After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 78

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After their intimate moment, the blanket was filled with the warm, milky scent of pheromones.  

Shen Jin hugged Gu Yu’s arm for warmth and asked, knowing full well the answer, “Why are you, an alpha, crying over something like this? Was it that hard when I took control for a bit?”  

He didn’t hide his mischief, while Gu Yu stubbornly, with red eyes, tried to push him away:  

“…How old are you, Senior? Just learned the multiplication table?”  

Before Gu Yu could ask the next question, Shen Jin answered in advance, “I’m just that vengeful.”  

Having failed to get his way, Gu Yu could only look down and touch his abs:  

“Then—Senior shouldn’t bully me like that.”  

“This counts as bullying?” Shen Jin, instead, acted like Gu Yu was being unreasonable. “You begged me to let go, and I did before you started crying. Wasn’t I obedient enough?”  

Gu Yu, his ears turning red with embarrassment, was just about to explode. Shen Jin, seeing this, laughed and tried to soothe him, hugging the poor alpha: “I’m sorry, I’ll recite the multiplication table for you, little strawberry, okay?”  

Little Strawberry, feeling wronged, hugged him and sniffed at his neck, only feeling satisfied after hearing him finish reciting.  

The night was deep, but neither of them was very sleepy. Before long, Gu Yu recovered and asked, “New Year’s Eve is coming… what would Senior like to eat? I can pick up the ingredients after I get back from work tomorrow.”  

He knew that Shen Jin’s New Year’s wish was probably just to laze around, eat snacks, and play games together, but surprisingly, Shen Jin said, “I still want to eat that beef from District F… How about we go back there? You can take me to meet him.”  

Gu Yu was confused for a moment:  

“Meet who?”  

He even thought Shen Jin was talking about meeting the beef’s creator, but the person in front of him just lowered his head and hugged his waist without answering right away.  

The closeness made Gu Yu swallow hard, and he quickly understood:  

“Oh… He wasn’t that particular. Except for Qingming Festival, I visit the cemetery when I feel like it. I can go anytime.”  

Shen Jin remained silent, just clutching the back of Gu Yu’s shirt.  

Gu Yu’s eyes darkened as he adjusted his embrace to make the now-thinner Shen Jin more comfortable:  

“Why bring this up all of a sudden? It’s been so long. I’ve stopped thinking about it.”  

But Shen Jin, still nestled against his chest, answered in a muffled voice:  

“You’re lying—you just mentioned New Year’s Eve, and I could tell right away.”  

Gu Yu patted the bunny’s bottom and teased, “Which mountaintop did you train on, Senior? What could you hear from just a few words?”  

But Shen Jin grew even more certain:  

“I can just tell. You’re still the same as when you were 14. You never stopped thinking about him.”  

The winter moonlight was hazy, like a gentle hand caressing Gu Yu’s face.  

It turned out that this easily frightened, trembling, and wronged little bunny was more sensitive than he had imagined. He noticed everything.  

Afraid of startling him, Gu Yu softly said, “Alright, it’s close anyway. It’ll only take a few hours. The high-speed rail station is far though. Let’s take a taxi back to avoid the hassle.”  

“A taxi? Where are you getting that kind of money from, hardworking student?” Shen Jin calculated that taking the train would save them a few bucks. But Gu Yu replied, “This semester I’ve got scholarships from both the university and the department, plus my income from delivering food. I’ve also been tutoring, and I’ll continue. I did the math—we’ve got enough for tuition and living expenses.”  

“We?” Shen Jin frowned, “Do you even know how much my tuition costs?”  

Gu Yu said calmly, “Of course I know.”  

In the same university, tuition fees often inversely correlated with the entrance scores. Gu Yu’s tuition was only a bit over 3,000 yuan a year, but Shen Jin’s program was much more expensive.  

Shen Jin pinched Gu Yu’s cheek, pulled out his phone, and transferred him some money via a blue app:  

“You know, good.”  

Gu Yu stared at the screen, still dazed by the “voluntary gift” message, and Shen Jin said, “Take it. Sure, I’ve spent a lot on games and clothes, but I’ve saved up some money for tuition. I’ll keep a bit for pocket money, but you’ll handle the finances from now on. Just top up my meal card with 72 yuan each month, and I’m good.”  

Gu Yu was about to return the money when the number made him frown:  

“…Are you still smoking?”  

Shen Jin liked Nanjing Xinhemen cigarettes, which cost 18 yuan per pack. One pack a week totaled exactly 72 yuan. But Shen Jin, playing dumb, said: “Who’s smoking? I want to buy little strawberry cakes—”  

Though he said it so earnestly, Gu Yu still pinched his chin, annoyed:  

“No way. Even if you claim one pack a week is nothing, you’re not getting it.”  

As Gu Yu tried to process a refund, Shen Jin held down his phone and said, “It’s decided. I’ll spend recklessly otherwise, and you’ll have to be thrifty again.”  

Their hands intertwined, warm like a newlywed couple stressing over daily expenses. Gu Yu wanted to pull his hand back, but Shen Jin clung to him like a slippery eel, refusing to let go.  

Shen Jin had never had extravagant material desires.  

All he ever wanted was something as simple as a shrimp dumpling or a toy card, but even those modest requests had never been fulfilled.  

Gu Yu, having been a boy himself, remembered how many of his peers had flocked around him, charmed by his generosity with toys. But there had always been some who stood far away, timidly watching. Shen Jin had likely been one of those kids, awkward and envious.  

Gu Yu could easily imagine the little Shen Jin, embarrassed and overwhelmed. Unable to resist, he reached out and gently held the back of Shen Jin’s neck, pulling him close.  

Money was undeniably the greatest source of security for a child who grew up like Shen Jin, but he didn’t seem to mind handing over his savings to Gu Yu.  

“I thought guys like you, built from steel and concrete, were extinct by now,” Gu Yu said. “Only a few months in, and you’re already giving all your money to an alpha. If word gets out, there’d be a line of people ready to carry you away with forklifts.”  

“It’s not that much.” Shen Jin, hugging his neck in return, playfully gave a speech typical of a hopeless romantic:  

“Besides, my alpha is different. Sure, he’s broke, jobless, and hasn’t even graduated, but he’s sincere. If you’re not supportive, you’re just jealous that I have a boyfriend~”  

Gu Yu didn’t bother responding to his teasing, firmly rejecting his advances. But Shen Jin wouldn’t back down, sticking to him and refusing to let him return the money.  

“Just take it. I’ve been freeloading off you this whole time. Who knows who’d really get taken away by a forklift.”  

“Your studies are heavy. You should cut back on part-time jobs. It doesn’t make sense for you to pay while I contribute nothing.”  

“Just think of it as me paying my share of the living expenses.”  

“Okay, darling? Without you managing the money, our house would fall apart.”  

In the end, Shen Jin resorted to calling him “wife” twice, shamelessly and stubbornly.  

Gu Yu, now blushing with embarrassment, finally retorted:  

“…Don’t call me wife.”  

Shen Jin kissed his red cheeks:  

“Then promise me you’ll keep the money.”  

Frustrated yet helpless, Gu Yu let Shen Jin take full advantage. In the end, he typed out a message in the transfer chat: “Thank you, Senior, for the loan of X yuan on X day of X month, which I will repay in the future.”  

This way, whether he used the money or not, the ownership still remained with Shen Jin. He could ask for it back anytime he wanted.  

Gu Yu said, “No matter how much Senior trusts me, you shouldn’t joke around with your own money.”  

Unable to resist, he grabbed Shen Jin and made him listen to a 20-minute lecture. Shen Jin, unable to escape, grumbled in protest while nodding and agreeing:  

“Yes, yes, I’ll never fall for an alpha’s sweet-talking lies again, never again will I be tricked into losing both money and love.”  

After Gu Yu finally finished, Shen Jin cheekily said:  

“You don’t even have a proper title yet, and you’re already like this. Are you going to make me show you every penny I earn in the future?”  

“No,” Gu Yu raised his brows. “In the future, our assets will be managed by a dedicated accountant. No need for you to worry, Senior.”  

“Wow, you’ve got big dreams, Mr. Gu.” Shen Jin laughed for a long time, speaking even more grandly than Gu Yu:  

“Then I’d

 like to pre-order three Cantonese chefs, an esports team, and a house with a floor-to-ceiling window.”  

“Sure,” Gu Yu agreed, unfazed, “the window can be big enough for Senior to lie against comfortably.”  

Shen Jin immediately kicked Gu Yu in mock frustration, but Gu Yu quickly grabbed his leg, trying to pull him closer. Yet as soon as he touched Shen Jin’s leg, he froze and tightened his grip:  

“…You were fine just now, why are you so cold again?”  

They had been under the covers for a while, and their pajamas weren’t thin, but Shen Jin’s legs were still cold from the feet up to his calves, a common occurrence in winter.  

Usually, a hot bath warmed him up for a bit, and Shen Jin liked to downplay it, but now, he curled up his pale-pink toes and said:  

“Gu Yu… I want you to warm me up before we sleep… Is that okay?”

“Mm.” Gu Yu tugged at Shen Jin. “Come here.”

 

He noticed that even though Shen Jin didn’t eat too little, he still lost a bit of weight repeatedly, which didn’t quite fit the autumn-winter pattern. Yet, there was nothing else he could do.

 

Fortunately, being pressed against the alpha’s burning body seemed to make Shen Jin feel much more comfortable. Soon, he wrapped the blanket around his upper body, drowsy in Gu Yu’s arms. But just before falling completely asleep, Shen Jin fought to stay conscious and pointed at Gu Yu’s chest, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking—don’t worry, your big brother’s just been in poor health these last two years. You have ambitions, goals. You’ll be smoking, drinking, staying up late, networking, developing your career. Meanwhile, as long as I don’t starve, I can take it easy, just be a teaching assistant, loaf around, sleep, play games, occasionally supervise the team’s training. Who dies first is still up in the air.”

 

Gu Yu listened seriously but didn’t admit it, “…Why would I be afraid? We’ll meet again in the next life anyway.”

 

Shen Jin leaned against Gu Yu’s chest, his consciousness fuzzy but still speaking with a righteous tone, “In my next life, I want to be the alpha… so I can bend you over like this… and maybe this deep…”

 

“It seems like senior is quite familiar with his own structure,” Gu Yu teased, “but why do I feel like you’ll turn into a caterpillar in your next life?”

 

From the way Shen Jin often lay down kicking and squirming in his playful fits, Gu Yu sometimes seriously suspected that he hadn’t adopted a bunny after all.

 

Shen Jin whined in protest, rubbing his face against Gu Yu’s shoulder, but soon fatigue took over, and he drifted off to sleep.

 

The bedroom was faintly scented with a sweet, secret, and tempting cake aroma. Gu Yu gradually warmed Shen Jin’s calves, but he still couldn’t put his mind at ease. He found himself absentmindedly staring at Shen Jin, wanting to nuzzle his cheek one moment, kiss his full lips the next, yet unable to fall asleep.

 

The moonlight was cold and distant. He pressed his forehead against Shen Jin’s, trying to pull him closer. But just then, the phone on the bedside table lit up, and Gu Yu instinctively covered it to prevent the light from disturbing Shen Jin.

 

Even in that brief moment, though, he saw that it was a message from his father.

 

Under the moonlight, Gu Yu remained silent until he was sure that Shen Jin was soundly asleep. Only then did he quietly unlock the phone, lowering the screen’s brightness to the minimum as he read.

 

They say that when a son comes of age, there’s often a war between father and son. It seemed his father had made his maximum concession in this battle.

 

The messages read: 

 

【If he were still alive, he certainly wouldn’t want me treating our child like this.】

 

【I’ve transferred the money to you. Check your account, at least finish college.】

 

【This matter ends here. As I said, son, just come back and apologize to me for New Year’s, and everything will be fine.】

 

【As for that omega, I won’t make any further demands. Anyway, with such a status gap between you, you two will break up sooner or later. He has nothing to do with me.】

 

Gu Yu quietly scrolled through the messages, replying:

 

【Status gap? Is there some royal bloodline you forgot to tell me about that I need to inherit?】

 

Even in the dead of night, his father’s reply came swiftly:

 

【You’re just a kid raised in a greenhouse; there’s much you don’t understand.】

 

【Yi Zhi grew up under my and your aunt’s watch. He’s always been obedient. He just made a few small mistakes, but that Shen Jin wouldn’t let it go and ruined his future. Can’t you see his ulterior motive?】

 

【I encounter dozens of omegas like him every day. What do you think all those luxury cars parked outside the university are there for?】

 

It seemed his father was convinced of his own logic:

 

【He chose you because he thought you were a cleaner, easier shortcut.】

 

Gu Yu had long seen through this, so he wasn’t interested in continuing the conversation. He simply replied:

 

【The luxury cars parked outside the university? They’re there to pick up their own kids, obviously. Or does Mr. Gu think everyone is like you, driving around to pick up others while raising a kid in a greenhouse where the father cheats and is emotionally abusive, and the mother dies early from worry?】

 

Predictably, this response set his father off.

 

Middle-aged wisdom after middle-aged wisdom poured in, but Gu Yu didn’t respond with anything extra, only stating that he wouldn’t starve even without using his father’s money.

 

In the end, his father left a few more paternal commands, clearly unwilling to say much more:

 

【He was there when the company was founded. He has shares and dividends. You’re legally entitled to inherit.】

 

【Let’s just pretend I don’t have a son. I’ve sent you his money; whether you spend it or not is up to you.】

 

【Just remember one thing: don’t waste money on that kind of omega. You’ll regret it.】

 

Gu Yu thought about it for a moment and couldn’t say his father was entirely wrong.

 

So, he opened his bank app, transferred the money to Shen Jin, and even attached a voluntary gift statement. Then he casually sent a screenshot to his father:

 

【Spending money on that kind of omega? Is this what you meant?】

 

The air felt thick with tension. After a long while, his father finally responded with just two words:

 

【Unfilial son.】

 

Gu Yu thought those words weren’t entirely unjustified, so he chuckled and didn’t mind their conversation ending in another disagreement.

 

【Yes, Mr. Gu is right. Legal inheritance, right? I’m already an adult, so don’t forget next year’s money, or we’ll have to meet in court.】

 

*

 

A whole day passed, and it wasn’t until New Year’s Eve morning that Shen Jin noticed the transfer.

 

For an average student, the amount wasn’t small.

 

He stared at the notification on his screen, confused, “Did you sell one of my kidneys while I was asleep?”

 

Seeing him sitting cross-legged in bed, wrapped in a blanket, eyes bleary like a little dazed mushroom, Gu Yu couldn’t help but reach out to tickle his sensitive waist. “Your kidney’s still there, isn’t it?”

 

Shen Jin was startled, losing his balance like a roly-poly toy, only stabilizing when Gu Yu pulled him into his arms. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he asked, “Did your dad try to pay me to leave you?”

 

Gu Yu pressed both hands to Shen Jin’s cheeks, confident, “Isn’t this amount not enough to split us up?”

 

But Shen Jin actually started to ponder, “It depends on the season… If there are New Year’s sales, I still have a lot of games I haven’t bought.”

 

Gu Yu kept his cool, though he was nearly pouting with frustration, “Are the games more important, or am I?”

 

Shen Jin tilted his head and smiled at him, “Of course you’re more important. At least, you’re worthy of being a second wife.”

 

Seeing that Gu Yu was getting annoyed and about to tickle him again, Shen Jin quickly sprawled across his lap in surrender, “I’m wrong, I’m wrong, I swear, no matter how much money anyone offers, I won’t leave my little strawberry… unless you abandon me first—”

 

As he spoke, his voice trailed off, leaving only a sense of insecurity: “Unless you dump me, force me to abort, remove the mark, kick me out in the middle of the night… Otherwise, I’ll keep clinging to you.”

 

Gu Yu saw through him in an instant and pinched his fluffy tail, smacking it lightly. “Stop pretending.”

 

Shen Jin wiggled his fuzzy head, struggling to hide his grin, “Alright, I was kidding.”

 

“If you speak harshly to me when we argue, I’ll run away from home and never come back.”

 

Gu Yu asked, “How harsh does it have to be to count?”

 

Shen Jin’s voice was soft and weak, “If you make me cry, that counts.”

 

“With how much you love crying, do I need to buy a decibel meter?” Gu Yu said with a sigh, his lips curling in amusement. This boy is going to be the death of me.

 

Shen Jin just laughed, oblivious to the sunlight falling on his face, blending into his translucent skin, making him look like a soft, peachy pink dessert with a faint scent of milk.

 

His omega heat was approaching. This tender sweetness was something only Gu Yu knew about. Unable to resist, he leaned down to kiss Shen Jin’s cheek and asked, “How are you feeling, senior? Are you uncomfortable? Maybe you shouldn’t go back.”

 

“I’ll be fine during the day. I just need to take some inhibitors,” Shen Jin murmured, pressing his damp forehead against Gu Yu’s shoulder. “We can leave after breakfast.”

 

Gu Yu couldn’t argue with him, so instead, he helped Shen Jin get dressed, lifted him up, led him to brush his teeth and wash his face, then carried him to the study to find the inhibitors. He spoiled him in every way he could.

 

Shen Jin felt a bit embarrassed as an older brother, but he forgot to refuse this pampering. He only pretended to stay calm, hanging onto Gu Yu with a flushed face as

 

 if nothing had happened. “Your dad didn’t give you any trouble, did he? I can’t accept that money. You should handle it.”

 

Gu Yu held him securely, worried something might happen later. “I’m not spending that money. It’s not mine, nor my dad’s. But you could ask the rightful owner later and see what they think.”