I Didn’t Want to Fall, but My Arch-Nemesis Is Just Too Handsome - Chapter 5

The wound on Jiang Xu’s head was still throbbing with pain. He slept fitfully, letting out small moans from time to time in his dreams.

Xu Zhiyan was guarding him. Hearing the pained sounds, he immediately leaned in, stroking Jiang Xu’s hair while releasing soothing pheromones. The air filled with the refined, elegant scent of brandy, smoothing away the restlessness and unease.

Jiang Xu unconsciously leaned toward Xu Zhiyan, reaching out to wrap his arms around the man’s waist. Under the comfort of the S-rank Alpha pheromones, the pain grew increasingly blurry until it vanished entirely. Jiang Xu snuggled into Xu Zhiyan’s embrace and fell into a deep, sound sleep.

Xu Zhiyan lowered his head, his nose gently brushing against Jiang Xu’s neck. Behind the neck was the location of an Omega’s scent gland. He clearly smelled the rich aroma of red roses, which seemed exceptionally fragrant and alluring in the dark of night. Many people claimed that an S-rank Alpha’s pheromones could easily control lower-ranked Alphas, Betas, and Omegas, and that no one could escape them. However, few people knew that even an S-rank Alpha could be controlled by their destined Omega. So what if one is a top-tier Alpha? One still cannot escape the grasp of fate.

Jiang Xu stayed in the hospital for one night. After an examination the next day, the doctor said his condition was stable and he could be discharged to recover at home.

Jiang Xu followed Xu Zhiyan back to the villa. Although he could not recall the specific details, the familiarity of the villa made Jiang Xu realize that he must have lived here before. Every piece of furniture made him feel a sense of longing. He carefully observed his surroundings, attempting to find familiar memories in his mind.

Xu Zhiyan led him upstairs. “The bedroom is on the second floor. If you are tired, you can rest first.”

Jiang Xu walked into the bedroom and saw the large bed. He suddenly realized a very serious problem. He looked back at Xu Zhiyan, his eyes gleaming with sharp light.

Xu Zhiyan felt his skin crawl under that gaze, feeling as if those eyes could kill. “Xuxu, why are you looking at me like that?”

“We have been married for three months. Have we ever…”

Jiang Xu clutched Xu Zhiyan’s clothing. “Tell me, has it ever happened?”

“Has what happened?”

“Do not play dumb with me.”

“Xuxu, I truly do not know what you are asking.”

“I mean… that kind of thing…”

Jiang Xu’s scent gland was damaged, so his pheromones were very faint. He had not yet experienced the heat cycles that Omegas usually have every month. However, such things did not only happen during heat cycles. An Omega and an Alpha alone in one room could easily lead to trouble. Xu Zhiyan was an S-rank Alpha. If he had acted like a beast and forced himself upon him, Jiang Xu, a low-ranked B-grade Omega, would not have been able to resist. Would he not have been at the mercy of this animal?

Xu Zhiyan looked at him with a smirk. “What do you think?”

Seeing that smile, Jiang Xu felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His innocence was gone! It was all gone!

Jiang Xu lunged forward to grab Xu Zhiyan by the throat. “I am going to report you for marital coercion.”

“But Xuxu, how do you know it was not you who initiated it?”

“!!!!” Jiang Xu felt as if his skull had been struck by another bolt of lightning. He initiated it? He actually seduced Xu Zhiyan? If this news got out, where would he hide his face?

Jiang Xu glared viciously at the Alpha before him. “I am warning you, you are not allowed to tell anyone about this.”

Xu Zhiyan replied, “As you wish.”

Jiang Xu said, “At least you are sensible.”

Xu Zhiyan ruffled his hair. “Go rest first. I have some work to take care of.”

Jiang Xu swatted his hand away. “Do not touch me. Get out of here right now!”

Xu Zhiyan chuckled and turned to leave the bedroom.

Jiang Xu lay on the bed, turning the situation over in his mind, and felt that something was not right. According to Xu Zhiyan, they had been intimate, so he should definitely have Xu Zhiyan’s pheromones on his body. Jiang Xu lowered his head to sniff himself. The scent was very faint, likely left over from sharing the room the night before. It did not smell like a marked scent. Could Xu Zhiyan be lying to him?

Jiang Xu ran into the bathroom, found a small mirror, and faced the mirror above the sink to check the location of the scent gland on his neck. After removing the suppressant patch, the uneven scar was completely exposed. Beyond the uneven texture of the scar, there was no mark left by a bonding bite. He let out a sharp sigh of relief. It seemed that he and Xu Zhiyan had only registered their marriage and had not progressed to the stage of being marked. If he could lie about having an intimate relationship, his claim that they married willingly was probably fake as well. That scoundrel did not have a single honest word in his mouth. Thinking about how he had been played like a fool, Jiang Xu was filled with fury. If he ever believed Xu Zhiyan’s words again, he would be a dog, a mindless dog.

Xu Zhiyan was very busy. He did not just have to attend appearances; he also had to handle the business of the Xu Corporation. He did not emerge from the study until near noon. Not seeing Jiang Xu in the bedroom, Xu Zhiyan followed the stairs down to the first floor. Sounds came from the kitchen, and the smell of something burning permeated the air. Xu Zhiyan seemed to realize something and sprinted into the kitchen.

Black smoke filled the room, and flames were flickering. Jiang Xu was holding a spatula, waving it at the smoke-filled pan. “Where is all this smoke coming from? Cough! Cough!”

Xu Zhiyan walked over to press the off button and grabbed Jiang Xu by the arm, pulling him to the side. “You are going to start a fire doing this. Do not enter the kitchen again.”

“What do you mean? You think I cannot cook?” Jiang Xu darkened his expression. “I am just not used to using your kitchen.”

“It is our home,” Xu Zhiyan corrected him before dumping the charred food out of the pan. “Xuxu, what is this you made?”

The food had become black charcoal, making it impossible to identify what it had originally been.

Jiang Xu said, “It is a fried egg! How can you not even tell that?”

Xu Zhiyan replied, “…”

Jiang Xu said, “I am actually very good at making fried eggs.”

Xu Zhiyan noted, “You succeed once for every ten you try.”

Jiang Xu felt embarrassed. Was he really that bad? “Look, I succeeded this one time. Failure is the mother of success; one can only achieve success by constantly failing.”

Jiang Xu pulled on Xu Zhiyan’s arm. “Move aside, do not hinder me from cooking. I am starving, and there are only raw ingredients in the fridge, not even instant food.”

“Wait in the dining room. I will cook.” Xu Zhiyan did not dare let him into the kitchen again. This was not the first or second time Jiang Xu had nearly burned the house down; his little treasure had a mysterious, misplaced confidence in his own cooking skills.

“You can cook?” The doubt in Jiang Xu’s eyes made Xu Zhiyan feel helpless. He curled his lips. “Have you not noticed? There are no servants in the house. I am usually the one who cooks.”

Jiang Xu was shocked. “You, you cook?” The image of Xu Zhiyan wearing a cartoon apron popped into his head; it felt incredibly incongruous. “Are you going to poison me?” Jiang Xu looked at Xu Zhiyan vigilantly, not believing that the man would be kind enough to cook for him.

Xu Zhiyan pulled a chair over and pushed Jiang Xu down into it by his arm. “Sit here and watch me cook.”

Jiang Xu said, “Even if you did not tell me to, I would be watching you.” Who would dare eat food prepared by their nemesis? He did not want to cut his life short.

Ten minutes later, Jiang Xu was proven wrong. After Xu Zhiyan finished making waffles, he accepted them without hesitation. Mmm! It was so delicious! It was not that he was abandoning his principles; he simply could not waste food. Jiang Xu took a bite of the waffle. It was good! This Xu Zhiyan fellow might not be much, but his cooking skills were quite decent.

Before he had even finished one waffle, Jiang Xu suddenly felt that something was wrong with his body. His body began to heat up, and the rich scent of red roses began to evaporate into the air. Jiang Xu raised a hand to cover his stinging neck, widened his eyes, and shouted, “Xu Zhiyan, what have you done to me?”