Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Plastic Boy Group

Yuan Shiyuan glanced lightly at the camera, then looked at the distracted staff. “Is everything set?”

“N-no…” the staff shook his head as if waking from a dream. “The lighting parameters and stuff aren’t fully adjusted yet, but it’s already live…”

“Now it’s adjusted!”

The Alpha looked a little surprised as he looked into the camera. Pale pink bangs swayed in the breeze, visually separating him from the surrounding environment like a different layer.

“Hello, everyone.” He smiled with curved eyes. “I’m Yuan Shiyuan, a new member of the Scepter boy group. Nice to meet you all.”

The clean, clear trailing tone brushed the eardrums. Coupled with that unreal-looking face, the netizens who had mocked the capitalist moments before immediately flipped:

[Beauty—beauty filter attack…]

[Is this a real face?? Or an Alpha???]

[Help… Mom, I’ve fallen in love.]

[The capitalist finally sent someone pretty to ruin us…]

[Capitalist, you win!!]

“Sorry…”

The Alpha in front of the camera looked a bit troubled. “The chat moves too fast; I can’t read every message, I’m not ignoring anyone on purpose.”

He could only answer part of the chat. “Yes, I’m eighteen this year, still studying.”

A staff member beside him suddenly let out a very small exclamation. Yuan Shiyuan looked over in confusion. The staff member’s face flushed as he shook his head, afraid of interrupting the rhythm of Yuan’s livestream. He grabbed his colleague’s arm; the group exchanged quick looks, all of them filled with the same excitement.

How long had it been since they went live? The viewer count had already broken a million!

What shocked them most was that the livestream’s popularity had shot straight into the top three on the charts! At the current growth rate, reaching number one was only a matter of time!

And this was without any external push—they didn’t buy data or hire sockpuppets. The chat was full of real people!

Because there were so many viewers, the stream’s network became unstable and the image quality dropped. The backend staff worked overtime.

Zhuang He couldn’t help but remark that Yuan Shiyuan really did bring his own traffic.

The chat gradually spun out of control. Yuan glanced at Zhuang He, who gave him an encouraging look.

Then he’d just livestream based on his mood. He skipped sensitive topics, picked subjects he liked, and replied selectively.

“Are you really an Alpha?”

“Do you like Alphas?”

“Have you liked an Alpha before?”

One user spammed similar messages repeatedly. Yuan didn’t see why his gender or sexual orientation should be questioned—he was an Alpha, of course he liked Omegas.

“Have you liked an Alpha?” He repeated that chat message but didn’t answer immediately. He paused for a moment, building anticipation, then very lightly lifted an eyebrow. “I won’t tell you.”

[Babe… even if you’re an Alpha, I accept it…]

[Who understands that eyebrow raise? Naughty, you hooked me completely.]

[…]

The livestream went very smoothly. Yuan seemed born for this—the camera never fazed him, and he was good at livening the atmosphere. Even chatting about mundane things drew in many casual fans.

Not only the viewers behind screens, but even the on-site staff couldn’t resist taking out their phones to tap hearts like crazy, boosting Yuan Shiyuan’s livestream metrics.

Before the stream ended, the staff rushed to bring water. Some of the bottled water spilled and accidentally wet Yuan Shiyuan’s abdomen.

The white shirt clung to his body, tracing his abdominal muscles, and the chat once again went completely wild.

The livestream time was up, but Yuan Shiyuan didn’t bother drying off—he simply said goodbye while still wet: “That’s it for today’s stream. See you next time!”

He looked into the camera with those clear, hopeful eyes. “You’ll come see me again next time, right?”

Soon the platform’s hot searches sprouted several tags.

#Top-tier Divine Face#/#Beauty Filter Strike#/#Heaven Provides#, and clips from Yuan Shiyuan’s livestream were edited and reposted across platforms.

The most widely shared clips were the eyebrow lift with the slight smile and the wet-shirt shot. They went viral, topping charts everywhere.

[Before clicking: Eat something nice.

After clicking: Human nature…]

[Wasn’t Yuan Shiyuan blacklisted by Ximi Entertainment? Is Starry Night Entertainment snatching beauty from the tiger’s mouth? Looking at his face, I admit—u1s1 he’s really top-tier.]

[Wasn’t Starry Night’s side being vague? Economic dispute, Ximi Entertainment owes wages [covering face]. Ximi groveling so fast, pulling hot searches and apologizing—this series of moves means it’s definitely more complicated than it looks.]

[I seriously suspect some Ximi exec tried to pressure ysy into compromising, and ysy refused. Otherwise I don’t understand why Ximi would abandon such a cash cow.]

[You can also tell Starry Night is really anxious. Scepter’s been flop for so long, they invested so much, now they can’t wait to sign a new member…]

[Is this the Starry Night leadership’s tactic—a honey trap? [enlarged wet-shirt thin-skin jpg.]]

[Just a little wet shirt—temptation, lol, I give up resisting. [covering face][silly smile][laughing][tongue out]]

[You’re testing the staff with this? Damn, this time the capital really set a trap. [silly smile][silly smile][silly smile]]

Yuan Shiyuan returned to campus to pack his things, then went to the bank.

He split the signing bonus into four parts: one transfer to his adoptive mother, one to his adoptive father, one taken out as cash for immediate use, and the last kept in his own bank card.

The hospital wasn’t crowded; his adoptive mother had just finished a checkup. Yuan Shiyuan slung his backpack on, hurriedly took the wheelchair and pushed her back to the ward.

A nurse walked beside him. “Mr. Yuan, the gland’s recovery is going very well. At this rate, the surgery should go smoothly.”

“Thank you.” Yuan Shiyuan smiled with curved eyes and handed the nurse a milk tea. “I heard Omegas like this brand of milk tea. I wonder if you’d like it.”

The tall, handsome Alpha in front of her made the Omega nurse blush. She quickly lowered her head but kept sneaking glances at the pink-haired Alpha.

“I can’t accept this…” Her heartbeat quickened; overwhelmed by his bright smile, she took the milk tea in a daze. “Thank you, I—I like it.”

Yuan Shiyuan helped Yuan Xing lie down on the hospital bed. “Mom, has your gland been hurting lately?”

“A lot better lately.” Yuan Xing was a gentle Omega; she looked at her young son. “You’re still studying—don’t keep taking on so many part-time jobs. It’s too hard. You should enjoy your campus life more.”

“My medical bills… aren’t something you should have to pay.”

Yuan Shiyuan opened a few pills and prepared warm water. “I don’t think it’s hard. I actually have plenty of time every day. Besides, jobs are so hard to get now—by working early I’m just getting familiar with society and building experience.”

“I’m even afraid I won’t find a job after graduation.”

Yuan Xing’s eyes reddened.

Yuan Shiyuan pretended not to notice and spoke lightly: “And I’ve found a job now—did Dad tell you? I’m going to be an idol.”

Yuan Xing knew about it; half worried, half happy. She worried her son—without any backing—might be taken advantage of, but she was also glad he’d get on TV, that he was going to become a star.

But when he looked at the child’s clearly thinner frame and innocent face, his voice went hoarse: “Yuanyuan…”

“The manager just messaged the work group—I have to go to the company!” Yuan Shiyuan stood up at once. “Mom, you get some rest. In a little while you can have the surgery.”

Before he left, he bent down and hugged Yuan Xing. “Everything will be fine. Our family will be okay.”

Gland-related illnesses are tricky and require long-term treatment.

Their family had once been well-off: his father was a lawyer at a reputable firm and his mother a teacher. Their home wasn’t a mansion, but it was downtown and they even had a decent car.

Although Yuan Shiyuan was adopted, his foster parents never deprived him of anything. As a child he attended many extracurricular classes—piano, painting, dance… Every winter and summer break his foster parents would take them traveling abroad.

From the outside it looked like a respectable, happy family, but a single illness swept through and changed everything.

There was a small black envelope on the table. Yuan Xing looked at the crisp bills inside and couldn’t hold back her tears.

As an Omega, she was naturally sentimental. She wiped her eyes and called her husband: “Yuanyuan left us some money. Come by later and deposit it into Yuanyuan’s little savings account.”

Since the kids were young they had opened a bank card for them and regularly deposited money—an education and growth fund. After all, when the children grew up they might need money for a car, a house, starting a business, or marriage.

–

Yuan Shiyuan had just arrived in the company lobby when Assistant Xiao Huang hurried down to meet him.

“I know where to go; you don’t have to come down.” Yuan Shiyuan handed a tissue to the sweating assistant. “It’s hot, isn’t it?”

Xiao Huang’s face had flushed red. He took the tissue, stammering, “No, no. It’s fine. I wasn’t doing anything anyway.”

“You came early. So far only three people have arrived: Pei Yanbing, Jiang Heng, and Ying Mingche.”

So Xiao Huang had come to brief him.

Yuan Shiyuan had already researched Scepter. Pei Yanbing was the group’s iceberg captain; Jiang Heng was the cool guy who did music production; Ying Mingche seemed to be the younger twin—sunny and outgoing, like an enthusiastic little dog.

“Isn’t there another member who went abroad?” He still remembered Zhuang He yesterday, flustered, instructing staff as if trying to bring someone back.

“That’s Bo Jin. He stole his passport and flew to the United Kingdom yesterday, but we’ve already brought him back.” Xiao Huang glanced at the time. “He should have arrived at the company by now.”

While he understood not wanting to go to work, this guy might be taking it a bit far.

Even before meeting him, Yuan Shiyuan had a rough read on this member’s personality: rebellious, arrogant, untamed—exactly how some fans described Bo Jin: a rebel artist.

The elevator doors opened and the pheromone concentration in the corridor spiked. A conversation thick with tension came from an office whose door hadn’t yet closed.

“I think I called dibs on that spot first, didn’t I?”

“Does it have your name written on it?”

“Jiang Heng, honestly sometimes I think you’re amazing.” A light, puzzled voice said, “How do you manage to make absolutely everyone hate you so precisely?”

“You’re not included.”

It sounded like they were arguing over a spot. Maybe they didn’t particularly want it; they’d simply been triggered into territorial behavior and started fighting over it.

That’s Alpha nature: they like to compete, they revel in taking things, and they can’t stand others of their kind claiming their possessions.

Yuan Shiyuan now had a rough sense that the relationships inside this boy group weren’t very harmonious—this was painfully plastic.

Amid the tense stand-off among the members, Yuan Shiyuan felt like the calmest outsider. After Zhuang He finished breaking up the argument, he knocked on the door:

“May I come in?”

All eyes turned in unison. The Alpha lounging with a careless posture suddenly straightened; his amber pupils widened. The next second, like a hound spotting prey, he lunged in front of Yuan Shiyuan: “Are you our new member?”

“You’re so handsome—are you really an Alpha?”

The Alpha before him looked young and easygoing, the popular “puppy” type. He must be the twin younger brother, Ying Mingche.

Yuan Shiyuan smiled and brushed the hair at the nape of his neck with his fingertips. “Do you want to check whether I’m an Alpha?”

The pink strands were swept aside by pale, delicate fingers, revealing the gland at the nape. A pheromone barrier patch was stuck above it, but Ying Mingche could still sharply detect the scent of a kindred.

The gland beneath the pink hair was completely exposed—few Alphas were this pale; even the gland was snow-white. His skin was translucent and fair, looking thin and tender, as if it would show marks easily.

Not like an Alpha—more like an Omega meant to be claimed.

“Yuan Shiyuan, our new member, just like you all, is an S-rank Alpha.”

“Everyone, get to know him—you’re family from now on!” Zhuang He interrupted at the right moment. “Pei Yanbing, as captain, you lead the welcome.”

Pei Yanbing stepped forward slowly, exuding a cold aura. But the chill didn’t seem targeted; it felt innate—he was simply naturally aloof.

His long fingers, sheathed in black leather gloves, brushed Yuan Shiyuan’s hand and withdrew at once.

“Pei Yanbing,” he said, “welcome.”

“Jiang Heng.”

When Jiang Heng’s palm closed over his, Yuan Shiyuan barely raised an eyebrow. This cool-guy Alpha had a strong grip that made Yuan’s knuckles ache; his pale fingers quickly blushed a water-red from the pressure.

Gripping so hard—intimidation?

Yuan Shiyuan returned a friendly smile, then squeezed back firmly. Jiang Heng looked surprised, perhaps taken aback that Yuan had such strength.

Ying Mingche was the most enthusiastic. He hugged Yuan Shiyuan first; his canines flashed between his smiles.

“Welcome to signing the servitude contract. From now on we’re tied together.” He leaned close to Yuan’s ear and winked. “Brother Zhuang said we’ll bunk in the dorms—have you chosen your room? Live with me?”

“I haven’t tried dorm life before. It sounds fun.”

At that moment Ying Mingche’s phone rang; he pointed to it. “I have to step out—my brother’s calling me.”

He meant his twin, Ying Mingxi.

Once Ying Mingche left, the office quieted considerably. Zhuang He said, “Dorm assignments were supposed to be random, but you can preview them early and get priority.”

Yuan Shiyuan: “Random is fine—same as everyone else.”

Zhuang He added, “Living with Mingche wouldn’t be bad. The kid’s a bit childish sometimes, but he’s warm—you two should get along.”

Assistant Xiao Huang: “Mm, Mingche’s really generous with people.”

Ying Mingche treated everyone warmly and was always smiling and easy to get along with. When people talked about him, they spoke highly and were happy to interact with him.

But Yuan Shiyuan had always been wary of people who were immediately overenthusiastic and rarely formed deep friendships with them.

“You guys go on ahead,” Yuan Shiyuan said. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

The restroom was at the end of the corridor, and the path passed a rooftop. As Yuan Shiyuan neared the rooftop, he heard a very clear voice of complaint.

“Annoying—what’s so great about gathering?” It was Ying Mingche.

He was leaning one hand on the railing, a stark contrast to the warmth he’d shown moments before.

“Ah, nothing much—just went to see the new member. Then Brother Zhuang said we’d be dorming together from now on,” Ying Mingche said. “Who wants to room with someone else?”

Alphas have a strong sense of territoriality, especially a top-tier Alpha like him.

“What’s the new member’s name?”

Ying Mingxi asked casually, but Ying Mingche suddenly grew irritable. Yuan Shiyuan had a face that was hard to forget—the soft, pale pink hair lay smoothly against his temples, his eyes were clear and bright, and when he tilted the corners of his mouth to speak, a lively youthful energy radiated from him.

Beautiful hands, a slim waist.

Ying Mingche answered offhandedly, “Name? Don’t know, forgot.”

“He’s just so-so looking, nothing special.”

“…”

Yuan Shiyuan didn’t have the habit of eavesdropping on corners, and he wasn’t surprised at all, nor did he feel anything extra about it. When Ying Mingxi had earlier said he’d live with him, it was probably just politeness—Ying Mingche hadn’t taken it seriously.

He also didn’t plan to become friends with his colleagues; as long as he did the surface work well, that would be enough.

We’re all workers—no need to make things hard for each other.

By the time a cigarette was finished, Yuan Shiyuan had come out of the bathroom and Ying Mingche had also ended his call.

Ying Mingche continued the earlier topic enthusiastically: “Let’s pick Dorm 1, okay? Dorm 1 gets great sunlight; later we can plant flowers on the balcony and sunbathe.”

His face was full of expectation, as if he longed for the dorm life to come.

Yuan Shiyuan declined politely: “We’ve already drawn our dorms.”

Ying Mingche froze for a moment, then sounded disappointed: “Oh— I thought we agreed to live together. It’s fine, the dorms are close anyway, I’ll help you move your luggage…”

Yuan Shiyuan smiled and interrupted: “Thank you, Xiao Huang has already helped me move it over.”

For the first time a crack appeared in Ying Mingche’s smile; he stared at him for a moment before saying, “Really?”

“Mm, I’ll go sort my things now,” Yuan Shiyuan said courteously. “After I’m done, I’ll come find you to hang out.”

Ying Mingche watched Yuan Shiyuan’s retreating back with deep puzzlement and fell into a long, thoughtful silence.

Ying Mingxi arrived late: “Everyone’s gone? What are you standing here for?”

“Brother, is there something wrong with me today?”

“What?”

Ying Mingche was lost in his own world, brow furrowed as he replayed Yuan Shiyuan’s earlier expressions and tone. There was nothing wrong—friendly, proactive, considerate—everything was just right.

He was even more baffled: “So where’s the problem?”

Because of his superior looks and family background—and perhaps his pheromones—Ying Mingche had been popular since childhood. His pheromones naturally attracted people, put them at ease, and made them open up to him.

But Yuan Shiyuan was completely unaffected by that added influence of his pheromones.

Ignoring his initiative, rejecting his attentions…

“Perfect,” Ying Mingche murmured with a low laugh, his shoulders trembling slightly as if suppressing some excited emotion. As his identical twin, Ying Mingxi knew better than anyone that this was a sign Ying Mingche had become interested.

Yuan Shiyuan had drawn Dorm 3, which was a bit out of the way.

Xiao Huang video-called him to help with directions, and Yuan curiously asked, “Who am I sharing the dorm with?”

Xiao Huang: “It’s Bo Jin!”

Yuan Shiyuan said, “That’s a distinctive name.”

“Distinctive is an understatement!” Xiao Huang lowered his voice. “He was once harassed by an A-type; he’s notorious for being ‘homophobic’ and is very straight-A — to put it bluntly, old-school macho. Also, he really, really hates handsome Alphas.”

He added quietly, “Especially… ones as pretty as you.”

Yuan Shiyuan only smiled: “Homophobic? Straight? Perfect.”

That Bo Jin is straight actually worked in Yuan Shiyuan’s favor.

Because of his excessively striking face, Yuan Shiyuan easily became an object of fantasy for Alphas.

Back in school, he had often been the target of Alphas vying for his attention, provoking overly fervent pursuit and devotion—and there were plenty of voyeuristic gazes lurking like mice in the shadows.

Love letters were laced with vulgar terms and obscene remarks. Most of those comments, distressingly, came from the same sex.

Bo Jin being a straight man who suffered similar harassment made Yuan Shiyuan feel a sympathetic camaraderie.

Living with a short-tempered straight guy meant, at worst, getting scolded—not having to worry about being assaulted.

In a good mood, Yuan Shiyuan rounded the corner and spotted a luggage backpack tossed outside the door; his brows lifted slightly.

What is this? Starting with bullying right away?

The video call hadn’t ended. Xiao Huang hesitated, then said, “It looks like Bo Jin threw your stuff out…”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Yuan Shiyuan replied calmly. “Thanks for your trouble. You can go.”

He hung up and found the key wouldn’t turn—the lock had been changed. He knocked, his knuckles tapped the door with light force, not heavy but carrying an unmistakable pressure.

“Hey, man?”

No answer.

Yuan Shiyuan kept knocking while counting down in his head. If the other side didn’t open, he’d kick the door in.

Three, two, one—

The door was flung open.

An Alpha stood silhouetted against the light in the doorway; the hallway light sketched out a tall, imposing, aggressive figure. He was very tall, looking down at Yuan Shiyuan from above, his eyes dark beneath damp, unruly hair, the lower half of his face fitted with a matte-black metal bite stopper.

The S-rank Alpha’s pheromones surged like a tangible tide, his body hot, his breathing ragged…

Susceptible period!

Author’s Note:

V updates before the list, v updates after; if anything comes up I’ll take leave. Tentatively updating at 8:00 AM [throw flowers]

Thanks, darlings, for the nutrient packs and lightning donations! [kisses][kisses][hugs]