Here is the 2nd chapter for today!
Hope you enjoy reading.
Ch. 20 Like a puppy
From a young age, Yang Chaosheng had always believed in one simple truth: if you truly want something, you can’t rely on others to fight for it, you need the ability to pursue it yourself. Only then does hope not end in disappointment.
When others shed tears of joy upon winning first prize or receiving honors, Yang Chaosheng, holding the same trophies and certificates, felt no particular excitement. What settled in him was a quiet, grounded sense of certainty.
These were outcomes he had expected. With such a high degree of confidence, success or failure never rattled him. It felt like, once a task was completed, he could calmly and smoothly move on to the next goal.
Perhaps that’s why there weren’t many moments of surprise in the first half of Yang Chaosheng’s life, but now, everything related to Ji Xiang seemed to fill that gap.
Even every word Ji Xiang spoke, every small and casual act of kindness he showed, felt like a delightful surprise.
And this kind of emotional turbulence was not at all something that he considered bad.
“Oh right, I need to pick up Siru’s test results from the gland department,” Ji Xiang said, turning to him with a gentle invitation. “Wanna come with me?”
“Sure.”
Yang Chaosheng followed Ji Xiang back into the building, patiently listening as Ji Xiang once again brought up the troubling situation with his friend, so serious that it had made him rush to the hospital, taking a leave from work.
He’d never met this Omega named Shen Siru, but from Ji Xiang’s description, it was clear the person held a significant place in his heart.
Yang Chaosheng was even pondering what kind of fruit and flower basket to bring for a visit that would win over Ji Xiang’s ‘family’, when he realized that they had already arrived at the gland department’s doors.
Ji Xiang, who had been mid-sentence, suddenly stopped talking and halted in his tracks. He fixed his eyes forward, tone sharp, “Why are you still here?”
Yang Chaosheng turned to look ahead, too. Standing before them was a stern faced Alpha, engaged in a conversation with the attending physician. The doctor, seemingly in good spirits, was about to hand over the report when Ji Xiang strode over and snatched it away.
Yang Chaosheng thought the Alpha looked vaguely familiar.
“Does your hospital have no concept of patient privacy? Can just anyone take a personal medical report?” Ji Xiang snapped sarcastically. “Mr. Yuan, please show some self-respect and stay away from Siru, for his sake, and for yours.”
“I have already said it, that I meant no harm. I’m also sorry about what happened this morning,” Yuan You replied, trying to stay composed. “But whatever’s going on between Siru and me is personal; it’s not really your place to interfere, is it?”
Ji Xiang had clearly underestimated how shameless Yuan You could be. “A proper ex should act like they’re dead. But you’re not only still haunting him, you nearly drove him to his death. Do you even know what could’ve happened if it had been even a little late?”
Yuan You fell silent under Ji Xiang’s rebuke.
Yang Chaosheng had never seen Ji Xiang this angry before. Not even when he had once been wrongly accused of misconduct, or when an Alpha had crossed the line during a blind date.
Yang Chaosheng gently placed a hand on Ji Xiang’s back, trying to soothe him. “We’ve got the report. Let’s go. No need to waste your words on him. If you’re worried, I can have someone watch over the room 24/7.”
Only then did Yuan You notice the man standing behind Ji Xiang. His expression then shifted to surprise. “…Senior Yang?”
Yang Chaosheng frowned slightly. After a pause, he replied, “Oh, it’s you.”
“You two know each other?” Ji Xiang’s gaze flicked between them, suspicious.
Before Yuan You could answer, Yang Chaosheng spoke first, “Not really. We ran into each other a few times while studying abroad. Usually at some community events for overseas Chinese people.”
Hearing that Ji Xiang said nothing and just pulled Yang Chaosheng away without saying another word. That defensive gesture, so much like a possessive child, said everything, he didn’t want his friends involved with people he disliked.
Back on the seventh floor, Ji Xiang skimmed through Shen Siru’s report, then put it away.
A moment ago, he had been chatting endlessly with Yang Chaosheng. Now, he was unusually quiet.
Yang Chaosheng asked, “Are you mad?”
“No.”
“Because of me?”
“…No,” Ji Xiang blurted out, immediately revealing that he was, in fact, sulking.
As he began to calm down, Ji Xiang realized he might be acting a bit unreasonable. Did Yang Chaosheng not have the right to choose his own friends?
“It’s because of my connection to Yuan You, isn’t it?” Yang Chaosheng said with certainty. “I really don’t know him well. If anything, our grandparents might’ve been closer. But as far as I’m concerned, he’s as distant to me as I was to you before, we’re practically strangers.”
Ji Xiang crossed his arms, refusing to back down. “I didn’t forget you.” [mfn]Talking about their past high school encounter.[/mfn]
“Okay,” Yang Chaosheng conceded, smiling. “But you’re right, comparing you to him was a mistake. My bad.”
He treated Ji Xiang like a child, coaxing him with absolute patience, readily admitting fault even when there was none.
Ji Xiang met his eyes and finally relented. “You might think I’m being childish… but I really don’t like Yuan You. I don’t want you getting close to him.”
“That’s not childish. It makes perfect sense.”
Yang Chaosheng understood. People want those around them to be closer to themselves emotionally, it’s only human.
Like when they were kids, and Cao Zhimian dragged him to play volleyball with older students because he thought those people weren’t skilled enough. Or when his niece pouted during New Year, demanding him not to buy snacks for her troublemaking little brother.
“It’s natural,” Yang Chaosheng said. “As long as it’s coming from you, I’ll listen.”
Ji Xiang froze, genuinely moved by the way Yang Chaosheng spoke. “It’s not okay for a lawyer to be so easy to talk to.”
“In front of you, I’m not a lawyer. I’m just your fiancé, and it’s only natural for me to listen to you.” Yang Chaosheng had the urge to reach out and touch the corner of Ji Xiang’s lips, to make him smile more, but he held it back. “Your happiness comes first.”
Ji Xiang looked down, cheeks slightly red. Sometimes, he really didn’t know how to respond to Yang Chaosheng’s blunt honesty. Eventually, all he could do was tell him to rest and eat properly.
Ji Xiang had assumed Yang Chaosheng was only saying he’d hire someone to guard the room, but by that very evening, several tall bodyguards were already stationed outside. They kept a certain ‘walking allergen’ far away and even arranged for a caretaker to look after Shen Siru, giving Ji Xiang great peace of mind.
When Shen Siru learned it was all thanks to Yang Chaosheng, he, who was previously worried about Ji Xiang getting tricked by a shady Alpha, no longer objected so strongly to the relationship.
Ji Xiang had even teased him about this, with Shen Siru just coughing awkwardly in reply. “Well, once you’ve taken someone’s help and kindness… it’s hard to keep criticizing them, right?”
Ji Xiang chuckled, fixing his hair in front of the mirror. He finally got to use the hair gel he bought long ago.
“Oh right, weren’t you getting your marriage certificate today?” Shen Siru asked over the videocall. “Shame I’m stuck in the hospital… I would’ve helped you dress up properly for such an important day.”
“It’s fine. You can just help me dress up through the video call,” Ji Xiang said, leaning closer to the camera. “How about this?”
He was usually a corporate slave on weekdays and carefree on weekends, whether it was lounging at home or going out. Today, he actually took time with his appearance, so the sudden glow-up made Shen Siru blink.
“You look great,” Shen Siru grumbled. “Still… it really feels like he’s getting off easy.”
Ji Xiang laughed and was just putting down his phone when Yang Chaosheng called. He waved goodbye to Shen Siru and answered, “You’re already there?”
“I am,” Yang Chaosheng’s voice carried a hint of nervousness. “But no rush. We’ve got all day. Take your time, I’ll be waiting downstairs.”
“Okay.”
Ji Xiang hung up, changed into a white shirt, and headed down. A chilly morning breeze made him instantly regret not bringing a jacket, but spotting Yang Chaosheng in the distance, he decided not to waste time going back.
Standing by a flowerbed, Yang Chaosheng’s tall figure was hard to miss. He was in a formal black suit, complete with a matching vest and shirt, silver-gray tie, and an air of refined elegance.
Ji Xiang rarely wore suits, simply because he found them restrictive. Aside from work events, he usually opted for comfort. He thought a white shirt was already formal enough, but Yang Chaosheng clearly outdid him.
Honestly, slap a boutonnière [mfn]A boutonnière is a small flower or floral decoration traditionally worn by men on the lapel of a suit or tuxedo, typically on the left side, near the heart.[/mfn] on him and Yang Chaosheng would be ready to walk straight into a wedding.
Yang Chaosheng had been watching the building entrance the whole time. The moment he saw Ji Xiang, he straightened up and stepped forward.
He could tell Ji Xiang had dressed up too, not just him. That realization alone made Yang Chaosheng’s heart quietly leap.
“It’s just a white shirt?” he asked.
“Isn’t that what people wear for registration?” Ji Xiang asked, thinking of all the couple selfies he’d seen online.
Then he paused, correcting himself. “But you look great. Black and white, we match.”
Yang Chaosheng smiled and draped his jacket over Ji Xiang’s shoulders. “It’s not about what you wear. I just don’t want you to feel cold.”
Ji Xiang understood and touched his nose, murmuring, “…Thanks.”
As he tugged the jacket closer, a familiar aquatic scent drifted up, stronger than last time. It cleared his head better than coffee.
Maybe he sniffed too noticeably, because Yang Chaosheng gave him a curious look.
Caught red-handed, Ji Xiang awkwardly said, “Your cologne… it smells good.”
“It’s not cologne,” Yang Chaosheng explained gently, thinking that Ji Xiang didn’t understand. “It’s probably my pheromones. They tend to linger on collars. If it bothers you, there’s a suppressant spray in the car.”
Ji Xiang hadn’t realized that what he smelled was Yang Chaosheng’s pheromones. Normally, Betas couldn’t detect them, but in rare cases, a Beta with a high compatibility could.
Still, no matter how compatible, a Beta couldn’t mark or be marked.
Now flustered, Ji Xiang turned beet red. Among Alphas and Omegas, sniffing someone’s pheromones without permission was terribly impolite, like a puppy sniffing around someone’s scent. It was an act of comfort-seeking, sometimes even of intimacy.
He quickly shook his head. “…That’s not what I meant.”
Now he truly didn’t know what to say, everything that came to his mind sounded vaguely inappropriate.
The author has something to say:-
Xiao Ji: I’m really not a hooligan!😭
Xiao Yang: He can smell my pheromones! He said my pheromones smell good!! Great!!!
Are you sure you are not, JX? XDD
Thank You for the new chapter ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)