What to Do If Beta Cannot Be Marked? - Chapter 25

Chi Jinxian wasn’t sure if he had misheard, or if his suffering had caused auditory hallucinations. Yet the moment Lu Zhi’s words fell, he lowered his head, eyes wide and fixed on the ground, his tears frozen in shock.

His fingers abruptly released their grip on Lu Zhi’s clothes. He struggled to brace himself against the wall, and the head that had been about to lean against Lu Zhi in pain instantly withdrew.

“I don’t.” A more violent wave of scorching thirst swept through him like a hurricane, assaulting his very core. Chi Jinxian’s lips, already bitten until they bled, turned deathly pale in an instant.

With a soft thud, his lightweight phone hit the ground before he did, the sound seeming to reverberate deafeningly. Chi Jinxian could no longer remain seated, his entire body sliding off the toilet lid and collapsing downward!

Just as he was about to crash onto the cold floor, a pair of strong hands swiftly caught him. Chi Jinxian thought he even heard a painful thump someone’s knees hitting the floor hard.

He didn’t feel any pain.

In fact, he couldn’t feel anything at all.

“Xiao Chi, Xiao Chi!” Lu Zhi held him by the shoulders, looking down at Chi Jinxian’s unconscious, lifeless face. His voice was filled with confusion and panic.

“An An”

A voice more frantic, worried, and hoarse than anyone else’s suddenly broke the silence of the room. It was faint, as if transmitted from somewhere.

The phone lying on the floor clearly displayed “Call in Progress” on its screen.

Lu Zhi quickly picked up the phone. Regardless of when the call had started, and with no time for courtesy, he spoke rapidly and clearly: “Uncle, I’ll take him down the east staircase. Once we’re out of the building, we’ll head south that route is shorter. Don’t take the wrong path, so we can meet up immediately.”

He barely heard the other party utter a single “Okay” before decisively stuffing the phone into his pocket and scooping Chi Jinxian into his arms.

Class was still in session, and the school was eerily quiet. When the sound of heavy, hurried, and anxious footsteps echoed through the hallway, nearly every student who could see turned their gaze toward the corridor.

Qi Suiyi, dozing off, was startled awake by a figure flashing past in his peripheral vision.

After the footsteps faded toward the staircase, he blinked and whispered to his deskmate, “Did someone just run past?”

His deskmate, still dazed, replied, “Yeah.”

Qi Suiyi frowned, hissing softly, “I think I saw him carrying someone princess-style. Am I seeing things?”

And damn, that person looked familiar.

“It’s Lu Zhi,” a voice suddenly supplied from behind. Qi Suiyi turned to see Nan Mengbai, also frowning. Meeting his gaze, Nan Mengbai added, “He was carrying your childhood friend. Jinxian seemed unconscious, I’m not sure what happened.”

“Who did you say?!” Qi Suiyi shot to his feet, eyes wide, startling the entire class.

The teacher at the podium was also alarmed and asked sternly, “Qi Suiyi, what are you doing?”

Qi Suiyi’s voice trembled slightly as he leaned on his deskmate’s shoulder, preparing to leave. “Sorry, teacher I’ll explain when I get back. I’ll even write a self-criticism if needed. But I need to take urgent leave and go to the hospital right now.”

Without waiting for the teacher’s response, he pulled open the door and dashed out.

Lu Zhi hadn’t run more than ten meters down the southern road when a car approached, Chi Sui had called Chi Jinxian’s homeroom teacher beforehand, briefly explaining the situation. The teacher then informed the school gate guard, allowing the car to enter the campus without registration.

The car stopped, but Lu Zhi didn’t dare waste a second. He hurriedly carried Chi Jinxian to the open passenger door.

Yuan Si Bai barely had his feet on the ground before reaching out to take Chi Jinxian, his hands trembling. “An An.”

No one answered.

Chi Sui opened the rear door, allowing Yuan Si Bai to carry Chi Jinxian inside.

Lu Zhi pulled out Chi Jinxian’s phone and handed it to Chi Sui. His breathing was ragged from the sprint, his slightly long black hair partially obscuring his eyebrows, making it hard to discern his current emotions.

No one had time to notice anyway. Chi Sui took the phone, thanked him briefly, and slid into the driver’s seat without delay, reversing the car as if performing a drift.

Lu Zhi stood by the roadside, watching the car align with the school gate’s direction, showing no intention of returning to the classroom.

As the car began moving forward, the rear window on Lu Zhi’s side suddenly rolled down. Yuan Si Bai looked at him, eyes red-rimmed. “Xiao Zhi, thank you.”

The distance between the car and Lu Zhi widened rapidly, making the voice seem almost unreal. Lu Zhi stood still, as if contemplating the afternoon breeze.

“Lu Zhi!”

A frantic shout came from nearby.

Lu Zhi looked up to see Qi Suiyi running toward him, panting heavily.

“Xiao An I mean, Chi… Chi Jinxian, where is he?” Qi Suiyi asked, wide-eyed, his words stumbling.

Lu Zhi silently watched him, offering no reply.

Qi Suiyi grew impatient. “Where is he?!”

After a moment’s thought, Lu Zhi lowered his gaze and said, “Uncle Chi took him.”

“The hospital!” Qi Suiyi exclaimed. “Do you know which one?”

Lu Zhi: “No.” With that, he turned and walked away, as if he couldn’t stand to stay another second.

Qi Suiyi hissed in frustration but didn’t press further. Instead, he pulled out his phone to make a call while sprinting toward the school gate.

But after Qi Suiyi ran off without looking back, Lu Zhi paused and glanced back for a moment.

Chi Jinxian didn’t attend school for three days and had no contact with anyone. Qi Suiyi only came to school once during that time seemingly forced to return before taking leave again. He finally came back on the fourth day.

But Chi Jinxian was still absent.

When Chi Jinxian first lost consciousness, not only were Yuan Si Bai and Chi Sui at the hospital, but also his usually absent uncles, grandparents everyone showed up.

To avoid drawing too much attention, they only stayed briefly at the hospital, visiting occasionally afterward, and never in groups.

Yuan Si Bai and Chi Sui, of course, remained stationed at the Alliance Hospital.

“How is he, Doctor Yang?” On the second day of Chi Jinxian’s unconsciousness, Yuan Si Bai, who had only slept two hours the previous night, had red-rimmed eyes.

Doctor Yang’s expression revealed little. “Let’s discuss in the office.”

Chi Sui placed an arm around Yuan Si Bai’s shoulders and followed Doctor Yang into his office.

As soon as the door closed, Doctor Yang adjusted his glasses and got straight to the point: “If not for this incident, the Smart Ring monitoring residual traces of the drug in his system might have led us to believe he was fine. But Mr. Yuan, Mr. Chi, there’s no need to overly worry. The Smart Ring lit up three times previously without detecting abnormalities, aside from confirming that the drug couldn’t be fully eradicated, it also indicates that only minimal traces remain. There’s no need to fear it as if it still held its full potency.”

Chi Sui nodded. “We’re aware of that.”

“The two of you have invested countless time and resources into researching that drug at this hospital over the past decade,” Doctor Yang said. “We’ve conducted extensive studies, but yesterday’s situation was indeed perilous. Frankly, it scared not only you but me as well.”When Chi Jinxian was rushed to the hospital yesterday afternoon, it was no exaggeration to say that the instrument readings and medical assessments were severe enough to warrant a critical condition notice.”

His body was experiencing an extreme deficiency of pheromones.

Unlike Omega Heat periods or Alpha Ruts, which require pheromone balance, those conditions if not addressed promptly, lead to overwhelming desire and loss of rationality. Even without suppression (e.g., no partner or access to Suppressants/Blockers), their pheromones overflow; they need them but aren’t deficient.

Chi Jinxian’s deficiency was different. Perhaps because it was the first onset, the symptoms struck fiercely. His body needed pheromones like a person needs blood survival depended on it.

Severe deficiency could be fatal.

Thus, when Chi Jinxian was carried into the hospital and examinations revealed the situation, there was no time for deliberation. Doctor Yang hastily informed Yuan Si Bai that Chi Jinxian needed an injection of a long-developed medication.

As he mentioned, this research had been funded by Chi Sui for a decade. Doctor Yang had conducted countless experiments on the drug using lab mice, but human trials hadn’t been possible, if investigations were correct, Chi Jinxian was the only person in the Alliance injected with this drug. Others who might have been affected were no longer alive. It was a drug dubbed “Secondary Gender,” undeveloped a decade ago.

In that critical moment, Yuan Si Bai and Chi Sui had no chance to refuse. The transparent liquid was injected into Chi Jinxian’s system.

“Jinxian’s vital signs are now stable and normal. There’s no longer any life-threatening danger.” Years of research don’t lie. Doctor Yang, with dark circles under his eyes, offered a reassuring smile.

Hearing this, Yuan Si Bai let out a sigh of relief. “Good.”

His voice was hoarse, carrying a barely detectable sob. The previous day’s events had terrified him to his core.

Doctor Yang adopted an even more comforting tone. “And this isn’t entirely bad news. Jinxian has undergone secondary differentiation he’s a Beta, unaffected by the drug’s intended gender assignment. You no longer need to worry about his Secondary Gender.”

“So I believe the residual drug effects were only severe initially because Betas cannot produce pheromones. Jinxian’s body had no reserve of pheromones. When the sudden deficiency occurred, it’s natural his body couldn’t withstand it immediately.”

Chi Sui asked, “Are you saying this condition can be completely resolved?”

Doctor Yang hummed, pondering briefly. “Without a second occurrence, we can’t fully predict bodily reactions, so it’s not certain. But after the injection yesterday, instruments detected his body initially rejecting the synthetic pheromones quite violently. After some time, they began to merge. Today, his body seems somewhat accustomed to the synthetic pheromones; though rejection still occurs, it’s less intense than before. Hence, I believe it’s possible. We’ll need further observation.”

“Understood. Thank you, Doctor Yang.” Chi Sui said, his long-tensed nerves finally relaxing slightly. He smiled faintly. “If that’s truly the case, it would be wonderful.”

After all, learning that Chi Jinxian might not suffer this pain indefinitely and that they wouldn’t relive yesterday’s terror was a relief. And the probability seemed high, bringing them comfort.

Doctor Yang waved a hand. “I’ve met this child several times due to the Smart Ring alerts. Even when the ring showed no abnormalities, my research focused on him. I’ve almost come to see him as one of my own. His well-being is what matters most.” He then urged Yuan Si Bai and Chi Sui, “You two should get some rest. I’ll notify you immediately if anything changes.”

Chi Sui persuaded Yuan Si Bai to rest in the single room Chi Jinxian had been moved to, promising to take over after Yuan Si Bai woke.

Only then did Yuan Si Bai agree.

“Oh, Mr. Chi,” Doctor Yang called out as they were leaving, explaining the expected situation for the next two days. “Since Betas don’t produce pheromones, Jinxian’s body needs time to fully integrate the synthetic pheromones as the medication dissolves. So he might not wake for two days. Don’t be overly concerned if that happens.”

Chi Sui acknowledged this and thanked him once more.

As Doctor Yang predicted, Chi Jinxian only woke slowly on the evening of the third day.

Outside the hospital, streetlights spaced every few meters cast a soft glow on autumn leaves beginning to carpet the ground, making them seem luminescent.

After dinner, before bedtime, the view from the third-floor window revealed patients in gowns and their families sitting on benches scattered around the hospital grounds.

Yuan Si Bai glanced outside before returning his gaze to Chi Jinxian on the hospital bed, thinking, I wonder if we can take Xiao An for a walk tomorrow, He’s still not awake.

Three days had passed. Yuan Si Bai frowned, reaching out to grasp Chi Sui’s arm beside him. Chi Sui immediately held him close. “Yuan Yuan.”

“Chi Sui.” Yuan Si Bai leaned forward, resting his forehead against Chi Sui’s chest, whispering very softly, “I never want to go through this a third time.”

“You won’t. It won’t happen again.” Chi Sui nuzzled his hair with his chin. “Doctor Yang said the most frightening latent period of the drug has passed. Now that it’s erupted, it’s easier to manage. He also said the remnants from back then, after the initial cleansing, are no longer a major threat. Most importantly, Xiao An won’t suffer this pain forever. With more adaptation to synthetic pheromones, he’ll fully recover in at most four or five years.”

Yuan Si Bai tightened his grip on Chi Sui’s clothes, responding with a choked “Mm.”

After a moment of silence, Chi Sui kissed Yuan Si Bai’s hair, his voice slightly unsteady. “Yuan Yuan, I’m sorry.”

He repeated, “I’m sorry.”

Yuan Si Bai shook his head against Chi Sui’s chest. “It’s not your fault.” After a pause, he added more firmly, “We have no reason to blame ourselves because of a scumbag.”

Chi Sui knew Yuan Si Bai didn’t want him trapped in self-blame. He kissed his hair again, tenderly.

It was then that the monitor signaled the patient’s awakening.

A few beeps suddenly sounded in the relatively empty hospital room, startling the other two.

Chi Jinxian found the room blindingly white. Squinting, he opened and closed his eyes several times, but the brightness still hurt. He had to keep them shut a while longer, only his eyeballs moving beneath the lids.

After several dozen seconds, feeling somewhat adjusted, he slowly cracked his eyes open. Yuan Si Bai’s anxious face immediately filled his view from above.

“An An,” Yuan Si Bai said. “You’re finally awake. How do you feel?”

Perhaps because his brain had been idle for days, Chi Jinxian felt disoriented. He remained silent for a good while.

But internally, he began processing Yuan Si Bai’s question. He carefully assessed himself… aside from an empty stomach, weak limbs, and general debility, he didn’t feel much else.

“An An?” Yuan Si Bai called again when he received no response.

“Dad.” Having not spoken for days, Chi Jinxian’s voice was hoarse and slow, yet it carried a noticeable hint of laughter. “Wow, I didn’t die.”

Yuan Si Bai’s expression immediately shifted.

“Chi Jinxian,” he straightened up, raising a hand slightly toward the bedridden figure, his voice trembling with anger. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Chi Sui lightly scolded, “What nonsense are you spouting, you little rascal? Apologize.”

Chi Jinxian quickly reached out to grasp Yuan Si Bai’s raised hand. “Dad, I’m sorry, don’t be upset. I was just joking. I’m so happy to see you both I’ll be fine.” As he spoke, he pulled Yuan Si Bai’s hand to his cheek, much like he did as a child seeking comfort. “Dad, comfort me.”

Chi Sui pressed the call button and asked Chi Jinxian how he felt. Chi Jinxian relayed his earlier assessment. After hearing it, Chi Sui pressed another button by the bed, raising the upper section slowly. He adjusted the pillow to make Chi Jinxian more comfortable.

Yuan Si Bai sat on the stool by the bed, holding Chi Jinxian’s hand tightly against his forehead as he stared down at the bedsheet. Soon, his shoulders began to shake.

A tear plopped onto the white sheet, the sound as sharp as shattering glass.

“Dad.” Chi Jinxian panicked now, reaching with his other hand to touch Yuan Si Bai’s shoulder. “I’m fine. Besides being a little hungry, I don’t feel any pain or discomfort. Please don’t.”

Chi Sui chided him gently again. “See if you dare spout nonsense from now on.”

“I won’t, I won’t.” Chi Jinxian looked pleadingly at Chi Sui. “Dad.”

Chi Sui sighed, resigning himself to the role.

Chi Jinxian turned back to Yuan Si Bai. “I love you both so much; how could I possibly, I wouldn’t want to. My will to live is strong otherwise I wouldn’t have been scared to tears.” He infused his voice with a light, teasing laugh, trying to lift the mood. “Dad, don’t be scared anymore, okay?”

Yuan Si Bai didn’t remain distraught for long. He couldn’t break down like this in front of his child. Besides, Doctor Yang had arrived.

Doctor Yang entered the room, seeing them chatting. Yuan Si Bai and Chi Sui noticed him and quickly made space.

Three minutes later, he smiled. “He’s recovering exceptionally well.”

Yuan Si Bai handed Chi Jinxian his phone, mentioning that classmates had been messaging him and that he should reply.

Then, he and Chi Sui followed Doctor Yang out for further discussion.

Once the door closed, the quiet of the room, now occupied only by Chi Jinxian, seemed to amplify.

And, as if on cue, his phone vibrated, signaling another incoming message.

Chi Jinxian still didn’t fully understand what had happened or how to explain it. Plus, having just woken up, he wasn’t keen on checking his phone.

Most importantly he needed to pee.

Judging by Yuan Si Bai’s mention of messages over several days, Chi Jinxian realized he must have been in the hospital for more than a day. Otherwise, he wouldn’t feel so weak.

After gingerly moving his limbs, Chi Jinxian pushed back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed for a moment. Then, leaning down, he tentatively touched his shoes with his toes before slipping them on. He tested his weight on the soles, then pushed up with his legs, using the bed for support.

He managed to stand.

Seemed okay. Chi Jinxian stood still for a bit longer. Aside from noticeable weakness and soreness in his legs, he could maintain his balance.

Once sure he wouldn’t dizzy or fall, he shuffled toward the bathroom, supporting himself on the bed and wall.

Thankfully, the private room had all amenities; otherwise, he’d be in trouble.

Shortly after he entered the bathroom, his phone on the bed erupted in loud ringing. After days of silence, the sudden noise startled him, even interrupting his urination mid-stream.

It took a moment before the sound in the bathroom resumed.

The ringing persisted relentlessly. Chi Jinxian figured someone must have called after school; he’d call back later.

When he finally emerged from the bathroom, he spotted the words “Future Husband” glaring from his phone screen from afar. Startled again, he almost froze mid-step!

Only after the ringing ceased did he blink several times and slowly approach the bed. He picked up the phone gingerly and opened it.

The pinned chat at the top of his messaging app caught his eye first.

Lu Zhi: 【How are you feeling? When can you return to school?】

Half an hour after that message, another followed: 【The homeroom teacher asked me to check.】

The most recent was the missed call.

Chi Jinxian’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. He desperately wanted to call back but didn’t dare. He longed to reply but couldn’t muster the courage.

His brows drooped slightly as he thought, what sin had he committed in his past life to make Lu-ge tell him in the morning how much he hated Betas, only for Lu Zhi to already know he was a Beta by the afternoon?

Look at this, Lu Zhi even explicitly said the homeroom teacher had asked him to inquire, since as the class monitor of Grade 12 Class 10, it was his responsibility to understand such basic information about his classmates.

Without the homeroom teacher’s directive, Lu-ge probably wouldn’t even bother talking to him.

Chi Jinxian feared that the moment he replied, Lu Zhi would consider the teacher’s task complete and then sternly tell him never to follow him around again.

Lu Zhi’s attitude and reaction when expressing his dislike for Betas were still vivid in his mind, and the scene where Lu Zhi pointed out his Beta gender was equally clear. Chi Jinxian truly didn’t want to be disliked by Lu-ge.

After careful consideration, Chi Jinxian decided to delay for as long as possible he wasn’t about to rush into giving Lu Zhi a reason to say he hated him.

Rushing to make Lu Zhi like him was one thing but now, he wasn’t even sure if that was still possible. Filled with dejection, Chi Jinxian felt so down that he’d lost his appetite.

Under the same sky, Lu Zhi stared at a problem in front of him. Ten minutes had passed, and he’d only written the first step; the rest remained blank.

Beside him, his phone remained silent no calls, no messages.

He spun his pen irregularly, the surroundings as quiet as night.

The next day was Thursday. Qi Suiyi had ended his leave and returned to school for classes.

Sitting in the back row, Lu Zhi watched from the corner of his eye as Qi Suiyi passed by the window of Grade 12 Class 10 and was stopped by Jiang Baixiao.

“What’s up, Cash deskmate?” Qi Suiyi stepped back, standing by the rear window, and asked.

Jiang Baixiao had taken Chi Jinxian’s seat and leaned against the windowsill. “How’s Little Cash doing? I sent him a bunch of messages yesterday. He replied saying he’s fine, but he didn’t say anything else. When I asked which hospital he’s in, he wouldn’t tell me and said not to visit. You’re his childhood friend and even took several days off to go to the hospital, so I wanted to ask is he really okay?”

The forums had long been buzzing with the news. The whole school knew Chi Jinxian was sick and hadn’t returned yet.

As he asked, Jiang Baixiao’s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and most of the class could hear him.

Hearing this, Zhong Qing was the first to rush to the window, joining Jiang Baixiao in looking at Qi Suiyi. “He only told me he’s fine too.”

Over a dozen other voices chimed in with the same response.

They were all concerned about their class’s Little Cash. Even Lu Zhi removed the earphones from both ears, as if listening to their conversation, though his eyes remained downcast, his unusually dark gaze somehow heavy.

Qi Suiyi didn’t have the mind to notice such details, looking at them as if realizing for the first time just how popular his little nephew was.

After hearing everyone out, as if struck by a thought, Zhong Qing suddenly let out a puzzled “Huh?” and patted Jiang Baixiao’s shoulder, leaning down to ask, “Cash replied ‘I’m fine’ to you?”

Jiang Baixiao, still seated, looked up. “Yeah.”

Zhong Qing turned to ask another classmate, “And to you too?”

“Yep.”

“…” An indescribable expression crossed Zhong Qing’s face. “He didn’t send a mass reply, did he?”

The moment he said it, the class fell silent.

Jiang Baixiao was the first to react, feigning indignation. “Heartless.”

Zhong Qing added, “Let’s deal with him when he gets back!”

“Definitely!”

Qi Suiyi: “…”

Seeing them all discussing how to beat up his little nephew, Qi Suiyi quickly spoke up: “He just woke up yesterday and doesn’t have much energy. He didn’t mean to send a blanket reply, but he really isn’t seriously injured just malnourished. The doctor said he’ll be fine. Tomorrow is Sunday, so he’ll return to school next week.”

After reassuring everyone, Qi Suiyi left. Each person returned to their seat, and the classroom grew somewhat noisy for a moment.

Lu Zhi lowered his gaze to the desk, his fingers once again twirling a pen.

Two minutes later, he took out his phone and pulled up another contact.

Approach: 【Xiao Chi, you haven’t contacted me for several days. Is everything okay?】

Approach: 【Are you there?】

Approach: 【We used to share daily updates, but you suddenly disappeared these past few days. I’m a bit worried about you.】

Just ten seconds after sending the messages, his phone vibrated.

Cash Pool: 【Xiao Lu [crying emoji with a sad face JPG.]】

Cash Pool: 【Sorry for disappearing suddenly without telling you. I haven’t been feeling well these days and planned to let you know once I got better.】

Lu Zhi stared at the messages in the chatbox, his eyes darker than ever before.

He replies to Xiao Lu, but not to Lu Zhi.

The thought abruptly invaded his mind, and Lu Zhi frowned uncomfortably, though his fingers never stopped moving.

Approach: 【What happened?】

Approach: 【How are you now?】

Approach: 【Are you okay?】

Cash Pool: 【Don’t worry, Xiao Lu, I’m fine now～】

Cash Pool: 【[blinking and tilting head cutely JPG.]】

Lu Zhi pressed his lips together, holding his phone in one hand while unconsciously tapping the desk with his other index finger.

The earlier thought only grew more overwhelming.

He replies to Jiang Baixiao’s messages, but not to Lu Zhi’s.

He responds to all his classmates and friends’ concerns, but not to Lu Zhi’s.

He instantly replies to Xiao Lu and not even with a generic “I’m fine” response.

But he doesn’t reply to Lu Zhi.