Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 57
Chapter 57: Covering Up
“Looks like someone’s already made the choice for you.”
Hearing the commotion at the door, Yuan Shiyuan arched an eyebrow, his tone teasing. “When I began to relish the thrill of infidelity, my bed partner started harboring ambitions of climbing the social ladder, subtly testing my boundaries. Our trysts gradually shifted from secret rendezvous to my own home, even to my ‘boyfriend’s’ bed…”
“Now, the rightful master of the house has returned.” His gaze was amused as he drawled, “What will you do now?”
Jiang Heng fell silent.
Yuan Shiyuan’s words suddenly made Jiang Heng realize the classic scenario unfolding: the wife caught in the act with her lover, the husband returning unexpectedly.
The knocking grew more frantic. Bo Jin’s voice, low and tinged with suspicion, called out, “Yuan Shiyuan?”
The voice was like a warning siren, yet it stirred a strange thrill within Jiang Heng.
How can I avoid being discovered?
“How should I know?” Yuan Shiyuan’s voice was laced with amusement. “Who told you to cheat with me? And to do it in my own home?”
Unfortunately, the script only provided partial details, lacking specifics for this particular scene. Jiang Heng could only think through the character’s perspective.
If I were him, what would I do?
The dormitory was spacious but offered no suitable hiding places. The space under the bed was too cramped to accommodate an S-rank alpha.
Seeing Yuan Shiyuan’s amused, theatrical expression, Jiang Heng already had a plan.
“Jumping out the window is impractical,” he murmured. “There’s nowhere to hide anyway. I’ll need you to cover for me.”
“Help me out,” Jiang Heng pleaded, stepping closer.
His words made it sound like they were truly having an affair.
Yuan Shiyuan found the situation absurdly amusing, yet he had also gained some skill through repeated practice. “Alright, I’ll cover for you.”
As Jiang Heng turned to slip into the restroom, Yuan Shiyuan suddenly grabbed his collar, yanking him down like a dog on a leash.
Then, with practiced ease, he pecked Jiang Heng’s… lips.
Jiang Heng’s pupils dilated sharply.
Yuan Shiyuan blinked innocently, his fingers still gripping Jiang Heng’s collar. “Kissing me in front of my boyfriend,” he taunted, “isn’t that thrilling?”
Yuan Shiyuan had originally intended to kiss Jiang Heng on the lips; he had rehearsed this scenario with multiple teammates and was mentally prepared.
But Jiang Heng wasn’t one of them. Fearing he might react poorly, Yuan Shiyuan restrained himself, opting for a simple peck on the corner of Jiang Heng’s mouth to create the illusion of a forbidden tryst.
He never expected Jiang Heng to suddenly pin him against the door, the panel rattling violently.
Amidst the increasingly frantic pounding and shouting outside, Jiang Heng lowered his head and bit Yuan Shiyuan’s chin, then gently sucked, creating a faint, wet sound.
“?!?”
“Weren’t you craving some excitement?” Jiang Heng’s thumb gently grazed the pink mark on Yuan Shiyuan’s chin. “Better explain this to your boyfriend.”
Yuan Shiyuan froze, then chuckled softly. He reached up to grasp Jiang Heng’s neck, pressing his lips against the side of Jiang Heng’s throat and leaving a dark hickey.
Under Jiang Heng’s stunned, rigid gaze, Yuan Shiyuan patted his cheek. “You’re in the same group as my boyfriend, right? When you see him tomorrow, you’ll be wearing my mark… You’d better start thinking about how to explain this to him.” Yuan Shiyuan shoved him into the restroom and turned to walk toward the door.
Jiang Heng’s heart raced uncontrollably.
He knew Yuan Shiyuan was putting on an act, that these lines and developments were all improvised.
Yet he still… found himself completely swept along.
Amid the deafening pounding of his heart, Jiang Heng slowly lifted his head, the mirror reflecting his current state: disheveled black hair, flushed ears and neck, and a prominent hickey on his throat…
A mark left by Yuan Shiyuan.
“What’s this?”
The moment the door swung open, Bo Jin’s presence surged into the dormitory. Within a second, he sensed another person’s presence.
Even though the intruder had left no pheromone trail or visible traces, Bo Jin could still detect them—the instinctive awareness of an S-rank alpha facing an intrusion.
The dormitory was spacious and brightly lit, offering no hiding places. Bo Jin’s gaze swept the room before settling on the tightly closed restroom door.
His expression was a mixture of suspicion, scrutiny, and a barely perceptible tension.
Just as Bo Jin was about to open the door, Yuan Shiyuan suddenly stepped in front of it. This allowed Bo Jin to notice the obvious marks on Yuan Shiyuan’s chin, prompting him to ask, “Why is your chin so red?”
Not just his chin, but his lips were also unusually crimson, like overripe berries waiting to be plucked. Despite the dim lighting, they still shimmered with a dewy sheen.
Yuan Shiyuan instinctively shifted slightly toward the restroom, blocking Bo Jin’s view, and feigned nonchalance. “Red? I probably accidentally pressed it against something.”
“Is that so?” Bo Jin took a step closer. “After I opened the door, it was immediately closed again. Then I knocked for a long time and called your name repeatedly.”
Bo Jin didn’t ask what had happened specifically. Instead, he recounted his own actions, waiting for Yuan Shiyuan’s explanation.
“I dozed off for a bit and must have closed the door in my sleep. I didn’t hear any noise after that,” Yuan Shiyuan said, pulling a flimsy excuse out of thin air. “I’m starving. Let’s go grab some late-night snacks?”
“I already bought some,” Bo Jin said, raising his hand to reveal a thermal bag.
“What about drinks? Midnight snacks have to come with something to wash them down…”
“Got those too.”
“……”
Yuan Shiyuan’s eyes widened in astonishment, barely believing Bo Jin could be so thorough. But he needed to get Bo Jin out of the dormitory; only then would Jiang Heng have a chance to slip away.
This makes me feel like the little wife covering for her cheating husband.
“Perfect! Let’s eat downstairs in the common area to avoid the dorm smelling of food, then we can go for a stroll.”
Yuan Shiyuan initially wanted to put his arm around Bo Jin’s shoulder, but their height difference made it impossible without standing on tiptoe.
He silently abandoned the attempt and instead hooked his arm through Bo Jin’s. “I want to buy something for my little brother.”
This is so out of character.
Yuan Shiyuan’s reactions, his words, everything about him felt off.
Bo Jin wasn’t stupid; he could sense that Yuan Shiyuan was hiding something from him.
But when he glanced down at the pale arm looped through his and the upward gaze in Yuan Shiyuan’s teary eyes, he couldn’t resist.
Yuan Shiyuan remembered Bo Jin’s words.
Bo Jin had often talked about taking Yuan Shiyuan out to eat and shop, but they’d never found the right opportunity.
Now, not only was Yuan Shiyuan suggesting it himself, but he was even holding onto Bo Jin’s arm.
“Got it,” Bo Jin said. “Let’s go.”
Inside the restroom, Jiang Heng’s gaze peered through the door crack, watching the two chatting and laughing. Yuan Shiyuan tilted his head up to speak to Bo Jin, the sharp point of his chin marked with a kiss Bo Jin had sucked into existence.
Jiang Heng touched the hickey Yuan Shiyuan had left on his neck.
As if sensing his gaze, Bo Jin turned back. Just as his eyes were about to land on the restroom door, Yuan Shiyuan slammed the dormitory door shut.
Once inside the elevator, Yuan Shiyuan finally let out a sigh of relief. I’ve pretty much nailed this mission, right?
“Why did you suddenly decide to buy me midnight snacks?” he asked, finally getting a chance to examine Bo Jin’s purchases. “They’re all my favorites!”
Instead of answering, Bo Jin countered, “Why did you suddenly want to go shopping with me?”
“Just wanted to spend some time alone with you,” Yuan Shiyuan said casually.
“Alone with me?”
“Of course! You’re so good to me—even mended my little plush doll! I love being with you,” Yuan Shiyuan declared. “Why are you so good to me?”
Bo Jin’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly before he quickly suppressed the movement. “Is that all it takes to make you happy?”
As the elevator doors opened, Yuan Shiyuan walked ahead, humming softly to himself.
Watching Yuan Shiyuan’s retreating back, grinning for some unknown reason, Bo Jin muttered to himself, “Such low standards.”
“What was that?”
Bo Jin caught up, casually falling into step beside Yuan Shiyuan. “You mentioned getting something for your brother? What are you planning to buy?”
“Oh, it’s his birthday soon. But he’s been taking too much time off lately and can’t come out. He’s busy with training,” Yuan Shiyuan explained. “I thought I’d buy him a gift and have it mailed to him.”
Yuan Shiyuan had considered surprising his brother at the base in person, but he worried about causing trouble for the other members and decided against it.
“But I have no idea what to get him,” he said, looking troubled. Tilting his head, he asked, “What do young people like these days?”
“You’re talking like you’re ancient.”
“Well, I am older than my brother.”
Bo Jin knew Yuan Shiyuan had a brother. Whenever he heard Yuan Shiyuan mention him, his first thought was always, Is this person a threat to Yuan Shiyuan’s position?
In Bo Jin’s family and social circles, siblings were never welcomed. Another sibling meant another potential heir, posing a threat to one’s future share of the family’s wealth.
But then Bo Jin thought again: not all families were as twisted as his own. He tried to empathize with Yuan Shiyuan, imagining a harmonious sibling relationship.
If I had a younger brother… The first thought that flashed through his mind was: How would I eliminate this threat?
But then he reconsidered. If Yuan Shiyuan were my brother, I’d meticulously prepare the perfect gift.
I’d give him the very best of everything.
This sudden realization stunned even Bo Jin himself.
“A watch?” Bo Jin figured this was a safe bet. Every Alpha needed a watch.
He instinctively glanced down at Yuan Shiyuan’s slender wrist, where a white sports watch was fastened. Mechanical men’s watches flashed through his mind, and he imagined how they would look on Yuan Shiyuan.
With Yuan Shiyuan’s fair skin and delicate wrist, any watch would look good on him…
“A sports watch? He already has one.”
Yuan Shiyuan’s sports watch was the same model as his younger brother’s, but in a different color scheme. They could pair the devices and see each other’s daily steps, heart rate variations, and other data.
“No, I meant a mechanical watch.”
“He’s still young. Why would he need one of those?”
Yuan Shiyuan’s little treasure chest was overflowing now, so he could afford a watch. The main reason was that his younger brother didn’t like them.
Besides a watch, what else could I buy?
What kind of gift would be both unique and meaningful for my younger brother’s coming-of-age day?
Yuan Shiyuan suddenly stopped, and Bo Jin, who was following behind, didn’t react in time and bumped into Yuan Shiyuan’s back. Bo Jin instinctively reached out to steady Yuan Shiyuan by the waist, just as Yuan Shiyuan turned around and asked:
“What are you looking at?” He had keenly sensed Bo Jin’s gaze on him.
“Your hand.”
Yuan Shiyuan raised his hand, and under the streetlamp’s glow, they both examined it together. “What about it?”
“It’s so slender.”
Bo Jin seemed genuinely puzzled. “How can your wrist be so thin?”
Yuan Shiyuan gave a dismissive smile. “Oh, just you’re the strong one, the big fridge.”
The surroundings were pitch-black, but the streetlamp above shone particularly bright. Across the road, a university buzzed with students chatting and passing by.
Under the warm yellow glow, the soft contours of Yuan Shiyuan’s face were illuminated. Bo Jin watched him murmur softly, his slightly swollen lips parting and closing as he spoke words Bo Jin couldn’t quite understand.
Suddenly, Bo Jin seized Yuan Shiyuan’s hand.
The white fitness tracker left a faint red mark on Yuan Shiyuan’s wrist. Though his wrist was slender for an Alpha, one could still sense the underlying strength. Beneath the large hand gripping his wrist, a mechanical wristwatch gleamed with a cold, metallic luster, its brilliance completely overshadowed by the natural radiance of his fair skin.
The priceless watch, a rare luxury item, paled in comparison, reduced to a mere common trinket.
“Your hand is beautiful,” Bo Jin blurted out, his expression slightly awkward.
They stood directly under a streetlight, creating a stage-like spotlight effect. Dust motes danced around them like stardust, enveloping them in a shimmering haze.
Bo Jin held Yuan Shiyuan’s hand, gazed at him intently, and spoke those words of praise.
Yuan Shiyuan swiftly withdrew his hand.
“Alright, enough with the cheesy stuff,” he said, shaking off the goosebumps. He felt utterly embarrassed. What’s with this kind of talk between bros?
Teasing was one thing between friends, but Bo Jin’s sudden, earnest praise, delivered with such genuine sincerity, felt utterly bizarre.
Too weird, Yuan Shiyuan thought, shaking off the goosebumps again and striding forward. Bo Jin watched his retreating figure, his footsteps slowing momentarily before he caught up.
The commercial street lay just ahead, bustling with crowds and lined with small stalls.
Yuan Shiyuan, forgetting his newfound celebrity, instinctively dove into the throng, eager to join the commotion. But a hand clamped down on his wrist, tugging him back.
Bo Jin reached out and pulled Yuan Shiyuan’s baseball cap low over his eyes, the brim shadowing most of his small face.
His calloused fingertip brushed against Yuan Shiyuan’s earlobe as he moved to help him put on a mask. Then Bo Jin’s gaze suddenly froze.
Earlier, Bo Jin had only noticed Yuan Shiyuan’s swollen, reddened lips. Now, he clearly saw a faint bite mark at the corner of his mouth.
Bo Jin’s brows furrowed deeply, suspicion, shock, and dawning realization warring in his expression. Recalling Yuan Shiyuan’s earlier strange behavior, everything suddenly seemed to click into place.
“What’s wrong?” Yuan Shiyuan asked.
Bo Jin’s expression was complex. He wanted to ask, but some unspoken restraint held him back.
“Your lips are very red.”
“Oh, I just ate something spicy.”
“Really?”
Yuan Shiyuan’s flushed state didn’t look like the aftermath of spicy food. It looked more like someone had feasted on his mouth.
Bo Jin knew the truth but feigned ignorance as he helped Yuan Shiyuan put on his mask.
Watching Yuan Shiyuan dart into the bustling crowd, he worried about him being recognized by fans, but even more, he feared the presence of sasaengs nearby.
His palm suddenly brushed against something foreign.
Bo Jin glanced down and saw a single jet-black, curled strand of hair tangled around his fingertip, its origin unknown.
Moments earlier, his hand had only touched Yuan Shiyuan.
As a mixed-blood, Bo Jin’s hair wasn’t pure black, and Yuan Shiyuan’s was pink… This black strand could only have come from someone who had been with Yuan Shiyuan recently.
Bo Jin’s brow furrowed deeply, his eyes narrowing.
He had sensed Yuan Shiyuan’s strange behavior, but Yuan Shiyuan had been all smiles and warmth, calling him “Ge” every other breath. The flattery had been soothing, and Bo Jin had dismissed his suspicions.
What kind of trouble could Yuan Shiyuan possibly cause? he thought. Just harmless mischief. It’s beneath me to pry into such petty matters.
But this hair, combined with Yuan Shiyuan’s expression when he’d first pushed open the door…
His hair disheveled, his lips swollen and crimson, his obvious guilt and desperate haste to get Bo Jin away from the dormitory—he looked like a beautiful wife caught in the act, frantically covering for her adulterous lover…
A lover? Who?
A surge of anger mixed with an inexplicable bitterness welled up in Bo Jin’s chest. He stared at the incriminating evidence in his hand, then at the memory of Yuan Shiyuan’s swollen lips, and let out a cold laugh.
Ironclad proof. The truth laid bare.
“Jiang Heng, you bastard.”
“I could almost forgive you for that little tussle with Yuan Shiyuan at the filming venue. But barging into my dormitory? You’ve gotten far too bold.”
“Such vulgar behavior!”