Chapter 19: Malignant Symptoms
Having failed to catch anyone in the act, Zhu Zhixi was very dejected. He only ate a little dinner before returning to his room.
He lay sprawled on the bed, burying his face in his arms, the tip of his nose moving slightly.
He could smell a little of the complex aroma of the mulled wine he had drunk at dinner. If he paid closer attention, he could even catch a faint hint of sandalwood.
Even earlier than that, there was the fresh and elegant fragrance diffuser scent from the jewelry store.
Only Fu Rangyi’s pheromones were absent.
Even Zhu Zeran could smell them.
Burying his head, he closed his eyes. His leather jacket chilled his slightly warm cheeks. The scene of Fu Rangyi confessing his pheromone scent to him surfaced once again. One scented term after another circled in his mind like butterflies.
It was as if he had truly smelled them. His senses evaporated in the darkness, turning into hallucinations, immersive and absurdly real.
Only when his phone vibrated several times did Zhu Zhixi abruptly wake up.
It was a work message from Zhou Ming.
Right. I’m a Beta. Not being affected by pheromones is my gift. I am a higher life-form born for work.
In order to clear all the wild thoughts from his mind, Zhu Zhixi used work to sober himself up.
To curate an exhibition, the most important thing was to become familiar with the exhibits. He spent the entire night reading through the collection handbook, sorting and organizing the items by category. He picked out some he was interested in, marked them, and planned to consult Fu Rangyi about them later.
Fu Rangyi.
He realized that he simply could not think of him right now. The moment his mind wandered even slightly, the focus he had barely managed to gather would spiral out of control.
He was somewhat worried. On such a big holiday, his phone had been vibrating all night, yet only the chat box labeled Pretty Widower remained silent, without the slightest movement.
He should be home by now, right?
Why do I care so much? He was clearly the one who kept driving me away.
He then remembered Zhu Zeran’s nonsense, about Fu Rangyi “sending him away.” Although he knew perfectly well that Fu Rangyi’s character would never allow him to do something like that, not to mention that their roommate rules had clearly stated that neither of them was allowed to bring anyone home.
Roommate rules.
He suddenly remembered another rule—never interfere in each other’s private lives.
Zhu Zhixi sobered up. He turned off his phone and opened the collection handbook.
After pulling an all-nighter, he barely finished going through the exhibits and sorted out a rough thread of thought. He planned to begin the venue design, but the moment he reached this step, he realized something troublesome.
Bad Bunny: Professor Fu, I need to work, but my laptop is at the apartment. All the venue modeling is on it, so I want to go back and get it.
Bad Bunny: I won’t disturb you! I’ll sneak in quietly, take the laptop quietly, then sneak out quietly again, like a little flying thief. I promise.
Bad Bunny: Thirty-minute time limit. If you don’t refuse, I’ll take it as your silent approval.
Half an hour later, he appeared downstairs at the apartment right on time and received a message from Zhou Ming.
Zhou Ming: Then shall we meet at two-thirty? Let me know when you’re almost here. I’ll come out to pick you up.
Zhou Ming: Coffee? I can order it first.
Zhu Zhixi was feeling irritated because of someone’s lack of response, so he only replied, “No need to trouble yourself,” before exiting the chat. He tapped into the pinned conversation, scrolled up and down, and confirmed it once again.
Pretty Widower still had not replied.
He couldn’t have died before me, could he?
Zhu Zhixi took a deep breath and pressed his finger to the fingerprint lock.
Beep—
The door opened.
He was just about to enter, but the moment he raised his foot, it was as if something had suddenly pinned him in place. A current of electricity struck down and pierced through him. His entire body went completely numb. Every muscle, every bone, tightened in an instant, leaving him unable to move.
Only his heart.
Thump, thump.
Thump, thump.
It beat extremely hard.
This was the first time in Zhu Zhixi’s life that he had ever felt something like this. Yet it only lasted one or two seconds before quickly disappearing.
Everything returned to normal.
What was going on?
Could my condition be worsening?
He glanced at the countdown in his palm.
47 days, 01 hours, 42 minutes, 05 seconds.
Still shaken, he stood where he was for a while before walking inside. The house was quiet. Everything seemed as usual.
The first thing he did was glance toward the master bedroom, remembering Fu Rangyi’s condition last night and Zhu Zeran’s nonsense.
After struggling with himself for a while, Zhu Zhixi still quickly walked toward the master bedroom.
The door was not closed. He stood at the doorway and looked inside. It was very dim. The curtains were tightly drawn, and the lights were off. The blanket on the bed was not folded neatly like usual, but scattered open. However, there was clearly no one lying beneath it.
“Fu Rangyi?”
How strange.
Would Fu Rangyi leave the room this messy and go to work?
He even knocked on the master bedroom bathroom door, then came out and checked the guest bathroom too. Both were empty.
So he really wasn’t home.
Forget it. I’ll get the laptop first.
He closed the guest bathroom door, walked through the quiet hallway, and opened the second bedroom door. The laptop was on the desk. Zhu Zhixi walked closer.
But suddenly, he frowned.
The room was empty at a glance, and everything was exactly the same as when he had left. Yet he clearly heard heavy breathing, as well as some rustling movements.
Zhu Zhixi lightened his footsteps and carefully searched the room. He casually took a tool from the hiking backpack behind the door and hid it behind his back.
The closer he got, the more certain he became that the sound was coming from the tent in the room.
So he cautiously approached until he arrived in front of the closed curtain of the tent. He half-squatted, one knee touching the floor. Gripping the crowbar tightly, he suddenly lifted the curtain, only to freeze in place.
Inside the tent was actually Fu Rangyi.
The lighting inside was dim, and the space was narrow. Fu Rangyi lay on his side, his body curled up. He was only wearing a very thin beige Henley shirt, the collar open, the top few buttons undone. His broad shoulders and chest filled out the shirt completely.
Zhu Zhixi suddenly felt his face heat up.
Two days ago, Fu Rangyi had passed by his room and, in the tone of someone teaching and educating others, made a whole series of comments: the room was untidy, clothes were placed everywhere, and he did not even have the most basic semi-clean clothing area.
At the time, Zhu Zhixi had been very unconvinced. Being lectured like a child made him feel embarrassed, and he had been desperate to find a place to hide his clothes. So he had stuffed all the clothes he had only worn once into the tent and pulled the curtain shut, deceiving himself into achieving a tidy room.
But now, those clothes, along with the rabbit-fur blanket in the tent, had nearly buried Fu Rangyi.
This…
What was this?
Who was the one who said he had mysophobia?
“Fu Rangyi.” Zhu Zhixi’s voice was very soft. With one hand, he held the curtain open and crawled into the tent on his knees. With the other, he gently patted Fu Rangyi’s leg. “Are you okay? Why are you curled up here? Do you need to go to the hospital? I’ll drive you.”
The patient seemed to have heard his voice. He moved slightly and showed some response.
He mumbled something. His voice was very hoarse, and Zhu Zhixi could not hear clearly. He leaned a little closer, trying hard to make it out, but all he could hear was Fu Rangyi’s panting.
The light inside the tent was dim. He could see Fu Rangyi’s chest moving.
Usually, Fu Rangyi always dressed in layers upon layers, one garment over another, covering his tall figure. Even at home, his pajamas were neat and proper, every button dutifully fulfilling its role.
But now, the thin fabric on his body was completely held up by the lines of his muscles, rising and falling with his breathing.
“Water…”
Zhu Zhixi abruptly came back to himself, his face burning. “Water? You want water, right?”
He reached out and groped around for a while, finding Fu Rangyi’s forehead. He touched it, only to find that it was covered entirely in sweat.
His whole palm was dampened.
“You have a fever. No wonder you want water. I’ll go get it.”
Zhu Zhixi did not think too much. He backed straight out of the tent, quickly left the room, went to the kitchen, took one of Fu Rangyi’s glass cups, and filled it with water from the dispenser at the bar counter.
As he stood there waiting for the cup to fill, he lowered his head and glanced at his palm again. The countdown was still paused, but his heart was beating even faster than before.
“And he wouldn’t let me come back. If I hadn’t come back, no one would even know if he died from illness.”
He had only just muttered this when he suddenly felt a wave of scalding breath at the back of his neck. Goosebumps rose all over his body, and he whipped his head around.
“Fu Rangyi?”
He let out a sigh of relief and turned around.
How had he suddenly appeared?
Hadn’t he been unable to even get up?
“Sit down first. The water will be ready right away. I—”
Before he could finish, Fu Rangyi, who was standing behind him, suddenly reached out and touched his cheek.
His hand was as hot as red-hot metal, branding itself against the side of Zhu Zhixi’s face. A layer of sweat abruptly broke out over Zhu Zhixi’s back.
“Why aren’t you wearing your inhibitor bracelet?” Zhu Zhixi grabbed Fu Rangyi’s wrist. It was empty.
Fu Rangyi opened his mouth, his voice very deep.
“It’s useless…”
“What?”
He had not heard clearly and wanted to ask again, but Fu Rangyi actually raised his other hand and touched Zhu Zhixi’s wrist. His scalding fingertips hooked around the beaded bracelet on Zhu Zhixi’s wrist.
The elastic cord was pulled, then released.
Snap—
It sprang back against his wrist.
“This isn’t your bracelet. Don’t mess with it.” Zhu Zhixi scolded him in a low voice. “You’ve burned your brain out from fever.”
The sound of running water suddenly appeared with a splashing rush. When he turned his head, he realized the water had already overflowed from the cup and was spilling across the countertop and onto the floor.
It was over.
This person loved cleanliness the most. He was definitely going to scold him.
Zhu Zhixi quickly turned around, switched off the water dispenser, casually tore off a few sheets of kitchen paper, and wiped the water from the countertop.
Fortunately, Fu Rangyi said nothing.
After falling ill, even his language system seemed to have regressed.
Perhaps it was because he was working, or perhaps because the heating at home was turned up too high, but Zhu Zhixi also inexplicably felt hot. So as he wiped the water, he untied the scarf around his neck, took it off, then crouched down with his back to Fu Rangyi to wipe the water on the floor.
“Don’t just stand there. Go sit on the sofa…”
Before he could finish speaking—
The remaining words were scattered by a body that slammed violently into him. His voice changed pitch, squeezed into a somewhat pained groan.
Zhu Zhixi could hardly believe it. The person who had been standing perfectly fine behind him just now suddenly knocked him to the ground like a wild beast, pinning him underneath.
His forehead struck the floor without warning. He was still clutching the soaked paper towels in his hand, and it felt as if a mountain had landed on his back.
“That hurts like hell…” Zhu Zhixi was pressed down until he could barely breathe, his fingers digging into the cracks of the floor. “So heavy!”
But the collar at the back of his neck was suddenly yanked hard.
“Cough, cough… Are you trying to strangle me?”
Didn’t I just come back? I told you beforehand, and you ignored me. Why are you treating me like this? Ungrateful wolf, heartless dog, dog—
His lungs were about to explode!
Zhu Zhixi’s head was muddled. He reached his hand behind him, wanting to grab Fu Rangyi’s hand that was pulling his collar. But when he actually reached back, he realized something was wrong.
That was not a hand.
What he felt along his collar was a taut jawline, and sharp teeth clenched tight.
All of a sudden, Zhu Zhixi thought of the frenzied Alpha he had once encountered in the subway carriage.
A terrifying thought flashed through his mind.
So it really was his susceptible period!
How could I have been so careless?
Fu Rangyi was also an Alpha, and a top Alpha at that. Back at the door just now, he had already issued a warning.
So that was the legendary suppressive pheromone of a top Alpha?
No wonder he had not been able to move.
A chill rose through him. Physiological fear triggered his survival instincts, but the difference in their physiques was far too great. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free from the cage of Fu Rangyi’s body weight.
“Fu Rangyi! Fu—”
Hot, damp breath sprayed against the back of his neck, and every pore on his body trembled for a second. He could clearly feel sharp canines pressing against the back of his neck.
Are you going to mark me?
He used all his strength to block him with his hand, to pull at his collar and stop him. His mouth did not stop either.
“It hurts, it hurts! Are you crazy? I’m a Beta! That thing doesn’t even grow inside my neck. You—”
All of a sudden, his whole body stiffened. The curses he had yet to finish abruptly turned into a wad of cotton, choking his throat hard.
Because he very clearly felt a certain astonishingly sized thing suddenly jab against his tailbone.
At that critical moment, there was a loud bang.
Zhu Zhixi shuddered under Fu Rangyi in fright, cold sweat breaking out all over him. He instantly came back to his senses and continued struggling.
A burst of hurried footsteps approached, getting closer and closer.
Who…
“Fuck!”
The voice was unfamiliar, but Zhu Zhixi suddenly felt that he had been saved. Like a penguin flattened under an iceberg, he struggled to turn his head sideways, frantically stretched out his hand, and slapped the floor with all his might.
“Save… save me…”
In the next second, a hand appeared in his field of vision, holding a syringe. The long needle gleamed coldly as it pierced into the arm of the out-of-control Alpha pressing down on him.
Dozens of seconds later, he felt Fu Rangyi’s tense strength slowly loosen, collapse, and then go completely limp, pressing down on him without the slightest restraint.
“No, I’m going to be crushed flat. Help…”
“Oh, right, right, right. Almost forgot about you.” The divine soldier who had descended from the heavens hurriedly shoved aside the unconscious Fu Rangyi and rescued him from his clutches.
When the other person saw his face, he froze for a few seconds. But Zhu Zhixi did not notice. He was too busy clutching his neck and gasping for air.
“Thank you, thank you…”
He survived.
He sat on the floor, looking at Fu Rangyi lying there like a corpse, and wanted badly to punch him a few times.
“You’re his wife?” The man smiled and added in a low voice, “Fu Rangyi really doesn’t know how to take photos.”
“I…”
Zhu Zhixi did not hear the second half clearly. Panting, he looked at this guy who had suddenly appeared. He was dressed quite formally and even had a badge hanging around his neck, but the lanyard was twisted, so only the back could be seen.
He looked like a proper person, but when he smiled, he did not.
How did he get in?
The door was clearly locked.
Did he have the password?
On what grounds could he enter?
Zhu Zhixi’s face turned red from holding his breath. Still gasping unevenly, he continued to talk nonsense.
“Who are you? Don’t tell me you’re the mistress. If you are, don’t admit it… My brain is oxygen-deprived right now. I’m afraid I’ll pass out on the spot if I hear it.”
“Me?” That person burst into laughter and sat down on the floor too. “Fu Rangyi lives like a monk, abstaining from this and that. Forget sleeping together, he and I couldn’t even piss into the same pot.”
Zhu Zhixi widened his eyes. “Who wants to hear about your bathroom business? How can you enter my house? If you’re not a mistress, then you’re a thief. I—I’m calling the police.”
“Call them.” He lifted his chin. “Hurry up.”
Zhu Zhixi took a deep breath. “Wait until I catch my breath… Don’t make the police officers panic.”
That person laughed even harder and even kicked the unconscious Fu Rangyi’s leg with his foot.
“I’m telling you, kid, you’re seriously lucky.”
“Don’t kick him.” Zhu Zhixi shuffled over on his butt until he was beside Fu Rangyi. His two legs spread apart like he was doing the splits, forming a dividing line between the two of them.
That person nearly laughed himself unconscious. “Fuck, you kid really hit the dogshit-luck jackpot!”
“You’re so uncultured.”
“I’m uncultured? Is he cultured? He pounced on you like a starving wolf and almost pinned you to the floor to mark you. Have you forgotten? If this young master hadn’t flashed in here with one big move, the back of your neck would be flowing with blood right now, and you’re still protecting him?”
But it didn’t happen, did it? Zhu Zhixi muttered inwardly.
“May I ask who exactly you are?”
That person stood up and straightened his clothes. “My name is Li Qiao. His buddy.”
Zhu Zhixi immediately grew alert. “Did he tell you everything about us?”
“What things are you talking about? The things between you two?” Li Qiao asked with a smile.
Zhu Zhixi’s eyes darted around. His expression changed several times. He wanted to act, but he did not have the script.
“What things between us…”
“All right, stop pretending.” Li Qiao laughed outright. “I know your marriage is fake. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have rushed over in such a panic.”
As he spoke, he picked up the medical kit he had thrown on the floor when he rushed in, placed it on the dining table, and opened it with a click.
Zhu Zhixi stood on tiptoe and glanced inside. It was packed full of medicine and syringes.
There was also a bite guard that looked exceptionally sturdy.
“You’re the medical school friend he mentioned, right?”
“Yo, he mentioned me? What were you two talking about that could involve me?”
Zhu Zhixi recalled some unpleasant memories. “He thought there was something wrong with my brain and told me to go be your test subject.”
Li Qiao laughed loudly. As he unlocked the bite guard, he teased, “You two get along pretty well. He even talks to you like that.”
He has talked to me like that from the very beginning.
Li Qiao moved very efficiently and seemed to be pressed for time.
He crouched down and helped Fu Rangyi sit up, leaning against the water bar cabinet. Zhu Zhixi went over to help support him. Li Qiao put the bite guard on Fu Rangyi. It was a double-layered model with a silver muzzle and a black outer gag, very secure.
“He was allergic to the previous one, so he asked me to buy him a new one.” Li Qiao taught him how to fasten it, then said, “The password lock is at the back. This one is new. Set it yourself.”
“I set it?”
“Yeah. Hurry and set one at random.”
Zhu Zhixi did not think too much and subconsciously set his own birthday: 0523. “It has to be unlocked with the password?”
“It has Bluetooth. You can also unlock it with your phone. Just download an app. But never unlock it casually. That is my biggest piece of advice to you.”
“Actually, if his cycle were stable and he took medication in advance, it wouldn’t have ended up like this. I don’t know what happened this time. It came so many days early, and his pheromone peak completely exceeded the limit.” Li Qiao sighed. “I’m the emergency contact for his inhibitor bracelet. The moment I saw the data, I got scared. Last night, his historical heart-rate peak was so high it was about to explode. Luckily, I made it here before my training camp…”
Last night.
Zhu Zhixi frowned.
He should not have obediently gone home last night. At the very least, he could have taken Fu Rangyi to the hospital.
“I was originally worried about what he would do alone at home when it’s this severe. Since you’re here, this glorious and difficult task will be handed over to you. Perfect, since you’re not affected by his pheromones.”
“But he…” Zhu Zhixi paused. “He wouldn’t let me come.”
Was it because he knew his condition was bad and was afraid I would see it?
Zhu Zhixi was somewhat confused.
“He wouldn’t let you come?” Li Qiao repeated, seemingly very surprised. “You’re a Beta. You can’t even release pheromones to seduce him. What is he afraid of?”
Zhu Zhixi was rendered speechless by him.
I don’t have pheromones, but does that mean I don’t have any other charm?
“Ah, forget it. Anyway, there’s no time to find anyone else right now. A fake wife is still a wife.” His brows furrowed tighter and tighter, and he choked into a cough. “I really have to go.”
Looking at Fu Rangyi, who was unconscious, Zhu Zhixi felt worried, but also somewhat puzzled. “My brother is an SA too, and I also have many Alpha friends. Their susceptible periods aren’t like this. Why is Fu Rangyi’s so severe?”
“He has malignant susceptible-period syndrome.” Li Qiao looked at Zhu Zhixi.
“Malignant… syndrome?”
“To put it simply, because of long-term drug dependence, the malignant symptoms during his susceptible period are far more severe than those of an ordinary Alpha: more adverse reactions, stronger aggression, and a more unstable mental state.”
“Most importantly, his sexual desire also becomes stronger, and because of that, he’ll resort to any means necessary.”
