“Strictly speaking, you’re not an Omega yet. Your glands haven’t fully developed.”

“And when you were a Beta, didn’t you ever use a public restroom?”

“It’s not a big deal. Can you try to be more mature?”

Jiang Zhan stood at the head of the bed, his sharp, handsome features devoid of emotion, but his ears were a deep shade of red. His serious, matter-of-fact counseling only made the lump under the blanket on the hospital bed squirm, curling up even tighter.

“Stop talking.” Wei Xiaochi was so embarrassed he was about to cry, wishing he could find a hole to hide in. “…Just stop talking.”

Of course, he’d used public restrooms before, but everyone minded their own business in those situations.

And Jiang Zhan’s statement, “You’re not an Omega yet,” was absolute nonsense. From a legal standpoint, Wei Xiaochi was unmistakably an Omega.

The more Jiang Zhan tried to “console” him, the more mortified Wei Xiaochi felt.

Earlier, he’d experienced the most socially humiliating moment of his entire year.

The first time Wei Xiaochi truly understood what it felt like to die of embarrassment was in his first year of junior high. Fang Zhixin had tipped a trash can over his head in front of the whole class and forced him to wear it while circling the classroom.

That day, a sixteen-year-old boy’s dignity and self-respect were utterly trampled.

Since then, Wei Xiaochi had been afraid to talk to people, always fearing they might laugh at him.

Jiang Zhan finally stopped bringing up what had just happened, giving Wei Xiaochi a brief moment of peace. He huddled under the covers, finding comfort in the darkness.

After who knows how long, the door to the hospital room opened, and a young nurse came in to draw blood.

Wei Xiaochi hesitantly lifted a corner of the blanket, and a thin, pale arm extended from within.

The nurse: ???

“Can you draw blood like this?” A pair of dark, polite eyes peeked out from the gap in the blanket.

The nurse chuckled, “Yes, but you should lie down properly and relax your body.”

Obediently, Wei Xiaochi stretched out and lay flat.

As she tied the tourniquet, the nurse smiled and asked, “Why do you want to draw blood like this?”

Wei Xiaochi was too embarrassed to explain.

The nurse assumed he was shy about releasing pheromones in front of an Alpha, thinking Jiang Zhan was his partner.

With a gentle smile, she whispered, “Don’t worry. You’re only secreting pheromone fluid right now. The scent is very faint—most Alphas wouldn’t even notice it.”

Jiang Zhan’s expression remained stiff as he suddenly interjected, “I can smell it.”

The nurse looked at him in surprise. “You can smell it?”

“Yes.” Jiang Zhan’s handsome face was stern and displeased. “Have you finished drawing his blood yet?”

The nurse thought to herself, Wow, someone’s got a temper. She stopped making small talk with Wei Xiaochi and focused on drawing his blood.

After finishing, she packed up her tools and heard the grumpy Alpha speak again. “He won’t drink water.”

The nurse looked up. “Excuse me?”

“The doctor said he needs to drink more water, but he refuses. What should I do?” Jiang Zhan asked awkwardly.

Earlier, Wei Xiaochi had reluctantly sipped water when coaxed, but now he would only take a single sip, as if just to go through the motions.

The mere mention of drinking water made Wei Xiaochi twitch in irritation, and he buried himself back under the covers.

The nurse asked, “Does he find plain water unappealing? Try adding some glucose to it. I noticed in his medical record that he has a history of low blood sugar.”

Jiang Zhan nodded. “Got it.”

Once the nurse left, the room fell silent again.

Jiang Zhan, now pacing anxiously back and forth, furrowed his sharp brows in frustration. He found Wei Xiaochi’s sulking utterly unreasonable. It wasn’t a big deal! Someday, if Jiang Zhan were generous enough to date him, they’d probably end up completely comfortable with each other anyway.

The mere thought of that possibility made Jiang Zhan’s ears turn even redder, as if burned by an iron.

He walked over to the bed, staring at the lump under the covers, hand poised to pull the blanket off. But just as his fingers hovered in the air, he hesitated and pulled back.

Jiang Zhan’s voice was curt. “Hey.”

Wei Xiaochi, not daring to ignore him, moved slightly to show he was listening.

The Alpha’s conversational skills were abysmal. After a long pause, he finally managed two words: “Talk to me.”

“…”

You’re the one starting the conversation, but now you want me to say something?

Wei Xiaochi had nothing to say to Jiang Zhan and pretended to be asleep under the covers.

Jiang Zhan snapped impatiently, “Talk to me, damn it!”

Under pressure, Wei Xiaochi reluctantly asked in a small voice, “W-What time is it?”

Jiang Zhan quickly glanced at his watch. “It’s seven-thirty.”

Wei Xiaochi was about to suggest Jiang Zhan go home and rest, but before he could, Jiang Zhan seemed to remember a topic they could discuss.

“It’s time for dinner. What do you want to eat?”

“I… I don’t want to eat.”

“Stop talking nonsense! Skipping dinner? Are you kidding me? How about water? When was the last time you drank some? Get up and drink half a cup.”

The mere mention of water made Wei Xiaochi’s urge to pee even worse, bringing back the earlier embarrassment.

“I’m not drinking!” For once, Wei Xiaochi stood his ground.

Jiang Zhan’s brow twitched in frustration, his face darkening. Yet he forced himself to remain calm. “Don’t throw a tantrum. The doctor said you need to drink more water.”

“I’ve already had plenty today.”

Yes, he needed to drink more water, but not to the point of becoming a walking water tank.

Jiang Zhan’s icy gaze lingered on the lump under the blanket. Suppressing the urge to drag him out, he pressed the call button.

Within a minute, the doctor who had diagnosed Wei Xiaochi came in. Seeing the figure curled up under the blanket, the doctor’s heart skipped a beat.

Fearing Wei Xiaochi’s glands were acting up, he hurried over. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Jiang Zhan, face like a thundercloud, pointed to Wei Xiaochi and said, “He won’t drink water.”

A muffled voice came from under the covers, “I’ve already had a lot today… I really can’t drink anymore.”

Wei Xiaochi, ever the good student, was terrified of being tattled on. Seeing Jiang Zhan distort the truth, he immediately defended himself.

The doctor froze in place, then asked hesitantly, “That’s all?”

“Yup.”

Hospitals see all kinds of people, but this was the first time he’d encountered someone so dramatic about drinking water.

The doctor stifled a laugh. “How much has he had today?”

“One big glass.”

The doctor looked at the white table, where a standard-sized glass stood behind a 2000ml frosted water pitcher.

“Do you mean the big pitcher or the smaller glass?”

“The big pitcher.”

“…”

Two liters in two hours? That was excessive.

The doctor coughed lightly. “If he doesn’t want to drink, let it go. Two liters is more than enough.”

Jiang Zhan nodded, acknowledging the advice, but then asked, “Does the catalyst affect appetite? He doesn’t want dinner either.”

The doctor chuckled, having never seen such a pair. “He’s probably full from all that water. He’ll get hungry after a few more trips to the bathroom.”

After the doctor left, Jiang Zhan resumed nagging. “Don’t just lie there. You’ve had so much water—get up and use the bathroom.”

“…”

Seeing Wei Xiaochi’s face flush bright red, Jiang Zhan turned away awkwardly. “This time… I won’t touch you or even look. Just empty your bladder so you can eat properly.”

Wei Xiaochi finally caught on to Jiang Zhan’s logic and replied softly, “I’m hungry now. I want to eat.”

“What do you want?”

“Anything but soup.”

“Be specific.”

Wei Xiaochi, nearly forgetting his indecisiveness, paused before murmuring, “Plain rice… The drier, the better.”

Jiang Zhan’s patience snapped. Glaring at the lump under the blanket, he barked, “Get your head out and talk properly!”

“…”

While Jiang Zhan was busy ordering takeout, Wei Xiaochi picked up his phone and called Fang Yuan, letting her know he was at a classmate’s house and wouldn’t be coming home that night.

Wei Xiaochi rarely stayed out overnight; the only time he had was when he’d been beaten and decided to stay at a hotel.

Fang Yuan didn’t ask much, simply reminding him to stay safe.

Sensing she was about to hang up, Wei Xiaochi quickly asked, “Has my dad come back yet?”

His heart pounded wildly after the question, the beats so intense they seemed to echo in his ears.

Fang Yuan sounded surprised. “Your dad? No, he didn’t come back today. The city’s been cracking down on traffic lately—many roads are closed. Looks like he won’t be back until the day after tomorrow. Why? Do you need something from him?”

Wei Xiaochi’s heart raced, a weightless feeling taking over. For a second or two, his mind went completely blank.

His lips moved twice, but he ended up shaking his head. “No, I was just asking.”

In the background, the twins were fighting over toys again, and Wei Zixin’s cries reached his ears.

Fang Yuan didn’t linger, quickly ending the call to deal with the kids.

Wei Xiaochi gripped his phone tightly, his heart rate gradually calming, the beats evening out into a steady rhythm.

Jiang Zhan finished placing the order, massaging his temples before tossing his phone onto the sofa. Looking up, he saw Wei Xiaochi sitting in a daze.

The Omega’s long lashes half-covered his eyes, his face pale and sickly. He looked lost, as if trapped in some overwhelming predicament. Though his body was there, his thoughts had drifted far away.

Jiang Zhan sat on the sofa to his left, not far from him, yet it felt as if an insurmountable chasm separated them.

His brows furrowed deeply. He hated this feeling. Annoyed, he kicked the sofa, the loud noise breaking the silence.

Startled out of his thoughts, Wei Xiaochi looked at Jiang Zhan in confusion.

“What were you just daydreaming about?” Jiang Zhan asked bluntly.

“Nothing,” Wei Xiaochi replied, setting his phone aside and curling back into his spot. He dodged the question. “I called home to say I wouldn’t be back tonight.”

Jiang Zhan snorted. “You can’t go back tomorrow, either.”

“By the way… how much does it cost to stay here?” Wei Xiaochi asked hesitantly, his curiosity piqued.

This must be one of those VIP hospital rooms—it was spacious, private, and the service was clearly better than in a regular ward.

Jiang Zhan’s gaze darkened. “Stop changing the subject. Why the long face after calling home?”

Wei Xiaochi swallowed nervously.

Sometimes, Jiang Zhan’s erratic behavior really did resemble that of a petty, unreasonable partner—sharp, temperamental, always right, and forever holding grudges.

Wei Xiaochi pressed his lips together. “Really, it’s nothing. I just felt a little uncomfortable earlier.”

His complicated family situation wasn’t something he could easily explain to Jiang Zhan. Someone without firsthand experience wouldn’t understand his fear of telling Wei Dongjia about his differentiation.

It wasn’t that Wei Xiaochi felt being an Omega was shameful—he was simply terrified of having to communicate with his father.

Their interactions were rare and mostly one-sided; Wei Dongjia would speak, and Wei Xiaochi would obediently listen.

Asking for anything from his father felt unnatural to him, even for something as simple as school fees. Every time he asked, it felt like walking a tightrope over a blade.

Perhaps his childhood experiences had left him with no sense of security, no feeling that this was truly his home.

For a fleeting moment, Wei Xiaochi had considered telling Wei Dongjia he was in the hospital, but the courage vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared. Who knew when he’d find it again?

Jiang Zhan stood and walked over, reaching for the call button by the bed.

Wei Xiaochi stopped him. “What are you doing?”

“You said you weren’t feeling well. I’m calling the doctor.” Jiang Zhan’s tone was laced with irritation.

His words struck a nerve, and Wei Xiaochi stammered, “No need. I’m fine now. It was just a momentary discomfort.”

Who would’ve thought the person most concerned about him would be Jiang Zhan, someone he hadn’t even known for that long?

Sigh.

Having slept too much during the day, Wei Xiaochi found himself wide awake that night.

The lights in the hospital room were turned off around 9 PM, leaving only a faint glow in the dark. By its dim light, Wei Xiaochi could make out the long silhouette of someone on the sofa by the window.

Jiang Zhan hadn’t gone home; he’d stayed to keep him company.

After three IV drips, Wei Xiaochi’s condition was much better—his temperature was no longer high, and he could even get out of bed and walk.

So while he felt touched by Jiang Zhan’s decision to stay, he was also confused.

Why was Jiang Zhan being so kind to him?

Jiang Zhan, with his tall frame and long legs, found the Western-style sofa in the room a bit cramped.

Reclining with his hands behind his head, his neatly defined abs visible under his shirt, he stretched his legs out, one foot draped arrogantly over the armrest.

He was scrolling on his phone, reading about post-differentiation care for Omegas.

His eyes flicked to a related search suggestion at the bottom of the page: How to effectively mark an Omega.

Pausing, Jiang Zhan clicked on it almost instinctively.

He opened each article, one by one. By the time he reached the bottom of the page, the suggested searches had shifted:

How to handle an Omega’s heat period

How to make an Omega happy

Where exactly is the Omega’s reproductive canal?

Jiang Zhan’s gaze lingered on the second suggestion. He thought, I’m not trying to please anyone—I’m just bored.

With that justification, he clicked it.

But instead of finding wholesome advice, he was met with content that was anything but pure. The topics became increasingly vulgar, leaving Jiang Zhan scowling as he quickly exited the page.

Tossing his phone aside, he closed his eyes in frustration.

However, after just a few seconds, he grabbed his phone again, reopening the same page.

His screen vibrated.

It was a WeChat message from Li Suilin:

[As Steady as a Forest]: Are you at the hospital?

Jiang Zhan typed impatiently: Spit it out.

[As Steady as a Forest]: I’ll visit tomorrow. Send me the address.

Jiang Zhan refused outright: No need.

[As Steady as a Forest]: Maybe you don’t want me to come, but someone else might. Wait and see.

Jiang Zhan couldn’t be bothered to reply, exiting WeChat altogether.

The next morning, under Jiang Zhan’s watchful eye, Wei Xiaochi drank more than half a glass of glucose water.

He was in noticeably better spirits. The doctor confirmed his gland development was progressing well and prescribed a few medications.

Relieved, Wei Xiaochi asked, “Doctor, can I be discharged this afternoon? Tomorrow’s Monday, and I have school.”

“You’re in no condition for school,” Jiang Zhan cut in sternly. “Stay two more days.”

“But there’s a placement test on Wednesday!” Wei Xiaochi protested, unwilling to miss school. To him, studying was as important as earning money.

Jiang Zhan shot him a sharp look. “It’s just a test, not the college entrance exam. Give me your homeroom teacher’s number, and I’ll get you excused.”

Knowing he couldn’t win this argument, Wei Xiaochi turned to the doctor. “Can I be discharged?”

The doctor hesitated. “Your condition is stable, but I recommend staying one more day for observation. Let’s do two more tests, and if there are no issues, you can leave tomorrow morning.”

Hearing there’d be more tests, Wei Xiaochi deflated, mumbling his agreement.

Privately, he fretted about the hospital fees—this private hospital was excellent but outrageously expensive.

That afternoon, as Wei Xiaochi lay in bed reviewing practice problems, the door swung open.

“Zhan-ge, I’m here!” Han Ziyang strolled in.

Seeing only Wei Xiaochi in the room, he glanced toward the bathroom. “Zhan-ge’s in there?”

“He stepped out,” Wei Xiaochi said. Spotting his backpack in Han Ziyang’s hand, he asked in surprise, “Why are you the one bringing it? What about the class monitor?”

“He’s at home. Zhan-ge sent me to get your backpack and glasses from his place.” Han Ziyang tossed the bag over.

Caught off guard, the bag hit Wei Xiaochi square in the chest, making him wince and pale slightly.

Han Ziyang panicked. “You okay? I didn’t mean to!”

Used to roughhousing with his friends, he often forgot to hold back.

Wei Xiaochi rubbed his chest and shook his head slowly. “I’m fine.”