Chapter 67: Have you been marked?

Li Mu’s expression faltered at those words. His lips parted, then closed again. In the end, he only offered a bitter smile and said nothing.

A week later.

The medical team arrived on time. A large crowd filled the hall.

Xu Lin, like everyone else, stood in line with his form, waiting for his turn. The queue was long, heads bobbing like a swarm of black ants.

The teams lined up in groups. Xu Lin had Li Mu in front of him and Fang Rong behind him. With familiar faces around, they chatted idly to pass the time. Before they knew it, they had reached the front of the line and could see the three examination rooms at the end.

One room each for Alphas, Betas, and Omegas—they would be examined separately.

The rooms were temporary structures, with one glass wall each. From a distance, Xu Lin could see two people in white coats and masks in each room, conducting thorough checkups.

When it was their turn, Xu Lin stood outside the Omega examination room, waiting. Li Mu and Fang Rong were at the other two doors.

Xu Lin was looking down at his form, bored, when the door to his room opened and an Omega walked out. The Omega left with another, chatting, and Xu Lin noticed each of them holding a box of suppressants. From the packaging, it looked like the new Omega suppressant Fang Rong had mentioned.

A trial?

“Next.”

Xu Lin entered the room.

The doctor pointed to a chair and gestured for him to sit down for a blood draw. A tourniquet was tied around his arm, the needle slipped into his vein, and dark red blood was drawn into a collection tube.

Xu Lin stared at his own blood until he heard someone say, “Chief Ji.”

He froze and looked up.

A tall man had walked in. He wore the same white coat as the others, his shirt buttoned all the way to the top, not a wrinkle in sight. A white mask covered the lower half of his face, revealing only a pair of well-shaped eyes. Amber pupils, the moment he entered, settled unhurriedly on Xu Lin.

A shrill ringing pierced Xu Lin’s ears. He instinctively moved, and the doctor quickly pressed his arm. “Don’t move.”

Xu Lin hurriedly looked down, his neck stiff, not daring to lift his head or glance around. He could only stare at his arm, waiting for the blood draw to finish.

His heart pounded wildly. Every nerve was on edge as he strained to listen to the newcomer’s movements.

The man walked over to the other doctor, and a familiar voice sounded in the quiet room. “I’ll take over.”

“But Chief Ji, I don’t think it’s time for shift change yet—”

He cut him off. “Go ahead.”

“Okay.”

Xu Lin’s mind was scattered. The doctor drawing his blood had to call him several times before he snapped back.

“Huh?”

The doctor held his form and asked again, “Has your gland been bothering you lately? Your pheromone levels are a bit above normal.”

“…No.” Xu Lin’s voice came out hoarse. He cleared his throat.

“Are you using suppressants?”

“Yes.”

“How often?”

Xu Lin was answering the doctor’s questions when footsteps approached, steady and measured, each one landing on Xu Lin’s frayed nerves. He nearly stopped breathing.

A hand with distinct knuckles took the form from the doctor and examined the numbers carefully. After half a minute, he said, “Give him a box of XH3 suppressants. Half-dose, once a week to build tolerance. Follow up in two weeks. Once levels normalize, use it as directed.”

He set down the form and looked at Xu Lin. “Stop using your old suppressants.”

Xu Lin gritted his teeth and said nothing.

“Um, Doctor?” Another Omega who had come in for an exam called out weakly. The Beta doctor who had been sitting in front of Xu Lin immediately stood up. “Coming, coming!”

Xu Lin pressed the cotton ball to his needle mark, head lowered.

Without any explanation, the two doctors had simply swapped patients, so naturally that it was hard to find fault.

The chair across from him was pulled out. He sat down, as if he had not recognized Xu Lin. “How often are your heat cycles?”

Only then did Xu Lin look up at him. He had been watching Xu Lin the whole time, his eyes calm and unreadable. He seemed like a competent doctor, and they were just two strangers.

His right hand wore a single white glove. His left hand was bare. What was this, some kind of fashion statement?

Out of the corner of his eye, Xu Lin could see the long queue outside. Now was not the time to be ruled by personal emotions. He pressed his tongue to the roof of his mouth, took a quiet deep breath, and said, “Used to be once a year. Six months ago, it started coming every two to three months, irregular.”

“Which suppressants have you been using?”

“GHI-P.”

He nodded. “That’s a common Omega suppressant, but it’s too harsh for you. Fine for occasional use, but prolonged use will affect your health. Stop using it.” He stood and took a box from the medicine cabinet. “This will be more effective for you. Use this from now on.”

On the box was printed the XH3 he had mentioned—a new Omega suppressant.

Xu Lin reached for the box and grasped the other end. It did not budge when he pulled.

He looked at the man.

His voice came muffled through the mask. “Have you been marked?”

Xu Lin yanked the box away, his brows knitting. “Isn’t that a bit invasive? Doctor?”

The man withdrew his hand. “Sorry.”

Xu Lin grabbed the medicine and his form, almost fleeing the room.

He walked briskly to a quiet corridor, and only when he was sure no one had followed did he lean against the wall, nearly collapsing. His hands were shaking. He clenched his fists, released them, clenched them again, but could not stop the tremor. Furious, he punched his own thighs.

He crumpled the form in his hand.

Why.

He had not mistaken him. How could he? Even just those eyes, he knew who it was. The figure, the voice.

Ji Jinxuan.

Three years. The person he had not seen in three years had appeared before him without warning, in this way. How could Xu Lin have expected it?

Why was he here?

Coincidence?

But could there really be such a coincidence?

Still… Ji Jinxuan’s behavior had been so normal, so stable, nothing strange about it. He had definitely recognized Xu Lin. But he had been so calm, so different from the man he was when they parted.

Had three years finally made him see reason? Had he given up?

Yes, Pu Sha had said the same. Ji Jinxuan had not come looking for him in District Thirteen in recent years. So he should have given up.

That was for the best.

“Xu Lin!” Li Mu’s voice came from behind.

Xu Lin was so lost in thought that he started, turning abruptly.

Li Mu had just finished his exam and was waving as he approached. “There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

He drew closer and saw Xu Lin’s pale face. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m just…” Xu Lin paused. “Hungry.”

“I figured. Let’s go get breakfast. Fang Rong is waiting.”

In the mess hall, Xu Lin stirred his porridge, not taking a single bite.

Fang Rong took a bite of his bun and asked, “What’s up with you? Not to your liking?”

“No.” Xu Lin finally put the spoon in his mouth and drank some porridge, but it tasted like nothing.

“Something on your mind? You’ve been off since the checkup.”

Xu Lin shook his head and said no more.

Just then, seven or eight people in white coats entered the mess hall—the same team from the morning’s exams, also there to eat. Xu Lin spotted Ji Jinxuan almost instantly, the most conspicuous of them all. He had taken off his white coat, wearing just a shirt, his mask gone. His face was exactly as it had been three years ago. After one glance, Xu Lin looked away.

He bit his tongue. “How long are they staying?”

“I’m not sure exactly,” Fang Rong said. “Probably about a month, maybe more.”

“So long?” Xu Lin was surprised.

“Well, a lot of people were found to have health issues. They have to make sure everyone’s taken care of before they leave. That’s why they’re here.”

Xu Lin frowned. A month. Ji Jinxuan would be here for a month?

Li Mu glanced at Xu Lin, puzzled, then looked up at the group in the distance. He noticed the tallest Alpha among them, staring in their direction.

Li Mu was taken aback. The Alpha was expressionless—watching them, or rather…

Following the Alpha’s gaze, Li Mu looked at Xu Lin beside him. That Alpha was watching Xu Lin.

After breakfast, Xu Lin and Li Mu walked along the tree-lined square.

Li Mu could not shake the feeling that the Alpha’s gaze was off, and Xu Lin had been acting strange today. He stopped walking.

Xu Lin had gone two meters before realizing Li Mu was no longer with him. He turned back. “What’s wrong?”

Li Mu blinked, then suddenly asked, “Do you know that Alpha?”

Xu Lin’s fingers curled. “Who?”

“Chief Ji.”

“…”

“I think his name is Ji Jinxuan.”

“You know him?” Xu Lin asked.

Li Mu shook his head. “I’ve just seen him in the news. He’s impressive. Young and accomplished. First he developed a new suppressant for Alphas, and in the last couple of years, he’s developed a number of new medications for Omegas. I heard there’s even a prescription drug specifically for treating gland atrophy.”

Xu Lin’s pupils contracted briefly.

“Gland atrophy is rare, and there was no treatment before. With this drug, I think things will improve in the future.”

A breeze brushed Xu Lin’s face. Leaves rustled overhead.

“Xu Lin?”

He did not respond. Li Mu called his name.

“What?”

Li Mu smiled at him and asked softly, “You do know him, don’t you? I mean, you’re very familiar with each other.”

Xu Lin paused. “Why do you say that?”

“Because I saw the way he looked at you.”

His gaze.

Li Mu said, “Yes. Any Alpha would recognize that look.”

Xu Lin did not know how to answer. What had happened between him and Ji Jinxuan was too absurd. It was all in the past now. He did not want to bring it up, let alone tell anyone.

“I…”

Xu Lin was about to speak, but Li Mu’s next words stopped him. “You said you hate Alphas.”

Li Mu asked, “Do you hate me?”

A few green leaves were blown from the branches, landing on Li Mu’s head and shoulders before spiraling to the ground.

Xu Lin pulled his gaze from the leaves and looked at Li Mu. “No,” he said sincerely. “You’re a good person.”

Li Mu smiled, stepped forward, and walked beside him.

They were about to leave when they turned and saw Ji Jinxuan standing not far behind them, his face dark, his gaze cold. No one knew how long he had been there.