He asked about pheromones right from the start, and his next line was even more suggestive.
If Shi Qi hadn’t looked so open and sincere, anyone hearing it would have thought he was making a move.
Shang Sui repeated, “You want me to accompany you?”
Shi Qi nodded. Seeing that he didn’t respond for a while, Shi Qi suddenly seemed to realize something. “Are you more expensive than the last guy? That’s not a problem.”
After all, as the restaurant’s poster boy, it made sense if he charged a bit more.
“?”
Only then did Shang Sui realize he’d been mistaken for one of the restaurant’s staff.
He had long suspected there was something wrong with Jiang Yan’s crappy establishment. Offering “pheromone companionship” sounded more like an escort service.
Shi Qi stared at him unblinkingly, his eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation, an expression that gradually overlapped with the younger version of him Shang Sui remembered.
He’d thought Shi Qi might at least recognize him a little.
An experience like that… should he call it unforgettable? Or maybe traumatizing?
Shi Qi was still waiting for an answer. Once Shang Sui was sure Shi Qi truly didn’t remember him at all, he fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
It was a smile that felt like a trap deliberately set, but just restrained enough not to scare off the prey—
“Of course. I’ll keep you company.”
Back in the private dining room, most of the dishes Shi Qi had ordered were already served, and the scent left behind by the previous Alpha had completely faded.
Shi Qi sat back down in his original seat. Shang Sui didn’t sit beside him, but chose the seat across the table.
After everything, Shi Qi finally picked up his chopsticks. Watching him dig in, Shang Sui guessed he really must’ve been hungry.
Shi Qi’s hair was of very good quality. Even after being dyed such a light color, the strands were soft and glossy. Near his cheek, beneath a few wisps of hair, the delicate curve of a small earlobe peeked out.
Shang Sui glanced again and confirmed—his earlobes were unpierced.
After scarfing down a few bites to take the edge off his hunger, Shi Qi finally remembered there was someone else in the room.
When he looked up, the other man was already watching him.
For once, Shi Qi looked a little embarrassed. “Do you want some?”
“I’m good.”
Shi Qi was still curious about his pheromone scent, but worried it might turn out to be overwhelming like the last Alpha’s and kill his appetite.
Right then, Shang Sui asked, “Wanna smell it? My pheromones.”
He reached out with his fair, slender fingers, adorned with several glinting rings. His knuckles were slightly pink, the bones clearly defined. Classic Alpha hands.
Shi Qi suddenly thought of Lin Yan, sitting next to him in class, scrolling through photos of Alpha hands online.
Lin Yan had a thing for hands. Upon seeing one photo in particular, he’d commented with great enthusiasm, “They say when an Alpha’s hormone levels are strong, their knuckles turn pink.”
“?”
“Hands like that could literally end me.”
“…” The corner of Shi Qi’s mouth had twitched. “I beg you—this is advanced math class, not a lawless zone.”
Now, staring at the hand in front of him… the knuckles did look kind of pink.
Realizing what he was thinking, Shi Qi’s ears turned hot. Without thinking, he ducked his head, only to accidentally press it right into Shang Sui’s palm.
Shang Sui froze.
He had meant to hold his hand at a distance so Shi Qi could catch the scent of the pheromones on his fingertips, but he hadn’t expected this to happen.
The head buried in his palm shifted uneasily, as if Shi Qi had realized how impulsive he’d been. But soon, his attention was drawn to the sweet fragrance, and his nose brushed lightly against the fingers releasing the pheromones.
Even though Shang Sui knew Shi Qi hadn’t meant anything by it, it still looked like he was acting cute on purpose.
God, what even is this?
Shang Sui couldn’t stop the smile tugging at his eyes.
After a long moment, Shi Qi looked up, his eyes bright and glistening.
The scent lingering around his nose carried a sweet, warm honey scent, but not cloying, with a faint trace of sandalwood.
It was, without a doubt, the most pleasant scent Shi Qi had ever smelled. It reminded him of translucent amber glowing in the sun.
Shang Sui asked deliberately, “You don’t hate it, right?”
He already knew the answer—there was no way Shi Qi disliked it.
Even back when Shi Qi had been an undifferentiated teenager, he’d already liked Shang Sui’s pheromones.
And now, even if he’d forgotten Shang Sui completely, his preferences hadn’t changed.
Shi Qi shook his head, then nodded firmly, as if affirming it.
He had never been able to tolerate any Alpha’s pheromones growing up. Even though his compatibility with Fu Siyue was high, which in theory should have made it tolerable, Fu Siyue’s harsh, acrid tobacco scent always made Shi Qi want to kick him across the room.
So this was what it felt like to come across a pheromone that actually smelled good…
Shi Qi found himself a little addicted to the novelty of it. “Try releasing a bit more pheromones.”
After making the request, he felt like he shouldn’t just receive the service for free. “Do you get a commission if customers order a lot while chatting with you?”
Shang Sui had no idea how the restaurant operated, but replied casually, “Probably.”
Shi Qi recalled the drinks menu he’d glanced at earlier. The most expensive item had been on the last page—a cherry-colored champagne. “Then I’ll order a champagne tower. The biggest one.”
Shang Sui was silent for a moment. Seeing Shi Qi already reaching to call someone over to place the order, he couldn’t help but feel that every move the other had made since they reunited had been utterly unpredictable.
After all this time, how had he become even more interesting?
If Jiang Yan found out someone was ordering a champagne tower for him, he’d probably laugh himself unconscious.
Shang Sui asked ambiguously, “Is this my commission? You’re really generous, boss. But isn’t this a bit over the top?”
Shi Qi blinked. For once, he thought Lin Yan’s advertising hadn’t been false—this Alpha’s charm really was the real deal.
Shi Qi said it was fine, and Shang Sui suddenly asked, “Do you get a lot of allowance?”
Normally, a young master from a wealthy family might take offense at a question like that, but Shi Qi nodded calmly.
Shang Sui looked at him for a moment. Shi Qi was confused. “…Why are you smiling?”
“I’m smiling because you’re spending money on an Alpha you just met.”
“I’m not—”
“You’re not?” Shang Sui said. “You don’t even remember my name.”
Shi Qi froze for a second.
It was true—after all this time talking, he still didn’t know this Alpha’s name.
He vaguely recalled the head waiter mentioning it earlier at the entrance. Lan… something?
Shang Sui closed the drink menu for him and said softly, “No need for the champagne tower. Just remember my name.”
–
When Shang Sui returned home, it was still raining outside.
He had spent the past few years abroad. This downtown apartment had been purchased by Yu Wan a while ago, and it contained only the basic living essentials, with no extra decoration.
To him, the temporary space felt overly plain.
Halfway through the evening, Shang Sui received a call. Professor Xie was once again inviting him to take a temporary assistant teaching position at the art academy.
Because of his distinct artistic vision, vibrant use of color, and the carnival-like atmosphere running through all his work, Shang Sui’s paintings left a strong impression. They held not only high commercial value but were also highly regarded within the art world. He was a painter who had achieved early fame.
Professor Xie, a longtime friend of Yu Wan, knew Shang Sui’s talent well and was aware that using him as an assistant was a waste of potential. But since it took time to officially appoint a lecturer, the assistant title would have to suffice for now.
Even aside from work, staying in a relatively simple school environment might help clear his mind.
Shang Sui wasn’t very interested in the offer but didn’t want to reject Professor Xie’s kindness outright, so he only said he would consider it.
Just as he ended the call, Yu Wan’s number flashed on the screen.
On the other end, Yu Wan asked how he was doing and also brought up the assistant teaching offer again. If he wasn’t interested, he didn’t need to force himself, and she would pass the message along to Professor Xie.
At the end of the conversation, Yu Wan asked cautiously, “Xiao[mfn]Xiao means “little”; often used affectionately[/mfn] Sui, is your rut coming up soon?”
His rut cycles had always been irregular. The fact that there had been no signs for so long likely meant the upcoming one would be harder to endure.
“It was a little over five months ago. It should be soon.” Shang Sui wasn’t concerned. “I’ll lock myself up properly.”
Yu Wan immediately said, “What are you saying! Lock yourself up? Even if it’s a bit different than usual, it’s still within the normal range. Don’t overthink it—”
“I was joking, Mom. Don’t worry.”
Yu Wan was caught off guard by his words, muttered, “You brat,” but still let out a sigh of relief.
Maybe because Yu Wan was one of the few people who still remembered that incident from the past, even if she only knew a small part of it, Shang Sui said, “By the way, I ran into…”
He hesitated for a moment, then dropped the subject. “Forget it. It’s nothing.”
“What?” Yu Wan pressed. “Why’d you say half and then stop?”
“It’s nothing important. Not worth mentioning,” Shang Sui brushed it off with an excuse. “Did you call for something else?”
As it happened, Yu Wan really did have something to ask. “Do you feel like going on vacation soon? Your dad happens to have some free time too. We could find a warm island and stay there for a while.”
“No. You two go ahead. I don’t want to be the third wheel.”
After the call ended, Shang Sui was just about to take a shower when his phone rang again.
What was going on today? Why was everyone calling at this exact time?
“—You finally picked up!” As soon as he answered, Jiang Yan wailed on the other end, “Ge,[mfn]Ge/gege means “older brother” but can also be used to refer to an unrelated male[/mfn] you’re my real brother, please help me out!”
Jiang Yan had always felt that the courtyard layout at Huijian was a bit cramped but couldn’t quite pinpoint why. He’d wanted Shang Sui to take a look and see what was off.
He’d brought it up a few times, and since Shang Sui had some free time today, he’d casually stopped by—only to end up in that unexpected situation.
Even though things had happened so suddenly, Jiang Yan couldn’t hold back his curiosity. “You served a customer today? What did they do to deserve someone like you as a waiter? That’s some next-level roleplay.”
“I didn’t even realize it was you at first. I had to ask around before I found out.”
Shang Sui cut him off. “What happened?”
“There was another Alpha waiter before you. He was supposed to be the one accompanying that guest, but the guest sent him away.”
“That waiter has something wrong with his brain. He couldn’t accept being rejected, so he secretly followed the guest back to campus, insisting on getting an explanation.”
At that point, Jiang Yan cursed, “Fuck! What other reason could there be? Just from that idiotic behavior alone, it’s obvious why he was rejected!”
Shang Sui unconsciously tightened his grip on the phone. “Did something happen?”
“No, he got stopped as soon as he entered the school.”
“That guest… right, his name is Shi Qi. You remember him, right? He asked us for an explanation.”
“I said we’d compensate him and promised that employee wouldn’t bother him again. But he wouldn’t accept it.”
“That kid obviously doesn’t lack money. He flat out said that no amount of compensation would do.”
At this point, Shang Sui could faintly guess what Shi Qi had asked for.
Jiang Yan felt that sending Shang Sui out as some kind of appeasement tactic was a bit unfair.
But then again, he’d already gone and done it, so who knows, maybe his buddy just looked cold and noble on the outside but secretly enjoyed being a chat companion! Right?
Jiang Yan tentatively asked, “Can you roleplay one more time and spend some time with him?”
