Liang Yan was deeply asleep, his face faintly reflecting the lingering flush of heat.
Fortunately, it was the weekend, and there weren’t many people at KB. It was a break room in the experimental area, so the small space remained relatively safe and undisturbed.
Ji Qiu opened the window wide for ventilation but worried that Liang Yan might catch a cold. He coughed softly and then took off his own jacket, draping it over Liang Yan.
The jacket carried Ji Qiu’s scent, a fragrance that seemed to calm the Omega even in his sleep. Though unconscious, Liang Yan instinctively reached out, clutching the jacket closer to him.
Ji Qiu sat there quietly, watching Liang Yan’s sleeping face. Occasionally, he would lift a hand to gently touch Liang Yan’s cheek, checking if the heat from his estrus had subsided.
Resting his elbows on his knees, Ji Qiu covered his face with his hands. The faint traces of scent lingering on his fingers reminded him of the multiple… incidents that had just occurred.
His mind was still in disarray, but he forced himself to piece together the current situation.
Liang Yan had used a 3.0 suppressor. It was reasonable that the usual side effects like respiratory suppression and chills didn’t appear. After all, the new inhibitor targeted a different organ without stimulating the C4 receptor.
Yet, the outcome was absurd—the inhibitor had ironically acted as an aphrodisiac.
Ji Qiu’s lips tightened, his gaze flickering with complicated emotions.
Their pheromones had blended significantly during the encounter. Liang Yan’s eyes still held faint traces of physiological tears.
Heaven knew how much self-control it had taken for Ji Qiu to suppress his urge to mark Liang Yan.
Ji Qiu wiped away the tear at the corner of Liang Yan’s eye. The open window had cooled it, bringing him back to clarity from the searing heat of moments ago.
For the first time, he began to question whether he had made a mistake.
Perhaps Liang Yan would meet another Alpha—someone whose compatibility wasn’t as high but who wouldn’t stoop so low as to attempt marking him without permission.
Ji Qiu’s heart sank, becoming clearer with every thought.
He had always used his role as an older brother to care for Liang Yan. But what stood before him was a complete individual.
An independent, strong Omega—someone who, despite a cold exterior, had a soft, gentle heart.
He had made a terrible mistake.
Liang Yan’s sleep was restless, his consciousness floating shallowly, unable to fully awaken.
He wasn’t entirely unaware of what had happened. He even remembered that it was he who had clung to Ji Qiu first, begging to be marked, only to receive no response.
He remembered being held on Ji Qiu’s lap. Ji Qiu had grazed his gland with sharp teeth but ultimately whispered, “I can’t mark you.”
He remembered the Alpha kissing his lips, his voice hoarse as he said, “Yan Yan, I’m sorry.”
He remembered being pinned against the door as Ji Qiu repeatedly called his name, asking, “Who am I?”
He also remembered Ji Qiu saying, “If it feels like torture, then close your eyes.”
In truth, it felt like torture—yet somehow, not quite.
Even in his dreams, Liang Yan furrowed his brows. Suddenly, he felt warmth on his body, as something was draped over him. He caught a familiar scent of pheromones.
Half-conscious, he grasped the fabric’s edge without thinking, his frown relaxing slightly.
At the sound of a knock on the door, Ji Qiu straightened, composed himself, and opened it.
The man responsible for logging samples and collecting reports stood at the door. Seeing Ji Qiu still inside, he was surprised. “I thought only Xiao Liang was resting here. It’s been so long—I assumed you had left.”
Ji Qiu smiled sweetly, hiding his hands behind his back to block the view of Liang Yan lying on the sofa. “My classmate had some blood drawn and felt unwell. With the fall cold going around, he fell asleep. I stayed to watch over him. We’ll leave soon. Are you about to clock out?”
The man nodded, merely there to check. Not suspecting anything, he replied, “Still a bit of time. If you’re not in a hurry, you can wait for the factory bus to the city in half an hour—just let the driver know.”
Just as the man was about to leave, he noticed a small puddle near the door. Assuming it was water spilled when Ji Qiu got a drink for Liang Yan, he remarked, “The water dispenser here’s broken. There’s hot water in the next room. If Xiao Liang still feels unwell, get him some—I have clean paper cups.”
Ji Qiu froze briefly, realizing what the man had noticed. Quickly, he responded, “Mm,” and shifted the topic. “By the way, Uncle Guo, how were the results of this trial?”
The man brightened, clearly pleased, and enthusiastically said, “Excellent! Completely stable. You’ve done great coming back and forth every time. With your contribution, when 3.0 hits the market, the company promised lifetime free medication for participating Omega volunteers. I think you’ve got a good chance.”
Ji Qiu’s eyes curved into a smile, looking modestly surprised. “Really? Then I won’t need to buy inhibitors anymore?”
The man, assuming Ji Qiu was inexperienced, chuckled without condescension. “Of course. It’s all about improving Omega lives—and this trial’s results are outstanding. No unexpected incidents so far…”
“Uncle Guo.” Ji Qiu interrupted him, smiling brightly like sunshine. Yet the man felt no joy from it. “Thank you. You should head back. Yan Yan and I will take the shuttle later. Thanks for your hard work today.”
“Oh, no trouble, no trouble…” The man waved it off and left the room without further questions.
Ji Qiu’s smile faded as he turned back to look at the Omega curled up on the sofa.
“No unexpected incidents…” Ji Qiu’s lips twisted into a mocking smirk as he stared at the one exception lying before him.
When Liang Yan woke up, he felt weak all over, his body damp with sweat, as if he had just been fished out of water.
He moved his fingers slightly, and the events from earlier surged into his mind like a tide.
The other person involved in those events was currently facing away from him, cleaning up traces left on the floor.
Even Liang Yan couldn’t help but blush.
He tried to sit up, only to realize that he was still clutching Ji Qiu’s jacket, which had been draped over him at some point.
How pathetic…
“…Liang Yan?” Ji Qiu, having confirmed everything was cleaned up, stood and turned around. He immediately noticed the Omega, now awake, holding his jacket and staring at him without blinking.
He hesitated for a moment but refrained from calling him by his pet name.
Liang Yan’s gaze was no longer hazy from his heat. It was clear and cold, reflecting Ji Qiu’s image.
The sharp autumn wind blew in, making Liang Yan shiver before he could speak.
Ji Qiu quickly said, “Yan Yan, put on the jacket, or you’ll catch a cold on the way back.”
Liang Yan looked at the Alpha, who was wearing only a thin shirt but still concerned about him getting cold. His feelings grew even more complicated.
Even in such an awkward situation, Ji Qiu forced himself to explain, “You lost blood and used an inhibitor. Marking wasn’t possible, and besides…”
Besides, being frequently marked by the same Alpha wouldn’t be good for you.
But Ji Qiu couldn’t bring himself to say it.
“You didn’t open your reproductive cavity, and there was no…”
“Stop.”
There might have been minor discrepancies, but Liang Yan was fully aware of what had happened.
He stared at Ji Qiu for a long time. The Alpha’s face showed emotions he couldn’t fully understand, but the guilt and regret were unmistakable.
It was as if… Ji Qiu believed the entire situation was his fault, that he had lost control and caused everything.
But Liang Yan knew that he had been the one to kiss first, the one to release his pheromones, and even after being satisfied once, he was the one who clung to Ji Qiu, unwilling to let go.
And now, here he was, holding onto his fragile dignity, unwilling to admit to any of it.
He couldn’t even bring himself to say something as simple as “Forget about it. Pretend it never happened.”
For the first time, Liang Yan felt ashamed of himself.
They had just shared an incredibly intimate encounter. Even if it was an accident, the mingling of their pheromones couldn’t lie.
Two highly compatible AOs—right now, they should have been familiar and close.
Instead, they stood face-to-face, frozen in silence. One despised his ridiculous pride, having actively sought intimacy yet now acting aloof and distant. The other cursed his own depravity, regretting everything he had done to the Omega.
Neither would admit anything, nor did they want to revisit what had just happened—even though it had been, by all accounts, a moment of harmony and passion.
It was Ji Qiu who finally broke the silence.
“…I’m sorry,” he said, lowering his head. “Maybe you’ll never want to see me again, but… I’ll do my best to take responsibility.”
Liang Yan froze, looking up at the Alpha in front of him.
There was no smile on Ji Qiu’s face, only earnest sincerity. His features were still enviably handsome, but at this moment, he wasn’t the school’s adored “green tea O.” He was just a college boy, stripped of all pretenses.
Liang Yan had seen many sides of Ji Qiu before, but never like this. It was as if everything about him had been laid bare, seeking not reconciliation but forgiveness.
“I’m not just some Omega,” Liang Yan finally said.
“I’m a student in the S-class of Qicheng Medical University, in the same year as you.”
“I’m a test subject for the KB 3.0 inhibitor, and also… one of its researchers.”
“I’m Ji Qiu, an Alpha,” he said, lifting his face with a rare, genuine smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Liang Yan.”
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