It all traced back to more than ten years ago.
On the day Su Jin lost his job, he was stumbling through a park, drunk and in a foul mood, looking for another stall to continue his binge. He happened upon a young girl leisurely walking a Golden Retriever. At that moment, he couldn't help but resent how unfair life was—why was his life so wretched while others lived in such pampered comfort? Driven by a twisted need for a sense of power, he approached her, intending to find pleasure in bullying a child.
Instead, a brat had charged out of nowhere to stop him, and the encounter ended with Su Jin in a police station. To make matters worse, the people he had provoked were wealthy and influential, causing him to suffer a massive setback.
After his release, he sought out his younger brother, Su Qiang, a local gang leader. Unfortunately, his brother looked down on him, thinking he was an embarrassment, and didn't truly listen to his grievances.
It wasn't until Su Qiang clashed with Li Zhenting—who disrupted many of his illicit underworld dealings—that the two brothers realized their enemy was one and the same. With old grudges and new resentments piling up, Su Qiang wanted to settle the score once and for all.
However, it was Li Zi and her mother who ultimately sent Su Qiang to prison.
He was locked away for many years, and all his sordid past was unearthed. Fortunately, his "useless" older brother finally proved helpful. Through regular prison visits, Su Qiang managed to direct Su Jin to handle various affairs for him. Once Su Qiang was finally released, he set up a temporary hideout on Xi’nan Street, which was very close to Xi’an Street.
The most dangerous place was the safest place.
His time in prison had only hardened his heart. Without Li Zhenting there to restrain him, he dove headfirst into a dangerous trade: selling prohibited pheromone drugs. These substances were highly addictive, allowing users to smell pheromones with an extremely high compatibility rate in their hallucinations, pushing their bodies and minds into a state of peak euphoria. But once the effects wore off, they were left with an even deeper sense of emptiness, driving them to buy more.
This product was particularly popular among Alphas without permanent partners.
As his business began to thrive, he heard that Li Zhenting had opened a shop on Xi’an Street with his old crew and was doing quite well for himself. The thought rankled. He sent Xu Chang to employ guerrilla tactics to sabotage their business, but he hadn't expected Li Zhenting to have such close ties with the police. The authorities tightened their net, and Wang Song—a man they had overlooked—suddenly turned informant, leaking a vast amount of their information to the police.
Due to a momentary lapse in vigilance, several of their dens and supply lines were seized.
This only deepened Su Qiang’s hatred for Li Zhenting, but he had finally learned the art of patience. Petty harassment was useless; he wanted to deliver a fatal blow. He kept himself hidden behind the scenes, waiting for Xing Wen’s release. That would be the true beginning of his final revenge.
“Boss Qiang, we’ve only managed to find out that Li Zhenting went to Zhunnan City, but we don’t know his specific situation there.”
“His brothers are all very tight-lipped.”
The men he sent out had only gathered this much intelligence, which left the poised and ready Su Qiang deeply dissatisfied.
“Then go to Zhunnan and investigate! His lover is a student at Zhunnan University, and we have partner locations nearby. Do I really have to teach you everything?”
He dismissed his subordinate and stood at the main entrance, waiting for Su Jin to bring their guest.
*Li Zhenting, have you been living comfortably all these years?*
*Your good days are about to end. Don’t think that after destroying my life, you can just cast off the past with your little girl and live like a normal person.*
Su Jin pulled the car into the underground parking lot. Xing Wen had already gotten out early and was standing by the roadside. When Su Jin hurriedly caught up to him, he saw the legendary serial killer helping a small child retrieve a balloon from a tree.
After handing the balloon back to the child, he even gently wiped the tears from her face. “There you go, the balloon is back. Don’t cry; if you cry too much, you’ll turn ugly.”
Su Jin couldn't believe his eyes.
Was this really the dangerous individual his brother described—the one devoid of normal human emotion?
***
Li Zi had another nightmare.
She sat up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat, nearly startling the sleeping Li Zhenting beside her. This time, she dreamed of Li Zhenting clutching his stomach, leaning against a wall for support as blood flowed continuously from his lower body. He was staggering through a derelict factory.
His phone had been thrown away, and there wasn't a soul in sight. Even though he kept calling out in a raspy voice, “Is anyone there? Help me... save my child,” there was no response.
She saw him become so overwhelmed by pain that he could no longer walk. He knelt on the ground, his body convulsing, his life force visibly draining away. After only a few minutes, a pool of blood had formed beneath him.
He didn't give up. He stood up again, dragging his body through the unbearable abdominal pain to keep moving forward.
Then he fell.
He lay on the ground, gasping in agony, his lips moving as he whispered someone’s name.
Li Zi hovered in the air, watching as he used his hands as feet, crawling inch by inch, struggling toward the distance...
This was the first time Li Zi had dreamed of this specific scene. Previously, the recurring nightmare had always been the image of her seeing Li Zhenting’s body in the hospital.
What did this mean?
A faint sense of unease settled deep in her heart.
The house was silent, everyone asleep, yet she was restless and unable to return to bed. Fearing she might disturb Li Zhenting’s rest, she decided to get a glass of water and calm down on the balcony.
But just as her feet touched the floor, a hand caught the hem of her clothes.
Li Zhenting’s muffled voice drifted up. “Where are you going? Why aren't you sleeping?”
He was wearing soft pajamas, surrounded by pillows to ease the heaviness of his body.
“How did you wake up? Don't mind me, go back to sleep. I'm just getting some water.”
Li Zi turned around and leaned over to coax him, brushing aside his long, unkempt bangs.
Li Zhenting kept his eyes half-closed. “Is that so?”
He was extremely sensitive to Li Zi’s emotions, and her current abnormality couldn't be hidden from him. Moreover, they now shared a temporary mark.
“Then go drink. I’ll wait for you to come back.”
Though the man looked like he might fall back asleep at any second, he struggled to prop himself up and watched her stubbornly.
Li Zi let out a low laugh and shook her head.
“Brother Ting, you really are...”
“I’m what?” Li Zhenting glared at her.
“Nothing. Are you thirsty? I’ll bring a glass for you too.”
“Just come back quickly.” He let out a yawn and pointed at his stomach. “Who knows if these two will start acting up the moment you leave.”
“Okay.” Li Zi nodded. She leaned in and whispered to his belly, “Don't trouble Daddy, okay? Mommy will be right back.”
Li Zhenting pushed her head away with mock annoyance, gesturing for her to hurry up.
“Wait for me. I’ll be right back.”
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 邢温 | Xing Wen | A serial killer and sociopath who owes Su Qiang a favor. |
| 苏金 | Su Jin | Su Qiang's older brother; lazy and alcoholic. |
| 苏强 | Su Qiang | A gang leader and antagonist with a grudge against Li Zhenting. |
| 希南街 | Xi’nan Street | A street near Xi’an Street where the villains hide. |
| 信息素药剂 | Pheromone drugs | Illegal substances that simulate high pheromone compatibility. |
| 假性标记 | Temporary mark | Also known as a pseudo-mark in ABO dynamics; a non-permanent bond. |
| 圳南大学 | Zhunnan University | The university where Li Zi is a student. |
