Chapter 49: An Eternal Keepsake
Fu Rangyi had first heard about making pheromone-scented candles from his students.
For an Alpha like him, who knew almost nothing outside of teaching and research, it was something very novel.
“Does it smell similar?”
“It does. The owner of that perfumer’s shop developed these candles because their partner got sick and couldn’t smell their pheromones anymore. My friend tried it, and the similarity was pretty high. Though for more complex pheromones, it might take a few tries.”
In the corridor, Fu Rangyi quietly listened to the students chatting, but what surfaced in his mind was Zhu Zhixi’s awkward expression.
[Just like your pheromones. So many people can smell them, and I’m the only one who can’t.]
Although the timing was somewhat inappropriate, he still stepped forward and politely interrupted the two Omega students’ conversation.
“Sorry to interrupt. I’d like to ask, where is the shop you were talking about?”
They were not even students he had taught.
“Professor Fu?”
The two students were visibly startled. Their eyes widened, and they looked at each other, but they still immediately gave him the address and the owner’s contact information.
After Fu Rangyi left, their gossiping hearts could no longer be suppressed. They were practically one step away from screaming on the spot.
When he went to the shop, Fu Rangyi was very quiet. He also read the promotional booklet with great caution, as though he held considerable wariness toward the whole matter, and he raised many questions.
“Please rest assured. Many customers here use pheromones to make scented candle gifts for lovers and friends, and the feedback has been very positive. Our perfumers are all professional, and the production efficiency is also very high…”
He did not know what others thought, but to him, pheromones were both privacy and nightmare.
When he was young, during the period when he had once thought he might be unable to differentiate, he had actually looked forward to it. He had imagined that one day, when he woke up, he would suddenly be able to smell his own pheromones.
What would they smell like?
Would they smell awful?
But later, when his differentiation period truly arrived, he also stepped onto a road of no return, wrestling with Alpha bestiality. More than once, he had wanted to remove his gland, cut away this ghostlike scent that followed him everywhere, and let this body enter a vacuum—clean and spotless, without the slightest trace of smell.
Until Zhu Zhixi appeared.
He clearly saw possessiveness surface. He clearly realized the emergence of a marking desire. And the target of all these desires was even someone who could not be marked.
His first half of life seemed to have been spent struggling for things he could never obtain.
Yet when Fu Rangyi realized that Zhu Zhixi very much wanted to smell his pheromones, joy rippled through his heart.
So this time, the thing that could not be obtained was mutual.
“Can I make it myself?”
The shop owner was somewhat surprised. “Of course you can, but the process is very complicated and tedious. It might take up quite a lot of your time.”
“That’s fine. I want to try.”
Extraction, choosing fragrances, distilling the scent, blending, repeated adjustments.
For an entire week, Fu Rangyi went there personally every time.
He did not find it tedious at all. On the contrary, he even found it interesting, like conducting an experiment, like restoring an ancient artifact. He had plenty of patience.
But after it was truly finished, he became somewhat uneasy.
Would a gift like this be too naked? How was it any different from standing bare in front of the other person? Would it seem too self-important? Before smelling it, everything relied on imagination. Once Zhu Zhixi actually smelled it, would he be disappointed?
Even when the candle burned, the aftershocks of this unease still lingered.
They sat facing each other on the carpet, with a burning candle between them. Both had their knees bent, their legs subtly interlaced but not quite touching.
Zhu Zhixi was especially quiet.
At some point, he closed his eyes. His thin eyelids trembled faintly. His eye sockets were neither too deep nor too shallow, and they looked as though they would feel very soft to the touch.
Then he opened his eyes, and the swaying firelight lit up those already clear pupils.
“It smells even better than I imagined.” As he spoke, a faint blush seemed to appear around his ears. “So I smell this fragrant every time I go out…”
Fu Rangyi’s heartbeat suddenly quickened.
The jade-white candle melted even more freely, dripping and pattering as wax flowed onto the pale pink candle holder.
Fu Rangyi stared at him, quietly gazing at every tiny detail on his face without saying a word.
Gradually, his canine teeth began to ache slightly, like wisdom teeth acting up during adolescence.
Zhu Zhixi lowered his eyes and took a very deep breath, pulling all the scent spreading through the air into his body.
So when a person inhaled to the limit, their chest would tighten, as though they were drowning in Fu Rangyi’s pheromones until they could barely breathe.
When it was time to exhale, he did so slowly and carefully, letting it out bit by bit, reluctant to part with it.
After doing this several times, he placed the candle holder in his hands onto the floor, half-knelt on the carpet, and moved closer to Fu Rangyi.
Like a small animal, he closed his eyes and leaned in.
The tracing game he had once played with his fingers while Fu Rangyi was asleep was now replaced by the tip of his nose. He came extremely close, yet still kept a hair’s breadth from touching.
He was still inhaling deeply and exhaling shallowly, only the object was no longer the candle, but Fu Rangyi himself.
In the darkness, the fragrance spread, and his senses gradually blurred, as though he could truly smell the pheromones seeping from Fu Rangyi’s skin. A faint, cool scent, with a trace of fresh floral fragrance hidden within.
“I really like your scent.”
Zhu Zhixi’s eyes were closed. His voice was as soft as the breath spilling over Fu Rangyi’s skin, trembling faintly, as if he really had been moved to desire.
Fu Rangyi kept staring at him, watching the tip of his nose move upward from below, from the collar of his knit sweater to the side of his neck, behind his ear, his jaw, gradually climbing higher.
Was he really not doing this on purpose?
Sometimes, Fu Rangyi truly could not tell. He also became somewhat restless. The Alpha instinct devoured his reason and robbed him of the patience to distinguish.
This was probably human nature.
When uneasy, people became exceptionally sensitive, afraid that their true selves would be disliked, so they tried their utmost to hide their hearts and restrain their desires, using a gentle facade to draw the other person closer.
But once they received special treatment and were surrounded by a sense of security, the aggression and possessiveness deep inside would crawl out like snakes.
“Open your eyes.”
Zhu Zhixi was completely immersed in his fantasy. Hearing this sudden command, he was a little stunned.
Fu Rangyi rarely spoke to him in a commanding or disciplinary tone.
But Zhu Zhixi had never been someone obedient. He deliberately refused to open his eyes and even turned his face slightly. “No.”
As he turned, his lips gently brushed against something.
Very soft skin.
His heartbeat quickened.
“You don’t have the right to refuse.”
What?
Those words had actually come from Fu Rangyi?
Zhu Zhixi was so surprised that he opened his eyes at once. “Why don’t I have—”
He froze. His breath stopped.
They were too close. They were almost kissing.
“Because you broke the rules.” Fu Rangyi’s lenses reflected the light faintly as he calmly repeated their conversation from ten-some minutes ago. “You said, ‘I’ve been worrying myself to death over all this every day.’”
Zhu Zhixi’s eyes widened.
“How did you…” How could you be so sinister? You didn’t point it out at the time, but now you bring it up?
But he had no way to refute it. It was indeed something he had said.
A slight curve appeared at the corner of Fu Rangyi’s lips. “Are you going to cheat?”
“Who said I was going to cheat?”
Zhu Zhixi’s ears heated up. Instinctively, he wanted to move away first, but he had only shifted back a little when Fu Rangyi’s hand reached out first, grasped the back of his neck, and pressed down with force, preventing him from retreating.
“Good.”
That praise made him feel even more embarrassed.
But he also began to feel curious.
For someone as meticulous as Fu Rangyi, what kind of command would he give?
“Close your eyes.”
Hm?
Zhu Zhixi was somewhat confused. Even a little disappointed.
What was this?
Was he teasing him?
But a bet was a bet. He could only obediently do as he was told, closing his eyes and pouting.
He felt Fu Rangyi leave.
The sound of footsteps was softened by the carpet. Faint rustling noises came from somewhere.
During this time, Fu Rangyi did not say a word.
This was practically forced waiting play. He was doing it on purpose, right?
He wouldn’t suddenly run away, would he?
Facts proved that he had overthought it. Before long, the footsteps approached again.
He had returned.
“Open your eyes.”
The moment Fu Rangyi said it, Zhu Zhixi immediately opened his eyes. In his line of sight, there was a new, unopened gift.
“I almost forgot there was still one more.” Zhu Zhixi looked up at him, eyes full of surprise. He nearly leaned over to kiss Fu Rangyi’s cheek.
“Open it and take a look.”
When Fu Rangyi said this, his tone was clearly no longer commanding.
And so, in the atmosphere created by the second gift, Zhu Zhixi opened the third gift that belonged to him.
The first two had already been good enough—so good they exceeded his expectations and raised them again and again.
But after removing the packaging, he still froze.
Inside the dark blue gift box lay a palm-sized specimen, embedded in white cardstock. Sealed within the glass slide was not an insect, nor a flower, nor the veins of a leaf.
It was a snowflake.
A beautiful, standard hexagonal snowflake.
On the upper edge of the white cardstock, written in fountain pen, were the words: [To Zhu Zhixi].
On the lower edge was the date of creation, a certain dawn from a few days ago.
“This is… something you made?”
His eyes were full of astonishment, the points of light within them trembling faintly.
Fu Rangyi nodded.
His face was clearly cold and aloof, yet at this moment, he seemed extraordinarily gentle.
“If only snowflakes could be kept…” He softly repeated Zhu Zhixi’s words and looked at him. “You said that.”
Heavens.
It felt as though his heart had been struck by something light and floating.
That had only been an unconscious remark. Even he himself had forgotten it.
But Fu Rangyi had truly kept a snowflake for him.
“How did you make it? It’s so beautiful.”
Through the slide, Zhu Zhixi lightly touched those snowflakes. “Will it melt if I touch it?”
“No. It’s already fixed in place,” Fu Rangyi said. “But it might break, so be careful with your hands.”
“I won’t use that much force.”
Zhu Zhixi picked up the snowflake specimen and held it up toward the ceiling light, staring at it very seriously.
“So pretty… How long did it take you?”
A very long time. Almost three hours.
He had to wait for the snow to fall. He had to be fast, and he had to be careful. His fingers holding the tweezers had frozen stiff, and he had wasted countless glass slides. When trimming the slide, he even ruined one.
Fortunately, he had made several more.
“Not long,” Fu Rangyi said.
“Really? But it’s so beautiful.” Zhu Zhixi felt so moved he was practically bubbling over.
He had always thought he was strange, that not many people truly understood him. In the past, he had thought Fu Rangyi was the one most out of sync with him.
Turns out, he was not.
“Are these snow grains that accidentally fell onto it?” He pointed to the edge of the specimen.
“Mm.” Fu Rangyi nodded.
No.
This was the first snow they had watched together. The first snow from the dawn when they had built a snowman together. The first snow he had hidden in the refrigerator. He had scraped a little off and slipped it in with selfish intent.
“The scattered, less complete pieces look better interspersed throughout,” he said.
Zhu Zhixi was completely entranced. Every tiny crystal was admired by him. After observing it for a long time, he finally managed to put it down and, blushing, said to Fu Rangyi, “Thank you. I’ve never received such a wonderful gift before.”
The second gift had already burned halfway down.
Fu Rangyi said nothing. He only quietly gazed at Zhu Zhixi’s happy expression.
That airtight gaze made Zhu Zhixi’s heart beat even faster, as though he, too, had become a snowflake, captured, observed, and treasured by Fu Rangyi.
The scent of grass and wood slowly released into the room. It was clearly a cool, snow-like fragrance, yet it made the air grow scorching.
“Is that so?” Fu Rangyi tilted his head slightly, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes. “You must have received many gifts before.”
“None like this.” Zhu Zhixi pressed his lips together. His throat felt dry.
And no one was like you.
His hand lowered, clutching the furry carpet, then loosened. He edged forward until he touched the back of Fu Rangyi’s hand. His fingertips moved, brushing upward along the skin, tracing the raised tendons.
“Are we continuing?” he asked.
Fu Rangyi seemed to do it on purpose. “Continuing what?”
“The bet.” Zhu Zhixi took a deep breath, his ending tone floating lightly.
Fu Rangyi was silent for a moment.
“Take off my glasses.”
Surrounded by his “pheromones,” Zhu Zhixi felt as if he could hardly breathe. It was clearly just taking off a pair of glasses, yet it felt as though he were undressing Fu Rangyi.
“Look at me.”
He had been granted such a great right, allowed to give any command that Zhu Zhixi could not refuse, yet Fu Rangyi only issued these mild, proper instructions that never crossed the line.
Zhu Zhixi raised his eyes and looked at him, feeling himself heat up bit by bit, even his breath turning hot.
He liked him so much.
He wanted to kiss him so badly.
He made me so many gifts. There’s no way he doesn’t like me, right?
Telling me to take off his glasses is obviously because he wants me to kiss him, isn’t it? Isn’t he seducing me?
Breathing in the scent of his pheromones, Zhu Zhixi’s heartbeat was an absolute mess.
Good thing I’m not an Omega. If I really were an Omega, I’d probably have melted into water by now.
Hurry up.
Hurry and say the next command.
But Fu Rangyi did not speak for a long time.
In the end, the one obeying could no longer hold back and took the initiative to ask, “What else do you want to command me to do…”
And Fu Rangyi laughed softly.
Two seconds later, he said gently, “Do what you want to do.”
What?
Zhu Zhixi was dazed for a second.
At first glance, it sounded like an order. On closer thought, it seemed like indulgence. But if Zhu Zhixi really did something, it felt as if he had become the one actively seducing him.
How could he be so wicked?
The “pheromones” were making trouble, and Zhu Zhixi’s heart was in chaos.
Forget it.
They were married anyway. Unmarried people could do whatever they wanted, so why should he be afraid as a married person?
He simply stopped thinking. Purely following his own heart and obeying the command, he wrapped both arms around the back of Fu Rangyi’s neck and kissed him on the lips.
Are you satisfied now?
Anyway, I am.
The instant their lips touched, it was as if a tiny spark of static passed between them. A faint, tingling numbness spread.
Fu Rangyi’s hand was still holding the back of his neck, and his grip even tightened a little.
“Open your mouth.”
Zhu Zhixi did as he was told.
The moment his lips parted, a wet, soft tongue slipped in.
Fu Rangyi was truly a natural-born kissing expert. How could someone be this smart? Did he not need to learn this kind of thing at all? From their first kiss during his susceptible period, his tongue had already figured Zhu Zhixi out. With one casual tease, Zhu Zhixi’s entire body was opened up.
The snowflake specimen would not melt, but he was about to.
The wet sounds of kissing overflowed. They seemed to soak in warm yellow honey, growing hotter the more they tangled together.
At times like this, Zhu Zhixi became very proactive. Besides, now he knew clearly that this person was the one he wanted. Putting down his reserve and awkwardness, he kissed him while rising up, then straddled Fu Rangyi’s lap.
As though afraid he would fall, Fu Rangyi’s broad palm supported his lower back, tightening more and more. The kiss also became fiercer.
Zhu Zhixi could barely breathe. The moment they separated slightly, Fu Rangyi chased after him again, sealing his mouth, his tongue pushing in and drawing away, tangling with his. Breath could not get in, but saliva was about to spill out.
Instinctively, he pushed at Fu Rangyi’s shoulder. “Mm…”
Fu Rangyi actually laughed. He parted his lips too, moved upward, kissed the tip of Zhu Zhixi’s nose, and said in a low voice, “Breathe through here. Do I have to teach you this too?”
His mouth was getting mean again!
Zhu Zhixi grew angry from embarrassment, but he had only managed to say, “Why are you…” before he was sealed off again.
Fu Rangyi kissed him while deliberately nudging Zhu Zhixi’s nose with his own, as though reminding him to breathe.
Zhu Zhixi was kissed until his head spun. His fingers instinctively clenched around Fu Rangyi’s nape. Suddenly, he heard Fu Rangyi let out a muffled groan. The kiss paused for a moment, and the arms holding him also tightened. When it continued, the kiss went even deeper.
Did I touch his gland?
Zhu Zhixi thought dizzily, and his fingers, heedless of everything, began to knead. It felt numb and tingling, as though an electric current were passing through the skin. In his vision, light seemed to flicker, but it was not gold. It was a blurry silver-white, flashing and flashing.
The sounds of kissing were lingering and intimate. The candle was still burning. Later on, the floral notes became increasingly distinct, so fragrant that his mind grew dazed, as though he had become a Beta whose senses had been opened. So this was how wonderful it felt to sink into a partner’s pheromones.
His consciousness was stirred into a muddled, intoxicated haze, but suddenly, an abrupt vibration woke him. Zhu Zhixi’s shoulders trembled in fright.
“It seems like my phone…” he mumbled unclearly, wanting to pull away, but he was not allowed. The kiss only became shallower.
The arm around him stroked his back, as if soothing him. Between breaths, Fu Rangyi said, “It’s fine. My wristband is just alerting.”
Alerting?
A trace of responsibility as a guardian suddenly rose in Zhu Zhixi. He let go of Fu Rangyi’s neck. “Let me check the data…”
Fu Rangyi raised his eyes and bit Zhu Zhixi’s lower lip, his voice hoarse as he asked in return, “Do you still need to check?”
His heart fell into chaos again.
Fu Rangyi offered him his wrist. The wristband on it was still glowing faintly.
He said, “Take this off.”
Zhu Zhixi obediently did it, but his fingers slipped, and it took him quite a while to remove it.
He placed the wristband on the carpet and suddenly felt that everything was different. It was as if, from this moment on, the barrier between them had truly been removed.
He was genuinely surrounded by his partner’s pheromones.
“Release a little more.”
After Zhu Zhixi said this in a low voice, he hooked his arms around Fu Rangyi’s neck, kissed his lips, then rubbed against the tip of his nose and inhaled deeply.
“Fu Rangyi, you smell so good.”
Fu Rangyi said nothing. The look in his eyes seemed to have hooks in it.
After a moment of silence, he simply picked Zhu Zhixi up.
Zhu Zhixi startled. His legs instinctively wrapped around him, hanging onto him like a precarious koala, until Fu Rangyi gently laid him down on the bed.
Fu Rangyi pressed his forehead against Zhu Zhixi’s and knelt between his legs.
“If I release too much, you’ll feel uncomfortable.” His fingertip lightly tapped Zhu Zhixi’s chest. “Didn’t you say so before? Like having a mountain pressing down on you.”
“But I already can’t breathe now.”
Zhu Zhixi stared directly at him with wet eyes. His fingertips wrapped around Fu Rangyi’s ringed hand, interlacing their fingers and pulling it down, lower, pressing it onto his lower abdomen.
“It feels a little uncomfortable here…”
Tight and aching.
So strange.
Fu Rangyi suddenly frowned, growing nervous. “What kind of uncomfortable? What’s wrong?” His hand rubbed gently in that place, trying to ease it for him.
“It’s fine.”
Zhu Zhixi lifted his face, kissed him, then said in an extremely soft voice, “Maybe… smelling your partner’s pheromones just makes you react like this.”
To seduce him, he even brought out a form of address that had been frozen away for a long time.
Since coming to his senses, he had been too embarrassed to use it.
“Husband.”
Author’s Note:
Professor Fu: a type of older dom who looks cold and sharp-tongued, but is actually gentle by nature, very good at service, while also faintly carrying a trace of ghostly male energy.
Student Little Zhu: a type of fishing-line little Beta who looks like an innocent little white rabbit, but is actually bold enough to flirt without considering his own survival at all.
