A World Asunder - Chapter 12

With two high-IQ parents, Zhao Yexi had been a top student since childhood. He was a natural, the kind of gifted player who could achieve excellent grades without much effort. He never imagined that after twenty years of schooling, he would experience what it felt like to be a “failing student” on his very first day of work. To put it simply, the experience was terrible.

After the initial shock wore off, Zhao Yexi tried to reclaim some dignity. “Bu Chunzhai only said one sentence. It’s plausible that you guessed why they were fighting, but how did you know their individual viewpoints? Professor Liang must have tipped you off beforehand; ha, a mole!”

 

Lu Huangzhi shrugged. “As long as you understand their way of thinking, it’s easy to reach a conclusion.”

 

Zhao Yexi started to speak, stopped, then started again, finally saying irritably, “Fine, fine, I get it; you’re amazing. Next.”

 

Bu Chunzhai spoke up, “The priority for the Social Research Department right now is to establish a set of rules regarding whether the second gender should be made public and how to do so. Everyone in the department has to write a paper and prepare a PPT to state their view. To put it bluntly, you have to pick a side. Choose between the gentle and considerate Professor Liang or the cold, stone-faced Professor Guan.”

 

Zhao Yexi asked, “Which side are you on?”

 

“Professor Guan, of course,” Bu Chunzhai said persuasively. “Think about it. The higher-ups keep emphasizing that differentiation is not a disease. Since it’s not a disease, why hide it? The mainstream view is that Alpha and Omega are two genders. If I want to make a friend, if a company wants to hire someone, or if a fan wants to follow an idol, shouldn’t they at least know the person’s gender? If you ask me, the second gender shouldn’t just be public; it should be printed on our ID cards!”

 

Having finished his piece, Bu Chunzhai looked at Zhao Yexi and Lu Huangzhi expectantly, his face practically screaming, “Hurry up and agree with me.”

 

Lu Huangzhi asked, “How old are you this year?”

 

Bu Chunzhai didn’t know why Lu Huangzhi was suddenly asking this. “Thirty-four. Why?”

 

Lu Huangzhi replied, “Then the probability of you differentiating is very small.”

 

Bu Chunzhai looked to Zhao Yexi for help. Zhao Yexi explained, “He means that as a regular person, you naturally want to know who around you is an Alpha or an Omega. Your argument has a prerequisite: that society generally accepts that the second gender is indeed just a gender. Clearly, current public opinion is still far from that level.”

 

Bu Chunzhai was incredulous. “So you’re going to side with Professor Liang? Professor Guan is your mentor!”

 

Zhao Yexi’s eyes flickered away. “I didn’t say anything.”

 

“Before we fully understand the mechanisms of the Alpha and Omega genders, it’s too early to argue about these things,” Lu Huangzhi said. “Professor Guan and Professor Liang surely know this as well.”

 

Zhao Yexi asked, “They know it and they’re still fighting?”

 

Lu Huangzhi said nonchalantly, “Maybe they couldn’t find anything else to argue about.”

 

Zhao Yexi vaguely caught Lu Huangzhi’s drift. “Do we still have to write the paper?”

 

“Write it. The topic is quite interesting,” Lu Huangzhi said thoughtfully. “It would be best to conduct a small-scale social survey at the same time.”

 

Bu Chunzhai added, “I’ll be responsible for organizing the department’s data and past meeting records. I’ll send them to you later so you can take a look.”

 

Zhao Yexi became so immersed in the data that he couldn’t stop. At lunchtime, Bu Chunzhai asked the two new colleagues to eat together. Lu Huangzhi looked up at Zhao Yexi. Zhao Yexi was staring at the computer, his little brows furrowed in intense concentration.

 

Lu Huangzhi said, “You go ahead first.”

 

Bu Chunzhai hesitated. “Alright then, you guys hurry up too.”

 

After Bu Chunzhai left, Lu Huangzhi called Zhao Yexi’s name, but he was ignored. Lu Huangzhi walked behind his workstation and directly spun his chair 180 degrees.

 

One second, Zhao Yexi was working seriously; the next, Lu Huangzhi’s face appeared unexpectedly before his eyes.

 

Lu Huangzhi leaned down, his hands bracing the armrests of the office chair, and said to Zhao Yexi, “Time to eat.”

 

Zhao Yexi noticed the silver stud in Lu Huangzhi’s left ear and the rimless glasses on the bridge of his nose. He blurted out, “Are you nearsighted?”

 

“No,” Lu Huangzhi said. “The office computer screen is uncomfortable to look at. These glasses protect against blue light, supposedly.”

 

Zhao Yexi said disdainfully, “An IQ tax.”

 

This was the first time he had seen Lu Huangzhi wearing glasses, and it felt different from before. Usually, glasses provide a “refined scholar” buff, but few people could wear them and look as handsome and striking as Lu Huangzhi.

 

“Go eat first, then come back to look.” Lu Huangzhi reached over Zhao Yexi to press his keyboard, locking the computer screen for him. For a moment, the two were very close; Zhao Yexi was almost tucked into Lu Huangzhi’s embrace.

 

Zhao Yexi suddenly realized that today, Lu Huangzhi didn’t smell like grapefruit anymore. He could only smell the lingering scent of laundry detergent on his clothes.

 

“Why is it gone?”

 

Lu Huangzhi asked, “Hmm?”

 

“The smell of your pheromones!” Zhao Yexi leaned closer to Lu Huangzhi, sniffing around like a little kitten, then looked up with wide eyes. “Holy crap, it’s really gone!”

 

Lu Huangzhi had a secret hobby. Whenever he saw an animal that was excessively cute, he felt an urge to pull it into his arms and rub it shamelessly, like right now.

 

A hand landed on top of Zhao Yexi’s head. The tough guy’s hair was soft and felt nice to the touch; unfortunately, he couldn’t play with it properly just yet. Honestly, it was already miraculous that the tough guy didn’t explode and instead let him pat his head so obediently.

 

He couldn’t play with it, but teasing was still an option.

 

Lu Huangzhi pushed Zhao Yexi’s head back and said, “Nice head.”

 

Zhao Yexi reacted a second too late, fuming so much he became incoherent, “I’ll f***ing, your mother!”

 

“I used an odor blocker today.”

 

Zhao Yexi struggled for two seconds between continuing to curse and talking business, then decided to do both. “I remember odor blockers have a strong smell of alcohol, why don’t you have it? Lu Huangzhi, you’re a freaking beast.”

 

Lu Huangzhi couldn’t help but laugh, and once he started, he couldn’t seem to stop. He pulled over an empty chair and sat down backward, his chin resting on the back of the chair, looking lazy and content. He looked at Zhao Yexi and said, “Senior, I really like talking to you.”

 

If a visual-oriented person with a weak heart were locked in the gaze of a god-tier man like Lu Huangzhi while hearing those words, they would go straight to the ICU. Zhao Yexi also liked looking at handsome guys, but a handsome guy who praised his “nice head” could go die in a corner.

 

Zhao Yexi said seriously, “Lu Huangzhi.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Encountering you is truly a sin of my many lifetimes.”

 

Lu Huangzhi laughed again. “I’m using the latest odor blocker developed by the ABO Research Institute. It’s colorless and odorless. This blocker is still in clinical trials and hasn’t been officially released yet.”

 

“Then how did you get it?”

 

“Because I’m a guinea pig.”

 

Zhao Yexi was shocked. “You signed up as a volunteer?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Zhao Yexi was in disbelief. “No, since when did your sense of social responsibility become so high?”

 

Lu Huangzhi took off his glasses, tossed them onto his workstation, and said, “Didn’t you say people like me entering the research institute is a waste of taxpayers’ money? I’m trying to waste as little as possible.”

 

At that moment, Zhao Yexi felt as if Lu Huangzhi was glowing.

 

He had thought about the volunteer thing himself but couldn’t make up his mind. He wanted to contribute more to society, but he was also afraid that if something went wrong, he would be forced to get pregnant or even die. Yet, something so difficult for him was described so nonchalantly by Lu Huangzhi. This once again changed his perception of the man.

 

Just for Lu Huangzhi’s spirit of sacrifice, Zhao Yexi decided not to hold the “nice head” comment against him for now.

 

“If even I can’t smell anything, it seems the new blocker works well.” Zhao Yexi asked, “Besides testing the blocker, what else do you have to do?”

 

Lu Huangzhi said, “I’ll tell you if you come eat with me.”

 

Zhao Yexi couldn’t wait. “Let’s go, let’s go.”

 

As they reached the door, they saw that Bu Chunzhai hadn’t left yet. He was staring mournfully at the sensor door. “Again. Can’t you give me at least a shred of basic respect?”

 

Zhao Yexi asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

Bu Chunzhai complained numbly, “It can’t sense my presence. This is the tenth time this month.”

 

“Is it broken?”

 

“No,” Bu Chunzhai said calmly. “It’s just targeting me.”

 

Lu Huangzhi stepped forward, and with a whoosh, the door opened instantly. Lu Huangzhi suggested, “You might want to consider changing your name.”

 

Bu Chunzhai gave a meaningful smile. “Having a low presence has its benefits.”

 

Lu Huangzhi asked, “Give us an example?”

 

“From kindergarten to my PhD, I was never once called on by a teacher. Now that I’m working, all the other colleagues have been sent out for field research, and I’m the only one left behind to hold the fort.”

 

Zhao Yexi couldn’t help but say, “Why do I feel a bit envious?”

 

Lu Huangzhi nodded. “Indeed.”

 

Both Zhao Yexi and Lu Huangzhi were the type who could be spotted instantly in a crowd. Zhao Yexi was slightly better off, but Lu Huangzhi was truly miserable. He was the center of attention wherever he went, and he was constantly photographed or approached by strangers whenever he stepped out.

 

Zhao Yexi thought, “I want to be that miserable too.”

 

While lining up for food, Lu Huangzhi told Zhao Yexi that the project he was involved in was pheromone analysis, specifically studying the production of Alpha and Omega pheromones and their mutual influence to find a way to suppress an Omega’s heat. His task was to cooperate with researchers for experiments.

 

“When are you going to participate in the experiments?”

 

Lu Huangzhi said, “Whenever they contact me.”

 

Zhao Yexi felt a bit hypocritical. “It’s a pity I don’t have pheromones yet, otherwise I’d go and contribute my part too.”

 

Lu Huangzhi grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the drinks section and said, “I’m a bit curious what Senior’s pheromones would smell like.”

 

Bu Chunzhai placed a cup of cheese milk tea on Lu Huangzhi’s tray. “As a veteran employee of the institute, I highly recommend you try the milk tea here. The texture and taste are no worse than the 20-yuan cups outside.”

 

Zhao Yexi jumped. “When did you get here?”

 

Bu Chunzhai said, “Haven’t I been with you guys the whole time?”

 

Zhao Yexi muttered, “I used to believe in science.”

 

Lu Huangzhi put the milk tea back. “I don’t really like sweet things.”

 

“Then what joy is there in your life?” “I don’t like it either, but since you’ve recommended it so much,” Zhao Yexi picked the cup with the most cheese foam, “I’ll trust you this once.”

 

The institute’s quitting time was 6:00 PM. 99% of the people volunteered to work overtime; Lu Huangzhi belonged to that other 1%. As soon as it hit six, he left on time and even asked Zhao Yexi if he wanted to go together.

 

Zhao Yexi rubbed his tired eyes and said, “I’ll leave after I finish reading the meeting records.”

 

“Don’t work too hard,” Lu Huangzhi said. “See you tomorrow.”

 

At 10:00 PM, Zhao Yexi returned to his apartment with the heavy steps of a working man. He lay on the sofa scrolling through his phone for a while, then slowly crawled up to tidy up.

 

There were clothes drying on the balcony, and one of them was clearly several sizes larger than the others. Zhao Yexi took the clothes down and knocked on the door opposite his.

 

“Surprised? We’re seeing each other again tonight,” Zhao Yexi said. “Here’s your shirt back. Remember to delete the video.”

 

Lu Huangzhi asked casually, “Did you use a washing machine?”

 

Zhao Yexi looked away. “Obviously.”

 

Lu Huangzhi looked down at the T-shirt in his hand and said slowly, “I remember that the sides for that debate competition were decided by drawing lots.”

 

Zhao Yexi froze, then said crossly, “Why are you bringing that up again?”

 

“It just occurred to me,” Lu Huangzhi said. “I don’t remember exactly what I said back then. But whatever it was, it was just for the effect of the competition; it doesn’t represent my personal view.”

 

Zhao Yexi said sarcastically, “Well, the effect was quite realistic.”

 

Lu Huangzhi asked with interest, “So what did I actually say?”

 

“Think for yourself.” Zhao Yexi returned to his doorway, stopped, and asked, “Then, what is your true viewpoint?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Zhao Yexi turned around and asked as if it were nothing, “Do you want seven wives, or do you only want Little Dragon Maiden?”