The deal I mentioned earlier…

Ning Zhu suspected he had misheard. He went over the list of insults he’d once hurled at Dou Changxiao, trying to see if he’d mentioned any other types of deals.

He hesitated. “You mean…”

Dou Changxiao cut straight to the chase. “Let me make an offer.”

Ning Zhu: “……”

He watched Dou Changxiao’s reaction, then replied uncertainly: “…Let’s go with that.”

As he spoke, his brow furrowed.

This guy wouldn’t bring this up out of the blue. If he’s bringing it up now, unless he’s setting a trap, it means he’s actually considering a deal with me?

Ning Zhu softened his tone. “What’s the matter? Running into some trouble? Financial problems? I told you I owe you a favor. Just ask if there’s anything you need.”

Dou Changxiao: “No.”

Ning Zhu pondered for a moment and decided that it made sense. Dou Changxiao had a pretty nice car; while it wasn’t an overly luxurious or flashy model, it suggested his family was at least fairly well-off.

“Then why are you asking this?” he looked at Dou Changxiao. “Have you changed your mind?”

Dou Changxiao gave a faint “Hmm.”

Even though the “miracle cure” had come knocking on his door, Ning Zhu’s mood didn’t immediately brighten.

There was something clearly off about Dou Changxiao’s sudden change of heart, so he pressed him: “Why?”

Dou Changxiao: “Does the reason matter? As long as it suits you, that’s all that matters.”

Ning Zhu: “You’re a top student from S University—you’re not exactly short on money. There must be a reason you decided to get into this line of work.”

Dou Changxiao: “…”

He was silent for a moment.

Before coming here, Dou Changxiao hadn’t realized that selling himself would require him to come up with a reason.

Ning Zhu: “Hmm?”

Dou Changxiao: “……” How should he make this up?

One looked up while the other kept his eyes down; they stared at each other for a moment.

“I just feel…” Dou Changxiao turned his face away and took a light breath. “I feel like living is so exhausting. I don’t want to struggle anymore.”

Ning Zhu: “…”

Hearing such despondent and defeatist words come from Dou Changxiao’s mouth sent a shockwave through Ning Zhu.

He stood there frozen, speechless.

Before leaving, Dou Changxiao had left the hospital-issued coat in the department; now, dressed in his own clothes—black shirt and black pants—he stood as straight as a pine tree, a particularly pleasing sight to behold. From any angle, he was the perfect embodiment of the phrase “full of vigor and vitality.” He possessed a pure aura; his eyes were always bright and focused, sharp as a blade, and the word “decadent” simply didn’t apply to him.

So, after the initial shock, Ning Zhu’s first reaction was natural disbelief; he felt the other man was just spouting nonsense.

Ning Zhu: “You… you’re joking, right?”

Dou Changxiao couldn’t be bothered to come up with another excuse, so he threw the question back at him: “Then what other reason do you think I’d have for falling into your trap?”

Ning Zhu was stumped.

That’s right—if Dou Changxiao really was lying, what could his motive be? What benefit would Dou Changxiao gain from agreeing to a deal with him, a “harasser”?

Compared to that utterly preposterous excuse, the motive behind his lie seemed even harder to explain.

Ning Zhu went from skepticism to half-belief, and finally… reluctantly accepted it.

The image of Dou Changxiao in his mind, after several twists and turns, finally returned to the starting point of their first meeting at the nightclub.

Ning Zhu felt a bit like advising Dou Changxiao not to take shortcuts, even though, from his perspective, going with the flow was clearly the more reasonable choice.

Dou Changxiao: “Is that okay?”

“Huh? Yeah. Um, that’s fine. Well…” Ning Zhu glanced at him. “To each his own, I guess.”

Dou Changxiao: “…”

He remained expressionless: “Do you want it or not?”

Ning Zhu: “I want it. I want it.”

The two sat in silence for a moment.

Perhaps because his wish had been granted, Ning Zhu lowered his eyes and seemed to smile slightly.

He didn’t actually laugh out loud; only the corners of his eyes and brows were tinged with a faint smile. Set against the shadows of the roadside trees and the sunlight, he looked like a soft, textured oil painting.

Dou Changxiao watched for a few seconds, then slowly looked away, staring at his own shadow on the ground.

After a moment, his heart rate gradually returned to normal.

“But,” Ning Zhu reminded him, “this job really hurts your pride. Can you get past that hurdle?”

“Hurt my pride.” Dou Changxiao paused. “What exactly do you expect me to do?”

“…That’s not what I meant. I was just saying, if a video of you making a fool of yourself while drunk could keep you up at night, how are you going to handle marking an Omega you don’t even like?”

Dou Changxiao: “……”

He replied calmly, with a touch of sarcasm: “Back when you slipped that note and bank card into my car, I didn’t see you worrying about it this much.”

“That was because…” Ning Zhu was at a loss for words.

If he admitted he’d mistaken him for a hostess, he was sure to piss this guy off.

Dou Changxiao: “Do you need me to prove it right now?”

“…No need for that.”

Dou Changxiao lowered his eyes and met his gaze for a moment, then suddenly moved, stepping closer to Ning Zhu.

Tall and lanky, he was at the car window in a single stride. Ning Zhu had leaned his head out slightly; seeing this, he instinctively pulled back into the car to avoid bumping his nose against the other man’s clothes.

Before he could do anything else, Dou Changxiao pressed his hand against the roof and leaned down.

Ning Zhu’s right wrist, resting on the window, suddenly tingled—the other man had brushed it lightly with his lips.

It was very light.

So light that before he could even react, Dou Changxiao had already straightened his back and stepped back to his original spot.

Ning Zhu stared blankly at his still-swollen wrist for two seconds. Only then did the skin where he’d been touched begin to tingle, like an electric current, spreading through his entire body.

He snapped back to his senses and jerked his hand away, only to forget the injury on his wrist. His features twisted slightly from the bone-piercing pain, and that subtle tingling sensation was instantly washed away by the raw agony.

Ning Zhu didn’t let his discomfort show, speaking in a casual tone: “There’s no need to prove it like that.”

Dou Changxiao: “Mm.”

This time, Ning Zhu didn’t lean forward; instead, his left hand gently stroked the bones of his right wrist as he absentmindedly changed the subject: “How old are you?”

Dou Changxiao: “Twenty-two.”

“Do you have your ID with you? Let me take a look.”

Dou Changxiao: “…Are you planning to draw up a contract?”

Ning Zhu smiled without speaking.

Dou Changxiao still pulled up a photo of his ID on his phone and handed it over.

Ning Zhu’s eyes fell first on the face in the photo; even a passport photo like this was surprisingly dignified and handsome.

He glanced down and said, “You’re from Haicheng, aren’t you?”

Dou Changxiao: “Mm.”

“Haicheng isn’t exactly a great place.”

Dou Changxiao: “……”

Shouldn’t people usually say, “Haicheng is a great place”?

Ning Zhu added, “It’s too cold in the winter.”

Dou Changxiao thought of the unusually high body temperature he’d sensed from Ning Zhu and mused: He’s so warm, yet he’s actually afraid of the cold too?

“Huh? Where does it say twenty-two?” Ning Zhu calculated the birthdate on the ID and said, “Even if I turn twenty-one next month, I’ll still only be twenty-one.”

Dou Changxiao: “…… I like counting by lunar age.”

“You’re young. Once you’re a bit older, you won’t want people to count you by lunar age anymore.” Ning Zhu handed the phone back to him.

He finally felt ready to get down to business, but his mind wasn’t fully focused, and he stumbled over his words: “So, what’s your ideal salary?”

Dou Changxiao: “…”

Sensing Ning Zhu was distracted, he deliberately threw a curveball: “Five million.”

Ning Zhu was finally snapped back to reality by that figure: “A year?”

Dou Changxiao: “A lump sum.”

Ning Zhu: “……”

He’d thought this kid had no grand ambitions, but it turned out to be exactly the opposite. No one had more far-reaching aspirations than he.

He couldn’t help but say, “You should apply for a Guinness World Record.”

The world’s most expensive… whatever that is.

Dou Changxiao’s tone grew even more unyielding: “No haggling.”

Ning Zhu chuckled twice, saying with a casual air, “Sure.”

Spending money to extend one’s life—there’s no better deal than that.

“……” Dou Changxiao was momentarily at a loss for words. He shot him a meaningful glance and said, “You could apply for a world record, too.”

The most generous patron in the world.

Ning Zhu: “Send me your ID. I’ll draft a contract for you tonight.”

Dou Changxiao’s expression suddenly became indescribable.

“It’s in your best interest,” Ning Zhu said.

He was the beneficiary of this deal; drafting the contract was purely to put Dou Changxiao at ease.

Dou Changxiao glanced at Ning Zhu’s right wrist, tucked beneath him, and thought: He can still write a contract even with an injury—that’s impressive.

He flatly refused, “I’m not giving it to you.”

“Fine.” Since the other party didn’t need it, Ning Zhu saw no point in going out of his way to find work for himself. Besides, his hand still hurt.

Just then, a pair of AO lovers walked past. The Alpha was holding a medical report, strolling intimately with his partner; a sweet, joyful glow radiated from their eyes and expressions.

It was rare for Ning Zhu to see anyone leaving the hospital with a smile on their face, so he couldn’t help but give the couple a second look.

“Changxiao,” he whispered to Dou Changxiao, “What are they holding?”

Dou Changxiao turned to look, but the report was just then blocked by the Omega, so he couldn’t see clearly. He could only guess, “I’m not sure, but it might be a compatibility test report.”

Some AO couples undergo a compatibility test during their relationship or before marriage. If the results are good enough, it’s considered a match made in heaven—a love destined by fate.

If the results aren’t quite what they hoped for, it’s described as love that transcends instinct—which sounds just as romantic.

Most couples who take the compatibility test are in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, so they’re overjoyed no matter what kind of report they receive.

Ning Zhu: “Oh…”

Just then, one of the Alphas reached out to hold his lover’s hand, switching the report to the other hand. Dou Changxiao caught a glimpse of a few words on the paper.

It turned out that wasn’t a compatibility test report at all, but a prenatal test report.

“Let’s get one done too.”

“……What?” Dou Changxiao stiffly turned to look at him.

Only then did he realize Ning Zhu was talking about a compatibility test.

Ning Zhu pointed at the hospital entrance: “Would you mind coming inside with me to take a compatibility test?”

He was certain his compatibility with Dou Changxiao would be high, but he also wanted to see the results with his own eyes.

Ning Zhu then remembered that Dou Changxiao was interning here; there might be classmates or acquaintances of his at the Third Hospital.

Their arrangement wasn’t exactly above board, Ning Zhu thought. This kid probably wouldn’t want his classmates to see him with me. So he changed his mind and said, “Or we could go to a different hospital another day.”

Dou Changxiao gave him a puzzled look: “Why go to another hospital?”

Ning Zhu: “…Never mind. Can we go now? Will there be any issues with the department where you’re interning?”

Dou Changxiao: “No.”

Internships in the Radiology Department were relatively easy. He mainly learned from his supervising doctor, spending most of his time in the operating room reading and comparing images, only occasionally doing odd jobs. Besides, it was almost break time.

“Then let’s head over early.”

As soon as Ning Zhu finished speaking, he instinctively reached out with his right hand to open the door.

Before his hand even touched the interior handle, the car door was opened from the outside.

He withdrew his hand and looked up, somewhat bewildered, at the person outside the car. “You… get into work mode pretty quickly, don’t you?”

Dou Changxiao held the car door open for him with one hand, averting his gaze. A moment later, he gave a calm “Mm-hmm.”