I’m Allergic to Pheromones - Chapter 31

The night was deep with heavy dew, and the cool evening wind scattered crabapple blossoms across the courtyard.

Nan Ju carried the person back to the villa. As she entered, Eight Million trotted over from its lion-shaped dog bed, rubbing its plump, fluffy body against Nan Ju’s calves while whimpering softly.

Perhaps catching the scent of a stranger, it tilted its head curiously at the blanket in Nan Ju’s arms before standing on its hind legs to sniff at Bai Cha’s exposed ankle.

“Eight Million!” Nan Ju scolded in a low voice, prompting a maid to quickly scoop up the dog.

“My apologies, I’ll take it away now.”

Wrapped tightly in the blanket, Bai Cha squirmed slightly and buried her face against Nan Ju’s neck, whimpering softly about the heat—drawing the lingering gazes of the staff still in the living room.

Xia Duo was the first to react. She gestured for everyone to leave, then studied the girl clinging to Nan Ju with mild curiosity. “Miss, the blanket might be wrapped too tightly.”

Nan Ju glanced down and saw Bai Cha’s cheeks flushed pink, her hair damp and sticking to her neck.

“Fetch a clean set of pajamas and bring them to my room.”

As she was abruptly separated from the familiar embrace, Bai Cha stirred groggily, fingers tangling in Nan Ju’s hair as she frowned and let out small, broken sobs—alternately murmuring “hot” and “hurt.”

Nan Ju’s heart softened and ached at the sound. Even knowing this was a normal reaction post-differentiation and after receiving suppressants, she couldn’t help but feel distressed.

“Shh, are you awake?”

“I won’t leave. Be good now—let’s get you cleaned up and changed, alright?”

Xia Duo, who had already prepared warm water and fresh clothes, stood at the bedroom door, watching in mild surprise as the girl entangled herself with Nan Ju. She softly reminded, “The bath is ready, Miss. Do you need help?”

Struggling to manage the clingy kitten in her arms, Nan Ju coaxed her out of the blanket. “I’ll handle it. You may go.”

Xia Duo nodded and left without another glance.

The bathtub was spacious enough for a little kitten.

Perhaps the suppressant dosage had been too strong—Bai Cha remained in a drowsy, half-asleep state, never fully waking despite Nan Ju’s attempts to rouse her.

The water was perfectly lukewarm, but the moment her ankles touched it, Bai Cha whimpered pitifully, as if the slight warmth offended her.

The girl was slender, her body marked with faint scratches. When firmly guided into the water, she wrinkled her nose in protest, lips pursed in displeasure. Her long, thick lashes, now damp, resembled closed peach blossoms—utterly pitiful.

Kneeling beside the tub, Nan Ju watched helplessly as the girl swayed unsteadily yet still nuzzled against her. She chuckled wryly, “You’ve really turned into a kitten, hating water this much.”

With a kitten-like murmur, Bai Cha leaned against the tub, her soft cheek brushing Nan Ju’s hand resting on her shoulder—unusually docile.

The bandage on her hand got soaked by the hot water, yet Nan Ju showed no change in expression. Moving as gently as possible, she finished bathing the water-averse kitten, wrapped her in pajamas, then carried her out of the bathroom to blow-dry her hair.

A knock sounded at the door, and Xia Duo entered carrying a small silver case.

“Young Mistress, the butler asked me to bring this to you.” Before she could finish speaking, she froze at the sight of Nan Ju—looking thoroughly disheveled—drying someone’s hair.

The number one Omega in Flower City, the pride of the Nan family—when had Xia Duo ever seen Nan Ju in such an unguarded, ordinary moment? A thousand words caught in her throat, momentarily forgetting what she meant to say next.

As the hair dryer’s noise ceased, Nan Ju felt the now-dry strands at Bai Cha’s roots. She carefully laid the girl—who had already fallen asleep in her arms—onto the bed and tucked her in, then stood up, rubbing her aching wrist.

“Just leave it there.”

Xia Duo nodded dumbly. “Young Mistress, perhaps you should go to the bathroom first? I’ll wake the doctor to rebandage you.”

Following Xia Duo’s gaze, Nan Ju looked down at her knee. The snow-white bandage was stained with varying shades of crimson where bl00d had seeped through. Carrying Bai Cha all that way, her only thought had been to calm the girl down. Only now did she feel the pain radiating from her bones—a fine, numbing ache that seemed to spread everywhere.

She fell silent, afraid that if she opened her mouth, she might burst into tears.

“Call them. Have them wait in the living room. I’ll go down after my bath qaq”

–

Birds hopped among the branches in the quiet garden, where only the faint rustle of leaves stirred by the wind could be heard. Fallen twigs lay scattered on the damp ground.

Bai Cha woke in the middle of the night.

Her body felt languid from sleep as she groggily pushed against the soft mattress to sit up. Looking down, she saw someone slumped asleep by the bedside.

Images flashed through her mind—being chased, cornered in an alley—triggering a sharp alarm in her head. Bai Cha froze mid-motion, all color draining from her face in an instant.

“Little kitten, don’t be afraid, sleep now.”

A murmured phrase. The figure at the bedside shifted slightly, their hand atop the blanket patting lightly in unconscious reflex, as if from long habit.

Bai Cha recognized that face and went still.

Only a small lamp lit the room, casting a hazy glow, but it was enough for her to see who it was—Nan Ju, who had fallen asleep with her head pillowed on one arm beside the bed.

Worried that Bai Cha might wake startled or something might happen, Nan Ju had kept vigil until she unknowingly dozed off.

Bai Cha stared at that face in disbelief, unable to resist leaning closer to touch it.

The woman’s features were mostly visible—delicate arched brows like distant mountains in early spring, skin as radiant and lush as the countless times Bai Cha had imagined in her mind.

Her fingertip brushed the band-aid at the corner of Nan Ju’s eye. Bai Cha’s hand trembled uncontrollably, warmth rising in her eyes, her heart swelling with a bittersweet ache. Complex emotions ebbed and flowed like tidal rain.

Bai Cha pushed back the covers and carefully draped herself over them, pressing her forehead to Nan Ju’s as she gazed hungrily at that face.

She feared this might all be a dream.

During her differentiation, she hadn’t completely lost consciousness.

She felt utterly miserable—her bones weak and burning, the soft flesh at the back of her neck stinging as if pricked by needles. An Alpha was forcing her to present, trying to mold her into an Omega.

At first, she hadn’t been afraid. Bai Cha never believed she would present at all. But when cornered with no escape, the overwhelming scent of pheromones assaulted her—domineering, unreasonable, pressing down on her, grinding her into the dirt with arrogant disdain.

A deep sense of humiliation washed over Bai Cha. She couldn’t stand up, couldn’t fight back. Fear gripped her—fear of being forced to present as either Alpha or Omega.

For one fleeting moment, she wished someone would come save her, pull her from the muck and let her stand in sunlight again.

She remembered being held tightly.

Someone had cradled her like a precious lost treasure finally recovered. Apologies whispered in her ear, calling her “kitten.” Her vision blurred, but she recognized the faintly sweet, familiar scent and couldn’t stop crying.

“So embarrassing,” Bai Cha thought silently, cheeks burning. She remembered clinging to Nan Ju’s neck, weeping uncontrollably, boneless as a cat.

Utterly shameless, qaq.

Rolling over, she covered her face in mortification, feeling like seventeen years of pride had been discarded overnight. How could she have clung to someone like that?

The room was spotless. A pristine vase on the dresser held blooming crabapple branches, their fragrance permeating the air. Bai Cha sighed in relief—only floral notes and sun-warmed bedding remained. No other scents.

Perhaps she’d gotten her wish and presented as a Beta.

The rustling sheets roused a drowsy Nan Ju. Wiping her mouth, she lifted her head to check on the kitten—only to see the girl suddenly smack her own forehead.

Not hard, but the sound was startlingly crisp.

Nan Ju blinked. “Bai Cha… headache?”

The turned back stiffened. Silence.

Bai Cha pressed her lips together, face scarlet, at a loss for words. How could she explain wanting to slap herself awake from overwhelming shame?

The odd tension thickened. The mattress dipped as someone sat beside her. Bai Cha tensed, fingers twisting nervously, breathing carefully.

Then—gentle fingers brushed her hair. Nan Ju’s hand rested softly on her head, stroking tenderly. Her voice floated down like featherlight down.

“Kitten, still feeling unwell?”

Bai Cha didn’t answer, burying half her face in the blanket while her slender frame remained exposed—pure contradiction.

Recognizing the embarrassment rather than anger, Nan Ju smiled and leaned closer. She tugged down the hiking pajamas and pinched Bai Cha’s exposed ear.

“This is my home. Don’t you want to come out and see?”

Bai Cha’s sensitive ears twitched slightly, the soft flesh brushing against fingers unintentionally made her entire waist go weak. She shivered uncomfortably, her ears turning bright red.

“How did I end up here?”

Biting back her embarrassment, Bai Cha sat up on the bed with her head lowered, not wanting Nan Ju to see her flustered state as she awkwardly tried to avoid the other’s gaze.

She only remembered being led away from the alley—everything after that was a blank, impossible to recall.

Nan Ju reached over to adjust the bedside lamp slightly brighter, just enough to clearly see Bai Cha’s flushed face.

“You underwent differentiation, remember?”

Bai Cha nodded, still refusing to lift her head.

That round little head remained bowed before her, pitiful yet adorable. Nan Ju smiled faintly before quickly suppressing it.

Something unfamiliar seemed to silently spread between them in the air—once broken, it would tear through the calm surface.

“I’m sorry, I…”

“Then that means I’m a Beta like you now, right?”

Bai Cha finally looked up, pressing her lips together into a somewhat stiff smile, her eyes brimming with light.

“I like Betas.”

Nan Ju parted her lips but found herself unable to say anything. Instinctively, she reached out to gently cover the girl’s beautiful eyes.

“Sleep now. We’ll talk tomorrow when you wake up.”

Darkness reclaimed the world once more. Bai Cha lightly bit her lower lip as she fumbled to grasp the hem of Nan Ju’s pajamas.

“Can you… stay until I fall asleep?”