After I Stopped Being a Simp, My Husband Fell for Me on His Own - Chapter 14

Yu Yi had never considered going on a mission with Ji Xingxiao. He knew nothing about combat or maintenance, so what would be the point of following along? During his half-month leave, he had only gained a vague, general understanding of these tasks. He knew the core involved clearing contaminated zones and the special link between Alphas and Omegas. Since he was a Beta, it seemingly had nothing to do with him.

Half of the planet’s surface was still covered in contaminated pheromones. These missions were issued by the Central Star System and distributed to ten peripheral planets simultaneously. Among them, the planet where Yu Yi lived had the highest rating for usable resources, meaning its area awaiting purification was the most vast.

However, judging by Mr. Ruan’s nonchalant expression, Yu Yi felt it was likely just a routine sweeping operation. Although they dealt with the star system’s most cutting-edge technology at the academy, they were, after all, only freshmen. Yu Yi instinctively felt the mission could not be that difficult.

If that was the case, Ji Xingxiao probably would not refuse, especially since it concerned whether Yu Yi could remain in the Upper District for his studies. With that in mind, Yu Yi did not worry too much. Mr. Ruan had told him to pay the retake fees by the end of the semester, which was still two months away. He heard Ji Xingxiao’s current mission frequency was once a month, with the next one scheduled for the following week.

After his afternoon classes ended, Yu Yi saw that it was still early and decided to take a trip to the city center. He wanted to see if there was a communicator he could actually afford. The three major academies were not far from the city center, and Yu Yi was intimately familiar with the area from his previous part-time jobs. After getting off the bus, he expertly navigated to a shop that blended metallic aesthetics with elegance.

Unlike the rigid rectangular screens of his memory, modern communicators had become entirely like accessories. The counters no longer displayed old-fashioned equipment but items that resembled high-end luxury jewelry. Gem-encrusted rings sparkled with brilliance, and thin silver chains radiated a low-key, luxurious glow. At first glance, it looked as though he had walked into a jewelry boutique.

An android clerk sensed Yu Yi’s entry and slowly walked toward him, a blue light unique to robots flickering in its eyes. “Hello, is there anything I can introduce to you?”

“Uh,” Yu Yi’s gaze swept quickly over the floating price tags beneath the jewelry. They all started at six-figure Star Credits. He pursed his lips and said, “I am looking for the most basic communicator.”

“Certainly, please follow me.”

The clerk led Yu Yi past several rows of counters shimmering with dazzling fire, finally stopping at a relatively understated silver-grey counter. With a light tap on the screen, a layer of shimmering light surfaced and the tabletop rose silently to reveal a row of electronic light screens as thin as cards.

Yu Yi looked closely and saw they were the most common, ordinary electronic screens. They were thinner than the phone he currently used, with edges cut into a comfortable, rounded shape and a ring of blue light around them. Even for these outdated models, the cheapest one cost five figures.

Yu Yi stared for a long time before finally saying, “I will think about it.” Without waiting for the clerk to respond, he turned and walked to the door, suddenly quickening his pace as if he were escaping. What kind of nonsense was this? A small, fragile piece of scrap screen cost five figures? Why did they not just go out and commit highway robbery?

Even though he could technically afford it, Yu Yi truly could not bring himself to spend the money. After some thought, he decided the priority was to solve his credit issue before researching communicators. He navigated the winding streets and went to a large supermarket in the city center. This was a place he had been afraid to even glance at when he passed by for work in the past. Resources in the Lower District were extremely scarce; fresh fruits and vegetables were expensive and rare. Yu Yi could count on one hand the number of times he had eaten fruit in his life. He walked through the supermarket and finally stopped in the fruit section.

Yu Yi thought that if he was going to ask for a favor, he needed a proper attitude. However, Ji Xingxiao clearly lacked nothing. If Yu Yi bought something expensive, it would hurt his wallet, and Ji Xingxiao might not even value it. It was better to buy some fruit as a treat and then bring up the mission.

Perfect! Yu Yi slapped his thigh and spent a heavy sum on two oranges. As he took them out of the misty refrigerated case, his hands trembled slightly, holding them with a touch of reverence. Does Ji Xingxiao like oranges? If he does not, I will just eat them myself. Either way, it is not a loss.

It was 7:00 PM by the time he returned to the dormitory. Yu Yi had been worried about getting in so late without someone else’s authorization, but as he approached the entrance anxiously, the transparent glass door slid open silently. Yu Yi froze in shock and stepped inside, incredulous. He actually passed the identification. He looked back suspiciously at the slowly closing glass door. Thinking of a certain possibility, a wave of wild joy surged in his heart.

Ji Xingxiao had entered his data. Did this not mean the plan to have Ji Xingxiao take him on a mission for credits was more likely to work? The elevator ride was unobstructed, and even the biometric door of the dormitory unlocked automatically as he approached. Yu Yi pushed the door open and found the main lights were off. The only light source was the water wall in the living room, which looked like a blue ribbon swaying slowly in the darkness.

Under the dim shadows, he saw Ji Xingxiao half-naked on the sofa where Yu Yi usually slept. A pale blue halo covered his smooth, powerful muscle lines. He looked like he had just finished training; his firm muscles were flushed with a beautiful pink hue, exposed defenselessly before Yu Yi’s eyes. The sofa beneath Ji Xingxiao had switched to deep therapy mode, emitting an almost inaudible low-frequency vibration to soothe tense muscles. Due to the angle, the other half of his face, the one with the exaggerated birthmark, was hidden in the darkness. Only his deep, refined features and high nose bridge were visible.

It was essentially a fan-service scene. Yu Yi quickly looked away and lowered his head to take off his shoes like a well-behaved student. Then, acting nonchalant, he remarked, “Quite the mood you have here?” As soon as he said it, he remembered the high-intensity physical training Ji Xingxiao had mentioned yesterday. He was clearly just relaxing his muscles. Realizing he had misspoken, Yu Yi quickly added, “Training was very tiring, right?”

Hearing Yu Yi’s voice, Ji Xingxiao lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at him. His emotions were unreadable in the dark, and he only offered a faint grunt in response. Ji Xingxiao had only granted Yu Yi access to the dormitory to avoid unnecessary trouble when he left for the purification mission next week. He had hesitated at first, but the thought that Yu Yi might ruin his reputation at the academy after realizing he had left led him to provide the access. That was all.

Yu Yi did not dare to look too much at the young, beautiful, and highly sexually charged body on the sofa. He walked silently into the bathroom and splashed his face several times with cold water. Even Ji Xingxiao’s physique was exactly his type. Well, it was probably everyone’s type. By the time he came out, Yu Yi had calmed down enough to look at Ji Xingxiao’s face. However, the living room sofa had changed into another form, leaving no extra room. Yu Yi had no choice but to sit on the floor. After sitting for a while, he stood up to pour himself some water. He stood at the direct-drinking tap in the kitchen for a long time, downing several glasses while stealing glances at Ji Xingxiao.

It seemed the therapy session was not over yet. Yu Yi silently put down his glass and walked over. “Is it okay if I watch some television?” He tried his best to keep his eyes on Ji Xingxiao’s face. Why was he even pink there? If he did not shift his attention soon, Ji Xingxiao would surely call him a pervert and kick him out.

Ji Xingxiao did not realize he was occupying Yu Yi’s only resting place. Instead, he was quite dissatisfied with Yu Yi’s idle attitude and total lack of intention to train in the simulation pod upon returning. Hearing that Yu Yi even wanted to watch television, he could not help but frown. “Are you not training today?”

“I am training,” Yu Yi said. He could not bring himself to admit that he had no communicator and thus could not enter the mecha practice field. He could only make an excuse. “After I shower.”

A beep sounded. The treatment chair beneath Ji Xingxiao emitted a sound indicating the end of the session. Yu Yi breathed a secret sigh of relief. He watched as Ji Xingxiao sat up, tapped a button to return the sofa to its original form, and stood up to put on the shirt hanging from the armrest. His fingers were long and elegant. As he flexed his forearms, the veins on the back of his hands bulged. They looked just as beautiful as they did the day he had put the ring on Yu Yi’s finger. Yu Yi was incredibly grateful he was a Beta. Otherwise, the overwhelming scent of pheromones in the room would be enough to cause an Alpha to riot or an Omega to go mad.

Beta Yu Yi felt he could smell the citrus scent coming from his bag. He wanted to talk about the mission, but making a direct request felt a bit abrupt. It was better to start a conversation first and then transition smoothly. But what should they talk about? Ji Xingxiao meticulously fastened his top button and prepared to leave. Without thinking, Yu Yi blurted out, “What do your pheromones smell like?”

Ji Xingxiao’s footsteps faltered. He turned his face to look at Yu Yi, his dark eyes filled with a trace of shock. “Why are you asking that?”

“Ah,” Yu Yi scratched his head, making up conversation to lead into the oranges hidden in his bag. “It is just that I seem to smell a scent of citrus.”

“It is indeed that,” Ji Xingxiao nodded. As if remembering something, a flash of awkwardness and even a bit of annoyance crossed his face. “I did not know a Beta could smell them.”

Ji Xingxiao had just finished high-intensity training, and his body was fully developed. Combined with the deep relaxation, his pheromones were currently in a state of vigorous eruption. Because this was his own dormitory and Yu Yi was a Beta, he had not bothered to hide them or even use a scent-blocking patch. The question Yu Yi asked at this moment made it sound as though he had indeed smelled the pheromones.

“I cannot actually smell them,” Yu Yi said. He had not expected to accidentally guess the scent correctly. His brain stalled, and in an attempt to please Ji Xingxiao, he praised, “But I can still tell what the scent is. It smells truly good.”

Ji Xingxiao’s expression became even more shocked, even showing a hint of strange embarrassment and anger. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Looking at Ji Xingxiao’s peculiar expression, Yu Yi suddenly realized something was very wrong. To Alphas and Omegas, discussing pheromones was a very subtle and intimate matter. Telling someone directly that their pheromones smelled good was essentially sexual harassment. Who praises someone’s pheromones like that? In Ji Xingxiao’s eyes, Yu Yi was already quite flighty, and now his impression was likely plummeting. Looking at Ji Xingxiao’s increasingly dark face, Yu Yi broke into a cold sweat.

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