Chapter 23 SJC

 The hospital was quite far from Gu Yan's place.

By the time the two of them made it home, it was already half past eleven at night.

The suppressant injection Shen Jinnian had taken had started to take effect.

 His emotions were much more stable than before, his physical condition had improved significantly, and even his pheromones were gradually returning to normal—he could now control them at will.

The only downside… was that things had gotten a bit too intense earlier when he’d tried to kiss Gu Yan. He’d accidentally bitten his lip, and it still hurt.

Gu Yan went to a nearby pharmacy and bought some ointment. Using a cotton swab, he carefully dabbed the white cream onto the corner of Shen Jinnian’s injured lips.

The ointment melted slightly from the heat, cool and refreshing with a faint herbal scent. Under the lighting, it made his lips look glossy and slick.

The whole scene looked a little… suggestive.

Gu Yan could feel his ears getting hotter and hotter, so he quickly avoided his sight and stopped looking at the scene in front of him.

Worried that Shen Jinnian might notice his flustered state, Gu Yan decided to take a step back and regain his composure.

Shen Jinnian mistakenly thought that he was going to flee, so he quickly hugged his waist, and his chest pressed tightly against Gu Yan's lower abdomen.

 "...You, you promised me in the car."

Gu Yan set down the ointment and gently held Shen Jinnian’s wrists.

 “We need to shower first.”

Shen Jinnian still didn’t want to let go. “Will you… will you shower with me?”

Gu Yan’s voice was low and hoarse. “I’ll take care of you.”

But Shen Jinnian’s mental clarity hadn’t fully recovered yet. He couldn’t quite handle words that twisted and turned. His brain filtered the sentence automatically until only two words remained—

I’ll @%& you…

His pouty frustration quickly faded, “Then you… hug me.”

Gu Yan bent down, effortlessly picked him up horizontally, and held him tightly in his arms.

The scent of comforting cedar pheromones filled the air. Shen Jinnian, like a kitten being stroked just right, immediately narrowed his eyes in pure contentment.

Gu Yan carried him into the bathroom and gently set him on a small stool.

 “If your waist feels too weak to sit up, let me know.”

Shen Jinnian hugged his knees, dazed. “...Mm.”

After giving his warning, Gu Yan hurried over to the bathtub to start filling it and test the water temperature.

Shen Jinnian sat obediently behind him, his eyes fixed on Gu Yan’s back as he moved about the room.

He waited quietly until the water was ready.

Gu Yan stood up and prepared to find a thin bathrobe in advance to put on Shen Jinnian.

 But the moment he turned around, he saw a very naked Shen Jinnian sitting obediently on the stool with his clothes and pants flung carelessly all over the floor.

“You… why did you take your clothes off yourself?”

Shen Jinnian replied innocently, “We’re showering…”

You can’t shower with clothes on, after all.

He got up on his own and tumbled into Gu Yan’s arms. “Hold me…”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Yan picked him up again and gently placed him in the tub.

The water temperature was just right. The buoyant sensation of being submerged was incredibly relaxing, and even the burning feeling inside him was soothed a little by the warm water.

Shen Jinnian let out a long breath of relief.

Seeing that Gu Yan still hadn’t taken off his clothes, Shen Jinnian curled up his legs, making room in the tub.

In a soft, muffled voice, he called out to Gu Yan: “Come in too…”

“The tub’s too small. Let me wash you first,” Gu Yan made an excuse and refused—his shirt buttons might as well have been welded shut.

Shen Jinnian looked at the space across from him, then at Gu Yan’s long legs.

Alright.

There really wasn’t enough room for two people.

“Then later… I’ll help you shower too,” Shen Jinnian said, handing the loofah over to Gu Yan.

He spread his arms and let the man lather him with body wash—then sneakily smeared the foam all over Gu Yan’s face.

Seeing Gu Yan’s exasperated expression—clearly annoyed but holding back the urge to hit him—Shen Jinnian couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

That was, until Gu Yan retaliated by pulling the plug and letting all the bubbles wash away. Only then did Shen Jinnian finally stop messing around.

He lay on the edge of the tub, resting his chin on his arms, gazing up at Gu Yan’s sharp jawline with a bored expression.

 “Gu Yan… which smells better—strawberry body wash or my pheromones?”

“They’re not even in the same league,” Gu Yan replied without hesitation.

That was a compliment. He was saying Shen Jinnian’s pheromones were unmatched.

Shen Jinnian was very pleased with the answer. The corners of his soft pink lips lifted into a small smile.

“Then come closer. I’ll let you smell them.”

As he spoke, Shen Jinnian looped his damp arms around Gu Yan’s neck and tugged the defenseless man into his embrace.

The two of them ended up holding each other face to face in a tight hug.

Gu Yan’s nose landed right at the gland on Shen Jinnian’s neck—where a dense wave of strawberry ice cream–scented pheromones lingered. The near-perfect compatibility between them made Gu Yan react almost instantly.

Before he could regain control, his own cedarwood pheromones rushed out  like a rising tide.

Although Gu Yan managed to quickly suppress the release, the tiny bathroom was already thick with the mingling scents.

Shen Jinnian, being the closest, bore the brunt of it.

With a 98% compatibility rate, there was hardly any resistance—the Alpha could be easily pulled into a pseudo-heat just by the pheromonal trigger.

Shen Jinnian’s suppressant was still in effect, but now it was overwhelmed by the sudden surge of pheromones. He froze on the spot, his face visibly flushing red.

“I…” Shen Jinnian panted, holding tightly onto Gu Yan’s hand. “...I think I’m sick.”

“Help me, Gu Yan…”

“I’m feeling weird, I can’t hold it in…”

Gu Yan could feel it too. He was just as overwhelmed.

Without saying another word, Gu Yan stepped into the tub, pulled Shen Jinnian into his arms, and held him from behind. His arms wrapped tightly around him as he released a large amount of calming pheromones.

Tears clung to the corners of Shen Jinnian’s eyes. “Help me…”

“Please…”

Gu Yan pursed his thin lips, his expression tense.

His trembling hand slid along Shen Jinnian’s waist, dipping into the water and pressing softly against his skin. “Does this help?”

Shen Jinnian's heartbeat accelerated, his chest surged, and tears kept falling:“Gu… Gu Yan…”

Gu Yan leaned in and gently kissed the tears at the corner of his eyes. “Breathe slowly, Niannian.”

Shen Jinnian obediently closed his eyes and leaned against Gu Yan’s chest, taking deep breaths, inhaling the calming scent of cedar.

“I like it…”

…

No one knew how much time had passed.

Shen Jinnian's breathing was even, and his body temperature returned to normal.

Gu Yan’s voice was low and husky. “Niannian, do you feel better now?”

Shen Jinnian leaned weakly in Gu Yan's arms, without making a sound.

Gu Yan asked again, “Niannian?”

“…Mm.”

As soon as he heard the sound, Gu Yan quickly lifted him onto his lap to check—only to find the person in his arms had somehow fallen asleep.

Gu Yan immediately softened his breathing, carefully carried him out of the tub, rinsed him off, wrapped him in a bathrobe, and brought him to bed.

Once he was sure Shen Jinnian was sleeping soundly, Gu Yan closed the door and rushed back into the bathroom.

Pheromone induction was a two-way street.

While Shen Jinnian’s hormones had been stirred up by Gu Yan’s pheromones, Gu Yan himself had also been overwhelmed by Shen Jinnian’s scent—his was sore and uncomfortable. 

Gu Yan quickly took care of himself and hopped back in for another shower.

He barely rested at all that night.

One ear stayed trained on the bedroom in case anything happened, while his hands kept busy in the kitchen preparing breakfast—just in case Shen Jinnian woke up hungry.

At 8 a.m., soft sunlight streamed into the room.

The fatigue weighing down Gu Yan’s body was momentarily soothed by the gentle warmth. Unable to hold out any longer, he collapsed onto the sofa and slipped into a shallow, hazy sleep.

Until a sudden pat on the shoulder jolted him awake.

Through half-lidded eyes, he saw Shen Jinnian standing before him.

Gu Yan sat up quickly, a flicker of panic crossing his face. “Niannian… you’re awake?”

Shen Jinnian’s expression was blank, his eyes cold as ice.

In that instant, Gu Yan understood.

Shen Jinnian wasn’t just awake—he was fully clear-headed now.

Suppressing all his emotions, Gu Yan glanced toward the kitchen where the congee was still kept warm. But judging by Shen Jinnian’s expression, he figured he probably wouldn’t eat it anyway, so he didn’t ask.

 “Are you feeling any better?”

Shen Jinnian didn’t feel better at all.

Just standing for three minutes had exhausted him. He sat down heavily on the sofa. “Let’s pretend nothing happened last night. I’m tired. Take me home.”

“…Alright.” Gu Yan didn’t hesitate. He opened his phone and ordered a cab. Since his place was close to the city center, a driver arrived within minutes.

Gu Yan asked considerately, “Should I carry you downstairs?”

Shen Jinnian had consumed most of his energy when he got up from bed this morning. His waist and legs were sore that he couldn't even stand steadily. He really needed Gu Yan's help.

Just not that kind of help.

He settled for a middle ground. “Piggyback me.”

“Okay.” Gu Yan agreed without a second thought.

The two of them did not talk along the way. The atmosphere was so awkward that it was almost suffocating. Even the driver did not dare to take the initiative to chat.

Gu Yan sent Shen Jinnian to the door of his house based on his memory.

Shen Jinnian immediately tensed. He didn’t want Gu Yan to see the child.

Just as he opened his mouth to send him away—he didn't expect Gu Yan's movements to be faster than his mouth. He raised his hand and pressed the doorbell skillfully.

Shen Jinnian’s heart sank. “Gu Yan.”

Gu Yan blinked, confused. “What’s wrong?”

Shen Jinnian grew agitated. “Leave—now.”

Gu Yan thought Shen Jinnian was completely furious with him now. A sharp, bitter ache tightened in his chest, like thousands of tiny needles pricking straight through.

However, before he could leave, the door slowly opened from the inside.

Inside, the cub was already waiting. 

He was in the nanny’s arms, one tiny arm wrapped around her neck while the other waved excitedly as he called out toward the doorway.

 “PaPa!”

But the second the word left his lips, the baby blinked.

Because standing in front of him… was not Shen Jinnian.

It was a face he hadn’t seen in a long, long time.

And just like that, the cub froze—wide-eyed as he stared straight at Gu Yan.

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