13: I Can Only Sleep With an Alpha Who’s Willing to Permanently Mark Me
Hua Yong stood at the bedside, righteously and calmly, methodically pressing and tracing over Sheng Shaoyou’s head, neck, spine, and back… With the help of generous massage oil, his fingers glided smoothly along Sheng Shaoyou’s vertebrae, counting each segment. His long, slender fingers brushed—whether intentionally or not—over the prominent protrusion at the base of the neck: the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra.
Regardless of whether one is an Alpha or Omega, their most vulnerable gland is hidden just beneath the skin over this ridge.
The scent of orchids inside the room grew thicker, mingled with a woody aroma remarkably similar to the popular “Drunken Branch” fragrance on the market, forming a bouquet so rich it felt like standing in a flower market.
And right under his palm, gently pulsing, was the true source of that intoxicating scent—more stirring than Drunken Branch or any imitation.
Hua Yong massaged for about forty minutes, working from head to toe. When he finally pressed a spot near Sheng Shaoyou’s huantiao acupoint, the tingling soreness made Sheng Shaoyou let out a low groan. Hua Yong immediately stopped, gently nudged his shoulder and said in a quiet voice, “Mr. Sheng, I’m done.”
Sheng Shaoyou sat up, his usually impeccably styled hair now a tousled mess, making him appear less intimidating, more human.
“Not bad,” Sheng Shaoyou said. “Technician Hua is ready to be certified.”
Hua Yong smiled, his hands glistening under the lamp with a healthy sheen, though they still weren’t as bright as his eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Sheng.”
Sheng Shaoyou suddenly wanted to kiss him again. He grabbed Hua Yong’s slender arm and pulled him close. “Thank me for what?”
“Thank you for being willing to let me practice on you.”
Sheng Shaoyou chuckled. “I’m honored to be your… practice subject.”
Their lips drew close again. Just before they touched, they hovered in midair, suspended like an unresolved thought.
“How do you plan to thank me?” he asked.
Hua Yong took the initiative once more, pressing his delicate nose against Sheng Shaoyou’s cheek before opening his mouth to kiss him—soft, wet sounds that made one’s heart race.
When they separated, their lips were still connected by a shimmering strand of saliva. Hua Yong’s pupils had darkened, the whites of his eyes tinted with blue beneath the lights. Sheng Shaoyou pushed him gently toward the massage bed. Hua Yong staggered slightly, fell onto the bed, and looked up at him. “Mr. Sheng.”
He was so alluring it burned.
But Sheng Shaoyou held himself back, afraid of scaring him. He muttered a low “mm” as Hua Yong stood up quickly. “I’m going to wash my hands.”
Despite moving slowly, Hua Yong was fast enough that Sheng Shaoyou couldn’t stop him.
By the time he returned from the bathroom, Sheng Shaoyou was dressed in a bathrobe, leaning by the bed, flipping through the massage book and Hua Yong’s carefully written notes.
“You’ve been studying seriously.”
Hua Yong nodded with equal seriousness. “Since I’ve decided to do this, I have to do it properly.” His lips were still red. Sheng Shaoyou stared at the lips he had just turned deep crimson. “Do you take kissing seriously too?”
Hua Yong blushed. “Yes.”
“And love?” Sheng Shaoyou said casually, like it was nothing. “What does ‘serious’ mean—looking toward marriage?”
The bashful look on Hua Yong’s face faded, replaced by a calm, quiet expression—as if he’d never considered marrying Sheng Shaoyou. His lips pressed together tightly, and since he didn’t know how to respond, he simply didn’t.
Hua Yong was serious about everything. The cookies he baked were as good as store-bought. He didn’t know massage but studied it earnestly. The same applied to dating Sheng Shaoyou. He took it seriously—from mutual understanding, to developing feelings, to learning how to kiss properly. Nothing overstepped the line.
Sheng Shaoyou had once worried that Hua Yong might take their relationship too seriously—so seriously that he’d expect an outcome, which was something Sheng Shaoyou had never considered. He didn’t plan on marriage.
But now that he hadn’t gotten the answer he subconsciously wanted, Sheng Shaoyou felt… oddly displeased. As if if Hua Yong wouldn’t marry him, he, Sheng Shaoyou, would be getting the short end of the stick despite taking this relationship so seriously.
That weekend, they baked cocoa-flavored cookies together—but burned two batches because they couldn’t stop kissing. By the time the third batch went into the oven, Hua Yong squatted beside it to watch. When Sheng Shaoyou tried to stroke his cheek, he dodged and pleaded sweetly, “Mr. Sheng, we’re out of low-gluten flour and butter. If you keep this up, you won’t get any cookies.”
Sheng Shaoyou was amused. “I can’t even touch you?”
“No,” Hua Yong softly pushed his hand away. “You distract me.”
But Sheng Shaoyou didn’t listen. He didn’t care about the cookies—he just wanted to touch the orchid who made them. His fingers caressed Hua Yong’s jawline as he watched pink flush creep up the Omega’s neck.
“Secretary Hua is very dedicated.”
Staring at the oven, Hua Yong muttered, “Mr. Sheng is too clingy. And disobedient.”
“Oh?” Sheng Shaoyou’s arm wrapped around his shoulders, hand sliding forward to cradle his jaw, turning his beautiful face toward him. “I’m clingy?”
A trace of a smile flickered in Hua Yong’s eyes. “Mm. Very.” Then he leaned in and pecked Sheng Shaoyou’s lips. “Be a good boy, okay?”
Sheng Shaoyou, feeling indulged, actually behaved—for a while. After the cookies were done, he became clingy again.
Sheng Fang Biotech’s gene-editing scissors project hadn’t made any real breakthroughs, but the team’s morale had improved significantly. Sheng Shaoyou was in such a good mood lately, it was like a general amnesty had been declared.
Even when an oblivious partner came to a meeting wearing Drunken Branch perfume, Sheng Shaoyou didn’t make things difficult—he signed the contract generously.
Chen Pinming quietly observed, trying to understand the secret behind his boss’s consistent good mood. Eventually, he pinpointed it: Hua Yong.
Sheng Shaoyou was clearly very focused on HS’s Secretary Hua. Their interactions were surprisingly frequent.
Every morning before work, they’d talk for five minutes. During lunch break, they’d video call for over half an hour. In the evenings, they’d talk for fifteen minutes on the way “home.” That is—Hua Yong’s home.
If Sheng Shaoyou weren’t the largest shareholder and actual controller of Sheng Fang, Chen Pinming might’ve suspected that this powerful, wealthy S-class Alpha had been completely won over by a beautiful young Omega.
And Sheng Shaoyou himself wouldn’t mind if Hua Yong would “conquer” him faster.
But although Hua Yong blushed while kissing him, sometimes even using his hands to help when things got heated, and flushed at the scent of Sheng Shaoyou’s pheromones—he still wouldn’t go all the way.
Sheng Shaoyou, never one to obsess over sex, was still a full-grown Alpha. It was natural to desire an Omega. Hua Yong’s constant refusal was wearing on his patience.
One time, when Hua Yong pushed him away again, Sheng Shaoyou finally snapped. “You come home every night smelling like Shen Wenlang, but when it’s me, I’m not even allowed to touch you?!”
Hua Yong’s face instantly went deathly pale.
“Mr. Sheng,” he said through clenched teeth, a humiliated look on his face as if he’d just been mistaken for a harlot. “President Shen and I are just colleagues. I’m his secretary. It’s normal to have some scent transfer after prolonged interaction. If you mind, I’ll shower immediately after work. But don’t make it sound like I’m—” Hua Yong choked up and bit his lip.
Sheng Shaoyou felt his anger melt under that wounded look. He softened. “I’m not saying you and Shen Wenlang have anything. But why won’t you let me touch you?”
The Omega closed his eyes in pain. “I have pheromone dysregulation. I’m still undergoing treatment. The doctor said no intimacy unless…” He suddenly stopped.
“Unless what?” Sheng Shaoyou frowned.
“Nothing.”
“Hua Yong.” Sheng Shaoyou’s voice turned cold. “Tell me the truth.”
“Unless you’re willing to permanently mark me,” Hua Yong said with trembling lashes, eyes shut. “I can only sleep with an Alpha willing to give me a permanent mark.”
Permanent mark? Sheng Shaoyou let out a cold laugh. Did this orchid even understand what he was saying?
A permanent mark meant a lifelong bond, more serious than marriage. Just to sleep together, he expected Sheng Shaoyou to permanently mark him? Ridiculous!
Sheng Shaoyou fell into grim silence, his expression stormy.
Fortunately, Hua Yong didn’t seem to have much hope. He chuckled bitterly. “But that’s impossible, isn’t it? You’re Mr. Sheng, after all.”
His tone was certain that Sheng Shaoyou wasn’t serious about him—that he was only playing around. Yet Hua Yong still willingly offered his sincere heart for this game.
That only made Sheng Shaoyou more irritable. Harsh words formed on his tongue, but when he saw the tears welling beneath fluttering lashes like butterfly wings, he swallowed them back.
Hua Yong slowly leaned in, burying his face in Sheng Shaoyou’s chest. “I’m not that greedy. This is already good enough.”
His tears left Sheng Shaoyou completely disarmed. The tall, handsome Alpha stood helplessly, sighing, and wrapped his arms around Hua Yong’s trembling shoulders, gently patting his back. “Don’t overthink.”
But inwardly, he thought—let’s just see how it goes.
There were countless Omegas out there willing to be with him without a mark, without a name or title. He didn’t need this delicate orchid. No need to pressure him.
Sheng Shaoyou didn’t consider himself deeply romantic—he liked someone today and might not tomorrow. Sure, he liked this orchid a lot, but who knew how long this bland, chaste relationship would last?
Take it one step at a time.
Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
Used to gourmet feasts, Sheng Shaoyou found himself surprisingly content with simple congee and pickles. His relationship with Hua Yong had lasted longer than he expected.
Even when spring was nearly over, they were still in a “pure” romance limited to kissing.
One day after work, Hua Yong wasn’t home. He’d already told Sheng Shaoyou earlier he had a dinner gathering and wouldn’t be back until late.
Sheng Shaoyou sat in the living room for a while, feeling the room too empty, loneliness creeping in. He texted Hua Yong: [When will you be home?]
No reply—he was probably busy.
Staring out the window at the scattered city lights, Sheng Shaoyou suddenly found himself ridiculous—like a stay-at-home husband waiting for his career-wife to return from networking.
When had he become… domesticated?
He got up and responded to a message from Li Baiqiao that had come an hour earlier. Then he drove to Tiandihui to meet him.
At 1:30 a.m., Sheng Shaoyou came home drunk. He’d intended to return to his own place, but the driver, without asking, had taken him to Hua Yong’s.
Halfway there, he realized it—but didn’t correct the course.
Hua Yong seemed to be asleep. Sheng Shaoyou rang the doorbell twice. When the door finally opened, Hua Yong stood there with red eyes—no grogginess, just eyes rimmed with hurt.
Sheng Shaoyou had drunk a lot… and had also done “adult things” with a newly met Omega.
Hua Yong sniffed—and upon detecting the unfamiliar Omega’s scent, his eyes turned even redder.
The driver helped Sheng Shaoyou inside. Hua Yong silently stepped aside to make way, not uttering a single word.