Chapter 49

Lin Si’s first sneaky move was darting straight into the car the moment he stepped out of the elevator.

As soon as flights resumed this morning, Liao Ji had rushed off without hesitation, declaring that if the typhoon returned, he would stay home indefinitely and refuse to work—leaving Lin Si to fend for himself.

So today, Lin Si had the nanny van all to himself.

He had thought long and hard about it. If Y had to go through another interrogation-like conversation with Liao Ji before they even met, it would be both impolite and unfair. So Lin Si made up his mind to seize this chance—while Liao Ji was away—to meet Y in person first.

“Are we definitely heading to South City Museum?” the driver asked, rolling down the partition window.

Caught off guard, Lin Si panicked and hurriedly shoved his pocket mirror out of sight.

“…” He forced himself to stay calm, adjusting his mask slightly. “Yeah, just drop me off somewhere with fewer people.”

“Understood.”

The partition window closed again, and Lin Si exhaled in relief. He took out his mirror once more, carefully adjusting his bangs.

He was used to presenting himself as an Alpha in the public eye, with styling and makeup tailored to fit his persona—deliberately creating an air of distance, making himself seem unapproachable.

He had grown accustomed to appearing reserved and serious in front of the camera, but now he worried that this carefully crafted image might make Alpha Y instinctively less inclined to like him.

After neatly combing his bangs into a more obedient look, he specifically chose a sporty black hoodie to give off a bright, youthful, and non-aggressive vibe.

Once he was satisfied that he looked approachable and presentable, Lin Si straightened his posture and began rehearsing in his head how to introduce himself naturally when they met.

Don’t be nervous… Don’t be nervous…

No, this wasn’t working—his heart was racing way too fast.

He anxiously twisted his fingers together, but that didn’t help either. Giving up, he turned on his phone and watched as the blue dot representing him on the GPS moved steadily along the route, getting closer and closer to the destination.

Suddenly the Message notification popped up, nearly making Lin Si jump.

Y: 【I arrived early.】

Y: 【No rush.】

Seeing Y’s message, Lin Si realized his earlier nervousness was nothing—this was when his heart truly started pounding. He took several deep breaths before replying: 【I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.】

Y: 【No problem, take your time.】

Lin Si lifted the curtain and peeked outside. The scenery outside the speeding car blurred into streaks of color until the spire of the South City Museum appeared in view.

Their car bypassed the ticket checkpoint and entered the parking lot. The driver pulled into a quiet corner and asked, concerned, “Do you need me to go with you?”

Lin Si quickly waved his hands. “No, no need.”

“What time should I come pick you up?”

Lin Si hesitated, feeling guilty. “I’ll let you know later… I might not need a ride back.”

Before the driver could ask more questions, Lin Si hurried off.

Being a weekday, the museum wasn’t too crowded—a relief.

He couldn’t use the facial recognition fast lane, so he lined up behind three people, waiting his turn at the ticket gate.

When it was his turn, he subtly covered his phone screen to hide the ticket holder’s name, decisively flipped it down onto the scanner, and passed through the gate without a hitch.

The museum had two halls: Hall A, designed with a futuristic, tech-inspired style, and Hall B, which exuded a rich historical atmosphere the moment you stepped in. Lin Si kept his head down, doing his best to avoid looking like some shady figure sneaking around.

He pretended to study some empty display boards for a few seconds before moving swiftly forward—until he spotted the Qi Baishi Exhibition Hall.

Y is inside.

Right inside.

So close—if he just walked in, somewhere in front of one of Qi Baishi’s paintings, his crush would be standing there.

Lin Si stopped outside the entrance, feeling every cell in his body heat up. His glands, especially the one at the back of his neck, throbbed so intensely that he had to press a hand against it, taking a sharp breath. He muttered to himself, Stay calm, stay calm… There should only be about seven or eight people inside… One out of eight—I’ll spot him right away.

His fingers trembled as he typed. He kept making typos, deleting them, and finally sent:

【I’m here too. Look around—do you see a completely black dustball?】

He shut off his phone before waiting for a reply and strode into the exhibition hall.

In front of the “Hibiscus and Ducks” painting stood a tall, upright figure. From the back, all Lin Si could discern was a slim yet broad-shouldered silhouette clad in a light crab-gray trench coat.

Lin Si stopped three paintings away from him.

“…Y?” He called softly into the spacious exhibition hall.

The man turned around. The overhead spotlights cast a warm, shallow glow over his face, deepening the contrast of light and shadow. As the balance between brightness and darkness shifted, Lin Si finally saw his entire face clearly.

Lu Wei.

Lin Si’s pupils trembled violently. He froze in place, every hair on his body standing on end. A cold-hot sensation surged through his spine, leaving him momentarily unable to distinguish between warmth and chill.

His lips parted slightly. For a long moment, he was too stunned to speak. Then, a bit of clarity seeped into his shock. “Why are you here?” He looked at the Hibiscus and Ducks painting, clinging to his last hope. “Are you here… for art appreciation?”

Lu Wei’s expression was unreadable.

Lin Si fidgeted with his mask, tilting up the brim of his baseball cap to reveal his eyes and nose bridge. “It’s me.”

“I know.” Lu Wei’s voice was steady.

Now that they were talking, Lin Si felt a little more at ease.

As he approached, a crisp and refreshing scent curled around his senses. But the closer he got, the faster the gland at the back of his neck throbbed.

Within five seconds, heat surged up his cheeks.

He inhaled deeply, scanning behind Lu Wei for someone else, then glanced toward the entrance—no one.

“Was there anyone in front of this painting before I arrived?”

“Just me.” Lu Wei’s voice was low and heavy, as if dipped in ice.

Lin Si pressed a hand against the wall, tugging his mask down slightly for air. He lowered his head. “Are you sure? He said he was here… So why isn’t he—”

His breath came out ragged. A bead of sweat slipped from his forehead.

“…What’s wrong with you?”

Lu Wei closed the distance in one stride, catching Lin Si before he could collapse.

Lin Si weakly pushed at him. “Don’t touch me…”

What if Y arrived now? How would he explain this?

Lu Wei didn’t budge. The moment his hands touched Lin Si, they moved instinctively—to wrap around his waist.

An urge, primal and unstoppable, drove him to hold Lin Si.

“Don’t hug me,” Lin Si struggled, his voice shaking. “No, no, no—you can’t hug me…”

As if suddenly snapping back to reality, Lu Wei abruptly let go and stepped back to a safe distance.

Lin Si braced himself against the wall, his other hand gripping his arm so tightly that his hoodie sleeve bunched up. He mumbled under his breath, “I think… something’s wrong with me again…”

Then, he curled into a tight ball on the floor, like a shrimp.

“Lu Wei, can you call Dr. Li for me? I think I’m going into heat again…”

Lu Wei didn’t respond. Nor did he, like before, offer any sort of assistance.

He stood rooted to the spot, his hands clenched under his sleeves—every muscle straining against the raw force of his self-control, veins bulging from his arms.

Lin Si burned up, unable to move. He didn’t dare remove his mask or hat. Instead, he pressed his forehead against the wall, seeking even the faintest relief from its coolness.

But within two seconds, the coolness vanished.

The sharp, crisp scent in the air—the only thing soothing Lin Si—was something he unknowingly craved more and more.

He failed to realize he was drinking poison to quench his thirst.

His breath quickened, syncing with his body’s desperate hunger for pheromones—until it reached a breakneck pace.

Lu Wei suddenly leaned in, slipping off his trench coat and draping it over Lin Si’s head before lowering himself, his breath hovering over the nape of Lin Si’s neck.

A bad feeling rose in Lin Si’s gut—one that edged dangerously close to something he didn’t want to happen. He struggled to grasp onto his wavering consciousness.

“…Lu Wei?”

The man nestled against his neck was breathing even heavier than he was. Lin Si curled up beneath the coat, his vision shrouded in darkness, too blurry to make out details. His hand reached out, barely grazing Lu Wei’s cheek before the heat made him instinctively withdraw his fingers.

“…Lu Wei?” He repeated his name.

Then, in the brief moment when Lin Si shifted his position, he sensed a sharp, blade-like aura pressing close—so fierce that his half-spoken “Lu Wei” turned into a startled gasp.

Yet, the pain he anticipated never came.

Lu Wei’s teeth stopped just above his gland, his body trembling—restrained yet on the verge of breaking. His eyes burned crimson, as if they might bleed at any moment.

“What the hell are you doing biting my neck…” Lin Si shrank back against the wall, panting heavily, his voice weak but laced with anger. “I’m Lin Si!”

Inside the small, enclosed space created by the trench coat, the scent of pheromones grew overwhelmingly dense. Sweat dripped from Lu Wei’s forehead onto Lin Si’s chin. He grabbed Lin Si’s wrist tightly—so tight that the skin beneath his grip turned stark white.

The pain jolted Lin Si into brief clarity, though his head soon lolled backward, hitting the wall.

“…Are you in heat?” He shook his head weakly. “You can’t… You can’t mark me today. I’m here to meet my boyfriend. If I miss today, I’ll have to wait for my wounds to heal again—”

“Baby. It’s me.”

The words came out hoarse, rasping from deep in Lu Wei’s throat.

Lin Si’s heart skipped a beat.

Then it plummeted.

A suffocating chill seized his chest, as if something heavy had crashed into it, blocking his airway. No matter how hard he breathed, he couldn’t think—couldn’t function.

Lu Wei let go of his wrist, clenching his hands into fists, his knuckles turning an eerie shade of white. Lin Si’s pheromones were overwhelming his self-control, pushing his restraint past its limit.

He reached out again, brushing his hand against Lin Si’s cheek—only to see that Lin Si’s eyes were brimming with tears. His lips were pressed together so tightly he couldn’t make a sound.

Outside, the hurried sound of footsteps approached.

Then came the voice of a staff member overhead:

“The exhibition hall is on lockdown! Looks like both an Alpha and an Omega are in heat. A room has already been prepared!”

Lu Wei slammed a fist against the wall. The pain jolted him back to reason—just enough for him to cup Lin Si’s face in his hands, lowering his voice.

“…Baby, are you okay?”

Lin Si’s eyelashes trembled as his eyes fluttered open and shut, his lips barely moving as he whispered:

“You lied to me…”

“I’m sorry.”

He repeated, softer this time.

“…I’m sorry.”

Lu Wei wrapped him fully in the trench coat, shielding him from view. Then, lifting his gaze to the surrounding staff, his voice turned cold and commanding:

“Arrange a car. We’re going to Xiaoshan Hospital.”

The staff members stood frozen in shock. Seeing that Lu Wei was still capable of speaking, they hurriedly pushed a stretcher toward him.

“Sir, please lie down and don’t speak. We will administer an inhibitor immediately.”

Lu Wei had completely lost his patience. He stood up, grabbed the collar of the staff member’s uniform, and growled,

“I said—get me a car and take us to Xiaoshan Hospital.”

“Sir, you’re in your Alpha susceptibility period. We understand that you’re not in a clear state of mind, so please follow our—”

Before the man could finish his sentence, Lu Wei had already bent down, lifting Lin Si—still wrapped in his trench coat—into his arms and striding straight for the exit.

“Oh my god… What kind of rare Alpha is this? He’s in susceptibility but still has this much control—” One of the staff members muttered in shock.

The team leader smacked him on the head.

“Go get the car!”

“Aren’t we giving them inhibitors?” Another worker asked, still dazed.

“That guy is obviously not an ordinary person. Just do what he says—send them to Xiaoshan Hospital! Now!”

Lu Wei wanted to walk faster. But the scent of Lin Si’s pheromones wrapping around him made his every nerve scream with an overwhelming desire—to press Lin Si against the exhibition hall’s empty walls, to kiss him, mark him—

To claim him.

“Sir! Sir!” The staff ran up to him. “Please follow me. We’ve arranged a car to take you to Xiaoshan Hospital. You can leave immediately!”

Lu Yan changed directions and followed.

“Please hand the Omega to me,” one staff member said. “We’ll arrange for him to take another vehicle. It would be safer to separate you two.”

Lin Si, trembling in Lu Wei’s arms, shifted uncomfortably, his fingers slipping between the buttons of Lu Wei’s dark green shirt—recklessly igniting flames wherever they touched.

Sweat dripped from Lu Wei’s forehead, trailing down his eyelashes before stinging his eyes as it slid into the corner. He closed them for a moment, his restraint stretched to its limits.

“Give me an inhibitor,” he ordered hoarsely.

“An Alpha’s inhibitor.”

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Author’s note: Aaaaaah I didn’t finish writing today QAQ. To be continued tomorrow!

T/n: Haa!!! We’re finally at the D-day…Sigh!!! It was an expected nd an unexpected chapter but really let’s see what happens next. Stay tuned guys!!! If you want to support me you can buy me a Ko-Fi or go to my paypal page. Happy Reading 🎉😀.