61

The following day, Shen Dai went to the hospital to pick up the essential oil made from Bai Xiangwan's pheromones. The scent of Siberian Elm was extremely strong, and could linger for a long period of time. By using it more in Qiuqiu's day-to-day necessities and activity spaces, he could recreate an environment of being in the presence of an Alpha.

The doctor had suggested that he make a perfume out of it and spray it on himself regularly. Essentially, this would emulate the atmosphere of a typical Alpha-Omega couple's household and be more effective in calming Qiuqiu's emotions.

As sound as the suggestion was, Shen Dai had no intention of following it. How awkward would it be for the both of them if he were to use a perfume derived from Bai Xiangwan's pheromones?

However, after reaching home, Shen Dai realised his worries had been unnecessary. It wasn’t that he had suddenly come around to the idea, but after using Bai Xiangwan’s pheromone essential oil on Qiuqiu, he found he had no way of avoiding the scent either.

When Xiao Die returned home from work, she also sensed the fragrance of the Siberian Elm. Although Betas were typically unable to perceive pheromones, the essential oil included other compounds for stabilisation and blending, which allowed pheromone scents to become distinctly apparent.

Pressing herself close to Qiuqiu, she sniffed deeply a few times, then exclaimed in surprise, ‘Wow, so these are Bai Laoshi’s pheromones! They smell so good—steady and warm, exactly like Bai Laoshi.’”

"Yeah, no wonder Qiuqiu likes it so much." Sure enough, Qiuqiu was being obedient and quiet, just as if Bai Xiangwan were by his side.

"Although Bai Laoshi is a little serious, he takes very good care of us and treats us well. They always say Bai Laoshi’s pheromones smell good, but this is my first time smelling them.” Grabbing Qiuqiu's hand, she proclaimed in an over dramatic manner, "Ancestor, now that you have your favourite AO pheromones, please kick up less of a fuss from now on, spare your humble servant!”

Shen Dai smiled, "Xiao Die, after I left the hospital today, I went to a domestic agency and interviewed a few nannies. I’d like to hire a nightshift nanny as soon as possible, otherwise it’d interfere with your work. I’ll make a decision in the next few days."

“That’s great news. We might actually be getting very busy soon. The research institute is about to embark on a new project.”

“What new project?" inquired Shen Dai, his interest piqued. A new project would mean more funding, more practical applications, and many more things for him to learn.

Although the Research Institute in Beijing represented the highest technological standards of the Starship Corporation, only research was carried out there, whereas there were actual mines in Lancheng. The research institute here engaged in prospecting, mining, primary screening, pretreatment, preprocessing, and other processes. In simpler terms, while the Lancheng institute also focused on the extraction and refinement of rare earths, it primarily concentrated on early-stage mining and processing, collaborating with the manufacturing division to create goods, which generated considerable profits for the Starship Corporation every year. Therefore, the knowledge he could access in these two locations was quite different.

“A brand new production line!” Xiao Die’s eyes lit up, “The head office has already decided to collaborate with Longke Heavy Industries to upgrade ours.”

Shen Dai was somewhat surprised: “But, wasn’t the new production line planned for the new mining area?”

In order to achieve its targets for reducing carbon emissions, the government was urging mining companies to upgrade and improve their extraction technologies and assembly lines to comply with new environmental standards. After all, the mining industry was a major source of pollution. However, these upgrades required significant investment, and few companies could afford the high costs, forcing them to reduce or halt production altogether. This was also a major reason for the industry’s downturn in recent years.

After the acquisition of Chuanghai by the Starship Corporation was complete, the promising Tarim Basin mining area came under its belt. The mine was untouched, and its trial-and-error costs were low, making it an ideal site for implementing new equipment and technology.

He remembered discussing the matter with Qu Moyu back then. Their ideas had largely been the same, and Qu Moyu had even proposed - had promised— letting him set up and lead a team there.

Even now, thinking back to the intimate atmosphere in which that conversation took place, his heart unconsciously tightened. Though over the past year, he had often complained of exhaustion and hardship, at times he felt fortunate that his life and mind were so consumed by these challenges, leaving him with little free time to dwell on that unbearable relationship. So much so that on nights where he couldn’t stop thinking about Qu Moyu, he found himself looking forward to Qiuqiu’s cries to divert that flood of emotions.

“That was the plan, but Shijie mentioned that the higher-ups changed their minds. They probably thought that deploying a new production line would take too long, so they decided to run both processes in parallel and upgrade our existing site,” explained Xiao Die.

He nodded, offering an indifferent assessment, "That makes sense.”

After his engagement to Zhou Xiaochu, Qu Moyu had quickly secured substantial funding from a bank through the Zhou family's connections, taking the lead in upgrading their production line in a move that had put them one step ahead of their competitors. One could just imagine the surge in the share price as soon as the news was made public. Qu Moyu was truly cautious and thorough, with every detail accounted for in his plan.

“In just two days, the head office will be coming down for an inspection. Can you guess who will be there?” Xiao Die asked, suddenly jumping with happiness.

A slight tremor ran through Shen Dai’s heart: "…Who?"

"Yan Mingxiu!" Xiao Die exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. "I've been a huge fan since my school days. I still am! I wonder if I'll have a chance to get his autograph?”

Shen Dai secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, and our Crown Prince and Professor Liu will also be coming,” she added, visibly calmer than when she mentioned Yan Mingxiu, "I’ve never met them before either."

Shen Dai was instantly stunned. Snapping back to reality, he reached into his coat pocket and felt for his mobile phone. Sure enough, there was a message from Liu Xi. He had been so busy all afternoon that he hadn't had time to check it.

This coming Thursday—that would mean the day after tomorrow...

"Shen Laoshi, is something wrong?" asked Xiao Die, noticing the troubled look on his face.

"…It’s nothing." Shen Dai handed Qiuqiu to her, "Can you look after him for a moment? I need to go to the bathroom."

Hiding in the toilet, he made a call to Liu Xi. From the Professor, he learned that the corporation attached great importance to this project, and that the members of the inspection team wielded significant influence. Since the preliminary negotiations were essentially complete, the upcoming site visit was merely a formality. Qu Moyu would sign a contract on-site with Yan Mingxiu, and with the accompanying media spectacle, it was sure to give a significant boost to the entire industry.

It had been a long time since the teacher and student had last seen each other. They arranged to meet on Saturday. Liu Xi was eagerly looking forward to seeing Qiuqiu. For Shen Dai, this was equal to bringing Qiuqiu to meet an elder family member, which moved him deeply.

The news that the inspection team from Starship Corporation and Longke Heavy Industries was visiting Lancheng had made local headlines. The upgrade of the production line was sure to bring more income and employment to the area. Additionally, Yan Mingxiu was the subject of great interest in his own right.

Shen Dai had no interest in following the news related to the matter, but in the information age, it was hard to avoid, so he still ended up being forced to see Qu Moyu through a media push notification.

He took a quick glance. Qu Moyu seemed to have gotten a little thinner, and yet his presence had not been diminished in the slightest. Sharing the frame with Yan Mingxiu, it looked less like a business inspection and more like the opening of a film festival, with the two top Alphas inevitably becoming the focal point of the camera lens.

He quickly closed the page. Despite his keen interest in the project, he decided against viewing any news content about it. Better to wait until Bai Xiangwan was done with work so he could ask the project's lead in person.

Exactly then there was a knock on the door. He jumped up from the sofa and walked over, taking large strides to the door.

Before him stood Professor Liu Xi, whom he hadn’t met in almost two years.

Though Liu Xi had gained some weight and his hair had grown whiter, his smile was as warm as ever. Seeing Shen Dai, the joy in his eyes gradually turned into sadness.

Shen Dai's eyes also reddened: “Laoshi.” Contained within this greeting were respect, longing, and the dependence that a child feels upon seeing their parent after being unfairly treated.

Liu Xi took a deep sigh. He opened his arms, and the two of them, teacher and student, embraced each other tightly.

As far as Shen Dai was concerned, this was reuniting with his family after a year of drifting outside. The bitterness in his heart was beyond words, so in the end, he could only suppress his feelings and offer a smile.

Shen Dai let Liu Xi into the apartment. “And where is the little one?" asked Liu Xi, looking around.

"He's sleeping inside. Let me take you to see him."

The two of them quietly entered the room. Qiuqiu was sleeping soundly in his crib. Liu Xi stood on one side, breathing softly so as not to wake him. He smiled as he watched Qiuqiu, silently observing him for a long while before gently touching the baby’s cheek.

After they retreated from the room, Shen Dai closed the door. Only then did Liu Xi speak up, "This child is so beautiful. He looks even better than in videos."

Shen Dai laughed. ‘He was premature, he was quite ugly when he was born, all dark and tiny. Now he’s grown a little.”

“You've been through a rough time,” Liu Xi commented with a sigh.

"It's alright, everything’s fine now," Shen Dai replied calmly. "It's like this for everyone who has a child. Of course it’s bound to be a little tiring."

Liu Xi watched Shen Dai with sympathy: "Your situation is a little different from everyone else’s."

Shen Dai was briefly taken aback, then smiled faintly.

"You just gave birth not too long ago, how come you haven't gained any weight? In fact, you seem even skinnier than before."

“Haha, it must be because I recovered quickly," replied Shen Dai, glossing over all the hardships he had faced in one sentence .

"Are things alright on your end then? Is Xiangwan looking after you?"

"They are thanks to Bai-Shixiong, he’s really been taking care of me. This apartment is his as well. He’s only charging me half of the local average rent. On top of that he even arranged for one of his students to help me out. But I should also thank you for putting us in touch.”

"You're family to me," answered Liu Xi, "This past year I've been considering your future options—transferring, resigning, and how to manage your file and social security; these are all questions that still need to be answered. During the upcoming inspection with President Qu, I’d like to get a sense of where he stands, if I get the chance."

"…Professor, it might be better not to," Shen Dai said hesitantly.

"Don’t worry. The transfer needn’t go through him, and he might not even find out about it. And even if he does, it’ll be fine as long as he doesn’t interfere. It's already been a year, and he still doesn’t know you had a child. You two don’t have any relationship now. I’ll just pretend to know nothing and arrange for your transfer from Beijing to Lancheng. It’s just as well that you’ll be able to support Xiangwan on this project now."

Thinking it over, maybe the professor had a point. To Qu Moyu, he was nothing but a past fling. He had voluntarily removed the mark, terminated the pregnancy, and then vanished without a trace.

Qu Moyu would simply feel that he had one less inconvenience.