After Transmigrating as a Beta, I Got Messed Up with an Alpha (BL) - Chapter 46

Huo Juan didn’t touch him directly, but his pheromones coiled around, encircling him invisibly.

Pei Yule’s fingertips trembled, and the dish in his hand nearly slipped. A large hand reached out just in time, taking the plate and preventing the steaming ingredients from crashing to the floor.

Pei Yule turned his head to look. The tall Alpha was standing right behind his shoulder. After taking the dish, he maintained his posture and looked down at him. Given their height difference and the way he stood behind him, Huo Juan loomed over him like a small mountain. It was just like the way the man’s pheromones densely surrounded him.

Seeing Pei Yule freeze slightly, Huo Juan took a step back to widen the distance between them and asked softly, “Still not used to it?”

It’s impossible to get used to it. This guy was clearly asking a question he already knew the answer to.

Normally, a Beta shouldn’t be able to smell Alpha or Omega pheromones. But for some reason, he could. According to his “memories,” the original owner couldn’t smell them either. Pei Yule guessed it might be related to him being a “transmigrator”—perhaps this talent was one of his “golden finger” abilities?

Though, as far as “golden fingers” went, this one had absolutely no benefits for him. For instance, right now, even if Huo Juan wasn’t intentionally releasing pheromones, Pei Yule could still smell that scent and feel his limbs grow weak and floaty. No matter how many times he smelled this specific scent, the symptom never improved. Once enveloped by the pheromones, he inevitably felt a sense of powerlessness.

The only variation in the symptoms was that they grew lighter when Huo Juan was farther away and heavier when he was close. Pei Yule had pondered why this was the case. The main reason was likely that as a top-tier Alpha, the man’s pheromones were exceptionally high-end; furthermore, while Xu Yanxi and Shen Pin were also top-tier, their scents weren’t as aggressive as Huo Juan’s. Therefore, Huo Juan’s pheromones had the greatest impact on him.

Pei Yule felt quite helpless. This was the only part of the guy that still fit the “school tyrant” persona. Looking at the way the man was usually busy in the kitchen, where did he look like a fierce school tyrant who dominated the campus? If he told anyone, they probably wouldn’t believe it.

“I can’t get used to it,” he muttered. He picked up another dish, bypassed Huo Juan, and walked out of the kitchen, tossing back: “So stay away from me.”

The moment this guy leaned in, he lost all strength in his legs, which only reinforced his resolve to maintain the status quo of their relationship after Huo Juan moved in. Forget about picking him up for a kiss; the second Huo Juan got close, he felt like jelly. How was he supposed to be the “manly” one? He couldn’t even think about dominating the situation; he’d definitely be the one getting dominated.

Thinking about the dynamics he’d seen between men before, Pei Yule felt he had to nip this “little sapling” in the bud… though it was likely too late.

Pei Yule shot a subtle glance at the youth following him out. His face was expressionless, but internally he was forcefully pressing down on his heart, which was thumping wildly simply because the man had stood near him. Seeing Huo Juan pull out a chair and sit opposite him, Pei Yule retracted his gaze, served two bowls of rice, set out the utensils, and sat down as well.

When the two of them ate, Huo Juan usually made three dishes: two meat and one vegetable, occasionally accompanied by a soup. Today it was Three-Cup Chicken, steamed Mandarin fish, and bok choy with garlic.

Unlike Huo Juan’s cold exterior, the food he made was as delicious as ever. Even though Pei Yule had tried to learn by following his steps exactly, the results were poles apart—he clearly had no talent in this area.

Since both of them were still in their growth spurts, even with an extra dish, they could finish it all. They soon split the three dishes, though Pei Yule did most of the heavy lifting. Student Huo Juan, perhaps realizing he’d been caught, no longer bothered to hide his picky eating habits. No matter how good the food was, he didn’t eat much—just a few bites of each dish and one bowl of rice.

Pei Yule didn’t like wasting food and was glad Huo Juan had a good sense of portions. Although he was responsible for clearing the plates every meal, such an appetite was perfectly acceptable for a growing teenager.

But there was one less-than-wonderful point: in just a month, he had gained weight. It wasn’t to an exaggerated degree, but the lines of his cheeks had definitely rounded out… He already had a baby face, and the rounder lines made him look even more childish. His waist had also likely grown an inch, feeling a bit “fleshy” to the touch.

In contrast to the thinness he’d had when he first moved in, Huo Juan had also put on some weight, but he had mostly just returned to his original state. What was infuriating was that he had also grown taller. Previously, Pei Yule estimated him at around 187cm; now he was likely approaching 190cm, as the height gap between them felt even wider.

Already tall, now even taller… becoming even less like his original ideal type. They were both in a growth phase, yet one grew vertically while the other grew horizontally; it was a tragic reality. From every angle, Alphas were a species that made one feel very discouraged.

Pei Yule glanced at Huo Juan and shoveled a mouthful of rice into his mouth.

During dinner, if he didn’t speak, Huo Juan would remain silent. Pei Yule’s original home environment was very lighthearted and happy; his sister was a talker, and he usually played the role of the listener, only chiming in occasionally. But with Huo Juan, it was different—he couldn’t stand a silence that was too heavy, so he would always find something to say.

“Do you feel any better today?”

Huo Juan nodded calmly. “Mm.”

Pei Yule couldn’t read the man’s emotions from that face, but based on recent observations, his state did seem okay. He hadn’t needed to give Huo Juan a suppressant injection for several days. They were currently doing “contact therapy” every night, but unlike before, Pei Yule was the one taking the initiative. He was trying to figure out a way to let Huo Juan calm down without reaching the point where he lost control.

Huo Juan said that sleeping with him, even without direct contact, made him feel much better the next morning and helped him sleep better than ever before. Initially, Pei Yule thought it was just a shameless excuse the guy used to sleep in the same bed. But later, he realized the man was likely telling the truth. Huo Juan’s spirits had improved, the pheromone disorder seemed more restrained, and his losses of control weren’t as frequent. The fact that he hadn’t needed an injection for days was proof.

“Any fever?” Pei Yule asked, sounding like a doctor. Heaven knew he knew nothing about medicine, but he was currently performing a doctor’s duties. Thinking about his increasingly skilled injection technique, he wondered if he had a hidden talent for medicine.

“No,” Huo Juan replied. Seeing that Pei Yule didn’t believe him at all, the Alpha sat still as the boy leaned forward from his seat, reaching out to feel his forehead. Huo Juan’s eyelid moved, but he maintained his posture, letting Pei Yule’s hand stay on his forehead for a moment before sliding down to touch the artery in his neck with a fingertip.

Feeling a slight heat on the forehead and neck—warmer than a normal temperature—Pei Yule frowned and withdrew his hand. “A bit warm. We’ll check with a thermometer after dinner.” He did this because Huo Juan would sometimes hide the truth so as not to worry him.

Huo Juan gripped his chopsticks slightly tighter and nodded slowly. “Mm.”

Worrying that the temperature might keep rising, Pei Yule ate faster. After dinner, he washed the dishes. This was the rule; Pei Yule wasn’t a heartless person. If Huo Juan cooked, he couldn’t let him do the cleaning too, so “Huo Juan cooks, Pei Yule washes” became an unwritten law.

After putting the dishes on the rack to dry, Pei Yule wiped his hands and went to get the first-aid kit. Originally, there was no kit in his house; the original owner was very healthy and rarely got sick. Although Pei Yule’s arrival had changed that constitution, he didn’t have much of a concept of home remedies since he usually just went straight to the doctor. He’d bought the kit specifically after Huo Juan arrived. This Alpha wouldn’t go to the hospital and was far too good at enduring pain; even if his temperature was high, he’d act like nothing was wrong.

Pei Yule had no choice but to stock some basic medical tools, like a thermometer. He took the kit from the top of the cabinet and brought it to the guest room. Huo Juan was sitting on the sofa, flipping through a novel Pei Yule usually read to pass the time; he must have left it on the sofa earlier.

Even though he had transmigrated, Pei Yule’s hobbies hadn’t changed, and because he was often alone at home, he read even more voraciously; his bedroom shelves were packed. He’d only started cutting back after Huo Juan arrived, as there were now many other things to do.

Sensing his arrival, Huo Juan put the book down and apologized, “Sorry, I took a look.”

Pei Yule glanced over and saw it was a famous long-form martial arts epic; the one in Huo Juan’s hand was Volume One. He’d finished it long ago and had only pulled it out to reread it a few days ago. As a book fan, he always wanted to share things he liked, so he said, “It’s fine, read it if you like. That’s Volume One. If you think it’s good, there are other volumes in my bedroom bookcase you can take.”

Since they lived together, Pei Yule wasn’t the type to be stingy with his belongings. Furthermore, Huo Juan was very trustworthy; if the book hadn’t been on the sofa, he wouldn’t have touched it. In nearly a month, the only place in the bedroom he actively entered was the bed. He never touched anything on the desk or the shelves.

“Okay,” Huo Juan nodded, watching Pei Yule sit down in front of him. Initially, Pei Yule wouldn’t sit on the same sofa; if Huo Juan sat on the long sofa, he’d run to the armchair, always keeping a deliberate distance. But at some point, that faint wariness had vanished; now he could sit this close, within reach. After nearly a month together, some things had changed subtly.

Huo Juan lowered his eyelids, naturally choosing not to point this out.

“Come, let me see.” Pei Yule took out the thermometer and leaned in to “beep” it against Huo Juan’s neck. Feeling the other’s breath, Huo Juan’s hand at his side clenched imperceptibly, and he slowed his breathing. Pei Yule didn’t have pheromones, but he always had a very faint scent—the lingering smell of body wash, like mint, which became much gentler when warmed by his body temperature. This scent stirred the heart more easily than any Omega’s pheromones.

Pei Yule was entirely unaware. He pulled back to look at the reading: 37.8°C—a low-grade fever. He frowned and asked again with concern, “You have a low fever. Are you really not feeling unwell anywhere?”

“No,” Huo Juan replied. Seeing Pei Yule frown at him for a moment, the Alpha watched as he searched the kit, pulled out two mild fever reducers, and handed them over. “Take these, and we’ll see if the fever goes down.”

“Mm.” Huo Juan took them obediently, put them in his mouth, and took a sip of warm water. Actually, his fever was primarily a symptom of the pheromone disorder; it wasn’t something simple fever reducers could cure. Pei Yule understood this but hoped they would help at least a little. After all, suppressants only handled the primal instincts; they weren’t much use for a slightly high temperature.

He nagged, “Remember to drink more water.”

Receiving a submissive nod from Huo Juan, he was still a bit worried. Since his temperature is high, should he take a hot or cold shower? Then he remembered it was mid-winter and worried a cold shower would lead to a chill. He said, “Don’t use water that’s too cold when you shower, and dry off immediately afterward. Don’t catch a cold.”

Huo Juan stared at him. After a moment, knowing it would annoy him, he still whispered deliberately, “…Want to join me?” If you’re that worried.

The response was Pei Yule expressionlessly pressing the thermometer against his forehead. He knew he couldn’t be too indulgent; the guy was taking a mile again.

At 8:00 PM, Pei Yule took a shower in his en-suite bathroom. When he came out, he saw Huo Juan had already finished. Likely knowing he would nag, the Alpha was wearing a thicker set of pajamas tonight. Usually, he wandered around in thin pajamas that made Pei Yule feel cold just looking at them.

Praise be, he’s actually being sensible tonight.

Pei Yule walked over and saw Huo Juan had spread out some of the textbooks he’d brought home, likely preparing for their nightly study session. He checked the clock: 8:30 PM. It was still early—usually the time Huo Juan tutored him—but today… remembering the man still had a fever, he said, “No studying today. Go to bed early.”

Huo Juan looked up. Before he could speak, Pei Yule added, “Missing one day won’t make my grades plummet or soar. You took medicine, so just rest early.”

Huo Juan was silent for a moment, then closed the book and followed Pei Yule into the bedroom. Pei Yule was used to this by now; the previous rejection had vanished. Seeing the Alpha lie down properly, he intended to turn off the lights and sleep early himself.

However, just as his finger touched the light switch, a deep, magnetic voice came from the bed:

“Not doing it… tonight?”

“…”

Pei Yule turned his head and saw the Alpha lying on the bed, those deep, beautiful dark eyes gazing at him intently. Under the lamp, there was a certain suggestive quality to the look.

Pei Yule wanted to facepalm. No, can you not say things so ambiguously? “Doing it” or not—anyone listening would think he did something unspeakable to him every night. …Though, technically, they did do something.

Thinking of the “hands-on” scenes that played out almost every night, Pei Yule turned and snapped the lights off. As the room plunged into darkness, he said gruffly: “Not doing it! Go to sleep.”

He made his way to the other side of the bed and climbed under the covers.