After using forceful means to temporarily deal with a pile of messy problems, Ji Chenxi returned to the palace chamber. His expression looked slightly worn out as he closed his eyes, seeking a brief moment of peace.
But the moment he closed them, his hand was already taken. A vast surge of spiritual power flowed along his wrist, probing into him and starting to sort out the chaos in his spiritual domain. That enormous force didn’t feel uncomfortable at all—instead, it felt like being soaked in warm water, soft and calming.
Ji Chenxi, relaxed by the comfort, grew a little lazy. He half-lifted his eyelids, like a big cat lazily licking its fur, and looked faintly at the person approaching him.
“You seem to be enjoying this quite a bit,” Chi Zhou pointed it out.
“My head hurts,” Ji Chenxi said, hooking his fingers around Chi Zhou’s hand and smoothly dodging the topic.
Chi Zhou let out a light laugh. Ji Chenxi’s headache was really self-inflicted—he had used his spiritual power to remotely control someone who still had human consciousness, so of course he would suffer backlash. Normally, someone like that deserved a few sarcastic remarks.
But right now, Ji Chenxi’s eyes were half-closed, dark circles visible under them, even his brows carrying a faint trace of exhaustion. Looking at him like this, Chi Zhou couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh. One moment he thought the other was being far too reckless, the next he felt the kid was still young—being a little willful wasn’t such a big deal.
In fact, even Chi Zhou himself was starting to get used to Ji Chenxi’s habit of not taking care of himself.
With his free hand, he reached up and massaged Ji Chenxi’s temples, lowering his voice as he responded, “Two more sessions of this and you’ll be fine.”
“You being this gentle all of a sudden… I’m not really used to it,” Ji Chenxi said.
“Oh? So in your eyes, I’m usually scary?”
“Can’t blame me. After all, Brother Chi Zhuo doesn’t show much mercy to me, this delicate flower.” Ji Chenxi himself was amused by the words “delicate flower” he had just said. No matter how you looked at it, even a weak Alpha had nothing to do with being a flower.
“If you didn’t say it, I almost forgot you’re still a delicate flower. Hmm? Little rose.”
The last words were rolled slowly on Chi Zhou’s tongue, carrying a faint, lingering intimacy.
Ji Chenxi chuckled at the “little rose.” “I really don’t like that nickname. When I was a kid, fine, but now? It doesn’t suit an adult Alpha.”
“But it’s cute.”
“Then I’ll allow you to call it in private.”
“Su Yu calls you that all the time.”
Ji Chenxi’s eyes were already closed again, like he could fall asleep any second. “He’s been calling me that since we were kids. I can’t exactly force him to stop.”
Right after saying that, Ji Chenxi hooked an arm around Chi Zhou’s neck and muttered that he was tired.
“Then sleep well. I’ll take care of anything that comes up,” Chi Zhou said.
“Then I really will sleep, okay?”
Chi Zhou hummed in response, watching as Ji Chenxi yawned. A bit of moisture gathered at the corner of his eyes, and Chi Zhou lifted a finger to gently wipe it away.
“The prince really is carefree. Not afraid I might sideline you while you’re asleep?”
Ji Chenxi half-opened his eyes, glanced at him once, then closed them again without hesitation. “Go ahead and sideline me. I don’t want to deal with that pile of annoying stuff anyway.”
Chi Zhou gave a low laugh and said nothing more.
He stayed by Ji Chenxi’s side. Only when Ji Chenxi’s breathing gradually steadied, drifting toward sleep, did he silently get up. The current situation was turbulent—forces were shifting, and many factions would be reshuffled. It was the perfect time for underground powers to expand again. Some families were about to fall, making space for others to rise.
But before Chi Zhou could even leave the bed, his hand was grabbed.
“Did I wake you?” he asked.
Ji Chenxi’s eyes were still closed, but his grip was firm and steady—nothing like someone asleep.
“Or… is Your Highness reluctant to let me go?” Chi Zhou teased the “sleeping beauty.”
“I’m just afraid you’ll try to sideline me while I’m asleep,” Ji Chenxi threw back the exact words Chi Zhou had said earlier.
“So?”
“So you’re staying here with me,” Ji Chenxi said simply.
“Just that?”
Ji Chenxi finally lifted his eyelids slightly. His deep blue eyes were completely clear now, staring straight at Chi Zhou.
“Or is there something else? Like Your Highness being reluctant to part with me.”
“You’re overthinking it,” Ji Chenxi said, lowering his gaze slightly. The half-lidded look made him seem distant and condescending, cold and untouchable—but his face softened it into something almost feline, proud yet strangely cute.
Even while saying “overthinking it,” Ji Chenxi still dragged Chi Zhou back into bed with him.
Chi Zhou lay down beside him without hesitation, immediately sinking into the warmth. The only trace of rationality left was that he quickly distributed his unfinished tasks through his terminal before fully giving in.
Once he put his work aside, he became even more aware of Ji Chenxi’s presence.
A faint rose scent lingered at the tip of his nose—clean, elegant, quietly intoxicating, pulling at something deep inside him.
Lying next to him, Chi Zhou could clearly feel Ji Chenxi’s breathing and heartbeat. The steady rhythm was oddly soothing. After a long day without rest, sleepiness began to creep in.
He silently counted the breaths, already half-drowned in drowsiness. The only thing keeping him awake was the fact that Ji Chenxi beside him still wasn’t asleep.
Not asleep? Or was his spiritual domain still unsettled?
Chi Zhou opened his eyes again. The sleepiness he had just built up faded quickly. He reached out to check Ji Chenxi’s wrist—
Before he even touched him, Ji Chenxi caught his intention.
“Brother Chi Zhou planning to take advantage of me while I’m asleep?”
“Hm.” Chi Zhou admitted it without shame and reached again for his wrist.
This time Ji Chenxi dodged it. His voice carried a faint weariness. “Go to sleep.”
“Ji Chenxi.” Chi Zhuo called his name in a low, serious voice. He reached again for Ji Chenxi’s wrist—and this time, Ji Chenxi didn’t dodge.
As expected, the just-sorted spiritual domain had turned into a mess again. Even worse than before.
Sorting an alpha’s spiritual domain was delicate work, usually done by an omega of the opposite sex. That was also why most omegas had higher spiritual power levels. They didn’t even need to release their own spiritual power—just pheromones and a deep marking were enough to smooth the alpha’s spiritual domain. The awkward part now was Ji Chenxi’s condition wasn’t a small issue, and the two of them were lovers. There was no way Ji Chenxi would go find an omega for a deep mark.
Chi Zhuo frowned as he checked. Ji Chenxi lightly pushed his hand away. “It’s fine. I just need a bit of rest.”
“You can’t rest in this state.” Chi Zhuo stated the fact.
Ji Chenxi waved his hand impatiently on purpose. “Chi Zhuo, you’re so annoying. Don’t stay with me anymore.”
Chi Zhou not only didn’t leave, he leaned closer instead. “You know very well that with my sensitivity, it’s not easy to fool me. Yet you still kept me here. Why? Asking me for help? That’s not like you. So… is it because being around me makes you feel better?”
There was no answer, but Chi Zhou already got what he needed from Ji Chenxi’s expression.
“So it’s the latter.”
There were many possible reasons—he had once marked Ji Chenxi, or his spiritual power was strong enough. Whatever it was, Chi Zhou could at least ease his condition.
And then he made a bold suggestion.
“Mark me.”
Ji Chenxi, already struggling with a pounding headache, almost thought he misheard. “I can’t control myself right now.”
Meaning if Chi Zhou really went through with a mark now, Ji Chenxi might lose control and complete the knot inside him. For Omegas, that alone was hard to bear—let alone for an Alpha.
“I can handle it myself.”
“You know that’s not what I mean,” Ji Chenxi frowned.
“Don’t worry. I’m here.”
“You won’t like how it feels. So behave,” Ji Chenxi said, his tone turning serious and oppressive—but for someone already in pain, it sounded more like a wounded beast trying to scare off a predator with a broken claw. At best, it could only intimidate herbivores.
Chi Zhou remained unmoved.
“I already said it—mark me, my dear. Mark me. Possess me. The rest, just stay silent.”
Before Ji Chenxi could refuse, Chi Zhou sealed the words in a kiss.
Caught off guard, Ji Chenxi couldn’t help but laugh softly. “So proactive, Brother Chi Zhou.”
His mind was dizzy, his body burning hot, yet his teasing words were still sharp and clear.
Waves of heat rolled one after another. Through the marking, the Alpha’s instinctive pleasure finally surfaced within the mingled scent between them.
Ji Chenxi let out a faint sigh, lifting his long hair to expose his pale neck. “Bite it.”
Chi Zhou’s eyes darkened.
As the receiving partner, he still carried a dangerous, almost intimidating aggression. Without hesitation, he bit down.
The marking fangs pierced skin. Blood seeped out in thin lines.
The already thick scent of tequila in the room grew even richer, wrapping everything in intoxicating sweetness until Ji Chenxi felt like he was drowning in it.
The heat surged again. The pheromones exchanged through the mark finally stirred a trace of pleasure within the chaos, and Chi Zhou’s suppressed groans of pain eased into something steadier.
Then, as if noticing something, Chi Zhou leaned close, his voice dropping into a whisper right beside Ji Chenxi’s ear.
“Your Highness… you’ve formed a knot.”
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)
