After leaving the infirmary, Chi Yu felt extremely gloomy.
Su Zinan invited him to eat, but he had no mood for it and went straight to the simulation training room.
Many of his classmates were practicing inside, each busy discussing strategies for the third round of the competition. Chi Yu, however, showed little interest.
Just as he was looking around for a simulation pod, he suddenly overheard two people in the corner discussing a name he knew well.
One was an alpha, the other a beta.
The alpha male said, “This Yun Xingze is way too arrogant. I offered him 30,000 credits to be my mecha engineer, and he actually refused?”
The beta male replied, “He must really think highly of himself. He’s just an Omega , who knows what his real skills are like?”
The alpha male smirked. “Honestly, I only approached him because he’s an Omega, heh.”
The beta male paused, then exclaimed in surprise, “You mean you—”
“If I pay him over 30,000 credits a month, he’ll have to obey me, won’t he?” The alpha’s tone turned suggestive. “He’s fair-skinned and good-looking. How many people are actually after his skills? What’s really important is stirring up some romance between a mecha warrior and his engineer.”
BAM!
Before he could finish his sentence, a fist slammed into his face, nearly knocking his teeth out.
The alpha stared at Chi Yu in shock and fury, roaring, “Who the hell are you?!”
Chi Yu rolled up his sleeves, cracking his knuckles. “I’m his fiancé. And Yun Xingze’s name isn’t something trash like you should even mention.”
Classmates nearby rushed to intervene, but the alpha still took several brutal punches from Chi Yu, leaving his eye swollen and his face covered in bruises.
“Are you insane?!” the alpha spat, humiliated and enraged. “You’re Chi Yu? Didn’t you tell everyone you broke off the engagement with Yun Xingze ages ago?!”
Chi Yu froze, the fire in his chest instantly turning to ice.
He had told many people about it back when he first canceled the engagement, he’d felt like he’d rid himself of a huge burden and stepped into a brand-new life.
Seeing Chi Yu stunned, the alpha seized the moment and landed a heavy punch on his face.
Blood trickled from the corner of Chi Yu’s mouth, but he remained motionless, as if he’d forgotten how to react.
The people around them restrained the alpha, preventing the situation from escalating further.
Chi Yu stood there for a long time, head lowered, messy hair hanging over his forehead. No one dared approach him, silently hoping he wouldn’t start another fight.
Finally, Chi Yu took a deep breath and walked toward the alpha he’d just brawled with.
The alpha tensed, raising his guard. “What do you want now?”
“Where did you post the mecha engineer job offer?” Chi Yu asked coldly, his expression terrifying. “Send me the link.”
The guy was stunned, only snapping out of it when Chi Yu repeated the demand in a low voice. He forwarded the link.
After returning to his dorm, Luo Wenchuan entered his bedroom, locked the door, and tossed his black backpack onto the bed.
Leaning against the door, he exhaled softly.
Everything that had happened today felt too sudden like a dream he hadn’t been prepared for.
God knows how every second in front of Yun Xingze was an excruciating test of his endurance.
The highly compatible pheromones had invaded his body, disrupting every nerve and cell. His heart, which had remained undisturbed for over twenty years, now pounded wildly as if fitted with a pacemaker.
Luo Wenchuan didn’t even dare to recall how he had resisted the urge to mark the other.
Thankfully, he had held back.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Luo Wenchuan realized his fingers were clenched into tight fists. He closed his eyes, forcibly banishing the image of the boy beneath the cherry blossom tree from his mind.
He walked to the bed and opened his backpack, intending to retrieve a bottle of water, but accidentally pulled out the black umbrella instead.
A faint trace of rose fragrance lingered on the umbrella, freezing Luo Wenchuan in place.
Despite having used scent blockers, he had still left traces of his pheromones behind.
The crisp, cool scent of roses softened into something warm and ambiguous in the heated room different from its presence in the cold rain, yet just as potent.
Luo Wenchuan had never imagined that an Omega’s pheromones could truly trigger his instincts—his violent instincts.
But this Omega was already engaged.
Swallowing hard, Luo Wenchuan shoved the umbrella back into his bag with a rough motion, his throat tight with dryness. He stashed the bag deep inside his closet, refusing to dwell on it any longer.
Half an hour later.
Luo Wenchuan stepped out of the shower, drying his hair as he answered the encrypted call on his neural communicator.
Zhuo Feiyue’s hologram appeared on the other end. He seemed to be in a sealed room, studying Luo Wenchuan with a serious expression. “Your Highness, did you just take a cold shower?”
Luo Wenchuan, wrapped in a towel with water droplets clinging to his defined chest and abs, his damp hair disheveled, replied indifferently, “Mn.”
“Forgive the intrusion, but I have a question.” Zhuo Feiyue frowned. “Did you rescue an Omega in heat today?”
Luo Wenchuan lifted his gaze. “You know?”
“He’s my student. I heard about it from Chi Yu.” Zhuo Feiyue’s voice was laced with concern. “Your Highness, that was far too reckless. Did you not have an allergic reaction?”
Luo Wenchuan shook his head.
Zhuo Feiyue’s eyes widened in shock. “None? Was it because he didn’t release any pheromones?”
“He did.” Luo Wenchuan’s gaze inadvertently flicked toward the closet before he quickly averted it.
“What? Then—” Zhuo Feiyue faltered, realization dawning as his jaw dropped. “Does that mean the compatibility between Yun Xingze’s pheromones and yours is as high as 95%?”
Luo Wenchuan pressed his lips together. “I don’t know. The doctors said that’s the threshold for immunity, but I’ve never verified it.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Zhuo Feiyue muttered, brows furrowed. “If Yun Xingze had such high compatibility with you, the royal family would’ve known. They’ve practically turned the genetic database inside out since your return even 90% matches are exceedingly rare.”
After a brief silence, Luo Wenchuan said, “He was engaged to Chi Yu. Their pheromones would’ve been bonded, preventing matches with others.”
Zhuo Feiyue blinked in surprise. “Him and Chi Yu? They called off their engagement ages ago!”
Luo Wenchuan paused while drying his hair, suddenly looking up at Zhuo Feiyue: “Terminate the engagement?”
“That’s right. I heard Chi Yu called it off and even demanded Yun Xingze leave the school.” Zhuo Feiyue said, his face suddenly breaking into a smile. “I’ll inform the royal family immediately. The queen will be overjoyed.”
“Don’t.” Luo Wenchuan said seriously, locking eyes with Zhuo Feiyue. “Even with a 95% compatibility rate, it’s meaningless if the person he loves isn’t me.”
Zhuo Feiyue was taken aback. He frowned as if wanting to say something, but ultimately respected Luo Wenchuan’s decision.
After all, Yun Xingze had been hopelessly in love with Chi Yu before. No one could guarantee whether he had truly moved on now.
“I’ll have someone check the genetic database first to see if their pheromone bond has been dissolved,” Zhuo Feiyue offered.
Luo Wenchuan replied calmly, “Just check if there’s anyone with a 95% match to me. If not, let this matter rest. There’s no need to invade his privacy.”
Zhuo Feiyue nodded. “Understood.”
Before Zhuo Feiyue could finish his call, Luo Wenchuan received another communication request. Seeing the name displayed, he visibly froze for a moment.
Those three characters read: “Yun Xingze.”
Luo Wenchuan abruptly ended Zhuo Feiyue’s call, confusion flickering in his eyes. After a few seconds, he remembered Ke Lei had previously asked Yun Xingze for help and obtained his number for him. However, since Yun Xingze was an Omega, Luo Wenchuan had saved the contact but never initiated a call.
By the time Luo Wenchuan processed this, the call had been ringing for a while. He was about to answer when he suddenly realized he was only wearing a towel. He hurriedly rummaged through his wardrobe for clothes.
After leaving the hospital, Yun Xingze had asked Ke Lei for Luo Wenchuan’s contact number. Back in his dorm room, he dialed the number, but there was no answer for a long time.
Just as he thought Luo Wenchuan wouldn’t pick up and was about to hang up, the screen flickered to life.
Yun Xingze blinked in surprise, looking up to see Luo Wenchuan wearing a loose, slightly wrinkled shirt. The top two buttons were undone, revealing his collarbones and a hint of chest muscles. His hair was damp, as if he’d just showered, and his complexion was flawless.
Meeting those sharp, cool eyes, Yun Xingze suddenly felt awkward.
“What is it?” Luo Wenchuan’s tone was neutral.
Yun Xingze spoke earnestly, “Senior Luo… I wanted to thank you for today.” His gaze remained steady; sincerity evident.
Luo Wenchuan seemed somewhat pleased with the address “Senior Luo.” His thin lips parted slightly. “You’re welcome.”
Yun Xingze continued, “Also, thank you for covering the six thousand in medical fees. I’ll pay you back as soon as I’ve saved enough.”
That amount might have been trivial to Luo Wenchuan, but it meant a great deal to Yun Xingze.
Luo Wenchuan responded with a quiet “Mm,” his inscrutable gaze unreadable.
An awkward silence settled between them.
Yun Xingze wasn’t sure how to converse with someone so aloof. He rarely interacted with such personalities having spent his previous life in laboratories, he’d never honed skills like small talk.
Bringing up the topic of his heat cycle now would only make the atmosphere more uncomfortable.
After all, Luo Wenchuan had a fear of O, and that period must be something he didn’t want to recall, right?
“Recently, many people have approached me for mech repairs,” Yun Xingze scratched his head. “Once the competition is over, I should be able to save up enough money soon.”
Luo Wenchuan looked at Yun Xingze, suddenly raised an eyebrow, and said something unexpected: “Are you short on money?”
Yun Xingze was taken aback, not expecting Luo Wenchuan to ask this. After a moment, he replied, “Yes, my assets are in the negative.”
Luo Wenchuan lowered his gaze slightly, seemingly deep in thought.
Just as he was about to speak, Yun Xingze continued, “So I also took on a part-time job as a personal mech technician. A senior offered me 100,000-star coins.”
Luo Wenchuan paused slightly: “You’ve already found someone?”
Yun Xingze found the question a bit odd but couldn’t pinpoint why. He nodded, “Yes. I have an interview tonight.”
Luo Wenchuan’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before quickly smoothing out. “Congratulations. But…”
Yun Xingze looked at him, “But what?”
After a pause, Luo Wenchuan said something that surprised him: “100,000-star coins is far too little.”
