I Like Your Pheromones

I Like Your Pheromones Ch 22: Teach Me

After returning to the holiday villa, Duan Jiayan took a shower, changed into a T-shirt and shorts, and came out of the bathroom in a good relaxed mood.

It was already past nine o’clock. The night wind on the mountain snuck in through the window, making people feel a bit cold. On the whole way back from the tunnel, Zhou Xingchen had been clamoring about playing games together at night. He asked on his phone; Zhou Xingchen and the rest were all sitting in the lobby, so Duan Jiayan headed downstairs.

He saw at a glance that Chen Yue and Zhou Xingchen were sitting on the sofa. Song Yi was also there and the three of them were currently chatting happily about something. Farther away, there were also a couple of students playing cards.

Duan Jiayan walked over, asking casually: “Where’s Lu Xingci?”

“He went out to smoke.” Chen Yue said.

Duan Jiayan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Chen Yue looked at his expression and smiled: “What? Is him smoking very weird?”

Song Yi: “It’s not weird. It isn’t. With one look at the class president’s face, smoking, fighting, and swearing… I can accept it all.”

Duan Jiayan placed his hand on Song Yi’s shoulder: “Promise me, you’ll say less flirty words.”

Hearing that Chen Yue became happy. Zhou Xingchen saw Duan Jiayan and promptly called out: “Come come come! We’ve waited for you for so long, let’s win some team-of-4 PUBG*.” 

*T/N: [吃鸡] Gamer Slang for winning at PUBG, literally “eat chicken”.

“I’m not really familiar with how to play that one.”

“It’s fine,” Chen Yue said: “Zhou Xingchen’s awesome. He’ll carry the three of us himself. We’ll just head towards victory while lying down.” 

“Come, Xiao-duan.” Song Yi knew that Duan Jiayan got a little dizzy from 3D and usually doesn’t play this kind of shooting games, reckoning that he doesn’t even have an account: “I have an extra account, do you want to use it?”

Seeing that they took initiative one after another, Duan Jiayan didn’t want to disappoint them, so he took out his phone and sat next to Zhou Xingchen.

They started playing the game.

The account Song Yi lent to Duan Jiayan was super cottequish, having set after set of fashionable outfits.

When Duan Jiayan logged on, the pigtailed girl was wearing a sailor outfit, currently bouncing and hopping, doing warm ups.

Zhou Xingchen pulled him.

In the first game, Duan Jiayan landed and was immediately eliminated*.

*T/N: [落地成盒] (Luo Di Cheng He) – Internet Buzzword used in video games where the player immediate becomes a “loot box” upon landing.

In the second round, Duan Jiayan had to pay a bridge toll.

In the third round, Duan Jiayan led the whole group in the opposite direction of winning in PUBG*.

*T/N: Still using Gamer Slang – literally “opposite direction of eating chicken”.

…

Zhou Xingchen and Chen Yue didn’t expect that when Duan Jiayan said that he didn’t know much about the game, he really didn’t understand the game at all and wasn’t being modest in the slightest.

At the start of the fourth round, Zhou Xingchen searched the house but didn’t even hear footsteps before being sniped directly from below. Even Chen Yue and Song Yi both sent their lives away as well.

Only Duan Jiayan who was hiding in the sniper’s blindspot survived. The character Duan Jiayan controlled searched the house while trembling with fear and trepidation but only to find a pistol that was only slightly better than nothing.

“I think,” Zhou Xingchen said tactfully: “this round is already thrown.”

Duan Jiayan ignored him: “You guys can play for a while; wait for me to finish this one.”

Zhou Xingchen: “No, we’re going to see with our own eyes how they’ll wipe the floor with you.”

Duan Jiayan: “…”

Duan Jiayan also thought that he would lose, but with what Zhou Xingchen said, he was now a bit reluctant to accept it: “What makes you think that i’ll be pressed down–“

Zhou Xingchen suddenly interrupted him: “Left, your left! You’re being surrounded, where are you going? The four of them are in a team! You’re screwed, screwed! “

Duan Jiayan raised his head to give him a look: “What are you shouting about. Who said that I’m screwed?”

Zhou Xingchen: “This doesn’t count as being screwed? Do you think you’re a god at hiding when you’re in a dangerous situation?”

Duan Jiayan snorted and said: “Watch and learn.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he pressed the microphone button.

Although he didn’t turn on his microphone the whole time, he had the speakers on and the four people around him were talking all the time. He felt that several of them should be Alphas.

At this time, Lu Xingci just entered the lobby when he immediately saw them playing games on the sofa. Remembering that Chen Yue had let him borrowed his lighter before, he casually shouted: “Chen Yue, do you still want–“

Before Lu Xingci could finish his question, Duan Jiayan said in a voice entirely different from usual: “Xiao-Brothers, are you Alpha?”

His voice was very gentle, sounding weak and especially harmless.

He was probably speaking while pinching his throat. Although his original voice was considered clean, it would never sound weak.

Lu Xingci’s paused in his tracks.

After quite a while, he smiled, but his gaze darkened.

When Chen Yue heard Lu Xingci calling him, he was almost dying of laughter when he turned around: “Lu-dawg, get over here! Duan Jiayan’s teaching how to get points on-the-spot, hahahahahaha he’s totally awesome–“

Zhou Xingchen almost became a fool from what he heard: “Fuck, I can’t betray this a sly fox.”

So Yi was already used to it: “You’re using this method again?”

When they first played in the League of Legends, Duan Jiayan and Shen Chilie sucked and were often trashed on. Shen Chilie pretended to be weak whether there was something going on or not.

Duan Jiayan didn’t learn anything good from Shen Chilie but instead only learned these gaudy things. Moreover, he was better at acting than Shen Chilie. He was a completely different person when he turned on his mic compared to when he didn’t.

His voice sounded comforting even to Lu Xingci, not to mention those passers-by on the other side of the screen who don’t know the truth.

Someone answered: “Yes, we’re a team of 4 Alphas. What’s the matter?”

“Brothers, you all are so skilled.” Duan Jiayan gave a silent smile. He maintained that gentleness in his tone, but his words were super domineering: “I’m an Omega, so can you all not hit me?”

Once they heard that he was an Omega, along with his tone that confused, the Alphas’ innate wish to protect Omegas unwillingly became spurred on.

With another look at Duan Jiayan’s game character:

A beautiful girl with pigtails.

What kind of exceptionally adorable little Omega is this?

One of the Alphas was the first to state his attitude clearly: “You can come over. I won’t hit you.”

As soon as he heard that his companion was the first to offer hospitality, another Alpha followed: “You don’t have enough equipment, right? I have extra three-stage heads, an expansion, and a M416 here. Why don’t you come over to pick them up? “

As he listed them off, he threw all the things he mentioned in front of Duan Jiayan as if presenting treasures.

Both Zhou Xingchen and Chen Yue were stunned. Only Duan Jiayan accepted the kindness without any burden: “Thank you, brother.”

He slipped each “brother*” out of his mouth smoothly and suddenly felt a shadow cast over him.

*T/N: He uses “哥哥” (Ge Ge) here, it means “brother” literally but is used for guys older than oneself and does not necessarily imply any blood relationship.

Duan Jiayan turned his head.

Lu Xingci sat by him and watched him play the game with a smile yet not a smile on his face. Seeing him come over and even kindly knocking on his phone screen, signaling Duan Jiayan to focus a bit more as the poison-line* had brushed over his character already.

*T/N: The blue zone (mobile circle) in PUPG – if the player is outside of that zone, the player will take damage.

Duan Jiayan glanced at him before continuing to cajole the four Alphas in the game.

Although the four of them wanted to help him, one of them even gave him a med kit. Duan Jiayan’s skills were really terrible.

In the last stretch of keeping up with the moving poison line, Duan Jiayan was sniped and killed. Even so, he still came in third.

After the game ended, Chen Yue laughed and ridiculed him: “Xiao-Duan, Brother Duan, to interview you sincerely, did you really not feel any shame from that just now?”

Zhou Xingchen was almost dying from laughter: “I’m very impressed. You really are ferocious. How did you manage to say those things just then?”

Before Duan Jiayan could answer, Zhou Xingchen’s phone rang. As soon as he saw that it was Gu Li, he couldn’t spend time laughing at Duan Jiayan. He immediately answered the phone: “Fox*! Why have you remembered to call me only now? What did you do today? Are you tired? …It’s good that you’re not, huh? You’re asking me where I’m sleeping tonight? Oh, you’re asking where Brother Lu is sleeping tonight? Fuck, can’t you care about me first? How would I know where they’re sleeping tonight?”

*T/N: Refresher that ZXC calls 顾梨 (Gu Li) “狐狸” (Hu Li) – a pun – which means Fox.

Lu Xingci probably guessed what Gu Li was asking. He smiled but didn’t say anything. At this time, Duan Jiayan bumped his knee with his own knee: “Hey, you can smoke?”

Lu Xingci made a noise of agreement and asked in return: “You can’t?”

Duan Jiayan: “Why should I know how to engage in such an unhealthy activity?”

Lu Xingci: “Don’t all you school bullies know how to smoke?”

Duan Jiayan: “You’re wrong. We school bullies are concerned with true strength, not these kinds of superficial Kung Fu. The fist is the only standard used to measure a school bully. “

Lu Xingci laughed.

Duan Jiayan was baffled.

After a while, Lu Xingci suddenly asked: “Do you always act so cottequishly when you play games?”

Zhou Xingchen was still chatting with Gu Li: “The temperature dropped today. It’s cold in the mountains. You should wear more layers tonight…”

He glanced at Duan Jiayan, who was sitting next to him. He was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, revealing his pale-white arms and legs.

He seemed cold just from a look.

Zhou Xingchen couldn’t help asking: “Duan Jiayan, your shorts are so short, aren’t you cold?”

When Gu Li heard this from the other side of the call, she couldn’t help but let out a shriek excitedly. Zhou Xingchen was frightened by her sudden scream and almost dropped his phone.

Duan Jiayan shook his bare lower-leg indifferently: “No, I’m not cold. Maybe you’re cold because you’re weak.”

After answering Zhou Xingchen’s question, he turned to look at Lu Xingci and laughed: “How would that be possible? I’m not so bad at all other games.”

Before Lu Xingci could say anything, Duan Jiayan’s Adam’s apple bobbed and his gaze revealed a trace of evil: “In those other games, others are the only ones who act like a spoiled child to me.”

Lu Xingci raised his brow slightly, as it was slightly unexpected: “You’re that skilled?”

Flattered by him, Duan Jiayan was in a good mood. He said modestly, a rare scene: “I’m not bad, but not super good either.”

“Duan Jiayan, that’s bullshit! Being modest, my ass!” Zhou Xingchen remembered to retort while chatting with Gu Li.

Lu Xingci leaned in.

He lowered his head and looked into Duan Jiayan’s eyes. He said slowly, seeming sincere: “Then please teach me. How can I make others act like a spoiled child to me?”

They were too close.

They had previously been sitting very close with a distance where their knees were touching each other. In addition, Lu Xingci leaned down slightly, so from the side, it almost seemed like they were snuggling up to each other.

Looking at the scene, Song Yi wanted to say something but stopped on second thought.

However, Duan Jiayan didn’t think there was anything wrong. He thought carefully about Lu Xingci’s question for a bit.

“Beat her up first to show your strength. Then give her a helping hand during a suitable time.” Duan Jiayan said clearly and logically: “After all, everyone admires those who are strong. If you  show your enthusiasm from the beginning, the others would regard you as an orphan with no strength and will only treat you as a flatterer. “

“Seems like this is truly how it works.”

“Right?” Seeing that Lu Xingci agreed with him, Duan Jiayan smiled with bent eyes.

Zhou Xingchen was still on the phone with Gu Li: “…Why do you keep asking me what they’re doing? Chen Yue, what are they doing?”

Chen Yue replied smoothly: “They’re talking about the types they like.”

Zhou Xingchen: “Did you hear that? They’re talking about the types they like.”

Usually Zhou Xingchen and Gu Li’s calls went on for more than an hour. When Duan Jiayan returned to his room, they still hadn’t hung up.

When Duan Jiayan closed the door of his room, he could still vaguely hear the phone call from Zhou Xingchen in the corridor and the footsteps of the other who was walking away. He yawned and was just about to head to the bathroom to wash up when he suddenly felt a slight itch on his body.

The limp and numb feeling increased and was even followed by a burst of heat. Duan Jiayan’s expression blurred for a moment, and he realized why, so he hurried to search for the inhibitor.

He remembered that the inhibitor should be placed at the bottom of the clothes.

He couldn’t find it.

He looked everywhere and still couldn’t find it.

Where did he put the inhibitor…?

Duan Jiayan felt dizzy. Not only was his body getting hotter and hotter, but his limbs also became sore and feeble.

He rubbed his temple twice with force before suddenly remembering that, in order to prevent accidents, he had taken out the whole box of inhibitors and placed it on the bedside table.He hurried to the bedside table and almost overturned the box because of his hurry.

After struggling, he finally opened the lid. When the needle pierced into his wrist, he couldn’t help but let out a low sob and kneel down completely.

He waited for a long while.

Duan Jiayan’s fever gradually subsided and his body temperature returned to normal. He breathed a sigh of relief. Just when he was about to stand up, he suddenly saw a large red rash on the back of his hand.

Duan Jiayan froze and in the next moment, he felt a terrible pain all over his body and every inch of his skin seemed to be on fire. He glanced backwards to finally noticed that his back had already been covered with a large area of allergic red rash.

His stress disorder flared up.

Duan Jiayan whimpered painfully. He was surrounded by unfamiliar Alpha pheromones. Those pheromones crawled in through the crevices of the doors and the windows, which made his stress disorder all the more severe.

He was in so much pain that he wanted to curl up completely but his reason told him that he had to go out to seek help.

It hurt so much…

Quick, think.

Lu Xingci… Which room was Lu Xingci in?