Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 122
Chapter 122: So Many People?
Yuan Shiyuan accepted the friend request.
Yu Sijing seemed surprised that Yuan Shiyuan was checking his phone at that exact moment and accepted so quickly.
The “typing…” indicator flashed repeatedly above their chat window, yet no message arrived.
Yuan Shiyuan ventured: Big Brother?
Mm, it’s me, Yu Sijing replied.
I’m here to help with the concert tickets. When would be convenient for you?
Fetching the tickets was a trivial matter, hardly requiring Yu Sijing’s personal attention. Even if necessary, Yuan Shiyuan could have opted for same-city courier service.
Knowing this was just an excuse, Yuan Shiyuan chose not to call him out.
Today was a rare day off. Tomorrow, they would begin preparing the venue: setting up equipment, arranging the stage, and then rehearsals.
Would today work? Yuan Shiyuan asked. Is it too sudden?
No, today’s fine. Let’s do it today, Yu Sijing replied.
He immediately added, Little Gu misses you a lot.
Gu Weiyuan’s name piqued Yuan Shiyuan’s interest; he adored children.
Just as he was about to type a reply, Yu Sijing’s next message popped up:
Me too.
……
Yu Sijing didn’t explicitly say he missed Yuan Shiyuan, but his words made Yuan Shiyuan freeze in place. He suddenly recalled his mother’s earlier words, and a subtle awkwardness welled up in his heart.
He chose to selectively ignore the implication and replied:
Big Brother, are you free to come over now? Let’s meet at the dessert shop. I’ll leave the tickets for you there. [Location]
The dessert shop was near Yuan Shiyuan’s apartment complex—just a short walk downstairs and around the corner.
The shop had private booths shielded by screens, ensuring their conversation wouldn’t be overheard or photographed by others.
This was also Yuan Shiyuan’s favorite childhood haunt.
Yuan Shiyuan had told Yu Sijing to text him when he was close so he could get there early. But to his surprise, Yu Sijing only texted him after he had already entered the shop.
When Yuan Shiyuan finally arrived, the two of them were already seated in a booth, both peering at him through the screen.
“Mommy!” Gu Weiyuan’s eyes lit up, his voice brimming with joy.
“You got here so fast?”
Yuan Shiyuan sat down in surprise and glanced at the untouched desserts on the table—all the shop’s house specialties.
He picked up a plate of delicate peach blossom pastries and placed it in front of Gu Weiyuan. “Try these peach blossom pastries! They’re absolutely delicious.”
Children must all have a sweet tooth, right?
Yuan Shiyuan was no exception when he was young. Back then, though, resources were scarce. He rarely got snacks. Whenever the caretakers at the orphanage distributed candies, potato chips, or other treats, he would be overjoyed but reluctant to eat them.
Even after opening the packaging, he would savor each bite, trying to prolong the joy. At those moments, Jiang Heng would always give Yuan Shiyuan his own portion, as if wanting him to experience double the happiness.
Yet Jiang Heng was just a child himself at the time, at that most greedy age.
“Who are you thinking about?” Yu Sijing, sitting across from him, suddenly asked.
Yuan Shiyuan instinctively replied, “A friend.”
Yu Sijing nodded knowingly. “It seems you two are very close.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Yuan Shiyuan’s lips. “Of course. We’re the best of friends.”
Just friends? Yu Sijing thought, unconvinced.
The mere thought of this “best friend” clearly lifted Yuan Shiyuan’s spirits, revealing a trust and reliance he didn’t even seem aware of himself.
Such a bond far surpassed ordinary friendship.
“Mommy, eat too!” Gu Weiyuan, who was eating a small cake, suddenly raised his spoon and offered it to Yuan Shiyuan’s lips.
Yuan Shiyuan wore an expression akin to helplessness. Yu Sijing immediately interjected, “Little Gu, how many times have I told you? You should call him ‘Big Brother’.”
His tone was stern, and Yuan Shiyuan, worried about frightening the child, quickly interjected, “Don’t scold him.”
Gu Weiyuan was orphaned at a young age. But then Yuan Shiyuan remembered that Yu Sijing wasn’t exactly in a better situation himself…
He murmured, “Little Gu probably just misses having someone around. He misses his mother.”
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault,” Yu Sijing immediately admitted. “I haven’t been spending enough time with him.”
Turning to Gu Weiyuan, he said earnestly, “But Little Gu, you can’t call him ‘Mommy’ anymore. Big Brother’s job is special, and calling him that could cause confusion and unnecessary trouble.”
Gu Weiyuan froze, then quickly understood.
He apologized in a small voice, “I’m sorry, Big Brother. I shouldn’t have called you that outside.”
Despite repeated corrections, Gu Weiyuan’s ears had been like sieves. But as soon as he heard it could cause trouble for Yuan Shiyuan, he immediately corrected himself.
Yuan Shiyuan had always loved children, especially ones as well-behaved and understanding as Little Gu.
He gently pinched Gu Weiyuan’s cheek. “Such a good boy, my sweet baby.”
Two crimson spots immediately bloomed on Gu Weiyuan’s small face. He shyly grasped Yuan Shiyuan’s fingers and awkwardly fed him a pastry.
“Big Brother, you eat too.”
“Okay,” Yuan Shiyuan said, lowering his head to accept the treat.
After finishing, Gu Weiyuan, looking like a child who had done something wrong, apologized again. “Big Brother, I didn’t mean it. Please don’t think I’m a bother, and don’t hate me.”
“How could I ever hate you?” Yuan Shiyuan smiled, lifting him onto his lap. “You’re such a cute little boy. I can’t help but adore you.”
Gu Weiyuan’s face lit up with joy, and he blurted out, “Then I don’t want to grow up!”
He asked, “If I don’t grow up, will you always like me?”
Yuan Shiyuan chuckled. “How can someone not grow up?”
“I can eat less and not get taller,” Gu Weiyuan said earnestly. “That way, I’ll always be the little boy you like.”
Still a child at heart, Yuan Shiyuan thought with a smile. “Even when you grow up, I’ll always like you.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Gu Weiyuan seemed suddenly excited. He wrapped his arms around Yuan Shiyuan’s neck, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, “Mommy.”
“Will you still love me when I grow up?”
Yuan Shiyuan answered without hesitation, “Of course.”
He had always adored children.
The intense, palpable gaze from across the table was impossible to ignore. He looked up at Yu Sijing.
Yu Sijing smiled faintly at him.
Yuan Shiyuan nearly forgot his purpose. He retrieved the concert tickets, placed them on the table, pressed his slender fingers against the edge, and gently slid them across.
“These are the tickets—five in total,” he added. “The concert will be very loud, which isn’t good for your ears. If you’re bringing Little Gu, remember to bring noise-canceling earmuffs.”
Yu Sijing nodded, committing the information to memory. “I will.”
With that, Yu Sijing suddenly leaned across the table, reaching out his hand.
Under Yuan Shiyuan’s astonished gaze, his fingertips lightly pinched Yuan Shiyuan’s chin, the pad of his thumb gently wiping away a smear of cream at the corner of his lips.
Yu Sijing casually withdrew his hand, sat back in his chair, and said softly, “All better now.”
Yuan Shiyuan lowered his head and met Gu Weiyuan’s clear, focused gaze.
Gu Weiyuan was sitting in his lap, his eyes wide and fixed intently on Yuan Shiyuan.
Seeing Gu Weiyuan’s expression, Yuan Shiyuan almost blurted out “Mommy,” had he not been reminded just now.
The faint warmth of an Alpha’s touch seemed to linger on the corner of Yuan Shiyuan’s lips. Uncomfortable, he turned away and changed the subject. “Has Little Gu undergone a differentiation test?”
“It was done during his physical checkup,” Yu Sijing explained, then quickly added, as if sensing Yuan Shiyuan’s potential misunderstanding, “If the probability of him differentiating into an Alpha is high, we’ll enroll him in the military academy system for training. If he differentiates into another gender, we’ll make alternative arrangements.”
“However, the differentiation results aren’t always 100% accurate.” He paused. “For now, we’re still training him along the Alpha path.”
In families like theirs, career planning for children began from infancy. Knowing a child’s potential gender inclination in advance allowed for fine-tuning the details of their training. In most cases, they maintained multiple training plans to adapt to various possibilities.
Yu Sijing looked at Yuan Shiyuan and suddenly said, “We’ve considered your own training plan countless times too.”
Yuan Shiyuan chuckled. “I doubt anyone could have predicted I’d become an idol, right?”
“Indeed not,” Yu Sijing chuckled. “Most of us thought you’d inherit your mother’s talent and become an exceptional pianist.”
“Back then, I never imagined I’d become an idol either,” Yuan Shiyuan said wistfully. “Life truly is full of surprises.”
As they chatted idly, Gu Weiyuan lay nestled in Yuan Shiyuan’s arms, his little face tilted upward, gazing at Yuan Shiyuan with rapturous devotion.
He couldn’t concentrate on their conversation. His fingers unconsciously twirled strands of pink hair that had fallen across Yuan Shiyuan’s chest, and he quietly brought a strand to his nose, inhaling its delicate fragrance.
He was utterly captivated by Yuan Shiyuan’s scent.
So fragrant…
Is this what Mommy smells like? Gu Weiyuan wondered, feeling dazed.
By the time Yuan Shiyuan realized it, Gu Weiyuan had already fallen asleep in his arms.
He wasn’t surprised. Children this age needed plenty of rest as they grew. He rose with Gu Weiyuan in his arms, and Yu Sijing immediately approached from across the room.
“Let me take him,” Yu Sijing said softly. “He’s gotten a bit taller lately, and he’s starting to feel heavy.”
“This little weight? I can still manage,” Yuan Shiyuan replied.
His real concern was waking Gu Weiyuan during the transfer.
But with the child in his arms, he couldn’t free a hand to put on his hat and mask.
Though Yuan Shiyuan didn’t ask—didn’t even glance his way—Yu Sijing instinctively stepped in front of him, his tall frame casting a shadow that enveloped Yuan Shiyuan from head to toe.
He gazed at Yuan Shiyuan cradling the sleeping boy and carefully adjusted his mask and hat, gently tucking a stray strand of pink hair behind his ear.
“Does it fit properly?” Yu Sijing murmured, his breath brushing Yuan Shiyuan’s ear. “Is it too tight?”
Yuan Shiyuan’s face was small; even with the mask on, there was still some room to spare. “No, it’s fine,” he replied.
They walked the short distance to where the car was parked. Only after reaching the car did Yuan Shiyuan hand Gu Weiyuan over to Yu Sijing.
Yu Sijing placed Gu Weiyuan in the back seat, then turned to Yuan Shiyuan. “I’ll take you home.”
Yuan Shiyuan chuckled. “There’s no need. It’s just a few steps; I can walk myself back.”
He hadn’t expected Yu Sijing to offer a ride for such a short distance. “I’m not a child,” he said helplessly. “I won’t get lost.”
Yu Sijing’s voice was deep yet clear. “But you were lost once—for nineteen whole years.”
Yuan Shiyuan froze.
“If it hadn’t been for that accident… I should have been the one by your side all those years,” Yu Sijing sighed. “I can’t afford to be careless. I can’t let my guard down.”
“And I dare not lose you again due to any oversight.”
Yuan Shiyuan’s amber eyes trembled slightly. After a moment of silence, he finally smiled. “Alright, then. Thank you, Big Brother.”
As Yu Sijing drove Yuan Shiyuan home, a young man stood silently in the shadows beneath the dense trees nearby.
His cold, brooding gaze followed their figures relentlessly, watching them walk into the residential complex until they disappeared from view.
“Just drop me off here,” Yuan Shiyuan said, stopping at his doorstep. “Hurry back. If Little Gu wakes up and doesn’t see you, he’ll worry.”
Yu Sijing chuckled softly. “He won’t worry about me being gone. Only about you.”
“In that respect, we’re quite similar.”
“……”
Yuan Shiyuan fell silent. Yu Sijing didn’t linger, chuckling softly. “Break a leg at the performance.”
“I’ll be there on time.”
Only after Yu Sijing entered the elevator did Yuan Shiyuan unlock his door.
Back in his room, he changed into pajamas. Perhaps it was the sweets he’d just eaten, but drowsiness crept over him.
He’d been so busy lately that he fell asleep almost the instant his eyes closed.
He never locked his door at home, completely unaware of the faint, cautious turning of the lock outside.
Yuan Shize slipped silently into the room, his gaze fixed on his brother’s unguarded sleeping face.
Yet his mind, against his will, kept replaying the scene from earlier—another Alpha standing so intimately close to Yuan Shiyuan.
He crouched by the bed, his eyes glistening with moisture as they traced the sunlight highlighting his brother’s features.
Then he leaned in and gently kissed the tip of Yuan Shiyuan’s nose.
Yuan Shiyuan frowned, huffed softly, and rolled over, turning his back to his younger brother.
Finding this position uncomfortable, he simply sprawled face-down on the bed, cheek pressed against the back of his hand, and drifted back into a deep slumber.
This inadvertently made things easier for Yuan Shize.
Like a husband consumed by jealousy and suspicion, who, merely because his beautiful wife had exchanged a few extra words with another man, now seized the opportunity of her slumber to swiftly pull down her pajama pants and conduct an inspection.
His index and middle fingers, shaped like scissors, pressed against her soft skin, spreading it apart.
Yuan Shize’s eyes instantly reddened.
Even Xiao Xue’s complexion flushed crimson.
A sharp, piercing pain gripped his heart as Yuan Shize continued his examination, driven by a mixture of anguish and determination. Only after confirming there were no traces left by another man did he collapse against her, burying his face in her side like a man who had finally shed a thousand-pound burden, his voice muffled with helpless affection.
“Brother…” he murmured, his hoarse voice tinged with a watery sob, yet piercingly clear in the otherwise silent room.
Just moments earlier, when Yuan Shiyuan had stood with a child in his arms beside that mature and steady Alpha, they had looked like the picture-perfect family of three.
They appeared so well-matched, yet the sight burned like acid in Yuan Shize’s eyes.
Late at night, Yuan Shize would often secretly fantasize about what would happen when his brother eventually married, started his own family, and perhaps even had children. What would become of him then?
It’s alright, he thought. I can retreat to an inconspicuous corner and quietly devote myself to him in every way.
If Brother’s child cried, he’d help soothe them. If Brother’s home was messy, he’d tidy it up. Even when Brother and Sister-in-law argued, he’d mediate…
He’d watch from the sidelines as Brother and another person lived together in harmonious family bliss.
Yuan Shize had comforted himself countless times, It’s alright. As long as I can stay by Brother’s side, that’s enough.
But these self-deceptive thoughts shattered into dust the moment he witnessed a scene like the ones he’d imagined.
He couldn’t do it.
He simply couldn’t hand Brother over to someone else, let alone watch him live the life he had fantasized about countless times.
Yuan Shize knew he shouldn’t be so greedy, that he shouldn’t interfere in Brother’s life. Yet he still felt a pang of envy, a simmering resentment.
Why can every other Alpha have him, but not me?
Didn’t you say you’d always love me?
Even if it’s just love for a younger brother, it’s still love.
The more Yuan Shize thought about it, the more uncontrollably excited he became. The mere thought that Brother also loved him made his Adam’s apple bob uncontrollably as he swallowed down everything Brother had given him.
Soon, Yuan Shize’s face flushed crimson as he struggled to breathe, his nose and mouth pressed too firmly, flooding with water.
Like a drowning man, Yuan Shize gasped for air, nearly suffocating. Yet he greedily stretched his tongue, burrowing deeper.
“Mmm…?”
In his sleep, Yuan Shiyuan suddenly felt uneasy. As if gripped by a nightmare, he unconsciously bit down on his finger between his teeth, exhaled heavily, and shifted slightly in his waist.
Little did he know this movement only served to press himself further against the Alpha’s face.
A faint, continuous vibration from the smartwatch on Yuan Shize’s wrist sent him into a frenzy. As if he had finally been acknowledged, validated, he doubled down, trembling with excitement.
This time, Brother’s heart is racing because of me!
Not some other Alpha—me!
Recently, Yuan Shize had frequently felt the smartwatch vibrate. Each tremor signaled his brother’s intimate contact with another Alpha, piercing his heart like a knife, yet leaving him powerless and helpless.
But now, it was finally his turn.
The bridge of his brother’s straight nose vanished partially, then completely. When it reappeared, the slightly humped line of his nose glistened, soaked in wet, shimmering light.
The tip of his nose and the surrounding skin flushed a vivid crimson from frequent friction, creating a stark contrast against the paler skin around it.
When Yuan Shize finally lifted his head, his entire face, from forehead to hairline, was soaked in sweat. He gasped for breath, his thin lips, philtrum, the bridge of his nose, and even the area around his chin glistening wetly.
The sheer volume of moisture made it seem as if a broken faucet had sprayed him directly in the face, leaving his entire face drenched.
Instead of wiping his face clean, Yuan Shize seemed almost regretful about the wasted moisture. He extended his tongue, licking away the droplets clinging to the corners of his lips and the tips of his fingers, one by one.
Meanwhile, Yuan Shiyuan remained asleep in his prone position, though his abdomen now hovered slightly above the surface, making his posture resemble a kneeling position.
One hand cushioned his cheek, while a sliver of glistening saliva escaped from his slightly parted lips, wetting the corner of his mouth and a small patch of the back of his hand. Even the tip of his pink tongue unconsciously peeked out between his lips.
This expression only appears because of me. Yuan Shize’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently as he instinctively buried his face against Yuan Shiyuan again, his cheek pressing lovingly against the soft skin. The sharp bridge of his nose left a subtle, shadowed indentation in the tender flesh.
He tilted his head and kissed Yuan Shiyuan, then, in that contented pose, drifted off to sleep alongside him.
Yuan Shiyuan slept unusually soundly that night.
Perhaps driven by his body’s primal craving for pheromones, he dreamt a small, carnal dream.
In his dream, he was being gently licked. He couldn’t make out the other person’s face, only that they were an Alpha.
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t particularly care about the other person’s face. As long as they could make him feel good, it was all the same to him.
He woke up refreshed, but immediately sensed something was off. Turning his head, he saw a familiar face buried against his body.
Startled, Yuan Shiyuan quickly kicked Yuan Shize away, then noticed the wetness on his face.
His heart skipped a beat. He frantically checked the source of the moisture.
No way…
Had he been the one who made Yuan Shize’s face so wet?
Surely it was just pressed against it, not actually… sucking, right? Yuan Shiyuan thought uncertainly.
His expression was indescribable.
Just then, Yuan Shize slowly crawled onto the bed, pressed his cheek affectionately against Yuan Shiyuan’s calf, and tilted his head back between his knees to look up at him.
“Brother,” the Alpha’s voice carried a hint of grievance.
The moment Yuan Shize made that face, Yuan Shiyuan knew his younger brother was about to pull his usual act of feigning pitifulness and seeking sympathy.
“Alright, alright, it’s not that I don’t want you to bury… wait, no, I just can’t let you.” The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. “Is this even appropriate?”
“I’m your brother!”
For some reason, this seemed to only excite Yuan Shize further.
Yuan Shiyuan inhaled deeply, the mint pheromone emanating from his younger brother filling his senses. He fell silent again.
Even without a formal assessment, he could tell their compatibility was shockingly high.
How had he never noticed before how comforting his brother’s pheromone smelled?
Yuan Shiyuan nonchalantly averted his gaze, pulled up his pants, and issued a toothless warning: “Don’t do that again, okay? What kind of little brother strips his big brother’s pants off?”
Yuan Shize, keenly perceptive and adept at seizing opportunities, noticed Yuan Shiyuan wasn’t truly angry, sensing even a hint of indulgence. He understood that his brother was merely putting on a show of elder authority, offering symbolic reprimands to maintain appearances.
He nodded obediently, immediately wrapping his arms around Yuan Shiyuan, and muttered sullenly, “Brother, the disposable underwear in your bag is gone again.”
He’d packed so many last time! How could they be used up already?!
“Oh, just refill it then,” Yuan Shiyuan replied, unconcerned.
Yuan Shize tightened his grip. “Brother, do you still love me?”
“Why are you overthinking things again?” Yuan Shiyuan patted his cheek absently. “Of course I love you. You’re my little brother.”
“…” Yuan Shize pressed his face silently against Yuan Shiyuan’s abdomen, quietly releasing mint pheromones. When Yuan Shiyuan didn’t stop him, he grew bolder, burrowing beneath the hem of his shirt and gently taking a small, inverted nipple into his mouth.
Having obtained Yuan Shiyuan’s permission, Yuan Shize no longer restrained himself, devouring the treat with unrestrained greed, his manners completely forgotten.
In the end, even his pajama pants became unwearable.
Yuan Shiyuan lounged comfortably on the large bed in Yuan Shize’s room, having changed into a fresh pair of pajama pants. Meanwhile, his younger brother was busy washing the soiled bedsheets and replacing them with fresh ones.
Just now, he had momentarily lost control, pressing his brother’s head down far too forcefully.
Now, reflecting on it, Yuan Shiyuan felt a pang of regret. How could he have treated Xiao Ze like that…?
Xiao Ze was his brother!
Yet it had felt so incredibly good…
After a brief internal struggle, Yuan Shiyuan decided to put it out of his mind. What was done was done; dwelling on it would serve no purpose.
Lying on the bed still faintly scented with his brother’s pheromones, he slowly perused the electronic script. Perhaps the script’s steamy content was to blame, but after only a few minutes, a familiar hunger stirred deep within his abdomen.
What’s happening?
Just a little attention from my brother, and I’m craving him again?
My appetite is truly growing insatiable.
Yuan Shiyuan could coax his younger brother to speak, but he absolutely refused to let him inject S-rank pheromones.
Completely at a loss and too lazy to overthink it, he sent a message to the Scepter team’s group chat.
Yuan Shiyuan: Is everyone free right now?
Almost immediately, everyone replied with a uniform “1,” indicating they were available.
Zhuang He cheerfully chimed in: Our Shiyuan’s still the best! When I try to chat in the group, not a single one of them pays me any attention.
Zhuang He: What’s up? Got a problem? Just hand it over to your Big Brothers—they’d love to help! [Smiling emoji]
Yuan Shiyuan: “……”
Crap, I sent it to the wrong group.
Scepter also had a six-person group chat exclusively for team members, without Zhuang He.
Seeing Zhuang He’s message made Yuan Shiyuan fall even deeper into silence, his face burning fiercely.
I can’t possibly tell Zhuang He that I want my Big Brothers to… do me, can I?
He was just about to come up with a lame excuse to brush it off when…
As if sensing Yuan Shiyuan’s awkwardness, Ying Mingxi preemptively offered a lifeline in the group chat: Shiyuan, is there anything in the script you’re struggling with?
Or, should we set aside some time to rehearse our scenes together? Auditions are coming up soon after the concert, and I’m a bit nervous.
Zhuang He: That’s a great idea! You’re so diligent! It’ll be a nice way for you guys to relax and unwind after the concert stress. 👍
Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t help but admire Ying Mingxi’s thoughtfulness. He quickly chimed in: Yeah, yeah, that sounds great!
Ying Mingche: Rehearsing the script? The more the merrier! Count me in.
Pei Yanbing: I’m available.
Jiang Heng: Where should we meet?
Bo Jin: [Hotel Location]
Wait… Bo Jin already booked hotel rooms for everyone?
Hang on… so many people?
Yuan Shiyuan only wanted two at first!
Rejecting them now would seem unfair. They were a team, and playing favorites wouldn’t sit well.
Yuan Shiyuan sighed helplessly.
Oh well, we’ll just have to rehearse together.