Covering the Omega’s eyes with one hand, Ji Yeran pulled him into his arms with the other. It was like holding a block of ice; he finally realized why the little patient wouldn’t sleep—when had he frozen into such an icicle?
Surrounded by warmth, the chill on his body began to dissipate. Feng Zhixi instinctively pressed his freezing hands against the Alpha’s waist to soak up the heat. The perfect temperature made the Omega’s lips curl slightly, and he finally stopped his fussing.
“Go to sleep.” In the darkness, a low voice vibrated right by his ear. Warm breath brushed against the gland at the back of his neck, a faint, tingling itch that reached straight to his heart.
Feeling himself enveloped in the warm scent of green plum pheromones, Feng Zhixi blinked. Once his body warmed up, drowsiness surged in an instant. The Omega shifted lazily, finding the most comfortable position in the Alpha’s embrace. Sniffing the faint fragrance of green plums at the tip of his nose, he slowly closed his eyes, his consciousness drifting into a dream...
Only when the breathing of the person in his arms grew steady did Ji Yeran release his hand from Feng Zhixi’s eyes. He looked down at the little patient; his eyes, adjusted to the dark, could clearly see the Omega’s sleeping face. With his features relaxed, he possessed a sort of deceptive docility.
*Even if it’s all an act,* Ji Yeran remarked silently to himself.
Despite the internal teasing, Ji Yeran’s eyes were full of warmth. Once he was certain the little patient in his arms was sound asleep, he slowly closed his own eyes.
The room fell silent, save for the sound of shallow breathing and the mingling scents of green plum and strong spirits. The two types of pheromones, driven by their one-hundred-percent compatibility, became inextricably entwined.
Once the owners of the pheromones were deep in sleep, the conscious restraints on their scents vanished. Because of the long-term marking, the pheromones—already blended—began to merge even deeper with their perfect match of their own accord.
This change occurred in total silence. The crisp, mellow notes of spirits mixed with the sweet and sour tang of green plum, permeating the small space. The two distinct auras slowly and patiently saturated one another, thread by thread, as if they were naturally meant to be one.
***
*Whoosh...*
*Whoosh, whoosh...*
The sound came from a great distance, approaching in layers. Amidst this sound, Feng Zhixi slowly opened his eyes.
Where was he? Waking from his slumber, Feng Zhixi looked around blankly. Before him was a void of pitch-black darkness; there was nothing at all, only that sound echoing from afar.
A dream? Feng Zhixi was somewhat dazed. The Alpha who had been holding him before he fell asleep was gone. He seemed to be entirely alone, save for that sound coming from an unknown source.
The sound felt incredibly distant, illusory and ethereal, like a song drifting through a mountain forest or a chant from the depths of the ocean. It carried an inexplicable pull, and it was the only thing that stood out in this vast, dark space.
It was this sound that had woken him.
Feng Zhixi stood up. Surrounded by darkness, he could see nothing, yet he did not hesitate. He began to walk toward the source of the sound.
*Whoosh...*
*Whoosh, whoosh...*
Feng Zhixi followed the sound all the way.
He didn't know how long he had been walking or how much time had passed. Everything before him remained pitch black. It was as if he were walking through the vacuum of the infinite universe, unbound by time or space, with only the boundless darkness for company.
Exhausted, the Omega stopped, seemingly unwilling to move another inch.
He was so sleepy. Stopping his pace, Feng Zhixi sat down right where he was. He propped his chin on one hand, letting the strange sound ring in his ears, but he had no desire to keep moving.
The willful Omega decided: *I’m tired. I’m not walking anymore.*
*Whoosh...*
*Whoosh, whoosh...*
The sound continued persistently. Listening to it for a long time, it even began to have a hypnotic effect. Already drowsy, the Omega rested his head on his hand, listening to the rhythmic, distant noise. His eyes gradually drifted shut. Just as sleep was about to claim him, the strange sound stopped.
The sudden transition from rhythmic, monotonous sound to absolute silence was so jarring that the Omega’s sleepiness vanished.
The displeased Omega opened his eyes. This time, what he saw was no longer a void of darkness, but a thin mist, like a drizzle-shrouded landscape. It looked like the pale red glow of a rising dawn, misty and ethereal, as blurred as a dream.
Mist? Still half-asleep, Feng Zhixi blinked vacantly. Only upon closer inspection did he realize it wasn't mist, but a vast ocean that stretched beyond the horizon.
The calm sea was like a mirror—a water-mirror the color of roses. Not the fiery red of a rose in full bloom, but a pale, pinkish-white. It spread out to the furthest reaches of his vision, seemingly without end.
The misty drizzle Feng Zhixi had first seen was merely the light reflecting off the surface of the sea.
No, it wasn't the surface. To be precise, it seemed as though something special beneath the waves was glowing, casting that dawn-like light up through the water to form that layer of smoky mist.
What was hidden beneath the sea? Upon seeing the ocean, a flicker of curiosity sparked in Feng Zhixi’s mind. It seemed that the presence that had been drawing him earlier was exactly what was hidden beneath this sea. Subconsciously, Feng Zhixi stood up and walked toward the water.
However, the moment he took his first step, the secret hidden beneath the surface seemed to sense the human’s approach. It instantly withdrew its radiance. The color of the sea grew deeper and darker until it was once again swallowed by the void.
Deprived of the light from beneath the sea, the Omega was plunged back into darkness. The sound returned to his ears—layered and endless. This time, Feng Zhixi knew: it was the sound of waves.
The sound of the tide, layer upon layer, came from afar as if it had no end.
Feng Zhixi continued forward in the direction of the sound. However, the ocean that had seemed within arm's reach now felt as distant as the edge of the sky. The path through the darkness stretched infinitely. The Omega walked step by step, but the sound of the waves always felt as though it were muffled by a thin veil; no matter how far he walked, he could never reach it.
In the darkness, after walking for an unknown amount of time, the Omega finally stopped. He refused to go further.
As he stopped, the sound grew lower and more distant until it fell completely silent. Then, Feng Zhixi, who had been staring into the distance, saw a sliver of light appear. It was a tiny orb of light that grew brighter and brighter, its halo spreading out until that dreamlike, dawn-colored ocean appeared before him once more.
Seeing the ocean reappear, Feng Zhixi didn't move. He stared fixedly at the sea. The light beneath the surface glowed quietly; it was the only thing in this darkness that possessed color.
Feng Zhixi could feel the pull that light had on him. Beneath the waves, something was hidden that called to him, and right now, that mysterious thing was resting quietly under the surface, waiting for him to approach.
However, the moment Feng Zhixi took another step forward, the light seemed startled. It dimmed once more, like a lamp being switched off, and darkness reclaimed everything.
In his dream, Feng Zhixi grew annoyed. *“...” Is this person teasing a cat?*
*Whoosh...*
*Whoosh, whoosh...*
The sound of the waves returned with the darkness. This time, the disgruntled Omega was done playing. Ignoring the pull the sound had on him, Feng Zhixi sat down on the ground.
As if sensing that the Omega no longer wanted to play along, the mysterious light appeared once more. This time, it was even clearer and brighter. However, the surge of drowsiness made the Omega lose interest in humoring it. Feng Zhixi slowly closed his eyes. As his consciousness sank back into sleep, he could still hear that sound, echoing as if it would never end...
