Mom?

The female doctor tucked her ballpoint pen back into the pocket of her white coat, cupped her face, and said with a bright smile, “Aiya, Dr. Xu told me my son brought a little classmate to register. Of course, I got worried and came to check on him~”

Ning Xi couldn’t help but take a sharp breath.

This female doctor was actually Song Yize’s mother.

He was doomed. It was a major social death moment.

“He has a fever, so I brought him to the hospital,” Song Yize answered concisely.

“It’s normal to have a fever during the differentiation period.”

Yu Jingyue, a doctor with many years of experience, looked at Ning Xi’s bandaged calf and felt a pang of sympathy. She then turned to Song Yize and reproached, “But what’s wrong with you? How could you let such a delicate Omega get hurt like this? What kind of boyfriend are you?”

Song Yize: “?”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!!!”

The moment Ning Xi heard the word “boyfriend,” he practically jumped up, coughing violently to cover his guilty conscience.

Ning Xi awkwardly sat up straight before finally mustering the courage to look at Yu Jingyue, who was standing beside him. With an uneasy smile, he greeted, “…Hello, Auntie ah…”

“Aiya, no need to get up la. Just lie down and rest,” Yu Jingyue said hurriedly.

Ning Xi didn’t dare look at Song Yize and had no idea what fate awaited him next. “That… Auntie, maybe ah, just maybe, there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding…”

“There’s no need to speak up for him. Taking care of his Omega is an Alpha’s responsibility in the first place,” Yu Jingyue said. “Auntie will educate him for you.”

Ah, ah, ah, ah, no, not this ah! I meant the ‘boyfriend’ part!

Standing beside them, Song Yize was completely lost. Everything had happened too suddenly. “No, Mom…”

“Shut up.” Yu Jingyue was clearly a tough woman. “Let’s talk outside. Don’t disturb while people are resting.”

Ning Xi held his head.

Just kill me already.

Song Yize had no way to refuse. His light-colored eyes flicked toward Ning Xi, who was sitting on the hospital bed knocking on his own head, and he left behind a single sentence: “Remember to eat the congee.”

Ning Xi smiled back.

Oh wow, thank you so much.

Song Yize was pulled into the hospital corridor by Yu Jingyue.

“Yize ya, this is on you,” Yu Jingyue said sternly. “Why didn’t you tell the family when you started dating someone?”

With his hands in his pockets, Song Yize’s gaze remained calm and indifferent. He lowered his head slightly and said to Yu Jingyue, “Mom, he’s not my boyfriend.”

Unexpectedly, Yu Jingyue was displeased. “What did Mom always tell you? As an Alpha, the most important thing is not to be a scumbag. I never said you couldn’t date—so why are you trying to distance yourself at a time like this ah?”

“I’m not trying to distance myself…” Song Yize was helpless.

There was never anything to begin with.

Yu Jingyue asked, “Ai, when did you two meet?”

“This afternoon.”

“…”

Song Yize lowered his gaze, glanced back into the hospital room, his neck stretching slightly, making the lines of his throat more pronounced. As he spoke, his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Did he tell you I was his boyfriend?”

“At first, he said he was your ge,” Yu Jingyue replied truthfully. “This kid’s pretty shy. I had to say it outright before he finally admitted it na.”

Song Yize didn’t reply again.

“He’s an Omega, after all. As an Alpha—and his boyfriend—you need to be more considerate and take better care of him,” Yu Jingyue patted Song Yize’s shoulder. “Did you hear me?”

I already said I’m not his boyfriend…

Yu Jingyue squeezed his shoulder again. “Did you hear me?”

“…I heard you.”

“Good. Then go back and keep him company.” Yu Jingyue glanced at the time. “I have rounds to do, so I won’t be here ah.”

Song Yize watched as Yu Jingyue walked away.

Leaning against the wall, his tall, slender figure appeared somewhat fragile under the cool corridor lights. Not even a shadow formed on the floor—just an empty hallway, desolate and quiet.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a 50-cent coin—the change given to him by Uncle Zheng from the small shop.

The coin had a faint metallic sheen. When he held it up at eye level, it gleamed under the light.

Song Yize remained silent for a moment before gripping the coin in his palm. Then, he turned and walked back toward the hospital room.

*

Ning Xi’s brain had completely given up on functioning.

Unlucky. Just ridiculously unlucky.

At this point, he didn’t know what other word he could use to describe it.

Lying on the hospital bed, Ning Xi thought he might as well just stay there for the rest of his life.

Song Yize walked in from outside. Seeing Ning Xi sprawled on the bed with a face full of despair—and the untouched congee on the bedside table—he asked, “Why haven’t you eaten?”

“No appetite.” Ning Xi sank a little lower into the bed. His brows and eyes carried a hint of laziness, his voice slightly hoarse from exhaustion, exuding an innate air of carefreeness and nonchalance.

Song Yize pulled out a chair and sat beside Ning Xi, his face expressionless and indifferent. “Do you want me to feed you?”

Ning Xi: “…”

This didi was seriously repressed. He had no idea why his old deskmate had liked him so much.

Taking a deep breath, Ning Xi said, “I was the one who spoke carelessly first. I shouldn’t have said that. I sincerely apologize to you.”

“What did you say?” Song Yize looked as if he didn’t know anything as he casually opened the lid of the porridge container.

“Just… just…” Ning Xi hesitated before turning his head away. “Forget it. It’s nothing.”

“I checked the student roster. There’s no Omega with the surname Ning at our school.” Song Yize stated, “How did you get in?”

Well… that’s a long story.

Ning Xi quickly changed the subject. “Hey, what did your mom just say to you?”

“She said you’re my boyfriend.” Song Yize said this as emotionlessly as if he were stating he had eaten lunch today.

Ning Xi realized he had completely fallen into this little brat’s trap. “…I’m sorry.”

A real man knows when to yield and when to stand tall.

Ning Xi added, “It’s my fault, really. Did you explain it to Auntie? It’s just a misunderstanding—she’ll understand for sure.”

“Explained.” Song Yize stirred the porridge. “She said I’m a scumbag.”

“…”

Ning Xi had no intention of randomly assigning the male lead didi a non-heroine romantic partner—especially not himself. “What exactly did you tell her ya? How about you call Auntie over, and I’ll explain? I’ll just say I was delirious from the fever and mistook you for someone else.”

Hearing this, Song Yize lifted his gaze, his amber eyes locking onto him. “You have a boyfriend?”

But there’s clearly no scent of any other Alpha on you.

Ning Xi was instantly stuck.

Sure, he was good-looking, tall, and had excellent grades. From childhood to now, he had never lacked admirers. But the truth was—he had never actually dated anyone.

He hadn’t even liked one.

Thinking about it, it was kind of pathetic.

Song Yize looked at Ning Xi’s silent profile and couldn’t help but curl his lips into a faint smile.

His eyes were naturally on the longer side, and their light hue made his expression even more distinct. When he smiled like that, the usual nonchalance in his gaze softened slightly, his eyes brightening all the way to the depths—almost like a hint of a male vixen.

Ning Xi felt mocked. “What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing ah.” Song Yize retracted his expression as if nothing had happened. “Drink some congee.”

Getting laughed at by a high schooler for never dating, Ning Xi felt a sudden urge to prove himself. “What, acting like you’ve had a relationship or something?”

“You just set me up with one, didn’t you?” Song Yize said.

To Ning Xi’s ears, that sounded like disdain. His inexplicable competitive streak suddenly flared up. “…The hell? Am I not handsome enough that being your boyfriend wouldn’t boost your reputation!”

Handsome—definitely. But more than that, he was just a little more good-looking, Song Yize thought.

Exquisite features, a high nose bridge, skin so pale it carried a faint flush, naturally upturned peach blossom eyes—whenever he spoke, his gaze always carried a teasing lift, as if he were trying to lure someone in.

Perhaps because he got a bit worked up along with being in the late stage of differentiation, his pheromones started spreading—a mix of peppermint white tea quickly enveloping the space.

Song Yize, caught off guard, turned his head away in a hurry. “…Just lie down.”

After saying that, he stood up and shoved the porridge into Ning Xi’s hands. “You don’t have to explain anything to my mom. She’s the kind of person who finds it hard to change her mind after deciding on one thing.”

“This doesn’t seem right.”

“As long as you and I know the truth, it’s fine. No one else needs to know.” Song Yize said.

After all, they probably wouldn’t see each other again.

“It’s really okay?”

“It’s okay.”

“You won’t hold it against me?”

“What’s there to hold against you?”

“Didi.” Ning Xi said sincerely, “you’re a really good person.”

Why does this feel like getting the good person card?

Ning Xi nodded like an old father “Trust me, someday you’ll meet an amazing partner.”

That’s the heroine.

At that moment, a young nurse walked into the room. “Bed 13, the hospital has already contacted your family, but they seem to be out of town and won’t be able to come. A driver will be coming to pick you up later.”

Hearing these words, Ning Xi was almost used to them and replied extremely naturally, “Uh, got it.”

So even in this world, his family was still made up of workaholics.

But work itself wasn’t wrong.

He couldn’t blame anyone for prioritizing their jobs, even if it meant they had little time for him.

The young nurse walked over and placed a medical supply box on the bedside table. “The hospital has prepared your medication and inhibitors. Make sure to take care of yourself when you go home.”

Then, he patted Song Yize on the shoulder and instructed, “Remember this ah. He should take a fever reducer before bed tonight. If he’s recovered by tomorrow, stop the medication. If not, take another dose after breakfast, but never on an empty stomach. As for the inhibitor, he can’t use it yet. He has to wait until his differentiation is completely stable before…”

“Hey, hey, Nurse-jiejie,” Ning Xi interrupted. “Why are you telling him ah. Just tell me directly.”

“You still have a fever, don’t overwork your brain,” the young nurse said with an unusually gentle expression. “Let your boyfriend remember it for you first, and he can tell you again once your fever goes down.”

Ning Xi fell into a deep silence—one that could probably rival Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again.^[1]This specifically refers to the poem “再别康桥” (Zài Bié Kāngqiáo) which means “Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again” by the famous Chinese poet Xu Zhimo. Expressing … Continue reading

The young nurse must’ve overheard the conversation earlier while administering the IV.

Song Yize remained expressionless as if he was genuinely paying attention and taking the doctor’s advice to heart.

Once the nurse left, Song Yize dutifully repeated everything he had just heard to Ning Xi.

“You got all that?” Song Yize asked.

“Yeah… I got it.” Ning Xi still wasn’t too familiar with the settings of this novel world. He honestly had no idea how these inhibitors and suppression patches were supposed to be used.

Song Yize suggested, “You should put on a suppression patch for now. It’ll help block your pheromones since you can’t control them yet.”

“This thing, right?” Ning Xi picked up a suppression patch and carefully examined it. “Apply directly to the gland area on the back of the neck…”

Following the instructions, Ning Xi tilted his head slightly and pulled down the collar of his high-collared shirt, revealing a stretch of fair, slender skin along his nape.

“Help me put it on.”

---

The author has something to say:

Song Yize (turning his head away): I don’t care, really.