By the time the nurse came in for her ward rounds, Lin Zhu had already tidied up the hospital bed to absolute perfection. It was almost impossible to tell that anyone had slept on it.

As for that used mat, he had folded it into a neat, square little block and tossed it into the trash can at the foot of the bed.

At the same time, Yan Ruoyun had finished a full-body cleansing and walked out of the bathroom wearing a clean set of hospital clothes.

Just as the nurse set down her medical tray, she saw him and hurriedly asked, “Mr. Yan, not only do you need your venous blood drawn on an empty stomach this morning, but you also need to do a urine test… You haven’t forgotten, right?”

This was originally a very normal, routine reminder from a medical professional. But paired with the teasing joke Lin Zhu had whispered in his ear earlier…

Yan Ruoyun’s footsteps faltered. His gaze swept rapidly over the blond youth standing nearby. Half a beat slow, he replied with an ‘Mm,’ before continuing: “I haven’t forgotten.”

“That’s good. I’ll draw your blood first.”

Standing by the bed, Lin Zhu watched the nurse wipe iodine to disinfect Yan Ruoyun’s arm. He looked like an expressionless, cool guy, but internally, it felt as if a hundred screaming rubber chickens were shrieking in his mind simultaneously—

He had just! Pulled! Such a massive hooligan move!

It wasn’t even forced by the system’s mission requirements. It was entirely his own doing—swept up in that intimate, flirtatious atmosphere, he had voluntarily blurted out such a fierce, suggestive line from the bottom of his heart!

This inexplicably gave Lin Zhu a conflicted feeling, as if he really was becoming corrupted.

But it was undeniable that seeing Yan Ruoyun flush with embarrassment because of a single sentence of his caused a subtle, leaping thrill to bloom in a certain corner of his heart.

…So, is this how Yan Ruoyun feels every time he teases me and watches me get embarrassed, shy, and flustered?

Lin Zhu pondered uncertainly.

He continued thinking about this even as the nurse took him downstairs to the Alpha Scent Gland Department for his checkup.

The First Hospital of the Northern Capital already had his medical records on file. Based on these existing records, Lin Zhu was scheduled for a routine blood test and a series of examinations regarding his scent gland and pheromone activity. They also measured his height and weight while they were at it.

If a second presentation for an Omega was meant to promote the maturation of the gonads and reproductive cavity, then a second presentation for an Alpha served to enhance physical constitution.

Most Alphas would undergo a developmental growth spurt after completing their second presentation, primarily manifesting as an increase in height, weight, and muscle-to-fat ratio.

Inside the examination room.

The Alpha doctor measuring Lin Zhu’s physical data dragged his mouse, comparing the old and new reports as he explained:

“Mm… Your cells are still in an active phase right now. Although there hasn’t been a major change in your weight, your muscle mass has increased.”

“Not only that, you’ve grown three centimeters taller in just half a month…” The doctor glanced at him in surprise and asked, “Growing this much so quickly, have you experienced any nighttime muscle cramps recently?”

Sitting by the desk, Lin Zhu quickly nodded.

“Once or twice.”

He had actually been wondering why his knee joints had been throbbing with pain lately, thinking it was a side effect of the system altering his gender to Alpha.

Understanding the situation, the doctor pulled his keyboard over, typed a line into the new report, and reiterated:

“Your secondary height development probably isn’t over yet. I’ll prescribe some oral calcium supplements for you. During this period, I recommend you drink a glass of pure milk every night, and eat more protein-rich foods for your three meals a day.”

The results of the other examination items came out quickly as well.

All the data indicated one thing:
Lin Zhu was an incredibly healthy Alpha.

There was just one thing that was particularly strange.

The youth’s pheromones originally smelled like slightly pungent cigarette smoke. But after marking an Omega, it unexpectedly carried a hint of mint. It smelled like mild, non-irritating menthol cigarettes?

The issue was, the pheromones of the Omega he marked weren’t mint-scented either. This change seemed to originate from the Alpha himself. Fortunately, it hadn’t caused any negative side effects.

Right at this moment.

The system, which had been quiet for a long time, suddenly spoke up:

“Oh my, it’s not menthol cigarettes… Host, your pheromones smell like mint candy! You probably won’t even be able to smell the smoke after a while.”

The body Lin Zhu was currently using was a 1:1 recreation of his own physical data generated by the system, but infused with the data of the scumbag ex-husband character. As a normal human male, he originally didn’t have pheromones at all; the scumbag ex-husband character was the one with the pheromone setting.

However, in the ABO world, pheromones are a highly subjective, emotionally-driven element.

Ultimately, Lin Zhu was just an actor. He had his own life experiences, so it was only natural that his pheromones would change.

As for why it was mint candy…

The system said faintly, “Host, you really are hooked deep by the protagonist, aren’t you?”

Lin Zhu: “…”

This time, he actually didn’t refute it.

If asked, the answer was: it was indeed the truth, and he couldn’t refute it.

“But!” the system’s tone abruptly changed, becoming jubilant and encouraging, “The main point is—the second key plot point!”

The system bombarded Lin Zhu with an endless stream of free praise: “Host is so amazing! You were so efficient this time!”

After the praise, it continued:
“It’s all thanks to the fact that you and the protagonist cuddled so intimately several times during this mission, which accelerated it! So even though the character synchronization module has gone offline, you can still function normally now!”

“…”

“Host can take a break for a while now! After all, the next key plot point isn’t for another two months! I recommend you cuddle with the protagonist more during this time to lay a solid foundation for the next role-playing task!”

The next key plot point…

Clutching his medical report, Lin Zhu’s footsteps suddenly faltered. The plot points from the original novel surfaced in his mind one after another, and the presence of a certain keyword stood out exceptionally sharp.

—A permanent mark.

In the original novel, that was a mistake born of confused passion and lust, and it was also… the turning point that pushed Yan Ruoyun completely into hell.

Lin Zhu’s mood suddenly plummeted.

Because he realized… no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, there seemed to be no way to truly keep Yan Ruoyun from getting hurt.

In an instant.
An intense wave of guilt engulfed him.

---

Returning to the hospital room, Lin Zhu still looked a bit dazed.

Seeing his little boyfriend looking somewhat dispirited, Yan Ruoyun swiftly took the report from his hands. After carefully flipping through it twice and confirming there were no major issues with any of the data, he asked:

“Lin Zhu, what’s wrong?”

The blond youth let out a blank ‘Ah,’ and asked in return, “What’s wrong with me?”

Yan Ruoyun had originally been sitting on the bed working on his laptop. Now, he pushed the thin business laptop aside, decisively threw off the covers, got out of bed, and paced over to the blond youth’s side.

The VIP ward was fully equipped with amenities.

After coming back, Lin Zhu had sat down in the single armchair furthest from the bed, right next to the window. He was staring blankly at the scenery outside in silence. It wasn’t until the man asked his question that he slowly turned his head back, though his gaze was evasive.

But Yan Ruoyun was already standing right in front of him.

With his arms crossed over his chest, the man frowned and said, “You tell me. The sky outside has cleared up, yet you’re still walking around with a head full of dark clouds?”

Lin Zhu subconsciously glanced out the window.

The night rain had stopped, and the gloomy clouds had retreated into a corner.

The late-morning sun hung in the sky that had been washed to a vibrant azure, casting a thin layer of luminous mist over everything on earth—bright, but not blinding.

The transparent window faintly reflected his face.

It was hard to see clearly.

But Yan Ruoyun saw it perfectly clearly.

Before leaving the ward, although the little boyfriend’s expression was a bit unnatural, his overall body language appeared happy and relaxed… Yet, in just a short one-hour checkup period, he looked like a sunflower that had been watered with boiling water—completely wilted.

This made Yan Ruoyun suspect that something must have happened during this time.

So, he pressed further:
“Who bullied you? Tell me the truth.”

Lin Zhu: “…I didn’t get bullied.”

After saying this, he raised his head and locked eyes with the man.

Yan Ruoyun’s brow was slightly furrowed, his peach-blossom eyes half-lowered. He invisibly exuded the domineering aura he usually wielded in the business world, making people unconsciously forget he was wearing loose hospital clothes.

Right now, he looked exactly like a parent whose child had been bullied, rushing to seek justice on their behalf. Even his tone of voice was forceful, domineering, and brokered no refusal.

“Stop lying to me,” he said.

Lin Zhu didn’t know how to answer. He could only sheepishly offer a stiff smile, attempting to bluff his way through.

Yan Ruoyun: “…”

The room fell silent for a moment.

Just when Lin Zhu thought the atmosphere had been completely killed off by him, Yan Ruoyun suddenly took a step forward. Without any warning, he straddled his lap, placing his palms on either side of Lin Zhu’s face, refusing to let him look away.

The man’s palms were smooth, free of calluses, yet they clamped onto Lin Zhu’s head like two iron pincers. He couldn’t move an inch.

Lin Zhu’s face was squeezed slightly out of shape, his mouth puckered up like a rubber toy duck. Even when trying to speak seriously, it sounded like a muffled mumble, looking exceptionally comical.

“…Ge, what are you doing?”

Yan Ruoyun looked a bit angry.

Lin Zhu felt a surge of panic. Various emotions intertwined together like a tangled ball of yarn—knotted everywhere, with no loose end to pull.

He thought he was about to get scolded and couldn’t help but lower his gaze, staring at an empty spot in the air… However, barely a second passed before the two hands holding him captive exerted force, firmly lifting his head up.

“Lin Zhu.”

Sitting on his lap with a straight back, Yan Ruoyun was slightly half a head taller than him. This angle allowed Lin Zhu to clearly see the exceptionally serious expression on the man’s face, further intensifying the frustrating feeling that he had messed something up.

The man really liked calling him by his full name. Even though they hadn’t been dating for long, Lin Zhu had surprisingly developed the habit of responding every time.

He replied numbly: “Mm…”

The next second.

A dry yet gentle kiss fell, pressing against Lin Zhu’s squeezed, misshapen lips. Before he could even register it, the kiss ended as swiftly as a dragonfly skimming the water’s surface.

Yan Ruoyun gave him a kiss.

Then, rapid kisses fell like raindrops all over Lin Zhu’s face. Eyes, nose, mouth… not even his jawline and Adam’s apple were spared.

Yan Ruoyun gave him many kisses.

“—If you don’t want to say it, then forget it.”

Hearing this sentence, Lin Zhu visibly breathed a sigh of relief, and couldn’t help but lick his lower lip. Every single kiss just now had been so fast; often, before he could even register it, it was already over.

Immediately after, Yan Ruoyun decisively let go, releasing his grip on the youth. Instead, he asked the youth to hold out his hand.

Not quite understanding what he meant, Lin Zhu hesitantly raised one hand, holding it diagonally by the man’s side, looking as if he was about to shake someone’s hand.

After completing the motion.
He shot Yan Ruoyun a questioning look.

The man shot him a speechless glance, grabbed his fingers, and corrected him word by word: “Not like this.”

“Lay it flat, raise it a bit higher, open your palm.”

A few seconds later, Lin Zhu looked down at the palm suspended in the space between their upper bodies, and asked quietly: “…Are you going to smack my palm?”

Yan Ruoyun was even more speechless.

“Lin Zhu, am I usually this mean to you?”

That wasn’t the case.
Lin Zhu quickly shook his head.

Actually, Yan Ruoyun treated him very well. It was just that he didn’t know why… the moment the other cast a sharp glance his way, he inexplicably felt chaotic and flustered, his heart pounding, feeling as if he had caused some sort of disaster.

Having lowered his hands, Yan Ruoyun gripped the hem of his shirt at his waist. With nowhere to put his long legs, he could only fold them and tuck them back, making him look somewhat cramped.

He took a deep breath and directed:
“Now… hold your hand out again.”

Lin Zhu didn’t understand why, but he followed the instructions anyway.

He lowered his hand first, then raised it again, holding it between the two of them—at a height close to the collarbone. Then, he straightened his slightly curled fingers one by one, flattening them to form a relatively neat surface.

…What is this for?

Lin Zhu had no expression on his face, but internally, he was puzzled and deep in thought.

The answer was quickly revealed.

Because he saw—
Yan Ruoyun bent his waist and back, lowering his height slightly. Then, the man raised his eyelids, staring at him with those deep eyes that held swirling hints of gray-green, and gently, slowly… rested his chin directly into his palm.

Like a reserved, proud, and expensive purebred cat lowering its habitually high-held head just to coax its depressed owner.

Still looking straight up at him, Yan Ruoyun instructed: “…If you’re in a bad mood, you can squish my cheeks too.”

Lin Zhu’s palm loosely supported the man’s chin, bearing almost no weight. Yet, his fingertips couldn’t help but tremble twice, becoming so stiff they couldn’t even bend.

Following that, he asked in a tone of utter shock:
“Wait… Ge, what are you doing??”

The level of shock in his voice far exceeded “getting his palm smacked”!

If Lin Zhu had acted calmly, Yan Ruoyun probably wouldn’t have thought much of it. But unfortunately, this was an inexperienced kid, which ended up making him feel self-conscious too.

Yan Ruoyun inconspicuously pursed his lips, his tone remaining extremely nonchalant: “Can’t you tell? I’m coaxing you so you’ll be happy.”

Clang.

The man nonchalantly dropped a bomb.

Lin Zhu was blasted into a state of utter dizziness, unable to speak for a long time.

This action—which could be described as incredibly cute and obedient—was simply too far removed from the man’s usual demeanor, reaching a level that caused Lin Zhu’s pupils to quake in shock.

He opened his mouth, taking a good while to find his tongue. Amidst the shock, an inexplicable sense of conflict arose. His tone was airy and faint: “…Where did you learn this?”

Good question.

Yan Ruoyun wanted to ask himself if he had taken the wrong medication to actually do something this incredibly childish. But a mature man never shows his weakness, so he simply offered a calm explanation:

“There’s a young couple secretly dating at the company, and I accidentally saw them… Mm, it looked quite fun.”

Fun my ass.

The Yan Corporation didn’t have a written rule forbidding office romances, but all employees consciously avoided suspicion. Even if two people clicked, they only dated privately and wouldn’t openly display it.

That couple was exactly like that, hiding it very well.

Yan Ruoyun discovering this little secret was purely a matter of coincidence.

After work that day, he had planned to drive his new car back to the old family estate for dinner. He didn’t expect to run into that office couple in the underground parking lot, pulling and tugging at each other, apparently having gotten into an argument.

One was walking ahead with his head down, while the other was chasing from behind.

Then, the one in front turned around angrily and held out a palm. The one behind skillfully rested his chin on it, and then his cheeks were squished and rubbed into various shapes by the other until they were completely flushed red.

It looked like it took a serious amount of force.

The two of them didn’t even notice their top boss sitting in the car. They quickly got all clingy again, held hands, and left, leaving Yan Ruoyun watching with a complicated expression.

Honestly, he really had a hard time understanding this kind of couple interaction—which was basically akin to teasing a cat or a dog. Where was the fun in it? What was so entertaining about it?

…Until he met Lin Zhu.

---

Under the man’s prompting, Lin Zhu wore a serious expression. Looking as if he were facing a formidable enemy, he curled his fingers and gently pinched his chin.

…What a, what a wondrous feeling.

Yan Ruoyun’s face was on the thinner side, so he didn’t actually have much extra flesh on his cheeks. As Lin Zhu kept pinching, he fell into a state of massive shock once again. Unconsciously, his mind wandered to outer space for a second. By the time he snapped back to reality, he found himself gently scratching the other’s chin with his index finger.

And Yan Ruoyun—not only was he not angry, but he also deliberately tilted his head and let out a lazy “meow.”

“Meow. Little Dog Lin, are you in a better mood now?”

Lin Zhu: “…”

Honestly, regardless of what had happened before, he was now so shocked that his entire being was floating in the clouds. His almost-crashed brain temporarily couldn’t process overly complex emotions.

Complete, utter shock.

Lin Zhu silently withdrew his hand, rubbed his nose, and said softly, “Ge, thank you.”

With his chin losing its support, Yan Ruoyun didn’t move away. Instead, as if his bones had been removed, he snuggled into Lin Zhu’s embrace and continued:

“Mm, you’re welcome.”
“So, can you tell me now… why you looked like you were about to cry just a moment ago?”

Lin Zhu: “…”

Just like he couldn’t explain the strange changes earlier, at this very moment, Lin Zhu also couldn’t find the right words to describe how he felt.

He only felt that…
Yan Ruoyun had started a massive, roaring fire in his heart.