🍒 Chapter 31: Mr. Xie Seemed Really Angry Just Now
Shen Shuyi hesitated at the doorway. Something about the man seated inside made his skin crawl. He instinctively wanted to turn away.
The junior leader motioned impatiently. “Shuyi, come on. You’re just an intern. If you don’t learn to ease the burden of your superiors, how will people see you in the real world? You’ll get yourself into trouble. I’m teaching you how to behave.”
His voice was filled with condescension. Shen Shuyi frowned, disgusted.
But the junior leader had a point. Shen Shuyi still needed to stay at the hospital. He didn’t want to lose this rare internship opportunity.
He took a deep breath and walked toward Mr. Zhang’s seat.
“Mr. Zhang,” the junior leader said with a smile, “this is our intern, Shen Shuyi. He’s majoring in gender psychology and hasn’t graduated yet.”
Mr. Zhang looked him over slowly, eyes lingering. “Looks good.”
The way he stared made Shen Shuyi deeply uncomfortable. There was no scent in the air, yet he felt something invisible and foul brushing past him, like a gust of wind carrying rot.
“That’s right,” the junior leader added, trying to keep the mood light. “College students are usually clean-looking.”
“Even prettier than most Omegas,” Mr. Zhang said, still examining Shen Shuyi. “I’ve seen plenty his age. None with skin this fair or legs this long. Truly outstanding.”
Shen Shuyi stiffened. These words were not compliments. They were harassment.
The junior leader had no response. He stood awkwardly, unsure what to say.
Mr. Zhang continued to appraise Shen Shuyi, shameless and unbothered.
Shen Shuyi studied him in return. His hands trembled slightly, a subtle sign of inner turmoil. Shen Shuyi recognized the symptoms. Long-term stress. Insomnia. Anxiety. A strong need for control. Poor communication. Extreme self-centeredness. The man radiated pressure.
Shen Shuyi suspected a severe psychological disorder linked to his pheromone type. It was not something medicine could cure. Only patient, daily guidance could help, and even that required full cooperation from the patient.
This was just Shen Shuyi’s professional assessment. He had reviewed materials earlier that afternoon describing the traits of Enigmas. Mr. Zhang matched them perfectly.
Shen Shuyi glanced at the junior leader beside him. The man had started sweating.
“Director Wang,” Shen Shuyi whispered, “can you smell Mr. Zhang’s pheromones? Are they strong?”
Director Wang’s face turned pale. He wiped his forehead and said, “Sorry. Mr. Zhang’s pheromone level is too high. I need to recover somewhere private. Please understand.”
“Understandable,” Mr. Zhang replied, his expression smug. “Most Alphas and Omegas can’t handle my pheromones. Alphas want to kneel and submit. Omegas go into heat. It’s natural. I’m an SSS plus Alpha.”
The others nearby laughed politely, pretending he was joking.
Shen Shuyi’s irritation reached its peak. How could anyone be this self-important?
He thought of Xie Chenzhou. Also an SSS plus Alpha, but completely different. Calm. Controlled. His scent was faint, like aromatherapy. Far more pleasant than the stench from Mr. Zhang.
Shen Shuyi wanted fresh air. With Director Wang gone, he seized the chance.
“Mr. Zhang, I’ll just go to the bathroom. Be right back.”
Mr. Zhang said nothing. His gaze followed Shen Shuyi’s back as he left the room.
Outside, Shen Shuyi shivered. Goosebumps ran down his arms. He exhaled in relief.
After that day, something changed. Shen Shuyi began running a fever. At first, he thought it was a cold. But it worsened. He felt dizzy every day. Even medicine from the hospital didn’t help.
There were only a few days of learning activities left, but he couldn’t participate anymore.
During the dinner, he hadn’t drunk much. He had worried Mr. Zhang might cause trouble, but nothing had happened. The fever wasn’t related to alcohol.
He knew his limits. One lesson had been enough. He wouldn’t embarrass himself again like he had at that wedding.
He spent two days in a hotel in D City. During that time, Director Wang kept messaging him. Mr. Zhang wanted to meet again. He claimed to think highly of Shen Shuyi and offered guidance and job opportunities. Shen Shuyi ignored the messages.
He felt unwell. Hospital tests revealed nothing. He just wanted to go home.
Two days later, in the afternoon, Shen Shuyi received a call from Chen Xin.
“Hurry back. Someone booked your flight. Don’t tell Mr. Xie you’re sick. Do I have to wait for him to call? Hurry and reply.”
Shen Shuyi hung up and checked his past messages.
Earlier that morning, he had been dizzy. Director Wang’s constant messages annoyed him. He marked everything as read and silenced his phone. He missed Xie Chenzhou’s morning greetings.
One message and a few missed calls.
Xie Chenzhou had asked, “How are you today? When will you return?”
Concise. His usual style.
Even though Shen Shuyi had planned to return in a week, Xie Chenzhou had sent messages daily, asking when he would be back. Shen Shuyi had replied carefully over the past two days.
He found Xie Chenzhou oddly endearing in a clumsy way.
Realizing he had ignored him today, Shen Shuyi quickly typed, “Mr. Xie, thank you for booking the flight. I’ve been running a fever the past couple of days. I was planning to return tomorrow anyway. Sorry for worrying you.”
Soon after, Xie Chenzhou called.
He sounded displeased. Shen Shuyi answered, calling out softly, but there was no response. He heard heavy breathing, then a stormy voice.
“Not answering? Is that how it is?”
Shen Shuyi explained quickly. “I slept all day. Headache. Sorry, Mr. Xie. I really didn’t mean to.”
His voice was soft, slightly nasal from the fever. Almost like he was pouting.
Xie Chenzhou paused. “I booked a temporary flight. The plane will land in D City this evening. I’m sending someone to pick you up at your hotel.”
Shen Shuyi froze. “Temporary flight?”
“Charter. If you hadn’t replied, I could have come earlier.”
His tone was cold and critical, but Shen Shuyi sensed care beneath it. Anxiety. Concern.
No one had ever treated him like this.
Just half a day of silence, and Xie Chenzhou had chartered a plane.
Shen Shuyi’s heart raced. Something stirred inside him.
But he was feverish and too dizzy to think clearly.
He felt worse than before.
Could it be an unknown infectious disease?
The hospital had found nothing. If it were contagious, he couldn’t risk infecting Mr. Xie.
Dizzy and weak, he had no energy to remind Xie Chenzhou to wear a mask. He drifted into sleep.
When he woke, he was in someone’s arms. The man was on the phone, voice dark and furious.
“Call the police. I want the best lawyer for him.”
“Shuyi has a fever. It’s his fault.”
“What proof do I have? Try professional testing. He’s an Enigma.”
“Fine, Chen Xin. My people are here. This happened under your watch, yet you deny it?”
“You know, even without reporting, I have a hundred ways to deal with that Chen tomorrow. Then this won’t end nicely. I have the means, you know it.”
“Shouldn’t you know if I’m crazy, Chen Xin?”
Shen Shuyi, dazed, sensed something was wrong. Xie Chenzhou’s emotions were off.
He breathed heavily, holding Shen Shuyi tightly. Almost painfully.
After the call, Xie Chenzhou handed the phone to someone else. He spoke a few words, then fell silent.
Shen Shuyi felt dizzy. Like floating. Unable to wake.
He realized he was on a plane.
He smelled a strong concentration of pheromone neutralizer spray.
Why so much? Had someone lost control?
Could it be Mr. Xie?
He had seemed very angry earlier.
Shen Shuyi couldn’t wake fully. Feeling miserable, he forced himself to speak.
“Mr. Xie…”
Weakly, he called out.
He felt Mr. Xie draw near.
“Don’t be angry… being upset… makes pheromones go out of control… bad for your body…” Shen Shuyi weakly reached for Xie Chenzhou’s arm, only for Xie Chenzhou to grab his hand instead.
“You don’t understand… you don’t get it…” Xie Chenzhou breathed heavily against Shen Shuyi’s neck, rubbing and sniffing him. “You’re mine. Only mine. I shouldn’t have let you out of my sight. I will punish you… lock you up…”
Xie Chenzhou kept speaking, words broken and frightening, but Shen Shuyi couldn’t focus. He just instinctively comforted him.
In Xie Chenzhou’s familiar, low, slightly ruthless and obsessive tone, Shen Shuyi finally succumbed to sleep.
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