Chapter Text
The morning breeze slipped through the laboratory’s narrow windows, stirring the translucent white curtains and carrying the cold inside with it. The sterile room grew steadily colder. Researchers in white gowns lingered over hot coffee or quietly pulled on puffers for warmth, despite regulations forbidding outerwear in the lab.
Several staff members wore suppressant patches at the base of their necks; others did not. The distinction was immediately understood. The patches marked secondary gender—Alpha or Beta—and their absence marked the same. There were no Omegas in the laboratory. The chemicals and pharmaceutical processes were considered unsafe for them, and so the staff consisted exclusively of Alphas and Betas.
Even among them, hierarchy persisted. S-Class Alphas moved through the institution with ease, their biological dominance smoothing their path upward. B-Class Alphas were milder, incapable of asserting the same presence, unable to compete on an instinctual level. Betas filled the gaps between reliable but unremarkable.
That morning, You Shulang stood near the lab benches, a cup of coffee cooling in his hand as he reviewed months of compiled data. He was close—closer than anyone else who had managed—to finalizing the formula for injectable pheromonal blockers. The laboratory operated under the supervision of his professor, an aging Beta who trusted very few people. Shulang was the exception.
The lab specialized in tailoring medication to specific client needs. This particular project served corporate clients—businessmen who could not afford pheromonal disruption in tightly structured environments. Within these corporations, all Alphas were required to suppress dominance to maintain the illusion of equality. The medication Shulang was developing made that possible.
Given the project’s importance, it was inevitable that the responsibility fell to him. On the day of the presentation, his professor summoned him to the office to meet the investors. The old Alpha could not afford to negotiate from a position of weakness. Having an S-Class Alpha at his side—You Shulang—was a need.
“A-Lang let’s go to my office you need to meet the investors” B-Class Alpha said smiling nicely and trying to grab his arm, since Alpha would feel hesitant meeting new people.
“Professor, let me finish this” he finished his coffee with one big gulp and followed professor into his office.
The office was small, too enclosed for the number of people it was meant to hold. Shulang stood near the window while his professor took the seat behind the desk. The air was neutral, restrained, and under control.
The Betas entered first. Assistants, by their posture and silence. They took their places along the wall, heads inclined, eyes already measuring the room.
Then the main investor – Fan Xiao entered the room.
He wore no suppressant patch.
The shift was immediate. His pheromones spread without apology, cool and heavy. It smelled like rain-soaked stone and dark musk. Settling into space as if claiming it. By any unspoken standard it was rude. It was like a declaration of authority in the worst way possible.
Betas stiffened and the professor faltered. His presence was thinning unable to push back. He quickly led betas and himself out of the small office, where only Shulang remained with Fan Xiao.
Shulang inhaled once which was enough. With the most professional smile he reached up and peeled the patch from the side of his neck. The change of the pheromones filled the room entirely filling it with the new wave.
Wild roses flooded the room – sharp, vivid, unapologetically alive. The small office became a sealed space, pressure building as dominance met dominance head-on. The air thickened and became unbearable.
For a fraction of second something caught
Fan Xiao froze. It didn’t look like resistance or someone who was caught in submission to him. Even if Shulang’s dominance wasn’t higher than him, Alpha didn’t feel scared, didn’t try to stop as if he accepted it, and didn’t run away like a scared pup.
Fan Xiao entering expected compliance or tension at least, but he didn’t expect this. Even in this situation You Shulang didn’t stop from his politeness. Walking towards Fan Xiao through the pheromones and raising his hand and shaking in greeting.
He was directly looking in Xiao’s eyes asking “Nice to meet you, I’m You Shulang head pharmacy technician in this laboratory”
Fan Xiao was stunned, shaking his hand smiling in return. “Nice to meet you, Fan Xiao the investor”
Shulang released him first.
“Your dialect sounds different,” Shulang continued, his tone unchanged, “In the county P we always wear pheromone patches.”
The words were neutral. Informational. Not a request.
He glanced, briefly, at the unpatched side of Fan Xiao’s neck before returning his attention to the room.
“Uncontrolled presence tends to provoke unnecessary responses.”
Betas were standing outside, naturally curious and were peaking into the office from the big panorama walls inside. You Shulang did couple of steps back still facing Fan Xiao opened the windows directing outside to clean the pheromone filled room.
“Mr. You, you have a sharp eye.” He smiled, and continued “As an apology, I’d like to invite all of you to a restaurant. I wasn’t aware about the rules in county P”
Professor heard it through the doors and proceeded to smile and lead the team towards the exit. He assigned one of his subordinates in charge and they went towards the cloakroom where Shulang and his professor changed lab gown into their coats.
Shulang always looked especially delicate in black as it easily enhanced his foxy dark eyes. One of the betas sat in the driver’s seat and took them to the restaurant that looked expensive. Golden, white colors They shimmered, creating sparkles throughout the hall. In the hall near the entrance, they were met by an omega girl who led them to one of the private rooms where VIP clients are served.
Elder alpha purposefully sat Shulang next to Fan Xiao and the table got filled with food and alcohol. As the bottles were brought in, You Shulang started pouring the alcohol for each person, with the polite smile.
Everyone choked this wine glasses “May this project go well” professor said, and they all drank the first glass of wine. The red liquid burned their throats in a mild heat that spreaded through the chest. Then the second glass, and the third.
None of them were with one bottle, so the second bottle of wine was opened, now the elder alpha and betas were getting dizzy. The second bottle finished by professor’s words of
let’s try something stronger
Then the whiskey was brought in, the amber liquid that burns more than the wine, but the aftertaste was richer. One of the betas didn’t like the whiskey as they grimaced at the burn and quickened to drink some water. Their faces grew pink, then red. Speech loosened and someone was having fun watching as his betas were getting funny drunk.
As if it was his own theatre show.
Between the drinks Fan Xiao got cigarettes out of his pocket that he lit, then casually passed to You Shulang, slightly pressing his knuckles on Shulang’s, offering the lit-up cigarette.
He took the cigarette out of politeness, he accepted the cigarette and took a puff. Shulang felt lightheaded closing his eyes and taking another puff, inhaling then breathing out the smoke. It was either cigarette’s effect or the room, that his head was spinning, and Shulang returned the cigarette to Fan Xiao and brushed their fingers.
Fan Xiao didn’t comment he took the cigarette back, inhaled then resumed drinking. While others were drinking more and more, Shulang left the room for a fresh air, feeling that he got quite drunk he called his lover to pick him up.
“Hi Zhen-Zhen…” there was a pause as the words were mushed all together because of alcohol.
“You-ShuShu it’s so late, where are you?” The voice on the other side sounded concerned
“I am at the meeting with inves…” hiccup “…vestors”
“You can’t drive like that” from the other side he heard the keys. “I will pick you up, send me the address”
“Okay” As You Shulang was sending the location to his boyfriend Fan Xiao appeared behind him out of nowhere. Shulang drunkenly looked at him and nodded and said the last things to his boyfriend. “I’m busy Zhen-Zhen, see you”
The sweet voice from the other hand answered “I love you, You-ShuShu wait for me”
Then the call got disconnected.
Shulang looked at Fan Xiao and felt like they could read each other’s minds, and they walked together beyond the private rooms all the way of the balcony that was facing the night city. The night air carried the scent of rain and distant traffic. It was cool enough to clear the fog from Shulang’s head just a little bit.
Fan Xiao closed the door behind them, and leaned against the railing as You Shulang did it. He got another cigarette offering it to You Shulang, then the second one to himself. You Shulang roaming his pockets for the lighter, but Fan Xiao was faster with the matches.
Shulang looked directly into Fan Xiao’s eyes while making the first puff to light the cigarette.
I can see people like me, but you’re not one.
He squinted his eyes looking at the pair next to him as he breath out the smoke from his lungs.
Shulang noticed the way Fan Xiao watched him drawing in the first breath of smoke, as if tracking the movement of his lungs rather than his mouth. And it was intense.
It wasn’t rude, but strange.
Shulang exhaled slowly, smoke slipping past his lips and curling into the night. With the side vision he notice that Fan Xiao was still looking.
“You like smoking this?” he said lightly, inviting to a conversation.
Fan Xiao nodded “Why, you don’t like it?” His gaze didn’t move
“Tastes strange” He said looking at the cigarette then at Xiao “Like a lipstick”
“Lipstick?” Fan Xiao chuckled turning off the cigarette against the railing. “Yeah, Mr. You haven’t had a laugh like this for a while”
You Shulang just smiled when Fan Xiao stepped closer, crossing the boundaries of acquaintance. “In county P, it’s usually not polite to get this close to people of same secondary gender Mr. Fan” Shulang basically was pressed against the railing and feeling Xiao’s breath on his cheek.
Shulang’s phone vibrated in his pocket. The sound cut through the quiet. He paused then reached for it with a small gesture for the interruption.
“Excuse me” he said, already stepping half pace away, looking at the screen it was Zhen-Zhen.
“Hello?” he answered immediately stepping away to the exit but holding the handle.
“You ShuShu I already arrived, are you done?” Zhen-Zhen’s voice was warm but he could hear the note of concern in his voice. “It’s getting late”
Shulang glanced back just once, briefly, “not yet” he paused “but almost done”
“Okay, once you’re done I’m in the garage parking lot, love you, bye”
“Me too” Said Shulang and hang up the call placing the phone in his pocket. When he turned, Fan Xiao was watching him, not with curiosity but attentively.
“that was my partner” he explained, smoothing his coat sleeve as if nothing had been amiss. “He’s picking me up”
Fan Xiao’s expression didn’t change. His gaze flicked once—briefly—to Shulang’s pocket, then returned to his face.
“So soon?” he asked.
“It’s late,” Shulang replied evenly. “And I’ve had enough alcohol.”
Fan Xiao stepped closer putting his hand on top of Shulang’s hand on the exit door’s handle. Then Fan Xiao spoke again
“You don’t usually leave things unfinished, do you?”
Shulang paused only long enough to glance back, polite smile already in place.
“Some things,” he said calmly, “are finished when they’re no longer productive.”
Then he went inside, leaving the night air—and Fan Xiao—behind.
The underground parking lot smelled faintly of oil and damp concrete. Fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting long, pale reflections across the polished floor. Shulang’s footsteps echoed softly as he moved between rows of cars, the noise of the restaurant fading with each step downward.
He spotted Zhen-Zhen’s car immediately.
Zhen-Zhen was already out of it, leaning against the driver’s side door, phone still in hand. Relief crossed his face the moment he saw Shulang.
“You-ShuShu,” he said, smiling.
Shulang didn’t slow. He closed the remaining distance and leaned in, pressing a brief, familiar kiss to Zhen-Zhen’s lips. It was warm, uncomplicated—muscle memory more than impulse. Zhen-Zhen’s hand came up to his waist automatically, steadying him.
“You drank,” Zhen-Zhen murmured, amused and fond.
“A little,” Shulang admitted, already pulling back. “Let’s go home.”
They didn’t notice the figure standing near the far stairwell.
Fan Xiao remained in shadow, one hand resting loosely at his side, the other still faintly smelling of smoke. From this distance, the scene was small—two bodies under harsh light, close in a way that spoke of habit rather than urgency.
The kiss lasted less than a second.
Mine would look better there, he thought, distantly. Only mine.
You Shulang stood with an ease Fan Xiao rarely encountered. From the very beginning, he hadn’t flinched. Hadn’t lowered his gaze. Hadn’t apologized for existing in the same space. Instead, he had answered dominance with dominance—released his pheromones not as a challenge, but as recognition.
As if they were speaking the same language.
Only that made Shulang stand out in the eyes of Tyrant Xiao.
Shulang’s drive home with Zhen-Zhen was peaceful.
Usually, when Shulang drank, he grew quiet rather than loud. Tonight was no different. The alcohol dulled him gently, already wearing off as cool wind poured in through the rolled-down window. He leaned his head back against the seat, eyes half-closed, breathing evenly.
Zhen-Zhen drove with one hand on the wheel, the other occasionally adjusting the speed, attentive as always. There was already a bottle of water waiting in the cup holder. Shulang grabbed it without comment and drank half of it in one go.
“Zhen-Zhen,” he said afterward, suddenly animated, pressing a hand dramatically to his stomach. “Do we have anything to eat at home? I’m so hungry.”
He laughed at himself, a little breathless.
“We don’t,” Zhen-Zhen said, amused, signaling as he turned. “But we can stop by your favorite place. Their noodles should help with the hangover.”
Shulang hummed in agreement.
They arrived at the small café not long after. The warmth inside wrapped around them immediately. They ordered quickly—noodles for Shulang, salad for Zhen-Zhen—and took a seat near the window.
Shulang devoured the noodles without restraint.
Zhen-Zhen watched him for a moment, smiling, then asked casually, “So, You Shu-Shu… how was your day?”
Shulang paused mid-slurp.
“I met someone today,” he said after a moment. Then, after a brief pause, “The investor for the project.”
He twirled noodles around his chopsticks, gaze unfocused.
“He was strange,” Shulang continued. “Can you imagine? He walked into the building and just… spread his pheromones. Like he was claiming the place.” He frowned faintly. “I don’t know why I responded. I don’t usually do that.”
He took another bite.
“I think he’s not local,” he added, as if that explained it.
Zhen-Zhen listened without interrupting.
He was standing too close, Shulang thought suddenly, the memory surfacing without warning.
The thought lingered for a second longer than necessary—then faded as the warmth of the food settled in his stomach.
He lowered his head and kept eating