MTY chapter 20

The fresh scent of orange began to fill the car, growing more and more intense.

Lu Ziqing decisively rolled down the windows, increased the speed, and the car roared down the rural road.

The rush of fresh air diluted the pheromones in the car. Lu Ziqing glanced at the time on his phone and estimated how long it would take to get home.

He didn’t have suppressants on him, and there was no proper pharmacy in this remote countryside. His only option was to get home as quickly as possible.

Lin Yu realized the seriousness of the situation: “Get to the back seat, I’ll drive.”

Safety was no joke.

Lu Ziqing coughed, a blush spreading across his face: “I’m fine…”

Lin Yu spoke seriously, “Don’t push yourself. The rural roads are tricky; if anything happens, neither of us will make it out okay.”

After a brief struggle, Lu Ziqing finally moved to the backseat.

Lin Yu got into the driver’s seat, fastened his seatbelt, and seeing Lu Ziqing sitting upright in the rearview mirror, said, “Don’t just sit there. The backseat is so spacious—lying down would be more comfortable.”

Lu Ziqing pretended not to hear.

It was already embarrassing enough to enter his susceptibility period in front of an omega. Lying curled up in the back seat would be a total loss of face.

Lu Ziqing didn’t have many weaknesses, but his susceptibility period was definitely one of them.

During this time, his competitiveness was akin to that of a schoolchild.

Lin Yu reminded him again.

Lu Ziqing: “Just drive. I’m quite comfortable like this.”

Lin Yu: “…”

He didn’t look comfortable at all.

Clearly, he was already struggling against the effects of his susceptibility period—his brows tightly knitted, his breathing uneven—yet he still sat with his legs crossed, pretending he was just leisurely enjoying the scenery.

Lin Yu didn’t quite understand his intentions, but there was no time to waste. He focused on driving.

Lu Ziqing forced himself to sit up straight until they finally reached the house.

As soon as the car stopped, fresh air stopped flowing in, and the car was instantly filled with the strong orange pheromones, making Lin Yu frown.

He wasn’t feeling great either. An alpha’s pheromones were too aggressive for him. Even though he wasn’t in his heat, he could still feel the burning temperature radiating from Lu Ziqing, like small tongues of fire crawling up his skin, making escape seem impossible.

Lu Ziqing went upstairs first.

To be safe, Lin Yu waited fifteen minutes until the pheromones in the air gradually dissipated before slowly heading into the building.

…..

He opened the door to find Lu Ziqing crouched by the trash can, his head hanging low, clutching an empty suppressant bottle.

The room smelled so strongly it was as if a bucket of orange juice had been spilled.

Enduring his discomfort, Lin Yu walked to the balcony and quickly opened the window.

“…Sorry.” Lu Ziqing mumbled in a hoarse voice.

Lin Yu turned around, looking down at him but still keeping a certain distance: “Are you okay?”

“Better. I just used a suppressant,” Lu Ziqing said. “A bit sleepy… but not as bad as before.”

Lin Yu noticed the slightly swollen gland at the back of his neck and nodded.

He didn’t have much experience dealing with alphas during their susceptibility period. After all, he had always focused on studying and working hard, never even dating.

However, when it came to taking care of people, he did have experience.

Lin Yu: “Go take a shower. I’ll change the bedsheets for you.”

Lu Ziqing liked cleanliness, changing his sheets almost every two weeks. Normally, he did it himself, but with the sudden onset of his susceptibility period, Lin Yu figured he didn’t have the strength to do it.

Lu Ziqing looked up: “…Thanks.”

While Lu Ziqing was showering, Lin Yu busied himself in his bedroom.

He skillfully replaced the bedsheets, put on clean covers for the quilt and pillows, and smoothed everything neatly.

He poured half a glass of warm water and placed it by the bed, set the spare tube of suppressant within easy reach, and lit a soothing white jasmine aromatherapy candle on the coffee table.

The light white smoke gently drifted across the coffee table, emitting a calming, subtle fragrance.

When Lu Ziqing came back from his shower, he saw Lin Yu bent over, back to him, carefully picking up the scattered books and game consoles on the floor.

Lu Ziqing: “…What are you doing?”

Lin Yu was startled, then turned around: “You’re done… I was just tidying up your room a bit to prevent you from tripping when you walk.”

He paused when he saw Lu Ziqing.

Lu Ziqing was wearing loose pajamas, his chest slightly exposed, with drops of water still clinging to his hair. As he moved, the water dripped along his collarbone and disappeared into his shirt, leaving a faint trace of dampness.

Lin Yu’s gaze followed the droplet into Lu Ziqing’s clothes before he snapped back to reality.

After the shower, Lu Ziqing looked a bit better than before but still seemed listless. His brows remained slightly furrowed, his skin showing an unnatural pinkish shade.

The suppressant could only temporarily suppress his discomfort, not eliminate it.

He wasn’t intentionally giving Lin Yu a cold shoulder, but the overwhelming pheromones in his body made him inexplicably irritable, and his tone carried an edge of impatience.

Lin Yu understood that alphas could become irritable during their susceptibility period, so he didn’t take it personally. He spoke softly, “You should rest. I won’t bother you. Call me if you need anything.”

His voice was gentle and soothing, calm and serene.

It was even softer than usual, as if he were coaxing a baby to sleep.

Lu Ziqing keenly noticed this.

He was a bit annoyed that he was being treated like a child, but he also knew that his current behavior wasn’t much different from that of a child. He could only sit down silently at the edge of the bed.

He glanced around at the “care” provided for him.

Fresh and clean bedsheets, a half-glass of water at the perfect temperature, and a softly glowing, calming aromatherapy candle.

…It really felt like he was being taken care of like a child.

….

As night fell, a light rain began to patter outside the window.

The thick curtains muffled the sound of the rain, gently enclosing a safe and peaceful little sleeping haven.

Lu Ziqing curled up under the blanket.

His body was utterly exhausted, yet he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

He had been staring wide-eyed since he got into bed, for over an hour.

It wasn’t because the sheets were uncomfortable.

It wasn’t because the pillowcase wasn’t clean.

It wasn’t because the warm water wasn’t good.

And it wasn’t because the aroma of the candle wasn’t pleasant.

Then what was it…

Lu Ziqing was a little confused by his seemingly baseless insomnia.

He unconsciously rubbed against the sheets, remained dazed for a moment, then suddenly had an epiphany. He buried his face in the pillowcase and took a deep breath.

Realizing what he was doing, his expression instantly darkened several shades.

The pillowcase, besides the soft white jasmine scent, also carried a faint, barely detectable hint of fir wood.

It was a unique, very familiar scent that belonged to a certain someone.

The moment he allowed himself to indulge in that scent, his entire body seemed to release its tension, feeling a wave of comfort and relaxation.

Every cell in his body screamed, craving more, wanting to get even closer.

He had smelled this scent many times before.

That morning when that person’s heat hit, he had caught the scent at the bathroom door.

The night when that person’s ankle was injured, he had clearly smelled it when he lowered his head to examine the injury, his breath brushing against those straight, slender legs.

During breakfast when that person leaned in to ask if he wanted sugar in his coffee, and the collar of their shirt unintentionally grazed his jaw, he had smelled it again.

And…

Lu Ziqing stared incredulously at the soft, off-white pillowcase.

…He must be crazy.

He had to be.

If he wasn’t the one who had lost his mind, then surely the whole world had gone mad.

 

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Author’s Note:

Young man, face your feelings! ^O^

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