After An Alpha Discovered I Have Pheromone Deficiency Syndrome - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Understanding Fists and Kicks by Tugging at the Fox’s Ears

Hua Che was left alone in the small private room.

He slipped into the suit Pei Yu had taken off, straightened his clothes, wrapped the fabric tightly around his chest, and quietly pulled out the box.

Standing quietly in a corner of the corridor, he could overhear a heated conversation nearby.

“This is standard procedure at the Cherry Crane establishment — anyone who can meet the price for the Oiran’s coming-of-age ceremony can claim her. I told you you could raise the price on me as you like, so why won’t you budge now?”

Pei Yu’s voice was thick with anger, but his mind was sharp and calculating.

He had clearly prepared extensively, both financially and in understanding the customs here.

“That’s just how it is with Oiran, guest.”

“Do you realize how much wealth Hua Che brings to this place? There are customers who can afford that price easily. The real question is: why does Hua Che stay here now?”

“Because everyone treats him like a toy! No one sees Hua Che as a person — only as entertainment.”

“It’s not that they can’t see him that way, it’s that they won’t!”

Laughter filled the air, cruel and mocking.

“Professor Pei…?”

“Yes?”

“You’re not from Sakurazuru, where acting is a respected profession. Isn’t it a bit arrogant of you to criticize our traditions?”

A tense silence followed.

The manager’s voice finally spoke, cold and unyielding.

“Regardless of the price, even if he ruins himself or dies, it changes nothing. Hua Che will remain here until his last breath. If you want to see him, Professor Pei, you’ll need to pay every time.”

It felt like a bucket of ice water poured over Hua Che’s head.

He leaned heavily against the wall, his mind suddenly blank.

“Until death…”

His breathing grew uneven, a sour ache prickled at his nose.

Cold crept up from his feet, as if he had plunged into a freezing cellar.

His limbs stiffened; he gripped the wall tightly to keep from collapsing.

“Given Hua Che’s mental state, he can’t make clear judgments or continue working. Forcing an Omega in such a fragile condition to serve here is a crime.”

Pei Yu’s tone remained firm and unwavering, his preparations evident.

“Do you want the Omega Protection Society to sue you?”

“Hah… Professor Pei, your words are nonsense.”

The manager chuckled darkly.

“The poor fox was smuggled in, an outcast in Sakurazuru. Without family or guardians, no one would defend him — not even the Omega Protection Society.”

“That’s why I took him in. Try calling the police — see what happens.”

“You…!”

“I’m done talking. If you want to book time with Hua Che, talk to the store manager.”

The store manager called out to his subordinate, who wandered from nearby.

The man rounded the corridor corner and collided with Hua Che, who was hiding there.

His eyes fell on the pale fox’s face, flushed faintly with embarrassment but mostly slick with cold sweat.

The extravagant kimono worn for the Oiran ceremony caught the light, its silk and satin stitched with expensive threads.

“How do you expect to run away dressed like that? You don’t even have the lining on properly.”

His voice was harsh, far more aggressive than usual taunts.

“Hua Che, are you out of your mind? Wearing such a fine garment like this… you’re ruining it.”

Hua Che clenched his collar tightly.

Though he’d worn more revealing outfits many times before, he’d never been more careless than this moment.

He grasped the fragile satin, his heart raw and aching as if a wound had been reopened.

His gaze grew empty; his hands shook uncontrollably.

“Please… don’t say that…”

Rarely did Hua Che plead.

His voice was barely a whisper, trembling as tears spilled freely, darkening the delicate fabric.

But the manager took no pity.

His mouth curled, voice sharpening.

“What else is there to say? Do you think being called pretty means you’re more than just a plaything for drunk customers?”

Something inside Hua Che snapped.

His body’s protective instincts surged — a roaring ringing filled his ears, drowning out all other sounds.

He collapsed heavily, the wooden floor thudding beneath him.

In that moment of pain, he glimpsed the cruel reality before his eyes — then darkness swept in.

So cold…

He blinked, confused and unable to focus or hear clearly.

His strength drained quickly, his body convulsed beyond control.

Breath grew shallow, chest tightening, and vision darkened.

It felt like life itself was slipping away.

“Hua Che! Hua Che…”

Pei Yu rounded the corner, heart pounding as he saw the small fox collapsed on the ground.

Once bright eyes now stared blankly into nothingness, fading and fragile.

He rushed forward, scooping the trembling Hua Che into his arms.

Curled into a tight ball, Hua Che covered his human ears with his hands, hugging himself as if shielding against harm.

His throat made faint sounds, unintelligible syllables.

The cruel insults kept pouring in, relentless and vicious.

Though no curses were uttered, the words cut deep — verbal abuse, sharp and merciless.

Pei Yu carried Hua Che to a quiet corner, gently wiping away tears from his cheeks.

“Little fox, just wait for me.”

He softly pressed down the two large, fluffy ears.

The ears folded over Hua Che’s face, shielding his eyes.

He tugged gently at one ear, and Hua Che obediently raised his hand to pinch it, pulling it further down to block out the world.

Pei Yu stood tall, his eyes now burning with a fierce, protective rage that made even the store manager’s face pale.

“You only know how to prey on the weak, don’t you?”

He towered over the manager, casting a shadow that swallowed the light.

The overwhelming presence of a dominant Alpha made even the unphased Beta manager tremble.

Pei Yu rolled up his shirt sleeves.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

The manager’s voice cracked in panic, disbelief etched on his face.

Pei Yu said nothing, just landed a heavy punch squarely on the man’s face.

A scream echoed down the corridor.

Without pause, Pei Yu struck the other cheek with a solid fist.

When the manager staggered, Pei Yu grabbed his shoulders, lifted a knee, and drove it into the man’s abdomen.

The man collapsed with a dull thud, the wooden floor shaking under the impact.

“You… you dare hit me?!”

Bl00d dripped from the manager’s mouth, his face swollen and disfigured.

His voice was slurred but furious.

“This is called self-defense! Words can hurt more than fists. And you’re defending a mentally fragile patient — trying to kill him?”

Pei Yu left those words hanging, turned, and walked back toward his fox.

“Afraid? Don’t be. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

His voice softened, no trace of the previous hardness — coaxing, gentle, full of care.

Hua Che looked up blankly, his body trembling too much to respond.

Pei Yu released the ear he’d been tugging, and the fox’s ears suddenly perked up, the tips twitching slightly.

Strong arms wrapped around Hua Che’s waist, supporting him firmly.

Pei Yu could easily hold him with one hand, and with the other, gently squeezed the little fox’s earlobes as a comfort.

Weightless, Hua Che relaxed into the warmth of Pei Yu’s embrace.

Dizziness blurred his vision into indistinct colors and shapes.

A ringing buzz filled his ears, drowning out even Pei Yu’s voice.

Though his body felt icy cold, a warmth radiated deep within — the heat of protection and safety.