IMAO Chapter 111

一唱一和 (yī chàng yī hè) – to echo one another (idiom)

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Five minutes ago—

“Is it that the boy is unwilling, or that you don’t like him?” Jiang Tianze suddenly asked.

Jiang Yuan froze, looking at Jiang Tianze in confusion, completely bewildered.

“I’m talking about the marking,” Jiang Tianze paused, speaking tactfully. “Removing a mark isn’t good for your body. I’ve seen your test results. Your pheromone imbalance will continue for some time. It’s not something that will resolve quickly. Are you sure you can find an Alpha you like in such a short time?”

Jiang Yuan replied sheepishly, “But I can’t keep troubling him forever, right?”

Jiang Tianze raised an eyebrow. Earlier, when his son told him about their arrangements, he mistakenly thought this Ji Rong fellow didn’t want to take responsibility. But after meeting him, something seemed off. The man’s attentiveness to his son exceeded even his own fatherly care, and he was extremely polite, eager, even, toward him.

Trouble?

Perhaps that brat was actually happy about it?

Seeing his son’s serious expression, Jiang Tianze sighed helplessly. Clearly, the issue wasn’t with the young man, but with his son.

It seemed Song Yirui and Jingming’s betrayal had hurt his son deeply.

“If you don’t like him, then forget it,” Jiang Tianze said. “I won’t force you, but I think he’s quite decent. You should consider it.”

…

Jiang Yuan pulled himself back to the present.

After a simple dinner, the three of them returned to their respective rooms.

After checking the potential effects of removing the mark on his body again, Jiang Tianze took a deep breath and pushed open his room door. He walked to the door on the left and knocked.

The military man’s face was unusually flushed. He shouldn’t meddle in his son’s affairs like this, but if his son really needed to find an Alpha after removing the mark, why couldn’t it be this one?

Friends?

Add one word to “friend” and you get “boyfriend”!

Jiang Tianze shook off these random thoughts and knocked. Unexpectedly, the door wasn’t fully closed.

Before Jiang Tianze could react, the bathroom door inside opened.

Ji Rong propped one hand against the doorframe, pulling the door open slightly. His furrowed brows immediately smoothed into a pleasant smile when he saw Jiang Tianze. “Uncle, it’s you! I’m in the shower, I’ll be out in a moment!”

Jiang Tianze coughed lightly into his fist. “No rush, no rush. Take your time. I’d like to speak with you after you’re done.”

Ji Rong’s hair was dripping wet, water droplets clinging to his eyelashes. “Of course, Uncle. I’ll be quick!”

Closing the door again, Ji Rong felt his heart pounding wildly. He’d never been this nervous even meeting his own father, but seeing Uncle made his heart nearly jump out of his throat!

What would Uncle say? Ask him to stay away from Jiang Yuan?

The water flowed gently over his long arms, but it couldn’t wash away Ji Rong’s anxiety. He didn’t dare go out to hear words he didn’t want to hear, but he also couldn’t keep Jiang Tianze waiting too long and risk lowering his already low impression.

Ji Rong came out wearing only pants, putting on the rest of his clothes as he walked. By the time he reached Jiang Tianze, he was fully dressed.

Jiang Tianze noticed Ji Rong’s dripping hair. “No need to rush. Dry your hair first.”

“Yes!” Ji Rong turned back to grab a towel from the bathroom and stood drying his hair, looking like a schoolboy as he faced the seated Jiang Tianze.

Seeing Ji Rong’s half-dried hair, Jiang Tianze coughed and asked seriously, “Are you done?”

Ji Rong nodded. “Yes.”

“Aren’t you going to sit down?” Jiang Tianze gestured at the sofa.

“No need…” Ji Rong replied, “I’m fine standing. Please say what you need to say, Uncle!”

After several seconds of watching Jiang Tianze’s hesitation, Ji Rong’s heart began to race. Was it really happening? What had he done wrong? Did Uncle dislike him at first sight?

Jiang Tianze took a breath and said, “I heard from Jiang Yuan about what happened between you two. Thank you for your help.”

Ji Rong: “It’s no trouble…”

Jiang Tianze: “Do you know about Jiang Yuan’s condition?”

Ji Rong nodded, “Yes, Uncle. Jiang Yuan not only has pheromone imbalance but also pheromone dependency.”

Jiang Tianze made a sound of acknowledgment. “He told me. Tomorrow I’m taking him to the hospital for a checkup, I…”

Just as Jiang Tianze was about to mention removing the mark, the young man interrupted: “Uncle, removing the mark would be bad for Jiang Yuan’s health. Wouldn’t it be better not to?”

Jiang Tianze: “…” How dare this kid steal his words? What was he supposed to say now?

Keeping his composure, Jiang Tianze asked, “Then what do you suggest?”

Ji Rong’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he said solemnly, “Uncle, I can help Jiang Yuan through his pheromone imbalance. Not just now, but in the future too. I want… I want to be with him for life.”

Ji Rong felt he’d mustered all his courage to say these words. Even facing his own father hadn’t made him this nervous.

“As expected…” Jiang Tianze muttered.

“As expected?” Ji Rong looked up at Jiang Tianze.

“Ah, nothing,” Jiang Tianze studied Ji Rong. He’d been satisfied with Ji Rong from the start. At first. He thought that Ji Rong didn’t like Jiang Yuan. Now, he finally understood the situation. His son was the one who didn’t like others. He immediately said, “You know about what happened with his former fiancé and Jingming, right?”

Ji Rong nodded. Of course, he knew. Without Qiu Jingming, he would have just been the other Alpha!

Jiang Tianze said helplessly, “Although Jiang Yuan didn’t say it, I know this hurt him deeply. Actually, this is partly my fault.

“When Jingming’s father died, I brought Jingming home. I was worried that Jiang Yuan would reject him, so I lied and said his father died saving me. So from childhood, Jiang Yuan was very good to his brother Jingming, always giving him the best things and thinking of him first.

“But I never imagined Song Yirui and Jingming would get together. I thought it was just an accident, but those two had been together for a long time.

“I think Jiang Yuan hasn’t moved on yet and isn’t ready to start another relationship. That’s why he made this decision. He really sees you as a good friend and doesn’t want to take advantage of you.”

Ji Rong: “I believe that with time, Jiang Yuan will move on and will see me.”

Jiang Tianze: “This isn’t fair to you. Multiple temporary marks can affect an Alpha too.”

Ji Rong: “Uncle, I’m willing!”

Jiang Tianze: “You really are a good kid…”

…

Jiang Yuan had no idea he’d been labeled as a withdrawn Omega who hadn’t moved on from his heartbreak, and these two had even formed an alliance.

The next day, after a series of examinations, Jiang Yuan sat on a hospital bench.

Jiang Yuan asked, “Why did you come too?”

Ji Rong: “I’m worried about your condition. If you suddenly get sick, it’s better if I’m by your side.”

Damn.

What does he mean ‘suddenly get sick’?

Jiang Yuan glared at Ji Rong, irritably giving him a light kick. But he knew Ji Rong was right. Jiang Yuan sighed, “Sorry for troubling you.”

Hearing Jiang Yuan’s words, Ji Rong smiled, “How is this trouble? What kind of relationship do we have?”

“I know.”

We’re brothers, I know, but who sleeps with their brother?!

Jiang Yuan couldn’t help grumbling internally.

He slept with him once, then a second time, and even considered doing it several more times… This was too guilty, how could he be so shameless!

Knowing his own condition, he still pretended not to know and called his brother into his room during his heat…

Then blamed his brother…

Was this how a brother should act?

Such a heavy burden, he worried Ji Rong couldn’t bear it.

Ji Rong watched Jiang Yuan staring listlessly at the closed office door and sighed at his profile. I see you don’t know anything at all.

After waiting for a while, Jiang Tianze came out of the office. “The test results are similar to those from Hoyt and North Mali.”

Jiang Yuan asked instinctively, “Is there a treatment plan?”

“There’s no better treatment plan for now, except having an Alpha stay close by.” Jiang Tianze suddenly turned to Ji Rong, and after exchanging a look, he continued, “Ji Rong, thank you for taking care of Jiang Yuan before. As his father, I don’t want him to harm his body by removing the mark, so I want to ask if you could help him through this period.

“Jiang Yuan said he wanted to remove the mark and find another Alpha to get through the imbalance period, but I’m worried about him. Since you two get along well, could I trouble you…”

Jiang Yuan: “…”

Although he knew Jiang Tianze made this unreasonable request out of concern, it was still too much!

“Ji Rong, don’t—”

Before Jiang Yuan could finish saying “mind,” Ji Rong cut him off, picking up where Jiang Tianze left off: “Uncle, I’m willing! It’s no trouble at all! I’m worried about his health too.”

“Good kid, such a good kid.” Jiang Tianze immediately grabbed Ji Rong’s hand, looking moved as he wiped at his tearless eyes.

“Then I’ll leave him to you.”

“Don’t worry, Uncle!”

The two of them, perfectly in sync, left Jiang Yuan dumbfounded. He couldn’t even get a word in. Did this idiot Ji Rong realize his pheromone imbalance would last a long time, not something that could be resolved quickly?

Had the sex damaged his brain?

Pheromones would affect each other; over time, the Alpha would suffer too, needing an Omega’s pheromones to ease their own emotions.

Back at the hotel, Jiang Yuan could only pull Ji Rong aside while Jiang Tianze returned to his room.

“Why did you agree to my dad’s request? Don’t you know my pheromone disorder isn’t a short-term thing?” Jiang Yuan said seriously.

“So what if it’s not short-term? Should I really watch you harm your body by removing the mark?” Ji Rong grabbed Jiang Yuan’s hand. “I’m willing, and I want to stay with you.”

Ji Rong leaned in close, his Alpha pheromones overwhelming Jiang Yuan, who felt like Ji Rong might kiss him.

In that moment, Jiang Yuan felt nervous, his ears growing hot.

“Why are you two still here?”

A voice suddenly broke the atmosphere. Jiang Yuan quickly pulled his hand back, coming to his senses.

“I,” seeing Jiang Tianze’s confused face, Jiang Yuan said casually, “Oh, we were walking slowly.”

“Oh, let’s go, it’s time for lunch. I need to visit your school this afternoon,” Jiang Tianze said. “With Ji Rong around, you won’t need to leave school. That seems good.”

Jiang Yuan: “…”

Jiang Yuan turned away, too embarrassed to face Ji Rong. The situation his father described, he’d thought about it too. Being with Ji Rong meant he wouldn’t need to take a break from school. The school had a building modified for Omegas, though so far only Ye Nanfeng had lived there.

After lunch, Jiang Tianze took Jiang Yuan and Ji Rong straight to the school. After meeting with the principal and updating gender records, Jiang Yuan was assigned to a dormitory building at a safe distance from the Alpha quarters.

“This is where you’ll live from now on.” The teacher leading them smiled, eyes darting between the two, making Jiang Yuan’s skin crawl.

Although Jiang Yuan’s assigned room hadn’t been occupied for a long time, it was clean. Once they moved his things in and set up the basics, it would be livable.

“Here’s your key. Ahem, since you’re a couple, even though this is a military school, visitors are allowed. Just be mindful,” the teacher said with a smile before leaving. “Just don’t cause any problems.”

Jiang Yuan froze.

Problems?

What problems?

“We understand, teacher,” Ji Rong chuckled. “You can go now. We’ll handle the unpacking ourselves.”

Only after the teacher left did Jiang Yuan realize what she’d meant.

Damn!

He couldn’t get pregnant and have children, absolutely not!

That’s impossible!

Ji Rong helped Jiang Yuan organize the room, finishing quickly.

Class group chat:

“Huh? Why is Jiang Yuan’s room open? Everything’s been moved out?”

“What’s going on? @Jiang Yuan?”

“Did something happen to Jiang Yuan? Why did he suddenly move? Don’t scare me!”

Jiang Yuan heard his communicator vibrate and immediately explained to everyone, skipping over his pheromone imbalance. His Omega status couldn’t be kept secret forever anyway.

Everyone who’d just returned to the dorms opened their doors, looking at each other. The entire corridor was dead silent.

After a while, someone finally replied to Jiang Yuan’s message.

“Omega???”

“No way! Is this magical realism?”

“Jiang Yuan is an Omega? Is it April Fools’? Has someone hacked your account?”

“This can’t be real, holy shit!”

Jiang Yuan: “No… it’s true.”

“One in a hundred thousand probability, and we actually encountered it?!”

“Oh my god, are Alphas supposed to just die now?”

“I might as well be dead!”

“Wait, let me confirm one more time, Jiang Yuan, you’re not joking? If you’re being held hostage, blink twice!”

Jiang Yuan sighed helplessly and typed back: “No, why else do you think I moved dorms?”

“It’s over, we’re officially confirmed as weakling Alphas.”

“This is even more shocking than you being our class’s only Beta!”

After finishing unpacking, they ran into a group of Alphas from their class who came seeking confirmation. When they learned Jiang Yuan really was an Omega, hands that had been reaching out to pat his shoulder all awkwardly withdrew.

Of course, the main reason was Ji Rong’s murderous glare, and everyone keenly noticed Ji Rong’s scent on Jiang Yuan.

Ji Rong’s pheromones were intimidating, and they had no doubt that if their hands touched Jiang Yuan, Ji Rong would cut them off.

After meeting with classmates he hadn’t seen in a while, Jiang Yuan also saw Ji Yang and his roommates before leaving campus. They happened to have a two-day weekend, so Jiang Yuan and Ji Rong accompanied Jiang Tianze on a tour of Earth.

On the final day, after seeing Jiang Tianze off, Jiang Yuan officially returned to school.

…

Early morning.

As soon as Jiang Yuan walked into the classroom, he noticed it was packed with people.

The moment he appeared, everyone’s eyes turned to him in unison.

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