Breakfast ended quickly, accompanied by a relaxed conversation between the two. Zhou Yi, completely satisfied with the meal, offered to wash the dishes, but Liang Xianzhang refused, insisting that it was unnecessary.

With no choice, Zhou Yi settled on the sofa, waiting for Liang Xianzhang to finish the dishes. He felt an obligation to say goodbye properly after everything—after eating someone else’s food and using someone else’s body, it felt wrong to just leave without any acknowledgment.

Liang Xianzhang returned from the kitchen swiftly. As Zhou Yi stood up, he noticed Liang Xianzhang’s hands were still wet from washing the dishes. Zhou Yi grabbed a tissue from the coffee table, handed it to him, and made his intentions clear: he was about to leave.

When Liang Xianzhang heard Zhou Yi’s intention to leave, he paused mid-motion, wiping his hands. Looking into Zhou Yi’s eyes, he casually threw the used tissue into the trash, as if nothing had happened, and replied calmly, “Okay, I’ll take you home.”

Zhou Yi immediately refused. It was clear that Liang Xianzhang wasn’t just any ordinary person—if he took him home and an acquaintance saw them, rumors might spread. If Shang Yichen found out, his job as a stand-in would be at risk.

Besides, they were just a one-night-stand couple. There was no need for Liang Xianzhang to go that far, especially since Zhou Yi knew his own involvement in this was bound to cause complications. Liang Xianzhang clearly had the kind of life where his every move could attract attention. He didn’t need to be dragged into that mess.

“No need to trouble you. I’ll just take a Didi home,” Zhou Yi replied, offering a polite but distant smile.

Liang Xianzhang’s expression softened as he lowered his gaze slightly. “You’re not bothering me,” he said simply. “Your physical condition isn’t great, and I’m responsible for what happened last night.”

The straightforward sincerity in his voice gave Zhou Yi a strange feeling—that Liang Xianzhang might actually feel responsible for him in some way. The thought made Zhou Yi swallow hard. To divert the conversation, he smiled awkwardly. “Well, there’s really no need to trouble you, Mr. Liang. You’ve already helped me enough. I didn’t go home last night, and I want to go home early. Someone at home is waiting for me.”

The suggestion was clear enough, and Zhou Yi hoped it would signal to Liang Xianzhang that there was no need for further involvement. However, Liang Xianzhang, with his usual calmness, replied, “If it’s inconvenient, I can at least drop you off at the gate of your community.”

Zhou Yi was taken aback, not getting the response he expected. His waist started to ache again, and he half-supported himself, trying to think of ways to dissuade Liang Xianzhang when, unexpectedly, Liang Xianzhang turned and walked into another room.

Seeing this as his chance to leave, Zhou Yi quickly made his way to the entrance, his waist protesting with every step. He found his shoes from the previous night and hurriedly slipped them on. Just as he was about to push open the door, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he was met by Liang Xianzhang’s gaze.

Feeling guilty for wanting to sneak away, Zhou Yi’s eyes darted around, not daring to meet Liang Xianzhang’s eyes.

Liang Xianzhang took a few steps forward. Zhou Yi’s breath caught, trying to think of something to say to excuse himself.

To his surprise, Liang Xianzhang didn’t press him for more words. Instead, he handed him a small bag. “There’s ointment inside. If you feel discomfort, apply it to the scars. There’s also Omega’s biyunya medicine. If you’re worried, you can take it according to the dosage. But when we were together yesterday, I already used biyun measures and took Alpha’s biyun medicine. If you don’t feel anything, it’s fine if you don’t take it.”

Zhou Yi was taken aback by how thoroughly Liang Xianzhang had considered his well-being. He accepted the bag with a genuine “Thank you.”

Liang Xianzhang nodded before walking over to open the door. “Since I can’t take you home, let me at least take you to the gate of your community. You’re not in the best condition right now.”

Zhou Yi stared at the familiar room number across the hallway and then back at the door. His heart skipped a beat. Could this really be a coincidence?

“Mr. Liang, you really don’t have to see me off,” Zhou Yi quickly added, shaking his head.

Liang Xianzhang gave him a disapproving look, and Zhou Yi, feeling like he had no choice, reluctantly approached the door. He entered the code to open it and, after a moment of silence, turned to Liang Xianzhang. “I’m not being polite. This is where I live.”

Liang Xianzhang blinked in surprise, his eyes widening. The two stood in the corridor for a moment, exchanging looks before both of them broke into a smile.

“I didn’t expect us to be neighbors. Did you live here long?” Zhou Yi asked, amused by the coincidence.

Liang Xianzhang glanced at him and responded, “I used to live near the East District. I just moved here recently.”

Zhou Yi nodded. No wonder I haven’t seen him before. He must’ve moved in recently. He made a mental note to avoid crossing paths with Liang Xianzhang in the future, to prevent anyone from finding out about their encounter.

With a polite wave, Zhou Yi said, “That’s all for now. Goodbye, Mr. Liang.”

He closed the door without waiting for a response.

Liang Xianzhang stood there for a long moment, staring at the door after it shut. He turned and walked back to his apartment.

Entering his empty apartment, he paused at the bedroom door. The room was silent, but just hours ago, an Omega had stayed there and been with him.

He could still smell the faint minty scent left behind by Zhou Yi.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Liang Xianzhang lay back and inhaled deeply, the scent wrapping around him. He thought about the events of last night—the marks on Zhou Yi’s body, the softness of his skin, the quiet, intimate moments they had shared.

He reached out and touched the mark on his collarbone left by Zhou Yi’s teeth. It was a small, tender reminder of what had happened.

The thought of Zhou Yi’s question from earlier lingered in his mind: “Is anyone waiting for you at home?”

Liang Xianzhang whispered to himself, “Is it the person who sent the message yesterday?”

His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed the pajamas Zhou Yi had worn the night before, folded neatly on the bedside table. Unable to resist, he reached for them, holding them close to his chest.

The familiar minty scent of Zhou Yi’s pheromones filled his senses, and despite himself, his body began to react. Realizing the situation, Liang Xianzhang suddenly sprang into action, throwing the pajamas back onto the table, rushing to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face.

As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, he realized just how out of control he was. The mere scent of Zhou Yi’s clothes had driven him to the edge.

With a deep sigh, Liang Xianzhang fastened the collar of his sweater, covering the mark on his collarbone as if to convince himself that everything was fine.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yi had returned home, exhausted and in pain. He collapsed onto the sofa, letting out a long sigh of relief. He pulled out his phone and read a message from Shang Yichen sent the night before.

Zhou Yi smiled slightly. He typed a quick reply, “OK, Mr. Shang,” before putting the phone aside.

Just as he was about to close his eyes, he received another message from Shang Yichen: “Why did you take so long to reply to my message?”

Zhou Yi frowned, realizing that Shang Yichen was likely asleep by now, but the message made him wonder.