Chapter 13: Examination

Pei Huanzhou first took Wen Xi for a gland examination. He confirmed that the accumulation of pheromones was indeed caused by drug resistance. Furthermore, the concentration of pheromones in her glands was higher than he had anticipated; she was already on the verge of a rut (rut/heat).

In other words, the delay she had hoped for had not only failed to materialize, but her “rut” was actually arriving ahead of schedule.

The worst news was that alternative medications for gland suppressants were still in development; there was currently nothing better on the market. As she aged, her identity as an Alpha would become increasingly difficult to hide. Consequently, as they left the hospital, the expressions of both individuals turned solemn.

“Let’s eat first,” Pei Huanzhou said. “Your mental state looks terrible today.” “I didn’t sleep well last night.” Wen Xi responded while staring blankly at the suppression bracelet on her wrist.

Alphas and Omegas (AOs) who cannot fully control their pheromones must wear these bracelets. While they block external pheromones, they also suppress one’s own secretion. However, as cycles stabilize, the bracelets are usually discarded. Not wearing one is typically a symbol of an AO having absolute mastery over their own scent.

Logically, Wen Xi’s control wasn’t poor, but she relied on the bracelet more than most. Even after injecting suppressants, she hadn’t dared to take it off—until one day, Xu Linshen had questioned why she always wore it, forcing her to remove it to avoid suspicion. Now that it was back on, the sense of crisis—of living on a knife’s edge—returned instantly.

Pei Huanzhou had booked a romantic, niche restaurant. The entrance was adorned with elegant bouquets, and the atmosphere was thick with exotic charm. Wen Su had loved the cream of mushroom soup here more than anything.

Once seated, Pei Huanzhou spoke seriously. “Since things have come to this, we have to consider moving our plan forward.” “How?” Wen Xi asked tiredly. “As long as the current Wen family hasn’t fallen, I can’t even leave Nanjiang.”

She had always known her masquerade as an Alpha would eventually be exposed. Her original plan with Pei Huanzhou was to go abroad for studies after high school—far from the “Emperor’s” reach—to build enough power to rival Xu Linshen. Now, with the suppressants failing, that plan was clearly non-viable.

“I pushed back my later work to come find you specifically to discuss this,” Pei Huanzhou said, pulling up a photo on his phone. “When I went to Huahai for the academic exchange, guess who I met?”

Wen Xi looked at the photo. It was taken at a banquet after the exchange. Pei Huanzhou stood beside a middle-aged female Alpha in a military uniform with a deep, imposing aura. They were raising their glasses to the camera.

“Major General Fu Yan of the Huahai Theater Command,” Pei Huanzhou said. “The Wen family of Nanjiang and the Fu family of Huahai are equally prestigious. No matter how long Xu Linshen’s reach is, he can’t stretch it to Huahai.”

“I see your point,” Wen Xi frowned. “But why would Fu Yan help? I can’t think of any terms that would make her risk making an enemy of Xu Linshen just to help me escape.”

“I didn’t dare think of it either, but she was the one who approached me at the banquet.” Pei Huanzhou’s beautiful eyes sparkled. “Fu Yan has an Alpha daughter, Fu Wan-sen, who is a natural-born general. Fu Yan intended to groom her, but something went wrong during her differentiation. Her glands were severely injured, so she couldn’t pass the military physical.” “Because of her status, Fu Yan can only seek doctors within the Alliance for her daughter’s treatment. That’s why she was at the exchange.”

Wen Xi pondered for a moment. “Are you confident you can treat her?”

Pei Huanzhou shook his head. “Not very. The damage is almost irreversible. However,” he tapped the table, “I learned an interesting piece of news.” “What?” “Didn’t you transfer classes? Fu Yan’s daughter, Fu Wan-sen… her fiancé is a student at Nanjiang International High School. More coincidentally, he’s in your current class.”

Wen Xi: “Who?” Pei Huanzhou: “His name is Lu Yin-zhi.”

Wen Xi’s eyes widened slightly. “It’s actually him.” “It’s a secret. The Fu family hasn’t announced it yet. I found out by accident,” Pei Huanzhou said. “Even Xu Linshen might not know.”

The waiter began serving the food. Pei Huanzhou took a sip of the soup, looking nostalgic and satisfied. He whispered, “If you can get close to Lu Yin-zhi, getting to know Fu Wan-sen and Fu Yan becomes much easier. Little Seven, if we work together, we can do this. Instead of waiting, we strike first.”

Wen Xi hummed in agreement, touching the bracelet on her wrist. Her dark eyes filled with the coldness of a desperate gamble.

“By the way,” Pei Huanzhou added, “remember to come to the hospital again tomorrow.” Wen Xi was confused. “Didn’t we already do the check-up?”

“It’s not an exam,” Pei Huanzhou smiled teasingly. “Didn’t you say you didn’t know where to learn about ‘everything Alpha’? The hospital has professional gender lectures. I’ve already booked an appointment for you. Be on time.”

Wen Xi: “Actually, I know enough now. I don’t need to go.” “Really?” Pei Huanzhou pointed at the dark circles under her eyes and laughed. “I think you’re in high demand for this information.”

Wen Xi: “…”

The next day, Wen Xi took the day off.

Before Pei Huanzhou told her about the Fu family, she’d had very little contact with Lu Yin-zhi. Their only encounter was at his coming-of-age ceremony; he was the pampered young master of the Lu family, and she was the sister Xu Linshen rarely showed in public. In a way, they were in similar positions. She needed to figure out exactly why Lu Yin-zhi had suddenly taken a leave of absence.

It was 9:00 PM by the time Wen Xi returned to Xianghai City.

The roads connecting the residential area to the park were lined with sycamore trees. During the day, they were just lush greenery, but at night, the trees were lit with small, star-like bulbs that slowly changed colors in unison, making the surroundings look romantic and dreamlike.

Amidst the brilliant colors, a dark silhouette hung beneath the high perimeter wall, draped in the lonely moonlight.

“Cheng Si?” Wen Xi stopped, surprised. “Why are you here so late?”

Hearing her voice, Cheng Si looked up, his eyelids fluttering. His hand tightened on his backpack strap. He walked toward her with heavy steps and fished a notebook out of his bag, holding it out to her. “You weren’t in class today. I took notes for every period. I didn’t know if you could use them.”

Wen Xi stared at the notebook, her brow arching slightly. With a half-smile, she asked, “You had time to take notes? You didn’t skip class today?”

“…” Cheng Si felt as if she had seen right through him. He opened his mouth and answered stiffly, “I don’t need to skip class every day.”

Wen Xi gave an “oh” and took the notebook, flipping through a few pages. The handwriting was like his short-trimmed nails—rather messy and not very aesthetic, but the content was detailed.

“Thanks,” Wen Xi said politely. “Anything else?”

“…” Cheng Si desperately wanted to say yes, but his imagination was always barren. He couldn’t find another reason to talk to her. He stood there like a block of wood, refusing to say no, but unable to say yes.

Seeing him look so miserable he was on the verge of tears, Wen Xi felt a subtle sense of satisfaction. She suddenly recalled the Alpha “pop-science” she’d seen at the hospital that afternoon. At this moment, the innate “wickedness” of an Alpha was on full display.

The lecture had also mentioned that her “method” from last night wasn’t quite right. Aside from the technique, there had been almost no external assistance or stimulation. Wen Xi’s scrutinizing gaze landed on Cheng Si, who had delivered himself to her door. She thought: Well, isn’t there a perfect tool right here?

“Want to come up for a bit?” Wen Xi asked leisurely.

A flash of overwhelmed surprise crossed Cheng Si’s intimidating eyes.

Wen Xi understood. Without waiting for his answer, she entered the complex. Sure enough, a little “puppy” followed behind her, wagging its tail. The housekeeper had already left for the night; she could safely bring him home.

The elevator went up. When Wen Xi pressed her fingerprint to the lock, the Doberman rushed over with whimpers, rolling at her feet before jumping up to paw at her. Wen Xi turned on the lights and brushed its paws away, but it clung to her.

“Fine, just one hug.” Wen Xi tossed the notebook onto the foyer cabinet and picked the dog up with one hand, stroking its head. After a few seconds, the Doberman stubbornly refused to get down. She met its innocent eyes and coaxed, “Be good, okay? I have serious business to do.”

Cheng Si watched from behind, feeling salty. He couldn’t help but compare himself to the dog again. Fortunately, Wen Xi gave the stubborn Doberman a “wall-smack” (playful shove) a second later, instantly killing any desire he had to compete with the animal.

Feeling rejected by its owner, the Doberman glared at Cheng Si, as if blaming his pheromones for stealing its master’s affection.

Cheng Si looked straight ahead, but while Wen Xi went to wash her hands, he glanced at the Doberman’s far-from-small size. Wen Xi had lifted it with one hand. He felt a delayed sense of shock. Wen Xi… is she that strong?

“Do you want something to drink?” Even as she asked, Wen Xi was already taking out wine. Cheng Si was startled. “You’re going to drink?”

“Is that a problem?” Wen Xi opened the bottle, the ruby-red liquid swirling into a transparent glass.

Cheng Si said worriedly, “You’re an Omega. Drinking with me this late… it’s dangerous.” “How dangerous?” Wen Xi dismissed it.

Cheng Si was stumped. Alcohol makes people lose their reason. He didn’t know if he would have “filthy” reactions to Wen Xi if he got drunk.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Wen Xi said, “I think you’re the one who should be worried.” She paused and smiled slightly. “When you followed me up here, didn’t you think I might do something to you?”

Cheng Si froze. A moment later, he turned his head, his ears turning red. “It would be better if you actually did do something…” “What?” Wen Xi didn’t hear him clearly. “…” Cheng Si’s voice was dry. “Nothing.”

Wen Xi didn’t press him. Luo Wanran had sent her some “educational films” earlier. She picked an interesting title and connected her phone to the screen.

Cheng Si licked his dry lips, his eyes following her movements. When he saw the title on the screen, his eyes nearly popped out, and his skin instantly turned an explosive red.

The screen boldly displayed the following lines:

Crisis: Encountering a Big Pervert!!! Called into a classmate’s home after school to be turned over and X-ed. Tongue out, body shaking. A first-time experience—the sleepless night of a heartbroken puppy.

Before clicking play, Wen Xi reached into the boy’s loose school uniform pocket. She pulled out his cigarette pack with two fingers, lit one, and lifted her eyelids.

Then, under his gaze of forced composure, she spoke with a smile: “If you want to run away, there’s still time.”