When Shi Qi returned to the private room, everyone had already set down their chopsticks and was chatting.
Qin Shuhe, naturally outgoing, was asking Yu Zhiling about the pheromone perfume. Lin Yan sat beside them, scrolling through his phone and occasionally chiming in.
“Did you need something from me?”
Lin Yan, quick on the uptake, guessed it was Shang Sui who had called Shi Qi away and promptly replied, “Just wanted to ask if you wanted to order more food. If not, we’re about to settle the bill.”
Shi Qi shook his head to indicate he was full.
Not long after, Shang Sui and Fu Siyue entered the room one after the other. The latter looked dejected, his head hanging low like a wilted eggplant.
Thinking back on everything that had just happened, Shang Sui felt speechless.
The kid had probably never heard such blunt and sharp accusations before. He froze for a full minute, then turned beet red and kept insisting that he hadn’t meant to interfere—that he only wanted to apologize to Shi Qi.
Shang Sui had asked, “Do you even believe that yourself?” Fu Siyue fell suspiciously silent.
As if unable to face his own darker side, Fu Siyue’s eyes turned red, and he began apologizing repeatedly, even giving a bow.
Shang Sui had been ready to vent all his pent-up anger, but before he could say a word, the other party went straight into full-on groveling.
Left with nothing to say, he simply stopped paying attention to Fu Siyue altogether.
Yu Zhiling was staying at a different hotel. While waiting for his ride, he said tentatively to Shi Qi, “I’ll be here for a few more days. Can I come find you when I’m free?”
He hooked his arm around Shi Qi’s with a bright smile. “The Flower Festival’s happening. Let’s go check it out together.”
Seeing that Shi Qi didn’t pull away, Yu Zhiling quietly sighed in relief.
Shi Qi wasn’t the type to hide his feelings. His attitude toward Yu Zhiling hadn’t changed at all, which meant Fu Siyue probably hadn’t mentioned anything about him.
Even if he had, it didn’t matter, but Yu Zhiling preferred to say it himself.
“What’s the Flower Festival?”
“It’s a local festival here in Qijiang,” Lin Yan replied, having done some research before the trip. “Sounds pretty interesting. I think it’s tomorrow.”
Qijiang enjoyed spring-like weather year-round, and the Flower Festival was held every winter. The city’s old district had preserved most of its traditional practices, making it the best place to experience the event.
Every household would decorate their home with fresh flowers, and the canals running through the old town would be filled with floating blooms. It was also a local custom to hand-make a flower bracelet and give it to someone you had feelings for.
If both parties exchanged bracelets, it symbolized becoming a couple under the witness of the Flower God, and their love was believed to last forever.
In recent years, the Flower Festival had become a popular tourist event in Qijiang. The meaning behind gifting bracelets had gradually broadened from a symbol of romantic interest to a more general gesture of affection. Some still gave them to express love, while others offered them to friends of any gender as a token of appreciation. It had become common for friends and family to exchange bracelets, too.
Many young people met during the Flower Festival. It was a holiday full of romance and freedom.
Though the school’s social practice program wouldn’t end until the day after tomorrow, under Yu Zhiling’s hopeful gaze, Shi Qi agreed to go.
–
Back at the hotel, Shi Qi was surprised to find that his room was directly across from Shang Sui’s.
Now that it was just the two of them, Shi Qi hesitated for a moment. “Do you still want me to pet you?”
Shang Sui was in the middle of unlocking his door. At those words, he turned around.
He had almost forgotten about that request himself, but Shi Qi still remembered.
He’s so kind. No wonder so many people had their eyes on him.
Under the weight of Shang Sui’s gaze, Shi Qi flinched slightly, assuming the other wasn’t pleased with the idea. “If you don’t want to, then forget it—”
His hand was on the doorknob when Shang Sui gave him a light push, sending them both into the room.
He didn’t answer with words, but that assertive move said enough. Shi Qi felt like he’d just let a caged beast loose. Before he could steady himself, the Alpha leaned in close.
“…”
Shi Qi cautiously reached out and patted his head.
In response, Shang Sui pressed into his palm. The small action was unexpectedly cute, so much so that any wariness Shi Qi had vanished.
Because Jiang Youning had adamantly refused to let Shi An pat his head, Shi Qi had always assumed it wasn’t okay to casually touch an Alpha there.
Compared to his own bleached hair, Shang Sui’s was much softer. Shi Qi’s fingers moved lower, reaching the wolf-cut he’d always been curious about.
People liked to pet cats or dogs, but would anyone ever pet a wolf?
Probably not. That kind of behavior was basically courting death.
Shang Sui seemed to be enjoying it. His long earring swayed gently, catching the light in a dazzling flash.
“That friend of yours really likes clinging to you,” Shang Sui said suddenly.
“He’s always been like that.” Shi Qi paused, then added, “Yu Zhiling is an Omega.”
“I know.”
At first, Shang Sui had almost mistaken him for an Alpha because of his appearance, but his sensitivity to pheromones had quickly told him otherwise.
His next words carried an implication. “Xiao Qi, you’re really popular.”
Not just with Alphas, but with Omegas too.
Shi Qi didn’t respond right away. Just as Shang Sui thought he might be feeling shy, a quiet voice sounded near his ear. “Isn’t that obvious?”
If Shi Qi had a tail, it would probably be swishing back and forth right now, raised high in a very tsundere manner.
Shang Sui was amused. “Mm, of course it is.”
Shi Qi replied, “You’re not far off either.”
Earlier that evening, he had taken a moment to ask Qin Shuhe why he liked Shang Sui so much.
“Not just me—our whole department likes him. Other departments too. And I think even the professors, especially Lao Xie’s group, really favor him.”
“How do I put it? He feels different from ordinary people. Not like someone you’d meet in daily life. But he doesn’t act superior, and he gets along with us casually. That contrast is really interesting.”
Shi Qi wholeheartedly agreed.
Even though he had no concrete proof, he sensed Shang Sui had many secrets. It was like spotting a colorful thread sticking out of a tangled ball of yarn—he couldn’t help but want to follow it.
It was getting late. Shi Qi gave Shang Sui’s head one last fond rub before reluctantly pulling his hand away.
–
Yu Zhiling returned to his hotel room, kicked off his shoes, and unlocked his phone, which had been on silent the entire time.
There were countless messages from a number he frequently kept in contact with. Starting off flirtatious and teasing, then turning impatient, and eventually shifting into a tone of humble pleading after sensing something was wrong.
[Sweetie, how much longer till you come? I’ll shower and get ready. Let’s use the rose-scented one tonight~]
…
[Yu Zhiling, where the hell are you? We agreed to meet. Are you bailing on me last minute? Call me back now!]
…
[Please reply. I’m worried something happened to you.]
[I’m begging you. If you want to end it, at least let me know! Can you stop ghosting me?]
Only then did Yu Zhiling remember that he had made plans to hook up with someone that day.
He had gotten too excited after seeing that Shi Qi was also in Qijiang and had completely forgotten about it.
With a lazy flick of his fingers, he typed out a reply to end things: [Don’t contact me again.]
Before the phone could start vibrating with angry messages, he swiftly blocked the person across all platforms.
It was just a hookup—there were plenty of those to go around.
But someone special? He only had one.
Thinking about how that person had already gotten a boyfriend, Yu Zhiling clenched his jaw, jealousy rising like fire in his chest.
He had considered confessing to Shi Qi. But it was clear Shi Qi didn’t see him that way. If he said it out loud, they might not even be able to stay friends.
Shi Qi was completely clueless when it came to romance and was still so young. Yu Zhiling had thought it best to wait a little longer. What he hadn’t expected was for some Alpha to suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Unconsciously biting his fingernail, Yu Zhiling muttered, “Damn it…”
Alphas really were the most disgusting creatures on the planet.
When he first entered the industry, he’d been an unknown model—good looks, no connections. And as an Omega, he was especially vulnerable. During one magazine shoot, he was nearly sexually assaulted by an Alpha.
That Alpha was an investor in the magazine, and no one dared to intervene.
Until someone kicked the door open and yanked the big-bellied investor off of him.
A cat-like teenager patted the investor on the shoulder and, when the man turned around cursing, he raised a bottle of water and dumped it over his head.
The investor’s shouting echoed through the whole room. A staff member passing by the door caught a glimpse of Shi Qi’s face and gasped in panic.
“He’s Teacher Jiang’s younger brother—”
“Stop them, quick!”
In the chaos, Shi Qi picked up the coat that had been torn off Yu Zhiling and draped it over him. “Are you okay?”
Yu Zhiling stared at him blankly, almost convinced he was seeing an angel.
It was only the second time he’d met Shi Qi.
Just a few hours earlier, he’d run into him looking lost outside the magazine building. He’d given him directions, told him the correct floor, and even bought him a bottle of water, since he’d looked thirsty.
It had felt like helping a lost, beautiful kitten. Yu Zhiling hadn’t thought much of it—he simply found the boy cute and acted on instinct. He never imagined Shi Qi would return the favor so dramatically just hours later.
The investor was still fuming and yelling. Yu Zhiling thought he was about to lose his job and that the kid who barged in was finished too.
But in that desperate moment, one stray thought flashed through his mind: If I raised a cat… would it be expensive?
But then the investor forcefully swallowed his rage and came to apologize, his attitude flipping like a switch. He acted eager and remorseful, nearly breaking down in tears and begging on his knees.
Only then did Yu Zhiling learn that Shi Qi came from a powerful family. Two weeks of Yu Zhiling’s pay couldn’t match Shi Qi’s daily allowance.
From that day on, they became friends.
–
“You’re tangled up with so many people, and they’re all Omegas. Are you gay? Does Shi Qi know?”
Yu Zhiling was three or four years older than Shi Qi and the others. Looking at the boy standing arrogantly before him, he regarded him like a child.
“You’ve been investigating me.” Recalling a conversation between Lin Yan and Shi Qi where the name had come up, he added, “Your name’s Fu Siyue, right?”
At the mention of his name, Fu Siyue’s eyes flickered with wariness. “Don’t worry about who I am. Just stay away from Shi Qi.”
Up to that point, whether it was Shi Qi, Lin Yan, or Fu Siyue, in Yu Zhiling’s eyes, they all came from families far beyond his reach. Even if they met, becoming friends seemed impossible.
But Shi Qi didn’t care about those things when making friends. All it had taken was a small favor the first time they met, and just like that, they became friends.
“Shi Qi doesn’t seem to like you very much, does he?” Noticing Fu Siyue’s sudden change in expression, Yu Zhiling smiled. “If he finds out you’ve been investigating his friend behind his back, who do you think he’ll hate more—me or you?”
“You—!”
“And even if he finds out I like Omegas, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll distance himself from me.”
There was a trace of obsession in Yu Zhiling’s eyes. “Shi Qi is like that. So pure and untainted. He hasn’t experienced anything bad yet—that’s what makes him so lovable.”
He seemed hard to approach, but once you became his friend, he was especially accepting.
At that thought, Yu Zhiling’s mind began to wander.
Would it be the same if they became partners?
Fu Siyue suddenly blurted out, “How do you know he hasn’t experienced anything bad?! He clearly has a gland—”
He stopped himself, teeth clenched, glaring furiously.
“What happened to him? Tell me.”
“……”
In the end, Fu Siyue didn’t take the bait. Yu Zhiling felt a flicker of disappointment.
It was as if Fu Siyue had suddenly realized he’d been led around by the nose since the beginning. Frustrated, he kicked the ground but didn’t know what else to do.
Yu Zhiling spoke just in time. “I won’t tell anyone you came to see me. And you won’t say anything either. Let’s leave it at that.”
Fu Siyue froze for a moment, then looked up at him.
“I get it,” Yu Zhiling said softly. “You don’t want Shi Qi to hate you.” Meeting Fu Siyue’s skeptical gaze, he added sincerely, “I feel the same. I don’t even dare confess.”
Fu Siyue’s eyes widened. He’d been suspicious before, but he hadn’t expected Yu Zhiling to admit it so openly. “Y-You really like…?!”
The most convincing lies were the ones mixed with truth. Yu Zhiling replied with a candid expression, “Yeah, I like him too.”
“I’m still not as good as you. You’re an Alpha. I’m just an Omega—what could I possibly do?”
That sentence seemed to strike a chord with Fu Siyue. After thinking for a while, he threw out a curt, “You better mean that,” then finally turned and left.
But in truth, that statement was only half true.
Yu Zhiling had long since realized he carried a deep psychological scar. He felt physically repulsed by Alphas and had fallen for an Omega even smaller than himself.
There were plenty of attractive Omegas in the industry, many with similar preferences. They fooled around with each other freely, without the fear of being marked like with an Alpha. Sometimes, it was even more exciting.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Yu Zhiling found the contact he was looking for in his chat list and sent a message to “Darling.”
[Xiao Qi, tomorrow is the Flower Festival. Can I make you a bracelet?]
He had his own selfish reason: he planned to weave an iris into the bracelet.
That was his pheromone scent.
He couldn’t just stand by as a friend and watch Shi Qi fall in love and get married to someone else.
He’d behaved himself for so many years and gotten nowhere, so he might as well take a gamble.
Even if it ended with them falling out, that was still better than doing nothing at all.
But Shi Qi’s boyfriend gave off a very strange vibe. Definitely not someone easy to deal with.
Yu Zhiling’s instincts were usually spot-on. His ability to thrive in social circles and navigate complicated relationships had always depended on his knack for reading people.
At first, he’d planned to take a more roundabout approach rather than confessing to Shi Qi directly.
Alphas couldn’t resist Omega pheromones, and even the faintest trace could make them lose control.
He’d wanted to create that kind of situation and twist the narrative. Even if it didn’t break them up, it could at least drive a wedge between Shi Qi and Shang Sui.
But there was a voice in his head warning him not to go through with it.
Remembering the look Shang Sui had given him earlier that night, Yu Zhiling shivered, the unease creeping over him again.
If he couldn’t push the other person out, then maybe they could just share.
His heat was due in the next few days. Yu Zhiling pulled a suppressant from his bag and switched it with his regular medication.
Shang Sui was attractive, but so was he.
Besides, he was skilled. Many people couldn’t forget him after just one night. If it were Shi Qi, he’d use everything he had to please him.
And anyway, Shang Sui was an Alpha. He was an Omega.
Even if Shi Qi ended up with both of them, it wouldn’t be a conflict.
Author’s note: This kind of behavior falls under delusional thinking.
