He Called Him

Ji Chi's mind was a complete mess. Huo Jin, Huo Jin-Huo Jin again.

He tilted his head back and closed his eyes.

Was this world made for Huo Jin? Why was he everywhere?

Twenty minutes later, Ji Chi arrived at the Boshen Group. There wasn't a hint of laughter anywhere in the company. The mood was somber and stern, with employees rushing around, worry written all over their faces. Everyone followed procedure, not daring to exchange a single idle word. A gloomy atmosphere hung over the place.

Even the comfortably cool air felt chilling.

The receptionist looked surprised to see Ji Chi. "Young master, what brings you here? The chairman is in a meeting."

Ji Chi gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment and walked over to the directors' private elevator.

Once he reached the upstairs office area, Ji Chi sat down at the tea table outside the conference room.

Boshen had a fairly traditional corporate atmosphere. The entire office area looked like a standard office template, its bright color scheme excessively austere.

He opened the meeting video feed on the desk and listened.

The teams were discussing their proposals, while Ji Shengming sat in the chairman's seat, pinching the bridge of his nose and struggling to suppress his anger.

Not a single proposal satisfied him.

Smack!

Ji Shengming slammed a stack of documents onto the table. "This is what you came up with after three team meetings?!"

"Am I paying you to have AI come up with solutions?!"

Ji Chi glanced at Ji Shengming raging inside the conference room and grew irritated himself.

Ji Shengming had an atrocious temper. Quick to anger and easily agitated, he would never change. Whenever things went badly at the company, he would go home and take his anger out on Lin Jun for no reason.

Lin Jun was the person Ji Chi respected most in the world.

That was also the main reason the relationship between father and son was always so prickly.

Ji Chi had no idea how Lin Jun had endured it all these years.

If I were an Omega stuck with an Alpha like that, I would've left ages ago.

Any normal Omega would have left ages ago too. Lin Jun wasn't some vain gold digger. Love was the only possible reason he had stayed with Ji Shengming.

Still hopelessly lovesick at his age, and he couldn't even pick someone decent.

Ji Chi sighed over both matters at once.

The suppressant issue needed to be resolved sooner rather than later, for the company's sake and for his Omega dad, who only knew how to tell himself that suffering a loss was a blessing.

He really couldn't understand what was so charming about that bad-tempered old man that Lin Jun loved him so desperately.

Ji Chi rubbed his temples. This was so fucking frustrating.

Ji Shengming wanted to reach Huo Jin.

Was I really destined to stay tangled up with him?

His father couldn't find a way to establish contact with Huo Jin.

If I approached him, would he do me this favor?

Would he even give me the time of day?

Countless possibilities flashed through Ji Chi's mind.

Most likely, he wouldn't.

Thinking it over, ever since their last encounter, Huo Jin had strictly abided by the terms Ji Chi had set for him and had never taken the initiative to bother him.

Enigmas were the apex predators of the human food chain. They could control their pheromones at will and had almost no weaknesses. He and Huo Jin were worlds apart.

But once an Enigma marked an Alpha or an Omega...

He would experience rut.

Huo Jin had marked him, so he would need his pheromones too.

But Huo Jin was gentle, courteous, and respectful of boundaries. He had never made any unreasonable demands of him. Did he simply not experience rut? Did Enigmas only go into rut once every three years?

That was impossible. After marking a mate, an Enigma's rut cycle was only somewhat longer than an Alpha's. It couldn't simply not happen.

I have that rabbit.

But what about Huo Jin...

How did he get through it when he needed my pheromones?

Ji Chi didn't think either of them owed the other anything.

They had parted by mutual agreement. They simply didn't like each other.

Everything was clear and straightforward.

But he had explicitly said he wanted no further contact with Huo Jin.

If he went back on that now, what would Huo Jin think of him?

For a while, Ji Chi was so lost in thought that the contents of the meeting became a disconnected blur. He still failed to reach any conclusion.

After the meeting ended, Ji Chi heard Ji Shengming slam the door.

Ji Shengming had only just emerged from the conference room when his assistant hurried over from the side. "Chairman, we've reached Mr. Huo's assistant."

Ji Shengming looked over. "What did they say?"

The assistant pressed his lips together. "They said he has no time and that we should apply through the proper channels."

Ji Shengming's expression darkened as though someone had died. "Is there no way to get his private number? I can call him myself." His tone was serious and earnest, making his respect for Mr. Huo plain.

The assistant licked his lips, looking deeply troubled. "Chairman, to protect his privacy, Mr. Huo's number is provided by the Supreme Authority. It can't be obtained through a private search."

"And it's kept confidential from the public."

Ji Chi's brows drew tightly together as he listened.

I... think... I remember... Huo Jin's number...

Huo Jin had written it on his hand himself.

The number other people couldn't obtain no matter what they tried-Huo Jin had given it to him.

Just then, Ji Shengming, standing at the conference room door, spotted Ji Chi in the lounge area.

He walked over to Ji Chi. "Why did you come to the company instead of staying home with your dad?"

Ji Shengming's tone was dissatisfied, his complaint edged with irritation.

Ji Chi picked up the glass of water in front of him and took a gulp, then stood as though he had made up his mind. "I might be able to help you contact Huo Jin."

Ji Shengming's face froze in shock. "What did you say?"

"I have his number."

"You have Huo Jin's number?" Ji Shengming thought Ji Chi was talking nonsense, but he knew his son's temperament better than anyone. He wouldn't joke with his elders, especially at a time like this.

Ji Shengming's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Ji Shengming asked, "Who gave it to you?"

Ji Chi shot him a defiant sidelong glance and threw caution to the wind. "He forced it on me. Forced me, made me take it. Shameless."

Ji Shengming: ?

Who was he insulting?

Who was he insulting?!

Before Ji Shengming could react, Ji Chi pulled his phone from his pocket and entered the number from memory.

As his fingertips touched the keys, Ji Chi felt inexplicably nervous.

Would calling him count as breaking our agreement?

What happened to not contacting each other?

What were the odds he would refuse?

The phone had been ringing for almost a minute. Ji Shengming stared intently at it. "Is this number real?"

"Are you messing with your old man?"

"Be quiet."

Ji Shengming raised his hand and smacked Ji Chi on the head. "Is that any way to talk to your father, brat?"

Ji Chi tilted his head aside. "Try touching me again."

Everyone at the company was long accustomed to the way the father and son interacted. Neither could stand the other. If not for Lin Jun, this family would have fallen apart ages ago.

Just as they thought there was no hope, the call finally connected.

The other end of the line was unusually quiet, with no sound coming through for a long while.

Ji Chi glanced at the call screen to confirm it had connected. His mouth opened several times before he finally managed to say a name.

"Huo Jin..." Ji Chi drew a deep breath.

There was a distinct two-second pause on the other end before a husky voice answered, sensual and gentle. "Mm."