"It's been a few days, and now finally... the results are finally out."
That was the only thought in Qixian's mind as he pulled the car up to the house. He clutched a DNA test report tightly in his hand. "I was wondering for days what kind of result could make him fly into such a rage... turns out, it was about himself." Lost in thought, he strode into the house.
"Dad! Look at this," Qixian said urgently, thrusting the papers toward his father.
"What is this?" His father spared it a passing glance.
"I ran a DNA test using samples from you and Jinrou. This is the result—"
Before Qixian could finish, his father slammed the report onto the table with a violent crash.
"Do you take me for a fool?!" his father roared.
"But that—"
"Do you hate your brother that much?! To this extent?! You'd actually resort to forging a DNA report just to get me to kick him out? Is this how low you'll stoop?!" His father was shaking with rage, and an aggressive aura of pheromones began to bleed out from him.
"You're saying I'm lying?! Fine—yes, I hate my brother. I hate how he gets whatever he wants! But I would never lie to you about something like this, Dad... please..." Qixian's eyes were bloodshot, tears threatening to spill over.
"Enough! I've had enough of your nonsense! You left work early yesterday and today—you think I didn't know? Are you framing your brother just to distract me because you can't justify your own professional negligence?!"
"Negligence? Aren't you the one who's been neglecting your duties this whole time?!" The moment the words left Qixian's mouth, a heavy slap landed across his face.
"Don't you dare pin your failures on me! I've always treated both of you equally!"
"Then why is he the one who's always protected? Why is he the one who always gets the praise? Why is all your attention on him? Why, Dad? Why?! Just because he went missing when he was two and wasn't found until he was four? Because of that, you're going to play favorites forever? How is that fair?!"
As his father's pheromone suppression grew stronger—heavy with an absolute sense of command—Qixian's knees buckled, and he collapsed to the floor.
"You brought this on yourself! And now you have the nerve to blame it all on your brother?!" the father shouted, looking down at his son.
'hah' Qixian let out a scoff. He forced himself to stand, a mocking smirk playing on his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes.
"Am I even your son? Have you ever—for a single second—treated me like one?!"
Another sharp slap cracked across his face. Qixian let out a short, piercing laugh and shook his head, his mouth twisted in bitterness. He looked at his father, his eyes clearly states that 'How dare I crave for attention when all I could offer is disappointment' but he couldn't say it. Because it was already obvious.
"Fine. From this moment on, I am no longer a member of the Zhou family. I am no longer Zhou Qixian. I am no longer your son. From today on, you've lost another son—and not temporarily. This time, it's forever."
"Fine! Then leave!" His father shouted.
" I hate you, father." Leaving those cold words behind, Qixian turned and walked out of the home that had been suffocating him for years.
The moment he stepped out, he headed straight for the garage and floored it. He gripped the steering wheel frantically, nearly crashing several times. He was driving at a terrifying speed—the scenery was a blur, and between the speed and the tears clouding his vision, everything turned into a hazy shadow.
Somehow, despite everything he made it to a bar.
"Get me a wine bottle and send it to my room," he snapped at the waiter before heading to his usual spot.
An hour since he got there, he got wasted, knocking back three bottles of red wine.
Suddenly, his phone rang, when he saw who's the caller he picked up as he felt sorry.
"Young Master? I heard you're at the bar... do you need me to come pick you up?" a voice asked from the other end.
"Stop calling me 'Young Master.' Why work for someone who's been kicked out of his own house? I won't even be able to pay your salary soon. Go find a better job. And... I'm sorry..." With that, he hung up, tossed some cash on the table, and left.
He got back in his car and kept driving, having no idea where he was going. He was just driving blindly.
Outside, it began to pour—as if the sky were weeping with him—the hydroplaning and the sound of the wipers of his car are the only one who's keeping him from having an accident at the road.
Minutes later, the car broke down in the middle of nowhere. He kicked the car in a frenzy, his hands shaking uncontrollably, his lungs feeling so tight he wanted to scream.
After a thousand thoughts he decided to abandon his car and started walking aimlessly through the torrential rain.
How long had he been walking? An hour? He didn't know, and he didn't care how far he'd gone.
Suddenly, a loud voice rang out. "Hey, patient! It's pouring out here! Why are you running around without an umbrella?"
Qixian ignored it and kept walking. He didn't even care who's the man was calling.
"Patient! I'm talking to you!" The man caught up and yanked Qixian under his umbrella. "I've been calling you for ages, why are you ignoring me?"
Qixian stared at the man who had grabbed him, saying nothing. He just let the man drag him towards the clinic.
Even though his clothes are heavily damp, Haoran let him enter the clinic because the coldness of the rain would be too much for a person to take especially for a person who isn't wearing a dry clothes. "Take this," the man said, tossing him a towel. "I'll go find you some dry clothes." He then walked away.
After a few minutes, when no one returned, Qixian pushed the door open to leave.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" The man dragged him back again and shoved clothes into his hands. "Change into these."
Qixian just looked at him, "Are you listening to me?" Qixian still didn't answer so left with no other choice, Haoran drag him to the bathroom and then closed the door, "Change first."
By the time Qixian finished changing and stepped out of the bathroom, the man was waiting. He pulled Qixian down to sit.
"Walking around in the rain like a sleepwalker... what were you trying to do?" Qixian didn't answer, he just stared into the man's eyes, again.
"There we go again," Haoran took a breath as if he's trying to gather patience through his nose. "I'm Haoran. I'm the one who treated your wounds a few days ago."
Qixian remained silent. Haoran sighed. "Could you at least answer my question?"
Qixian lowered his head, his voice raspy. "Why do you have to take me in? Why did you take someone who got kicked out of there house?"
Haoran opened his mouth to say something but Qixian started talking again.
"I thought I could finally...finally be loved...am I not their son?"Qixian started to tear up, "But I got the DNA test right...then why? Why did he yelled at me instead...?"
The tears finally burst forth. Haoran sighed, reached out, and pulled him into a hug, gently patting Qixian's back to comfort him and Haoran let out a soothing pheromones, despite being an Omega, his pheromone which is a nerine flower that gives a spicy-sweet and shimmering, like classic lily scent but 'brightened' with notes of pink pepper or ginger. It feels warm, like sunlight hitting silk. And it comforted Qixian.