I’m Allergic to Pheromones - Chapter 38

Bai Cha instinctively took a step back. The intense, domineering pheromones aggressively assaulted her senses as the woman’s cold gaze swept over her from head to toe with blatant disregard.

“Beta? I don’t recognize you.”

Bai Cha pressed her lips tightly together, humiliation burning through her.

The woman standing before her was an Alpha!

An Omega stood no chance against an Alpha deliberately unleashing pheromone suppression. Bai Cha could feel her glands heating up, her long-dormant pheromones trembling violently within her, tiny tendrils desperately trying to retreat.

A wave of self-loathing and helplessness washed over her. Pale-faced, she spat out harshly, “Get lost.”

She retreated further inside, reaching to slam the door shut, but a foot blocked it effortlessly. The woman pushed the door open with ease, displeasure flickering across her face. “You’re being very rude.”

“What’s taking so long? Is there a superhero at the door?” Nan Xing’s impatient voice called from behind, then abruptly rose in surprise. “Sister Zhiyi?”

Xu Zhiyi turned her head, her sharp, oppressive pheromones vanishing like a receding tide in an instant. Her eyes widened slightly, the furrow between her brows softening. “Xingxing? What are you doing at your sister’s place?”

—

With the new arrival, the atmosphere in the villa shifted noticeably. The staff clearly adored Lin Zhiyi, clustering around her eagerly.

Bai Cha stood by the second-floor railing, looking down. She hadn’t mentioned the confrontation at the door to anyone, quietly retreating to her room instead. Picking up her phone, she sent Nan Ju a message.

Kitten: My pheromones are unstable. Can I take a suppressant?

The screen lit up almost immediately. Bai Cha listened to the rapid vibrations, slowly answering the call. “Hello?”

Through the receiver, Nan Ju’s voice sounded distant, as if carried by the wind before landing hurriedly.

“You took a suppressant? Are you in pain right now?”

Bai Cha glanced at the syringe she’d retrieved and placed on the nightstand, her voice soft. “Not yet. My glands are just uncomfortable.”

“Wait for me. I’m coming back to take you to the institute.”

The car door slammed loudly. Bai Cha could even hear the jingle of keys twisting between Nan Ju’s fingers. Over a single vague phone call, she was already rushing home.

Guilt pricked at Bai Cha. It wasn’t that unbearable—just the initial reaction at the door had been intense. After coming upstairs, she’d gradually calmed down.

She just… really wanted to see Nan Ju right now.

Her delicate thoughts hid behind a veil of hesitation. Bai Cha stared uneasily out the window, regret creeping in. “Maybe it’s not necessary. I just ran into an Alpha at the door. She thought I was a Beta and attacked me with her pheromones.”

Predictably, Nan Ju was furious. “An Alpha? None of the tutors I hired are Alphas. What was her name?”

“She’s called Xu Zhiyi.” Bai Cha obediently revealed the name she’d heard, deliberately or not adding, “She’s sitting in the living room right now. All the villa’s servants seem to know her—they’ve been talking to her nonstop.”

The screech of tires violently skidding against asphalt pierced the air. Bai Cha was startled, but Nan Ju’s voice sounded even more panicked than hers.

“Bai Cha, my good kitten, listen to me—don’t speak to her! Don’t say anything at all!”

That damn cuckoldry fetishist actually came straight to her home!

—

Nan Ju raced home at maximum speed limit, sparks practically flying from her wheels. She didn’t even bother turning off the engine before rushing into the courtyard.

Her hurried steps sent her long, thick black hair tumbling over her shoulders and chest. Anxiety painted her features as she strode recklessly into the living room, her delicate brows knitted tightly.

Bai Cha was the first to see her.

The young girl sat perched precariously on the edge of the sofa, clutching a tiny teacup while being interrogated uncomfortably. At the sound of Nan Ju’s arrival, she looked up and visibly exhaled in profound relief.

From Nan Ju’s perspective, she felt like she was suffocating.

An Omega’s scent always stood out. The figure sitting with her back to the entrance stiffened before turning around—a woman with cropped black hair beaming ecstatically. “Xiao Ju!”

Xu Zhiyi was actually quite attractive—a woman with striking, handsome features. Her black hair was cut straight at ear-length, giving her a crisp, no-nonsense style.

Her face lit up at the sight of Nan Ju, as if she’d finally reunited after traversing mountains and rivers, every inch of her expression radiating joy.

Nan Ju’s eyes narrowed. Only one thought crossed her mind: This won’t be easy to handle.

“She smiled often, always giving off a sunny disposition. People naturally gravitate toward the sun, and for Nan Ju—who was reeling from the double blow of a scandal involving stealing her best friend’s fiancé and a broken engagement—Xu Zhiyi was the last ray of light she could cling to.”

Reading smut with too much thought ruins the fun. When Nan Ju had initially clicked on the story solely because the protagonist shared her name, she hadn’t felt any particular revulsion—just a vague sense of oddity. But how could she have predicted she’d end up transmigrating into it?

Suddenly finding herself as the female lead of a yuri harem smut novel she’d read—that changed everything.

Nan Ju silently observed Xu Zhiyi before her, feeling a profound sense of danger for the first time in this ABO world.

This childhood friend of hers… really might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“Bai Cha, come here.”

The girl, who had long been itching to leave, dashed over immediately, clinging tightly to Nan Ju’s arm without a word, her eyes pleading.

Recognizing the relief on Bai Cha’s face, Nan Ju couldn’t help but glance at the side of her neck, gently brushing aside the stray hairs covering it. “Still feeling unwell?”

Bai Cha shook her head.

Their intimate display stung someone’s eyes. Xu Zhiyi unconsciously tightened her grip on the armrest before standing and walking over naturally, feigning curiosity. “Xiao Ju, is this your new little maid? She seems quite young—is she even of age?”

Nan Ju nearly yanked Bai Cha behind her on instinct. Casually retracting her hand, she smoothed Bai Cha’s hair back over her scent gland and smiled. “She’s mine. Cute, isn’t she?”

“Yours?” Xu Zhiyi repeated, her tone strangely off.

Before Nan Ju could notice anything unusual, she smiled again, her eyes curving with warmth, exuding the cozy and cheerful aura of a little bear.

“It’s good that someone kept you company while I was away.”

“Go back to your room first.” Nan Ju patted the little cat’s head and nudged her, signaling her to take the big fool still stuffing his face on the sofa upstairs. Meanwhile, she turned her gaze to Xu Zhiyi, who remained smiling.

“Let’s go to the courtyard.”

Xu Zhiyi looked surprised. “Not to your room? I prepared a gift for you.”

Nan Ju avoided her eyes, her voice cold. “I’m an Omega. It’s not appropriate. The courtyard is better.”

In her memories, Xu Zhiyi would always head straight to the original owner’s bedroom whenever she visited. The two had grown up together, childhood friends and sweethearts, remaining close even after their secondary genders manifested.

Except for the unbreachable physiological barrier between an Alpha and an Omega, the simple-minded original owner had never considered how outrageous it was to let an unrelated Alpha freely enter her room.

But Xu Zhiyi was cunning. Every time she entered the protagonist’s room, she would leave the door wide open, maintaining the facade of a righteous gentleman who wouldn’t take advantage—completely fooling the original owner.

In the author’s portrayal, even the servants in the villa seemed to have lost their common sense, not only failing to intervene but even encouraging the situation.

Just recalling these plot points made Nan Ju’s teeth itch. What righteous gentleman? What noble demeanor? That was just a pervert who got off on being watched and ogled.

If someone had been eavesdropping outside the door, they’d probably have been thrilled.

Nan Ju lowered her eyes and walked out without a word. Xu Zhiyi, though puzzled, followed.

Nan Ju strode ahead, her hair tousled by the wind, her expression both disheveled and irritated. Xu Zhiyi hurried after her, her face heavy with guilt, like a big dog that had done something wrong.

“Are you angry?”

She was about the same height as Nan Ju, yet she tentatively reached out as if wanting to pull her back but didn’t dare, her brows furrowed with worry.

Did Nan Ju feel soft-hearted?

Not a damn chance!

She took a step back, glanced down at her stiletto heels, and happily used her height advantage to look down at Xu Zhiyi, her tone cutting. “Are you worth my anger?”

The pampered young miss was always haughty and temperamental, her lifted gaze arrogant and dismissive, as if nothing could impress her.

Xu Zhiyi stared at the Omega standing in the sunlight, utterly mesmerized. An unprecedented sense of satisfaction surged within her, nearly unleashing the beast in her heart.

She loved—oh, how she loved—this version of Nan Ju. She wanted so badly to lock her away in a cage.

“Don’t be angry, okay?” Xu Zhiyi dug her nails into her palm, lowering her stance to coax Nan Ju. “I wrote you so many letters. Ever since I joined the military, I’ve missed you every single day.”

Nan Ju didn’t say a word, watching coldly as the other woman performed.

The Alpha in the black uniform stood in the courtyard, her collar buttoned to the top, her features sharp and handsome, her gaze tender.

“I know you love spring, so I used the crabapple flower stamps you adore on the envelopes. Did you see them?”

I saw them. I even tried peeling them off to sell for cash. But I can’t tell you that.

“My mailbox was blown over by the wind and I forgot to fix it, so I didn’t receive anything.”

Xu Zhiyi froze momentarily, a bitter expression flashing across her face before quickly composing herself. “It’s alright, I’ve brought all the returned letters. If you’d like, you can take them back as keepsakes.”

A begonia flower stamp could fetch a fortune at the flower market. Nan Ju felt that hesitating even a second would be disrespectful to money and nodded rapidly.

“Thanks, I’ll take them then. Anything else? If not, you should head back—I’ve got things to do.”

Such blunt dismissal made Xu Zhiyi’s face burn with embarrassment. Seeing Nan Ju’s impatient expression, she didn’t get angry but instead flashed a bright smile.

“Little Ju, you’re adorable when you’re angry.”

Idiot!

Nan Ju cursed inwardly, deciding not to mince words anymore. “Don’t come to my house again. It’s better for both of us if an unmated Omega and unmated Alpha keep their distance. I don’t want any unsavory rumors spreading.”

“Why? You’ve already called off the engagement, haven’t you?” Xu Zhiyi couldn’t help reaching for Nan Ju’s wrist, only for the other to deftly evade.

The evasive movement cast a shadow that instantly left its mark on her heart.

Xu Zhiyi lowered her eyes in disappointment. After a long silence, she said, “You know, no matter what, I’ll always love only you.”

Nan Ju turned and walked away without another word.

The tall figure stubbornly watched the proud Omega grow smaller in the distance, unwilling to leave, her gaze filled with deep affection and persistence.

The midday sun was too intense, scorching her skin. Nan Ju hurried back inside, where she found a kitten standing behind the door.

“I told you to go upstairs. What are you doing here?”

Bai Cha bit her lip and looked up. “I heard her say she’ll always love you.”

Nan Ju let out two cold, mocking laughs without hesitation.

“Listen well, Bai Cha. If someone tells you they’ll love you forever, they’re either insane or an idiot. Never believe it.”