What? A day and a night?!
Ruan Shuyang’s eyes widened in shock. He sucked in a sharp breath, utterly unable to imagine what it would feel like to be pinned to a bed for an entire day and night.
Normally, staying up just a little late left him sluggish the next day. If he couldn’t sleep for a day and a night…
He’d probably pass out.
Waaah, is enigma’s stamina that terrifying?
Pei Siyue heard only silence on the other end of the line, broken only by faint breathing. Realizing he’d startled the little omega, he murmured reassuringly, “Don’t worry, I won’t do that to you.”
Out of Ruan Shuyang’s sight, Pei Siyue closed his eyes briefly, his Adam’s apple rolling as he fought back a surge of desire. His deep eyes seemed to be brewing a storm beneath the surface.
He desperately wanted to pin the little omega to the bed for a full day and night.
No, not just that—for many days and nights.
Ruan Shuyang grew slightly frightened and whispered, “Brother.”
“Don’t be afraid.” Pei Siyue paused before adding, “I won’t hurt you.”
Ruan Shuyang dared not ask about the enigma of why alphas were physically most compatible.
He was scared. No wonder they said alphas were best suited—this kind of physical exertion was too much for an omega to bear.
Feeling helpless, he murmured, “Mm.”
Pei Siyue didn’t want to discuss it further and changed the subject. “I’ll be heading back tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Did you enjoy the auction?”
“Everything was great except for some rude people interrupting.”
Pei Siyue tried to cheer him up: “If you’re unhappy, you could have bid on more things.”
Pei Siyue countered, “It won’t be a waste if you like them.”
“Brother,” Ruan Shuyang called out in a spoiled tone, speaking into the phone, “I miss you so much.”
Pei Siyue’s breath caught momentarily. His voice grew hoarse as he replied, “If you keep saying that, next time I travel for work, I won’t care if you have classes—I’ll take you with me.”
Ruan Shuyang obediently replied, “No, Brother. I have classes.”
He was a good student who needed to focus on his studies.
“Good boy,” Pei Siyue coaxed him with restrained affection. “Get some sleep.”
“Okay.”
But after hanging up, Ruan Shuyang lay awake for a long time.
A whole day and night? That sounded terrifying.
Should he start training his body early?
Though omegas were naturally delicate and soft, their bodies naturally prepared for bearing children, making it difficult to build muscle. But it wasn’t entirely impossible to exercise.
Without training, he genuinely feared being broken.
**
But Ruan Shuyang’s training plan never materialized.
As the weather turned cold, Pei Siyue feared he’d catch a chill. Every day, he bundled him up like a ball before heading out, leaving no opportunity for exercise whatsoever.
Before he knew it, December had arrived.
A news story rocked the medical community: the post-marking cleansing procedure for omegas had received early approval for market release.
Following this came another even bigger piece of news—
Rui Ji sold the patent rights to this drug to the government for one yuan. After undergoing marker removal surgery at public hospitals, patients only need to pay the production cost of the drug.
Moreover, this medication isn’t just beneficial for Omegas who’ve recently undergone surgery; it also offers significant effects for those who had surgery long ago, improving their quality of life and extending their lifespan.
The announcement of these two developments sent nearly all omegas into a frenzy. They showered Ruiji with praise and even spontaneously organized to ensure the company wouldn’t lose out. They flooded the market with purchases of their barrier patches and inhibitors, completely clearing out all inventory. Pre-orders are now backlogged for six months, with the company still offering a no-refund policy for quality issues.
Rui Ji’s General Manager, Dong Huaijin, stepped forward with a smile, stating that such unprecedented prosperity must be embraced at all costs. He confirmed that factories had already been scheduled to work overtime to meet demand.
Ruiji Technology’s corporate image transformed into one of remarkable positivity and strength. Countless voices called for other domestic medical tech companies to follow Ruiji’s lead—developing genuinely useful, market-adapted products. The message was clear: with quality products, sales would never be a concern.
Meanwhile, curiosity mounted over who had founded Ruiji.
Originally established in Country M, Ruiji Technology now sold such a crucial patent to China at a near giveaway price. This fueled widespread speculation that the company must have been founded by Chinese nationals.
Rumors also suggest that industry insiders claim Ruiji’s founder is indeed Chinese, but having studied abroad in M for years, he established the company there.
The individual in question is actually a young, accomplished scion of a wealthy family.
This revelation drastically narrowed the possibilities, sparking intense speculation about the identity. Some dismissed it as pure fake news, suggesting people were dreaming after reading too many novels.
How could such a major enterprise be founded by a young person? Only someone with decades of experience navigating the business world could possess the capability and skill.
Of course, some vested interests dismissed this with disdain, even mocking it openly. They claimed the founder was merely putting on a show to deceive people into buying products, suggesting the post-operative medication might be useless and just a money grab.
Netizens responded that anyone could put on such a show if they had the means, and whether the medicine worked was best left for those taking it to decide.
Later, as curiosity about Rui Ji’s founder grew—why would he give away such crucial patent rights?—state media stepped in to interview Pei Siyue himself.
However, Pei Siyue insisted on remaining unseen during the interview. The camera never captured his full face, only a side profile. While familiar faces might recognize him, unfamiliar netizens couldn’t tell at all.
When asked why he had essentially gifted this patented drug—developed at a cost of over ten billion yuan—to the state, Pei Siyue responded calmly: “This fulfills the wish of two generations.”
“My mother was a medical professional and a victim of marking-cleansing surgery. She dedicated most of her life to developing post-operative recovery medication for this procedure. She achieved significant progress before her untimely death from surgical complications, leaving the drug’s development unfinished.”
“After I came of age, I took over the research and continued advancing it to fulfill my mother’s wish.”
“My fiancé is a kind-hearted omega who hopes more omegas who’ve undergone marking-cleansing surgery can access this medication.”
“The aspirations of two generations ultimately led me to this decision.”
At the interview’s conclusion, the camera lingered on the wedding ring on Pei Siyue’s finger.
Following the interview, news emerged that the chairman of Ruiji Technology had been appointed as a visiting professor at several universities and had also begun serving in the national medical administration.
Ruan Shuyang curiously asked Pei Siyue if it was true, and Pei Siyue confirmed it.
He smiled and offered congratulations, stating this was Pei Siyue’s own career matter and he had no intention of interfering.
While nearly everyone was gossiping about this news, Pei Siming plunged into an indescribable madness and despair.
He never imagined Rui Ji would sell the patent rights to that project—and for a mere one yuan!
This meant his entire 100 million yuan investment was wiped out—his last remaining money, his final asset, all gone?!
In his despair, he frantically called Liang Qiang, only to be told it was a board decision beyond his authority to challenge.
He began investigating Ruiji’s chairman, suspecting the investment had been a trap from the start. Why else would such a promising project allow him to invest a hundred million shares for nothing? Perhaps the other party had always intended to donate the research findings.
But he still couldn’t comprehend it. To swindle him out of a hundred million, they’d willingly give away a project they’d invested over a billion in?
He refused to believe anyone in this world would genuinely engage in philanthropy by donating such crucial scientific achievements.
He stubbornly held his ground, refusing to accept any explanation.
But he couldn’t uncover the identity of Ruiji’s chairman. The company had been registered under a foreign name, leaving almost no trace. His investigations yielded no progress. Even when he stormed into Ruiji, security escorted him out.
In desperation, he considered seeking out Ruan Shuyang, but Pei Siyue had stationed bodyguards at the university gates. The moment they spotted Pei Siming, they escorted him away. Ruan Shuyang was also accompanied by security on his daily commute, leaving him no chance to approach her.
It wasn’t until he saw that news interview with Ruiji’s chairman that he recognized Pei Siyue almost instantly from that profile shot.
It was Pei Siyue!
Suddenly, everything seemed to make sense.
He knew Jiang Ruowan had passed away prematurely due to complications from the mark removal surgery. He also knew she had once been a doctor.
Pei Siyue was fulfilling his mother’s wish—and his fiancée’s.
His fiancée. Ruan Shuyang.
This thought twisted his face in agony.
He was clearly his fiancée. What right did Pei Siyue have to steal him away, then brazenly claim on the show it was also for his fiancée?
Hadn’t Pei Siyue snatched Ruan Shuyang to get revenge on him? Or was he actually serious?
The events of recent days had driven Pei Siming to near madness. All his money was gone, swindled away by Pei Siyue. Yet this “swindle” was beyond recovery—lawyers had told him court would rule against him. The original investment contract specified only profit-sharing percentages, not his right to interfere with project operations.
When he signed, Pei Siming genuinely hadn’t imagined anyone would willingly lose over a billion.
No, now it didn’t even seem like a loss. He’d heard Ruiji’s barrier patches and inhibitors were selling like hotcakes, with sales reaching billions.
But that’s revenue from Ruiji’s other projects—what does it have to do with him? His one hundred million was pure loss!
Driven by this frenzied and desperate emotion, Pei Siming went to the Pei Corporation to confront Pei Siyue.
The security guards at Pei Corporation recognized him as the second young master of the Pei family and hesitated to stop him. Pei Siming stood right outside Pei Siyue’s office door, blocking the entrance. The assistant and security guards looked utterly helpless.
After contacting Pei Siyue, Cheng Yi reported, “Second Young Master, Mr. Pei requests you wait in the reception room.”
“No.” Pei Siming stared fixedly at the elevator. “I’ll wait right here.”
Pei Siming bore no resemblance to the former second young master of the Pei family. His clothes were wrinkled and crumpled, his hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, his expression bordering on madness.
Cheng Yi dared not insist, merely standing by watching.
Towering over his brother by nearly a head, Pei Siyue looked down at him coldly, not uttering a single word. It was as if Pei Siming were nothing more than a worthless object, utterly unworthy of attention.
Everyone else had already left the top floor, leaving only the two brothers.
Pei Siming could no longer contain himself. He roared, lunging to grab Pei Siyue’s arm. “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? Deliberately seducing my fiancée, slowly stealing him away. You deliberately let Liang Qiang lure me into this trap, made me pour every last penny into it, and now I’ve lost everything. You hate me, want to take everything from me, just because my mother stole your father away. You want to take everything from me too, don’t you?!”
“You pathetic loser, you’ll always have nothing. All you know how to do is steal from others. What do you even have—”
But before he could finish, Pei Siyue slammed him hard onto the floor.
Pei Siming’s hand was grabbed before it could touch Pei Siyue’s body. Pei Siyue showed him no mercy, yanking his arm and flinging him forcefully onto the floor.
Pei Siming’s shoulder and head slammed hard against the solid wood floor. The pain left him dazed for a long moment, his vision blurring with dark spots.
When he finally regained his senses, he mustered his last ounce of strength. Looking at Pei Siyue waiting nearby, he managed, “Your revenge… it should be… enough by now…”
“I have nothing left.” Pei Siming tried several times to stand but found his shoulder too painful to move. Lying on the floor, gasping for breath, he pleaded with Pei Siyue, “So let my fiancée go. Give him back to me. Give…”
“…Give Ruan Shuyang back to me.”
Pei Siyue had initially intended to ignore Pei Siming, planning to have Cheng Yi take him away. But upon hearing those words, he paused his motion to call Cheng Yi. He walked over to Pei Siming, who lay on the ground unable to rise, and with an expression of indifference, stomped down on him.
The oppressive aura of enigma made Pei Siming, whose pheromone level was inferior to Pei Siyue’s, suffer intensely. He felt suffocated, as if crushed beneath an immense weight.
Suddenly, Pei Siming didn’t know exactly where Pei Siyue had stepped, but pain erupted throughout his body as if it were about to explode. It felt like his internal organs were bleeding. His agonized screams echoed through the top floor.
“Let me remind you,” Pei Siyue’s voice remained icy and clear amidst Pei Siming’s screams, “He has long ceased to be connected to you. He is not your fiancé.”
“He is mine.”
After speaking, Pei Siyue instructed Cheng Yi to bring security guards to carry Pei Siming out and throw him out of the corporate building, simultaneously ordering that Pei Siming be barred from entering the premises henceforth.
Pei Siming was thrown out of the corporate building, landing on the ground in the corner by the side entrance. He lay there for a long while before regaining his senses, feeling pain all over his body and the urge to vomit, yet finding no visible injuries.
He sat on the ground for another extended period. Just as he was about to leave, a somewhat familiar voice drifted from nearby.
“Second Young Master, long time no see.”
Lu Zheng stood beside the building’s secluded side entrance, his usual entourage of secretary and bodyguards positioned further away.
He flicked open a lighter to ignite a cigarette, observing Pei Siming with a faint smile. “Seems things haven’t been going well for you lately, Second Young Master. Your dear big brother’s doing, isn’t it?”
Pei Siming frowned. “What do you mean, Mr. Lu?”
“Nothing much.” Lu Zheng exhaled a smoke ring. “Interested in teaming up, Second Young Master? The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Lu Zheng had a grudge against Pei Siyue too?
Pei Siming had never heard of such a thing. As far as he knew, the two weren’t particularly acquainted—at most, they’d had friction in business settings, but they certainly weren’t enemies.
He suddenly noticed Lu Zheng’s current state: his face gaunt and furrowed with worry, his appearance much more haggard than before, bearing no trace of his former glory as a tycoon dominating the business world.
Pei Siming couldn’t help asking, “What happened to you?”
Lu Zheng took a deep drag on his cigarette. “Pei Siyue.”
“What do you mean?” Pei Siming immediately thought, “Are you saying Pei Siyue did something to you?”
“Yes.” “Lu Zheng replied in a hoarse voice. ”Around late August, I noticed several business deals going wrong one after another. After digging around for a long time, I found out it was the Pei Corporation behind it.”
He, Lu Zheng, had built his fortune from scratch and had some assets, but he couldn’t compare to the Pei Corporation, which had deep roots and had been operating for a long time. If the Pei Corporation was determined to destroy his business, they certainly had the means to do so.
“After long efforts, I finally met with Pei Siyue. I asked if he had a grudge against me and why he was targeting me. He didn’t give an answer, only told me to leave.”
“Afterward, I pondered it endlessly without understanding, until I saw the news of Pei Siyue’s engagement to Ruan Shuyang. Only then did I realize it might be because of Ruan Shuyang.”
When he first saw the engagement announcement, he couldn’t believe it. He assumed it was another business alliance of convenience. But then he realized Ruan Jewelry was on the brink of collapse. Acquiring it wouldn’t hold much value, let alone gain access to the powerful Pei family.
Under these circumstances, Pei Siyue still chose to proceed with the engagement. The only possible reason was Ruan Shuyang herself.
That explained why Pei Siyue had targeted him.
Because of Ruan Shuyang.
Though he couldn’t fathom why Pei Siyue would go to such lengths for an omega, it seemed the only plausible explanation.
“Your half-brother might just be the world’s greatest romantic,” Lu Zheng took another deep drag on his cigarette. “Otherwise, I honestly can’t fathom why he’d target me.”
Pei Siming stared blankly for a long moment, an uncontrollable wave of panic surging through him. It felt like someone had grabbed his heart, squeezing it until he could barely breathe.
“Could it be… could it be that Pei Siyue isn’t targeting me for revenge, but… actually likes Ruan Shuyang?”
It was an answer he’d never wanted to believe, nor dared to accept.
Because he knew full well he could never compete with Pei Siyue—it had been that way since childhood.
Though he’d always believed he wasn’t inferior to Pei Siyue, just unlucky, when harsh reality stared him in the face, he had to admit defeat.
To Pei Siming, Pei Siyue was an insurmountable mountain, towering over him since childhood, excelling in every way.
“That Ruan Shuyang—your former fiancée?” Lu Zheng’s expression darkened at the mention of her. “It’s all because of him that I’ve ended up like this.”
Pei Siming frowned deeply but said nothing.
At this point, Lu Zheng decided to ask Pei Siming directly: “Second Young Master, there’s something I’ve always wondered—did you deliberately leave the private room door unlocked back then?”
Pei Siming stared blankly at the side door for a long moment before murmuring, “Yes.”
He had deliberately left it unlocked, deliberately leaving a glimmer of hope. Back then, he couldn’t bear the thought of giving Ruan Shuyang away to someone else, though he’d never dared admit it.
He couldn’t admit he liked a bastard child. He couldn’t admit that even after that bastard child became a legitimate heir, he still couldn’t escape the stigma of being born out of wedlock.
Lu Zheng snorted. “Who knew the Pei family were all such romantic geniuses? But your romanticism won’t help. That Ruan Shuyang probably can’t live without your brother now. You should give up on him early and join me in figuring out how to deal with your brother.”
This remark darkened Pei Siming’s expression. “What do you mean? Why would Ruan Shuyang be unable to leave Pei Siyue?”
Lu Zheng looked at Pei Siming with puzzled curiosity. “You don’t know?”
“Know what?”
“You’ve been around Pei Siyue for so long—haven’t you sensed his overwhelming pressure?”
Pei Siming answered grimly, “I’ve sensed it. His pheromone level is exceptionally high.”
He just didn’t know what level it was that made even him, an S-class Alpha, feel so profoundly uncomfortable.
Seeing Pei Siming genuinely unaware, Lu Zheng let out a soft “tsk.” “Your brother is an enigma. His pheromone level is the highest in this entire food chain. Not only can it turn alphas into omegas, but his pheromones also create an irresistible fascination—people become utterly dependent on him.”
“Even now, if you told your former fiancée he could leave him, he wouldn’t want to go. After tasting an enigma’s pheromones, no one can resist.”
That’s precisely why Lu Zheng dared not confront Pei Siyue head-on. He’d heard enigmas were born leaders, and the gap in pheromone levels instilled an instinctive fear in him. His focus remained solely on reclaiming his former business, not on bringing down the Pei Corporation entirely.
“E… Enigma?”
Pei Siming had never heard of Enigma’s existence, but Lu Zheng’s words sparked a realization. He immediately sought answers.
**
By late December, the weather felt like someone had pressed a rapid cooling button. Daytime temperatures plummeted from 3°C to -7°C overnight.
The sky seemed frozen solid by the frigid air, turning the color of blue ice—beautifully clear yet utterly devoid of warmth.
Ruan Shuyang bundled himself into a ball every time he went out, terrified of catching a cold.
But after pulling an all-nighter on Thursday to finish an assignment, he still froze when walking to the cafeteria for lunch the next day—despite driving and wrapping himself up like a ball.
By afternoon class, a dull headache set in. After returning home, he felt slightly feverish though not severely. His body was exceptionally weary and weak. He planned to rest on the sofa before deciding whether to go to the hospital. Unexpectedly, he drifted off into a hazy sleep shortly after sitting down.
After falling asleep, Ruan Shuyang felt chilled. The cold seeped through his clothes, but he lacked the strength to climb upstairs for a blanket. Instinctively curling up, he drifted back into a drowsy sleep until Pei Siyue returned home and discovered Ruan Shuyang’s body burning hot with a high fever.
That afternoon, when Ruan Shuyang got off school, Pei Siyue texted him, asking if he wanted to see the fireworks tonight.
With New Year’s approaching, fireworks occasionally lit up the city skyline. Ruan Shuyang loved watching them, and Pei Siyue had specially arranged a fireworks gala for their engagement. Whenever he saw fireworks, he’d ask if they could watch them together whenever he had time.
But this message had gone unanswered.
Seeing Ruan Shuyang’s location still showing as home, he called but got no answer either.
Worried, he decided to leave work early and head back.
Arriving home, he found the small figure curled up on the sofa, hugging his knees with his face buried in them. His forehead was burning hot, yet his hands and feet were ice-cold.
His heart instantly sank, cold and heavy.
Pei Siyue disliked winter.
Come winter, the hospital would fill with patients. The respiratory, infectious disease, and ENT wards were always packed with various respiratory illnesses.
Jiang Ruowan had passed away in winter.
That winter was bitterly cold, much like this one. Jiang Ruowan had a weak constitution and poor immunity. After a high fever that lingered for weeks, it progressed into pneumonia. She couldn’t withstand that freezing winter and passed away just before New Year’s Day.
Next Tuesday marks the anniversary of Jiang Ruowan’s death.
He had intended to ask Ruan Shuyang if they should pay their respects together, but now it seemed unlikely.
Rationally, he knew most fevers were self-limiting illnesses that would resolve in a few days, but emotionally, he still worried.
Omegas had fragile bodies and weak immunity. He dreaded the thought of Ruan Shuyang meeting the same fate as Jiang Ruowan—having his life taken by a high fever.
Ruan Shuyang felt himself being lifted, dazed and disoriented, pressed against a warm chest. His body instantly warmed, though his limbs remained icy cold.
The enigma pheromones around him were frigid—like the cold, oppressive, and murky sea in winter, making him feel deeply uncomfortable.
He struggled to open his eyes and saw Pei Siyue holding him. An inexplicable pang of bitterness and grievance welled up inside him. His pale, smooth cheeks were tinged with an unhealthy purplish-red from the fever, and his breath came in hot waves.
His eyes were bloodshot from the fever. He cried out helplessly, “Brother.”
“I… I feel so awful.”
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