After the door closed, the room's only light source disappeared, leaving everything pitch-black.
Fortunately, Chu Xinghui was a fox and could make out his surroundings.
He gently patted Pei Hanmo's body, released soothing pheromones, and said softly:
"Xiao Mo, there's no one around now. Relax a little. My waist hurts a bit."
There had been too many people outside just now, and Pei Hanmo had coiled tightly around Chu Xinghui's waist to stake his claim.
Realizing what he had done wrong, Pei Hanmo loosened his snake tail a little, though it was still wrapped tightly around Chu Xinghui's waist.
Only after confirming that no one was nearby did he release his pheromones.
Even while he had been in heat just now, very little of his pheromones had leaked out.
Because he felt uneasy.
Only now, sensing Chu Xinghui's presence, did he barely relax, the wariness in his eyes disappearing and giving way to desire.
Sensing Pei Hanmo's pheromones, Chu Xinghui swallowed and reached out to stroke a patch of scales at the back of his neck, gripping the suppressant tightly in his hand.
Feeling Chu Xinghui's touch, Pei Hanmo nuzzled his chin like a puppy.
His gland lay exposed before Chu Xinghui, completely unguarded.
Chu Xinghui seized the opportunity and immediately injected Pei Hanmo with the suppressant.
Feeling the pain, Pei Hanmo struggled briefly, but he remained pressed tightly against Chu Xinghui, unwilling to leave his side.
As the liquid in the syringe dwindled, Pei Hanmo's consciousness faded.
The suppressant required after Beastification was the strongest kind and could knock someone out outright.
But even after the injection, Pei Hanmo retained a little awareness, leaning languidly against Chu Xinghui and refusing to let him leave.
It would probably take a while for Pei Hanmo to recover, so Chu Xinghui took out his phone and messaged Wang Xiao.
[Chu Xinghui: Pei Hanmo has stabilized. He should recover in a bit. Don't worry.]
[Wang Xiao: Okay, okay. Are you all right, Xinghui? Pei Hanmo didn't do anything to you, did he?]
[Chu Xinghui: I'm fine, Director. There's really no need to worry.]
Rather than anything Pei Hanmo had done to him, what had truly surprised Chu Xinghui was that Pei Hanmo had done nothing at all.
Not only had he obediently loosened his snake tail when Chu Xinghui spoke, he had not even bared his fangs at Chu Xinghui during the suppressant injection.
At some point, Chu Xinghui's legs had gone weak and he had sat down on the floor. He tried to stand, but Pei Hanmo was too heavy, so he gave up and stayed on the floor.
Come to think of it, Pei Hanmo had not even released any heat-inducing pheromones.
He had just gotten through his heat and was unlikely to enter it again, but if Pei Hanmo induced it, it was still possible.
But Pei Hanmo had not.
After resting on the floor for a while, Chu Xinghui crawled out from beneath Pei Hanmo's snake body and moved him onto the bed.
There was only one bed in the bedroom, but there was also bedding laid out on the floor.
It was probably Pei Hanmo's or Yuan Zhanpeng's.
It was right beside the bed, so Chu Xinghui lay down on it.
Early the next morning, Wang Xiao posted on Weibo.
[Let's Travel Together Official: Due to certain circumstances, Wan Linqing will be leaving this episode of Let's Travel Together. We also look forward to welcoming our next guest.]
Those few brief words gave only the outcome, not what had happened.
[So what exactly happened? Did Wan Linqing really drug him?]
[Is Pei Hanmo okay now?]
[I'm really worried about him...]
[Wan Linqing is so disgusting! She actually used medication hospitals reserve for patients.]
Every year, Pei Hanmo always had about half a month with no scheduled appearances, and his fans all knew that this was his heat.
But it was not time for his heat now. If Pei Hanmo had gone into heat, then it could only be as Wen Liangtian had said: someone had drugged him.
Sidestepping the main issue, Wang Xiao replied to the comments worrying about Pei Hanmo to say he was safe, then posted nothing else.
The others also said nothing in response to the questions in their comments.
When Gu Chupei saw the news on Weibo that morning, he immediately logged into Pei Hanmo's Weibo account and posted.
[Pei Hanmo: I'm safe now. There's no need to worry, everyone.]
He still needed to ask Lan Xiangxian about the details and see how to pursue a lawsuit.
Wan Linqing's entertainment company was not particularly big and would not burn bridges with Huanyu over one actress.
"Mm..."
Chu Xinghui opened his eyes to find an eight-pack swaying before him.
Huh? Was I still half asleep?
He closed his eyes, ready to sleep a little longer.
But then he caught a familiar scent beside him.
Realizing whose arms he was sleeping peacefully in, he sprang straight up from the floor:
"You! Y-you, you, you!"
Pei Hanmo rubbed his eyes, got up from the floor bedding, and smiled at Chu Xinghui:
"Me? W-what about me?"
They had already seen everything there was to see of each other. What was there to be shy about?
"No, why aren't you wearing clothes... wait! Why are you on the floor bedding?"
Hadn't he moved him onto the bed last night?
As Pei Hanmo pulled clothes off the bed and put them on, he adopted the same puzzled expression as Chu Xinghui:
"Right, why am I here?"
He was lying. He remembered last night perfectly, but in front of Chu Xinghui, he acted like a victim and asked in a delicate voice:
"What happened last night?"
All he needed was a handkerchief to bite while he whimpered.
As though Chu Xinghui really had done something to him last night.
Pei Hanmo really had lost his memories after Beastification before, so Chu Xinghui did not question it further and explained:
"You were drugged last night, and I gave you a suppressant injection...
"But hasn't that condition that makes you undergo Beastification whenever you go into heat been cured yet?"
He had thought Pei Hanmo had cured the condition after taking over the company.
Pei Hanmo lowered his eyes and said pitifully:
"There's no cure for it...
"After I went back then, my competitors even deliberately stirred up trouble while I was in heat..."
He finished dressing and walked over to Chu Xinghui:
"Older Brother, you're not angry, are you? Did I do anything to you yesterday?"
Seeing Pei Hanmo's aggrieved expression, Chu Xinghui could not bear it. The suffering Pei Hanmo had endured over the past two years was something he could not understand firsthand.
He coughed and reached out to ruffle Pei Hanmo's hair:
"You didn't do anything to me. You were very good yesterday."
After the two finished washing up, Wang Xiao called everyone to get up.
Since Qiao Tong and Hua Zhiyuan were girls, the staff had told them not to come out during yesterday's chaos, but they had still learned what happened online.
Instead of starting the livestream, Wang Xiao consulted everyone:
"Wan Linqing's company has already contacted us. They're hoping we can downplay this. What do you think?"
For a variety show, something like this certainly could not happen. Livestream incidents in two consecutive episodes were not good for the show.
Wang Xiao certainly hoped to downplay it as well.
But that was not necessarily the case for Pei Hanmo.
They would certainly have to see what Pei Hanmo thought.
Pei Hanmo was sitting behind Chu Xinghui at that moment and said in a low voice:
"Wang Xiao, you don't need to concern yourself with this. We'll handle it ourselves."
Hearing his full name sent a shiver down Wang Xiao's back. He understood that Pei Hanmo was truly angry.
Hearing Pei Hanmo's voice, Chu Xinghui thought he was upset again and turned around to comfort him.
Pei Hanmo immediately broke into a radiant smile:
"Of course, Director, there's no need to worry. I'll handle it very well."
Chu Xinghui nodded. It seemed there was no major problem.
Wang Xiao: Don't nod! Look again! That clearly wasn't his expression just now!
Before you continue