CH 76

A deadly sweet smell filled the cold air, gently seducing Zhou Rin. In just a few seconds, his throat went dry and his normal senses dulled as his internal organs seemed to melt inside his body.

But the Omega in front of him remained unaware, his delicate fingers resting like epiphyllum petals on Zhou Rin’s heated arm. He looked up at the young Alpha in surprise, as if not understanding why he was reacting so violently. yVw0IP

He was obviously the villain forcing him to the edge of the abyss, but his eyes appeared so clear and innocent that Zhou Rin felt another wave of pain roll through his body. He glared down at the Omega with fierce eyes.

If he could, he really wished he could destroy the hateful innocence of the Omega. He wanted to kiss him into a panic, squirming in his arms but unable to break free, until eventually he could only submit to him.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

He would whisper into the Omega’s ear that his fiance’s younger brother had fallen in love with him the first time they met. That he was driven crazy thinking about him every night. That even his dreams were only filled with him.

He wanted the Omega to understand just how dangerous his situation was right now. kHQ7Ov

Zhou Rin was on the verge of losing control of his Alpha instincts. He lowered his head, as if cornering his prey, wishing he could kiss Ji Ning without hesitation.

“It’s okay, I understand. I know you feel very uncomfortable right now, so let me hurry up and give you an inhibitor…”

Affected by Zhou Rin’s pheromones, Ji Ning’s face had also flushed slightly. He patted Zhou Rin’s arm as he tore open the inhibitor packet and carefully inserted the needle into a vein in Zhou Rin’s arm.

Zhou Rin almost knocked the needle aside, preferring to ask the Omega to be his personal rut inhibitor, when he was distracted by Ji Ning’s words.

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“Sorry, my hand’s are a little shaky because of your pheromones…your pheromones are really similar to your brother's.”

The inhibitor was injected into Zhou Rin’s veins and at the same time, Ji Ning’s words were like a basin of ice water dropped on top of his head, extinguishing the raging fever inside of him in an instant.

He stared blankly at Ji Ning, his body frozen until Ji Ning pulled out the needle and asked him, “Okay, how are you feeling now?”

“…” st7lGX

The young Alpha turned and left without saying a word. As he walked away, he tripped over a stone and almost fell. His whole figure seemed very lost, causing Ji Ning, who walked behind him, to feel puzzled again.

“Zhou Rin, are you alright?”

Zhou Rin couldn’t respond, fleeing to his room in embarrassment. He buried himself completely under his blanket, his body trembling slightly all over.

What was he supposed to do now? xZqMzf

It was only today that he managed to clear the misunderstandings between him and Ji Ning, but he immediately got carried away and almost did something unforgivable.

This was his brother’s fiance, he was untouchable to him.

Zhou Rin closed his eyes, clenching the blanket tightly with both his hands. His chest felt tight and his breathing was slightly staggered.

Saying that his pheromones were similar to his brothers, he already knew that… c3rpqS

Not only that, but he and his brother had similar appearances, habits and tastes because they were family members.

But no matter how similar they were, they were still two completely separate individuals. Except his brother was an excellent family heir and he was just a useless second generation waste. Looking at them like this, no one would say the two brothers were comparable.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Everyone had a different fate, whether theirs were alike or not, Zhou Rin had never thought it mattered. He’d never envied his brother and had always thought he looked very tired. It wasn’t the kind of life he wanted to pursue when he could spend his days carefree and with enough money to squander.

However, at this moment, he couldn’t help but envy his brother. Zhou Cun could take Ji Ning righteously and openly because Ji Ning was his Omega, his future partner and the person he would spend the rest of his life with. NGkrVJ

Of course, this was an unattainable position. No matter how similar he was to his brother, Zhou Rin had nothing to do with their relationship.

How could he steal away his brother’s partner? What kind of person did that?

Zhou Rin laughed to himself and quickly closed his eyes, forcing himself to stop thinking about Ji Ning.

He knew it was impossible. His fate had already been written. PQaFfI

The next morning, Zhou Rin woke up early, planning to catch the first shuttle bus of the day. Once he arrived in town, he would find someone to pick him up.

Ji Ning’s family packed him up a lot of local specialties and told him to take them back home to eat. Zhou Rin took them with a smile and left the house, but as soon as he was out of view, the smile dropped from his face and his footsteps sped up, as if he was running away.

It was a beautiful morning, but there was nothing that could lift his mood.

After returning to the Zhou family house, Zhou Rin packed some things and rented an apartment some distance away to live alone. n0p1aF

Both his mother and his sister objected, worried that he wouldn’t live well by himself, but Zhou Rin insisted on leaving, and assured them he would be alright. This time he was determined to change himself, he didn’t want to live such an empty life anymore.

He was serious about this. Now that he knew Ji Ning didn’t hate him as much as before, even if he had no chance to be with him, he wanted to be the kind of younger brother that Ji Ning liked.

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His extreme studying kept him busy. Zhou Rin once thought that he would hate this kind of life the most, but it wasn’t until his started expanding all his efforts that he realised how empty his life used to be. Now, even a small progress in his studies filled him with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction and he found this kind of life made him feel much happier. GCnj7J

One night, after taking a shower he curled up on his sofa to watch online class videos, when he suddenly received a call. The caller ID displayed was his mother.

His mother was very concerned about his abrupt personality change and would call him almost every day. Zhou Rin assumed she’d called to chat again so answered in a very relaxed voice, “Mom?”

However, what came from the other end of the line was not his mother’s tender concern, but a burst of whimpering sobs.

Zhou Rin’s heart clenched for a moment, and he felt an ominous premonition. Hardly daring to breathe, he grabbed the phone tight and asked, “Hey mom, is that you? What happened, why are you crying?” rjbiao

“Xiao Rin, come back soon…” His mother’s voice choked with tears, “Your brother, your brother was in a car accident…”

Zhou Rin’s head filled with static as he stood in a daze.

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His thoughts seemed to slow down, the situation felt so absurd and unreal that he even wondered if his mother might be joking.

But at the same time, he knew in his heart that his mother would never joke about such a thing. He grabbed his jacket and raced from his apartment to the hospital, forgetting to even change out of his slippers. U9es6

His brain was filled with all kinds of different thoughts but he wasn’t upset. He thought that it didn’t make sense to feel sad because there was no way it was true, his brother couldn’t have been in trouble. Even if there had been a car accident, he could only have suffered a minor injury, there had to be a way to cure him.

Brother can’t have- there was no way…what would he do? What would Ji Ning do?

After entering the hospital, he stumbled over to the emergency room when he heard a sudden loud burst of crying.

Following the sound through the hospital corridor, he saw his sister, eyes swollen from tears. His mother had fainted, tears still wet on her face as his father supported her. 2qjg64

The fluorescent lights were too bright, making the shadows cast on the ground even darker. The images around him seemed stretched and frozen, the redundant sounds around him muffled.

Ji Ning sat on a chair, his head lowered and hands stained with blood. His trembling fingers held a battered present.

Suddenly, his hands spasmed violently and the gift fell to the ground.

Bang. Ed4x3J

He sat quietly with his head bowed the entire time, as if his sould had been lost with Zhou Cun.

Zhou Cun died after his resuscitation failed.

It was close to Ji Ning’s birthday. Zhou Rin was returning from picking up a present he’d ordered. As he crossed the road, a car ran through a red light and hit him. The driver was drunk and didn’t even notice that he’d hit someone and continued right over him.

The Zhou family refused apologises and compensation, and the driver was sentenced with the heaviest ruling possible, but what else could be done? Zhou Cun was already dead. Nothing they did to the driver would bring him back. TSUOAC

After Zhou Cun passed away, the Zhou family hit rock bottom. His mother was taken ill and while his father and sister were both grieving, they had to support the company and prevent its collapse.

Zhou Rin stood in the middle of his brother’s room, breathing in the faint pheromones that lingered there. It was a smell of pine wood that was very similar to his own. He felt dazed for a moment before he dropped to the floor and burst into heaving sobs.

Before, his brother had hated him for being incompetent and he had hated his brother’s harshness. The relationship between the two of them had always been tense, but since he’d started to improve himself, they had slowly got closer. He’d put aside his pride to ask his brother some questions and just a few hours before his death, his brother had sent him several long voice messages where he patiently explained the answers to him.

But before he had a chance to show his brother how much he’d improved, he was gone. 5dPdw

Zhou Rin knew that with his brother gone, he had to take responsibility and help support his family. He moved back into the Zhou house and used his weekends and school vacations to work inside the company on top of his school studies, so that he could help share his father and sister’s burden.

In this respect, it was clear he was very similar to his brother and shared his talent for business. He quickly entered deeper into the company’s business. He soon went from not knowing anything, to proposing a business plan that would help to expand the company.

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It was late at night when he and his sister returned from the company together. When discussing the company’s affairs, his sister showed a smile for the first time in a while, which made Zhou Rin’s mood brighten, as if seeing a bright star light up the dark night. For the first time it felt like the situation at home was getting better.

Even though his brother was gone, life would always continue. There had to be some way to pull themselves out of this shadow. K2xWot

But there was another person whose condition never improved.

Back at home, his sister had a quick shower and went to bed. In the middle of the night, the house was silent. Zhou Rin lowered his head and habitually walked down the dim corridor to Ji Ning’s room.

Since Zhou Cun died, Ji Ning kept himself locked away within the house. Zhou Cun was in the car accident because he was picking up a birthday present for him. Although the Zhou family didn’t blame him, he couldn’t forgive himself.

The rest of the family was very worried about his condition and tried many times to persuade him out, but it was useless. Zhou Rin was anxious and angry, and on several occasions wished he could kick down the door and drag Ji Ning out, but after hearing his faint crying in the night, he never had the courage to enter. 5CsBco

Instead he would stand in front of the door every night, but it had never been opened for him.

Like always, Zhou Rin stayed at the door for a while, but just as he was about to leave, a strong scent wafted through the crack of the door.

“Nngh…”

From behind the door, he could hear Ji Ning’s pained gasps. Zhou Rin’s heart skipped a beat as he immediately understood from the smell that Ji Ning was in heat. v6p5xd

Affected by the sweet smell, Zhou Rin’s heart beat hammered wildly in his chest, his breathing unsteady as his own pheromones spilled out in response.

He turned around and nearly ran to the medicine box downstairs to take out an Omega heat inhibitor injector. He then returned upstairs and knocked on Ji Ning’s door, saying, “Open the door. I’ve brought an inhibitor.”

Ji Ning’s pheromones made his heart tremble, but he was well aware that he would never touch him.

As long as he thought about his deceased brother, no matter how much he liked Ji Ning, he would never reveal it. LZ9Fbt

Creak…

The door opened slowly, exposing Ji Ning’s figure.

As soon as he saw him, Zhou Rin felt a painful ache in his chest. Ji Ning had always been slender, but now his figure was dangerously thin. His jaw was pointed and his beautiful face was withdrawn. Only the abnormal flush on his cheeks from his heat proved he was alive.

He stumbled towards Zhou Rin, his whole body trembling and Zhou Rin hurried to support him before he collapsed. Ji Ning raised his head, looking at his face with unfocused eyes as a confused expression crossed his face. He spoke quietly. 59ReiX

“…Zhou Cun?”

Ji Ning had mistaken him for his brother.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Hearing this soft question, Zhou Rin’s body froze.

The hallway around them was dimly lit and he’d just returned from the company wearing a suit. He was about the same height as his brother and even the scent of their pheromones were similar. When Ji Ning was in heat, his mind was blurred, so it wasn’t surprising that he saw him as his older brother. cd EBS

“Zhou Cun, is it you? Zhou Cun…”

The Omega’s voice trembled as he flung himself into Zhou Rin’s arms, holding him tightly around the waist.

His beloved Omega was begging desperately for his affection. Zhou Rin should have felt ecstatic, but the Omega was calling another man’s name. The name of his deceased brother.

He didn’t know how his heart could still feel pain as he stood there, letting Ji Ning cling to him without saying a word. giPJ80

He was Zhou Rin, not Zhou Cun.

“Zhou Cun, please talk to me? I want to hear your voice again, okay?”

Zhou Rin couldn’t respond, but the next moment the Omega burst into choked tears. Zhou Rin couldn’t see his face but he could feel his shirt gradually grow damp with the Omega’s warm tears.

He was crying. LkJyvK

Zhou Rin’s hands clenched, his nails digging into the palms of his hands, gouging out crescents of blood.

The Alpha slowly closed his eyes before he suddenly wrapped his arms around Ji Ning’s back and pulled him into his arms.

“Zhou Cun…”

The Omega murmured another Alpha’s name over and over as Zhou Rin held him silently for a long time. Eventually he pressed a light kiss to the top of his hair and said in a low voice. YJtdu4

“I’m here.”

He was Zhou Rin, not Zhou Cun. He couldn’t possibly bring comfort to the Omega, nevermind be with him. Never in the past, and never in the future.

But at least on that night, when the Omega was suffering from a painful heat, he was willing to act as his brother’s substitute. He knew that by the time his heat broke, the Omega would only remember the night as a blurred dream.

He had told Ji Ning before that Alpha’s weren’t dogs in front of Omegas, but for Ji Ning he wished he could just be a simple dog, wagging its tail and begging its owner for attention. He would bow his head and kiss the dust at his feet, even if he never turned to look at him. 7NdTjV

Sweetness, jealousy, loss, sadness, pain, love.

Countless emotions mixed together into a great wave that crashed through his heart.

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This wave of emotions turned a whirlpool into an abyss. If he was careless, it would shatter him. But he didn’t care.

Occasionally, he had even wished that he was the one who died that night. Even if his family was miserable, at least Ji Ning wouldn’t be in such pain and he wouldn’t have to feel his own pain anymore. 5myujU

The inhibitor needle fell to the floor. The young Alpha touched Ji Ning’s shoulder and raised his chin up to press a kiss to his flushed forehead. He was about to lower his head to kiss his lips, when Ji Ning called out his name almost inaudibly.

“Zhou Rin…?”

Zhou Rin froze as Ji Ning broke free from his hold and pushed against his chest. Even though he wasn’t very strong, he still made Zhou Rin stumble back a few steps, hitting the stair railings behind him.

“Just now, that was you…?” EJxIQy

Ji Ning’s face was damp with sweat, his dark hair clinging to his skin. His breaths came in heated gasps and his clothing was messy on his figure. He looked extremely embarrassed by the way he’d reacted and the blush on his face faded a little as he leaned back against the wall and whispered.

“I’m sorry. I recognised the wrong person, your pheromones are too similar…”

“You can think of me as my older brother.”

Seeing that Ji Ning tortured to his limit, Zhou Rin spoke abruptly, reaching out to grab his wrist, “At least this way, you’ll be less sad.” IH3xXT

“…” Ji Ning pulled his wrist away, looked into Zhou Rin’s eyes and slowly shook his head, “Maybe you’re trying to help me, but there’s no need. You are Zhou Cun’s younger brother, plus you hate the scent of Omega pheromones, why should you force yourself…”

“I hate all Omega pheromones, but you are the exception.”

Zhou Rin’s eyes were faintly red, it was obvious how affected he was by the Omega he loved being in heat. He should have been entranced but instead he felt the urge to cry.

“I can smell your pheromones. It’s the scent of epiphyllum. Ji Ning, I-” 4bPnJQ

“Don’t speak.”

Ji Ning interrupted him. He slowly bent down and picked up the suppressant injection that had fallen on the ground and injected his arm with a trembling hand.

“Just pretend that nothing happened. Don’t come near me again.”

“I’m sorry about what happened, it was my fault that I mistook you for Zhou Cun. But you are not him, Zhou Rin. You will never be him.” ni1j0V

With a sharp click the bedroom door closed. All that remained was the fragrance of epiphyllum. Zhou Rin leaned back against the railing and raised a hand to cover his red rimmed eyes.

Of course he knew he wasn’t his brother.

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But was he not even qualified to be his brother’s substitute?

Ji Ning’s condition grew worse and worse. Eventually there was a time where not a single sound came from his bedroom door all day, worrying the housekeeper who delivered his meals. After getting permission from father Zhou, she opened the door with a spare key and found Ji Ning had fainted on the bed. Uk0Rvs

The Zhou family hurriedly invited a private doctor to the house to see him. The doctor said his condition was still in the early stages and referred him to a private hospital for further examinations. The results of the tests worried the whole family.

They hadn’t been aware that Ji Ning had an unusual physique and the influence of Alpha pheromones on his body was much stronger than for ordinary Omegas. Even receiving a temporary mark would be equivalent to giving a permanent mark to a normal Omega and would have a great impact on his body. It was precisely because of this that Zhou Cun did not mark him in any way before their engagement.

However, after their engagement, Zhou Cun loved him too much to wait and gave him a temporary mark. After his death, Ji Ning had a sudden withdrawal from his pheromones causing his physical condition to deteriorate.

“He can’t use inhibitors anymore, they’re causing a lot of damage to his body.” ZiejdQ

The doctor who examined Ji Ning spoke seriously to the Zhou family after confirming the results.

“The drugs from inhibitors are causing irreversible damage to his weakened body. He must find a new Alpha to mark him as soon as possible.”

“The closer the biomarkers are to the original Alpha’s pheromone, the better for him. Mr Zhou Rin.”

The doctor turned to Zhou Rin, who stood next to him. XVMB39

“If possible, the best case scenario would be for you to mark Mr Ji Ning.”