After being moved to tears by the sworn enemy's pheromones - Chapter 91

“I didn’t expect Little Strawberry to be even more childish than I thought.” Shen Jin lay down beside him, lifting a hand to playfully brush past his chin. “Have you ever cried for me, gotten mad, or even lost control, like the male leads in the novels I read? That seems to be a standard feature.”

“…” Gu Yu glanced at Shen Jin, “I thought the male leads in your novels would all be about slicing through enemies with one blow of 999 damage.”

Shen Jin tilted his head and looked at him, “If Little Strawberry could go mad while doing 999 damage in one strike, I’d enjoy that too.”

“Hmph.” Gu Yu responded coldly, “I don’t cry, I don’t get mad, and I definitely don’t lose control… stop overthinking, senior.”

After all, during the days he missed Shen Jin the most, he did nothing more than throw a hard drive containing a few photos of Shen Jin into the water in the first half of the night, only to crawl out later and search through the local electronic stores to try and recover the data. When the shop owner said some of the data could be recovered, he paused for a few seconds and chose to shake his head and refuse.

The shop owner, with a cigarette in his mouth, asked if he was causing trouble. Gu Yu paid and asked if that would settle it. The owner said something like, “Dude, are you out of your mind?”

He was, indeed, out of his mind.

Even though Shen Jin was at a university closest to him, he was trapped in the same dream—always the deserted path outside a cemetery at dawn, with Shen Jin walking ahead of him in his old school uniform, yet no matter how far Gu Yu reached, he could never touch him.

When he woke up, he could no longer tell if the moisture on his face was sweat or tears.

On the evening before the college entrance exams, he found himself leaning against his mom’s tombstone, sobbing quietly, just like when he was 14. All that remained in his heart was endless loneliness.

The sound of cicadas was oppressive. Though he was already an adult, he still felt like that weak child, only knowing how to cry in his mom’s arms and avoid problems, unwilling to decide his own future.

He had always been mature and reliable, so no one ever worried about him. Even as the exams loomed, no one thought to fret over him or remind themselves that he was only 18.

“Hmm…” Only Shen Jin, after hearing just a few words from him, pulled him close and said, “Had I known, I wouldn’t have waited so long outside the school gate last year. I should have knelt in the rain under your window, shouting through a megaphone that I wouldn’t get up until you agreed to marry me.”

“…” Gu Yu pretended to be busy, his hand unconsciously playing with the ends of Shen Jin’s hair. “Why would I marry you, senior? Just dating you is already a full-time job, doing laundry, cooking, and almost having a heart attack from being so angry. I’m not marrying you.”

But Shen Jin was unfazed: “You’ll just have to bear with it. Isn’t this how everyone lives? Besides, I’m pretty worn out every day, leading those four idiots to win games.”

Soon after, a warm embrace enveloped Gu Yu, and Shen Jin’s voice softened: “At least… whatever big life events come up from now on, you can always talk them through with me.”

Gu Yu’s hand paused for a few seconds before he hugged Shen Jin back.

He never told Shen Jin that the most out of control he had ever been was when he considered leaving the last physics problem blank on his college entrance exam.

He read the question twice and knew the solution clearly, but he delayed writing down the calculations and answer in the answer box.

After all, physics didn’t display an individual score, it was lumped into the overall science grade. No one would notice if he missed a question in a subject where he usually scored full marks.

“Wait a minute, your college entrance exam…” Shen Jin suddenly remembered something and asked, “Let me ask you again, did you really try to mess up your score on purpose to end up at C University?”

Gu Yu’s score was within a reasonable range, but still on the lower side of that range.

Seeing Shen Jin’s suspicion, Gu Yu’s lips curled into a faint smile: “I did think about it, but I didn’t actually do it. Besides, even if I scored a bit higher, it wouldn’t have stopped me from getting into C University. I just realized after the exam that I made a mistake on a chemistry reaction formula.”

“So that’s why your science score was lower than usual?” Shen Jin frowned again, “What about the 60 parallel university choices? How did you know you’d definitely get into C University? Did you put all the lower-ranked universities ahead to make sure C University would pick you up?”

“That’s too much trouble.” Gu Yu replied, as calm as ever. “I only applied to C University.”

The third question: I thought I had long lost the ability to feel emotional changes. Even with childhood friends, I could easily shut the door on them without feeling a trace of sadness.

I used to stubbornly believe that I could isolate myself from the world, living alone in my own space.

But then you appeared and insisted on becoming part of my world. I found myself retreating again and again from my once-unshakable defenses, losing that stubborn resistance.

I think that this so-called loss of control isn’t just about crying or smiling for you, but about how you’ve made me see the world differently, and once again feel the breath of every tree and blade of grass.

Now, even a simple meal can make me happy.

For instance, in our third year, the class monitor invited me to a KTV party, even pulling in the class teacher just to make sure I’d come. I didn’t expect myself to say yes, and even found myself reluctant to part with my classmates and teachers in that moment.

Or on those summer nights when the rain wouldn’t stop, my aunt pretended to clean my room just to keep me company. I said a few words to her, and she looked so happy that I almost asked if she’d felt sorry for me all these years.

Then there was the time I passed by a snack stall near the school gate before graduation. I told the old lady I wouldn’t be coming back for lemon tea once I went to college. She pulled me aside and talked for a long time, and I listened carefully, secretly paying extra when I scanned the QR code.

It felt like I had come back to life. One day, I realized that when I pushed Jiang Lan and Tao Yan away, I was actually incredibly sad.

My emotions no longer change just because of you, but because you exist in this world, I am driven to leave my walls behind and face the world again.

“Only applied to C University?” The person in front of him blinked furiously, almost angry. “What if you didn’t get in?”

“There’s no ‘what if.’” Gu Yu stared straight at him. “But if there were, I’d come find you to cover my tuition for retaking the exam and compensation for my emotional distress.”

“…I’m already broke, and you still want to scam me?” Shen Jin angrily scratched his side. “How about 500 per incident?”

Gu Yu lowered his eyes as Shen Jin leaned in, his heartbeat gradually quickening. “…The campus anti-vice squad is bound to take you in one day, senior.”

The young body couldn’t resist a little temptation. The warmth of pheromones surged up in an instant, and before Shen Jin could even speak, Gu Yu flipped him over and pinned him down. His face flushed red as he stammered, “…No need.”

“Huh? But—” Shen Jin blinked in confusion. He had thought no alpha could resist this, yet Gu Yu was as firm as if he were saving all of mankind and clearly uttered the last two words: “…I’ll do it.”

…

…

After the waves of heat finally subsided, Shen Jin felt more than just his throat hurting; there were other areas too sore to speak. He burrowed into Gu Yu’s arms, feeling the urge to punch him but instead letting out a pitiful sob. Soon, the soothing words lulled him back to sleep—when he woke again, it was already four or five in the morning. Instinctively, he tried to move but found that Gu Yu was pressing down firmly on his lower abdomen through his clothes, keeping him from moving.

If it weren’t for the fact that Shen Jin was about to have surgery, he suspected Gu Yu wouldn’t have fully pulled out.

Shen Jin arched his back slightly, trying to pry away the hand that was causing him discomfort, but it easily woke Gu Yu.

“…Sorry,” Gu Yu apologized the moment he opened his eyes. Shen Jin, having endured an alpha’s “violence,” felt even more aggrieved. “I hate you…”

But Gu Yu’s apology seemed less than sincere. “Why does senior hate me again?”

Shen Jin gave him a light elbow to the ribs and, in the tussle, felt like biting Gu Yu.

“You said you didn’t want kids in the future, but every time, you… it’s like you’re really trying to get me pregnant.”

“….” Gu Yu hadn’t expected Shen Jin to be so blunt, and his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. He childishly denied it, “I didn’t… it’s clearly because senior likes it.”

“How dare you say that?” Shen Jin was shamelessly unfazed. “You totally did. Just now—you—”

Shen Jin, serious and flustered, recounted the details of the incident, causing Gu Yu’s ears to burn red. Still, he stubbornly maintained, “That was because senior first asked when I would lose control and go wild…”

That was probably one way of looking at it.

“…I still hate you.” Shen Jin pulled himself together, wrapped up in the blanket all alone, looking as though he was ready to lead a life of abstinence.

Seeing Shen Jin roll to the edge of the bed within seconds, Gu Yu hurriedly pulled him back, fearing he might actually fall off. “When morning comes, I’ll make you something delicious, and then you won’t hate me anymore, okay?”

This tactic always worked.

He peeled back the blanket little by little, tugged Shen Jin’s hand out, and stuffed it under his own waist.

Shen Jin let him do as he pleased, and after a while, he burrowed back into Gu Yu’s arms, murmuring, “Then I want chestnut and salted egg yolk porridge, and crystal shrimp dumplings…”

“Alright, alright, whatever senior wants.” Gu Yu adored the sweet and warm scent that clung to Shen Jin. Holding him was like cradling a freshly baked, soft loaf of bread. “Sleep now. I’ll wake you up later.”

“I still have a question I haven’t asked…” Shen Jin shifted into a more comfortable position, his sleepy voice growing fainter. “Never mind, I’ll ask it… when I feel like it later…”

Before Gu Yu could respond, Shen Jin had already grabbed hold of his shirt and drifted back into dreamland.

Outside, the stars were fading gently, and Gu Yu wondered for a few seconds what Shen Jin wanted to ask. But soon, he was lost in the sweet warmth of Shen Jin’s body, thinking only about where he could find some chestnuts come morning.

*

The day of the surgery arrived quickly. Gu Yu was well-versed in the process, from handling the paperwork and payment to waiting and preparing for the procedure. On the other hand, Qin Zhu and Xu Tingyun seemed more concerned that Shen Jin might be nervous or scared.

After all, Shen Jin was the type of person who would cry in Gu Yu’s arms after stubbing his toe on a table leg as if he had just lost a limb. Who knew how he would handle chest surgery?

But surprisingly, Shen Jin appeared unusually calm.

The day before the surgery, as the surgeon and anesthesiologist explained the risks of the procedure, they didn’t even realize Shen Jin was still a student.

He signed the consent form, cooperated with the medical team in marking the surgical site, and discussed his health conditions, looking every bit like a grown adult already used to life’s hardships.

After the doctors left, Qin Zhu jabbed him in the back, “You don’t have to pretend to be tough. If you’re scared, go cry in your beloved boyfriend’s arms. We’ll pretend we didn’t see anything.”

“Do you believe I’ll jab your eyes out right now?” Shen Jin replied, unfazed. “Back in the day, I got 80 stitches from a fight without any anesthesia. What’s there to be afraid of?”

“Hard to imagine what kind of loser would get beat so bad they needed 80 stitches.” Qin Zhu put aside the wet wipe, “Just remember to wash your hands tomorrow.”

Shen Jin grumbled, “Yeah, yeah, I know,” while bossing Qin Zhu around for his phone, and the two of them played a round of casual mahjong to keep their nerves in check.

Meanwhile, in the water-boiling room, Xu Tingyun said to Gu Yu, “Qin Zhu and I thought you’d be really worried about Shen Jin.”

From his perspective, given how lovey-dovey Gu Yu and Shen Jin were, he feared that as soon as they left the room, the couple would start bawling their eyes out together.

“…Spare me your weird thoughts, Yun-ge,” Gu Yu said, knowing exactly what he meant. “No need to worry. On the contrary, I think he’s pretty excited about the surgery.”

Xu Tingyun was taken aback for a moment but soon understood what Gu Yu meant by “excited.”

Shen Jin had been dragging his illness around for a long time without much treatment, always convincing himself it wasn’t a big deal. But deep down, he probably knew better than anyone that without proper treatment, recovery was unlikely.

Back when Xu Tingyun had first seen some medications on Shen Jin’s desk at the start of the semester, there were small white bottles with handwritten labels. They looked like antibiotics or licorice tablets—things that might fool people into thinking they helped with cold symptoms. But Shen Jin likely knew very well that his illness wasn’t something these meds could fix.

Xu Tingyun once asked where he got the medicine. Shen Jin had replied that his great-grandfather had taken him to the town doctor and bought a lot of it, which he still hadn’t finished.

That was likely the last time Shen Jin’s great-grandfather had ever left the village to go to town. They even bought a few fish and some chickens and ducks at the market.

Shen Jin had a home, but no one seemed to care whether he was well or not.

“Someone who’s willing to spend so much money to treat a boyfriend they’ve only been dating for a short time—that’s what I usually call a fool,” Xu Tingyun said as he handed Gu Yu the water. “But you’re right. To have someone notice how serious the problem is, take him for hours of IV therapy, and insist on him having this surgery, he must be overjoyed. Qin Zhu and I fell for his lies. All we ever told him was to drink more water.”

“Drinking more hot water isn’t a bad thing.” Gu Yu tightened his grip on the warm cup in his hand, lowered his eyes, and gently rotated the cup for a few seconds before saying, “Yun-ge… I might not be as good as you say I am.”

He thought that Xu Tingyun and Qin Zhu probably didn’t know the details. If it weren’t for him, Shen Jin wouldn’t have had to suffer until now.

“Oh, are you talking about when you went to meet him and ended up in the wrong place?” Xu Tingyun, however, seemed to know very well and said, “Don’t bring it up. It was just a misunderstanding that could’ve been cleared with a phone call. I don’t know why you two had to make it so dramatic and insisted on meeting in person.”

As he spoke, he picked up another cup. “Only you. The rest of us wouldn’t dare to leave Shen Jin hanging. If we were late by even a minute, he’d be video-calling us on WeChat, asking about our entire family tree.”

Gu Yu was stunned for a moment. On the way back to the hospital room, he couldn’t help but ask, “How much has senior told you guys about me and him?”

Xu Tingyun glanced at him, smiling mysteriously. “Want me to show you the chat history? You might faint, but at least we could resuscitate you right away.”

“…No, thanks,” Gu Yu took a deep breath. “Maybe print it out and burn it for me after I’m dead.”

“That would probably take three days and nights,” Xu Tingyun teased as they returned to the hospital room. He placed the water on the side and reminded Shen Jin, “Let it cool for a bit. Just two more sips, and after that, no more food or drink.”

Shen Jin nodded with a frown, looking like he was not happy with losing in their earlier game of mahjong. Before long, he was pulling Qin Zhu to play a few more rounds.

As night fell, Qin Zhu and Xu Tingyun got ready to head back to school, not forgetting to tease Gu Yu, “Junior, you might as well not stay overnight. Why don’t you come back with us and visit again tomorrow if you have time?”

Shen Jin immediately clung to Gu Yu’s arm, looking pitifully at him as if he was really going to leave. “Honey…”

Qin Zhu and Xu Tingyun were so disgusted that they quickly waved their hands and left, swearing they wouldn’t come back tomorrow. After sending them off, Gu Yu looked down at Shen Jin. “Honey?”

Shen Jin’s face quickly turned red, and he let go of Gu Yu’s arm. “I-I was just messing around with them.”

Gu Yu chuckled softly, not pressing the matter. Instead, he sat down and gently touched Shen Jin’s forehead. “Are you scared?”

Omegas are somewhat different from Alphas, and their sensitivity to pain is usually higher.

Gu Yu thought Shen Jin would shake his head and pretend not to care, but to his surprise, Shen Jin snuggled into his arms and nodded. He raised his arm and gestured at the area where the surgery incision would be. “Of course I’m scared… It’s definitely going to hurt… Every app I open these days keeps pushing me videos of doctors using steel pins and hammers in surgery. I think big data is afraid I’m living too comfortably.”

Shen Jin frowned lightly, looking entirely different from the person who earlier bragged about getting 80 stitches without making a sound. He resembled a dejected little rabbit now.

Gu Yu couldn’t tell if he felt more heartache or regret. He could only pat Shen Jin’s back, trying to comfort him. “Steel pins and hammers are for orthopedic surgeries, not internal ones. And modern anesthesia is very safe. The whole thing will be over in the blink of an eye, and you won’t feel a thing. No need to worry.”

“Who asked you to say that?” Shen Jin gripped his shirt tightly, sounding aggrieved. “It’s not like I don’t understand what the doctor said. Do you think I don’t know what anesthesia is like?”

“…” Gu Yu licked his lips, realizing that sometimes he was too rational and restrained, not very good at comforting people.

He thought for a moment, then rephrased his words, this time treating Shen Jin like a fragile little animal. “Be good, don’t be scared. Your husband is here; it won’t hurt much. Once you’re better, you can ask me to do anything.”

His voice was deliberately lowered, filled with tenderness and warmth.

“But what good is it that you’re here? You’re not the one doing the surgery,” Shen Jin tilted his head and looked at him, still full of grievance. “Whether it hurts or not is up to the anesthetist, right? Are you treating me like a three-year-old?”

It seemed nothing would work. Gu Yu got a little anxious, trying to figure out what to say next, but then Shen Jin’s face suddenly broke into a mischievous smile, making Gu Yu realize that Shen Jin had been teasing him all along.

“You…” Gu Yu’s ears turned a little red. He was almost on the verge of tears from frustration. “I’m never talking to you again.”

Shen Jin laughed, his eyes curling up like rippling lake water, tugging at Gu Yu’s heartstrings.

Before long, Shen Jin hooked his arm around Gu Yu’s neck and whispered in his ear, “It’s a rare opportunity. Senior just wanted to hear you comfort me a little more.”

In that moment, Gu Yu’s heart trembled slightly. He tightened his embrace and muttered, “You can tell me anytime you want to hear it. I don’t need this kind of opportunity.”

In a rare moment of openness, Gu Yu confessed, “When I first entered university, I heard there was someone who couldn’t even join the military training because of their health. Do you know how anxious I was?”

“Of course I know,” Shen Jin said, his smile growing more playful. “That night, didn’t young master Gu get so overwhelmed with love and frustration that he punched and shattered the bathroom mirror?”

“That’s nonsense. The bathroom mirror was perfectly fine,” Gu Yu gritted his teeth, but Shen Jin countered, “You must have replaced it. I get it. The deeper the love, the more complex it is.”

Gu Yu was so frustrated that he grabbed Shen Jin’s hand, determined to show him how clean his knuckles were, without a single scar. But Shen Jin rolled away, declaring, “Not looking, not looking. I’m going to sleep. We need to wake up early tomorrow. I’m not afraid of the surgery, just scared that you’ll cry by my side while holding my pale, fragile face after I fall asleep.”

“I—will—not,” Gu Yu gritted his teeth. If the circumstances were different, he would have pulled Shen Jin up and forbidden him from sleeping, but for now, he could only let Shen Jin smugly close his eyes while he sat beside him, gently covering Shen Jin’s hand with his own.

Shen Jin mumbled a few things like “I’m a bit hungry,” “Your hands feel colder than usual,” and “Don’t worry, the surgery will go well,” but before Gu Yu could respond, Shen Jin had already fallen asleep.

As Shen Jin’s breathing slowly deepened, Gu Yu unconsciously curled his fingers around Shen Jin’s, barely noticing how long he had been watching over him, filled with worry.

By the time he thought of rebutting Shen Jin, the latter was already sound asleep. All Gu Yu could do was lower his gaze, quietly resting his head next to Shen Jin’s hand, whispering, “I know everything will go well. I’m not afraid… not at all.”

At that moment, the moonlight outside the window was bright and clear, shining on them just like it had on those late-night walks down the tree-lined path after evening study sessions all those years ago.