He squirmed uncomfortably for a moment, and Pei Siyue loosened his grip.
But after letting go, a new red mark appeared on his ankle, standing out clearly against his skin, which was as white as cream.
“Sorry,” Pei Siyue murmured, then reached into the glove compartment beside him, took out a tube of ointment, twisted off the cap, squeezed some onto his finger, and then used his finger to apply the ointment to his ankle.
Enigma’s fingers were cold, white, and slender, with clearly defined joints. He easily gripped his slender ankle, his warm fingers coated with the cool ointment, gently rubbing the swollen area with his slightly rough fingers.
The sensation was strange, making his scalp tingle.
Ruan Shuyang moved his foot slightly and whispered, “I can apply it myself.”
However, Enigma, sitting across from him, seemed not to hear the words and continued to apply the ointment.
Even stranger.
Ruan Shuyang had never experienced such a strange scene before. He was sitting in the car, and across from him was Enigma, whose name he didn’t know, helping him apply the ointment.
His body was still craving Enigma’s pheromones. This close contact made him so eager that his glands were fluttering again, and his brain seemed unable to think about anything other than pheromones.
Midway through applying the ointment, he suddenly heard the enigma ask, “Can you still feel the water?”
Pei Siyue’s expression grew deep and complex for a moment, but he said nothing, continuing to apply the ointment carefully.
The ointment was effective, and by the time it was finished, Ruan Shuyang felt that his ankle no longer hurt.
But soon, something worse began to trouble him. The glands at the back of his neck were throbbing violently, and the adhesive patch could barely stay in place.
He unnaturally clenched his legs together, trying to resist the unfamiliar waves surging through his body.
Suddenly, a wave hit him, and he let out a soft “hum,” his body completely drained of strength, collapsing onto the backseat.
His body was hot, and he felt an inexplicable thirst, and the enigma across from him was the source of water he needed.
Pei Siyue sat in the opposite seat, looking down at Ruan Shuyang lying on the backseat. His dark, deep eyes showed no emotion as he asked in a calm tone, “What’s wrong?”
“I—”
Ruan Shuyang opened his mouth slightly, breathing heavily.
He didn’t know how to explain the situation. Two thoughts were battling in his mind: one urging him to speak up quickly to seek help, the other reminding him of the shame associated with the matter.
He didn’t know the enigma sitting across from him, and pheromones were a unique, private existence belonging solely to an individual. It was difficult for him to ask for the other person’s pheromones.
Perhaps because he hadn’t received the correct answer, a few minutes later, Ruan Shuyang heard the enigma’s cold voice again: “I can only help you if I know the reason.”
Enigma’s handsome face showed no extra expression, his tone calm and devoid of any scrutiny or curiosity, as if he were simply stating a fact, with no other thoughts, just wanting to know the reason to help him.
He looked at Enigma across from him with a dazed expression. The man’s appearance was undeniably exceptionally handsome, with deep-set features, a high nose bridge, sharp eyebrows, and a cold, noble demeanor.
The other person was simply sitting across from him, making no other movements, yet Ruan Shuyang felt as though he knew everything, could solve anything, and nothing in the car could be hidden from him.
“I’ve helped you twice, haven’t I? Without even knowing who you are.”
Ruan Shuyang thought hazily, at least he didn’t seem like a bad person.
The physical desire was burning away his rationality, urging him to spill the entire story to obtain the desired pheromones.
He couldn’t withstand that burning sensation, and his subconscious chose to believe, spilling the entire story.
“I… my glands didn’t develop properly. After you marked me last time, the pheromones stimulated gland development. The doctor said pheromone therapy is needed, and currently, the only option is…”
yours.
He didn’t say the last two words, as if an endless wave was crashing over him. He closed his eyes, bit his lip, and curled up his body.
The next moment, something covered him, and he was enveloped in gentle water.
The barrier patch on the back of his neck was gently removed, and the water flowed slowly to the gland area, gently soothing him.
The water slowly flowed into the gland, feeling like tiny currents running through his body, slowly filling the emptiness within him.
Ruan Shuyang slowly regained his strength and consciousness, discovering that he was covered by a thin vest—the kind worn over a shirt in an air-conditioned room during summer. It was silver-gray, with a soft texture to the touch.
The pheromones on it told him whose vest it was.
He hugged the vest, blushing as he sat up, stammering, “Thank you for earlier, and… I’m sorry.”
His earlier behavior was basically equivalent to getting aroused in someone else’s car—it was truly embarrassing and disrespectful.
Pei Siyue simply said, “It’s okay.”
It was as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened earlier; everything was ordinary.
Although he felt embarrassed, Ruan Shuyang obediently put it on. He really wanted the pheromones now and dared not refuse, fearing that if he refused, he might do something irrational without them.
The car drove steadily forward. The enigma across from him stared expressionlessly out the window. Ruan Shuyang didn’t recognize the surrounding scenery and didn’t know where they were going.
After a while, he still asked softly, “Excuse me, where are we going now?”
“To the hospital,” the enigma across from him told him, “to give you a checkup.”
Huh?
Ruan Shuyang didn’t really want to go because he didn’t have any money and didn’t want to bother anyone else, but the person sitting across from him seemed to be just informing him, not consulting him, looking like he had already made up his mind, leaving Ruan Shuyang unsure of how to refuse.
Just as he was hesitating, the car arrived at a private hospital. As they drove in, he noticed the hospital’s name: Rui Ji Hospital (Main Hospital).
Rui Ji…
Ruan Shuyang remembered that the dinner party Pei Siming was going to take him to was hosted by Rui Ji Technology.
Was the person across from him from Rui Ji Company, or was he just bringing him here for a checkup?
The car pulled into the underground garage and stopped. Enigma opened the door and got out first, then leaned slightly toward Ruan Shuyang, who was still in the car, and offered his hand to help him out.
But Enigma did not withdraw his hand, simply waiting calmly.
It turned out that helping him was indeed necessary. The other person had foresight; he had been weakened by the pheromones and couldn’t stand steadily, so he did need assistance.
After getting off the car, Ruan Shuyang blushed and thanked him, “Thank you.”
Enigma waited until he was steady on his feet before letting go, then said in a low voice, “There’s no need to thank me.”
Immediately after, Ruan Shuyang felt the other person standing behind him whisper, “Don’t move.”
Something pressed against the spot on his neck where his gland was located.
The car had been in such chaos earlier that he’d completely forgotten he hadn’t applied his gland barrier patch before getting out.
After they got out and stood in position, Jiang Wu also stepped down from the passenger seat. The moment he got out, he saw Pei Siyue applying the gland barrier patch to Ruan Shuyang.
…The boss seemed beyond saving.
After the patch was applied, Ruan Shuyang noticed the tall Alpha from the passenger seat had also gotten out and stood beside them. His gaze was thick with gossip and curiosity, as if he desperately wanted to know what had happened in the backseat—something he suspected was too scandalous to share with outsiders.
…It wasn’t really anything, though.
Ruan Shuyang thought guiltily. He just wanted pheromones, so Enigma draped a coat over him.
Pei Siyue ignored Jiang Wu’s scrutiny and only said to Ruan Shuyang, “Let’s go.”
Jiang Wu hurried ahead into the hospital to make arrangements, while Pei Siyue matched Ruan Shuyang’s pace, walking slowly with him into the facility.
By the time they entered, arrangements were complete. Doctors ushered Ruan Shuyang for blood draws and an ultrasound.
After all tests concluded, he was directed to a recovery room where Enigma sat working on his laptop.
Ruan Shuyang didn’t disturb him, quietly settling into a corner seat. He pulled out his phone to research Ruiji Hospital.
Ruiji Hospital was a high-end medical institution under Ruiji Technology. Founded abroad a decade ago, it had entered the domestic market five years prior. It had captured the market with its exceptionally high medical standards and staff quality, luxurious environment, and excellent patient experience. It was currently the most popular high-end private hospital.
It didn’t seem like there was anything wrong with it; on the contrary, it appeared to be a very good hospital.
Ruan Shuyang felt relieved.
Though today’s events had been surreal and bizarre, overall things were moving in a positive direction.
About ten minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Enigma, who had been working at the computer, closed the laptop lid and called out, “Come in.”
Jiang Wu delivered the test results. Glancing at the two people sitting stiffly apart in the lounge, he felt genuinely baffled by this turn of events. Yet he dared not pry into his boss’s affairs. After handing over the report, he quietly exited.
After receiving the report, Pei Siyue skimmed it briefly before pulling out the chair beside him and gesturing to Ruan Shuyang, who was sitting in the corner. “Come over.”
Without much thought, Ruan Shuyang instinctively stood and walked over. Only after sitting down in the chair did he realize what he’d done, cold sweat breaking out on his back. Why had he obeyed so readily?
Was this… the dominance and submission of the mark?
His face paled.
Pei Siyue pushed the reports toward Ruan Shuyang. “Take a look first.”
Ruan Shuyang mechanically picked up the reports and scanned them. The blood test results showed several elevated or decreased values, but he couldn’t grasp the implications behind these changes.
The ultrasound report was much easier to understand. It stated his reproductive cavity was small.
But combining the blood test results with the ultrasound report still left him confused.
He admitted honestly, “I don’t quite understand.”
Pei Siyue held the report and explained, “It says your pheromone levels are highly unstable. Your glands and reproductive cavity didn’t fully develop during differentiation. You’re currently in a secondary development phase that requires external stimulation to complete.”
Ruan Shuyang blinked in confusion. “What kind of external stimulus is that?”
Could it be the alpha pheromones the doctor mentioned?
Pei Siyue confirmed his suspicion. “It is pheromones.”
“The secondary development of your glands and reproductive cavity depends on pheromone stimulation. You need to undergo pheromone therapy.” Pei Siyue paused, then stated more plainly in a calm tone: “Undergo pheromone therapy with mine.”
No other pheromones could replace his enigma pheromone. The other party could only use his—this was an unalterable fact since that marking began.
They were bound together by that mark.
Ruan Shuyang stammered, “Mr. Chi—
They were bound together by that mark.
Ruan Shuyang stammered, “Mr. Chi—”
But Pei Siyue cut him off before he could finish.
Pei Siyue frowned at him. “My surname isn’t Chi. Don’t call me Mr. Chi.”
“My name is Pei Siyue.”
Ruan Shuyang was utterly bewildered.
Pei Siyue?
If he remembered correctly, Pei Siming’s older brother who’d returned to China months ago should be named Pei Siyue.
Was this man the cold-blooded, ruthless, and merciless older brother Pei Siming had spoken of?
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