Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 102
Chapter 102: Unspoken Rules
Yuan Shiyuan awoke groggily in the morning.
The suite’s air conditioning was set to an icy chill. As he slept, he unconsciously curled inward, his body instinctively seeking the warmth of the nearby heat source.
Bo Jin had never seen Yuan Shiyuan so clingy before.
Always disciplined, Bo Jin typically began his morning with physical training. But now, with Yuan Shiyuan’s warm body pressed tightly against him, he couldn’t bear to leave.
Bo Jin had barely slept all night, watching Yuan Shiyuan under the faint light. Just as before, he couldn’t resist secretly stroking him a few times.
It was a kind of subconscious examination while he slept.
They needed to gather at the company in the morning, but it was still early. Bo Jin had intended to let Yuan Shiyuan sleep longer, but Yuan Shiyuan had already set his alarm, which jolted him awake.
Yuan Shiyuan’s eyes snapped open, his gaze blank and dazed as he stared at the Alpha who had suddenly appeared before him, still half-asleep.
A large hand reached over his shoulder to silence the ringing alarm on the bedside table.
“Awake?” Bo Jin murmured, feeling Yuan Shiyuan unconsciously nuzzle closer against him. A secret, smug satisfaction swelled within him.
He quietly curled his fingers, his voice dropping to a low murmur, “So clingy.”
The Alpha knew Yuan Shiyuan had just woken up, his mind still hazy, but he deliberately coaxed him, guiding him to say what he wanted to hear.
“I like… You’re so warm. It’s really comfortable to sleep against you,” Yuan Shiyuan replied honestly, pausing before adding, half-deliriously, “I want to sleep with you and the captain too.”
“…?”
“The captain’s pheromone is so cold, yours is so hot. Being in between you two would feel amazing…”
Bo Jin suddenly gripped Yuan Shiyuan’s chin, tilting his head up to meet his drowsy, tear-filled eyes. He nearly bit out the question through clenched teeth, “Do you even know what you’re saying?”
Bo Jin lowered his head and nipped at Yuan Shiyuan’s slightly parted lower lip. Yuan Shiyuan barely reacted, merely frowning faintly, his eyelids not even fluttering.
It wasn’t until danger loomed that he jolted awake, shoving the Alpha away and instantly shifting into an alert stance. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Yuan Shiyuan seemed utterly indifferent to intimate contact like kissing, but he absolutely forbade anyone from touching his “pigudrum” with a Citrus Lobe. This was a vigilance unique to those in their Straight A state.
“Setting your alarm for you,” Bo Jin said calmly, withdrawing his hand. Ignoring his fingers, now pale from the soak, he asked, “Getting up for breakfast now?”
“Just a bit longer,” Yuan Shiyuan replied, glancing at the time before snuggling back into the Alpha’s arms. It was still early; he could afford to laze in bed a little longer.
Bo Jin looked genuinely surprised.
Yuan Shiyuan had always been a workaholic. Whenever there was a meeting or gathering, he was invariably the first to arrive, always ahead of schedule. Yet here he was, voluntarily lazing in bed.
Bored, Yuan Shiyuan scrolled through his mobile phone, completely oblivious to the Alpha’s powerful presence as Bo Jin’s arm wrapped around him from behind.
In Scepter’s internal group chat, Ying Mingche kept pinging him.
Ying Mingche: Still not up? I’ve been waiting at the recording studio for ages, and the breakfast’s gone cold.
Ying Mingche: I even went to your dormitory, but you weren’t there either.
Ying Mingche had been eager to make a good impression. He’d woken up early, queued at the breakfast shop, and rushed back to the company, ready to show his dedication.
But when everyone else arrived, Yuan Shiyuan was nowhere to be seen.
Yuan Shiyuan: You’re outside my dormitory?
Ying Mingche: Yeah.
Eager to prove himself, he added: I didn’t want to disturb your sleep, so I didn’t knock. I’ve just been waiting patiently at the door.
Yuan Shiyuan: “……”
This surprised him. Given Ying Mingche’s personality, if no one answered the door, he would likely have smashed it open and barged in.
Ying Mingche sent several more messages in quick succession, all portraying him waiting anxiously at the door, sweating profusely—almost begging for sympathy.
Or maybe he’s just waiting for me to praise him, Yuan Shiyuan thought.
After a moment’s contemplation, Yuan Shiyuan replied: You’ve been such a good boy today.
Ying Mingche: Of course.
Ying Mingche: Since you’re awake, can I come in and sit for a bit?
Yuan Shiyuan: No, no, no! I’m not in the dormitory.
Ying Mingche: Not in the dormitory? Then where are you? Who are you with?
Jiang Heng, who had been silent until now, suddenly interjected: You think you’re catching someone in the act?
Ying Mingche: ? What’s it to you?
Ying Mingche: Why are you so defensive? Are you the one with him?
Ying Mingche: Bamboo Horse Brother, you’re too OP! 666. After you speak, how can I even dare to say another word?
Ying Mingche’s typing speed was lightning-fast, flooding the screen with messages.
Yuan Shiyuan’s head throbbed. He couldn’t understand what Ying Mingche was doing or why he had so much dramatic flair.
Before Yuan Shiyuan could type a reply, Jiang Heng answered first: It’s not me.
Ying Mingche: Who’s that?
Ying Mingche: Well, well, well, let’s see who’s been leading our Princess Yuanyuan astray, keeping him out all night.
Ying Mingche: @Captain Pei Yanbing, could it be you?
Ying Mingche was the most chatty one in the group chat, and he typed so fast that his messages alone outnumbered those of the other five members combined.
Bo Jin waited for ages, but no one @ed him.
He finally claimed responsibility: It’s me.
Ying Mingche: A cold joke? How humorous.
Yuan Shiyuan, who had been merely observing the drama, burst out laughing at this sudden message.
The Alpha at his waist nudged him playfully, but Yuan Shiyuan was ticklish and squirmed away, still chuckling as he shakily typed a message into the group chat.
Yuan Shiyuan: Okay, okay, it’s Brother Bo Jin.
The group chat seemed to fall silent for a moment. Even Pei Yanbing, who was usually taciturn and rarely participated in group chats, sent a simple: ?
Ying Mingche finally caught on and started spamming the chat in disbelief.
Ying Mingche: No way! You’re kidding, right? How could this be?!
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t understand why Ying Mingche was so skeptical. He had simply shared a hotel room with his best friend; staying out all night didn’t mean he was fooling around.
He decided to resolve the matter directly. Opening the front-facing camera, he took a quick selfie and sent it to the group chat.
Ying Mingche, who had been spamming the group chat, suddenly fell silent.
The entire group went utterly quiet.
Bo Jin, basking in silent triumph, recalled Yuan Shiyuan’s words. Feeling affirmed and acknowledged, he couldn’t resist pulling Yuan Shiyuan into a tight embrace, burying his face in Yuan Shiyuan’s hair and nuzzling it.
Only belatedly did he notice the photo in the group chat.
The image showed the two men in a tight embrace, wrapped snugly in blankets. Yuan Shiyuan was completely enveloped in the bedding, pressed tightly against the Alpha’s chest.
He held his phone up with one hand, clutching the blanket’s edge with the other, his face half-buried in the fabric as he tilted his head to look at the camera. Behind him, the Alpha leaned down, his high-bridged nose nestled in Yuan Shiyuan’s hair, inhaling its fragrance.
The pose was intimate to the extreme, brimming with tenderness.
“You just sent that out?”
“What’s wrong with it?” Yuan Shiyuan examined the photo, finding nothing amiss. “It’s not like anything’s exposed.”
The photo could easily pass censorship on any platform. Not only was nothing inappropriate showing, but their faces were barely visible.
“Don’t you realize how easily people could misunderstand a photo like this?” Bo Jin paused, looking Yuan Shiyuan directly in the eyes. “They could easily assume… this was taken afterward.”
Yuan Shiyuan brushed it off. “No one will.”
Back when he used to sleep with his younger brother, he often documented how clingy Yuan Shize could be. Yuan Shize wasn’t used to being on camera, but whenever he saw Yuan Shiyuan taking pictures, he would obediently lean in, ensuring both their faces were in the frame.
What concerned Yuan Shiyuan more than the photos was something else entirely. “Brother Bo Jin,” he said softly, his tone wistful, “you’ve really changed. You’ve become someone I hardly recognize anymore.”
“You’re being so affectionate with your ‘good buddy’ first thing in the morning. It’s honestly terrifying.”
“What’s there to be afraid of?” Bo Jin chuckled lightly.
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to resist,” Yuan Shiyuan admitted, well aware of his own limitations. He found it nearly impossible to resist S-rank pheromones.
Bo Jin’s expression grew complex. “You… won’t be able to resist?”
Did Yuan Shiyuan even realize what he was saying?
If any other Alpha had been in Bo Jin’s place last night, Yuan Shiyuan would have paid a heavy price. Fortunately, Bo Jin possessed strong self-control, stopping after only a shallow taste, never completing the final act.
Though he had taken ample liberties while Yuan Shiyuan was asleep, stealing kisses and sinking into passionate embraces.
Those embraces had lasted all night.
Observing Yuan Shiyuan’s expression again, Bo Jin could tell he had swiftly reverted to his usual Straight A state. And Bo Jin felt like a used-up massage stick, one Yuan Shiyuan wouldn’t even bother to recharge.
He silently got up to help Yuan Shiyuan wash up, coldly dressing him, and then ordered a nutritionally balanced breakfast, which he fed him by hand.
Back at the company, Ying Mingche, like a hound with a keen sense of smell, opened the office door before Yuan Shiyuan could, blocking his path.
He casually draped an arm over Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulder, his gaze darting between Yuan Shiyuan and Bo Jin. Seeing the Alpha’s smug, satisfied expression, Ying Mingche instantly understood.
Grinding his teeth, Ying Mingche forced a gentle, attentive tone. “Did you have fun last night? Why didn’t you invite me? The more, the merrier, right? We’re a team, after all.”
So now he remembers team spirit?
Yuan Shiyuan casually replied, “It was alright.”
“Shiyuan, we’re recording later,” Ying Mingxi said, approaching from the side with warm water and throat lozenges. He smiled warmly at Yuan Shiyuan. “Have some water first.”
“Thank you, Brother Mingxi,” Yuan Shiyuan said, surprised by Ying Mingxi’s thoughtfulness and once again impressed.
Indeed, Ying Mingxi’s thoughtfulness is something Ying Mingche will never learn.
Seeing Yuan Shiyuan’s attention drawn to his brother, Ying Mingche grew even more displeased, clinging to Yuan Shiyuan relentlessly for the rest of the day.
Jiang Heng approached. “Brother Zhuang wants to see you.”
“See me? What could he possibly want now?” Ying Mingche frowned. He knew this was just Jiang Heng’s ploy to distract him, but seeing Yuan Shiyuan watching, he gritted his teeth and said, “Fine, I’ll go.”
Terrified of leaving Yuan Shiyuan with a bad impression of him being unreasonable, Ying Mingche reluctantly left.
Before leaving, Ying Mingche didn’t forget to pinch Yuan Shiyuan’s chin, lean in close right in front of Jiang Heng, and plant a quick kiss on Yuan Shiyuan’s cheek, deliberately making a loud smacking sound.
Then he bolted away.
Jiang Heng, who had witnessed the whole scene and was too late to intervene, turned ashen-faced.
His face darkened as he pulled out a wet wipe to scrub the kissed spot on Yuan Shiyuan’s cheek.
Yuan Shiyuan, however, didn’t mind at all.
After all, everyone around them was “one of their own,” so it didn’t matter if they saw. Besides, it was just a kiss on the cheek—nothing too scandalous.
Just as Yuan Shiyuan settled onto the sofa, Ying Mingxi gently draped a blanket over his legs. Jiang Heng leaned in close and whispered work arrangements in his ear.
Though Bo Jin remained silent, he still handed Yuan Shiyuan the itinerary, his knuckles brushing lightly against his wrist…
Yuan Shiyuan, flanked by Alphas on either side, suddenly noticed Pei Yanbing in the corner, gazing at him with a somber expression.
Yuan Shiyuan coughed awkwardly and deliberately moved closer to Pei Yanbing. “Captain, you guys came really early today. Why didn’t we start earlier?”
Today was just a trial recording to check the album’s final sound and identify any details needing adjustments.
If the others had arrived first, they could have recorded their parts already.
Pei Yanbing stared quietly at Yuan Shiyuan for a few seconds before murmuring, “I was waiting for you.”
“Oh, sorry! I woke up a bit late today,” Yuan Shiyuan replied apologetically. He wasn’t actually late; they had just arrived exceptionally early.
Pei Yanbing hadn’t expected this response. His cold expression stiffened for a moment before settling back into somber silence.
Ying Mingche soon returned with Zhuang He. When Zhuang He saw Yuan Shiyuan surrounded by Alphas, his eyelid twitched involuntarily. He immediately stepped forward to disperse the Alphas.
“Stop being so sappy, everyone. Let’s get to work,” Zhuang He said. “Let’s start with Shiyuan’s parts first.”
To prepare for recording his album, Yuan Shiyuan had been maintaining a strict diet, avoiding dairy products and other rich foods. Even the spontaneous drink he had the previous night was just a small sip.
Stepping into the recording studio, Yuan Shiyuan’s expression transformed. His focus sharpened, as if he had become a different person, utterly immersed in his own world.
The studio fell silent, all eyes fixed on him as his clear, pure voice guided the passage of time, moment by moment.
The staff and the company’s professional vocal coach watched in stunned admiration.
Yuan Shiyuan’s voice was uniquely memorable—clean, pure, and full of ethereal charm. Even these seasoned professionals, who had spent years in the industry, rarely encountered such a distinctive sound.
Moreover, he possessed extraordinary talent. The high notes that would challenge ordinary singers, even some seasoned professionals, came effortlessly to him. Even during trial recordings, he worked diligently and meticulously, redoing unsatisfactory passages again and again, each attempt surpassing the last in its perfection.
After Yuan Shiyuan finished his part, the producer couldn’t help but exclaim, “Your voice is truly exceptional! You must take good care of it!”
Yuan Shiyuan smiled. “Thank you. I will.”
Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t consciously protected his voice before, but now that he was in the industry, he naturally had to change his habits. This was not only for his own sake but also for the sake of his audience and fans.
The trial recording went smoothly. After listening to the final product, they only made minor adjustments. Just as they were about to break for lunch, Xiao Huang suddenly ran over with a camera.
“Wait—”
“Everyone, don’t leave yet! I want to record a quick behind-the-scenes clip!”
“Huh?” Yuan Shiyuan asked, puzzled. “Weren’t we just recording?”
Their daily routines, including work sessions, were regularly filmed by staff members. Some footage was used in the group variety show, while other clips were released as casual behind-the-scenes content.
“This is different,” Xiao Huang said mysteriously. “We’re going to play a little voting game.”
After some explanation, they finally understood what had happened.
While the staff were slacking off at work, they secretly started a voting game, only to be caught red-handed by the boss. Instead of reprimanding them, the boss found it amusing and instructed them to pass the game on to Scepter, making it a chain challenge.
“The boss said, if you guys are in perfect sync and everyone votes for the same person, the company will reimburse your afternoon tea for a whole week!”
Yuan Shiyuan was astonished.
He knew Starry Night Entertainment wasn’t short on cash, but he never imagined the boss would be this generous.
Xiao Huang displayed the voting question: “Who is the most ‘straight-A cancer’ in Scepter?”
“Does this even need thinking about?” Yuan Shiyuan blurted out without hesitation. “Isn’t the answer obvious to anyone with eyes? Just wait, we’ll earn you your afternoon tea right away.”
With Bo Jin—the man notorious for his “straight-A cancer”—in Scepter, this vote was practically a freebie, wasn’t it?
Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t imagine any other answer besides Bo Jin.
But as soon as he finished speaking, the other S-rank Alphas’ gazes all landed on him simultaneously.
Without hesitation, Yuan Shiyuan wrote down Bo Jin’s name. But when the voting results were revealed, he froze.
Everyone else had voted for him!
“??” Yuan Shiyuan stared in bewildered confusion, pointing at himself. “Me?”
“Hahahahaha!” Xiao Huang burst into laughter. “We all voted for you too!”
Yuan Shiyuan was even more confused. “You guys actually voted for me instead of Brother Bo Jin?”
Wasn’t Bo Jin the universally acknowledged straight-A student?
The more Yuan Shiyuan pondered, the more confused he became. He couldn’t help but ask, “Do I really look like a straight-A type?”
Why doesn’t it feel that way to me?
Ying Mingche draped an arm playfully over Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulder, grinning mischievously. “Baby, you’re as straight-A as they come! You’re so clueless, you’d probably think we were just having a ‘deep emotional connection’ if we ever fucked you.”
Yuan Shiyuan choked violently. Xiao Huang immediately protested, “No way! That line has to be cut! Absolutely has to be cut!”
Ying Mingxi gently patted Yuan Shiyuan’s back to help him catch his breath. Once Yuan Shiyuan recovered, he said, his voice tinged with melancholy, “Brother Mingxi, even you voted for me?”
“Sorry,” Ying Mingxi smiled apologetically. “I originally intended to write about someone else, but you were all I could think about at the time, so your name just slipped out unconsciously.”
Yuan Shiyuan paused before asking, “Do you think I’m some kind of fool?”
“Didn’t you say it yourself? You’re a Straight-A student.” Bo Jin’s lips twitched as if suppressing a smile. He raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re truly the universally acknowledged Straight-A student.”
“Or… maybe you should stop being a Straight-A type.” His tone was casual, as if discussing the weather. Yet his gaze, tentative and probing, flickered across Yuan Shiyuan’s face. “What’s so great about being a Straight-A student anyway?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Yuan Shiyuan replied evasively. “I’m not going to be one anymore.”
Now an Omega, Yuan Shiyuan was utterly ineligible for the “Straight A” label.
But his primary gender was still male. If he couldn’t be a “Straight A,” he could still be a “straight man.”
Hearing their conversation, Ying Mingche fell into deep thought, then burst into laughter. “Good, very good!”
Bo Jin clearly didn’t know Yuan Shiyuan was an Omega! This meant nothing had happened between them last night.
Yuan Shiyuan shot Ying Mingche a bewildered look, unsure what he was so excited about.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Shiyuan, someone’s here to see you,” a staff member said nervously.
Yuan Shiyuan immediately stood up. “Okay, I’ll be right there.”
He assumed it was work-related, but to his surprise, he found a tall figure in a tailored suit waiting in the rooftop garden.
His steps faltered instinctively. The Alpha, who had been standing with his back turned, seemed to sense his presence and turned around.
Sunlight streamed between them, dappling the tips of Yuan Shiyuan’s pale pink hair and illuminating his face with startling clarity, allowing every detail to be fully captured in the Alpha’s deep, penetrating gaze.
Yu Sijing stepped forward. “Long time no see.”
Actually, it hadn’t been that long. In Yuan Shiyuan’s eyes, their meetings felt abnormally frequent.
“CEO Yu, what brings you here?” Yuan Shiyuan greeted politely.
“You don’t need to be so formal.”
Yu Sijing’s dark suit accentuated his broad shoulders and long legs. Even with his calm, deep voice, his years of business experience radiated a mature, commanding aura.
“I came to personally thank you. Little Gu has been causing you trouble again,” he said, taking a step forward, his leather shoes making barely a sound on the floor. The Alpha’s deep voice followed, “I wanted to thank you in person last time, but something unexpected came up.”
Yu Sijing had originally planned to attend the autograph session himself.
But his adoptive mother suddenly expressed a keen interest in Yuan Shiyuan, and out of filial piety, he couldn’t deny her the opportunity. After the event, his adoptive parents didn’t engage with him further.
“It’s no trouble at all. I adore Little Gu. He’s such a sweet child, it’s just that…” Yuan Shiyuan hesitated before gently asking, “Do you often find yourself too busy to spend time with him?”
Yuan Shiyuan knew that Gu Weiyuan’s parents had both passed away. He had always loved children and felt deeply for their hardships. After spending time with the boy, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Gu Weiyuan and Yu Sijing weren’t as close as they appeared on the surface.
“I’m indeed quite busy,” Yu Sijing explained. “Sometimes I consider bringing him to the company and hiring someone to look after him.”
“But he prefers being alone.”
“In your presence, he acts very affectionate toward me. But in private, he’s not nearly as clingy.”
Yu Sijing looked at Yuan Shiyuan, his deep-set eyes beneath pronounced brow bones conveying a hint of helplessness. “He really likes you and enjoys being around you. You’re different to him.”
Yuan Shiyuan suddenly understood.
“Perhaps it’s because I’m better at interacting with children that Little Gu clings to me more.” His features relaxed, and a faint smile flickered in his amber eyes. “Little Gu is very well-behaved, and I like him very much too.”
“Still… if possible, I hope you can spend more time with him. He’s still young, and though he might not say it, he must crave the company of family deep down.”
“Mm,” Yu Sijing nodded. “I’ll take your advice. I’ll make more time to spend with him.”
As they sat down together in the small garden, Yu Sijing gentlemanly removed his suit jacket and spread it over the scorching-hot bench, which had been baking in the fierce sun.
Yuan Shiyuan was surprised by Yu Sijing’s gesture, but not wanting to offend him, he thanked him before slowly settling onto the jacket, still warm with the lingering heat of the Alpha’s body.
“Were you recording just now?”
“Mm. But it wasn’t an official recording session.”
“Have you ever considered acting in a film?”
Yu Sijing changed the subject so abruptly that Yuan Shiyuan paused, startled. “What?”
“I’ve come across a promising project. I’d like to invite you as an investor.”
Although Yu Sijing didn’t own a media company, as a businessman, he was always eager to invest in worthwhile projects. Recently, he’d noticed a compelling film script, and the director happened to be an old business partner he knew well.
When he saw the characters in the script, Yuan Shiyuan instinctively came to mind.
Yuan Shiyuan’s unease grew, even giving rise to ominous forebodings and absurd suspicions.
Yuan Shiyuan and Yu Sijing were hardly acquainted, having only exchanged a few casual greetings through Gu Weiyuan.
He couldn’t believe Yu Sijing had seen his talent and potential in such a short time, leading him to entrust Yuan Shiyuan with this project.
Yuan Shiyuan carefully considered his words, taking a moment too long, which made Yu Sijing realize he had been too hasty.
How strange. Yu Sijing, accustomed to high-stakes situations, had long cultivated a calm demeanor amidst the turbulent business world. Yet, in Yuan Shiyuan’s presence, he always seemed like an eager young man, desperate to offer something, to prove himself.
“I apologize for being so abrupt,” Yu Sijing said, his tone contrite. He then pulled a small, square paper box from his pocket. “Next week is your birthday. Little Gu and I took the liberty of preparing this gift.”
“We hope you’ll like it.”
The box was a makeshift jewelry box crafted from repurposed milk cartons, its surface decorated with colorful cutouts, including many meticulously trimmed circles, clearly showing Gu Weiyuan’s care and effort.
“Of course I’ll like it. Thank you…” Yuan Shiyuan opened the box, the words catching in his throat.
At the center of the low-quality square box lay a flawless, immensely valuable pink diamond.
“CEO Yu, this is too extravagant. I can’t accept it,” Yuan Shiyuan said immediately, closing the box and handing it back.
He turned his head, his expression turning serious. “If you keep doing this, you’ll make me think… you’re trying to use your position to get me.”
Yu Sijing’s gaze met his directly. “I do have feelings for you.”
Yuan Shiyuan froze, taken aback by his bluntness.
“You’ve probably sensed I’ve been trying to win you over. That’s precisely what I’m doing. There’s no need for you to feel pressured.”
Yu Sijing gave him a gentlemanly, polite smile, but beneath his refined, handsome features, a hint of youthful nervousness and timidity surfaced, out of character for his mature demeanor. “I need to use some… supplementary methods to capture your attention. Whether it’s money, resources, or anything else I can offer, or anything you need.”
“After all…” The Alpha’s voice lowered, a barely perceptible sigh slipping into the words. “I’m not getting any younger.”