Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Lu Yao, dizzy and disoriented, instinctively clutched Fu Yanhuai’s sleeve. After this rut, his reaction to Fu Yanhuai’s pheromones had grown increasingly intense. His legs were so weak he could barely stand, forcing him to lean heavily against Fu Yanhuai’s shoulder for support.

Fu Yanhuai paused for a long moment before slowly lifting his head. Lu Yao’s nape looked even more ravaged, crisscrossed with bite marks of varying depths, topped by a fresh, bright red ring. Thankfully, it hadn't drawn blood.

Yet, this was enough to bewilder Fu Yanhuai. He prided himself on being far from a libertine; composure and self-restraint were fundamental qualities for an S-class alpha. Why, then, had he acted so impulsively today?

No, the problem wasn’t with him. The cause likely lay with the person cradled in his arms.

Lu Yao was still dazedly slumped against Fu Yanhuai. Fu Yanhuai, lost in thought, gazed at his own hand, which had somehow found its way to Lu Yao’s shoulder.

Perhaps it was merely the lingering effects of his rut.

Lu Yao was engulfed by the fierce, overwhelming alpha pheromones. This time, he was certain he smelled the distinct scent of fir. When he and Fu Yanhuai registered their marriage, Lu Yao had seen his basic information: S-class alpha, pheromone type: fir.

A tranquil forest after a heavy snowfall, where pine needles and snow merged seamlessly, and towering, straight fir trees stood sentinel.

It was fir—specifically, white fir.

At this moment, Lu Yao felt a strange, one-sided connection forming with Fu Yanhuai, though he couldn't articulate the exact sensation. Hesitantly, he lifted his head, unable to resist looking at Fu Yanhuai.

To his surprise, Fu Yanhuai was also frowning down at him. The subtle sense of intimacy Lu Yao had just begun to anticipate vanished instantly. He instinctively averted Fu Yanhuai’s gaze. "I... I just lost my footing."

Perhaps influenced by the S-class pheromones, Lu Yao’s lips were flushed, his eyes still misty, his entire being exuding an unwitting allure.

But this was truly peculiar. Could a beta react so intensely to an alpha’s pheromones?

Fu Yanhuai slowly released his grip. Lu Yao’s limbs felt like jelly, and he subtly braced himself against the sofa back.

Fu Yanhuai mentally replayed everything that had just transpired: Lu Yao’s eyes, his smooth, glandless nape, the sudden surge of restlessness, and the faint, caramel sweetness during his rut.

He tossed aside the gland patch he had just peeled off. Logically, he should have been displeased with his own lapse in control, but the truth was, after biting Lu Yao’s neck, he felt strangely content. This honest satisfaction only deepened his scowl.

He was furious. He had just lost the self-control he so prided himself on, and the culprit was this anxious, ordinary beta before him.

An utterly unremarkable, utterly useless beta.

Lu Yao had no idea what Fu Yanhuai was thinking. The alpha’s face was grim, but his volatile moods typically only surfaced during his rut. Why was he upset now?

Suppressing the burning and swelling at his nape, Lu Yao spoke softly, "I can go back by myself tomorrow. Really."

Privately, Lu Yao didn’t want Fu Yanhuai to have too much contact with the Lu family. He feared Fu Yanhuai would witness even more unsavory aspects.

"No," Fu Yanhuai’s expression returned to normal. "I suddenly want to learn more about your family."

To be precise, Lu Yao had ignited a deeper curiosity within him.

Fu Yanhuai’s rationality always prevailed. He was certain Lu Yao’s beta status was immutable. He was incompatible with almost all omega pheromones; simply put, omega pheromones triggered an adverse rejection response in him, and such a self-protective reaction would inevitably harm a fragile omega.

If Lu Yao were an omega and had truly emitted pheromones, they wouldn't be standing here so calmly right now.

Lu Yao was so incredulous that he momentarily forgot the discomfort at his nape. His expression mirrored his inner confusion. "But... my family..."

His family, at a glance, resembled a beautifully wrapped gift box. But upon closer inspection, the flaws in the packaging became apparent. If one had the patience to open it, they would find nothing but rotten, worm-eaten decay inside—an utterly repulsive sight.

He dared not let Fu Yanhuai learn about his family, nor did he dare let Fu Yanhuai learn about himself.

Fu Yanhuai seemed to be waiting for him to finish. "What?"

Perhaps sensing Lu Yao’s hesitation, Fu Yanhuai slowly said, "Hypocrisy? Greed? Or something else?"

Lu Yao’s face flushed hot. He wasn't usually one to show his emotions so easily, but lately, he kept losing his composure.

Suddenly, his vision blurred again. Whether due to his physical state or something else, he was overcome by a sudden impulse. "Will you hate me even more?"

Lu Yao stared blankly at Fu Yanhuai, his cheeks unnaturally flushed. Fu Yanhuai frowned slightly.

"If you see more... more unacceptable sides of me, you’ll definitely hate me even more."

Fu Yanhuai truly didn’t care much about Lu Yao. In his mind, Lu Yao was more like a trinket. But hate?

In just ten minutes, Fu Yanhuai found himself contemplating life once more. Perhaps he didn’t actually dislike Lu Yao that much. Lu Yao was obedient, low-maintenance, and generally satisfactory both in and out of bed.

But there was no need for Fu Yanhuai to explain this. Right now, Lu Yao’s condition was more pressing.

"Are you running a fever again?"

Fu Yanhuai pressed the back of his hand against Lu Yao’s forehead. This time, he stated with certainty, "You’re feverish again."

Fu Yanhuai directly wrapped an arm around Lu Yao’s waist and steered him toward the door. Lu Yao, still dazed, heard Fu Yanhuai’s words but stumbled along unsteadily.

The butler was waiting outside. When he turned and saw them, he gasped in surprise. "Mr. Lu Yao, you’re—"

Fu Yanhuai looked down at Lu Yao, who gazed back with wide, innocent eyes.

For once, Fu Yanhuai felt a headache brewing. His grip on Lu Yao’s shoulder tightened. "Call Dr. Feng."

The butler hurried downstairs. Only once he was out of sight did Lu Yao timidly say, "You’re hurting me."

Fu Yanhuai thought he’d misheard. "What?"

Lu Yao answered honestly, "My shoulder hurts."

Fu Yanhuai took a deep breath, forcing himself to extend his patience. The moment he loosened his grip, Lu Yao swayed and stumbled into the wall behind him.

The impact against his forehead made his already confused mind even more addled.

This time, Fu Yanhuai pulled him back firmly, staring down at him. "Does it hurt?"

Lu Yao wanted to rub the sore spot, but his arms were pinned. He looked up at Fu Yanhuai and nodded honestly.

"If it hurts, endure it."

Lu Yao took a moment to process this before his eyes slowly lowered, a trace of hurt in his expression.

Fu Yanhuai was truly too harsh.

Fu Yanhuai suspected this sudden fever had scrambled Lu Yao’s thoughts. The previous times Lu Yao had fallen ill, he’d at least retained some rationality.

Lu Yao’s entire body ached. His nape burned with a dull throb, as if something long-dormant was now stirring, ready to burst forth.

He was truly miserable, uncomfortable everywhere. Unable to bear it, he fidgeted weakly. "Can you let me go?"

Fu Yanhuai asked coldly, "What now?"

Lu Yao arched his neck back, trying to stretch, his body temperature palpably rising even through his clothes. His vision wavered between focus and haze, and his lips parted unconsciously.

"I can’t walk anymore. I’m so tired."

Fu Yanhuai's rising anger was suddenly quelled. He stopped in his tracks in resignation and sighed deeply.

Thus, for the first time, Lu Yao was carried back to his room by Fu Yanhuai. Half-conscious, he slumped against Fu Yanhuai and closed his eyes while the butler brought a first-aid kit.

"How much longer until Dr. Feng arrives?"

"Ten minutes," the butler replied with lowered eyes. "If he caught a chill, the fever could indeed relapse. Mr. Lu Yao hasn't fully recovered yet."

Fu Yanhuai didn’t believe Lu Yao’s illness was simply due to catching a cold. Gazing at Lu Yao’s peaceful sleeping face, he said, "My medical analysis states indiscriminate resistance and aggression toward everyone except myself."

The butler shot him a wary look.

"Everyone—not specifically Omegas," Fu Yanhuai mused. "So, it isn’t out of the question for Betas to exhibit abnormal reactions as well."

Following Fu Yanhuai’s train of thought, the butler speculated, "Perhaps Betas don’t react as strongly as Omegas, so pheromones only manifest abnormalities after accumulating to a certain degree."

Fu Yanhuai remained tense, still frowning. "Find time to send him to the hospital for a thorough examination."

Naturally, Fu Yanhuai had no time—nor interest—to accompany Lu Yao to the hospital. He had already wasted too much time on Lu Yao these past two days, so the task was delegated to the butler.

The butler acknowledged quietly. Lu Yao had been through quite an ordeal these past two days and was now in a deep, exhausted slumber. Though fully aware that the man in bed had been pushed to his limits by him, Fu Yanhuai felt no remorse.

Dr. Feng, already familiar with the Fu residence, briskly checked Lu Yao’s temperature and gave routine instructions for medication and an IV drip.

Fu Yanhuai got straight to it. "Aside from exhaustion and inflammation, what else could cause a recurring fever?"

Dr. Feng repeated the same answer. "I haven’t detected any abnormalities in Mr. Lu Yao himself. It might be due to the influence of your pheromones, which would require further hospital tests. But as a precaution, it’s best to maintain a safe distance from Mr. Lu Yao these next two days and avoid overstimulating him."

Fu Yanhuai gave a curt nod and stood. "Keep an eye on his condition tomorrow morning."

The butler meticulously asked Dr. Feng if there were any other precautions before turning off the lights and leaving the room.

In the darkened room, only Lu Yao remained, curled up with tightly shut eyes. In the boundless dreamscape, he panted as he trudged through a vast expanse of snow, surrounded only by towering white firs.

The overwhelming scent of white fir gradually made him restless—and indeed, the room was saturated with the scent of Fu Yanhuai’s pheromones.

Lu Yao slept fitfully, unable to wake, his nape itching yet aching from the wound there.

The next day, Lu Yao wearily opened his eyes.

The room showed no signs of disturbance, and the pheromones that had been so thick they could almost drip the night before had completely vanished. Lu Yao just felt utterly drained from his sleep.

Standing up, his vision darkened for a couple of seconds. He steadied himself before heading to the wardrobe, absently scratching his nape.

A sharp pain jolted him fully awake.

Squinting at the bathroom mirror, he found the bite mark on his nape hadn’t fully healed—and seemed to have been scratched open further.

"How could this be…?" Lu Yao murmured in disbelief.

Had he unconsciously aggravated it in his sleep?

Aching and irritable, his spirits plummeted. He wanted to examine the wound more closely, but a knock sounded at the door.

Mustering his strength, Lu Yao walked over and opened it. "What is it—"

At this hour, it should have been the butler—but instead, he found Fu Yanhuai, already dressed in an immaculate suit.

Fu Yanhuai glanced at him and raised a brow. "Didn’t sleep well? Doesn’t matter. You can rest when we return. First up: the Lu family."