He's mine

This was a fact Ji Chi couldn't deny.

He didn't want to become like this, and he never would.

This wasn't affection. It was nothing more than his pheromones driving him.

He was an Alpha, and he would only ever be an Alpha.

After putting some distance between himself and Huo Jin, Ji Chi slowly stood up. Huo Jin reached to steady him, but Ji Chi dodged him again. "Don't touch me."

He was heading out when Song Lin, who had been in the doctor's office all this time, came over.

The first thing Song Lin saw was Ji Chi pushing Huo Jin away. The other man's powerful presence made him freeze.

"Chi." Song Lin hurried over to support Ji Chi.

Seeing either of these two men irritated Ji Chi right now, let alone seeing them standing together!

"Get lost!" When Song Lin reached to help him, Ji Chi angrily shoved him away too. "Neither of you fucking touch me!"

With that, Ji Chi ran out.

Huo Jin and Song Lin came face-to-face.

The oppressive tension peaked. The moment Song Lin approached, he caught the scent of extremely high-grade Cold Purple Sandalwood pheromones.

The same scent as the one on Ji Chi.

Song Lin was angry enough to kill.

He didn't need to guess. One look told him who the man in front of him was. "I'll fuck your-!"

Song Lin spat out the vicious curse, then charged forward in a rage and swung a punch.

Just before his fist reached Huo Jin's face, Huo Jin caught Song Lin's wrist in a tight grip.

Huo Jin turned his elbow and slammed him against the wall, pressing down hard. A violent bang rang out, and Song Lin gave a muffled grunt.

The tail of Huo Jin's eyebrow lifted. His contemptuous voice carried a hint of anger. "What? You like him?"

Huo Jin pinned Song Lin by the neck with his elbow and held his shoulder firmly in place.

Along with those words came an overwhelmingly oppressive surge of aggressive pheromones.

The Cold Purple Sandalwood scent completely smothered and drove out Song Lin's pheromones, sending them scattering.

That powerful chill cowed Song Lin. The sudden suffocation left him wanting nothing but to escape.

For the first time in his life, he experienced what it was like to be suppressed, to feel this unfamiliar panic, agitation, and fear.

"Sorry, but he's mine now." Huo Jin's cold, oppressive voice sounded again, his warning like needles hidden in cotton, his gaze like a malevolent ghost's.

Song Lin drew deep breaths. The suffocation made his speech falter, but his eyes remained fiercely hostile:

"Don't get too cocky! Ji Chi doesn't like you at all. That's why he came to the hospital today to have the mark removed."

"I won't let you get away with this." Song Lin glared viciously at Huo Jin.

Even though he would collapse under the pressure of those pheromones the moment Huo Jin released his elbow, he kept making threats.

Just as the hostility reached its peak, a male doctor in a white coat appeared outside the room.

He held a stack of papers and spoke respectfully, bowing as he did. "Judge Huo, the results are out. Please come take a look."

Hearing this, Huo Jin immediately released Song Lin, looking down sideways at the man as he slid toward the floor.

Huo Jin flexed his wrist. "Threats are worthless without the strength to back them up, you piece of trash."

With that, Huo Jin walked out, his Cool Sandalwood Scent pheromones withdrawing completely within moments.

Song Lin breathed heavily on the floor, trying to recover. When he stood up, his unsteady legs sent him crashing down again.

"I won't let you get away with this. Just you wait."

Song Lin hunched over. After a while, he took a pheromone stabilizer tablet from his pocket and swallowed it.

Once he had recovered, he slowly stood and headed out.

He called Ji Chi.

The call connected two seconds later. Ji Chi's voice sounded fairly normal:

"Sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to curse at you."

"I know." Song Lin didn't sound angry.

Ji Chi hummed in acknowledgment. "I saw the results. Given the circumstances, there's no point wasting time at the hospital."

"Come drinking with me."

"Are you really okay, Chi?" Song Lin asked worriedly.

Ji Chi clicked his tongue impatiently. "I'm fine."

"That man came looking for you, didn't he? Did he force you to do something?" Song Lin's tone was urgent.

Ji Chi didn't answer, and Song Lin knew better than to press him.

After hanging up, Song Lin headed downstairs. Ji Chi was waiting for him at the hospital entrance.

When Song Lin approached, Ji Chi's attempt to mask his gloomy expression only made him look exhausted. "I'm not feeling well today. I'm going home to rest."

"I'll get everyone together for a couple of drinks in a few days."

"Okay..." Song Lin agreed.

Three days later, Ji Chi called Song Lin.

Ji Chi had chosen the venue, an Omega bar, and booked its most expensive seating area.

All kinds of sweet pheromones mingled inside the bar. Ice gleamed suggestively in whiskey glasses. This was an Alpha's paradise, where dazzling lights danced tirelessly, murky colors swept across faces again and again, and cheeks and eyes pieced together the vulgar pleasures of drunken extravagance.

Noise and clamor filled the air, wrapped in subtle fragrance.

Ji Chi glanced at the rows of Omegas standing before him, then looked sideways at Song Lin.

Every one of these Omegas looked like a ball-jointed doll, so fresh-faced they practically glowed. There were even students among them, with looks ranging from innocent to sultry.

Some were naturally seductive, some charming and sweet, some timid and meek, some bold and sexy, some aloof and cool. Flirtatious, sugary, uninhibited-the variety was dizzying.

Ji Chi picked up the dark tea in front of him and took a sip. "Guess which one I like."

Song Lin pressed his lips together. He had always known Ji Chi liked sweet Omegas.

But he hadn't expected him to choose someone to drink with so openly today.

Ji Chi was something of a gentleman. He never toyed with anyone's feelings, and when he wasn't interested, he rejected them cleanly.

For a moment, Song Lin wondered whether Ji Chi had discovered something and deliberately brought him here to indirectly warn him not to cross the line.

"I don't know," Song Lin said flatly.

Hearing that, Ji Chi stood up and walked over to the row of Omegas in front of him.

He took the hand of one Omega who looked particularly sweet and well-behaved. "This type. This is what I like."

Ji Chi spoke with absolute certainty.

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Song Lin. "It's on me today. I'm taking this little cutie home."

"Take your time drinking."

Song Lin's fingers clenched abruptly, but he had no grounds to stop Ji Chi. Ji Chi was an Alpha. Whatever kind of Omega he wanted was his own choice.

Song Lin picked up the drink in front of him and gulped it down without answering Ji Chi.

After saying his piece, Ji Chi took the little Omega by the hand and headed out.

The colorful lights blurred their silhouettes.

Once he had led the Omega out of the bar, Ji Chi immediately let go. "Sorry. That was presumptuous of me."

The Omega lowered his eyes, a little afraid to look at Ji Chi. "It's... it's okay, gege."

Ji Chi took the cigarettes he had bought that day from his pocket, lit one, and took a few drags.

He didn't know why. He had never bought cigarettes to smoke before, but with so much weighing on his mind, he couldn't settle down.

Cool white smoke curled through the air.

The Omega coughed twice at the smell, and Ji Chi immediately put out the cigarette. "If it bothers you, I don't have to smoke."

"Oh." Yan Le had worked at the bar for years. It had been a long time since he had met an Alpha who cared so much about how he felt, and it caught him off guard. "No, no... but you really should smoke less, gege."

Ji Chi's lips curved into a self-mocking smile. He took a stack of banknotes and a room key card from his pocket and handed them to the Omega in front of him.

"That Alpha who was with me just now will definitely ask you what happened between us. When he does, tell him..."

Listening to Ji Chi, Yan Le looked down at the hotel key card in his hand.

He understood almost immediately. "Tell him we slept together?"

After all these years, Ji Chi knew Song Lin's character inside out. He was calculating and meticulous, and whenever he wanted something, he would rather destroy it than give it up.

Ji Chi had personally seen Song Lin frame someone and send them to prison over a piece of land.

Ji Chi had never had any conflicts of interest with Song Lin, so Song Lin had always treated him well.

Only now did Ji Chi realize that kindness had come with an ulterior motive.

He just wanted to put an end to Song Lin's intentions.

When Ji Chi didn't deny it, the Omega pursed his lips. "I understand, gege."

"I don't usually offer that service, but since you're paying me so much, I can sell myself out for the money!"

"Thank you." Ji Chi chuckled, leaving Yan Le spellbound.

Actually sleeping with him wouldn't be so bad either.

"Ring, ring, ring..."

Just then, Yan Le's phone rang. The young man's expression visibly turned serious as he answered.

"Now? Bring it over right away?" The Omega furrowed his brows, looking up and down the road from the moment he answered.

"Got it. I'll be right there."

After hanging up, Yan Le asked Ji Chi urgently, "Gege, did what you just said mean I can leave now?"

Ji Chi nodded. "Of course. If you have something to do, go ahead."

With that confirmation, Yan Le gave Ji Chi a grateful smile. His already soft, sweet face looked almost helplessly vulnerable.

Ji Chi couldn't help feeling considerably better.

Pretty cute.

After Yan Le ran off, Ji Chi saw him trying to hail a cab by the road, looking anxious, but none stopped.

Ji Chi couldn't go home today anyway. He went to get his car and found that Yan Le still hadn't caught a cab, so he drove straight up to the Omega and tapped on the window. His sharply defined hand looked almost luminous in the night as he glanced up casually. "Where are you going? I'll drive you."

Yan Le's heart raced. How was this any different from a scene in a romantic drama? More importantly, Young Master Ji was even better-looking than a celebrity.

"Really?" Despite his question, Yan Le was so anxious that he opened the door and climbed into the back seat. "Gege, I need to stop by my house first, then go to the CE Research Institute in Jiang City."

Huh?

The CE Research Institute?

The. C. E. Research. Institute?

Ji Chi certainly didn't think that was somewhere Yan Le could set foot.

"You..." Ji Chi began in confusion, but before he finished, Yan Le understood what he meant.

"Oh." Yan Le smiled. "I'm just delivering something."

"I've only been there twice."

Even getting to deliver things to the CE Research Institute was pretty cool, wasn't it?

Ji Chi remembered applying twenty times back in college, only to be rejected every single time.

Even invoking his father's name hadn't helped.

That made him see Yan Le in a new light.

Following the directions, Ji Chi drove the Omega home. He watched him carry a large potted plant out of a dilapidated house and into the car.

"Sorry, gege. There's probably a lot of dirt on this. If I get your car dirty, I'll clean it for you." The Omega hugged the potted plant, looking embarrassed.

"It's fine." Ji Chi remained composed. Without asking what it was, he drove straight toward the research institute.

"You're so nice, gege. There must be lots of people who like you, right?" Yan Le genuinely thought so. Someone like Ji Chi could easily win over a person he had only just met. If he asked them to give him a chance, surely no one would refuse.

Ji Chi turned the steering wheel slightly. "Mm."

Lots.

"Then is there anyone you like?"

Ji Chi didn't like discussing personal matters, but he was in a good mood right now. "No."

"What kind of person do you like?" Yan Le couldn't resist asking.

"Slim, long-legged, cute." As he spoke, Huo Jin's face suddenly flashed through Ji Chi's mind. "Fuck."

Yan Le instantly fell silent.

After they arrived, Ji Chi escorted him to the laboratory door.

The reason he went up with him...

Was that Ji Chi had dreamed of getting a look inside the CE Research Center.

This was the national Pheromones center. Every part of it was classified.

He hadn't managed to get into this place even by trying the windows, yet today, a pot of dirt had gotten him inside.

Did that make any sense? Ridiculous.

But exciting.

Yan Le headed to the largest office. Its lavish interior featured new materials not yet available on the market, giving it a thoroughly futuristic feel. The furnishings were simple, without excessive decoration, but every document was arranged as neatly as soldiers standing at attention. Its occupant seemed like a meticulous high-ranking official, perhaps a stern old chain-smoker.

"Judge Huo, I brought that batch of jingbo stones." The Omega knocked on the glass office door.

"Come in." A quiet voice sounded. Ji Chi froze for a moment. It sounded familiar.

Ji Chi: ????