60

After dinner was over, Xiao Die stayed in the kitchen to clean up, while Shen Dai and Bai Xiangwan accompanied Qiuqiu as he played.

Afraid that if Qiuqiu slept too much during the day he would be noisy at night, Shen Dai woke him up. The little one was reluctant and bawled out loud, but as soon as Bai Xiangwan held him, he mysteriously calmed down and began tugging at Bai Xiangwan's buttons, studiously playing with them.

"He seems quite familiar with you now. He calms down whenever he's with you," said Shen Dai, somewhat helplessly.

"He likes my pheromones,” Bai Xiangwan replied with a smile, gently pinching Qiuqiu's soft cheek with his thumb and forefinger.

As if in agreement, Qiuqiu raised his head and giggled with a huge grin.

The scent of Bai Xiangwan's pheromones was that of the Siberian Elm, a type of tree with kernels that were used in medicine for their calming properties. Though it was also a woody scent, it was not at all bitter; rather, it had a sense of warmth filled with sunlight and vitality, much like Bai Xiangwan's personality—strong and dependable, so it was no wonder that Qiuqiu was fond of it.

Lately, Qiuqiu's features had been becoming more distinct, entirely different from the tiny, dark, and wrinkled appearance he had when he was just born, with large, bright, round eyes; a pert little nose; and soft, fair skin. Though he still had only a tuft of fluffy hair on his head, his eyelashes were shockingly long. He was quick to smile, the sort of beautiful baby you'd see in commercials for baby products. The people who had seen him had all commented that he looked like Shen Dai, but Shen Dai always felt he resembled Qu Moyu more, though he wondered if it was all in his head.

“Look at his legs,” Bai Xiangwan said, stretching out one of Qiuqiu’s chubby little legs. “For his proportions, he’s got long limbs. He’s definitely going to be tall when he grows up.”

"Yeah, he is an Alpha after all," said Shen Dai, with a smile. "He’s healthy and growing well."

"Xiao Die mentioned he's quite a handful now?"

“Yes, he’s got too much energy. I’m thinking of hiring a nightshift nanny. Otherwise, if Xiao Die and I keep taking turns every night, we’ll both be too exhausted to work during the day.”

“Qiuqiu's reluctance to sleep might stem from not feeling secure. He's now at that stage where he needs alpha pheromones. Babies tend to cry and fuss when they lack a sense of security." Bai Xiangwan handed Qiuqiu back to Shen Dai and pulled out some papers from his briefcase. "This is my hundredth-day present to Qiuqiu.”

Shen Dai took the papers from him, looking puzzled. Upon examining them, he found that they were medical receipts from the municipal hospital. "And these are...?”

“I went to the hospital to have some essential oils made from my soothing pheromones. The nurse said that they'll be ready in three days. You can bring this tomorrow to collect them.”

Shen Dai stared blankly at Bai Xiangwan: "Shixiong….”

"I'm the only Alpha that Qiuqiu can come into contact with right now, and he likes my pheromones as well. Isn't this just something I ought to do?" Bai Xiangwan gently poked Qiuqiu’s tummy and teased, "You think of me as your daddy already, don't you?”

Shen Dai felt extremely in his debt. He and Bai Xiangwan hadn't been very close in university, and after the latter had been transferred to Lancheng, their interactions were limited to occasional work-related dealings. Even considering his respect towards their professor, Bai Xiangwan was under no obligation to help him. Yet over the past year, Shen Dai had benefited greatly from his assistance. How could he ever repay such kindness? With a gentle sigh, he smiled and said, "Bai Shixiong, I really don’t know how to thank you enough.”

“It was similar to taking a small blood sample, not a big deal at all. The nurse mentioned that a vial of glandular fluid can last up to a year. By the time Qiuqiu gets older, he probably won't need it anymore.”

“I see, then I’ll also thank you on Qiuqiu’s behalf.”

“You don’t have to thank me. You’ve already done a few months worth of work for me for free. But once you’ve fully recovered, could you consider officially joining the team?”

Shen Dai glanced at Bai Xiangwan with hesitation, wanting to speak but holding back.

"A-Dai, it feels as if you're avoiding something. I know you don't want to talk about it, and the professor told me not to ask, but everyone has a past, and everyone needs to move forward. If you tell me what's troubling you, I can’t guarantee that I can help, but at the very least, there shouldn’t be any problems with offering you a stable job.”

“I know. Once I’ve recovered, I’ll definitely need to find something,” replied Shen Dai with a bitter smile. “The situation is truly awkward. My files are still at the research institute in the capital because I took a long medical leave and never formally resigned. Even though the personnel arrangements over at your side are independent, my income taxes and social security can’t be transferred over. I’ll need to go back to the capital first to get it sorted.”

"Let the Professor come see you and go through the procedures. It should be quick."

Shen Dai forced a laugh and nodded: "Yes, in due time." He had far more to consider than just a job—there was what to do about Qiuqiu, what to do about his grandmother, and how to plan his future career. These were all pressing issues that needed to be addressed.

Bai Xiangwan stared at Shen Dai for a few seconds: "Your main issue isn't this, is it? It has to do with…Qiuqiu, right?"

Shen Dai knew what Bai Xiangwan meant to say was "Qiuqiu's Alpha father". He suspected that Bai Xiangwan might already know something. Given their shared connections with former classmates and colleagues in the capital and the close-knit nature of the rare earth industry, where gossip spread quickly. Bai Xiangwan could easily piece together the situation from just a few rumours. Still, Bai Xiangwan kept his questions to himself, which Shen Dai appreciated.

Shen Dai gave a nod. "But don't worry, I'll take care of it as soon as possible." He couldn't keep depleting his savings like this. Although the cost of living was lower in Lancheng, living without an income was truly unnerving.

"Alright then, I'm really looking forward to when you start officially working in my lab," said Bai Xiangwan, taking a quick glance at his watch. "I've got to go now; I still have a report to finish up. About that question you asked a few days ago, I'm still checking through the data. Once I have it ready we can discuss it again.”

"Ok, see you later."

Shen Dai carried Qiuqiu in his arms and saw Bai Xiangwan out. At first, Qiuqiu was cheery, but the moment Bai Xiangwan opened the door, he burst into tears as if sensing something, his little hands reaching towards the door and grabbing at the air.

“There, there, no need to cry, you’re so loud," Shen Dai said, feeling as if his eardrums were buzzing.

Bai Xiangwan held back his laughter and stepped back inside. Grasping Qiuqiu's tiny hands, he gently shushed him.

Immediately, Qiuqiu stopped bawling, holding back his tears and quivering as he looked at Bai Xiangwan.

"Shixiong, don't spoil him like that. The more dependent he is on you, the harder it is for us to pacify him.”

But Bai Xiangwan stepped closer and suddenly leaned down, pressing his face against Qiuqiu’s cheek. He released a small amount of pheromones and softly coaxed him, ‘No more fussing, Qiuqiu, be good.’ The baby calmed down visibly, but at such a close distance, those warm and steady Siberian Elm pheromones had already invaded Shen Dai’s senses without warning.

Shen Dai was stunned for a moment. In an instant he felt a tingling sensation in his scalp.

Ever since he had the mark removed over a year ago, his gland function had become more sluggish. Not only had the scent of his epiphyllum pheromones become fainter, but his sensitivity to other people’s pheromones had also decreased.

It was unavoidable that removing the mark would cause damage to the gland, especially considering that he hadn't used any anaesthesia during the procedure.

That was an experience he dreaded recalling the most—the excruciating pain he endured tied to the operating table like a lamb. To this day, it would still produce a sharp, stabbing nerve pain at the back of his neck from time to time. Moreover, his cries and struggling understandably made the doctor nervous during the surgery, which significantly impacted both the outcome and his recovery.

Then again, as far as he was concerned, apart from needing it to nurture his child, he had little use for his gland now. If it was damaged, then so be it.

However, just now, the ability to sense Bai Xiangwan’s pheromones and even experience a normal physiological reaction to the pheromones of the opposite sex, suggested that his gland function was beginning to improve slightly.

This should be counted as good news, after all, nobody wanted their 'parts' to be faulty.

Bai Xiangwan straightened up and took a step back. Looking fixedly at Shen Dai, he said, “I’m sorry.” His gaze seemed more inquisitive than apologetic.

"It's fine." replied Shen Dai. He grabbed Qiuqiu's little hand and waved it, smiling, "Say goodbye to Uncle Bai."

After Bai Xiangwan left, Xiao Die also finished tidying up. She washed some strawberries, and the three of them sat on the sofa eating while watching a movie.

"I wonder why Qiuqiu is so well-behaved today?" asked Xiao Die out of the blue.

Professor Bai left some of his pheromones on him."

"Oh, I’ve heard that Bai Laoshi’s pheromones smell quite pleasant. They smell like Siberian elm, don’t they?”

"Yeah, they do."

Xiao Die turned around to glance at Shen Dai and said with a smile, "Shen Laoshi, Bai Laoshi is so good to the both of you.”

"Yeah," Shen Dai remarked thoughtfully. "He even took the trouble of going to the hospital to get some pheromone essential oil made for Qiuqiu. I feel so bad about it.”

"Wow." Xiao Die's eyes lit up. "Bai Laoshi is such a workaholic. He’s usually pretty reserved, but I notice he's the gentlest with you, and he treats Qiuqiu like his own son.”

By then, if Shen Dai hadn't picked up on Xiao Die's meaning, it would be feigning ignorance, but sadly, that was all he could do. ”Shixiong is just not very sociable.”

“Exactly, so for him to treat you…”

"It's getting late; I should go put Qiuqiu in bed," said Shen Dai, finding it difficult to continue the conversation. There should be no thoughts of that nature between him and Bai Xiangwan.

Xiao Die blinked at Shen Dai, hesitated for a moment, and then didn’t say any more.

Picking up the warmed-up milk bottle, Shen Dai carried Qiuqiu into the bedroom. Qiuqiu started to drink eagerly, but soon his eyelids began to fight back, and finally he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, although his little mouth kept on sucking.

As Shen Dai gazed at Qiuqiu, a smile unconsciously spread across his face.

Once Qiuqiu had fallen asleep, Shen Dai wiped his mouth, gently placed him in the crib, and continued to watch him quietly.

The world of adults was full of constant turmoil, but watching this child brought a moment of peace and comfort to his soul. With every passing day he was thankful for the presence of Qiuqiu which gave him infinite strength, allowing him to confront all his fears. And now it was time for him to confront all that he was afraid of, for the sake of his own future and that of his child.