Chapter Text
Gao Ming is a smart man, but he can admit when he makes a mistake. Leaving Gao Tu alone with Li Jun before his worthless son was properly subdued was a mistake. He’d underestimated Gao Tu’s ability to counter Li Jun’s pheromones. Gao Ming had to bribe the old pervert with 10,000 yuan to keep his mouth shut about what happened.
While Gao Ming fully intends to make Gao Tu pay for his petulant little rebellion, the fact is that he needs money now. He’s guaranteed an associate of Zhang Chao that he’ll repay the loan shark at least a third of what he owes him by the end of the month. It’s find the cash or lose a limb.
Gao Ming is adaptable, and he learns from his mistakes. The first thing he does after the fuck up in the park is get out of Jianghu. P Country’s restrictions are more lax. More importantly, though, no one knows him there.
He’s spent almost thirty years doing business in Jianghu. Every person with the interest and means to solicit from Gao Ming already knows him. There’s no way he could pull off this grift on home turf. Plus, he’d lose the reputation he built as being a man who always makes good on his word.
Since he doesn’t have Gao Tu, or anyone else, to deliver to any potential buyers, he needs to improvise. He casts the bait in P Country through the usual encrypted sites. To gain trust, he offers proof of scent with a face-to-face meeting. Once they’re on the hook, he requires half the payment up front. The plan is that when he earns enough cash, he’ll disappear, leaving no way for anyone to track him down. What can they do? Call the police?
It’s not nearly the profit he would have raked in had Gao Tu cooperated, but needs must.
Within a couple hours he has half a dozen bites on his post. No names, of course, just user handles. The one he’s meeting today calls himself Wolf_of_Wolves.
It’s nearly midnight, and Gao Ming waits behind the abandoned gas station where they agreed to meet for the exchange.
Gao Ming’s clientele is mostly older, established alphas looking to have some fun away from their omegas. Occasionally, though, he’ll get interest from a younger professional who doesn’t want to bother putting in the work to train an omega.
Wolf_of_Wolves arrives on time wearing a mask over his mouth, same as Gao Ming. He looks to be in his late 20s or early 30s, from what he can make out above the mask.
The man doesn’t bother with greetings or small talk. He comes to a stop in front of Gao Ming and demands, “Photos.”
Gao Ming pulls up a folder full of candid shots of Gao Tu that he’s taken. He holds out his phone.
“You can scroll through.”
The man takes it, and as he looks, Gao Ming lays the ground rules.
“8000 per night. I need half right now and we can go over details to set up a time for this week.”
The man thumbs through the photos without uttering a word.
“He’s extremely docile. Someone with pheromones as strong as yours can break him easily,” Gao Ming adds.
A little flattery never hurts, and Gao Ming can tell that the man really is a high-level alpha.
“How does this all work?” The man finally asks. In the dark and with his mask on, it’s impossible for Gao Ming to tell what he’s thinking, and his voice gives nothing away.
“I’ll rent out a suite in a hotel, one that’s sound and scent proof. When you arrive, he’ll already be prepared for your convenience.”
In reality, Gao Ming’s usual method is to find the cheapest motel available and leave the omega knocked out on the bed. Since this encounter is a fairy tale, he lays it on thick.
“And the proof of scent?”
“Ah!” Gao Ming says with a wide grin. Photos are fine, but Gao Tu unfortunately inherited his mother’s face, so he’s not that impressive to look at. His scent though – that’s the deal-maker. Gao Ming reaches into his bag and pulls out the sealed package. He opens it and reveals the prize inside: a scarf he stole from Gao Tu the last time he saw him. It’s drowning in his scent, and Gao Ming has preserved it in a zip-seal bag to keep it fresh for as long as possible.
The man snatches the scarf from Gao Ming’s hands and pulls it out of the package. Gao Ming goes to complain, but he’s cut off by the man’s sharp glare.
Wolf_of_Wolves brings the scarf to his face and inhales deeply.
“I was wondering where this went,” he says.
Gao Ming blinks in confusion. “What?” he asks, and then suddenly he can’t breathe. The man has unleashed his pheromones, and they are suffocating. The air is pulled straight from Gao Ming’s lungs and he falls to his knees. The man rips the mask off of Gao Ming’s face, removing the flimsy barrier protecting him. He claws at his throat and scrambles backwards, but the man follows.
“You would do this to your son?” he roars. “To the man carrying my child?”
He bends down until he’s eye to eye with Gao Ming, centimeters away, and slowly removes his own mask.
Flailing for air, Gao Ming gasps in horror, “Shen Wenlang.”
It takes Shen Wenlang’s PI less than 24 hours to discover that Gao Tu’s father is a bottom-dwelling scumbag who is up to his ears in gambling debt with at least three loan sharks in P Country and Jianghu. A deeper look into his finances uncovers the fact that the only person who has been keeping him afloat for years has been Gao Tu. A couple thousand here, a couple thousand there. Every other week, like clockwork.
And some bigger transactions as well. Wenlang wants to punch someone when he sees the last 100,000 yuan payment that came straight from the account Wenlang set up for Gao Tu months ago.
It’s another puzzle piece to explain the mess of contradictions that is Gao Tu’s life. For years, Wenlang has wondered why a man as responsible and unpretentious as Gao Tu could only afford that fleabag apartment. Years ago, when he learned that Gao Tu paid his sister’s medical bills, Wenlang increased his salary by 300%. It should have been enough to cover everything. Now he knows that much of that money goes straight into Gao Ming’s pocket.
His crimes are numerous and varied: theft, assault, identity theft, money laundering, tax evasion, domestic abuse, multiple violations of the ABO Equality Act.
And then there is the evidence of darker crimes, the ones for which he’s never been caught. There’s omega-trafficking, including of his own partner, Gao Tu’s mother. No wonder Gao Tu has hidden his omega status for as long as Wenlang has known him. Another puzzle piece slots into place.
Wenlang thinks back to high school, tries to match the quiet, steadfast kid he remembers with the kid who went home to this man as his father every night. It makes him sick.
It takes another several days for Wenlang to figure out exactly what happened to upset Gao Tu that night. It comes in the form of a message on an online forum, deep in the depths of the dark web. The PI shows it to Wenlang, and it's an incomprehensible jumble of words that make no sense. The man explains that it’s written in code and reveals the actual decoded message.
It’s an advertisement.
Available: pregnant, unmated male omega for use one or multiple nights. 27 yo. Strong, rich, fertile scent. attractive, in good shape, barely used. 8000 yuan per night, half upfront. non-negotiable. Scent: sage and honey. PM for pics and to set up f-2-f meeting in P Country for proof of scent.
Wenlang blacks out for an indeterminate amount of time, but when he comes to, it’s because several security guards have burst into his office wearing masks. Wenlang blinks and notices that the PI is huddled against the wall in the fetal position with a hand over his mouth.
It takes him several minutes to get his pheromones under control again. He apologizes to the PI and promises to pay him double for the inconvenience. Once everyone leaves his office, he gets out his cell phone.
“What?” Hua Yong says when the call connects.
“I need help planning a murder,” Wenlang tells him. He thinks about it and amends his statement. “Or several.”
“One second.” There’s a pause and the sound of a door closing, and then Hua Yong returns. “I don’t know if I can,” he says. “Mr. Sheng passionately believes that Jianghu is a lawful society where criminals are dealt with by the police and justice system. He’d be disappointed if I helped you kill anyone here.”
Wenlang rolls his eyes. “It will be in P Country.”
“Oh. Well, that’s fine then,” Hua Yong replies. “Who is it?”
“Gao Tu’s father.”
The pause following this statement is longer, more weighted. When Hua Yong speaks again, his voice is all business. “You have a good reason, I assume?”
“Yes,” Wenlang answers tightly.
“Right. I’ll send Chang Yu over tonight. I’d join too, except I believe Mr. Sheng might be about to start his first he–”
“I don’t need to know!” Wenlang interrupts.
“Your loss,” Hua Yong says and disconnects the call.
Wenlang thumbs through the photos on Gao Ming’s phone. Dozens of clandestine pictures of Gao Tu taken at random moments: in front of Gao Qing’s house, while he was jogging, bending down to tie his shoe, eating lunch with Wenlang.
On the ground, Gao Ming appears to be desperately trying take in a full breath as Wenlang’s pheromones overwhelm his respiratory system and keep him incapacitated. Wenlang ignores the gasps and garbled begging as he focuses on going through the phone. He finds an encrypted app and opens it. The messages that pop up confirm his suspicions.
How many months pregnant…?”
How much for a full rut?
Need pics…
I’ll do 6500 a night…
Can the O handle two at a time?
Gao Ming is communicating with over a dozen alphas responding to his ad. Wenlang’s hands shake as he keeps searching. Finally, he finds a text with someone called AlphaDaddy from the night that Gao Tu came back so upset.
Your boy ran away! You said he was easy!
It’s followed by an incoming phone call that lasted ten minutes.
As he stares at this message, a presence appears at his elbow. It’s Chang Yu. Wenlang takes a deep breath and hands him the phone.
“Deal with every person in here that asked about Gao Tu. I don’t care how you do it. Let your boss show off to Sheng Shao You that he’s honoring Jianghu law and locking up criminals and predators. Except that one,” Wenlang says, nodding at the message that’s still open on the screen. “I want that one dead. If Hua Yong has a problem with it, tell him I’ll owe him one.”
Chang Yu raises his eyebrows at that statement, and Wenlang sighs and amends, “Fine. I’ll owe him two.”
“Understood. And what about him? Would you like my men to finish up?” Chang Yu asks.
Wenlang turns and looks down at Gao Ming, flopping like a fish on dry land. The ammonia smell of fresh urine wafts off of him. HIs pants are soaked in it. Wenlang shakes his head.
“No, I’ll handle this myself.”
“Of course. Text me when it’s done, and we’ll clean up,” Chang Yu says.
As the assistant walks away, Wenlang abruptly reins in his pheromones. Gao Ming’s body gives a great heave as his lungs start to once again work properly. Wenlang stands back and lets him catch his breath. He wants him fully conscious for this.
He waits to act until Gao Ming lurches up onto his hands and knees and tries to crawl away. He grabs Gao Ming by the collar and flips him onto his back. Gao Ming’s mouth hangs open as if he’s trying to speak, but he can’t push the words out. That’s fine for Wenlang, who has no interest in hearing another word he says ever again.
He cocks his head and spends a long moment admiring the look of abject terror on Gao Ming’s face. Then he releases two weeks of steadily building but tightly pent up rage with a heavy stamp of his boot down onto Gao Ming’s chest cavity.
Wenlang showers at the hotel he booked, scrubbing the blood and dirt from his skin and under his nails. He hands off his whole previous outfit, boots and all, to one of Hua Yong’s men for disposal. There’s a fully stocked mini-fridge in the room, so he throws back two shots of baijiu before taking a car to the airport for the flight home. Hua Yong’s private plane is waiting to take them all back to Jianghu.
He stops by his place and showers again, this time removing the smell of stale airplane air and any lingering stench left behind from Gao Ming. He gets a vicious pleasure from imagining the last remnants of that man swirling down his shower drain. Even the sting of the water hitting his raw knuckles feels good.
He dries his hair and chooses grey lounge pants and a soft blue sweater to wear.
It’s early enough that he should catch Gao Tu for breakfast. The 18 hours he’s been gone is the longest he’s been away from Gao Tu in weeks. It makes him anxious.
He knocks on Gao Qing’s front door and Gao Tu answers after a moment. Wenlang barely gives him time for a greeting before gathering Gao Tu in his arms and scenting him. Going through his mind is unmated, barely used. He holds on tighter.
Gao Tu melts against him with a soft sigh, putting up no resistance as Wenlang burrows into him. The easy and trusting way he opens himself to Wenlang is a gift. Eventually, pulls away and straightens Gao Tu’s glasses on his face.
“Good morning,” Wenlang says, belatedly returning Gao Tu’s earlier greeting.
“We’re eating,” Gao Tu replies as Wenlang removes his coat and shoes. “Have you had breakfast?”
“Not yet,” Wenlang answers.
He lets Gao Tu guide him to the kitchen. Gao Qing eats alone at the table. When they walk in, she looks up and her eyes meet Wenlang’s, searching. Wenlang gives her a single, discrete nod. She nods back and swallows, looking ill. Her chopsticks clatter against her bowl as they slip from her lax fingers.
Gao Tu doesn’t notice as he rummages in a cabinet to find Wenlang a plate. Wenlang sits across from Gao Qing. He gives her the time she needs to collect herself, keeping busy by pouring water from the pitcher.
He pushes a cup over to her and chugs his own. “How are you feeling?” he asks Gao Tu.
“My lower back is still killing me,” Gao Tu answers, palming the area with a wince. Then he takes the chair beside Wenlang and scoops him a bowl of rice. Before he gets to the vegetables, he notices his sister’s expression and stills.
“Meimei, are you ok?” he asks.
Gao Qing stands up so quickly that her chair screeches as it’s pushed away from her. “Fine. I have to go to the bathroom.” She rushes out of the kitchen.
Wenlang distracts Gao Tu by shoving a bite of rice and eggs into his mouth. This backfires when Gao Tu grabs his hand and frowns at Wenlang’s busted knuckles.
“What happened?” he asks.
Wenlang scoffs and pretends to look annoyed. “What do you think happened? A-Yong’s psycho guard dog took another shot at me. Honestly, the more I see of him, the more I understand Hua Yong’s obsession. They’re perfect for each other.”
“Did you clean this yet?”
“I showered?” Wenlang says.
Gao Tu releases his hand and pushes off on the table to stand up. “Stay there,” he orders.
The top shelf of the kitchen cabinet contains a first aid kit that Gao Tu grabs.
“It will heal in a few hours,” Wenlang says.
Gao Tu answers that with an unamused look, and Wenlang meekly holds out his hand for him. He hisses at the sting of the medicine but can’t help smiling as he watches Gao Tu care for him.
When he finishes and closes up the kit, Wenlang leans in and asks, “Want to come back to my place?”
Gao Tu’s eyes darken and his scent spikes sweetly. A growl rumbles through Wenlang in response and he gets up and pulls Gao Tu with him.
“The food,” Gao Tu says, but puts up no resistance when Wenlang tugs him along.
Wenlang drives them to his home safely, despite the temptation of Gao Tu’s syrup thick pheromones washing over him the whole ride. If Gao Tu spends the rest of his pregnancy smelling this good, Wenlang will need to get a beta driver for them.
He pulls Gao Tu into the bedroom and then Wenlang strips off his sweater. He rubs it over his scent gland and then holds it out to Gao Tu, who turns a delightful pink.
When Gao Tu doesn’t take it, Wenlang goes to toss it on the ground. Gao Tu snatches the sweater from Wenlang and brings it up to his face.
“It’s the pregnancy,” Gao Tu mumbles, hands clutching the fabric.
“Find the best place for it,” Wenlang says, gesturing to the bed. Gao Tu has been reluctant to nest in Wenlang’s home, despite Wenlang’s best efforts and how clear it is that Gao Tu is denying his instincts. He peeks up at Wenlang and bites his bottom lip. So fucking cute.
Gao Tu turns away and walks towards the bed. Without looking at Wenlang, he arranges the sweater next to the pillow he usually sleeps on.
“Happy?” he asks.
“Yes,” Wenlang replies.
He steps forward and patiently begins to unbutton Gao Tu’s shirt. Gao Tu stays still and lets him. Wenlang gets the last button and tugs the shirt off of Gao Tu’s shoulders. Then he reaches for Gao Tu’s pants. He pushes them down and steps back to let Gao Tu do the rest, leaving him in his boxers.
Wenlang doesn’t bother with his own lounge pants. When Gao Tu tries to return the favor, Wenlang gently guides his hands away.
Gao Tu makes a confused sound that Wenlang has to kiss off of his lips. He takes the glasses off of Gao Tu’s face, folds them, and places them on the nightstand. Then he returns, gently using his hands to angle Gao Tu’s face where he wants it. He dips his tongue into Gao Tu’s mouth for a slow, languid caress before pulling back.
“Lay down,” he says against Gao Tu’s lips.
He takes Gao Tu’s hand and helps him onto the bed on his side. Wenlang crawls in behind him and smooths his hand down Gao Tu’s arm to his waist.
“What are you doing?” Gao Tu asks.
“Relax,” Wenlang urges. He braces Gao Tu’s body with the hand on his waist and digs the heel of his other one into Gao Tu’s lower back, targeting the muscles he always sees Gao Tu rubbing in discomfort.
Gao Tu groans and his whole body goes liquid beneath Wenlang. With both thumbs, Wenlang kneads into the sore areas, letting the sounds Gao Tu makes be his guide for where to press harder or when to linger on a tender spot.
While he works, he drops small kisses on Gao Tu’s shoulder and the back of his neck. Each one wrings a charming little shiver of pleasure from Gao Tu, goosebumps breaking out along his skin.
Gao Tu’s scent mellows, the sage overtaking the honey. Neither of them say a word, but after minutes of this, Wenlang feels a shift in Gao Tu beneath his fingers. It’s almost a vibration, odd and unfamiliar, until Wenlang realizes with surprise that Gao Tu is purring.
It’s the first time Wenlang has seen Gao Tu engage in such a purely omegan act. It’s possibly the first time Gao Tu has ever done it at all, considering he’s only recently allowed his omega to fully present.
Wenlang lifts his head and studies Gao Tu, greedy for this new piece of him. He has Wenlang’s sweater clutched in his hands and held against his chest. His mouth has fallen gently open and his eyelids are drooping, flirting with fully shutting before gently fluttering open again. There’s a glow to his cheeks and his breathing is soft, punctuated by the contented purrs that Wenlang doesn’t think Gao Tu’s even aware he’s making.
Wenlang feels as tall as a house to be the one to make Gao Tu so relaxed and safe.
“Sleep, Gao Tu,” he whispers into his ear and then brushes a kiss over it, eliciting another one of those little shivers to dance over Gao Tu’s skin.
“Mmm,” Gao Tu mumbles.
Gao Tu wakes up and blinks when he sees Wenlang now in front of him, head propped on his fist, watching him with a small smile.
Gao Tu yawns, but his whole body jolts when the yawn comes out warbly and weird. He presses his hand to his chest and notices how it’s trembling.
“Wha…?” he says.
In front of him, Wenlang’s grin widens, and Gao Tu instinctively lets out a quiet rumble under his breath at the sight. It takes him one second, then two, until he figures it out.
“Oh no,” he says, horrified, and turns to hide his face in his pillow. He’s purring. A genuine, omega purr.
Wenlang’s hand trails up the nape of his neck to scratch in his hair, and that pulls another purr from his throat.
The soft laughter he hears in response makes his face burn.
“Don’t say anything,” he warns, the words garbled by the material of the pillow.
“I won’t,” Wenlang answers brightly.
He doesn’t have to. Every pup learns in biology class that omegas only purr when they’ve reached a state of deep satisfaction and comfort. It’s instinctual and uncontrollable, an evolutionary way for omegas to reassure their alphas that they’re taking care of them well.
At least the embarrassment has stopped the purring.
“I’m hungry,” Gao Tu says.
“I’ll order us food,” Wenlang replies instantly. His nails scratch through Gao Tu’s hair again, and Gao Tu bats him away to avoid the tingly sensation.
“Stop,” he orders.
“Ok, ok,” Wenlang says, laughter still coloring his voice. “I’m going.”
Gao Tu feels his weight shift off the bed. When the door opens and closes, he finally lifts his head and inhales big gulps of air to calm his racing heart. He covers his face with both hands to hide his smile.
Gao Tu takes until the night before he’s scheduled to give birth to gather the courage to confirm what he’s suspected for months now. Ever since the day Wenlang showed up at Gao Qing's house with raw knuckles and wild eyes, and his sister looked like she’d seen a ghost.
They’re lying in Wenlang’s bed, holding hands, both too nervous about the next morning to fall asleep.
“Wenlang?”
“Hmm?”
Gao Tu turns his head, thankful for the darkness. He takes a deep breath and asks, “Is my father dead?”
Wenlang freezes tellingly and Gao Tu’s stomach drops. The hand in his tightens and Wenlang answers, “Yes.”
“Does Xiao Qing know?”
“Yes.”
Gao Tu blinks back tears. “Ok.”
Wenlang sits up but stubbornly hangs onto Gao Tu’s hand. “I won’t apologize.”
Gao Tu doesn’t respond. He doesn’t know why he’s crying, but the tears slide down his cheeks.
Wenlang makes a wounded sound when he notices and thumbs under each of Gao Tu’s eyes with his free hand.
“Don’t be mad at Gao Qing,” he says.
Gao Tu shakes his head. “I’m not.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.” If the roles were reversed and it was his sister or Wenlang who was hurt, Gao Tu knows he would have killed his father himself.
Wenlang smooths a hand over Gao Tu’s hair. “Let’s wait until after tomorrow to talk about this.”
Gao Tu rubs his cheek against the back of Wenlang’s hand, still clasped in his. Wenlang’s breath catches. Gao Tu makes a decision.
“Mark me,” he says.
“What?” It’s barely a word when it slips out of Wenlang’s mouth, only audible because they’re huddled so close to one another.
“Mark me,” Gao Tu repeats with more confidence. “Do it now, before our baby comes.”
“Are you…? Are you sure you want to? Will it hurt the baby?” Wenlang asks. He’s going to bruise Gao Tu’s hand with the way he’s squeezing it.
“It won't hurt him. I’m sure,” Gao Tu says. If anything, a new bond with the father of his child will make things much easier. His doctor has been begging him to do it for months.
“I…”
Gao Tu’s eyes have adjusted to the dark, so he can see the lost expression on Wenlang’s face. He’s staring at Gao Tu like Gao Tu has handed him everything he’s ever wanted, but he doesn’t know if he should take it.
“My omega picked you more than a decade ago. It never mattered how much I denied it or tried to suppress it,” he says and tilts his head to present his scent gland to him. “A-Lang, make me yours.”
“Yes,” Wenlang growls.
Shen Lele takes four hours to make his debut. Gao Tu is so high off of medication and Shen Wenlang’s soothing pheromones, that he can only smile drowsily at the screaming, messy, squirming newborn before drifting off to sleep.
Much later, he wakes up to a noticeably numbed lower body, feeling like he got run over by a truck. None of that matters when he turns and sees Wenlang holding their baby, Gao Qing standing behind him.
“Ge!” his sister cries when she notices him. “You’re awake!”
Wenlang’s eyes jump from the bundle in his arms to Gao Tu’s face.
“How do you feel?” he asks.
Gao Tu raises his arms out. “Like I want to hold my baby,” he says.
“The doctors said he’s completely healthy,” Gao Qing tells him as Wenlang carefully passes Gao Tu his son.
He’s the tiniest thing Gao Tu has ever seen. It’s hard to believe something so tiny caused his body so many problems. He’s wrapped in a blanket, his little face bright red and wrinkled, his eyes closed.
Gao Tu has never loved anything this much.
“Hi Lele,” he whispers. “You were worth it all.”