Not long after, the omega who had been blushing shyly in front of Ji Chenxi was now sitting by a pretty little table, complaining to someone, “Sir, I did everything you told me to do, but he’s way too careful. He didn’t cooperate at all.”
“Careful?” The person hidden in the shadows echoed the word softly, then let out a quiet laugh, gently swirling the red wine in their glass. “It’s not that he’s careful—it’s that he’s simply not interested in you at all. Even those few words he said were just basic politeness toward an omega. But it doesn’t matter. That angle turned out pretty well.”
With her task done, the girl should’ve left. But she was only seventeen, raised like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, so she gathered her courage and asked what had been bothering her.
“Then… Sir, why did we even take those kinds of photos? They’re just a bit… close with an omega. That alone shouldn’t be enough to affect a prince, right?”
Surely they weren’t planning to ruin the Third Prince’s engagement over some rumor involving an omega? The girl didn’t understand all the details, but she did know that the Third Prince’s outing with Miss Lu from the Twelfth Fair Star had been trending all over the star network. A good-looking alpha risking his life to save an omega—no omega could resist that. Especially since Miss Lu clearly looked smitten with His Highness.
Her question was honestly a bit out of line, but the person didn’t get angry—just gave a light warning. “Don’t ask about things you shouldn’t know.”
The girl puffed up her cheeks. The other person was also an alpha, but maybe because their appearance was too misleading, she just couldn’t feel afraid of them. Still, she obediently replied, “Alright, I won’t ask anymore. Oh right—are you free next week? The Ice Star Flowers on Beiyang Star are about to bloom.”
The person looked at her without saying a word. Now she really started to panic a little, the blush on her face even brighter and more genuine than when she’d seen Ji Chenxi earlier. “I mean… we could go see them together.”
Silence stretched on. Just as the girl was about to stomp her foot in frustration and leave, the person finally spoke.
“If there’s a chance.”
The girl, who had been upset just moments ago, instantly broke into a bright smile. “Then it’s a deal!”
After the light-footed girl finally left, the luxurious room fell quiet again. The figure in the shadows poured another glass of red wine, the rich liquid swaying gently in the glass.
“If you’re still alive, that is.”
The soft voice clearly followed the earlier sentence, but the only person who could’ve heard it was already gone. With no one left to listen, the words faded into the air—unknown to anyone.
*
Dating was something Ji Chenxi had zero experience with. To him, it was probably no different from hanging out with a friend.
He tried his best to keep his face neutral, not letting anything show—but there was no denying he was in a good mood. It even showed in the way he walked, his steps a little lighter than usual. If not for that annoying meeting—and that omega who stopped him halfway—he would’ve been even happier.
The little snake wrapped around his hand, pretending to be just a decoration, shifted slightly. Ji Chenxi tapped its head quietly with his finger, signaling it not to move. The snake responded by lightly biting his hand with its venomous fangs, clearly unhappy about the faint omega scent clinging to him.
A soft strawberry cream scent lingered—it was hard to tell if the omega had been too nervous or did it on purpose, letting a bit of pheromone leak out. Mixed with her own natural scent, even though Ji Chenxi hadn’t gotten close to her, some of it still rubbed off on him.
After leaving the Imperial Royal Academy, Ji Chenxi headed straight to the place they had agreed to meet. He thought he’d have to wait for a bit—after all, he had slipped out early—but to his surprise, Chi Zhuo’s hover car was already there.
The black hover car looked expensive, though at least it wasn’t as flashy as a starship. At a glance, it almost looked like a regular ride-hailing car, making Ji Chenxi quietly marvel at how the other guy had actually learned to keep a low profile.
Without much thought, he opened the door—only to almost get startled by the dim interior lit with soft night lights. Of course, it wasn’t the luxury that surprised him, but the carefully arranged roses inside. This time, it wasn’t those peach-colored Snow Mountain roses, but bold, passionate red ones.
Ji Chenxi quickly got in and shut the door behind him.
Only after entering did he take a proper look at the inside. Calling it a hover car felt like an understatement—it was more like a small room, the kind that was fancy, beautiful… and full of subtle, suggestive vibes.
Chi Zhuo sat among the roses, legs crossed elegantly, holding a sleek glass filled with a gradient blue drink. He had been about to ask, with some restraint, “Do you like it?”—but the moment Ji Chenxi got in, his brows faintly furrowed.
Before Ji Chenxi could even speak, Chi Zhuo pulled him down and leaned in close, sniffing lightly. His warm breath brushed against Ji Chenxi’s neck, making it itch in a strange way. Ji Chenxi instinctively leaned back a little, trying to avoid that heat.
But Chi Zhuo didn’t loosen his grip—he pulled him even closer. His voice was low, giving nothing away. “You smell like an omega.”
Ji Chenxi didn’t react much at all. He simply hummed in acknowledgment, even lifting his arm to sniff himself. “Yeah. Ran into one on the way—she came up and talked to me. We chatted for a bit. I thought after walking this far, the smell would’ve faded by now.”
That scent had already faded to the point where it was almost impossible to notice. If Chi Zhuo hadn’t been so sensitive to Ji Chenxi’s scent, he probably wouldn’t have caught it at all. He raised a hand to stop Ji Chenxi from checking if the smell was still there, and even released a bit of his own pheromones, wrapping him up all over again.
A rich, spicy wine scent filled the air. Ji Chenxi leaned back, letting the smell settle on him, his tone stretching out in a lazy, teasing drawl. “Brother Chi Zhuo, you’re so domineering.”
Chi Zhuo pressed his lips together slightly. Only after making sure even the ends of Ji Chenxi’s hair carried his scent did his expression relax. “Strawberry cream—too sweet. It doesn’t suit you.”
Ji Chenxi smiled faintly, casually picking up a rose beside him, lowering his eyes to admire it as he asked, “Then what does suit me?”
Chi Zhuo didn’t answer. Instead, he gently kissed the corner of Ji Chenxi’s lips. The room was filled with the fragrance of roses as he pulled him closer, chasing the faint trace of pheromones in his mouth. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether the scent came from the roses… or the person in front of him.
Ji Chenxi let the kiss continue for a few minutes. But when Chi Zhuo leaned in again, heat building, he stopped him. Still smiling, his tone light as ever, he said during the other’s attempt to deepen the kiss, “That’s enough.”
And it really was enough. If they kept going, there’d be no dinner—and no trip to the aquarium either.
Chi Zhuo lightly pecked Ji Chenxi’s fingertip and gave a soft acknowledgment. By now, Ji Chenxi was completely wrapped in his scent. Even if it only lingered on the surface and wouldn’t last long, it was enough to briefly satisfy an alpha’s instinct to mark.
The aquarium—a rather unusual choice. Ji Chenxi hadn’t expected much from a date there at first, but that changed the moment he sat down on a massive shell-shaped seat layered with soft, fluffy cushions. Even the food was exquisitely presented—delicate “little pearls” and shimmering shells were placed elegantly on the table. Each dish was tiny, almost shockingly so, yet every one of them was crafted with care and beauty. By the time the meal ended, they had been served ninety-nine dishes. The last nine were desserts—Ji Chenxi only had a rose mousse and a caramel pudding before setting down his spoon.
He had to admit, just based on the food alone, this was already a pretty good date. It wasn’t for nothing that he and Chi Zhuo had driven nearly two hours in the hover car.
“I’ve never heard of this place before,” Ji Chenxi said plainly.
As someone born and raised in the Empire—and someone who cared a lot about good food—he had already swept through most of the Empire’s culinary scene. Even the hidden spots had been dug up by him.
Chi Zhuo gave a simple reply. “Yeah. Because this place isn’t open to the public.”
Hearing that, Ji Chenxi thought to himself—just as expected. This place wasn’t just closed to the public… it was basically Chi Zhuo’s private domain.
“If you like it, you can come here anytime. I can even give you the chef you like most.”
Ji Chenxi was a little tempted, but in the end, he just smiled and turned it down.
By the time they arrived at the aquarium, it was already past eight in the evening. Inside, soft blue lights had all been switched on—some deep and dark like the ocean floor, others clear and bright like ice. Together, they formed a breathtaking light show. And beyond the glass, there were small blue fish with beautiful, flowing tails drifting through the water.
“The lighting here at night looks a lot like your eyes,” Chi Zhuo said. “Really beautiful. I’ve wanted to bring you here for a while.”
Ji Chenxi blinked lightly, seeing right through the lie.
The lights were too ‘new’. One of them, which looked old and heavy, had clearly been auctioned off just a week ago for a sky-high price. Su Yu liked collecting little things now and then, and had even complained to him about that unknown buyer at the time.
And now, that buyer was standing right in front of him.
It wasn’t that the lights here happened to resemble Ji Chenxi’s eyes, and that’s why Chi Zhuo brought him. It was the other way around—Chi Zhuo had built a whole set of lights to match the color of his eyes. And as for choosing the aquarium… well, the sea was blue too.
Ji Chenxi had to admit, he was a little moved. That soft, tingling feeling spread through him, stirring up something he couldn’t quite put into words.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
