8

He Chen fell ill with a severe high fever.

When Xu Yuan received a call from his assistant, the latter stuttered without revealing the reason. Xu Yuan furrowed his brows slightly, guessing the probable cause. Most likely, the high fever was false, but the heat was real.

He sat at the door of the rental house for ten minutes, contemplating.

From here to New York, and back from New York, a full two months had passed. Although He Chen often threatened him with harsh, cold words, he never acted improperly. In fact, he protected Xu Yuan, who had recently undergone a second gender presentation as an omega, remarkably well.

This once made Xu Yuan feel that this person seemed to be seriously pursuing him. However, whenever Xu Yuan wavered, He Chen would promptly withdraw, disappearing without a trace.

Was it because he considered Xu Yuan an insignificant existence? Or… was this the so-called playing hard to get?

Xu Yuan couldn’t comprehend it.

Why did He Chen like him? Because he opposed him in college, or used the excuse of a teacher to force him to do homework in high school? So, hatred bred love?

“…” Xu Yuan suddenly felt speechless with himself, constantly thinking, ‘Xu Yuan, Xu Yuan, you were once an alpha, a top student – can’t you be a little more mature in your thinking?’

Ten minutes later, he pursed his lips, took the keys from the entrance, and went straight to He Chen’s house.

9

The assistant paced anxiously at the door. Upon seeing Xu Yuan, he looked like he had seen a savior, quickly approaching with a relieved and relaxed smile.

“Mr. Xu, you’re the only contact in Mr. He’s private phone. I really had no choice but to call you. As for what happens next…”

Xu Yuan silently sighed, nodding slightly to the assistant, “Leave it to me.”

The assistant immediately breathed a sigh of relief, pointing to the elevator not far away, “Then I’ll leave it to you. Mr. He’s condition isn’t good right now, and I’m worried it might worsen if he sees us together, so I’ll take my leave first—”

“How long have you been working for He Chen?” Xu Yuan interrupted.

The assistant blinked, a bit puzzled, “Two years ago, Mr. He poached me from a rival company…”

Xu Yuan nodded and asked again, “So do you know what He Chen’s daily life is like?”

The assistant realized it was a background check on their Mr. He.

“Mr. Xu, rest assured, Mr. He has always been clean and disciplined. He has no special relationships with anyone of the opposite sex around him. Moreover, he usually works late, even during business negotiations, he goes alone. Due to irregular eating habits and intense work, he even had two emergency room visits for gastric bleeding…”

Seeing Xu Yuan’s expression change slightly, the assistant sighed and raised his hand, as if to pat his shoulder, but thought better of it.

“Mr. Xu, this may sound exaggerated, but I’ve never met anyone like Mr. He. Despite being more diligent and disciplined than anyone, it’s as if he doesn’t exist among people.”

Xu Yuan naturally knew all this was true.

He Chen had done many things – burying the corpses of stray cats on winter nights, helping underclassmen solve various difficulties, and even getting into fights due to certain reasons before entering university.

Xu Yuan had never heard him mention any of these incidents, as if none of it had anything to do with him.

10

After the assistant left, Xu Yuan unlocked the door with a password and entered the house.

The heavy curtains blocked all incoming light, and the air was permeated with a strong scent of pheromones mingled with the intense aroma of red wine.

Xu Yuan wrinkled his nose in annoyance, and after a few steps, a loud thud echoed as his foot evidently kicked something. Glancing down, he saw it was a wine bottle.

“What are you doing here?” A figure sat on the floor in front of the sofa, wearing only a loose gray sweater. His head was lowered, and his expression and gaze were obscured by shadows.

Xu Yuan bit his lip, organizing his words, “…I heard you were sick, so I came—”

“Xu Yuan, you don’t have to come against your own will,” He Chen swayed as he stood, not sparing Xu Yuan a glance as he headed directly to his bedroom. “Go back, I’m fine.”

Seeing He Chen about to enter the bedroom, Xu Yuan swiftly snatched the wine bottle and rushed in front of him, one hand pressing against the doorframe. He raised his head, locking gazes with He Chen’s pitch-black eyes.

“He Chen, you’d better not tell me this is from before! During your rut, drinking with a stomach condition, are you tired of living or think the hospital can revive you?” Xu Yuan didn’t know where the anger surged from, but it rushed up to his forehead, his words carrying an extremely aggressive tone.

He Chen merely gazed at him silently.

Xu Yuan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to suppress his rising rage. “He Chen, what are you trying to do?”

As soon as the words left his lips, a forceful grip seized his wrist, and the wine bottle crashed loudly to the ground.

Accompanied by the slamming of the door, Xu Yuan watched helplessly as He Chen pinned him against the bedroom door.

“Knowing I’m in rut, yet you dare come here, Xu Yuan. The one tired of living is you, not me.”

Initially dazed, Xu Yuan’s anger flared again upon hearing those words, barely holding back from rolling his eyes in He Chen’s face.

“Every time I hear you say things like that, I wonder if you really like me or if you see this as some game where I must be yours like an object!”

The body pressed against him froze, and Xu Yuan thought his vision must be playing tricks – in the dim light, he saw an expression of desolation on He Chen’s face.

After a brief pause, He Chen released him, burying his head in Xu Yuan’s neck.

“Then what should I do…what should I say? Xu Yuan, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m really close to giving up.”

The intense pheromones enveloped his senses, and Xu Yuan felt his mind growing hazy, almost led astray by He Chen.

“The right thing for you to do is to show weakness to me! Tell me where you feel uncomfortable and what you need, instead of saying I’m tired of living!”

Half a year ago, Xu Yuan could never have imagined a day when he’d have to teach someone how to pursue him – a fresh yet infuriating experience.

The air fell still for a moment.

Seconds later, He Chen abruptly scooped Xu Yuan up and tossed him onto the bed. Before Xu Yuan could utter a sound, He Chen pinned him down, fiercely capturing his parted lips.

Xu Yuan felt he would suffocate from the intense kiss. It wasn’t until a minute later that He Chen finally released him, his thumb caressing Xu Yuan’s swollen lower lip.

“Xu Yuan…I don’t know what to say to sound pleasing, but you’re all I have…you’re all I have. You have ten seconds to push me away, and after that, we can—”

“Idiot!” Xu Yuan cursed with a tearful voice, then wrapped his arms around He Chen’s neck, bringing their lips together.

A teardrop slid down his cheek.

Out of He Chen’s line of sight, Xu Yuan’s hand gripped a bottle of oxazepam¹According to Google, Oxazepam is a short-to-intermediate-acting benzodiazepine. Oxazepam is used for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia and in the control of symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. pills – which he had found on the nightstand when He Chen kissed him.

TL Notes

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  According to Google, Oxazepam is a short-to-intermediate-acting benzodiazepine. Oxazepam is used for the treatment of anxiety and insomnia and in the control of symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.