CH 8

Shen Dai bought a folding bicycle online and decided to switch to cycling plus the subway as the way for him to get to work. It’s only four to five kilometers from the subway station to the Qu house, so this is the most cost-effective and the total commuting time is shorter than driving. He can also exercise his body, killing many birds with one stone.

Uncle Heng turned a little stiff after seeing him ride his bike into the grand entrance of the Qu house. 

“Can I put this in the yard?” Shen Dai asked, “If I can’t, I can also fold it up and put it in the garage.”

Uncle Heng said, “Mr. Shen, can you drive?”

“Yes, but I don’t have a car.” The car left by his grandpa has long been auctioned.

“If you find it inconvenient for the driver to pick you up, I can get you a more low-key car and you can drive it yourself.” 

“The car you think is low-key also isn’t exactly low-key. If my quality of life suddenly improved significantly, my colleagues around me will be curious. I hope I can follow President Qu’s instructions and let this mar-…” Shen Dai suddenly couldn’t say the word “marriage” and switched it up, “…let this relationship remain confidential. So it doesn’t really matter how I go to work.”

Uncle Heng was helpless, “Alright, then put it in the garage.”

Shen Dai looked at his watch and said, “I’ll take a bath first. Please send dinner to my room.”

“Yes.”

It already entered autumn but the temperature was still a bit hot. Shen Dai was sweating all over from biking. He went back to his room, put down his laptop and data material, then hurried into the bathroom to take a bath.

He was writing a new SCI this year. Before he married Qu Moyu, he often stayed late in the research institute before returning to the dormitory because it had a more working and studying atmosphere. However, he tries to come back early now. It’s best to be in time for a hearty dinner because the food cooked by the chef of the Qu house is both healthy and delicious. He really had enough of the food from the canteen and takeout. If the dormitory has the conditions that allow him to cook, he rather do it by himself. Unfortunately, the dormitory is purely a place for sleeping. It is very important for him to have a good meal every night.

Moreover, Qu Moyu often had social meetings and did not eat at home often. He also always asked the servants to send the food to the room to avoid his sudden appearance as an outsider. However, when he occasionally worked late into the night and heard the sound of the engine of that Phantom appearing in the yard, he would secretly tear open a slit in the curtain and watch the driver in a suit and white gloves pull open the door of the car. Then he would watch Qu Moyu get out of the car and walk into the house step by step. That short period of time of only a few seconds can make him look forward to it for an entire day.

Before, in the Xingzhou headquarters building where tens of thousands of people worked, it was difficult on top of difficult for him to see Qu Moyu. Now he could see him at such a close distance so often, he felt very satisfied. 

After taking a bath, Shen Dai sat in front of the computer wiping his hair, he checked the email just sent from his colleagues at the South African Research Institute. He threw the pheromone sticker that he forgot to take off when taking a bath into the trash can, which has already become wet and sticky.

After a while, there was a knock on the door.

Vtfc Gjl bqfcfv atf vbbg jcv atbeuta la kjr tlr vlccfg, yea tf rjk Fcmif Lfcu rajcvlcu lc ogbca bo tlw fwqas-tjcvfv, “Fcmif Lfcu?”

“Ktf sbecu wjrafg lr yjmx. Lf kjcar sbe ab ub vbkcrajlgr jcv tjnf vlccfg klat tlw.” 

Vtfc Gjl kjr raeccfv, “Ft, Ugfrlvfca He kjcar ab fja klat wf?”

“Yes.” Uncle Heng looked at his half-dry hair. “Blow dry your hair and come down, but try to be quick. The young master is waiting for you.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”

Shen Dai closed the door, took off his pajamas, put on casual clothes, dried his hair quickly, and hurried downstairs. 

During his stay at the Qu house, he has never eaten in the dining room and has always been in his room. He has really achieved “no disturbance”. Of course, Qu Moyu knew of this but has never invited him to eat dinner together. Today is the first time. For the first time, he and Qu Moyu will “eat together at home”.

When he came downstairs, he saw Qu Moyu in loungewear. Compared with the usual upright suit, the soft cotton cloth on him suddenly gave Qu Moyu the feeling of relaxation matching his age. No matter how high-grade his pheromones are, this man is only 24 years old after all. He also needs a strong battle outfit for him to make the cutting decision among people who are more experienced than him.

Shen Dai walked to the restaurant and said, “Good evening, President Qu.” The food and tableware on the table were all set. Qu Moyu was really waiting for him, he instantly felt a little nervous.

Qu Moyu looked at the tablet in his hand without raising his head. He was holding a stylus and making marks on a document. He pointed with his chin to his side, “Sit down.” 

Shen Dai sat down. The last time he had dinner next to Qu Moyu, he was tense the entire duration. This time, it was different. It was the first time he saw Qu Moyu in loungewear, a little bit of joy unavoidably bursted into his heart.

A faint and elegant fragrance suddenly floated into Qu Moyu’s breath. He was slightly stunned and raised his head.

Shen Dai, who had just taken a bath, looked clear, bright, and beautiful. His skin is soft light-pink, and his thin body is wrapped in simple blue jeans and a gray t-shirt with a washed-out neckline. The wet ends of his hair cling softly to his slender white neck. In addition, he was obviously avoiding Qu Moyu’s eyes. There was a kind of sexiness of a growing youth, which was very different from his cool and steady composure in white lab coats.

The faint fragrance of epiphyllums left Qu Moyu temporarily in a trance. He remembered that when he first visited the institute three years ago, he encountered an accident —— an omega was in heat in the laboratory. Omegas all have omens of their heat and would carry inhibitors before it happens. It’s too careless and irresponsible for an adult to put himself in this kind of awkward situation in public. Moreover, the fragrance is too strong and confused people. It greatly surpassed the simulated pheromones during his anti-pheromone training. The ordinary omegas won’t have such strong pheromones during their heat, and the ordinary alphas aren’t able to handle it either. If he couldn’t control the situation before the arrival of the security department, the group would face huge legal risks and a crisis of public opinion. 

Looking back at it now, it was the closest time in his life to losing control.

At this moment, he smelled the fragrance of epiphyllums again. Although it was very faint, it still recalled his memory. He glanced at the back of Shen Dai’s neck and as expected, there was no pheromone sticker, only flawless skin. When people consume alcohol, exercise, take a bath, and so forth, their blood flow will speed up and the scent of pheromones will naturally become thicker.

Shen Dai noticed his gaze and suddenly remembered that he had just torn off his pheromone sticker. He subconsciously covered the back of his neck with his hand and then got up, “Sorry, I’ll go…”

“No need.” Qu Moyu retracted his gaze, “It’s all right. Let’s eat.” 

Shen Dai hesitated and sat down, but it was difficult to sit still. It’s been a long time since he had his neck naked in front of others. After differentiation, pheromone stickers are like the clothes alphas and omegas wear when they go out every day. It’s for protecting themselves and avoiding giving others trouble. In other words, they usually only did not cover up in front of their family and loved ones.

It’s not that something will definitely happen if they smell some pheromones, but it will cause some interference to others. Shen Dai was a little flustered at this time. He didn’t know whether Qu Moyu smelled his pheromone. If he did, would he have some… ideas?

However, seeing that Qu Moyu’s expression was as usual, Shen Dai breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, he was a little disappointed.

“I heard from Uncle Heng that you bought a bike?” 

“Yes, I ride from here to the subway station and then take the subway directly to the company. It’s very convenient.” Shen Dai explained, “Thank you for providing me with a car, President Qu, but it’ll be too flashy. Commuting is fine, it’s faster than driving.”

“Mn, sure.”

At this moment, Uncle Heng came over with a new pheromone sticker in his hand. Shen Dai quickly took it and slapped it on the back of his neck. Only then did he gently breathe out and find his sense of security.

The fragrance of epiphyllums immediately disappeared. Qu Moyu remembered that day when Qu Chengchen sniffed the back of Shen Dai’s neck. Indeed, the scent of his pheromone is really weak, perhaps the gland was really not developing well. 

They ate in silence. Shen Dai ate more modestly. During dinner, he kept peeking at Qu Moyu secretly, observing what he liked to eat and wondering why he wanted to eat with him.

Qu Moyu suddenly said, “I have something to tell you.”

“Please speak.”

“Last time you met my parents, next, I have to take you back to You house.” 

Shen Dai knew there would be such a level. He resisted in his heart, “Okay.”

“President You said he had been taking care of you for years, but according to my investigation, he didn’t.”

Shen Dai put down his chopsticks and said in a deep voice, “No, he didn’t.”

“Then, do you have interactions with You Baiyue?” 

“Also no.”

“You haven’t met him?”

“No.”

“I need you to do something for me when we go to You house.” Qu Moyu also put down his chopsticks and stared at Shen Dai with his deep eyes. 

Shen Dai did not dare to look directly at Qu Moyu and could only put on the look that he was listening.

“I suspect that Qu Chengchen didn’t give You Baiyue a permanent mark, but a temporary mark.”

Shen Dai’s face turned pale. Qu Moyu broke up this engagement with You Baiyue because of the mark, but he still cared about whether the mark is permanent. If it’s just a temporary mark… what would happen? There was a feeling of blockage in his heart, “Is that possible?”

“Temporary marks are only valid for one week, but before it disappears, they will have some characteristics similar to the permanent mark. For example, omegas will have the pheromones of the alpha on their bodies. The teeth marks from a temporary mark aren’t deep and the injury on the skin can be completely healed. However, his neck is covered with a pheromone sticker and cannot be seen by others. If he has the scent of Qu Chengchen’s pheromones on his body, it might not be from a permanent mark but a perfume made from the extract of Qu Chengchen’s glands.” Qu Moyu narrowed his eyes slowly, “All sorts of signs between them make me doubt the authenticity of this mark.” 

Shen Dai lowered his head, “What do you need me to do?” He remembered the temporary mark that Qu Moyu had given him, of course he knew all the characteristics of the temporary mark. He had once been protected and comforted by an S-level alpha pheromone. He had been surrounded by the smell of ebony and had the illusion of being owned by Qu Moyu for a short time.

The temporary mark is a vain dream. After waking up, there is only endless loss and emptiness.

“I need you to confirm it for me.”