6: Mm, floral-scented. Not bad.
“You… you’ve paid the full amount?” Gao Tu couldn’t believe his ears.
After his parents divorced, his mother took his infant sister while he stayed with his father. When Gao Tu was nineteen, his mother died in an accident, and the severely injured little sister became his responsibility.
Counting on a gambling, alcoholic father to cover expensive medical bills was impossible. Luckily, Gao Tu had already been working part-time since he was fourteen. Having a sister just meant picking up a few more jobs.
But long-term treatment costs were far beyond what he had imagined. Caring for a patient was even more exhausting than expected. If it weren’t for Shen Wenlang stepping in to help multiple times, they might never have made it to the surgery date.
Still, the 800,000-yuan surgical cost left Gao Tu scrambling.
Just as he was worrying about the bill, the primary doctor suddenly asked to speak with him. Nervous and uncertain, Gao Tu assumed it was about postponing the surgery, only to be surprised when the doctor began discussing pre-surgery precautions.
He thought perhaps the doctor had worked out a delayed payment plan on his behalf. But when Gao Tu promised again that he’d gather the money soon, the doctor said, “The patient in Bed 291 has already been fully paid for…”
Gao Tu had definitely never paid that much. Rushing to the payment counter, he was told someone else had indeed covered the entire cost.
“Could it be a payment error for the wrong bed number?”
The cashier, slightly offended by the implication, responded, “No mistake.” She insisted, “Your sister is in HS Group’s employee family ward—I remember clearly. The man who paid was a very handsome S-class Alpha. I confirmed the bed number with him several times. No way we got it wrong.”
A handsome S-class Alpha?
Immediately, the face of Shen Wenlang—unreasonably attractive and fiercely charismatic—popped into Gao Tu’s mind.
“Did he give his name? Or leave contact info?”
The cashier quickly looked up the record. “There is a name, but our billing information is confidential.”
Sheng Shaoyou never picked up unknown calls.
But that night, while drinking with friends, Li Boqiao witnessed him answer an unmarked number without hesitation.
Li Boqiao leaned in, trying to eavesdrop, but the room was too noisy. He heard nothing.
“Who was that?” he exaggeratedly mouthed to Sheng Shaoyou, who ignored him. Determined, Li Boqiao shamelessly inched closer, only to be pushed away with a hand to the face.
“Stingy,” Li Boqiao pouted.
Tonight he’d brought a young beta boy as his date. Sensing Li’s displeasure, the beta offered him a sweet cocktail. Li Boqiao sipped it from the boy’s delicate, pale fingers—licking them playfully.
Sheng Shaoyou, for once, had brought someone too—a curvy, stunning female Omega who smelled distinctly of floral pheromones.
As soon as they arrived, Li Boqiao teased him.
“Well, well. Finally remembered to bring a plus-one. Lately our suave President Sheng has been showing up solo—refusing to leave with anyone, making this ‘old father’ worry you were lonely and cold at night…”
Everyone in Jianghu’s second-generation elite circles knew how to party. Li Boqiao being cheeky was nothing new. Sheng Shaoyou didn’t even bother to respond.
At that moment, he was answering a call and ignoring the room.
Bored, Li Boqiao turned to tease the Omega girl sitting beside him.
“What’s your name, little beauty?”
“Shu Xin.” She smiled sweetly, very poised.
Contrary to his notorious reputation, Li Boqiao had a refined and scholarly face. He smiled. “Lovely name. Easy on the eyes and the ears.”
Shu Xin was a freshman at the Film Academy and had only just started seeing Sheng Shaoyou. She was thrilled to be invited out tonight, bragging about it to her girlfriends all day.
Everyone around Sheng Shaoyou had to be someone important. To be personally addressed by the elegant and flirty Li Boqiao made her blush and her heart race.
Flirting idly with Shu Xin, Li Boqiao still kept an eye on Sheng Shaoyou. When he ended the call, Boqiao leaned in with a grin.
“Shaoyou, you’ve changed a lot lately.”
Sheng Shaoyou looked relaxed and amused. “How so?”
“You’re answering unknown numbers… and your taste has changed!”
Boqiao leaned in to sniff at Shu Xin. “Floral scent? You’ve always been a fruity-only guy. What gives?”
Sniffing another Omega’s pheromones was clearly flirtatious—borderline harassment.
Shu Xin, caught off guard, looked to Sheng Shaoyou for help. But he didn’t even glance at her, just lounged back on the sofa while Boqiao kept rambling.
“I’ve been telling you for years that floral-scented beauties are heaven. You never listened. Guess you finally saw the light, huh?”
Boqiao kept getting closer. As an Alpha himself, his pheromones were potent.
The boldness overwhelmed Shu Xin. Her knees nearly gave out.
Sheng Shaoyou leaned on his armrest, suddenly smiling faintly. He bared a flash of teeth and commented coolly, “Mm. Floral-scented. Not bad.”
What the hell?
Li Boqiao had known Sheng Shaoyou for over a decade. They’d always had their rhythm: Boqiao talked nonsense, Shaoyou watched coldly from the sidelines.
But now, Sheng Shaoyou actually responded?
From one phone call?
Now Boqiao was dying to know—just who was on the other end of that line?
Hua Yong’s first call was hung up on.
He stared at the contact labeled “Sheng Shaoyou.” His pale face showed no emotion. That aloof Alpha hadn’t even bothered to take his business card—refusing a call wasn’t surprising.
So Hua Yong pressed his lips together and sent a polite text explaining who he was and why he was calling. Then he tried again.
This time, the call connected.
There was music and laughter in the background, not ideal for a serious conversation.
“Mr. Sheng, if you’re busy, I can call back later,” Hua Yong offered.
“I’m not busy,” Sheng Shaoyou replied. “Go ahead.”
There was a pause. Hua Yong seemed hesitant. His shallow breathing echoed in the line, making Sheng Shaoyou strangely restless. But he said nothing—waiting for that little orchid who owed him a favor to step into his net.
“Mr. Sheng…” Hua Yong’s voice was soft—not at all like the bold declaration he made earlier in the elevator about being his “outlet.” This time, he sounded obedient and unsure. “Did you… pay for the surgery?”
Sheng Shaoyou was quite pleased to hear him speak in such a gentle tone.
Seeing he wasn’t responding, Hua Yong continued earnestly, “I don’t know why you’d do that, but thank you. I’ll repay you as soon as I can—”
“Besides the money, is there nothing else you’d like to say to me?”
Hua Yong froze. He fell silent, as if genuinely thinking about what else there could possibly be between them besides money.
Before Sheng Shaoyou’s patience could run out, Hua Yong finally said, “Are you free this Saturday? I’d like to treat you to a meal.”
“Saturday?” Sheng Shaoyou’s lips curled up, though he sounded a little troubled. “I already have plans.”
“Oh, I see. Then—”
“I’m meeting friends. Why don’t you come to me instead?”
Another pause.
Sheng Shaoyou added pressure, “If it’s inconvenient for Secretary Hua, then never mind.”
“No, it’s fine. Please send me the address,” Hua Yong replied quickly.