After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 69

On Friday afternoon, Shen Jin pressed down on his neck’s unresponsive gland and gradually fell into despair.  

He asked in the dormitory group chat: **[Aside from that kind of drug, is there anything that can make an Omega enter their heat early?]**  

Qin Zhu replied: **[Are you baiting us? If we as ABs really knew something like that, you’d be delivering us straight to prison.]**  

**[….]** Shen Jin thought that was fair. Xu Tingyun responded: **[It’s up to Gu Yu to figure out what to do. Stop treating a grown Alpha like a three-year-old. If you’re really desperate, just drink an energy drink.]**  

Shen Jin muttered, “Drink your grandpa,” but deep down, he couldn’t shake his nervousness. He rushed off to cook, trying to distract himself.

While stewing soup, he couldn’t help but return to his room to check the things he’d bought, his face quickly becoming as red as the shrimp and crab steaming in the kitchen.  

The bunny ears and long shirt were within the limits of what he could accept, but the wicked big data algorithms had targeted him relentlessly, making him curious enough to browse a few extra pages—and buy one more thing.  

The box was already open. He glanced at it, and his heart raced.  

The fluffy white bunny tail looked soft and cute, and he could imagine how pitiful a little bunny would look as it trembled, wagging its tail.  

Shen Jin’s face was burning red, his entire expression soaked in nervousness. It wasn’t until the alarm for the soup went off that he fled the bedroom in a hurry, like he was escaping a crime scene.  

He hadn’t even done anything wrong yet, but he already felt more anxious than if he were heading to the gallows.  

Had it not been for the sudden splatter of hot oil while stir-frying later, which startled him, he might’ve found it hard to divert his attention.

That day, he bought flowers, wine, set the table, and took a bath. He smoothly completed the birthday preparations, waiting for Gu Yu to come home.  

Perhaps because Gu Yu didn’t like a big fuss, he usually kept his birthday celebrations simple. In the past, he’d just invite a few close classmates for a drink. Shen Jin had seen it from afar but had never participated.  

He only remembered the date, and after school, he’d follow them into the bubble tea shop, pretending that he just happened to want a drink too.  

For years, Gu Yu had always ordered the same thing: grapefruit sago with three-quarters sugar and extra grapefruit. Shen Jin would silently grumble about it: “Why would anyone add extra grapefruit to something already low-sugar? Might as well drink bitter herbs!”  

And hearing Gu Yu’s friends wishing him happy birthday from a distance only made Shen Jin think more: “Someone with such a bad temper actually has friends? These people are too easygoing. If he invited me, I wouldn’t show up.”  

Back in middle school, twenty or thirty bucks for bubble tea was an unnecessary luxury for Shen Jin. He’d only splurge once a year on Gu Yu’s birthday, pretending he could afford it. After Gu Yu and his classmates left, Shen Jin would sit at the table and savor his drink for ages, feeling content.  

It was his secret way of celebrating Gu Yu’s birthday.  

Back then, he thought: “Even kids don’t get hit on New Year’s Eve. I’ll cut Gu Yu some slack on his birthday.”  

He had many such secrets, but this year was different—this time, he could legitimately wait at the table for Gu Yu to come home, to expect a warm hug and a simple kiss.  

As the lights flickered, Shen Jin gradually dozed off at the table, his thoughts growing fuzzy.  

Memories swirled back, fragmented, and eventually settled on his “first” with Gu Yu.  

The first time he had improper thoughts about Gu Yu was on a perfectly ordinary autumn afternoon.

“Did you hear? Gu Yu’s apparently differentiated into an Alpha.”  

Shen Jin overheard a conversation at the corner of the hallway during break and couldn’t help but stop.  

Someone responded, “Of course the campus prince is an Alpha—when will it be my turn to become an Omega? I don’t even mind if my ancestors end up cursed for it!”  

His companion continued, “Are you crazy? You actually want to become an Omega? Being an Alpha is the best!”  

“You think I don’t want to be an Alpha?” the other replied. “But I feel like Gu Yu won’t ever like anyone… Only an Omega with a high compatibility with his pheromones would have a chance. Given his personality, at least he’d be responsible for life. Doesn’t seem like a bad deal.”  

Shen Jin self-consciously touched his stomach, unsure why he suddenly felt nervous and fled.  

The reproductive cavity inside him, a huge and embarrassing secret, was quietly developing, a sign that he was very likely to differentiate into an Omega in the future.  

He had been confused and panicked about this many times before, but now, it also seemed to carry a faint bit of nervousness and anticipation, something he couldn’t quite process.  

When he ran into Gu Yu on the way downstairs, Shen Jin was surprised but averted his gaze guiltily like a thief. Gu Yu, however, grabbed his wrist as they passed and frowned, asking, “Why is your face so red—are you running a fever?”  

Shen Jin’s heart pounded, and he yanked his hand back: “What does that have to do with you?”  

He told himself, with effort, that no matter how red his face got, it had nothing to do with Gu Yu.  

Gu Yu said nothing more, just stuck his hands in his pockets and turned to head downstairs with Shen Jin.  

Young Shen Jin hurriedly asked, “Why are you following me?”  

Young Gu Yu replied, “What if you get dizzy and fall down the stairs? I wouldn’t feel right about beating you up while you’re in the ICU.”  

Shen Jin’s mind raced as he tried to gauge how normal his breathing, expression, and face looked. When they reached the first floor, Gu Yu finally noticed nothing was wrong: “Oh… You were just blushing?”  

Before Shen Jin could respond, Gu Yu added, “So, who did you see upstairs?”  

Shen Jin was about to answer when Gu Yu coldly turned around and went back upstairs, as if the question hadn’t even come from him: “Heh, did you really think I cared?”  

“You…” Shen Jin was so angry he chased after him, grabbing him, and somehow the two ended up in a tussle until a teacher passed by, making them quickly blush and get to their feet. Shen Jin continued on to gym class, while Gu Yu calmly reminded him, “Early dating gets you 20 years in F Zone.”  

“You’re talking nonsense.” Shen Jin gritted his teeth and threw two air punches at him before running off to the field, the scent of sweet osmanthus filling the air. He hid the smile threatening to spill from his lips, feeling like the whole campus was singing.  

During the scuffle, he had almost fallen, but Gu Yu had braced him against the stair railing, pulling him into his arms and saving him from scraping himself.  

Even though it seemed like Gu Yu had done it unconsciously, that moment was enough to make Shen Jin happy for a long time. From that day on, whenever he experienced any reactions signaling his Omega differentiation, he would think of Gu Yu.  

Unfortunately, that didn’t alleviate any of his symptoms; instead, it triggered a vicious cycle, making the poor pre-Omega feel hotter and itchier with each thought. And the more his lips trembled, the more he thought.  

‘But there’s no way you were thinking about me like that back then—’

Shen Jin fiddled with the tender red petals of the bouquet beside him. A droplet of water trembled and slid down from the center of the petal, sweet and thick. He repeatedly rubbed it between his fingers, thinking, *I’m still better at this.*

The only problem was, what he saw in the past might not have always been the truth. 

Now, looking back, when Gu Yu shielded him as they fell, perhaps it wasn’t because of some instinctive gentlemanly principle but because of a genuine, irresistible affection.

“Gu Yu…” Shen Jin opened his mouth, and the frostbite in his heart began to heal as if touched by warm spring water. He clenched his slightly warm palms, trying to recall whether he had been hurt when Gu Yu held him back then. 

But sleepiness overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t remember no matter how hard he tried. In a daze, he fumbled for his phone and sent a message to Gu Yu.

*[Gu Yu, did you hit the stairs that time?]*

The message was vague and didn’t clarify when exactly it happened, but Gu Yu understood: *[I only got a small bruise, no big deal.]* 

This time, though, he added something: *[When it comes to you, I always get nervous. I’m afraid you’ll get hurt on the edges of the stairs.]*

A few seconds later, he sent another message: *[Be good, go to sleep. I’ll take a taxi and come back early.]*

Obediently, Shen Jin picked up his phone, went back to the bedroom, and curled up under the covers, sending Gu Yu a photo as proof.

It was late, and the longing for his alpha became unbearable. Shen Jin hugged the shirt Gu Yu had left on the bedside, burying his flushed face into the soft fabric, and finally closed his eyes.

*

When Gu Yu returned, he was greeted by the late-night birthday feast Shen Jin had carefully prepared for him. 

There was meat, soup, shrimp, and crab, but the most prominent dish was a plate of scrambled eggs.

Gu Yu had been anxious the whole way back, but now the tension melted into a sweet helplessness. He chuckled softly, picked up the chopsticks, and took a bite.

Shen Jin was obviously competing with him—this time, the scrambled eggs tasted good. At least he hadn’t added too much salt.

Putting down his chopsticks, Gu Yu’s mind wandered to Shen Jin’s image: biting his lip, gripping the spatula, determined to redeem himself, but also scrambling to avoid the splattering hot oil. He almost laughed out loud.

After a moment, he restrained the carefree smile that didn’t quite match his usually stern features. He walked quietly into the bedroom and leaned down, gently pressing his forehead to Shen Jin’s.

Half-asleep, Shen Jin curled up like a lazy kitten and nestled into him, murmuring, “Gu Yu… why are you only back now…”

His voice was filled with grievance, “The scrambled eggs I made especially for you have already gone cold—”

If he were fully awake, Shen Jin would never be so “unreasonable” as to act spoiled like this.

“Be good, my fault.” Gu Yu hugged Shen Jin’s warm, dry body and nuzzled his forehead with his chin. “The scrambled eggs were delicious. I’ll never dare make fun of your cooking skills again. Will you forgive me?”

Shen Jin, who had been pouting in anger, easily let his lips curl into a soft smile. His face, already red with embarrassment, burrowed even deeper into Gu Yu’s embrace. “Little Strawberry… I kind of missed you.”

Gu Yu swallowed, tightening his arms around Shen Jin in response to the confession. “Mm, Little Strawberry missed you too.”

After just a few hours apart, he had to cling to Shen Jin for a long time before he could feel at ease. Shen Jin gradually woke up, lifting his head and pressing soft, sleepy kisses against him, staining his lips and cheeks with a deep blush. Then he mumbled, “Are you hungry?”

Gu Yu, filled with restless desire, pulled Shen Jin close and kissed his sweet lips again and again until he caught sight of the small gift lying on the pillow. His gaze stopped, his throat tightening.

Under the soft glow of the lights, Shen Jin suddenly realized what was happening—his lower lip trembled, and in a panic, he scrambled to hide the items under the covers, stammering, “I-I didn’t try them on!”

He thought Gu Yu would be more nervous than him, but to his surprise, Gu Yu leaned over, pressed his scorching face against him, and whispered, “Even if you did try, it wouldn’t matter. I’m still bigger.”

Shen Jin’s breath caught, completely unprepared for Gu Yu, who had always been shy, to suddenly say something so brazen.

What shocked him even more was the next moment when Gu Yu leaned closer to his ear, his lips barely brushing, teasing him in a way that made his heart itch: “Let your husband see the bunny, okay?”

Gu Yu’s voice was low, soft, and dangerous, like a hook tugging at him.

Shen Jin froze completely, his face flushed pink as if soaked in wine. He couldn’t believe the man in front of him was Gu Yu. “You… what did you say?”

Bunny? Husband?

Gu Yu had lost it.

But Gu Yu didn’t back down. He pulled Shen Jin onto his lap, wrapping an arm around his waist and slipping his hand under the covers to retrieve the item. Leaning in close, he whispered into Shen Jin’s ear once more.

Shen Jin’s heart pounded violently, paralyzed in Gu Yu’s arms. But Gu Yu wasn’t done. He pried apart Shen Jin’s fingers one by one, placing the white fluffy ball into his palm, coaxing him softly, “Be a good bunny.”

Gu Yu held him so tightly that Shen Jin struggled to breathe. Trembling, he tried to protest, “I…”

The scent of strawberry wine overwhelmed his omega senses, and he couldn’t take it anymore, almost drowning in Gu Yu’s embrace.

The lights around them seemed to be drenched in wine, wrapping tightly around Shen Jin, invading every inch of him. With the last bit of strength, he tensed his aching abdomen, feeling a sense of humiliation at losing to Gu Yu.

But Gu Yu didn’t seem nervous at all. Instead, he radiated the dominant presence of an alpha, casually throwing out sweet nothings that Shen Jin could never say, ten, a hundred times more boldly than him.

“Mm…” But Shen Jin refused to admit defeat. Even though he could barely breathe in Gu Yu’s arms, he brought up the time he first found out Gu Yu was an alpha, wanting to show Gu Yu that he’d already thought about everything when he was just a freshman in high school.

Gu Yu stared at his flushed face, amused by his futile resistance.

“So, my little bunny was this naughty?” Gu Yu smirked as he pulled the white fluffy ball from Shen Jin’s hand. “Say that again?”

A wave of coldness swept over Shen Jin. Panicking, he grabbed Gu Yu’s clothes, his brow wet with sweat and disheveled hair. “I—”

This was all karma.

Shen Jin furrowed his trembling brows, pressing his forehead tightly against Gu Yu’s shoulder, biting his lip to make one final stand. “I… I was just thinking about it at the time… I didn’t actually like you…”

 

It was as if he had returned to his childish sixteen-year-old self, refusing to back down despite Gu Yu’s teasing. Yet Gu Yu, fully aware that Shen Jin was just being difficult, still pressed him, “You don’t like me?”

 

Then, Gu Yu’s way of addressing him changed, reverting to a more formal tone, “Senior, do you want to do what we’re about to do while we’re still enemies?”

 

Alpha’s hand pressed against that soft white fluff, his voice carrying a tone of indulgent tolerance, “Forcing your sworn enemy to do something like this… Not bad.”

 

Shen Jin, suppressing the sounds that threatened to escape, never imagined that in the end, he would melt under the pressure, clutching Gu Yu and pleading, “Please…”

 

—

 

When Shen Jin woke up, it was almost noon the next day. The bell-like ringing in his ears had finally stopped, and the only thing to be thankful for was that Gu Yu had glossed over the rest of the “gifts,” constantly reassuring him that those things had never been the point of a birthday.

 

It didn’t matter whether or not he was in his omega heat cycle.

 

Shen Jin, stunned for a moment, then wrapped his arms around Gu Yu, all his anxiety and fear melting away. They hadn’t even had time to eat the full spread from last night. Maybe reheating it in the microwave could make for a decent lunch. Shen Jin moved weakly with his eyes closed but realized he was still in Gu Yu’s arms, barely able to move.

 

After Gu Yu had carried him to the shower last night, they had fallen asleep in each other’s embrace—this realization jolted Shen Jin fully awake, his face instantly turning crimson. He didn’t dare even open his eyes to glance at Gu Yu.

 

He knew Gu Yu was already awake, and he silently prayed that Gu Yu would act like the rascal he was last night, taking full control of the situation so that Shen Jin wouldn’t have to face his own nervousness.

 

Unfortunately, when Shen Jin finally gathered the courage to open his eyes, Gu Yu’s breathing hitched, and he immediately hugged him tightly, his voice shy to the extreme, “Don’t look at me.”

 

It sounded like Gu Yu was the one who had been taken advantage of, like a virtuous Alpha trying to preserve his dignity.

 

The hug was so tight that Shen Jin couldn’t see Gu Yu’s expression, only catching sight of his ears turning red as if they were about to steam. Before Shen Jin could question who that confident and mature Alpha from last night was, Gu Yu’s anxious voice came again, “Did I… perform well last night?”

 

Shen Jin’s face flushed instantly. Although Gu Yu had been clumsy at first and overly cautious with his care, by the end, Shen Jin had been thoroughly loved over and over again. Saying Gu Yu hadn’t done well would be a lie.

 

Even the sheets had been changed after the bath.

 

So, lowering his head, Shen Jin felt hot, wanting to praise Gu Yu, but before he could respond, Gu Yu interrupted, “Forget it, I… don’t need to know.”

 

The sunlight was already spilling onto the bed, yet Gu Yu was still acting like a child, whining and refusing to let Shen Jin see his expression.

 

Snuggling into Gu Yu’s arms, Shen Jin tentatively asked, “Gu Yu, last night, you—”

 

“Last night, I wasn’t pretending not to be nervous.” Before Shen Jin could finish, Gu Yu hurriedly explained, “I really wasn’t.”

 

Shen Jin paused, then suddenly understood: Gu Yu’s unusual behavior last night had been an act.

 

He must have prepared for a long time, not wanting to add to Shen Jin’s nervousness, which was why he had acted so mature, calm, and proactive.

 

But in reality, Gu Yu had probably been mortified ever since he called himself “husband.” His whole act had been full of holes, and by the time he kissed Shen Jin’s forehead, his lips had been trembling. But Shen Jin had already been sobbing incoherently, unable to think clearly.

 

Only now did Shen Jin realize that his little strawberry was probably more nervous and shy than he was. Otherwise, how could Gu Yu be acting so “virtuous” now, refusing to let Shen Jin even glance at him?

 

The soft bedding still carried a faint strawberry scent, and Shen Jin curled into Gu Yu’s gentle embrace, feeling warmer than ever. “Gu Yu, you really chose me, didn’t you?”

 

Among the vast sea of people, on this small planet with billions of people, Gu Yu had chosen only him.

 

His teenage wish had been carefully tended to by Gu Yu, growing into a beautiful reality. One by one, those dreams had come true, filling what had once been a barren world. But Gu Yu said, “It was his senior who fulfilled his wish, the one who always doted on him the most.”

 

“Someone cold, contradictory, proud, and annoying, who never said a kind word—he never imagined his senior would ever choose him.”

 

In the warmth of the winter sun, Shen Jin paused for a long time before finally allowing Gu Yu to tighten his embrace, holding him close.

 

“Gu Yu… I’m a bit sleepy,” Shen Jin whispered softly after a moment of warmth. “Could you… lull me back to sleep?”

 

“Alright,” Gu Yu agreed immediately, reaching to touch Shen Jin’s forehead, only to find it unusually warm. “Why are you running a fever? Did you not cover up properly last night?”

 

Shen Jin’s breathing hitched as he lay in Gu Yu’s arms. For some reason, he suddenly felt wronged and tried to push him away. “I didn’t…”

 

“…?” Gu Yu was a bit puzzled. As he comforted Shen Jin, he reached for a thermometer, but Shen Jin wouldn’t let him move, almost getting mad at him, “It’s… it’s your fault for having such good stamina, got it?”

 

Gu Yu froze, and his face immediately flushed as if it were going to melt.

 

He didn’t know if his stamina was really that good, but one thing was certain: Shen Jin was both inexperienced and playful.

 

Earlier in the morning, Shen Jin had been as drenched as if he’d been pulled out of water, yet stubbornly refused to admit defeat. Even though he had been moaning Gu Yu’s name over and over, he still insisted on clinging to Gu Yu’s hand and throwing in a few insults, along with a “I don’t like you” to top it off.

 

The consequences had been predictable.

 

As Gu Yu recalled this, he couldn’t help but hug Shen Jin tighter, the words escaping his mouth before he could stop them.

 

“… Is it true?”

 

“So, was everything you said last night true too?”

 

“Do you really enjoy doing that with me that much?”

 

“Am I… really all yours now?”

 

Damn it, Shen Jin cursed inwardly. Who’s claiming who here?

 

He was hugged so tightly he could barely breathe, left with no choice but to let Gu Yu kiss and caress him all over again.

 

Only when Shen Jin was completely spent, limp in Gu Yu’s arms, did the latter finally come to his senses, frantically touching Shen Jin’s face, soothing him back to sleep.

 

Before he drifted off, Shen Jin swore to himself that he would tease Gu Yu about this for the rest of his life. But when he woke up in the afternoon, Gu Yu was already denying everything with a straight face, even going as far as to say, “If senior’s memory is so bad, I could make some stir-fried brains with walnuts tonight to help.”

 

“Is that edible?” Shen Jin propped himself up to grab Gu Yu, but the pain in his body forced him to halt in humiliation.

 

Gu Yu quickly came over to check his temperature but continued with his teasing, “So weak, soft, and watery, not even as strong as a sick little rabbit.”

 

“If I had known senior would beg me like that, I wouldn’t have just played basketball and gone running. I should’ve signed up for a triathlon.”

 

“You cry when I touch you, you cry when I don’t. In the middle of it all, you insisted on proving yourself with your mouth, and when I refused, you threw a fit—”

 

The warm sunlight filtered in, and Shen Jin was so flustered by Gu Yu’s calm words that his ears went red. He finally retreated under the covers in frustration, refusing to speak another word to the Alpha.