Chapter 18: Doesn’t He Have a Wife of His Own?

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The following week was unusually busy for Shen Shuyi.
 
His interview at Huada Affiliated Hospital went smoothly. It wasn’t until the day of the interview that he learned the doctor Xie Chenzhou had asked to write his recommendation letter was a graduate of Huada Alpha Academy’s medical department. After graduation, he joined the military, later pursued postgraduate studies on his own, and eventually earned a doctorate. He now worked as a chief physician at the main branch of Huada Affiliated Hospital.
 
His specialty was pheromone medicine, and he was also a practicing surgeon. He had done some research in gender psychology as well.
 
Someone like that was impressive from every angle. Shen Shuyi doubted he would ever reach that level of excellence in his lifetime, especially considering how young the man was. So when he met him at the Huada Affiliated Mental Health Center on interview day, Shen Shuyi treated him with particular respect.
 
The doctor had time that day and stayed to chat briefly with Shen Shuyi about what to expect during his internship.
 
At first, Shen Shuyi thought he was simply a kind senior willing to guide younger students. But as the conversation went on, the topic shifted unexpectedly to Xie Chenzhou.
 
“You know some high-level Alphas require custom suppressants formulated by hospitals, right?” The Alpha physician stood across from Shen Shuyi, hands in the pockets of his white coat, looking serious.
 
According to Xie Chenzhou, this doctor was two years his senior at Huada.
 
Huada was the top-ranked university in the country. Anyone who got in was considered elite, and those admitted to the Alpha Academy were even more exceptional.
 
Compared to other genders, Alphas were generally more energetic, quick-thinking, and resilient under pressure. Their only disadvantage compared to Betas was their susceptibility to pheromones and difficulty resisting instinct.
 
Still, nothing diminished the prestige of graduating from Huada’s Alpha Academy.
 
Shen Shuyi couldn’t help but view people with that background through rose-colored glasses.
 
He couldn’t help it. He was just an ordinary Beta.
 
He nodded at the doctor’s question but didn’t understand the point.
 
“I looked after Xie Chenzhou during our undergrad years,” the doctor said, his tone mature and steady, with a gravity that seemed beyond his age. Perhaps medicine really aged people. Honestly, Shen Shuyi thought he came across a bit old-fashioned.
 
“But he’s the kind of person who doesn’t appreciate it.”
 
His tone grew sharper.
 
“Even though I specialize in pheromone surgery and suppressants are technically the domain of internal medicine, I’ve asked him several times what formula my mentor used to create his suppressant. He never told me.”
 
“Maybe he doesn’t know?” Shen Shuyi offered.
 
The doctor scoffed.
 
“An Alpha with his pheromone grade is a prime clinical research subject. I’ve helped him so much, yet he’s so stingy with me. If you weren’t so polite and perceptive, with decent grades in your core courses, I would’ve taken back the recommendation letter I wrote for you.”
 
Shen Shuyi didn’t know how to respond.
 
The doctor glanced at him again.
 
“Interning at the mental health center will be tough. Since I recommended you, make sure you stay humble, ask questions, and work hard. Don’t embarrass me at the hospital.”
 
Shen Shuyi silently revised his earlier impression of the doctor. Maybe not so mature after all.
 
Still, was an Alpha like Xie Chenzhou really that rare?
 
It was true that SSS+ grade Alphas and Omegas were uncommon in daily life, but they weren’t exactly rare. The Alpha Shen Shuyi had encountered at the mall during a pheromone breakdown was probably SSS+ grade too. Individuals like that shouldn’t be considered unique clinical cases.
 
Unless Xie Chenzhou’s pheromones were even more unusual than SSS+.
 
Could there be something about his pheromones that Shen Shuyi didn’t know?
 
It seemed unlikely.
 
At most, his pheromone levels were so high they overwhelmed the precision instruments used to measure them.
 
What else could be so special?
 
Shen Shuyi couldn’t imagine.
 
The doctor who wrote his recommendation letter was probably one of the top researchers in pheromone medicine. If even he didn’t know what made Xie Chenzhou’s pheromones unique, how could a regular student like Shen Shuyi figure it out?
 
Still, on the ride back to the Xie residence that evening, Shen Shuyi told Xie Chenzhou about the conversation.
 
For the past few days, Xie Chenzhou had personally arranged for the driver to pick Shen Shuyi up and drop him off.
 
Shen Shuyi had been observing him. Since that day, his rut symptoms had improved significantly.
 
Maybe he had been quietly taking suppressants. In any case, he seemed stable and ready to return to work.
 
But since he had announced a week of rest, no one questioned it.
 
Even on leave, Xie Chenzhou was busy. The table in front of his seat in the car was covered with thick stacks of documents.
 
He was signing papers when Shen Shuyi spoke. He paused and said, “Stay away from him.”
 
Shen Shuyi was caught off guard.
 
“Why?” he asked instinctively.
 
“He’s strange,” Xie Chenzhou replied bluntly.
 
That was true, but the man had helped Shen Shuyi a lot. He wrote the recommendation letter and got him into the internship through internal referral. Technically, Shen Shuyi should be calling him “mentor.” Was it really right to avoid him just because he was a little odd?
 
Xie Chenzhou seemed to sense Shen Shuyi’s hesitation and added, “That favor was mine to repay, not yours. He works at the main hospital. You probably won’t run into him during your internship. Just stay away.”
 
His expression was serious. It didn’t feel like a suggestion. It felt like a warning.
 
Shen Shuyi was confused, but seeing how insistent Xie Chenzhou was, he guessed there might be more to the story and agreed.
 
Next time they met, he’d just avoid personal conversation.
 
What Shen Shuyi didn’t know was that Xie Chenzhou was thinking something else entirely.
 
He regretted not choosing the medical department in university. If he had, he wouldn’t have needed to ask anyone for help arranging Shen Shuyi’s internship.
 
Some people really lacked self-awareness. And they were annoying.
 
If he wanted something, why not come ask directly?
 
Why all the small talk?
 
Didn’t he have a wife of his own?
 
Xie Chenzhou was irritated. He needed to find a way to repay that favor quickly.

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Translator note: 📌

I will be posting 2 chapters everyday at 9:30 PM ~ Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) zone.

Thank you for reading 💖 see you again in the next chapter~ cherries 😘