Marked by an Enigma After a Pheromone Disorder - Chapter 8

The Enigma could easily pick out the scent of the He family’s second young master. The temperature and intensity were identical to his own when he was at his peak—the only difference was that the other man was a mere Alpha.

Sheng Yansheng was a man of fastidious habits and possessive instincts. Once something belonged to him, no one else was permitted to touch it, especially not an Alpha who shared a similar pheromone profile. He sat motionless in his wheelchair, but his gaze issued a silent, lethal warning. Despite the crowd of elite men in sharp suits surrounding them, Sheng Yansheng offered the little Alpha no path of retreat.

Drunk as he was, Tang Shi’s emotions were worn on his sleeve. Seeing his uncle looking so stern, his ears practically drooped. He shrank back like an unloved kitten, looking utterly piteous and innocent.

As the banquet drew to a close, Sheng Qian was bound to emerge. Tang Shi had never met the man, and if someone were to whisper a single word, the tipsy Alpha might just go stumbling after his biological father.

“Come here,” the Enigma commanded, extending a broad hand.

Tang Shi’s reaction was a beat slow. He stared at the hand as if he didn’t quite grasp what it meant, his round eyes clouded with confusion. He hesitated for a long while, not daring to approach until Song Chi arrived, panting for breath.

“How did your little nephew end up wandering over here? A-Sheng, let me help you.”

Once they were in the car, Sheng Yansheng looked through the window and spotted Sheng Qian searching the crowd. The Su family had likely filed their complaint, and the man looked like he was fuming. To Sheng Yansheng, the sight was almost comical.

******

Upon returning to the villa, Sheng Yansheng had the staff escort Tang Shi back to his own quarters. However, when Sheng Yansheng emerged from his bathroom later that night, he was startled to find a small mound huddled in the middle of his own bed.

A tuft of fluffy hair peeked out from the duvet, along with a slender, pale calf. The figure was curled into an uneasy ball. It was clear that the drunken Tang Shi had stealthily climbed into the wrong bed. He seemed to be greedily absorbing the warmth of the room, letting out tiny, soft noises as he slept soundly, clutching the covers.

Sheng Yansheng was not accustomed to sharing his bed. He looked down, intending to scoop the intruder up, but Tang Shi’s hand suddenly shot out and gripped his wrist. The boy nuzzled against him with a clingy, desperate familiarity.

“Smells good,” Tang Shi murmured in his sleep.

Smells good? If Sheng Yansheng recalled correctly, as an Enigma, his pheromones were rarely described as “pleasant” by others. He made a mental note to ask Song Chi about this later.

Just as he was about to call the housekeeper to take the boy away, there was a rhythmic knock at the door. “Sir, Mr. Sheng Senior is here.”

Before the housekeeper could finish, a coarse, heavy voice echoed from the hallway. Sheng Yansheng shifted back into his wheelchair and pulled the door nearly shut, but Sheng Qian was already trying to peer through the crack.

Sheng Qian wasn’t afraid of what his brother might be hiding. In his mind, what could a “cripple” possibly hide? If his brother could heartlessly drive away beautiful Omegas, the only things tucked away in this room were likely his outdated movie reels.

“The Su family holds a significant position in Jiang City. Do you think you’re still that superstar actor who can charm anyone he pleases?” Sheng Qian’s face was tight with tension—a sure sign of how much the earlier incident had bothered him. He was a domineering man who demanded an explanation.

“I heard you brought a little lover along?” Sheng Qian snorted derisively. “Don’t tell me you’ve hidden them in here. Sheng Yansheng, I’ve told you before: you can play around all you want after you’re married, but not now!”

Sheng Yansheng looked at his elder brother calmly, unruffled by the insults. He glanced back nonchalantly toward the bed. The Alpha under the covers shifted, revealing a flush of soft skin at his ankle. Sheng Qian’s reaction was something Sheng Yansheng found worth savoring.

“I understand, Brother,” Sheng Yansheng said slowly. “He’s just drunk and took a liking to my bed. I’ll kick him out shortly.”

Sheng Qian, satisfied with his brother’s apparent obedience, was about to drop the matter when he remembered something else. “By the way, is that Omega son of mine still staying with you?”

Having not seen the biological son his wife brought home for several days, Sheng Qian felt he should at least check in. It didn’t truly matter who looked after the boy as long as he stayed within the family—especially since there would soon be a sister-in-law in this house. By then, his son would have no choice but to listen and return to the main house.

“He’s asleep,” Sheng Yansheng said, his gaze steady and a faint, phantom smile playing on his lips.

Sheng Qian, a man of deep suspicion, paused to ponder the words. He remembered that even Sheng Jiaying had long ago stopped the habit of sleeping in a parent’s room. He glanced at the guest room next door and issued a warning. “You’d better take good care of him. If he’s thin or sickly when I take him back, and it affects his reproductive development for the family line, we’ll have a problem.”

Family line? Sheng Yansheng’s expression turned subtle, a mocking laugh echoing in his mind. Your son likely won’t be continuing anyone’s line but mine.

“If you don’t trust me, Brother, why not take him back now?” Sheng Yansheng goaded.

Sheng Qian thought about the chaos that would ensue if he took the boy back now. He decided to tolerate the arrangement for a while longer, though he intended to have people keep a closer watch. “Fine. It’s late, I won’t disturb your rest.”

******

Sheng Yansheng noticed that as soon as Tang Shi lost his grip on his hand, the boy began clutching the duvet instead. His soft, pink mouth was slightly parted, greedily seeking out the heavy scent of pheromones lingering on the pillow. This was a private, intimate space that no Alpha would ever dare to intrude upon.

As Sheng Yansheng sat down, Tang Shi instinctively “migrated” toward him. The fluffy head nuzzled against the man’s lap, an unconscious movement that sparked a sudden desire to touch. Sheng Yansheng didn’t even realize his hand was reaching for Tang Shi’s neck until he found himself peeling back a corner of the blocking patch.

The sharp, sour scent that leaked out was instantly enveloped by his own pheromones. Under the influence of the “intense sun,” the acidic bitterness began to blend and react, causing Tang Shi’s furrowed brows to relax. A fragrance of sweet citrus began to rise like steam. The Enigma couldn’t help but take a deep breath; the clean sweetness was exactly the scent he liked.

Simultaneously, the Alpha let out a satisfied, sleepy sigh.

Just as Sheng Yansheng leaned down further, he realized he was being unintentionally lured by the sleeping boy. He pulled back and pressed the patch firmly into place, his thumb lingering until the skin around the area turned a damp, frustrated red.

No charm, low attraction, impossible to match with an Omega… These descriptions simply didn’t fit this little Alpha at all. He reached out and unhesitatingly wrapped an arm around Tang Shi’s waist, preventing this “wild sour orange” from undergoing any further changes.

When he carried him out, the housekeeper was just about to report that Tang Shi was missing. He was stunned to see Mr. Sheng with his nephew slung over his shoulder, the veins in the man’s hand bulging as he held the boy’s legs in place. Tang Shi’s hands were flailing, searching for a secure anchor point as he tried to wrap his arms around Sheng Yansheng’s neck—only to be pushed away repeatedly.

“Take him back,” Sheng Yansheng said, his voice strained and his emotions clearly volatile.

The housekeeper caught a whiff of a sweet, fragrant scent coming from the boy. He marveled at the young master’s “skills,” managing to discover Mr. Sheng’s favorite fruit scent so quickly. To be this much of a handful at such a young age. He was certainly going to give Mr. Sheng a run for his money.

*******

When Tang Shi woke up, the nausea and dizziness from the night before had completely vanished. He touched the duvet, finding it unusually warm and comfortable, as if it had been baked in the sun. He thought he caught a faint, lingering scent of oranges. He couldn’t believe such a smell would come from his own bed; when he tried to sniff again, it was gone. Of course, he thought. A sweet orange scent isn’t something a rare Alpha like me could ever have.

Ji Zhicen’s phone call came right on cue. The Beta’s voice was loud enough to nearly shatter his eardrums. “Brother Tang! Do you know who called me this morning?”

Tang Shi rubbed his eyes and noticed he hadn’t changed his blocking patch. As he peeled it off, he felt his gland. It seemed rounder and fuller than before. Was it still developing?

“Don’t leave me hanging,” he said, his voice still thick with sleep.

“The lead singer, Ming Ge!”

Tang Shi’s brain scrambled to remember. Then it clicked—Ming Ge was the boss of Fengjing. He practically bolted upright in his narrow bed. His uncle’s movies might be blacklisted, but Ming Ge’s music was timeless. Why would Ming Ge call him?

“What… what did he say?” Tang Shi asked, his voice trembling with excitement.

“You were chosen! Out of all those streamers! He wants you to come in tomorrow to sign the contract and report for duty.”

With Luo Wenyu and Ming Ge involved, Tang Shi felt like destiny was smiling upon him. He nodded like a woodpecker, amazed that he had been selected despite the chaos he’d caused at the showcase. As he packed, he briefly wondered if this was some kind of “Whale” trap set by his top donors. But then he remembered that Ming Ge had a reputation for being a stand-up guy, like a big brother to the industry. Surely it was fine.

However, Ji Zhicen’s excitement suddenly turned to gloom. “Brother Tang, I heard a rumor last night. It sounds like Film Emperor Sheng is about to find a partner. We were all hoping he’d return to the screen… people are saying we need another Ten Nights. But he’s been single for so long; if he doesn’t come back and gets married instead, we can only wish him well. You’re staying with him—is it true?”

Tang Shi’s hand stilled. He had left the banquet early and didn’t know if the blind date was a success. If that Omega became his “Aunt,” he would almost certainly be kicked out.

He didn’t want to crush his friend’s dreams, but the truth was his “mentor” might soon have a life partner. He thought mischievously to himself: He might not return to the screen, but he’s definitely going to shatter your worldview. And besides, Tang Shi would be moving out soon anyway.

He recalled the way his uncle had held his hand, and a small, tangled feeling of longing rose in his heart. Mrs. Li never held his hand; everyone always thought he smelled bad.

“Yeah,” he said with a hint of pique. “He’s probably going to have a wife soon. All his fans will have to call some Omega ‘Aunt’.”

The oblivious Beta didn’t catch the tone. “Well, keep an eye on him. The paparazzi are still desperate for news.”

After hanging up, another call came through. Tang Shi answered without looking. A woman’s voice immediately erupted in a scolding tone. “Tang Shi! I sent you back to the Sheng family so you could rely on your biological father! He’s the most powerful man in that family, not that crippled brother of his! Sheng Yansheng is an unpredictable monster—what kind of future do you have with him?”

Her voice was so sharp and relentless that Tang Shi couldn’t get a word in.

“You’d better find a way back to the main house. Your mother says she ‘gave’ you away, but are you really content to let that fake son live your life?”

Tang Shi hesitated, then said slowly, “I understand.”

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