Transmigrated as an Alpha, the Fox Spirit Lives on Pheromone - Chapter 7

Jiang Li opened her eyes full of anticipation, but the empty room held no trace of the person she longed to see—not even Qin Nian remained. Only Dr. Zhou, who filled her with unease, stood there. Confusion overwhelmed her fear; she had clearly caught her master’s scent just moments ago, yet upon opening her eyes, her master was nowhere to be found.

She sniffed lightly, the lingering sweetness of Bai Muqin’s unique pheromones still teasing her senses, confirming it hadn’t been a hallucination after fainting. During her unconsciousness, she had felt her body fiercely rejecting the IV nutrients, depleting even her master’s pheromones, which had caused her collapse. Without hesitation, she yanked out the needle, the rough motion nicking her skin and drawing a bead of crimson bl00d.

Jiang Li licked the wound clean with her small tongue, leaving only a faint mark behind.

Seeing she was unharmed, Zhou Yang paid no mind to the minor injury and instead asked with a faint smile, “Do you still want to smell Miss Bai’s scent?”

Jiang Li eyed Zhou Yang warily, yet a restless eagerness flickered in her gaze, like a cunning little fox plotting something. She touched the spot where she’d been pricked—it itched slightly—but when her fingers brushed over it again, even the mark had vanished. Too preoccupied to dwell on it, her longing drove her to whisper, “Yes.”

Zhou Yang froze, an overwhelming urge to fulfill Jiang Li’s wish surging through her. Almost as if possessed, she handed over the remaining pheromones without restraint.

Jiang Li accepted them without hesitation—three small vials in total. Clutching them like treasures, she carefully opened one, inhaling deeply while keeping a watchful eye on Zhou Yang. The doctor’s dazed expression reminded Jiang Li of humans she had charmed before, and a sly grin curled her lips. It seemed Dr. Zhou had fallen under her spell.

She had only meant to test it, never expecting success. Overjoyed but still cautious, she pressed, “Dr. Zhou, are you a bad person? Why did you give me Master—Miss Bai’s pheromones? What are you planning?”

Zhou Yang answered impassively, “I’m not a bad person, but I’m not exactly good either. I simply see research value in you and want your cooperation.”

“I won’t harm you, and I certainly won’t harm Miss Bai. You need to learn to conceal your differences, to protect yourself. No other researcher would treat you as gently as I have—they’d dissect you to uncover the secrets inside you.”

Zhou Yang’s words sent a shiver down Jiang Li’s spine. Hugging the blanket tightly to her chest, she glared fiercely. “Stop trying to scare me. You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Yet the tremor in her voice betrayed her fear. She realized Zhou Yang had broken free from her charm—she just didn’t know when.

Zhou Yang rubbed her palm, having forced herself awake by digging her nails in when she felt her consciousness slipping. The pain had cleared her mind, but her words to Jiang Li were sincere.

She studied Jiang Li intently, curiosity burning in her gaze. “Just what are you? And when did you hypnotize me?”

Seeing Jiang Li bristling like a startled cat—both aggressive and endearing—Zhou Yang’s tone softened involuntarily. “I wasn’t trying to scare you earlier. Everything I said was true. If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to test it. The only reason I want to study you is for Miss Bai’s sake. I’m afraid you might leave someday, afraid you might lose the ability to stop fevers. That’s why I want to uncover the secrets in your body as soon as possible. Even if you’re no longer by Miss Bai’s side in the future, she could suffer less and live a normal life.”

Hearing the sincerity in her words, Jiang Li’s fear gradually subsided. Hesitantly, she asked, “Can I trust you?”

Zhou Yang nodded. “If not me, then at least trust Miss Bai. If she didn’t have faith in me, she wouldn’t have let you stay here.”

“But right now, I’m not so sure I trust you anymore.”

Jiang Li felt a pang of guilt and held out the two vials of pheromones to return them. “These must be for your research. Take them back.” She regretted using her charm ability to test Dr. Zhou—her attempt had backfired spectacularly, only arousing suspicion. Deciding to come clean, she returned what she’d taken.

She added hastily, “I didn’t hypnotize you, and I don’t even know what hypnosis is. I don’t understand what happened—I must have lost my memory. I can’t remember anything.”

Zhou Yang remained skeptical, but recalling Jiang Li’s past as a stray, her doubts lessened slightly.

Tucking the vials back into her pocket, Zhou Yang adjusted her glasses. “In that case, let’s agree to trust each other for now.” She extended her hand.

After a brief hesitation, Jiang Li shook it in agreement.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Jiang Li couldn’t tear her eyes away from Zhou Yang’s pocket. She instantly regretted returning her master’s pheromones! Perhaps the charm ability had depleted her reserves—now that the tension had eased, she felt ravenous, dizzy with hunger.

“I’m starving.”

She watched as Dr. Zhou took the milk from the bedside table, heated it in the microwave, and handed it to her. “Try a sip.”

The warm milk steamed gently. Jiang Li took the cup and sniffed—it smelled sweet, yet some instinct made her wary. After a tentative taste, she found the creamy sweetness surprisingly pleasant. She swallowed another small mouthful, feeling the warmth spread comfortingly through her stomach.

Driven by her body’s need for nourishment, Jiang Li gulped down the remaining milk in one go, finishing with a satisfied burp.

Her expression darkened as she stared at the empty cup. The memory of last night’s stomach-churning nausea remained vivid—she had no desire to relive that experience.

“What’s wrong? Can’t handle milk either?” Zhou Yang held out a trash bin, assuming Jiang Li might vomit again given her pallor.

Jiang Li waved her off. To her relief, the expected nausea never came. Gradually relaxing, she savored the warmth radiating through her body. Though it couldn’t compare to inhaling her master’s pheromones, the milk provided a deep, comforting satisfaction. She tentatively ranked it as her second-favorite sustenance.

“Any more? I’d like another cup.”

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Li’s face twisted in pain as she clutched her stomach and rolled on the bed. “My stomach hurts so bad.”

“Lactose intolerance?” Zhou Yang frowned slightly, patting Jiang Li and pointing to the bathroom. “Go quickly.”

Jiang Li scrambled into the bathroom, her stomach churning violently. After an explosive episode, she swore she’d never eat anything again!

Returning to bed, Jiang Li lay there too weak to even lift a finger, giving Zhou Yang a resentful look. “I don’t trust you anymore,” she muttered weakly, her voice tinged with petulance and complaint.

Qin Nian returned to the ward carrying numerous bags. Seeing Jiang Li’s lifeless expression, she quickly set the items aside and asked Zhou Yang, “Doctor Zhou, what’s wrong with her?”

Zhou Yang adjusted her glasses calmly. “She drank milk but is lactose intolerant, so she has diarrhea.”

“What about the IV nutrients? Why aren’t they being administered?” Qin Nian asked, noticing the mostly full IV bag.

“Her body is rejecting the nutrient solution. We can’t continue the IV,” Zhou Yang replied, barely containing her excitement at this unprecedented case, though she suppressed her research fervor.

“What? She can’t eat, can’t drink milk, and can’t even take IV nutrients! Is she going to die?” Qin Nian panicked. Jiang Li was responsible for her sister’s happiness—she couldn’t afford to have anything happen to her!

Qin Nian dumped all the food she’d bought onto the bed. “Jiang Li, look, is there anything you’d like to eat?”

From snacks to cooked dishes, nearly every type of food available at the supermarket was there.

Jiang Li barely glanced at them before looking away, declaring as if making a vow, “I’m never eating anything again.”

“What do we do? Doctor Zhou, can she be saved? Is this due to sensory impairment?” Qin Nian pressed urgently.

“Stay calm,” Zhou Yang said, pulling out Bai Muqin’s pheromones from her pocket and placing them over Jiang Li’s nose and mouth.

Within moments, Jiang Li’s complexion visibly improved.

Gritting her teeth, Zhou Yang handed Jiang Li the last vial of pheromones.

Jiang Li took it, savoring it slowly and carefully, unlike her previous ravenous consumption. After finishing, she still seemed unsatisfied, but she was noticeably more energetic.

“Doctor Zhou, what did you just give her? It wasn’t something illegal, was it?” Qin Nian asked worriedly.

Before Zhou Yang could respond, Jiang Li reached into the doctor’s pockets. Flushing, Zhou Yang restrained Jiang Li’s hands and sighed. “There’s none left. I’ve given you all three vials of research pheromones. Do you want someone else’s?”

Jiang Li shook her head and sat back down, sulking. Zhou Yang turned to Qin Nian and explained, “What I gave her was pheromones left by Miss Bai for research purposes.”

“My earlier conclusion was wrong. Jiang Li doesn’t have sensory impairment. Her energy source is different from ours—she subsists on pheromones. And she’s picky—she’ll only consume Miss Bai’s pheromones.”

“Though this sounds absurd, the evidence is undeniable. Also, we must keep this confidential. If the wrong people find out, it could put Jiang Li in danger.”

Qin Nian nodded solemnly, then stared at Jiang Li with an incredulous look as if she were seeing an alien. “Just how is your body constructed? It’s so bizarre!”

Jiang Li blinked her large, watery fox eyes innocently, looking utterly pitiful. Instead of answering Qin Nian’s question, she said, “I want to go back to see my master.”

For a moment, Qin Nian was spellbound. Without hesitation, she agreed to Jiang Li’s request. Only after did she realize something was off—in that instant, she had felt an overwhelming urge to fulfill A’Li’s wish, as if she would pluck stars from the sky if asked.

Though puzzled, Qin Nian didn’t dwell on it. Having given her word, she couldn’t go back on it now. Fortunately, Zhou Yang chimed in, “Let’s discharge her. She shouldn’t stay hungry in the hospital. I’ll make regular home visits to check on her. Please inform Miss Bai so she won’t worry.”

After agreeing, Qin Nian followed Zhou Yang’s suggestion and helped Jiang Li put on a mask and hat, leaving only her eyes visible.

Once the discharge procedures were complete, Qin Nian led Jiang Li out of the hospital.

Glancing at the piles of snacks in the back seat, Qin Nian rubbed her temples. “I should’ve bought less.” She faintly heard rustling from the snack bags but dismissed it as the sound of plastic rubbing together.

Jiang Li sat obediently in the passenger seat, even letting Qin Nian fasten her seatbelt. “We’ll head home first. If you’re hungry, just bear with it for now. My sister will be back once she’s done with work.”

With that, she started the car.

The drive was smooth, but upon arriving at their destination, Qin Nian gaped at the building before her and muttered, “Sh1t, how did I drive us to the office?