The Marked Alpha Is Extremely Hard to Coax - Chapter 20

When Jiang Yunbian got off the bus, he sat at the bus stop in a daze until his sister Jiang Yunyi called to hurry him up, prompting him to stand up.

 

This neighborhood was the environment he knew best, having lived here for thirteen years. It seemed like every road had his past footprints.

 

When Jiang Yunbian walked through the gate, he saw a black car. He wasn’t sure if the people inside had seen him, but the car didn’t slow down.

 

He sighed in relief. When he reached the sixth floor, the door opened before he could ring the bell.

 

“Ge—” Jiang Yunyi’s voice was drawn out.

 

“Heavy.” Jiang Yunbian let her hang on his shoulder and patted her with a smile. “Have you eaten?”

 

“No—”

 

“Be a little quieter; are you a loudspeaker?”

 

Jiang Yunyi chuckled and walked around him. “Mom is going on a business trip and won’t be around for the holiday.”

 

Jiang Yunbian paused slightly as he was putting down his things, looking down. “I’ll take care of you for six days, and then go back on the last day of the holiday.”

 

His sister looked down in silence for a while before slowly responding with an “Oh.” Jiang Yunbian patted her on the head. “Stop pretending to be pitiful. How are your classes going?”

 

“Basically keeping up with the pace, won’t fall behind.”

 

Jiang Yunyi followed him around like a little dog, watching him find ingredients in the kitchen and help him with dishes, as if it was a novel experience.

 

“Since you’re free, go write a few more sets of problems.” Jiang Yunbian tied on an apron.

 

Jiang Yunyi touched the plate and said softly, “Ge, the doctor said I still can’t go back to school.”

 

Jiang Yunbian’s movements halted slightly. He stood still for a long time, his downcast eyes growing dim. “Yunyi, I’m sorry.”

 

Jiang Yunyi had been on leave from school for three years. Without the constant private tutoring, her academic progress would have been quite difficult.

 

She should have been able to go to school, take exams, and have her own life like any other Omega.

 

Jiang Yunbian had taken all that away.

 

“Eh, eh.” Jiang Yunyi hurriedly put the plate down. “No, that’s not what I meant. Ge, don’t…”

 

In her flustered state, she reached out to Jiang Yunbian’s eye corner, which he gently brushed away.

 

“Oh, not crying,” Jiang Yunyi said in disappointment.

 

Jiang Yunbian pinched her face. “Next time you cry, I’ll be the first to record a video for you.”

 

After dinner, exhausted from a day of classes and a two-hour drive, Jiang Yunbian fell asleep on the tatami while helping his sister with her homework.

 

Jiang Yunyi waved a pencil in front of him and whispered, “Ge?”

 

No response; he was asleep.

 

She pulled out a box of rubber bands from the drawer.

 

It was a familiar scene: Jiang Yunyi loved to mess with his hair and take photos of it for her social media.

 

Jiang Yunbian didn’t mind much; after all, the purpose of coming home was to make his sister happy.

 

So, at nine in the evening, classmates were shocked to find a photo of the school bully with two small puffs of hair on their social media feed. In the lower right corner was a glimpse of Jiang Yunyi’s face, looking smug after causing trouble.

 

[Xu Zhan: Little sister is skilled, Jiang Ge looks like a celestial being.]

 

[He Ru: Suddenly unsure who to envy… Little sister, if Jiang Ge gets mad after waking up, come find me.]

 

[Gu Wanglou: Jiang Ge’s demeanor changes when with his sister; he seems softer.]

 

[Yang You: Wake up! Jiang Ge is an Alpha, the kind that can crush you to dust with pheromones!]

 

…

 

Jiang Yunyi leaned against the bed, watching the likes and comments with her eyes squinting in laughter.

 

Since the incident, her social circle had shattered. The only person she could chat with besides family was Jiang Yunbian. Only when her brother came home did she have a chance to interact with others.

 

It might be a bit lonely, but she was used to it.

 

Just as she was about to delete the photo, an unfamiliar like caught her eye.

 

“Shen San Middle School Film Emperor Mr. Zhou?” Jiang Yunyi repeated the strange nickname silently and clicked on it.

 

Jiang Yunbian usually saved contacts by name and rarely used such distinctive nicknames, so she was curious.

 

But apart from the name, the chat records were mundane. Jiang Yunyi stared at the cat emoji and suddenly wanted to save it.

 

“Are you still blackmailing me on social media?” Jiang Yunbian’s drowsy voice came from behind, startling Jiang Yunyi. She quickly tapped the screen twice.

 

She anxiously blacked out the screen, put her phone on the desk, and quickly adopted a cover-up pose: “I didn’t!”

 

Jiang Yunbian reached out and grabbed the little tuft of hair on top of his head, slowly pulling it off, and picked up his phone. “It’s not like I’m forbidding you from posting.”

 

He then opened the screen to find the chat was with Zhou Die, and he had sent an emoji a minute ago.

 

It was the same grinning Shiba Inu Zhou Die often used with Xu Zhan, with the message: “Son, are you there?”

 

Shen San Middle School Film Emperor Mr. Zhou: .

 

Jiang Yunbian stared at the screen in silence, then slowly looked up. Jiang Yunyi, the culprit, had already slipped out the door.

 

Jiang Yunbian was quiet for a while before replying: “Not the real person.”

 

It wasn’t.

 

Shen San Middle School Film Emperor Mr. Zhou: Picture.

 

Jiang Yunbian saw the photo of himself with the hair puffs appear on the screen.

 

He first deleted the photo from social media, then warned Zhou Die: “If you want to live, withdraw it.”

 

Zhou Die chuckled at the six words and asked: “Is it the real person now?”

 

The response from Jiang Yunbian took a long time, and there was no further reply.

 

Zhou Die leaned against the bed and opened the photo again. Jiang Yunbian’s mouth was pursed, and his brows were not relaxed even while sleeping. He looked intimidating even in his sleep.

 

Perhaps that’s how fierce Alphas always are.

 

He traced his fingertips over the screen, moving them across the contours of his brows and eyes. Then he slowly zoomed in on a section of the screen, focusing on Jiang Yunbian’s right earlobe.

 

There was an earring hole there.

 

What had Jiang Yunbian been wearing on his earlobe that day in the dormitory?

 

Zhou Die pondered, then, seeing the unanswered chat window, he abruptly turned off the screen.

 

*

 

During the National Day holiday, Jiang Yunbian spent his time at home watching movies with Jiang Yunyi. She had accumulated a lot of horror films, and they watched them day and night. Jiang Yunbian saw a world of bizarre images even when he closed his eyes.

 

On the sixth morning, Jiang Yunbian, looking weary, was cooking eggs for breakfast.

 

Jiang Yunyi, half-awake, stood at the kitchen door, slowly opening her eyes and sniffing. “What’s that smell?”

 

“Compliment directly, don’t beat around the bush.” Jiang Yunbian turned off the heat and arranged the bread slices. “The milk is warmed up; you can have it yourself later.”

 

“No, it’s not the smell of food.” Jiang Yunyi walked up to him, sniffing. “It’s mint… Ge, has your pheromone changed a bit?”

 

Jiang Yunbian realized and covered the back of his neck. “Stop sniffing around. Go away.”

 

Jiang Yunyi wasn’t driven away; she stood beside him. “Ge, have your evaluation results returned to normal?”

 

Evaluation results.

 

Jiang Yunbian had forgotten. He had been isolated before, with his data exceeding the control limits and considered dangerous.

 

Jiang Yunbian’s eyes, which had lowered, scanned indifferently. “It’s been normal for a long time. Do you think your brother would really lose control and become an extreme Alpha?”

 

“Of course not.” Jiang Yunyi snorted and focused her attention back on the breakfast. “Did you make extra today?”

 

“There’s only one portion for you.” Jiang Yunbian found the barrier agent and sprayed it. “I’ll take the rest.”

 

“The rest… is more than one person’s portion.”

 

Jiang Yunbian didn’t answer that question. He finished cleaning up after Jiang Yunyi ate and left with the things.

 

They had an appointment with Zhou Die for a check-up at the hospital, and blood tests required fasting.

 

He didn’t bother thinking about lunch and decided to eat a bit more breakfast as a substitute.

 

When Jiang Yunbian was on his way back to the city, he received a message from Zhou Die.

 

Shen San Middle School Film Emperor Mr. Zhou: Are you awake?

 

Jiang Yunbian directly sent his location.

 

Estimating the time, he sent his expected arrival time and received an “OK” from Zhou Die.

 

At the hospital, Jiang Yunbian bought a bottle of yogurt from the convenience store and saw Zhou Die outside as he exited.

 

“Breakfast?”

 

“Not yet.” Jiang Yunbian put the yogurt in the bag. Zhou Die saw the two sandwiches inside. “Let’s go.”

 

Zhou Die followed behind, feeling inexplicably hungry.

 

For blood tests and a physical examination, Jiang Yunbian had one extra session for psychological counseling compared to Zhou Die.

 

The doctor handed him a report: “Enigma is rare, but all data is recorded. According to the pheromone concentration change curve and hormone tests, individuals marked by Enigma only find the first three special periods difficult to endure. After the three-month transition period ends, your reactions won’t be as intense.”

 

Then, the doctor took out a glass bottle of suppressants: “But according to the Reserver reaction, your pheromones will change accordingly. Ordinary suppressants are not effective; you must use E-blood prepared suppressants.”

 

Jiang Yunbian paused and looked up. “The pheromone is prepared with blood?”

 

“This is currently the least harmful and most effective suppression method for you,” the doctor nodded. “Also, the special suppressants have a shelf life of only two weeks, so Mr. Zhou will need to come for blood tests every time your sensitivity period approaches.”

 

It felt like a small hammer striking his chest; Jiang Yunbian’s palms and fingertips tingled.

 

Because of him, Zhou Die had to undergo blood tests… If he remembered correctly, he had broken a box of suppressants during the first sensitivity period, and not long after, Zhou Die prepared new ones for him.

 

“Is it always necessary?” he asked.

 

“Temporary marking can substitute, and deep marking can delay symptoms, allowing the use of ordinary suppressants.”

 

Jiang Yunbian was stunned for a moment. “I… I’m an Alpha. Can I still do deep marking?”

 

The doctor looked at him for a long time and smiled. “Yes, didn’t Mr. Zhou tell you?”

 

Jiang Yunbian was extremely reluctant to bring up the marking issue. Zhou Die had never discussed it with him. Facing the doctor’s inquiry, he could only respond vaguely.

 

He didn’t pay much attention to what the doctor said next. His mind was preoccupied with the suppressants. As an Alpha, he knew what deep marking involved, but he couldn’t give Zhou Die that opportunity.

 

So… he would mark Zhou Die?

 

Jiang Yunbian thought about that scenario and suddenly felt a bit flushed.

 

I’m going to mark Zhou Die?!

 

Damn, that’s so weird.

 

Jiang Yunbian unconsciously touched the back of his neck. When he came out of the examination room, Zhou Die was waiting at the door.

 

On the waiting chair, Grandpa Zhou, leaning on a cane, slightly raised his eyes when he saw Jiang Yunbian and slowly stood up. “Since the examination is done, let’s go home.”

 

Then, the usually stern and cold person slowly showed a smile and said softly to Jiang Yunbian, “Little one, Grandpa would like to invite you for a meal. Is that okay?”