpose last night? Did you deliberately not let me touch you?”
Pei Siyue tapped his head and said sternly, “You’re just being reckless.”
Ruan Shuyang looked aggrieved. He’d only been trying to help Pei Siyue.
“Brother can touch me, but I can’t touch you?”
Pei Siyue rubbed his temples. Ruan Shuyang clearly no longer feared him—how else could he utter such words?
“No.”
Enigma’s voice seemed to carry utter coldness and ruthlessness.
Ruan Shuyang puffed out his cheeks in defiance, feeling wronged by Pei Siyue.
Only he couldn’t control himself, doing things unimaginable when sober.
Moments later, Pei Siyue beside him gently lifted his chin, leaning slightly closer. Those deep, dark eyes seemed to pull him in, and Enigma’s oppressive aura instantly washed over him. Ruan Shuyang swallowed, instinctively tense.
“You can’t afford the consequences of provoking me right now,” Pei Siyue’s voice was unusually deep and measured. “Understand?”
Ruan Shuyang instantly went quiet, like a kitten whose voice had been cut off, becoming exceptionally docile. His large almond-shaped eyes looked up at Pei Siyue, misty with emotion.
He seemed to grasp Pei Siyue’s meaning now. Had last night’s Pei Siyue been like this, he never would have dared provoke him.
Seeing he dared not stir trouble further, Pei Siyue released his jaw. He lowered his head, gently kissing his lips, holding that soothing contact for a moment before murmuring, “Don’t be afraid.”
Ruan Shuyang exhaled slowly. He wasn’t particularly afraid, but he truly didn’t dare cause trouble anymore.
Due to the time difference, they arrived in New York at night. The bustling downtown area was brightly lit and incredibly lively. Ruan Shuyang had slept well on the plane and wasn’t tired now, so he gazed curiously at the night view outside the window.
Seeing his fascination, Pei Siyue offered, “Once we drop off our luggage, I’ll take you out to see it.”
Ruan Shuyang’s expression brightened, his large eyes sparkling with curiosity and delight.
“Thank you, Brother.”
After the driver dropped them off at their residence and left, Ruan Shuyang looked at the light gray villa before him. Despite being in the heart of the city, it stood at a slight distance from the other buildings.
This feeling was very similar to Pei Siyue’s residence back home. He had always preferred living in such tranquil spots amidst the bustle.
Following Pei Siyue inside, he asked, “Brother, is this where you used to live?”
“Yes.” Pei Siyue nodded. “We might come here often from now on. We’ll stay here.”
The villa’s interior retained its muted Morandi color palette and spacious, minimalist decor. Yet, perhaps because it had been unoccupied for so long, he sensed no trace of Pei Siyue’s pheromones.
Pei Siyue carried luggage in one hand while holding Ruan Shuyang’s with the other, leading him upstairs to the bedroom. He pushed open the guest room door.
The housekeeper had already prepared the room for them. Pei Siyue helped Ruan Shuyang unpack his luggage, sorting everything neatly into its place.
Ruan Shuyang tried to help but was gently stopped. Pei Siyue finished quickly, then looked at Ruan Shuyang, whose wide eyes sparkled with excitement. He picked up the car keys and said, “Let’s go out for some fun.”
Ruan Shuyang’s eyes crinkled into a sweet smile.
This was his first trip abroad, and he was curious about everything, eager to explore.
But when the car finally reached the bustling downtown area, surrounded by dazzling neon lights and towering billboards, standing amidst the surging crowd with all sorts of scents washing over him, he felt an involuntary fear in this unfamiliar foreign land and instinctively moved closer to Pei Siyue beside him.
Pei Siyue promptly wrapped an arm around his shoulder, enveloping him in his enigma pheromones. The panic in Ruan Shuyang’s eyes faded considerably, and he slowly began observing his surroundings with curiosity.
It bore some resemblance to the bustling downtown of City B back home, but the architectural style was different. The faces passing by were mostly blond-haired, blue-eyed, or dark-skinned; people like him and Pei Siyue were few and far between.
As they walked through the bustling commercial district, Ruan Shuyang asked, “Who is this elder brother mentioned? When should we go meet him? Do we need to prepare anything?”
Pei Siyue tightened his arm around Ruan Shuyang’s shoulder and murmured, “I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
After being led around by Pei Siyue, he felt exhausted on the way back. Yet once he lay on his bed, sleep eluded him.
This place felt utterly unfamiliar to him—vast and empty, devoid of any familiar scent. He closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling slightly, overcome by a profound sense of insecurity.
He vaguely recalled lying in Pei Siyue’s embrace on the plane, feeling warm and secure.
But he couldn’t selfishly call Pei Siyue to accompany him again. He remembered how he had taken suppressants just to be with him.
He had taken suppressants himself and knew how painful the injections were. He didn’t want to see Pei Siyue suffer like that again.
Yet lying in bed felt like torture. After a short while, he couldn’t bear it anymore. He turned on the light, sat up, hugged his knees, and rested his face against them, utterly lost.
Pei Siyue returned to his room to handle some work matters. After finishing, he felt uneasy about Ruan Shuyang’s condition, worried he might be unable to sleep in an unfamiliar bed. He opened his door and walked to Ruan Shuyang’s door, wanting to listen and see if he was asleep.
Enigma’s senses were exceptionally sharp; he could tell from outside the door whether Ruan Shuyang was sleeping soundly.
But this time, he didn’t need to listen. As soon as he reached the doorway, he saw light seeping through the crack beneath the door. He raised his hand to knock, then heard Ruan Shuyang’s surprised and flustered voice: “Brother.”
He turned the knob and stepped inside, finding Ruan Shuyang sitting on the bed with his knees hugged to his chest. His fair, delicate face was buried between his knees. Sitting down beside him, Enigma asked softly, “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?”
Ruan Shuyang mumbled in reply, “A little.”
Pei Siyue wrapped his arms around his shoulders, gently lifting the small omega from his knees. He helped him lie down, then pulled the quilt over him.
Buried beneath pillows and blankets, only Ruan Shuyang’s small face peeked out. His almond-shaped eyes, with their distinct black and white, gazed at Pei Siyue, his expression a mix of confusion and guilt. “Are you going to sleep with me, Brother?”
“Mhm.”
Pei Siyue detected the refusal in his words and raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Every time you sleep with me, you feel uncomfortable afterward.” He wasn’t a child anymore—eighteen years old, old enough to be with someone, an adult omega. “I can’t be so selfish, making you comfort me every time only to suffer afterward.”
After Ruan Shuyang finished speaking, Pei Siyue remained silent for a long moment. His deep, dark eyes flickered with complex emotions—tenderness, struggle, and profound restraint.
No one understood the difficulty of restraint better than Pei Siyue, yet he had to do it.
He reached out to gently trace Ruan Shuyang’s delicate willow-leaf brows before covering his eyes.
“It’s okay. You’re still a child. You can be selfish.”
“And you can be willful too.”
Pei Siyue covered his eyes, dimmed the bedside lamp, and began slowly releasing pheromones to lull the little omega to sleep, waiting until he was truly asleep before leaving.
After leaving, Pei Siyue returned to his room and took a cold shower.
Every time his overwhelming urge to control nearly broke free, Ruan Shuyang always found his own way to help Pei Siyue restrain himself.
He reminded himself: he didn’t want a puppet, but a vibrant, lively, and adorable omega full of life.
The next morning, Ruan Shuyang woke up feeling utterly defeated.
He’d been lulled to sleep by Pei Siyue again.
He couldn’t resist the other man’s pheromones.
After tossing and turning in bed for a while longer, he finally got up, washed up, and went downstairs.
Pei Siyue said they were visiting an elder today, and he couldn’t be late.
Upon descending, he noticed a new Chinese maid on the first floor—a Beta woman in her forties—storing items in the refrigerator.
Pei Siyue had risen earlier and was making a call in the living room. Spotting Ruan Shuyang, he hung up and beckoned him over.
Being on vacation, Pei Siyue dressed casually—his shirt cuffs unbuttoned, two buttons missing from the collar, subtly revealing the defined lines of his muscular arms and broad, solid chest.
Outwardly, Pei Siyue wasn’t an exaggeratedly muscular man—tall and lean—but Ruan Shuyang could often sense the lean, powerful physique beneath his clothes, brimming with strength and explosiveness.
This was also why he always obeyed obediently whenever the other pressed him—the physical disparity was simply too great.
Still, Pei Siyue treated him well. Even during punishments, he never truly struck him, often cradling him in his arms to soothe him. Perhaps because of the size difference, sometimes in his embrace, Ruan Shuyang felt like a real child.
Pei Siyue ruffled his hair and asked, “How did you sleep last night?”
“Pretty good,” Ruan Shuyang replied. “How about you, Brother?”
Pei Siyue gave a brief nod, pulling Ruan Shuyang to sit together on the living room sofa.
The maid prepared breakfast in the kitchen as Pei Siyue mentioned the elders they would meet shortly.
Ruan Shuyang sensed an inexplicable heaviness and oppression in Pei Siyue’s expression. The pheromones in the air felt stifling, like the oppressive atmosphere before a summer downpour, pressing down on one’s chest until breathing felt difficult.
“He’s an elder who isn’t related to me by blood.” He paused, his gaze fixed ahead as he spoke more plainly with a calm expression: “My mother’s first love.”
Ruan Shuyang stared at Pei Siyue in surprise, his eyes wide. He covered his mouth silently, saying nothing, not interrupting him, listening quietly.
“My mother didn’t marry my father for love. “Pei Siyue’s tone was flat, as if recounting something unrelated to himself. ”Similar to your situation, she was manipulated by my father who exploited her vulnerability to induce her heat. After being permanently marked, she conceived me. She married my father solely for the sake of the unborn child.”
“Before that, she had a lover with whom she shared a deep bond. They were discussing marriage, had exchanged wedding rings, and were preparing to wed.”
That lover was the elder they were meeting today.
Ruan Shuyang understood.
“After the incident, that uncle, heartbroken, moved far away to a foreign land,” Pei Siyue continued. “Not long after I went abroad, I encountered him. He helped me a lot while I was overseas.”
Back then, he was just a twelve-year-old boy who hadn’t undergone differentiation yet, studying alone in a foreign land. Wei Yuan had indeed helped him tremendously.
Ruan Shuyang looked at Pei Siyue, listening quietly as he spoke.
He felt that compared to Pei Yan, Pei Siyue seemed to hold even greater respect for this elder.
“He’s a very kind elder,” Pei Siyue murmured, running his fingers through Ruan Shuyang’s soft hair, brushing away the strands framing his cheek before pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. “Don’t be nervous. We’re just having dinner with him, then I’ll take you out to have fun.”
Ruan Shuyang found it hard to say he wasn’t nervous, as he had little experience meeting elders, and his limited encounters with the Pei family hadn’t been pleasant.
However, he could see the deep respect Pei Siyue held for this elder. He offered, “It’s okay, I’m not a child anymore, I don’t need to play. You’ve finally found some free time, you should spend it with your elders.”
Pei Siyue pulled back slightly, gazing into Ruan Shuyang’s eyes—clear as a spring—and kissed his eyelids with restrained tenderness. “I’ll play with you. You are my child.”
“My child.”
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