Around three in the morning, Zhan stirred from his sleep, feeling a dull ache creeping along his neck and down his back. His eyes darted groggily to the bed where his didi was resting. The first thing he did was reach over to check on the younger one, but as he moved, the soft blanket draped over his shoulders slipped down his back.
He reacted quickly, snatching it just before it could fall to the floor. His fingers clutched the fabric as he paused for a second, and a smile tugged at his lips.
For a moment, he thought that maybe Yibo had placed it on him. But then again, the room still carried faint traces of alpha pheromones, ones that didn't belong to him.
The comforting and familiar scents hanging in the air belonged to their parents, no doubt about it.
That made him wonder: was it one of them who had noticed him asleep and gone out of their way to cover him, or was it really Yibo?
It didn't really matter.
Zhan folded the blanket neatly and laid it on the bed in the space beside Yibo, the part of the mattress the younger wasn't sprawled across. Then he leaned over and pressed the back of his hand gently to Yibo's forehead, his expression shifting into one of concern.
The omega was still warmer than normal, but at least he wasn't burning up like earlier when his skin had felt like fire.
Zhan sighed, relieved that the fever had gone down even a little.
He adjusted the comforter that was tangled around Yibo during the night, carefully pulling it over the sleeping boy's body and making sure he was tucked in snugly. There was a small crease between Yibo's brows, a lingering trace of discomfort, but his breathing was steady and his cheeks no longer flushed with heat. Once everything looked settled, Zhan rose to his feet and slipped out of the room quietly, heading to his own room right next door.
He didn't bother to turn on the lights. Instead, he went straight to the bathroom, took a quick shower to rinse off the sticky humidity of the night, and then climbed back into bed, falling asleep again once his body relaxed.
Morning came faster than he expected, though not in the way he preferred.
The peace of his sleep was broken by the sound of heavy, hurried footsteps echoing in the hallway just beyond his door.
He blinked against the light streaming in through the curtains and sat up groggily, not bothering to check his reflection or fix his hair before stepping out into the corridor.
What he saw made him frown slightly.
Two maids were running back and forth, their arms flailing in mild panic as they tried to catch each other.
It wasn't exactly what he was expecting first thing in the morning.
"Hey," Zhan called out and asked, "What's going on?"
The two women froze immediately in their tracks.
One of them turned to face him and gave a quick bow before answering breathlessly, "The Young Master woke up in a terrible mood, sir. Madam Wang managed to get him to drink a pain reliever, but now he's throwing things at anyone who comes near his room."
The other maid quickly added with a grimace, "He's yelling that everyone's scent is irritating him."
Zhan couldn't help but let out a long sigh as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
Of course.
That sounded exactly like Yibo.
He took a deep breath and nodded once. "Alright. Keep doing what you're doing. I'll handle him."
The maids looked visibly relieved as they stepped aside, letting him pass.
When Xiao Zhan reached the doorway to Yibo's room, he was nearly knocked back by the overwhelming burst of omega pheromones that came rushing out like a wave.
It was so strong, so saturated and aggressive, that his vision spun momentarily and he had to brace himself against the doorframe to stay upright.
The scent was wild and defensive, like a barrier fiercely keeping everyone away.
It was Yibo.
His pheromones were surging in every direction, violently rejecting the presence of anyone who dared come near.
Clearly, the younger omega had no intention of allowing anyone into his space.
Zhan gritted his teeth and forced himself to hold his breath.
After a few seconds of collecting himself, he pushed the door open and stepped inside despite the tension that thickened the air like fog.
What he saw confirmed his suspicion.
President Wang stood at the edge of the bed, lips parted as if trying to reason with his son, but barely dodging the cascade of pillows, books, and small decorative items that Yibo kept hurling in his direction. Every object his delicate fingers could reach became ammunition for his frustration.
On the opposite side of the bed, Madam Wang was seated, her expression concerned but calm as she quietly released a gentle stream of comforting pheromones to soothe her son's agitated state.
It wasn't helping much, but at least Yibo wasn't pushing her away.
Zhan shut his eyes and let out a long, tired breath through his nose.
"Yibo," he called softly.
The enraged omega's hand froze mid-air, a small pillow clutched in his grip. The moment Zhan's voice rang out, his grip loosened, and the pillow dropped harmlessly onto the mattress.
"Didi," Zhan said again, this time stepping further into the room. The moment he neared Madam Wang's side, he felt a subtle wave of calm washing over him as well, her pheromones were soothing, even to an alpha like him.
"Zhan," President Wang acknowledged his arrival with mild surprise.
"Dad," he replied, nodding respectfully.
He continued walking until he stood on the opposite side of the bed, positioning himself carefully between his parents and Yibo, then gave a small bow of apology. "I'm sorry I didn't greet you properly when you arrived last night. I'll take over from here," he said firmly.
"But, Zhan…" President Wang began, clearly still concerned.
"It's alright, Dad," Zhan interrupted gently.
He turned toward his mother next, offering her a faint but appreciative smile. "You shouldn't overextend yourself, Mom. I'll take care of it now. Please, both of you should go rest. You must be tired from your trip."
There was a brief silence before Madam Wang finally withdrew her scent from the room. She rose gracefully and tugged her husband's hand, silently guiding him toward the door.
Once they were gone and the door had shut behind them, Zhan let out another soft breath and turned to face Yibo.
"Bad, Yibo," he said, voice chiding, though it held none of the sharpness that usually came with scolding. If anything, he sounded like he was trying to coax a stubborn child rather than chastise him.
Yibo scoffed in response and released another bitter wave of pheromones, sharp and sour, almost vinegary, an unmistakable signal of resentment.
He didn't even try to hide his attitude.
Zhan narrowed his eyes at him, then reached out and flicked him on the forehead with two fingers.
"Ow!" Yibo yelped, rubbing the spot with a scowl.
"Don't give me that face," Zhan said calmly. "Mama and Papa just got back from a long business trip. And here you are, throwing a fit first thing in the morning?"
Yibo rolled his eyes again, dramatically this time, his entire posture practically dripping with defiance.
Zhan sighed, letting the irritation slide. "What's going on? What's gotten you so worked up?"
For a moment, Yibo's mouth trembled. Then, in a small voice, he muttered, "I don't like their scents."
Zhan blinked. "What scents?"
"Their scents!"
"Yes, but which ones?"
"Hmph! Mama and Papa… they smelled strange! Not like themselves. Like other people's scents were all over them!"
"Ah." Zhan nodded, finally understanding. "That's probably from their business partners. It's normal, you know. Traveling, meetings, long hours surrounded by other alphas and omegas, some residual scent transfer is inevitable. You don't have to get all worked up over it. They're not going to replace us, Yibo."
Yibo didn't say anything this time. He just lowered his head, lips pressed into a sulky pout.
Zhan stepped closer and reached out a hand. "Come here," he said gently.
Yibo hesitated, but eventually inched toward him until Zhan could take his arm and pull him closer, offering a soft pat on his head. "It's okay now. Calm down, alright?"
Yibo gave a reluctant nod, not quite meeting his eyes.
Realizing just how unreasonable he had been acting, Yibo's cheeks turned a little pink and he began pouting again, clearly embarrassed now.
Zhan gave a small chuckle and then did something he had never done before: he tried releasing his own pheromones, comforting, soothing ones, just to help calm Yibo further.
He wasn't sure, though, how much to release or how to direct it, but he focused on the thought of Yibo's comfort and poured them out.
Unfortunately, it didn't go the way he expected.
Instead of calming the younger omega, something shifted in the atmosphere, too intense, too sudden, a clash of scents that almost felt invasive rather than soothing.
Within seconds, the door burst open again.
"Zhan! Get out! What in the world do you think you're doing!?" Madam Wang's panicked voice echoed through the room.
Xiao Zhan froze in place, blinking at her in confusion.
She stormed in, eyes wide and scent spiking with alarm. He had no idea what he'd done wrong, but judging by her reaction, he had clearly made a mistake.
He looked at her, speechless, still holding a slightly pouty Yibo who didn't look quite as distressed as he had a moment ago… but neither did he look any calmer.