Differentiating into an Omega?

The sedan drove off swiftly after dropping Shen Yi off.

Standing in the dazzling sunlight, he frowned slightly and raised a hand to shield his eyes. Leaving work at noon was a rare occurrence for him as the CEO's special assistant.

As soon as he stepped inside his home, he took off his suit jacket and all but collapsed onto the sofa.

Although he had insisted he was fine, his body still felt heavy. The persistent low fever and the aching weakness in his limbs left him unwilling to do anything. Only after lying on his stomach for half an hour did he remember to take his medicine and struggle to turn over.

Just then, his phone buzzed. He assumed it was a work message, but when he picked it up, he saw a text from Chen Kang.

The message from this man, whom he had only met a handful of times, was filled with abuse from beginning to end.

Shen Yi looked at the screen and sighed helplessly.

The gist of the message was that he was being accused of "disappearing." Were they even dating? That hardly seemed accurate. Thinking back, they had not seen each other for almost a month.

Of course, Shen Yi admitted that canceling their plans twice and then avoiding contact had been inconsiderate. But they were not officially together, and even when they met, the other man only tried to overstep his boundaries. What obligations could there be in a relationship like that?

Yet Chen Kang clearly saw things very differently. His attempts to contact Shen Yi bordered on obsessive. Two weeks earlier, his messages had begun filling with insults, and as Shen Yi continued to leave them unanswered, his language had grown increasingly vile.

[I hope you find someone better. Please stop messaging me.]

After sending that reply, he blocked the number. When he was barely managing to keep himself going, he had no energy left for this so-called romance that had come and gone like a passing breeze.

Right now, merely keeping his sickly body functioning had exhausted him.

With a weary exhale, Shen Yi loosened the tie constricting his neck and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. All he wanted now was a hot shower, his medicine, and a good night's sleep.

Despite getting some rest, his condition showed no improvement.

Mistake followed mistake, and now even his colleagues in the secretarial department were beginning to worry about him. Precisely because he was normally as meticulous and reliable as Yuan Chen, his recent errors stood out all the more.

"Are you kidding me?"

The documents scattered at his feet with a rustle. Shen Yi stood with his head lowered and his teeth clenched, his tightly balled hands trembling slightly.

"Special Assistant Shen, how much longer am I supposed to put up with you?"

"I'm sorry."

"What exactly is wrong with you? This isn't like you!"

Yuan Chen vented his anger without restraint. It was rare for him to display his emotions so openly.

The mistakes themselves were not serious, but their frequency had finally exhausted Yuan Chen's patience. His workload had already been immense lately, and his normally capable, efficient special assistant was not only making repeated errors but even behaving as though he were ill. It had finally set off his temper.

"Get out. Stay out of my sight for the time being."

"President Yuan, please allow me to correct the errors in the documents first..."

"Didn't you hear me tell you to get out?"

"..."

When Shen Yi remained where he stood, Yuan Chen stared at him for a moment, then pressed the intercom.

"Secretary Li, come in and take over."

Shen Yi bit down hard on his lower lip. The fault was his, and he had no right to feel hurt by President Yuan's reprimand, but his heart sank despite himself.

Secretary Li soon entered the office. Though she looked briefly surprised by the mess, she quickly regained her composure and approached Yuan Chen.

The two calmly discussed the work arrangements, and Yuan Chen methodically explained the tasks Shen Yi should have been handling.

Shen Yi bent down and silently gathered the documents scattered across the floor. Conflicting emotions churned inside him, but he could only swallow them down.

After straightening the creased documents, he bowed to Yuan Chen and excused himself. Yuan Chen did not spare him another glance, even as he turned to leave. He had been reduced to thin air.

When he stepped out of the office, his colleagues in the Secretary Department gathered around him in concern. Shen Yi did not even have the strength to force a smile. He simply stood quietly by the door.

Murmuring softly, Secretary Li handed him a tube of ointment. Seeing his dazed expression, she reminded him in a low voice, "Head Secretary, your lip is bleeding."

"...Ow."

Only then did he feel the sting in his lip. He had unconsciously bitten his dry lips over and over until the skin finally gave way, splitting open.

Shen Yi thanked her and accepted the ointment, but the hand holding it dropped limply to his side. He had lost all motivation and did not even know where to begin.

"...I'm sorry you keep having to see me in such a sorry state."

"President Yuan went too far. It wasn't an irreversible mistake."

"No, it really was my mistake."

To a perfectionist like Yuan Chen, mistakes were unacceptable in themselves. Knowing that and still making them repeatedly was indeed his fault. Shen Yi forced himself back to his desk, logged into the company intranet, and opened the personnel management tab.

Leave request (3 days)

Reason: Sick leave

After clicking submit, Shen Yi let go of the mouse and stared blankly at the dark screen before slowly gathering his personal belongings.

"Secretary Li, I'll forward my calls to you. Sorry for the trouble."

"Of course, Head Secretary."

It was exceedingly rare for Shen Yi to request leave. This man, who insisted on coming to work even when sick, might truly have reached his limit.

Since President Yuan had ordered him to stay out of sight for the time being, he presumably would not contact Special Assistant Shen himself either. Perhaps that was for the best. His colleagues in the Secretary Department sincerely hoped Shen Yi could use this opportunity to rest and recover.

Shen Yi picked up his belongings and left the office. As he booked a medical appointment on his phone, an irrepressible unease welled up inside him.

It couldn't be something serious, could it? I should be able to get back to work soon. He tried to suppress his mounting anxiety and quickened his pace.

"Mr. Shen Yi, you had a blood test this morning, correct?"

"Yes."

He had deliberately chosen this respected hospital. His symptoms had persisted without improvement, and he could no longer afford to ignore them. The attending physician carefully reviewed his test results and said:

"It looks like we'll need more detailed tests. I'll refer you to the trait medicine department."

"Pardon? The trait medicine department?"

Shen Yi repeated the words in confusion, but the doctor had already begun quickly filling out the referral. Listening to the tapping of the keyboard, Shen Yi felt a vague unease and raised a hand to rest lightly on the desk.

"Doctor, there must be some mistake. I'm a beta."

"The pheromone levels in your blood are abnormally high. Please look here."

"No, doctor, I really am a beta."

"Please undergo the tests first. The results will tell us everything. There's no need to wait. Go directly to the trait medicine department."

Despite his objections, the doctor calmly insisted.

Still bewildered, Shen Yi had no choice but to undergo an ultrasound and a pheromone typing test. Before long, he received some shocking news.

"Congratulations. You're showing signs of omega differentiation."

"What? I... what did you say?"

"Mr. Shen Yi, you're an omega. Your earlier fever and muscle aches are extremely common warning signs of differentiation. Typically, pronounced differentiation pain occurs after about a week. Though the latent period is short, the symptoms are relatively mild."

"I... what are you talking about?"

He repeated his question like a parrot. The specialist swiveled in his chair, his expression calm. He had clearly seen plenty of beta patients like Shen Yi who could not accept reality.

The doctor gave him a gentle smile.

"I completely understand how you feel."

"Doctor, I had tests just a few months ago... They clearly showed I was a beta."

"That's entirely possible. Judging by the timing, your differentiation symptoms appeared about two weeks ago. Any tests before that would indeed have identified you as a beta."

"Can adults still differentiate?"

"Although secondary differentiation is the most likely, theoretically it can occur at any stage."

"But I've never sensed pheromones in my life!"

"Once you receive an activating injection today, your pheromones will become fully active, and you'll also be able to sense the pheromones of people with other traits."

"What if... I don't get the injection? Can I keep living as a beta, like I do now?"

At that, the doctor looked disapproving.

"That would cause serious problems!"

"Isn't my situation bad enough already?"

"You have to accept reality. Your pheromones may be especially difficult to control in the early stages. I recommend taking time off work and allowing yourself a few days to adjust. The nurse outside will explain your medication, precautions, and heat period management in detail. You may only leave the hospital after completing all the guidance. Please cooperate."

A clear stamp was placed on the Trait Confirmation Form.

Trait code: Omega-male body

A possibility he had never imagined had become reality.

After leaving the hospital, Shen Yi stood dazed on the street as though sleepwalking, clutching his diagnosis and a bag of medicine.

I'm an omega? Is this real?

At that moment, only one thought emerged clearly in his mind:

I'm done for. President Yuan... is going to kill me.