Chapter 17: Isn’t That Solved? Why Use Inhibitors?

The Omega’s lips were deathly pale, but their face was flushed red due to their heat, making them look irresistibly alluring.

Almost all of their pheromones were surging toward Xiao Jin.

Biological instincts are, after all, influenced by pheromones. This Omega was right—his compatibility with Xiao Jin was indeed very high.

A faint aroma of sweet floral whiskey wafted over, gradually soothing Xiao Jin’s irritable mood.

But the Omega seemed on the verge of losing control, their eyes becoming unfocused and dazed, driven by the instinctual need to absorb the Alpha’s pheromones.

Xiao Jin, without consciously releasing his pheromones, remained unnoticed by others.

But it was different for Ruan Yan. Having just come out of his heat, faint traces of his pheromones still lingered.

Suddenly, the Omega’s hazy gaze landed on Ruan Yan.

Ruan Yan felt the rush of pheromones flood toward him like a tidal wave.

He froze.

Just now, he had witnessed this Omega pleading with Xiao Jin, utterly consumed by their heat. Every Omega in this state would eventually succumb to desperation—lowering themselves to beg for a mark.

But the sudden release of pheromones toward him was unexpected. Wasn’t this Omega’s target Xiao Jin?

Xiao Jin seemed to notice as well.

He glanced at the Omega, then at Ruan Yan.

? ? ? ?

Ruan Yan took a step back. If this were his Omega, he would have marked them gently. But this person wasn’t his, and he had no obligation to help them through their heat.

Perhaps it was because this Omega reminded him of his father that he hesitated, feeling a twinge of sympathy. He turned to Xiao Jin. “Do you have any Omega inhibitors at home? At least give them something to stabilize before sending them to the hospital.”

Xiao Jin took one look at Ruan Yan’s concerned expression and, without even realizing it himself, spoke with a hint of acidity. “You care so much about this Omega—why don’t you just mark him already?”

His words were completely out of nowhere. Ruan Yan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him and instead turned to Ji Duan. “Do you have any Omega inhibitors?”

Ji Duan instinctively patted himself down before pulling out a vial of pale green liquid. “Happens to have one.”

Ruan Yan had no idea why an Alpha would be carrying Omega inhibitors, but that wasn’t something he needed to question.

He took the vial, but just as he lifted his foot to step forward, Xiao Jin moved even faster.

The Omega’s eyes had already lost focus, yet their gaze remained locked onto Ruan Yan.

Xiao Jin let out a displeased huff. Then, just as the Omega unconsciously leaned toward Ruan Yan—

Thud.

Xiao Jin struck the back of their neck with a swift hand chop.

Ji Duan: ?

Ruan Yan: ……

Xiao Jin cast a cool glance at the person lying on the ground. “Isn’t that solved? What’s the point of using inhibitors?”

Ruan Yan shot him a cold look before crouching down, ready to help the Omega up.

But before he could, Xiao Jin suddenly grabbed his wrist. Then, without warning, he turned and kicked Ji Duan. “Put him in the front passenger seat. We’ll take him to the hospital first. Once his heat passes, find him a place to stay.”

“Huh?” Ji Duan scratched his head. “Aren’t we supposed to send him back to the Chamber of Commerce?”

“They sent him here, didn’t they?” Xiao Jin’s gaze flickered slightly as he looked at Ruan Yan, his words coming out without pause. “Then I’ll take him off their hands—no hard feelings.”

Ruan Yan merely gave him a brief glance before opening the car door and getting in without a word.

Xiao Jin’s expression stiffened.

He had expected some sort of reaction from Ruan Yan—anything other than this indifference. He wasn’t even sure what he wanted to see on Ruan Yan’s face, just that it wasn’t this cold detachment.

The chilly night breeze swept past, but the irritation in Xiao Jin’s heart didn’t subside.

With a slight frown, he walked around to the other side and got into the car.

The scent of the Omega lingered thickly inside the car, but Ji Duan and Xiao Jin seemed completely unaffected. Ruan Yan, having little sensitivity to Omega pheromones now, didn’t feel much of anything either.

They first dropped the Omega off at an Omega-specialized hospital before turning back to take Ruan Yan to A University.

When the car pulled up at the university gate, Ruan Yan pushed open the door to get out—but then hesitated.

Xiao Jin watched as he shut the door again and sat back down.

“What do you plan to do with that Omega?” Ruan Yan asked, his gaze serious.

The irritation Xiao Jin had been holding onto suddenly found an outlet and vanished like smoke.

He leaned back against the seat, hands resting behind his head, and glanced at Ruan Yan with a sidelong look. “Why?”

Was the little guy jealous?

Ruan Yan fell silent for a moment, as if carefully considering his words. After a long pause, he finally spoke. “I have one condition.”

Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow.

“If you sleep with someone else, I want to see the medical report.”

Xiao Jin: …Huh?

What do you mean sleep with someone?

What medical report?

“…What?”

The little guy didn’t seem to realize what he’d just said. Xiao Jin locked eyes with him, and the moment it clicked, he nearly choked on his own anger.

Was this kid seriously worried that he had something?!

Just as Xiao Jin’s temper flared up, Ruan Yan pushed the door open and left.

Xiao Jin sat there, watching his figure disappear into the distance, frustration simmering in his chest.

The sheer tension radiating from him made Ji Duan’s back break out in a cold sweat. He cleared his throat and braced himself. “Boss, uh… where are we going now?”

“Going to sleep with someone!” Xiao Jin snapped without thinking.

“…Huh?”

Of course, he didn’t actually mean it.

There was still plenty of time before afternoon classes started. Yu Wan had told him she wouldn’t arrive at school until one o’clock, so with nothing better to do, Ruan Yan headed to the piano room.

The Ruan family was one of the top ten wealthiest families in the Federal. And the higher one stood, the more demanding and exacting Ruan Hong became with his children.

From childhood to adulthood, he had been taught everything a noble should learn—proper etiquette, refined skills, and the disciplines of the elite.

Piano was just another subject for Ruan Yan. He never liked it, but he had to master it. He had to prove himself capable if he wanted to stay in the Ruan family. If he wanted his father to stay.

His playing was smooth at first, but suddenly—thud—his hand slipped, striking the wrong note.

A piece he had memorized flawlessly in his mind—yet he had just played it wrong. Even Ruan Yan himself was momentarily taken aback.

He frowned in thought, and a face flashed through his mind.

Xiao Jin.

That moody, unpredictable man—why had he appeared in his thoughts?

Before Ruan Yan could dwell on the feeling—

Clap, clap, clap—

A sudden burst of applause pulled him from his thoughts. He turned his head to see Jiang Yizhou leaning against the doorway, having entered at some point.

Ruan Yan, always accustomed to indifference, simply gave him a small nod in acknowledgment.

Jiang Yizhou had just lifted his hand, a smile forming on his lips, ready to greet him—only for Ruan Yan to turn his head away without a second glance.

The smile froze on Jiang Yizhou’s face.

He had never met someone so indifferent toward him before.

That week of cold treatment only piqued his curiosity even more.

Ruan Yan rested his hands on the piano keys again, but after a moment, he didn’t press down. Since he wasn’t in the mood to play, he simply chose not to.

Jiang Yizhou stepped into the piano room and closed the door behind him. With obvious curiosity, he asked, “Why’d you stop playing?”

Ruan Yan didn’t respond.

Jiang Yizhou prided himself on his patience, but even the best temper had its limits.

Frowning, his tone cooled as he said, “Ruan Yan, you do know that Yu Wan is an Omega, right?”

The moment Yu Wan and Omega appeared in the same sentence, Ruan Yan’s gaze lifted toward Jiang Yizhou, who had already walked up to the piano.

From their previous interactions in the lab, Jiang Yizhou had learned that Ruan Yan was cold—but he hadn’t expected him to be this cold.

So cold that it made people hesitate, made them stop in their tracks.

Only when the topic was something that genuinely interested Ruan Yan would he bother to listen.

After looking into him further, Jiang Yizhou realized that Ruan Yan wasn’t only indifferent toward him. He treated everyone the same way.

Yet, despite this, there were still many people—openly or secretly—who harbored feelings for Ruan Yan.

And perhaps because of that, Jiang Yizhou found himself intrigued.

Hearing Yu Wan’s identity as an Omega brought up, Ruan Yan shook his head. “He’s not.”

Jiang Yizhou hadn’t expected him to be this stubborn. He curled his lips into a smirk. “That day, when you had a sudden sensitivity episode, Yu Wan got nervous and unconsciously released a faint trace of pheromones. We all know that Betas don’t have pheromones.”

Ruan Yan lowered his gaze. Two seconds later, he looked back up at Jiang Yizhou. “You can report him if you want.”

Jiang Yizhou met his eyes and was momentarily taken aback.

For the first time, he thought he caught a hint of disgust in Ruan Yan’s usually calm, distant gaze.

The feeling was… unpleasant.

He had expected Ruan Yan to get angry, to curse at him—but instead, he only responded with this cold indifference.

“You really don’t care about your friend?” Jiang Yizhou frowned.

“Yu Wan is capable. The fact that Omegas have no status in this society and can’t showcase their talents is a failure of the system, not his,” Ruan Yan replied flatly. “Even if he’s forced to withdraw from the lab, even if he’s expelled, he’ll still find another place to prove himself.”

Ruan Yan rose from his seat, brushing past Jiang Yizhou.

At the door, he paused briefly—but didn’t even turn his head as he said, “Jiang Yizhou, I’ll be letting the professor know that I’m not capable of working with you.”

At C University, their genetic research department wasn’t as advanced as A University’s. That was why C University had sent over some researchers to collaborate and exchange ideas.

Previously, their professor had informed them about a competition hosted by the Federal Genetic Research Institute and had intended for him and Jiang Yizhou to team up and participate.

The Federal Genetic Research Institute—Ruan Yan was indeed interested in seeing it for himself. But if it meant partnering with Jiang Yizhou, then it wasn’t worth it.

Yu Wan had said he’d be back by one o’clock, yet by the time their two o’clock class started, he had only just arrived, barely making it in time.

However, the professor had a last-minute engagement, so the class turned into a self-study session.

Fortunately, it was already autumn, so Yu Wan’s high-collared sweater didn’t seem out of place.

Still, the scent on him—the one belonging to an Alpha—was difficult to conceal. But in a way, that worked in his favor, masking his true identity as an Omega.

Alphas sat at the top of the gender hierarchy. No one could dictate their choice of partner; some even chose Beta partners.

The bittersweet yet possessive scent of an Alpha’s pheromones clung to Yu Wan.

Ruan Yan had caught the distinct aroma of ebony wood on Yu Wan more than once before.

Yu Wan had told him—he was already an Omega with a permanent mark.

Ruan Yan had simply nodded in acknowledgment, expressing his respect.

He was indeed curious about Yu Wan’s Alpha status. Alphas had an overwhelming sense of possessiveness, and once they had marked an Omega, that Omega was not allowed to leave their sight or show themselves off in public.

As soon as Yu Wan sat down beside Ruan Yan, he couldn’t help but excitedly speak up, “Yan yan, I have some good news to tell you!”

“Mm?” Ruan Yan responded.

However, what Yu Wan said next made Ruan Yan’s heart skip a beat, “Last week, during my heat cycle, I injected a sample of the Y3 inhibitor we’ve been studying.”

Ruan Yan furrowed his brows, visibly tense, “You injected it yourself?”

Although Yu Wan and Ruan Yan had known each other for some time, Ruan Yan had always appeared distant and cold on the outside. Yet, beneath that hard exterior was the softest heart.

Few Alphas would do anything for an Omega, but Ruan Yan was different. He had even spent considerable time and effort researching the Y3 inhibitor.

Yu Wan nodded, “Yes, Yan yan, I injected it myself. As you can see, there were no side effects at all.”

After saying that, Yu Wan added, “Yan yan, have a little more confidence in yourself. Isn’t everything over the past year just for this moment?”

Ruan Yan shook his head, “You shouldn’t risk your body like this.”

“If I don’t take the risk, does it mean switching to another Omega won’t be a risk?” Yu Wan said casually. Then, he changed the subject, “Yan yan, I can already imagine how big of a stir the Y3 inhibitor will cause when it’s released.”

In the current Federal, Omega had no real status, simply because they lacked the capabilities of other genders, both physically and mentally. They were only seen as tools for producing offspring.

Ruan Yan remained silent for a few seconds before shaking his head, “It won’t be that easy. To get the Y3 inhibitor out there, we still have a long way to go.”

Yu Wan nodded, letting out a sigh. He knew that this was not something that could be achieved overnight.

He took out a black USB flash drive and slid it over to Ruan Yan. “Oh, right. This is the data I’ve written out. Inside, it has all the data corresponding to each ingredient. Yan yan, you need to keep it safe.”

Ruan Yan nodded, accepting it and storing it away. Then, he shifted the conversation, “Jiang Yizhou knows about your Omega identity now.”

He told Yu Wan this to help him mentally prepare.

Yu Wan was taken aback. “If he knows I’m Omega, why hasn’t he come to talk to me? Why would he tell you instead?”

Before Ruan Yan could respond, Yu Wan’s mind raced, and he quickly added, “Did Jiang Yizhou threaten you with my Omega identity?”

Previously, Jiang Yizhou had been clinging to Ruan Yan in the lab, and while Ruan Yan might have been oblivious to it, Yu Wan could see clearly that Jiang Yizhou probably had feelings for Ruan Yan.

Two Alphas could certainly be together, but Yu Wan could sense that Ruan Yan had no feelings for Jiang Yizhou whatsoever.

Ruan Yan didn’t answer directly. “If he reports you, you won’t just be kicked out of the lab, A University might even expel you.”

Ruan Yan was more concerned about Yu Wan, but Yu Wan didn’t care. He waved his hand dismissively. “If I get expelled, so be it. I’ll just quit school.”

Then, with curiosity, he asked Ruan Yan, “So, Yan yan, what did you tell Jiang Yizhou?”

Ruan Yan thought for a moment and then recounted the exact words he had said.

Hearing what Ruan Yan said, Yu Wan nearly laughed out loud. He had originally planned to give Ruan Yan a brotherly hug, but halfway through extending his hand, it seemed he thought of something and retracted it.

Yu Wan had also wanted to ask Ruan Yan about his relationship with Xiao Jin.

Just then, Ruan Yan’s phone suddenly rang.

With the teacher absent during the study session, Ruan Yan naturally answered the call.

The voice on the other end was his father’s assistant, Ruan Hong’s assistant, speaking in a formal tone. “Young Master Ruan Yan, I’ve sent you some company documents. President Ruan wants you to read them and then write a report for him.”

Company documents?

Wasn’t Ruan Hong always against him getting involved in the Ruan family’s affairs?