Childhood Sweethearts (ABO) - Chapter 6

The Unspeakable Secret

Saturday morning.

The sky was just beginning to turn a faint gray when Xi Zhiyu was woken up by the family dog. Dressed in loungewear, he took a lap around the park within the villa district.

By the time he returned home, the kitten was stretching lazily. Seeing him change his shoes, it proactively greeted him, affectionately rubbing against the hem of its young master’s trousers.

Xi Zhiyu stroked the furry head. “Good girl.”

“I’ll pour the food for you both right now.”

The cats and dogs in the house had already entered middle age, no longer as lively and restless as they were when they were young. One large and one small animal crowded around the dining area; after eating their “disaster relief” rations, they flopped down in the garden, contentedly sunning their bellies.

Xi Zhiyu sat on a rattan chair. The autumn sunlight spilled across his profile as he quietly accompanied the two little fellows, just as he always did.

Yet, everything seemed worlds apart from usual.

Grasping his phone tightly, he hesitated before clicking into Weibo. The trending searches were still dominated by the grand spectacle from a few days ago the wave of heated discussion triggered by Xie Yun’s post.

Since the Weibo clarification, to avoid fan congestion at the airport, Xie Yun has returned to the country via private jet!

I heard Xie Yun even had his phone confiscated by his manager?

Oh my, no wonder he looked so haggard in the hotel leaks o.0

As a passerby fan, I don’t believe Xie Yun can fall in love while being that busy. Is he a time management master at such a young age?

Pfft, Yun-zai personally debunked the rumors to this extent, how can people still think that ‘Omega’ doesn’t refer to a specific person hhh

Agreed with the person above. With such a mysterious private itinerary, could he be off to coax his little partner?

I’m dizzy, I always feel like Yun-zai is still just a baby kkk

A gust of cool autumn wind rushed in, slipping into the youth’s collar. Like a butterfly effect, his dark eyelashes trembled.

He seemed to be transported back to the night of the party.

Because of Xie Yun’s statement about liking an Omega, the internet had fallen into a frenzied agitation, which also swept through the party venue like a storm. From that moment on, Xi Zhiyu finally realized that his childhood friend truly had someone he liked.

After the party ended, that night was exceptionally deep and quiet.

While leaving the party with Yuan Zhoulu, Xi Zhiyu’s figure was submerged in the dim light. He had been tossing and turning the thought over in his mind the whole way.

Finally, he asked in a low voice, “Do I know that Omega?”

Yuan Zhoulu blurted out, “You definitely know them!”

Xi Zhiyu: “…”

Yun-zai had someone he liked, and not only were they a fellow Omega, but they were also a peer that he knew.

Yet, he couldn’t think of who that person could possibly be.

It turned out.

He and Yun-zai had already drifted apart. There were things that even “Paipai” knew through hearsay, while he couldn’t even catch a glimpse of a shadow.

Xi Zhiyu felt as if he were enveloped in a shroud of mist. He got up to wash, changed his clothes, finished breakfast, and hurriedly headed out.

8:00 AM. Pheromone Clinical Center, Parking Lot.

Joesen, the Director of the Pheromone Department, got out of his car, locked it, and walked toward the side entrance of the office building. His gaze inadvertently swept past a seemingly low-key, top-tier luxury sedan.

Not far away, the familiar tall and straight figure of the youth came into view.

Joesen called out in surprise, “Zhiyu?”

Xi Zhiyu was raising his hand to lightly press against his gland. Hearing the voice, he looked over. “Director Joesen, good morning.”

“Morning. Why are you here so early?”

Xi Zhiyu replied, “I wasn’t feeling very well. I borrowed my father’s car on short notice.”

Joesen nodded. “Let’s go to the consultation room first.”

After a simple physical examination, the situation was similar to the last visit.

Joesen held the hospital tablet. “There isn’t much difference from the last check-up. You are in the secondary differentiation period, plus with Grade A Pheromone Disorder, your gland’s sensory capabilities will indeed be very unstable recently.”

Xi Zhiyu sat upright on the sofa, his palms pressed together. He asked hesitantly, “Do I still have to wait until the secondary differentiation period ends before a specific treatment plan can be determined?”

“From the current perspective, yes.”

Joesen handed him the tablet. “You can look at the various indicators. Your father works in a related industry, so I think you should be able to understand them.”

Xi Zhiyu took the tablet, his fingertips turning slightly white. His gaze fixed on the information column regarding the mutual influence between gland changes and emotions: Level S.

Secondary Differentiation Result Prediction: Unknown.

His expression became visibly more solemn. For the first time, he felt a sense of powerlessness, like a puppet controlled by a glandular disease.

Joesen crossed his arms, tapping his fingers against his skin, observing him throughout. “You drove your father’s car here this time is that really okay?”

Xi Zhiyu said, “I will clean it thoroughly. I won’t leave any traces.”

Joesen nodded, even imagining how cautious the youth’s movements would be when erasing the dashcam records.

He couldn’t help but speak up. “Your father knows the most authoritative doctors in the field of pheromone symptoms.”

“Although I don’t know why you want to hide this from your parents, I still need to remind you if your body reaches a stage where you can no longer endure it.”

“I won’t be able to keep the secret for you anymore. I must be responsible for your physical health.”

Xi Zhiyu did not respond.

He slowly set the tablet down on the table, his back straight, even stiff.

But Joesen clearly had his answer. “Is it not possible?”

“No.”

The youth from a distinguished family spoke in a gentle tone, yet his attitude was surprisingly resolute. “If it really reaches that point, I will find a way to transfer hospitals.”

Joesen: “…”

He didn’t quite understand. Given Xi Zhiyu’s family situation, even if it were a terminal S-grade illness, his father’s generation would surely do everything in their power to develop a specialized medicine for him. After all, his Alpha father was indeed a leading scientific researcher in this industry.

The doctor sat down on the opposite sofa, picked up his teacup, and spoke earnestly, “Can you tell me why?”

Xi Zhiyu pursed his lips. His dark, wing-like eyelashes lowered, and his voice tightened slightly.

“I am a Grade A Omega suffering from hereditary pheromone disorder. The highest priority non-drug treatment requires an Alpha of a higher grade or even high compatibility to guide and treat me.”

“A friend who is as important as family to me might end up becoming that unlucky ‘tool’.”

Joesen was stunned.

The youth before him seemed 100% certain that the Alpha cooperating with the treatment would be that specific friend.

Why?

This was the only son of a top-tier medical chip engineer and a nationally renowned wealthy man. Although he was still a minor, the power and capabilities he wielded in private were not to be underestimated; investigating information was no difficult task.

There were likely two possibilities here.

1. That important Alpha friend had a pheromone compatibility that was extremely high at least 95%.
2. There was a bond between the two similar to an arranged marriage.

Joesen couldn’t think of any other reason. After a moment of silence, he asked curiously, “That person is a friend you care about very much. Once they are bound to a pheromone treatment plan, the friendship is extremely likely to change, and there’s even a chance of harming the other person’s body. Is that what you’re worried about?”

Xi Zhiyu: “…Yes.”

That was the effect of pheromones.

Because their pheromones were highly compatible, when they collided during treatment, the feelings between the two would very likely be driven by the pheromones. It wouldn’t be emotions from the heart, but rather pheromones working behind the scenes.

The Alpha would become a pheromone predator out of control like a wild beast, while the Omega would be like the one enticing the other to commit a crime, causing them to gradually lose themselves in the forest controlled by pheromones.

Xi Zhiyu’s voice grew lower. “I don’t want to do that to him. He has his own pursuits and dreams; he shouldn’t be affected by my illness.”

“Moreover, he is healthy. He shouldn’t have his life impacted just to treat me.”

As his voice fell, the phone in his pocket began to vibrate continuously, interrupting their conversation.

Xi Zhiyu looked apologetic as he took out his phone. Seeing the caller ID on the screen, his body went rigid without any reaction.

From his expression, which seemed to freeze instantly, Joesen guessed, “Could it be that friend you mentioned?”

“…Yes.”

Xi Zhiyu stared at the little tiger effect on the screen and said blankly, “He should be back. We agreed to meet for dinner tomorrow.”

Joesen understood. “Then take the call first. The check-up is over. For now, I can only prescribe you some more medicine. You can come pick it up after you finish the call.”

“Thank you.” Xi Zhiyu gave a forced smile. “Sorry for the trouble. I’ll go outside to take this.”

To avoid delaying the next patient, the youth stepped out of the consultation room and walked quickly toward the spiral staircase. Then, he stopped in front of a giant glass wall and slid the screen to answer.

“Yun-zai?”

From the other end of the line came the sound of car music a song by a Western superstar Xie Yun liked. The new album had just been released, and it was a trendy, powerful love song.

Perhaps because he hadn’t slept well on the private jet, Xie Yun’s voice carried a hint of hoarseness, but it couldn’t hide the excitement in his words: “Brother.”

“I’m back in Nancheng.”

A Cullinan was currently driving on the private loop road leading from the parking apron toward the west of the city. Shortly after getting off the private jet, Xie Yun was rushing to the suburban base to have lunch with his Omega father, who worked there.

The youth was at an age of vigorous energy. During the flight, he had only slept for less than four hours intermittently, yet he seemed as if he had been given a shot of adrenaline.

He wanted to see Xi Zhiyu sooner than ever before.

“Brother…” Xie Yun’s lips curled into a clear arc. “Can I ask you out for dinner early tonight, or are you only free tomorrow?”

The youth’s tone overflowed with anticipation.

But Xi Zhiyu knew all too well that the new medicine prescribed by the doctor would take at least until tomorrow to ensure his body was in a stable state. If it weren’t for his poor physical condition, Xi Zhiyu would have undoubtedly set aside his tasks to accept this rescheduled invitation.

“Welcome home,” Xi Zhiyu explained gently. “I have some private matters today. Can we still meet tomorrow as planned?”

There was a moment of silence on the line.

Sitting in the car, Xie Yun looked like a rain-drenched animal; his straight, upright ears instantly drooped. But even so, he forced a smile, not letting the disappointment leak into his words: “It’s okay. I’m the one who changed the time on short notice anyway. We originally agreed on tomorrow.”

Xi Zhiyu paused for a long while before asking softly, “Are you unhappy?”

“…Of course not!” Xie Yun quickly changed the subject. “I’m going to find my dad now. He’s not on a mission today, so I can go for a walk with him tonight.”

“That’s good,” Xi Zhiyu’s lips curved up. “Can you say hello to Uncle Jin for me?”

Xie Yun: “No problem.”

The childhood friend who worked in the entertainment industry was good at acting and controlled his emotions perfectly, but Xi Zhiyu could still hear the faint disappointment in his tone.

For a few short seconds of silence, only the sound of the playing song remained.

As Xi Zhiyu searched for a topic, Xie Yun on the other side, breathing slowly, spoke first: “Brother.”

“You’re still like before and don’t use Weibo, right?”

Xi Zhiyu opened his mouth slightly, hesitating for a long moment. “Yes.”

For some reason, it felt as if a gate in his chest had slammed shut, preventing him from speaking the truth. He instinctively asked back, “Why do you ask?”

On the other side, Xie Yun seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his tone rising slightly. “Nothing, just asking. Then, see you at the old place tomorrow?”

“Okay.” Xi Zhiyu glanced toward the consultation room, estimating the time to pick up the medicine, and brought the conversation to a close. “I’m still a bit busy right now. Yun-zai, get some good rest tonight. See you then.”

Xie Yun: “Okay, see you, Brother.”

“Bye-bye.”

After hanging up the call, Xi Zhiyu stood there blankly, looking at the brief call log on the screen, a lump in his chest.

He vaguely guessed that behind that concern, there was more or less a sense of embarrassment. The question about his Weibo usage was likely because Xie Yun’s personal feelings had hit the trending searches, and he feared the awkwardness of being questioned by someone he knew.

He turned around.

Director Joesen, who had appeared behind him at some point, walked closer and handed him a medicine bag. “A little girl moved her follow-up to the afternoon, so I had a moment. I asked my assistant to go downstairs and get the medicine for you.”

Xi Zhiyu was still somewhat dazed. “Thank you, sir.”

Joesen observed his expression. “It seems he is indeed very important to you. Is it a regret just to see him one day later?”

Those words felt strangely like a needle pricking his skin, making his whole body feel uncomfortable. Even the cloud-covered weather was not as damp as those words.

The atmosphere was too heavy.

Joesen gave a comforting smile again. “But then again, for an Omega as outstanding and top-tier among your peers as you are, perhaps that friend would be very willing to treat you.”

These words were almost equivalent to saying: Maybe that Alpha friend likes you too; the nature of the two is the same.

Xi Zhiyu visibly stiffened. A faint blush flashed across his cool, handsome face. A youth in the midst of puberty is sensitive to emotions and couldn’t withstand the teasing of an elder.

“That won’t happen.”

It took a long time before he pulled up the corners of his mouth, smiling sincerely. “He is an excellent Alpha. He already has an Omega he likes.”

Although he wasn’t sure who that Omega actually was.

But Xi Zhiyu always felt that the person who could be firmly chosen by Yun-zai would surely make him healthy and happy.

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