Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 19

Chapter 19 Magazine Warm-up (Includes Many Forum Posts)

Yuan Shiyuan was trapped between the door and the alpha’s chest. Pei Yanbing’s body heat was scorching, yet the pheromones radiating from him felt as cold as ice and snow.

A large hand threaded through Yuan Shiyuan’s hair to keep the back of his head from hitting the door. The warmth in the palm against the soft hair made Pei Yanbing’s breathing spike.

On a sweltering summer day, Yuan Shiyuan unconsciously leaned a little closer to the cool source.

As he moved nearer, his pale pink hair brushed Pei Yanbing’s jaw, and Pei’s whole body stiffened.

“Captain, are you feeling unwell?” Yuan Shiyuan tilted his face up with concern.

“…”

Of all times, Yuan Shiyuan was still worrying about someone else.

Pei Yanbing paused, then heard himself answer in a hoarse voice.

“Mm.” he said. “A little uncomfortable.”

“No wonder,” Yuan Shiyuan said. “Heatstroke? Do you want me to get medicine?”

“No.” Pei Yanbing hesitated, his voice carrying an unfamiliar rasp and fragility. “I…”

“Can I…hold you for a moment?”

The words had barely left his mouth before he hated himself for the shameless request.

Yuan Shiyuan reached out and embraced Pei Yanbing’s waist. “Of course.”

Seeing Pei Yanbing’s restless agitation—looking downcast yet oddly restrained—Yuan Shiyuan had a bold guess: Pei Yanbing hasn’t been quietly sulking in the corner this whole time, has he?

But why?

Yuan Shiyuan thought back to the photoshoot; Pei Yanbing had seemed off, and Ying Mingche on the other side had been snide the whole time…

Could it be because of that?

Just a hug calmed Pei Yanbing’s turmoil instantly. He squeezed Yuan Shiyuan tightly, as if he wanted to eliminate every inch of space between them.

For a moment he wondered why Yuan Shiyuan didn’t refuse such an impolite request.

When Pei Yanbing made no move, Yuan Shiyuan softly called, “Captain?”

Pei Shiyuan guided his head toward Yuan Shiyuan’s neck, “Are you upset because of what Ying Mingche and the others said? We’re a team; they were joking. They didn’t mean anything by it.”

Buried in an overly intimate embrace, Pei Yanbing’s face sank into the softness of Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulder, only inches from the nape gland.

A faint, clean scent invaded all his senses and left him stunned.

Pei Yanbing barely registered Yuan Shiyuan’s words; he was lost in the fragrance among Yuan’s pale hair. Skin pressed to skin, Yuan Shiyuan’s warmth and the hug acted like a searing remedy, flooding his parched veins.

He had no words, but the arms wrapped around Yuan Shiyuan tightened slowly and his face buried itself deeper.

So it was true.

Yuan Shiyuan looked enlightened, half amused and half incredulous.

The supposedly cold iceberg captain turned out to be so fragile—he could be hurt by a teammate’s sharp tongue.

“It’s okay, Captain.” Yuan Shiyuan patted Pei Yanbing’s back soothingly. “You’re really great. Don’t be sad.”

Pei Yanbing, who had been savoring Yuan’s scent shamelessly, suddenly tensed. He was shamelessly taking advantage of Yuan, and yet Yuan was the one comforting him.

“That’s enough, thank you.” He let go of Yuan Shiyuan at once. His breathing was still uneven but less urgent than before. “I’m not sad…”

Pei Yanbing seemed at a loss for how to put it.

Alphas cared about face; Yuan Shiyuan understood. He saw Pei Yanbing’s sensitivity and wounded pride. “I get it. I know.”

Pei Yanbing looked at him and, in a softer voice, added, “Thank you for letting me hug you.”

So polite.

“Captain, here—” Yuan Shiyuan handed him a handkerchief, then added, “We’re about to shoot the group cover. I’m heading over now. Do you want to come?”

“I’ll go by myself in a bit.” Pei Yanbing said. “Soon.”

“All right, I’ll go first then.”

The moment he pushed open the dressing-room door, Yuan Shiyuan reluctantly inhaled Pei Yanbing’s pheromones from the air. So cool. Pei’s pheromone carried a natural cooling effect that left him chilled all over—so comfortable.

If they didn’t have to shoot soon, he’d honestly like to stick to this human air conditioner forever.

“What were you two just doing?”

Ying Mingxi immediately came up. Another strong, dominant S-rank pheromone hit him, triggering an instinctive territorial and competitive response.

The gentle expression on his face nearly vanished. “You’re covered in the captain’s pheromones.”

“Is it strong?”

“Very strong.”

The scent was so thick and sharp it seemed as if Yuan Shiyuan had been soaked inside and out—so that even his hair smelled like another alpha.

Ying Mingxi: “How could the captain leave so much pheromone on you?”

Because the captain had broken down and sulked in the corner. When emotions lose control, pheromones do too.

Yuan Shiyuan didn’t reveal the truth. “It’s so hot right now, it’s normal to have trouble controlling pheromones.”

Ying Mingxi was about to press further when Yuan Shiyuan suddenly took out his phone and photographed a shell on the sand.

A pink, heart-shaped shell.

“Wait, I’ll send this to the family group—this shell is kind of fun.”

Their whole family was like that: whenever they saw something interesting, even an oddly shaped cloud, they’d post it into the family chat to share.

Yuan Shiyuan had no intention of hiding it. He opened the group chat in front of Ying Mingxi and, right after sending the photo, got replies from his family.

Dad: Pink. [thumbs up]

Mom: Wow, it’s the same color as Yuan Yuan’s hair, so pretty. [rose]

Younger brother: Bro? Why didn’t you reply to my message.

Yuan Shiyuan: I’m shooting.

He sent a voice message after: “I’ll check my phone later, I need to keep working now.”

“Your family…” Ying Mingxi seemed at a loss for words, “do you guys always share stuff like that?”

He couldn’t imagine that kind of family atmosphere or way of communicating.

Yuan Shiyuan put his phone away. “Yeah.”

He asked the staff for pheromone cleanser and then released his own pheromones to cover the remaining trace.

Maybe because they had hugged too tightly and for too long, it took him a long time to get the scent fully cleared.

Not far off, Pei Yanbing, now composed, was walking this way. The alpha had returned to his usual cold demeanor; his pheromones were under control again, and there was no sign of the earlier disarray.

Zhuang He had just finished coordinating with the brand representatives. “The stylist will be here to make adjustments. The next shots involve a lot of jewelry, so thank you for your patience. When we’re halfway through, we’ll open a livestream—have some interaction with fans, play a few small games as a warm-up promotion.”

The UN brand had prepared a set of pink jewelry: leg rings, anklets, necklaces, waist chains, and so on. After discussion, they decided most of the close-fitting pieces would be worn by Yuan Shiyuan.

Leg rings, anklets, necklaces, waist chains, an eye veil…

So Yuan Shiyuan changed into a short, light-pink plaid top that revealed a strip of his pale waist. Pale-pink lace leg rings hugged his thighs, emphasizing the flesh and making his evenly shaped legs look even longer.

“Do I have to wear this much?” Almost every inch of his body was covered.

Yuan Shiyuan wore the most jewelry and firmly held the center position. The five Alphas clustered around him, barely leaving enough space to stand.

“Your feet are covered in sand, Shiyuan. Rinse them off so the anklet shows clearly.”

Song Mian immediately picked up a small bucket to help, but of course Yuan Shiyuan wouldn’t let an Omega do the rough work.

“I’ll do it myself…”

The Omega’s cheeks flushed pink. “It’s fine! I’m the assistant!”

Bo Jin snorted—his expression plainly lecherous.

He grabbed another bucket. “No need for you.”

Yuan Shiyuan explained, “Bo Jin means it’s really sunny here, and you’re an Omega—don’t do this kind of rough work. Let us Alphas handle it.”

He looked at Bo Jin. “Right?”

Bo Jin hadn’t meant it exactly that way, but for Yuan Shiyuan’s sake he still answered, “Mm.”

Indeed, there was no need for an Omega when he was here.

Yuan Shiyuan’s tone and expression were patient and gentle, and the Omega was instantly appeased. When Song Mian turned to look at Bo Jin, his gaze chilled and hardened with a trace of anger.

Hateful Alpha!

“Omegas are just troublesome.”

To Bo Jin, Omegas were synonyms for fragile and troublesome—people he would never serve in his life.

He dropped to one knee before Yuan Shiyuan, scooped water from the bucket, and poured it over the top of his foot. The light-brown grains of sand washed away, revealing snow-white, slightly pink skin.

Bo Jin cleaned carefully, even using his fingertips to remove the grit between Yuan’s toes.

“Hey, hey, don’t wash it totally clean—leave some sand,” a staff member hurriedly called out.

Leave some sand? Wouldn’t that mean Yuan Shiyuan’s feet wouldn’t be fully exposed?

Bo Jin frowned, seemingly dissatisfied, but still cooperated with the shoot and stopped rinsing.

The staff intended to direct the poses, but found the Alphas had already arranged themselves. Centering on Yuan Shiyuan, they positioned themselves around him.

Pei Yanbing stood behind Yuan Shiyuan, Jiang Heng and Bo Jin at his shoulders, and the twin brothers in front of him—kneeling on one knee in a staggered formation to avoid blocking the camera.

Zhou Heng, a bit surprised, noted that even their casual stances carried an inexplicable harmony. He tried snapping a few shots and said, “It’s good, but the scene is a bit wide and can’t highlight the jewelry on Shiyuan. We should take some close-ups.”

After all, most of the pieces were worn by Yuan Shiyuan.

Zhuang He stared through the viewfinder for a moment and said, “For close-ups, what if we make Shiyuan the visual center? The other Alphas can show jewelry on their hands—just half a face or a chin. As for poses…”

He demonstrated with his hands, “For example, shoulder touches, supporting the waist, or a hand on the face. That way we emphasize Shiyuan’s accessories and also capture the jewelry on the other Alphas’ hands.”

“Anklets are easy to get covered up, but widening the shot loosens the composition.”

“Mingxi, support Shiyuan’s foot from beneath and help fasten the anklet.” Zhuang He looked another way. “Mingche, hold Shiyuan’s knee bend—make sure your eyebrow stud and lip stud are visible, and the lace leg ring on Shiyuan’s leg. Okay?”

Ying Mingche: “Completely okay.”

“Captain, have Shiyuan lean on you and use your hand to lift his chin.”

“Shiyuan, tug Bo Jin’s collar to pull him closer to you.”

“Jiang Heng, remember to steady Shiyuan’s waist—Shiyuan should rest his hand on the back of Jiang Heng’s hand. Pay attention to the waist chain and ring angles for the camera.”

“Mingxi can help put on the anklet now; Mingche, help adjust the leg ring.”

“Okay, shoot!”

From the earlier shots, Yuan Shiyuan and Pei Yanbing had already developed a tacit understanding; he naturally leaned against Pei. His right hand hooked the black leather collar at Bo Jin’s neck, his left hand was just about to rest on the back of Jiang Heng’s hand at his waist, when a sudden blaze of heat met the sole of his foot.

Ying Mingche was helping adjust the leg ring, and Yuan Shiyuan froze instinctively, clamping his legs together in resistance.

“What are you doing?” Ying Mingche held the bend of Yuan Shiyuan’s knee and was about to adjust the buckle, but his fingers got trapped there.

He tilted his head up; his eyebrow stud caught the sunlight and flashed faintly, and when he spoke his tongue stud showed and disappeared. “Don’t want me to leave, huh?”

Ying Mingxi, who was busy fastening the anklet, could clearly feel Yuan Shiyuan’s muscles tense.

“Shiyuan, relax a bit.” He slowly lifted Yuan Shiyuan’s foot. “Don’t be so nervous.”

Yuan Shiyuan wanted to relax too.

But one foot was being held up, his only leg touching the ground, and the bend of that knee was gripped by Ying Mingche—he had to lean backward. That shifted almost his entire center of gravity onto Pei Yanbing behind him and onto Jiang Heng and Bo Jin at his shoulders.

Yuan Shiyuan glanced left and right; Jiang Heng and Bo Jin were both staring at him. Although he couldn’t see Pei Yanbing behind him, Pei’s presence was so strong he couldn’t ignore it.

When he looked down, there were two identical faces.

It felt a little weird…

Yuan Shiyuan could only say, “I’ll try to relax.”

Although Yuan Shiyuan wasn’t affected by S-rank pheromones, they were still the same species. As a straight man surrounded tightly by a group of males, it felt as if every inch of his skin bore the imprint of S-rank Alphas.

He could even clearly feel the warm flow of their breath… and the sensation was very unsettling.

Yuan Shiyuan sighed—being a straight man doing this kind of magazine shoot really felt like an occupational hazard.

He suddenly stiffened, a frown of alert crossing his brow.

Huh? Wait??

Who was applying force from behind?

Who was secretly attacking him from the rear?

Yuan Shiyuan became instantly vigilant.

He was extremely sensitive to that kind of movement. In middle school, when he roughhoused with friends, playfights sometimes rolled onto the bed.

Normally it was nothing, but that was the most restless time of adolescence.

The soft mattress would suddenly feel a bit hard.

When Yuan Shiyuan turned back, sure enough he saw his friend’s hungry expression.

He stopped the memory and returned to the present.

He tilted his head and scanned them all, still feeling everyone looked suspicious, but their expressions were straightforward—nothing like people hiding a guilty deed.

“Who was pushing just now?” Yuan Shiyuan asked casually, in a low voice.

The Alphas all paused, turning to look at Yuan Shiyuan in unison, then, with highly disapproving looks, glanced at the Alphas behind him.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Heng said, “Sorry, I just got squeezed out.”

So that was it.

There were too many of them; to keep the composition tight they had to press close to Yuan Shiyuan. With such close-range shooting, bodily contact was unavoidable.

“Did I make you uncomfortable?”

“No, I’m just asking.”

It was all for work—Yuan Shiyuan could understand. Very magnanimous, he said, “Next time, give me a heads-up before you push, or don’t push so hard.”

“Okay,” Jiang Heng said, “I’ll be lighter next time.”

Jiang Heng had been squeezed out of the cluster a moment ago; for the sake of the shot he pressed back in. That unfortunately bumped straight into Yuan Shiyuan.

Yuan Shiyuan optimistically thought: at least he’s still wearing pants. If he pushes, he pushes—it’s not going to cause real harm.

Straight men shouldn’t make things difficult for other straight men.

With so many people, keeping the composition balanced was difficult; the crew kept adjusting their poses.

“We can’t catch the anklet—lift Shiyuan’s foot higher.”

“Raise it a bit more!”

“Don’t be so stiff with the movement—move your hand a little, act like you’re caressing!”

The Alphas asked in low voices, “Can we touch him?”

Yuan Shiyuan didn’t understand why they were asking; he stretched out easily and said, “Touch away.”

They were all good friends—what was wrong with touching?

He even let Bo Jin give off pheromones for him to smell.

If they had just met, he’d have been embarrassed to do that. But now that they were getting used to each other, he felt completely relaxed.

The shutters clicked continuously.

Under the blue sky and white clouds, in front of the dreamy backdrop, the pink-haired Alpha was surrounded layer upon layer by five S-rank Alphas.

In front of Yuan Shiyuan were two identical faces. Ying Mingxi cupped the arch of his foot; the anklet chimed crisply, his other hand pressed at the ankle bone. Ying Mingche gripped the bend of Yuan Shiyuan’s knee so tightly his knuckles almost sank into flesh.

Ying Mingche’s face was very close to the leg ring; his high nose bridge created a subtle hollow of skin under the ring. He held that position facing the anklet, fully revealing his tongue stud.

On the left, Jiang Heng had his hand at Yuan Shiyuan’s waist, a ring visible on his finger; on the right, Bo Jin had his arm around Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulder, his spine slightly hunched, the black leather collar at his neck being tugged downward by Yuan Shiyuan.

And Yuan Shiyuan, centered, leaned weakly back against the bodies behind him, a lace-like veil shading his eyes. A hand slipped in from behind and cupped his chin. His lips parted as he tilted his head up, letting Pei Yanbing behind him take his chin in a single hand.

Water splashed to one side, and high-speed photography froze the droplets in midair.

The lace blindfold slowly slid down, revealing a pair of watery, sparkling eyes.

The image was intensely charged. At the seaside, against a backdrop of childlike playfulness, the contrast of skin tones and body sizes was striking.

Darker skin pressed against pale, slightly pink flesh; shoulders were held, waists embraced, knees gripped… different large hands stroked him, like a little lamb surrounded by wolves, utterly powerless to resist.

“Perfect!”

Zhuang He gave a thumbs-up. “Nice—we made Shiyuan look really beautiful.”

daystar was very pleased with the shoot, and the UN brand reps couldn’t stop praising it: “It really looks great.” One Alpha tilted his head toward his younger brother and asked, “What do you think?”

Song Mian’s gaze went blank; he felt like he was about to drool.

He swallowed. “Shiyuan looks great—no matter how you shoot him it’s good. It’s just… kinda weird.”

“Weird?”

“Feels like the next second something’s going to happen…”

Zhuang He couldn’t help laughing. “We’re a respectable boy group—why are you making it sound like a silver den?” (Translation note: “银窝” literally “silver den” — here colloquially implying a brothel or lecherous place)

Song Mian lowered his head in embarrassment.

He was a loyal fan of Yuan Shiyuan, and like many Omegas, he’d shout online calling Yuan Shiyuan “husband.”

Seeing others call him “wife” or “princess,” pairing him up with other men, and spreading rumors about him having extra parts—Song Mian had always thought those people were sick!

But now he suddenly felt he kind of understood.

His head felt dizzy as he replayed the scene in his mind: the pink-haired Alpha surrounded, other Alphas’ big hands all over him…

The photographer went back to reshoot a few more angles. For example, the shot of Ying Mingche half-kneeling in front of Yuan Shiyuan, holding his foot, used a low-angle looking-up perspective.

The sun was strong, so to avoid heatstroke they took a short break. Zhuang He hurriedly handed out ice water and led the artists indoors.

Yuan Shiyuan was sunburned until his whole body took on a rosy, flushed hue; his naturally fair skin now had an enticing, warm crimson glow.

Zhuang He worried that if he stayed in the sun any longer, he would get heatstroke.

“Everyone rest for fifteen minutes. Start the livestream in fifteen minutes,” Zhuang He said. “We’ll do retouching later during overtime and prepare the official Weibo teasers. We’ve seen the proofs—the images don’t need much…”

Luckily it was only a preview: they would release some behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot and a few retouched final images. They had taken so many shots that practically any one of them would work.

The post-production team worked efficiently.

The magazine’s promo went live on Weibo quickly.

[daystar X UN jewelry collaboration preview]

#SummerCarnival# #Scepter#’s July limited project is coming soon!

[Release schedule]

Pre-sale opens: July 18 (Wednesday) 10:00 sharp!

Official issue: July 21 (Saturday) 13:14

[Purchase channels]

UN jewelry online store: [brand website link]

Magazine pre-sale exclusive entry: [pre-sale platform link]

Limited perks:

Buy UN jewelry totaling 520 yuan to receive a physical copy of daystar’s July issue (available at offline counters as well)

The first 10,000 orders receive a Scepter polaroid set

Nine-grid preview: [Close-up perspectives from different teammates, the central image shows Yuan Shiyuan being surrounded on all sides]

The magazine preview immediately sparked heated discussion online.

— Huh? These are magazine photos? You can’t tell this is a boy group shoot? [covering face]

— I looked at it several times in disbelief…

— I’m impressed… In the middle photo, Yuan is surrounded by a group of Alphas, with so many hands on him. Blindfolded eyes, chin being held, lips slightly parted, big hands on the shoulders, fingertips tracing the waist and abdomen, foot and knee both being gripped… and there are close-up shots from different teammates’ perspectives around it. I’m stunned, really stunned. [thumbs up]

— At first I thought it was an AI poster made by CP fans… and then you tell me this is the official magazine?!! [dazed]

— Wait, this is something the platform would allow??

— Is this really a boy group magazine? I thought it was a CP fans’ prank. [covering face]

— If you don’t tell me, I’d think it’s a sexy magazine cover.

— This boy group clearly has something to say… Yuan in the center looks especially small, like anything could happen at any moment. [goofy smile]

— What did they even shoot, how did they make Yuan look like the group’s shared wife? [confused]

— Teammates can only be teammates, not wives… uh… wife…

— Looks like Phoenix-fandom fanart.

— Even Phoenix’s writer couldn’t come up with this lewd scene.

— I don’t have the patience to wait, hurry up and jump in. [impatient]

— Seriously suspect the photographer invented this pose for their own desire.

— Whoever thought up this pose really needs to be praised…

— But the jewelry, set, and wardrobe are paired so well—such youthful energy hitting you in the face. First time seeing Scepter go for this fresh style; before they were always too pretentious, unbearable.

— This thread is completely degenerate, and you’re the only one seriously discussing the magazine.

— Mmhmhm, they made our Shiyuan look so pretty, the jewelry is beautiful. As for the other Alphas, uh, nobody cares.

— What brand is that jewelry? High-end? My god… Isn’t that the brand I loved buying when I was in school? How did they put it on Yuan and make it look like something I can’t afford.

— Kid, you’re the only one worrying about the jewelry. Not me—I’m here for the jewelry first. [hehe]

— Hehehe… I’m the leg ring, strapped onto those pale, tender thighs. Delicious.

— Am I the only one who thinks this set of photos is really lewd? I feel like the official account is handing out perks. They even shot from different teammates’ perspectives, making it easier to… you know, fantasize (凝○). Like Ying Mingxi half-kneeling in front of ○, holding ○’s foot with one hand and looking up at ○—this angle shows the ankle chain and leg ring on ○ so clearly. ○’s shorts are slightly lifted too, casting a subtle shadow… this is exactly that dark, rat-like perspective!!

— Damn, I went back and zoomed in again. I seriously love this angle. Feels like the next second they’re going to step on him… [leering]

— Not me… I’m going to wildly lash out my tongue and lick up next. [smirk]

— And that one of Ying Mingche—oh my god, I noticed his nose bridge for the first time; pressed against ○’s leg ring underneath, it even casts a shadow. [teehee]

— That nose could grind someone to bits in a second.

— Instant grinding, mmhmm.

— Grind what? Shut up with the details. [smirk]

— Aaaah I can’t handle this.

— What is this, Red Cliffs? (Note: “赤壁” refers to a famous scene/angle trope)

— Isn’t this the classic Red Cliffs angle—who could resist buying this?

— How many phoenixes does it take to create photos like this?!!

— Mmhmhm, reborn as Ying Mingche: I got lip and tongue studs, perfect for going under. Also my nose bridge is so high—it’s meant to serve my beloved Yuan-wife, letting her sit on top and slide down.

— Watch me bury first, glug glug oo0OOooo..

— A high nose bridge is to give Princess Yuanyuan the Red Cliffs angle—I approve. [like]

— The other members’ noses aren’t short either, please bring them to the table!!

— ?? Are you guys starting this already????

— Is this okay. [covers face]

— Sorry, Princess Yuanyuan, for the bad things we did to you.

— These S-rank Alphas finally have a use… Thank you, bros, I’m going to wash the leather suit and put it on first.

— On behalf—on behalf [I’ll wear it].

— I’m really curious, is ○ truly safe within the group? Looking at the expressions of those Alphas, I feel like they’ll just swallow him whole. Hard to imagine what happens after the magazine shoot and in private—they’re big and burly like miners and ○ is so tiny… is this really okay? I’m worried ○ won’t be able to take it. [shocked]

— +1. And after this shoot, I don’t dare imagine how those miners treated my little kitten in the dressing room… so many people, he’s bound to be overwhelmed.

— Sorry, can’t contain it. [dog head][smirk]

— Can I sue Scepter for cat abuse? Our ○ is just a little kitten—this isn’t allowed.

— Mmhmhm I just love watching big trucks bump tiny kittens, little hamsters eating big bananas. [heart][grin]

— Tend to my little kitten with remedies!!!! [crying x4] 九伍二一⑥龄⒉吧3

— That’s not acceptable, hurry up, I’m dying of impatience.

— Please please, don’t mess with my wife. [breakdown][splitting][sobbing]

— Brother Huo has experience with this—Brother Huo has already burned out on ○. @Bo Jin

— ? What do you mean???

— Anyone still not aware that Brother Huo has become the enemy of dream-boy fans?

— Huh? Weren’t those crazy A-fans not pleased with Brother Huo before? I remember Brother Huo was top of the positive list, twins were top of the blacklist.

— It used to be like that, but then those crazy fans collapsed. At first, ○’s dream-boy fans were relieved—when they learned ○’s roommate would be Brother Huo, they were so happy they almost set off firecrackers (they’re most afraid of getting the twins, because twins often come with shared-empathy setups, you know…). As everyone knows, Brother Huo is staunchly straight-A, indiscriminately attacking in the ABO setting. Those crazy A-fans worried ○ might be bullied, or have no one to wash his clothes and cook for him, working like a beast while being soothed to sleep, but they were also relieved—at least ○ wouldn’t be “fucked” (被草).

— Yes, they thought ymc was totally pure, obviously performing. If anything actually happened, he’d be hiding it; instead ymc acts like a lowly concubine who can’t show himself in public, itching to announce to the world that he’s been favored by Emperor Yuan.

— Who would’ve thought Brother Huo was so deep and concealed—being close to the source he got the first chance, shocking everyone with a swift, thunderous smash and just fucked ○.

— They also thought Brother Huo was an A-posing-straight guy, deliberately using a straight persona to lure ○. After all, ○ is such an innocent newbie; maybe he’d even think his good brother was just giving him a relaxing massage.

— Ah… bro, you smell so good. [drooling]

— ??????????

— Ah??? For real???? Really fucked? [horrified]

— I swear, I was under the bed that night. [silly grin][shy][wicked smile]

— Really, the viewers in the livestream have sharp eyes. After I finished watching, ○’s face was all flushed, his legs were shaking when he walked, and the way he looked at Brother Huo was so ashamed—it was obvious they’d just done something naughty.

— Mm-hmm, and Jiang Heng interrupted their fun. Later Jiang Heng wouldn’t let the PD follow in; he went in himself and even locked the door. If it hadn’t been for lack of time, Jiang Heng probably would’ve joined in too.

— Maybe he already did. That day JH blocked the follow-camera from going in, then stayed in the room for a long time—probably because they struck some kind of deal. Like making ○ give him a fuck; that would be the price of keeping the secret.

— Little Yuan, you don’t want others to discover your secret, do you…

— Little Yuan, for the team you’re willing to do anything, right…

— Has anyone written big fic? I want to read some Huang content. [kowtow]

— Ymc is totally innocent and just got dragged through the square.

— Innocent? In that pack of rabid dogs’ eyes, ymc was still on the chopping list. They think ymc forcing the on-screen intimacy with ○ is attention-seeking, a heat-hopping stunt. And projecting themselves onto him, they worry that if ymc’s pursuit is rejected and he snaps, he might rape ○.

— Fast-forward, I can’t wait—hurry up and bang bang bang.

— What’s going on—once the conversation turns lewd, everyone gets so vicious and carried away they forget the world.

— …. [speechless][wiping sweat]

— ? Say it again: my brother is an alpha. [hands together in prayer]

— No… no… I’m breaking down… I can’t accept this, can you stop fantasizing about Yuan Shiyuan? [wiping sweat][eyeroll]

— I’m done… my brother is a straight guy, I’ve said it ten thousand times, my brother is a straight guy!!

— Yuan Shiyuan is an Alpha; this kind of thing is totally impossible. Besides, he’s S-rank—S-rank!!!

— You people have limits on your fantasies, ok? @Scepter sue these rumor-mongers immediately. Return my husband’s innocence, thanks.

— Finally found our people… is it fun to spread rumors about my husband Huang?

— I seriously can’t stand those in the group who always pretend to be alpha—stop riding on our ○’s heat, alright? All you know is stirring up CPs to siphon attention.

— I’ll kidnap my Yuan.

— Princess Yuanyuan is really beautiful. Those shorts are supposed to be unisex, so why are they so short on him? His legs are so long.

— Yeah, like a neat little pleated mini skirt.

— My brother is an alpha, thanks.

— Holy shit, the solo fans are utterly enraged!

— The solo fans pointed out the core contradiction: if ○ really got raped, how could he, as an Alpha, allow other Alphas to come in? This is indeed my grave mistake. I need to fully admit previous explanations were bullshit and rebuild the logic that ○ actually has a whole harem.

——…?????

—— Asking for answers: did ○ really give himself to Brother Huo? I was taking a nap and missed the livestream that day—no way, I ship ○ and the captain!!

—— Hehe, those who ship all are fearless. He’s an Alpha—if he can serve my treasure well, he’s a good dog. [heehee]

—— You can even ship that poker-faced look? Pei Yi just seems bored.

—— How could you not? I love watching an iceberg guy become the one who serves his wife. Maybe he realizes he’s boring and lets his wife go have fun, knows she’s getting cozy with other teammates but doesn’t dare make a fuss, so he learns new tricks every day trying to keep her. [sneaky laugh]

—— The cp of ○ and the captain is okay, but I still ship Jiang and ○—now that’s niche. Jiang is actually the quietest speaker on the team, and when he does talk it’s usually to roast teammates; you can tell he’s got a foul mouth and a bad temper. But in front of ○, he’s especially quiet. I’ve been watching—Jiang keeps glancing at ○ secretly; when anything happens, he’s the first to notice ○’s reaction.

—— That kind of secret sugar-dropping feeling is so satisfying.

—— Sometimes I really want to beg myself to stop shipping, but then I find that kneeling and shipping feels even better. [covering face][laugh-cry]

—— Yuan, listen to me: you look no less than a big star, you just lack the chance. Look, I’m a professional—let’s go on a dating show together and fall in love; we’ll definitely blow up.

—— ? Daydreaming in broad daylight, get outta here.

—— u1s1, I think ○ matches any A… did I drink some herbal medicine or what.

—— Can’t blame you for thinking that—blame our ○ for being too stunning. He’s so beautiful, everything he does will succeed.

—— Yuan Shiyuan, are you satisfied now? I’ve really fallen in love with you. [happy][smitten][blowing kiss]

—— It’s human nature—after all, Yuan is a vibe.

—— I’m really curious—why are an Alpha’s feet so white and so delicate? Rosy-white, they look so touchable. [zoom in on foot screenshot jpg.]

—— Okay, I’m done. (meaning: I’m finished/melted)

—— ? That was fast.

—— The photographer in charge must be straight, right? I mean, only a straight man would dare to shoot like that—it’s so high-end. Speaking of high-end…

—— Can someone answer me: does this group have any straight men?

—— The few brothers around ○ have already made up their minds; their eyes went straight.

—— Yup, indeed all straight—so straight they’re burning, ruthless, dark, insane.

—— Teammates originally wanted to give little Yuan roses, but on the way the stems broke so they could only stuff the rose heads to ○.

—— This has me all nervous. [yellow heart]

—— Why are there no fangirls in the comments?! (pacing anxiously)

—— Off-topic: would you buy it? This magazine is priced very reasonably and there’s a jewelry collaboration. Most importantly, it’s really convenient for daydreaming…

—— The crazy-dog As from the neighboring dream-boy group went wild when they saw the preview. They were mad that these horny dogs dared to touch Yuan, but on the other hand they were moved—thinking this is Yuan giving them a benefit.

—— Get outta here, can you stop being so self-indulgent. [facepalm][speechless]

—— They’ve already discussed how they’ll edit it—they’ll crop out ○’s teammates’ faces and replace them with their own photos. That way six of themselves occupy different positions on ○: shoulder, foot, leg, arm…

—— That two-person photo with the captain is also so dream-worthy: Yuan hooks his finger on the choker and pulls it down, the captain wearing a bite stopper looks down at Yuan. Yuan’s face is so clearly photographed; with the captain wearing a bite stopper you can only see his brows and eyes—doesn’t that make it even easier to fantasize? I don’t believe the photographer wasn’t hiding something personal in those shots.

——Is the video crew also one of Yuan’s dream boys? They turned a perfectly fine boy group shoot into this—definitely not innocent.

——This really is a benefit for those crazy-dog As… They’ve been ranting on the forum every day about wanting to be Princess Yuanyuan’s dogs; now their dream can finally come true… leash them up already. [laugh-cry]

——They’ll definitely buy out that bite-stopper choker combo—after all, it’s the exact one Yuan touched. Once they buy it, you could say they’ve been walked too. And those rings on the other members’ hands… oh my god, they’re couple rings with Yuan?!

——I can’t even imagine how badly they picture Yuan being attacked (.

——So perverse, a little scary—protect my little Yuan baby. But I’m planning to do the same. [tongue out][hehe]

——Just thinking about surrounding Yuan from all sides so he can’t escape brings tears to my mouth… hehe, hehe, my little Yuan. [starry eyes]

——Stop it, please don’t attack this pink mochi!!

——Why isn’t pre-sale until Wednesday?! Fast-forward me to Wednesday, now!!!

——Terrible news: I can only get it on Saturday! [sobbing]

——@daystar @UN Accessories. You better restock—this is Yuan’s first magazine, and it’s releasing at the same time as Countercurrent. I’m buying a thousand copies! [knife][angry].

——Countercurrent? The rival Necro boy group’s magazine? What a coincidence that both dropped. I used to ship Yuan with his ex-teammate, but sorry Necro, your rival is Yuan.

——I can’t let Princess Yuanyuan lose—I’m going straight for ten thousand copies!!

——Family, please spare this little Yuan—don’t hoard all the supplements!!!