Chapter 23

Li Yuanxi proudly showed off her finds in front of Wei Shu, flaunting her labor’s fruits. Wei Shu went from praising her to giving her a perfunctory thumbs-up. She was tired of complimenting. Once Li Yuanxi had finished showing off and was satisfied, she obediently sat back down by the fire like a big golden retriever, quietly sipping her tea.

What had happened earlier was just like that, gone with the wind.

Both Li Yuanxi and Wei Shu knew that Wei Shu’s heat couldn’t be ignored, but there was no medication on this island to alleviate it. There wasn’t even an “alpha” to help.

If Li Yuanxi were a normal alpha, she could give Wei Shu a temporary mark. A shallow mark would be enough to help Wei Shu get through her Bonding Heat. But they “had” nothing.

Li Yuanxi gulped down a large mouthful of the lemon leaf tea, rubbing her already bloated stomach. She stole a glance at Wei Shu, who was looking back at her with an enigmatic smile.

This time, Li Yuanxi actually swallowed hard. That prickly feeling on her back was back. Her lips twitched. She had just drunk several large cups of tea, but her mouth still felt incredibly dry.

Seeing the stiff expression on Li Yuanxi’s face, Wei Shu let out a cold snort. She put down her teacup and turned to lie down on the bed. With her back to Li Yuanxi, she said in a low voice, “This afternoon…”

Before she could finish, Li Yuanxi immediately interjected, “I’ll leave the cave in a bit. I’ll sit outside. Call me if you need anything!”

“Mmm.” Wei Shu’s response was very low and soft, and then she fell silent.

Seeing her lying on her side, Li Yuanxi slowed her breathing, afraid of disturbing her rest. She quietly picked up a stool and a bottle of water, and went outside. She sat there, staring into space.

Hearing Li Yuanxi’s movements, Wei Shu frowned, a flash of annoyance crossing her face. Was she really that unattractive?

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she thought of her past suitors and then of Li Yuanxi’s years of indifference. Wei Shu fell silent.

To Li Yuanxi, she was probably less interesting than the taro she had dug up.

It was as if there was a little person in Wei Shu’s head, generating all sorts of strange thoughts. Eventually, her face flushed, and she drifted into a hazy sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, she had no strength left. Her throat was parched, hurting. She felt someone lifting her up.

She tried to struggle, but as soon as her lips parted with effort, warm water was fed into her mouth. Someone was feeding her with particular gentleness.

She couldn’t see who it was. Even when she tried her best, she couldn’t focus. The heat surging from within made her whole body burn.

It felt like she was being cooked. As soon as her lips touched the water, she drank greedily.

“Slow down, slow down… Don’t rush… There’s more.” Li Yuanxi was half-holding Wei Shu, feeding her water bit by bit, afraid she would choke. She gently patted her back, trying to calm the unstable omega.

Li Yuanxi looked at Wei Shu, whose eyes were unfocused and cheeks flushed. Her long black hair was in disarray, partially obscuring her face.

Wei Shu was incredibly sensitive and fragile now. She needed comfort. She was like a delicate flower wilting under the scorching sun, waiting for a life-giving rain.

Li Yuanxi reached out and felt Wei Shu’s forehead. It was even hotter than before. “No good. Wei Shu needs to cool down.”

Li Yuanxi quickly got up, wet a towel, and began wiping Wei Shu’s forehead, arms, and legs, trying to use this physical method to help her cool down and alleviate the internal heat.

“Li… Yuanxi… I feel terrible… I need water… you…” Wei Shu’s eyes fluttered open weakly. Her right hand feebly grabbed Li Yuanxi’s wrist, begging her.

“I’ll get you some water.” Li Yuanxi lowered her head, avoiding her gaze. She got up and brought the water to her.

“Just hold on a little longer. Maybe you can make medical history.” Li Yuanxi’s smile was more like a grimace. She was still trying to encourage Wei Shu, telling her to use her willpower to persevere. Persistence was victory.

Wei Shu couldn’t hear her. The pheromone concentration in the cave was off the charts. Li Yuanxi’s dull nose finally caught a scent—a very, very pleasant smell.

Li Yuanxi sniffed the air, following the scent until she realized it was coming from Wei Shu. She leaned down and looked at Wei Shu’s beautiful profile.

She had always known Wei Shu was beautiful. She had an elegant, aloof aura. Her every move held a unique charm that drew people in.

Her beauty needed no embellishment. She was like a proud rose that never bowed its head.

Her black eyes were dazzling, shimmering with light, always carrying an incredibly composed and rational emotion.

It was only on this island that Wei Shu’s expressions had become more lively. Before, she had been like an emotionless robot CEO, every action seemingly pre-programmed.

Even later, when Li Yuanxi was always picking fights with her, Wei Shu never really got angry at her. If she had, with Li Yuanxi’s childish, flimsy tactics, Wei Shu would have crushed her without a second thought.

Li Yuanxi seemed to remember something and couldn’t help but laugh. She recalled a time when Wei Shu had gone out for a business dinner. Her assistant had gotten drunk, and Wei Shu was frowning as she helped her, only to be knocked over by Li Yuanxi.

Thinking back to the shock and bewilderment on Wei Shu’s face, she found it hilarious. “Hahaha, look at you.” Li Yuanxi poked Wei Shu’s nose. “This is the only time I dare to poke you.”

“Hot~”

Wei Shu finally opened her eyes and saw who it was. She reached out and hooked her arms around Li Yuanxi’s neck. Caught off guard, Li Yuanxi was pulled close, the omega leaning against her.

Li Yuanxi’s pupils dilated and then instantly contracted. “Let go of me, please. Let go. If someone sees this, I’ll never be able to explain…”

“Then don’t explain~” Wei Shu raised an eyebrow, tossed her hair back, and lowered her head to bite Li Yuanxi’s lip, pressing her lips against them tentatively.

The fragrance of tuberose hooked Li Yuanxi’s sense of smell. Once an elegant, composed person caught your attention, you could only sink along with them.

“Sssh… it hurts…” Li Yuanxi’s eyes widened. Her lips were being bitten. She made muffled, whimpering sounds.

She didn’t dare use too much force with her neck, afraid of hurting Wei Shu’s arm. She could only try to use subtle movements to escape Wei Shu’s grasp.

Wei Shu’s mind was clouded, but her body instinctively sought an alpha’s pheromones. She kept releasing her own, trying to get a response from her alpha.

Li Yuanxi held her breath until her face was red and covered in sweat. Despite all her effort, she couldn’t break free from Wei Shu’s increasingly tight hold.

“Ah… breathe… ah…” Li Yuanxi took several deep, gasping breaths. “If you bite me again, I’m going to bite back!” she said angrily to Wei Shu.

The omega, lost in her Bonding Heat, couldn’t hear her. She was fixated on biting Li Yuanxi’s lip. Her soft, delicate tongue tapped against Li Yuanxi’s teeth.

Li Yuanxi shuddered. Frantically, she scrambled to her feet, pushing away from Wei Shu. She straightened up and stumbled back several steps, breathing heavily as if she had just run several laps.

Li Yuanxi wiped her face. She was sweating from the heat. She plopped down on the stool to rest, looking at Wei Shu writhing on the bed, trying to alleviate the heat. She felt a headache coming on.

Li Yuanxi let out a heavy sigh. This was why she hated the AO gender system. You couldn’t fully control your own body.

Unless you met your true love and marked each other, these problems wouldn’t arise.

A permanent mark could alleviate the suffering of Bonding Heat. A lover’s pheromones could remain in your pheromone gland for a long time, reducing the effects of the heat. Having a partner versus not having one was a completely different world.

Blue Star had very strict requirements for permanent marking. To prevent AOs from being forced into marriage, there was a law: couples weren’t allowed to mark each other within the first year of marriage.

If one party forcibly marked the other, they would be breaking the law. The penalty could be a year in prison, or up to three to five years for a serious offense.

It fully protected the legality and sanctity of marriage. The marriage rate on Blue Star was very high, but the birth rate was mediocre. Many people preferred not to have children so they could have their lover all to themselves.

“Your pheromone gland is perfectly normal. When you overcome your psychological block, your gland will function normally.” Li Yuanxi remembered the doctor’s words, her hand covering the gland that had never released any pheromones.

As she was lost in thought, Wei Shu’s eyes opened again. She sat up on the bed, staring fixedly at Li Yuanxi.

She stood up, unbuttoning her loose shirt. Her bare feet padded across the uneven ground.

“What are you thinking about?” Wei Shu placed a hand on Li Yuanxi’s shoulder, bending down to whisper in her ear.

Li Yuanxi’s eyes widened in terror as she looked at Wei Shu. Oh no, oh no. Here we go again!!!

“Are you afraid of me?” Wei Shu leaned in, her deep pupils crashing directly into Li Yuanxi’s heart. “No, I’m not~” Li Yuanxi stammered.

Li Yuanxi’s left leg began to inch sideways, looking for an opportunity to run.

Wei Shu seemed to read her mind. She reached out and pressed Li Yuanxi’s legs together, then sat directly on her lap, facing her.

From the moment Wei Shu sat on her lap, there were only two words in Li Yuanxi’s head: finished, finished, finished…

“What are you looking at?” Wei Shu squinted, lifting Li Yuanxi’s chin and asking softly.

Li Yuanxi didn’t dare look at Wei Shu’s exposed figure. She could only roll her eyes upwards. Caught off guard by Wei Shu lifting her chin, she swallowed nervously and gave a weak laugh. “Not… looking at anything…”

“Then look at me~” Wei Shu leaned in until her nose was almost touching Li Yuanxi’s, winking playfully. “Where are your pheromones~?” Her voice was soft and lingering, as if she was just asking out of simple curiosity.

Li Yuanxi swallowed hard, looking at the seemingly innocent and naive Wei Shu. She almost fell for it. The current Wei Shu was truly a shapeshifter!

Wei Shu turned her head, leaning against Li Yuanxi’s ear. She took a deep breath, deliberately breathing hot air onto Li Yuanxi’s ear. Her voice became soft, seductive, and magnetic, like a siren. She sang out, “I want to smell~”

The impact of those four words was immense. If Li Yuanxi had pheromones, she would have desperately wanted to let her smell them.

[Li Yuanxi, you have to hold on. Don’t let the siren lure you in. When she wakes up, you’re doomed!!]

Li Yuanxi’s mind was racing. She was frantically trying to distract herself, not letting a single thought settle on Wei Shu.

Would Wei Shu let her get away with that?

Of course not. When she realized Li Yuanxi wasn’t responding, she lowered her eyes. Her right fingers gently stroked Li Yuanxi’s shoulder, then moved, wandering.

She traced her way down to the back of Li Yuanxi’s neck. Li Yuanxi, still fighting the siren’s seduction, was reciting Buddhist mantras in her head. She completely missed Wei Shu’s movements.

Wei Shu lowered her head and sniffed hard at Li Yuanxi’s nape. Still, she couldn’t smell what she was looking for.

She casually flicked open Li Yuanxi’s collar, squinting as she focused on the perfectly flat, unresponsive pheromone gland.

“How can this be?” Wei Shu looked aggrieved. She leaned forward, examining Li Yuanxi’s gland closely. She kept releasing her own pheromones, trying to coax a response from Li Yuanxi’s.

But Li Yuanxi’s gland remained completely inert. A sharp glint flashed in Wei Shu’s eyes. Her pretty face turned cold. She muttered to herself, “Since you won’t give it to me, I’ll just have to help myself.”

Li Yuanxi’s head was filled with Buddhist chants. No matter what Wei Shu did, she refused to react. It was a true test of her self-control.

Wei Shu leaned close to Li Yuanxi’s gland. Suddenly, her expression turned cold. She opened her mouth and took Li Yuanxi’s gland, her soft, tender lips pressing against it.

Before Li Yuanxi could even react, Wei Shu’s eyes hardened. With a look of determination, she bit down hard, completely ignoring Li Yuanxi’s reaction.

Li Yuanxi’s eyes flew open. Her whole body curled inward instinctively. She wrapped her arms tightly around Wei Shu and shouted, “That’s too far!”

Li Yuanxi gritted her teeth, trying to endure the searing pain in her shoulder. She wouldn’t react, but that didn’t mean she could be treated like this. It hurt! She quickly tried to stop her. “Don’t bite my neck!!!!”

“Ahhhh!!!!!”

“Wei Shu, are you a dog?! Stop biting me!!!”

“It hurts so bad!!!!!”

“Wah~ I won’t react even if you bite me!!!”

Tears streamed down Li Yuanxi’s face. Her wails echoed across the entire island. But Wei Shu remained completely oblivious.