I’m Allergic to Pheromones - Chapter 24

“I’m still busy.” Nan Ju pinched her phone between her fingers, her long lashes lowered as she studied the red and green data analysis charts on her notebook. A circle of white-coated researchers stood around her.

The person on the other end of the call was displeased.

“What could you possibly be busy with when you didn’t even go to the office this afternoon? A-Qing made your favorite fish. Come home for dinner.”

The older man’s tone was stiff and unyielding. Even though he was clearly trying to mend their strained relationship, his words still came across as awkward and stern, making Nan Ju’s teeth ache.

A faint trace of resignation flickered across her face before vanishing just as quickly. “Got it. I’ll be back soon.”

The laboratory, constructed from cold silver metal panels, exuded an air of quiet indifference. The black-haired Omega sat casually in the midst of it, one long leg crossed over the other. When she lifted her gaze, her stunningly beautiful features were impossible to ignore.

“Any solutions?”

The white-haired professor standing closest to Nan Ju stepped forward, adjusting the heavy glasses on his nose. He regarded the excessively beautiful Omega before him with calm composure. “The experiment requires more samples. We could coordinate with other labs or research institutes to borrow some, but it would take about a week.”

Nan Ju rejected the idea without hesitation.

“No. The inhibitor research must remain under our control. Issue a public call for volunteers in the institute’s name. Have them sign the highest-level confidentiality agreements and compensate them generously.”

She had long anticipated that the inhibitor research wouldn’t proceed smoothly, so she wasn’t particularly anxious.

“Don’t worry about funding. I’m an outsider when it comes to research, so I’ll leave everything to you.” After a brief pause, she added, “I believe in you all—bring honor to our name!”

The institute director, who had been racking his brain over how to scrape together research funds, immediately flushed with excitement, his hands trembling.

The beautiful, silver-tongued young mistress came and went in a hurry. Once she was gone, the white-coated researchers—who had mostly been standing around like decorative mannequins—finally couldn’t resist whispering among themselves.

“Why does the director look like he’s about to faint?”

“Wouldn’t you be excited if an Omega shook your hand? But seriously, the young mistress is way too gorgeous.”

“Pretty or not, she’s still an Omega. Besides the deputy director, have you ever seen another Omega in this institute?”

“But she told us to ‘bring honor to our name’! And she just allocated us another few hundred million in research funding.”

The few who had been skeptical suddenly saw the light.

No matter who Nan Ju was, as long as she didn’t interfere recklessly with the experiments, and kept funding them generously, she was the entire institute’s patron saint!

The red Rolls-Royce came to a stop in front of the gate. Nan Ju stepped out and walked through the entrance, passing the screen wall and the moon gate that connected to the winding corridor before heading toward the main courtyard. In the corner of the yard, a few crabapple trees were faintly visible.

It was evening, and the sky had already been dyed in the most intense warm hues. The fiery tones blended with the dark green roof tiles, creating a rich, layered backdrop.

Just as Nan Ju stepped into the large courtyard in front of the main house, she unexpectedly ran into Nan Xing, who came stumbling out of the side room with red, swollen eyes, hiccupping between sobs as she limped forward.

The moment Nan Xing spotted her, she burst into even louder tears.

“Waaah—”

Nan Ju: “…”

What the hell was wrong with this kid?

“What are you doing standing in the courtyard? Go wash your hands—it’s time for dinner.” Nan Yi followed closely behind, a two-finger-wide rattan cane in his hand, looking every bit the stern disciplinarian.

Nan Ju gazed at his still-furious face, then glanced at the side room she’d once entered herself, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Ah, so the silly little sister finally got spanked.

During dinner, Nan Xing was still sniffling between sobs, her face swollen and puffy from crying, looking utterly pitiful.

Seated beside her, Nan Ju held a steaming bowl of fish soup, admiring the scene before handing over a tissue: “Stop crying.”

“hic… Sis…”

Having just received a thorough spanking, Nan Xing stared incredulously at her stunning elder sister, feeling a warm current flow into her long-neglected heart.

Sob So she’d been wrong all along – Nan Ju hadn’t been looking down on her! Her sister had been quietly watching over her all this time?

Sending her to work at the parking lot must have been a test too.

But she’d been so useless, running home to tattle over such a small matter, completely wasting her sister’s thoughtful intentions. How awful!

The more Nan Xing thought about it, the more ashamed she felt, tears streaming down her face as she gazed blurrily at Nan Ju.

“hic… Sis, you’re hic the best to me… They all said hic you sent me to the parking lot hic on purpose, but I knew you weren’t like that sob.”

Wang Qing paused her chopsticks mid-air, silently returning to her meal.

Father Nan looked exasperated at his youngest daughter who never learned her lesson, certain she’d happily help count the money if Nan Ju ever sold her off.

Having happily finished half her fish soup, Nan Ju dabbed her lips and nodded calmly: “They were right though. That’s exactly what I am.”

The crying stopped abruptly.

Nan Xing looked up dazedly, the light leaving her eyes.

“They were absolutely correct – they should say more next time.” Nan Ju stuffed the tissue into her sister’s hand, her delicate brows soft and lovely as she wrinkled her nose in adorable innocence. “Wipe your tears, don’t get them in the food – I haven’t eaten yet.”

Nan Xing struggled to hold back before finally bursting into loud sobs and running upstairs, her sincere young heart shattered into pieces.

The others remained unmoved. Father Nan maintained his stern expression while Wang Qing, sitting beside him, used serving chopsticks to give him some beef before turning to Nan Ju: “Does Ju Bao want more soup?”

Ju Bao?

Nan Ju’s eyes curved slightly as she pressed her tongue against her teeth: “No more.”

After dinner, Nan Ju followed her father to the study for some father-daughter sparring, and by the time she prepared to return to the villa, it was already 10 PM.

Descending the stairs refreshed, she was surprised to see someone still in the living room.

Hearing the noise, Wang Qing turned with a smile: “Heading back?”

“Mhm.”

Unsure if this was about Nan Xing, Nan Ju responded coolly.

“I packed some fish soup for you – it’s from the earlier batch I set aside. Still hot – drink it while warm, it won’t be fishy.”

A large thermos was handed over. Nan Ju blinked at the lily-of-the-valley pattern and long-eared bunny on its surface, her gaze dropping to confirm the matching bunny slippers with drooping ears. After a moment’s hesitation, she accepted it.

“Thank you, Aunt Qing.”

The previously somewhat reserved woman suddenly looked up in surprise at her stepdaughter, who stood a head taller than her, and said with delight, “If you like it, I’ll make it again for you next time!”

Nan Ju truly loved fish, but preparing a rich, milky-white fish broth without any fishy odor was no easy task. Given Wang Qing’s current status, there was no need for her to do it herself.

Nan Ju wanted to suggest letting the kitchen handle it, but seeing the joy on her stepmother’s face, she swallowed her words and simply replied, “Okay.”

“Ah, you should head back now—it’s getting dark. It’s not safe to be out too late.”

Unable to contain her happiness, Wang Qing even wanted to escort her all the way to the gate, but Nan Ju stopped her just in time.

“What are you still looking at? She’s already gone!”

Nan Xing pouted angrily, clinging to the doorframe. Clearly, she had been lurking nearby the whole time, only daring to voice her opinion after Nan Ju had left.

“Mom, why didn’t you stand up for me during dinner?”

Wang Qing pursed her lips, glanced at the silent second floor, and gently stroked her daughter’s head, whispering softly, “From now on, listen to your sister. Don’t make me slap you.”

Nan Xing…

She stared in disbelief at her mother’s cold, unfeeling face, then, with a pout, burst into tears and ran off.

This home, devoid of any warmth, was unbearable for even a single minute.

—

The night was cool. Nan Ju sat in the car, a thermos resting on her lap, her expression calm as if lost in thought.

She knew she had transmigrated into a novel and couldn’t simply embrace the identity of the original “Nan Ju” to enjoy the privileges that came with it. Everything she did now was for her own sake.

Her bet with Nan’s father, her research on pheromone inhibitors, her alliance with Su Wei—all of it stemmed from her lack of security.

She wasn’t a character from the book. The fact that she could detect others’ pheromones without being affected might be because she wasn’t truly “Nan Ju.” But the longer she stayed in this world, the more she feared she’d eventually be assimilated, becoming just another Omega controlled by pheromones.

Transmigrating wasn’t as simple as lazing around and doing nothing. She was a living, independent person with her own thoughts—not some impulsive creation of the author’s pen.

If given the choice, Nan Ju wanted to be a person, not an Omega defined by labels, nor an Alpha or Beta.

Originally, Nan Ju had a clear plan: once the inhibitor was developed, she’d have nothing left to worry about. Then, she’d find a way to leave Flower City, distancing herself from everything related to this harem yuri novel.

The fates of these paper-thin characters had nothing to do with her. She was the anomaly, the only one who could break free from the book’s confines.

Yet now, she hesitated because of the actions of these fictional characters.

The warm thermos soothed her stomach comfortably. For the first time, Nan Ju disliked her own sharp memory. She remembered how delicious the creamy fish soup had been, the soft tofu with its subtle sweetness, and how Nan Xing, who hated fish, had sulked and cried beside her. She remembered Nan’s father coldly insisting she call him “Dad,” and the ten named marigolds beneath the floor-to-ceiling window in Su Wei’s office…

She also remembered promising to meet a little cat again.

“I miss my little cat. I wonder what she’s doing now?”

The moment Bai Cha came to mind, the heavy weight pressing on Nan Ju’s chest seemed to dissipate. She exhaled deeply, deciding to stop overthinking things.

What will be, will be. Until the inhibitor is developed, all plans are just castles in the air.

Right now, she wanted to see her little kitten.

She missed that fierce little furball.