Older Brother - Chapter 3

Bai You had always been wary of Fu Yu.

Perhaps it was because Fu Yu was an Alpha with an exceptionally high pheromone level a rarity even within the entire Galactic Federation. A graduate of the Federation’s elite military academy, he had finished his studies early amidst brutal competition and spent years on the front lines. Since his return, he had made significant power moves and now occupied a high-ranking position. The sheer aggression of his potent pheromones carried a natural sense of danger that made Bai You intensely uncomfortable.

Bai You’s ears rang slightly. The physical toll and exhaustion from the previous night still weighed heavily on him. Although he had already injected a suppressant, the spot where he had been temporarily marked was pulsing with a faint, lingering heat.

Ever since he presented at the age of twelve, he had used disguise agents religiously. It should have been impossible for Fu Yu to know he was an Omega.

Bai You’s palms and back were slick with a cold, nervous sweat, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Is there something you need?”

“Nothing much. I just came to see how my brother is settling in. After all, it’s been a long time since we last met.” Fu Yu looked him over, raising an eyebrow. “You look quite flushed. Did you find some excitement while you were out all day?”

After the ordeal of the night before, even with the suppressants and disguise agents, the corners of Bai You’s eyes remained red, and his lips were an vivid, bruised shade. Usually, he was a quiet, unassuming presence, but at this moment, he looked like an ink-wash painting that had suddenly been splashed with vibrant color.

Bai You, unaware of how he looked, was momentarily stunned by the comment.

Fu Yu didn’t dwell on it. Once the small talk was over, his smile vanished. “Did you arrange for that Omega to be in my room?”

Bai You’s eyelid flickered. “What Omega?”

“Don’t play dumb.” Fu Yu’s gaze turned cold. “You’re the only one with any suspicion who entered or left the main house yesterday.”

Fu Yu had rarely slept so well, cocooned in that light, tranquil scent of orchids. When he woke up, he had even intended to linger with the Omega and see what he actually looked like. But when he reached out, he found only empty space. The window was wide open, and the room was still saturated with the Omega’s pheromones.

The Omega had fled.

“Who is he? Where is he now?”

Bai You felt an internal surge of relief. He replied in a flat tone, “I don’t know any Omega. If you think I’m a suspect, feel free to investigate all of my social connections.”

Fu Yu narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him.

Bai You’s physique wasn’t as fragile or thin as a typical Omega’s. He was tall and slender with a composed temperament. While he appeared somewhat weaker and shorter compared to other Alphas, under the protection of the disguise agent, he truly did pass as an Alpha.

In this sprawling family, children were not inherently valued. A fragile Omega would have a life infinitely harder than an Alpha’s, potentially being used as a bargaining chip or a “gift” for a business partner at any moment.

Bai You’s mother had been one such Omega a mistress without status who gave birth to him. When Bai You presented, his gravely ill mother, filled with despair, had found a way to secure disguise agents for him. She had instructed him to never let anyone discover his true nature.

The two men stood in a tense standoff for a moment. Fu Yu stepped closer to Bai You and leaned down slightly, catching the steady, calm scent of grass. There seemed to be other faint scents mixed in, but there was certainly none of the orchid fragrance that had obsessed him the night before.

Standing before him, the tall Alpha radiated a sense of intimidation and aggression that was terrifying.

“Is that so?” Fu Yu finally spoke, his tone unreadable. “It better stay that way.”

As Bai You watched him walk away, his tensed shoulders finally slumped, and his forehead broke out in a cold sweat.

Hidden beneath his collar, his gland still bearing the bite mark—was burning and throbbing wildly. It felt almost as if his body were yearning for the Alpha to bite him again.

No matter how detached his personality was, it was impossible for Bai You to remain truly calm after such an event. Over the next few days, he couldn’t help but secretly keep track of Fu Yu’s movements.

Fu Yu was relentlessly sending people to search for an Omega with the scent of orchids. Different Omegas were brought to the old mansion from time to time, only to be sent away shortly after. Even though Fu Yu hadn’t seen the Omega’s face that night, he was certain that none of these people were him.

That Omega’s body had been supple, and though his voice had been suppressed and hoarse, the underlying tone was beautiful. Even in the darkness, Fu Yu could sense that he wasn’t some submissive, frail weakling.

As long as Fu Yu didn’t stop searching, Bai You remained on edge. However, since he had lived as an Alpha since his presentation, the most Fu Yu could suspect was that Bai You had sent someone to him. It was unlikely he would suspect Bai You himself. He had already disposed of the clothes he wore that night, which were soaked in pheromones.

He decided to focus on finishing his mother’s design drafts to distract himself and stop the scenes from that night from constantly flashing before his eyes.

But when he looked through the half-finished hair accessory he had brought to the main house that day, Bai You’s heart suddenly went cold. The piece was originally set with two small sapphires.

Now, one was missing.

He had taken the small piece of jewelry with him when he went to look for books that day. Since the study prohibited external items and forbade the use of terminals for photography, he had wanted to compare the details directly against the design draft.

Where did he lose it?

Bai You had no memory of it. He thought he had checked the room thoroughly before leaving Fu Yu’s quarters, but he had been so dizzy and overwhelmed by Fu Yu’s rough treatment that he might have missed it. If it had fallen in the study, that would be the best-case scenario. But if it had fallen elsewhere  and Fu Yu found it, things would be disastrous.

Restless and unable to sit still, Bai You hid his drafts and medical supplies before heading back to the study in the main house. The study was massive. He retraced his steps, searching several times, but he couldn’t find the sapphire.

He didn’t dare enter Fu Yu’s bedroom again. He thought back repeatedly, certain that he had checked the bed, the floor, and the wardrobe that night.

Before heading back, Bai You casually asked the old butler how the search for Fu Yu’s Omega was going. The butler, who had watched them grow up, was very kind to Bai You. “They’ve checked every registered orchid-scented Omega on the Central Planet. It’s a rare scent, but they still haven’t found a match. Now they’re expanding the search to the personnel records at the United Starport.”

Bai You smiled thinly. “Is that Omega really so remarkable? Aside from the pheromones, did he really leave no other traces behind?”

The old butler shook his head with regret.

Bai You breathed a sigh of relief. He managed to fish for a bit more information and learned that Fu Yu wouldn’t be returning that night. Under the cover of darkness, he went to the flower beds beneath Fu Yu’s window to search. It had rained that night, and the flowers were trampled and messy; he wasn’t sure if the area had already been searched.

Bai You searched carefully for a while but found nothing. Fu Yu hadn’t mentioned a gemstone as a clue, and the butler hadn’t said anything either. It seemed the sapphire had fallen into some obscure, hidden corner.

Bai You didn’t know whether to feel relieved or remain anxious. He went back and pulled out his drawings, completing the missing parts from memory while continuing to monitor Fu Yu’s actions.

Fu Yu’s side remained empty-handed. An entire month passed, and despite turning over every stone, they couldn’t find an Omega that matched Fu Yu’s memory.

As the weather grew warmer, Fu Yu’s mood became increasingly irritable. Returning home late one night, he tossed his coat aside and listened to the butler’s report on the recent search results.

As he spoke, the butler’s tongue slipped, and he inadvertently mentioned Bai You’s comment: “Is that Omega really so remarkable? Did he really leave nothing behind?”

Fu Yu’s brow twitched. He raised a hand sharply, signaling the man to stop. “Repeat that last sentence.”

The butler blinked, confused, and repeated the words.

Fu Yu narrowed his eyes. The sentence made him feel uneasy, though he couldn’t quite place why. “Repeat your entire conversation from that day, word for word.”

The butler bowed his head and recounted his conversation with Bai You exactly as it happened.

Fu Yu was instantly certain: Bai You had been fishing for information. He wanted to know if Fu Yu had found something. It was definitely related to that Omega.

And he claimed he had nothing to do with it, Fu Yu thought with a cold sneer. He dismissed the butler, intending to go confront Bai You.

As he stood up, the humid night air wafted through the half-open window. Thanks to his superior Alpha vision, he caught a sudden, tiny glint of light near the edge of the window frame.

Fu Yu didn’t ignore it. He walked over and, from a groove hidden in the shadow of the curtains, he picked up a tiny sapphire.