Zhou Yi lingered at the door for what felt like an eternity, despite the fact that it was only a few steps away from his apartment. After agreeing to Liang Xianzhang’s request, he had been pressed against the door, his mouth numb from the kiss, before he was finally allowed to return home.

Once inside, Zhou Yi didn’t waste a moment. The first thing he did was rush to the bathroom and spray pheromone eliminator. The floral scent with a hint of citrus that clung to his body was so overpowering it felt as though he was marinated in it.

Zhou Yi couldn’t help but wonder if Liang Xianzhang had been lying when he claimed he couldn’t release pheromones. The scent that lingered on him now was far stronger than any Alpha’s, even Shang Yichen’s, whose pheromones had never been as overwhelming.

The impact of the scent on him was undeniable. Zhou Yi raised his hand to his nose, breathing in deeply. The familiar floral fragrance filled his senses, and he shuddered slightly, his body trembling, his breath quickening. He pressed the eliminator spray harder to drown out the scent.

After finally clearing the smell, he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. His lips were red, his cheeks slightly flushed, and his eyes had a misty look to them.

It was clear to him now that Liang Xianzhang had done all of this on purpose. His actions had been deliberate—he wanted Shang Yichen to notice something was wrong, to make him question Zhou Yi’s behavior. The goal was obvious: to break up with Shang Yichen and be with him.

Zhou Yi sighed, splashing his face with cold water to cool the heat in his skin. He tried to reduce the redness of his swollen lips with a wet tissue, hoping it would appear less noticeable by the time Shang Yichen returned.

But just as he finished applying the tissue, he heard the door open. Zhou Yi tore the tissue off, quickly sniffed his nose to make sure the scent was gone, and ran out of the bathroom.

Shang Yichen had been out drinking until 3 a.m. the night before, kept busy by Liang Shaowen who insisted on clinking glasses with him. He had no choice but to keep drinking until he couldn’t remember how he got back to the hotel.

Waking up with a hangover, Shang Yichen stumbled into the room, still groggy, when he saw Zhou Yi rushing towards him.

His vision was blurry, but he noticed Zhou Yi’s lips—red, and if he looked closely, slightly swollen. Shang Yichen’s gaze lingered on them for a moment.

He couldn’t tell if it was because his estrus period was approaching or if it was something else, but Zhou Yi’s appearance made his mouth go dry. He couldn’t help but swallow as his mind wandered to thoughts he quickly tried to push away.

What would his expression be like if I pulled his hair, made him open his mouth for me, and held him down…

Shang Yichen blinked, the thought startling him. He refocused on Zhou Yi’s face, and suddenly, the resemblance to Gu Shuning brought him back to his senses, snapping him out of the fantasy.

I can’t believe I’m thinking like this about a Beta.

He felt a wave of anger and shame wash over him. As an Alpha with a high sense of pride, he had always looked down on Betas. And Zhou Yi—just a temporary replacement for Gu Shuning—was nothing more than someone he kept around for convenience. Once Gu Shuning returned, Zhou Yi would no longer be needed.

Now, however, his thoughts were drifting to Zhou Yi in ways he couldn’t justify. He blamed Zhou Yi for deliberately acting in a way that provoked him, trying to seduce him into a sexual relationship.

The more Shang Yichen thought about it, the angrier he became. He threw his coat at Zhou Yi, his voice sharp, “What did you put on your lips to make them so red? Are you trying to seduce me with that look?”

“No… I just got burned eating noodles,” Zhou Yi stammered, his face flushing as he hurriedly tried to explain, clutching the coat against his chest.

But Shang Yichen didn’t listen. He shoved Zhou Yi away and collapsed onto the sofa.

Zhou Yi, confused by Shang Yichen’s behavior, looked at the coat he was holding. It reeked of alcohol and pheromones, making him feel disgusted. He quickly threw it into the laundry basket in the bathroom and washed his hands with hand sanitizer before walking back out.

In an attempt to avoid further confrontation, Zhou Yi pretended to be busy and went to the kitchen. He poured a glass of warm water, added some honey, and brought it to the coffee table in front of Shang Yichen. “Mr. Shang, drinking honey water should help with the hangover,” he said cautiously.

Shang Yichen rubbed his temples tiredly. His stomach was unsettled, but after sipping the water, he felt some relief. The sweetness and warmth helped soothe his dry throat, and he looked at Zhou Yi with less annoyance.

Suddenly, an odd thought crossed his mind. “What did you do last night?”

Zhou Yi’s heart skipped. He wasn’t sure why Shang Yichen asked this, but he feared he was suspicious. He quickly came up with an answer. “I waited for you in the living room, but you didn’t come home. I left the light on for you and went back to the bedroom to shower and sleep.”

Shang Yichen fell silent, but Zhou Yi’s heart raced. He hoped his explanation was convincing enough. If Shang Yichen found out anything, he would lose the money he was depending on.

Just as he was wondering if he should pack up and go to Liang Xianzhang’s, he heard Shang Yichen’s voice again. “Why didn’t you call me like you used to?”

Zhou Yi froze. He had always been the one to reach out when Shang Yichen was away, calling and texting repeatedly, but Shang Yichen had never responded. So why was he asking now?

Zhou Yi struggled to respond. “I… I thought you were busy, so I didn’t want to bother you.”

Shang Yichen stared at him, his expression unreadable. He had always dismissed Zhou Yi’s actions, seeing them as trivial. But now, something felt different. Zhou Yi had always been ignored, along with everything he did for Shang Yichen.