The moment Ning Zhu uttered Dou Changxiao’s name, a faint rustling sound reached him through the phone—like the crackle of tiny twigs snapping and scattering.

Cheng Li, idly flipping through a menu nearby, froze in surprise. In all his years as Ning Zhu’s friend, he’d never heard Ning Zhu speak to anyone in this tone, sounding exceptionally happy, his voice rising at the end.

Cheng Li couldn’t help but wonder what kind of person was on the other end of the line.

Ning Zhu was indeed in a remarkably good mood. Dou Changxiao calling him out of the blue was genuinely unexpected.

“…My surname is Dou.”

The voice on the other end finally spoke, indicating Ning Zhu should use his full name.

Ning Zhu didn’t grasp the implication and hesitated, “Xiao Dou?”

He felt “Changxiao” rolled off the tongue better.

Xiao Dou: “…”

Ning Zhu made an apologetic gesture to Cheng Li, pointing at his phone to indicate he needed to talk longer. “Have you thought it over?”

Instead of answering directly, the voice asked, “Would it be convenient to meet?”

Ning Zhu was more than happy to oblige. “Of course. What time?”

“Now.”

“Right now?” Ning Zhu froze. “Um, are there other times available? Sorry, I’m tied up right now. I can make time to meet you later…”

The other end was adamant: “No other times. It has to be now.”

Ning Zhu: “…”

What’s with this guy?

He couldn’t help but feel conflicted.

On one hand, it was a long-awaited dinner with friends—standing Cheng Li up would be downright rude. But on the other hand, the person on the phone was his human-form emergency medicine, directly tied to his very survival.

The choice was agonizing.

After a second of hesitation, Ning Zhu hung up and smiled at Cheng Li.

“How about I save you some meal money?”

Cheng Li: “?”

Cheng Li: “…”

Cruelly abandoning his longtime friend, Ning Zhu walked to a corner to take the call. “Where should we meet? I’ll hail a cab.”

Dou Changxiao gave the location and hung up.

Ning Zhu searched the location on his map and froze. The spot was less than a few hundred meters away.

He dismissed it as a mere coincidence and didn’t dwell on it, taking the elevator down to the first floor. After leaving the lobby and walking a few more minutes, he arrived at Dou Changxiao’s meeting point.

It was a small, private coffee shop. Beyond serving coffee, it featured a display case filled with assorted desserts. The aroma of coffee and cream wafted constantly from inside. Outside, a simple decorative fence surrounded the space, adorned with well-maintained potted plants. Nestled within this enclosure were several small outdoor coffee tables.

Dou Changxiao stood beside the largest bird of paradise plant. His style leaned toward minimalism; both times Ning Zhu had seen him, he wore simple black tops and pants, immaculately groomed from head to toe. Standing tall and graceful beside the plant, he was truly a sight to behold.

Ning Zhu first waved at him with a smile, then sensed something odd.

The other man stood waiting for him, as if certain Ning Zhu would arrive quickly.

Dou Changxiao glanced at him, then turned back to his original seat, his phone casually placed on the table to the right of his right hand.

Ning Zhu followed suit and sat down. Late at night, he skipped coffee and instead waved to the shop owner, requesting a cup of hot milk.

Afterward, he took another look around the small shop, somewhat surprised that Dou Changxiao had chosen this place to meet him.

It didn’t seem like the kind of place he’d choose.

After all, this man was always cold and distant, while the shop looked sweet and sugary.

Indeed, Dou Changxiao hadn’t chosen it himself. He’d initially just wanted a quieter spot, but after leaving the restaurant and circling the block, he hadn’t found a suitable place for conversation downstairs.

He was reluctant to go out of his way for Ning Zhu, so he settled for this overly sweet-looking shop as a compromise.

Ning Zhu withdrew his gaze and focused his attention on Dou Changxiao. Just as he was about to get to the point, his eyes were drawn to a potted plant the size of a basketball on Dou Changxiao’s right.

He couldn’t identify the species, but its leaves were incredibly lush, trimmed into a perfectly round shape.

Unfortunately, there was a very noticeable gaping hole in it, as if some inconsiderate person had yanked a handful of leaves out.

Ning Zhu stared at it for a moment, recalling the rustling sound he’d heard during their phone call.

“You did that?” He shot Dou Changxiao an accusing look.

“Plucking someone else’s potted plant isn’t exactly ethical.”

Dou Changxiao regarded him with a cold expression.

So, abandoning your own boyfriend to pursue another Alpha is perfectly ethical. Especially when that person’s boyfriend is right nearby.

He denied it. “No.”

Then he changed the subject: “You mentioned in the car that you want me to mark you.”

“Mm.” Ning Zhu propped his chin on one hand. “I said I’d respect your wishes. If you can’t handle it, you don’t have to go so…”

“Deep,” Dou Changxiao finished for him.

Ning Zhu smiled. “You asked me out because you’ve made up your mind?”

Dou Changxiao didn’t answer, so Ning Zhu continued on his own: “Then let’s talk about frequency. We meet once a week for pheromone exchange—the simplest kind. But if you can accept the marking ritual, we don’t need to meet so often. Every two months… or even once a month would suffice.”

An Omega’s heat cycle typically lasts two months. But Ning Zhu’s current situation was a bit dire, so he dared not state the timeframe too definitively.

“As for the money, name your price.”

Dou Changxiao summarized the above: “You’re paying someone to mark you.”

Ning Zhu: “Right. If you’ve decided, we can start today. Preferably somewhere with good privacy.”

For better results.

Ning Zhu scanned the area for a suitable spot, pausing when he spotted a certain location across from the café.

Dou Changxiao followed his gaze—it was a high-end hotel.

“…”

He quickly averted his gaze, lowering his lashes as if he’d seen something disgusting.

After a moment of silence, Dou Changxiao restated his conclusion, his voice colder: “You’re paying someone to mark you, and you’re incredibly impatient.”

Ning Zhu: “Uh… yeah.”

He was indeed impatient.

Dou Changxiao: “You have a boyfriend, right?”

Ning Zhu froze, unable to discern whether this was a probing question or a statement.

It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t tell—Dou Changxiao’s tone was simply peculiar.

No matter what he said, his tone remained as flat as a straight line, differing only between cold and colder.

Like a giant robot, its factory settings programmed with only two emotions: “Calm” and “Unhappy.”

Dou Changxiao: “I recorded it.”

Ning Zhu: “…Huh?”

Dou Changxiao picked up the phone from the table, unlocked it, and turned the lit screen toward Ning Zhu.

On the screen, the audio waveform indicator of the recording app slowly scrolled forward.

He gave Ning Zhu five seconds to react, but as the time nearly passed, the other man still stared blankly at the scrolling waveform.

Dou Changxiao observed Ning Zhu’s reaction.

Cheng Yang had mentioned that his cousin had pursued this Ning fellow for years. Alphas were generally possessive; some couldn’t even tolerate their own Omegas coming into contact with another Alpha’s pheromones, let alone accepting them being marked by anyone other than themselves.

Dou Changxiao wasn’t adept at handling emotional entanglements, but he understood responsibility fell squarely on the wrongdoer.

This recording served as a warning and leverage against Ning Zhu—if he behaved himself henceforth, all would be forgiven. Should he persist in his reckless ways, Dou Changxiao would forward the recording to Cheng Yang, who would relay it to the victim.

Dou Changxiao clicked to end the recording precisely on time.

Ning Zhu instinctively followed Dou Changxiao’s fluid movements with his gaze.

…Recording? What does that mean? Afraid I’ll back out?

The other party spoke: “You’d better behave yourself from now on.”

Behave?

Ning Zhu’s eyelashes fluttered once. He lifted his eyes, his gaze drifting into the air. His mind seemed to be actively processing, yet he was utterly clueless about the situation at hand.

“Otherwise, I’ll…”

Dou Changxiao’s phone in his hand suddenly lit up.

In the dim nighttime surroundings, any glimmer of light stood out sharply.

Both men were drawn to it, simultaneously lowering their eyes to look.

【Cheng Yang:】Damn it! Wrong number!

Messages flashed rapidly across the top of the screen.

From Ning Zhu’s angle, he couldn’t make out the content. Out of courtesy, he didn’t scrutinize it either. Upon realizing it was a notification, he averted his gaze and waited quietly for Dou Changxiao to reply.

【Cheng Yang:】Just got a message from my brother. He said he’s out having dinner with friends today…

【Cheng Yang:】I saw Brother Ji Chi at that table too. He and my brother grew up together—I met him a few times when I was little.

【Cheng Yang:】Guess you really shouldn’t judge people by appearances. Talk about a huge blunder this time.

【Cheng Yang:】Are you still there? You didn’t actually go looking for him, did you?!

Another voice call came through.

Ning Zhu saw Dou Changxiao hang up decisively, the ringtone barely starting. After hanging up, he didn’t reply to the message either, just stared silently at the screen.

Seems like it wasn’t anything important.

After making that judgment, Ning Zhu continued the earlier conversation: “Otherwise what?”

Dou Changxiao lifted his head, meeting Ning Zhu’s puzzled gaze.

“You don’t have a boyfriend?”

Ning Zhu: “.”

He answered truthfully, “No,” wondering why this kid kept asking about it.

…And he insisted on framing it as “boyfriend.” Ning Zhu drifted off in thought.

Dou Changxiao felt a pang of frustration upon hearing the reply.

He realized his actions today had been driven by a personal desire for revenge against Ning Zhu—a desire to see him humiliated and under his control. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have rushed to cause trouble for someone before the facts were even settled.

Unfortunately, his plan had backfired. Not only had his expectations been dashed, but now he had to figure out how to extricate himself.

Just then, the person across from him seemed to suddenly grasp something, lowering the hand that had been propping up his chin.

Ning Zhu sat up straighter and said, “I’m sorry, but it seems you’ve misunderstood our relationship.”

The other person had fixated on the ‘boyfriend’ issue and told him to “behave yourself from now on,” their words carrying a clear possessive undertone.

Ning Zhu couldn’t pinpoint exactly where the misunderstanding had originated, leading Dou Changxiao to this conclusion.

His brow furrowed slightly, his expression turning serious.

“I want our relationship to be purely transactional—no emotional entanglement.”

“So, let’s just forget about the ‘boyfriend’ thing.”

After speaking, Ning Zhu met Dou Changxiao’s gaze.

The latter’s expression remained unchanged, yet he stood utterly still for a long while.

Seeing Dou Changxiao’s stunned look, Ning Zhu offered an escape: “Perhaps you didn’t mean it that way. But since we’re on the subject, it’s best to clarify certain things upfront to avoid future complications.”

He added softly, “I currently have no plans to seek a partner and cannot offer emotional fulfillment. I hope you won’t harbor expectations in that regard.”

Dou Changxiao’s lips pressed together, emitting no sound: “…”

A faint scraping sound came from the table.

Ning Zhu lowered his head toward the sound: Dou Changxiao’s hand was gripping the table edge tightly, his neatly trimmed nails turning slightly white.

Ning Zhu: “…”

He suddenly recalled the scene of Dou Changxiao facing four opponents alone that day, his throat involuntarily tightening.

But that hand soon relaxed.

Ning Zhu raised his head again, finding Dou Changxiao seemingly restored to calm.

After emotions peaked, they would inexplicably plummet, plunging the mind into extreme stillness.

Dou Changxiao stared at Ning Zhu for a moment.

“I only mark people I like.”

Ning Zhu paused, conceding, “Then let’s just exchange pheromones.”

“Not acceptable.”

“…Why!?”

Dou Changxiao replied expressionlessly, “Because I’m clingy. I fall for sugar daddies far too easily.”

Ning Zhu: “…?”

Dou Changxiao continued impassively, “I’d pester him relentlessly, demanding a long-term relationship.”

Ning Zhu: “…”

Dou Changxiao: “Being his boyfriend is the bare minimum. Marriage is ideal.”

Ning Zhu: “…………”

Dou Changxiao: “Still interested?”

A long silence followed.

This time, it was Ning Zhu who froze, utterly speechless.