1122 - Chapter 40.2

Yan Nanchen’s hands were still stained with blood. His face was grim as he immediately got into the ambulance, sitting beside Jiang Yi and watching the medical staff wipe his nosebleed while administering emergency measures.

“He’s been having frequent fevers recently, sometimes with nosebleeds. Is it because of pheromone concentration imbalance?”

A nurse applied an ice pack to Jiang Yi’s nose bridge while another wiped away the blood. The doctor checked him and said, “That’s part of the reason, but we’ll need further tests at the hospital to confirm. The nosebleed has stopped now.”

Yan Nanchen tightly held Jiang Yi’s hand, his eyes never leaving him. His eyes gradually reddened, but he didn’t know what to say. A wave of guilt washed over him. He lowered his head, his usually straight posture seeming to collapse as his shoulders slumped. Finally, he pressed his forehead against the back of his hand.

“Please!”

Countless pleas echoed in his heart.

A cool drop fell onto the back of his hand.

The unconscious man’s fingers trembled slightly.

Hospital.

“How often has he been having nosebleeds recently?”

“Probably several times over the past two months.”

“What about fevers?”

“Frequently, but they subside quickly.”

“President Yan, his frequent high fevers are indeed caused by pheromone concentration imbalance. In cases like his, fevers are always accompanied by nosebleeds. It must be more than just ‘several times’ as you mentioned.”

Yan Nanchen’s expression darkened further. Could it be that Jiang Yi had nosebleeds without telling him?

“But this time, his fainting wasn’t primarily due to pheromone concentration imbalance. It was influenced by his Heat and your pheromones.” The doctor said earnestly, “He probably hasn’t had a Heat in five years. Normally, an Omega experiences Heat about four times a year, especially when near the Alpha who marked them. That’s a healthy pattern.”

Yan Nanchen’s eyes flickered slightly. “For these five years, I haven’t been by his side.”

The doctor nodded. “That’s the key issue. Given his weakened physical state, his body couldn’t resist or sustain the effects of your Alpha pheromones while being so vulnerable. This worsened his pheromone concentration imbalance.”

“Typically, Secondary Differentiation Population with pheromone concentration imbalance can find relief through physical and fluid contact with a highly compatible partner. But he can’t, because his body can’t handle it, the internal strain is too severe.”

Yan Nanchen’s mind buzzed. He stared blankly at the doctor. “Are you saying, my pheromones made his imbalance worse?”

“Yes,” the doctor said. “But it doesn’t mean you should stay away from him. On the contrary, you must stay close and accompany him more. However, you’ll need to increase the dosage of blockers to reduce the impact of alpha pheromones on him. We need his body to be in its best condition when his Heat arrives. Otherwise, given his current physical state, your proximity could put additional strain on him.”

Night fell, and the hospital sank into silence so deep that not even the clamor of cicadas could pierce it.

The lights in the ward were already off, leaving only the faint sound of the humidifier releasing mist and the occasional rustle of particles in the air.

Jiang Yi slowly opened his eyes, still disoriented about where he was. It wasn’t until the strong scent of disinfectant hit him that he realized he was in the hospital. Then, he heard a faint noise.

He turned his head slightly, looking toward the side.

Moonlight from outside faintly illuminated the room, revealing a tall figure sitting by the window Yan Nanchen. His shadow stretched across the floor as he tilted his head back, as if swallowing something.

“Puppy,” Jiang Yi called softly, frowning as he sat up.

Yan Nanchen stiffened instantly. His grip on the medicine bottle tightened abruptly, as if caught in the act, his entire body frozen in place.

“What are you taking?” Jiang Yi checked his hand, no IV needle then sat at the edge of the bed, steadying himself before standing. But Yan Nanchen remained motionless, as if startled by him, so he got up. “Why won’t you look at me?”

He walked over to Yan Nanchen and, under the dim moonlight, caught sight of the medicine bottle in his hand. He reached out to take it.

“You’re awake? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?” Yan Nanchen slipped the bottle into his pocket the moment Jiang Yi touched him, standing up as if nothing had happened.

But Jiang Yi grabbed his wrist.

“What are you taking?” Jiang Yi pressed, sensing something off. He held Yan Nanchen’s hand firmly. “Are you sick?”

In the darkness, he couldn’t see the cold sweat on Yan Nanchen’s forehead or the pallor of his face, but he could feel his hand trembling. Jiang Yi froze.

“You just woke up. The doctor said you need more rest. Go lie back down.” Yan Nanchen gripped Jiang Yi’s hand in return, struggling to suppress his body’s reactions, forcing his breathing to steady.

“What are you taking?” Jiang Yi, now suspicious, tried to snatch the medicine from Yan Nanchen’s pocket.

A sharp smack his hand was abruptly slapped away.

Jiang Yi froze. His stinging hand hovered midair as he stared at Yan Nanchen in shock, hurt and confused. “Yan Nanchen, why are you overreacting? I’m just worried about you.”

Yan Nanchen turned away in frustration, his left hand clamping down hard on his trembling right, as if punishing himself with the force of his grip. “It’s nothing. Just vitamins.”

“Vitamins? Then why react like this?” Jiang Yi squinted without his glasses, his vision was blurry and held out his hand. “Show me what you’re taking.”

“It really is just vitamins.”

“Let me see.”

Yan Nanchen hesitated, his throat tight. “Yi, don’t do this.”

“Show me.” Jiang Yi kept his palm open.

“Yi, I—”

“Yan Nanchen!!” Jiang Yi snapped, his voice cracking at the end. A deep unease made him afraid. “You’re scaring me. Show me.”

Yan Nanchen began to panic. He stood uneasily, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed against his dry throat. He turned slightly, not wanting Jiang Yi to notice his abnormality, but the cold sweat on his back had already soaked through his clothes.

At that very moment, Jiang Yi grabbed his pocket and pulled out the medicine bottle inside. Yan Nanchen’s heart lurched, he wanted to stop it, but it was too late.

Jiang Yi held the bottle in his hand. He couldn’t make out what it was at all, especially since the hospital room was unlit, but he could sense Yan Nanchen’s tension, which only amplified his own unease.

“Yan Nanchen, tell me yourself, what kind of medicine is this? Sleeping pills?” he guessed. Had he scared him so badly that he needed medication to sleep?

Then he heard the person in front of him breathing rapidly.

Jiang Yi froze for a few seconds before turning to turn on the light, only to bump into the bed in the dark. He sucked in a sharp breath and groaned in pain.

“Yi Yi!” Yan Nanchen reacted swiftly, stepping forward to steady him. Only when he was sure Jiang Yi was steady did he let out a relieved sigh.

Jiang Yi could feel Yan Nanchen’s hands trembling this wasn’t normal. “Yan Nanchen, turn on the light.”

Yan Nanchen hesitated. “Yi Yi, I—”

“If you don’t turn it on, we’re breaking up.”

The cold command left no room for argument. Yan Nanchen moved to switch on the light almost without thinking. The moment the hospital room brightened, they saw each other clearly.

“Hand me my glasses.”

Yan Nanchen passed the glasses from the bedside table to Jiang Yi.

As soon as Jiang Yi put them on, he finally got a clear look at Yan Nanchen his face was pale, his forehead beaded with sweat, his entire body radiating discomfort. He glanced down at the medicine in his hand, but the name meant nothing to him.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Yan Nanchen forced himself to stand straight, not wanting Jiang Yi to notice anything amiss. He forced a smile and stepped forward to embrace him. “It’s nothing, just feeling a little unwell. Couldn’t sleep, so I took some sleeping pills. I’m sorry, did I scare you?”

“You’re shaking.” Jiang Yi didn’t push him away but looked up at him instead. Seeing how awful he looked, his nose stung. “Puppy, your whole body is trembling. If you took sleeping pills, shouldn’t you be asleep? Why do you look so sick?”

“Maybe it’s the side effects, but I really—”

“Yan Nanchen!!!!”

The reprimand wasn’t loud, but it echoed in the hospital room. Perhaps because he was still weak from waking up, there was no real force behind it his voice even trembled.

Yan Nanchen stiffened.

Jiang Yi shook the medicine bottle, his eyes red as he stared at Yan Nanchen. “You’re acting so strange. What is this medicine?”

Yan Nanchen stayed silent, lips pressed tightly together.

The room filled with the suffocating tension of a standoff.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me, I’ll look it up myself.” Jiang Yi tried to pull away to grab his phone, but Yan Nanchen immediately dragged him back into his arms.

Before he could react, he felt something cold drip onto his neck.

Jiang Yi froze, then heard Yan Nanchen’s choked sob beside his ear.

“I’m sorry!” Yan Nanchen clung to him from behind, unable to suppress his uncontrollable anxiety any longer. He buried his face in Jiang Yi’s shoulder, his words barely escaping through gritted teeth. “Yi Yi, I was just so scared.”

Jiang Yi didn’t move. He just stared blankly at a spot, but for some reason, Yan Nanchen’s words made him incredibly sad. His grip on the medicine bottle tightened, and his eyes grew moist behind his glasses. With a trembling voice, he asked:

“Puppy, what kind of medicine is this?”

“Medicine for depression.”

Jiang Yi froze. His mind went completely blank for a moment before he suddenly turned around in shock to look at Yan Nanchen. “What?”

“I have depression.”

Jiang Yi’s thin lips trembled slightly, his pupils reflecting Yan Nanchen’s pale complexion. As if unable to accept what he was seeing, his eyes instantly reddened, tears falling freely. His hand loosened its grip, and the medicine bottle slipped from his fingers.

The cap of the bottle popped open upon impact, scattering white pills across the floor.

In that moment, it seemed he had even forgotten how to breathe.

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