Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 76

Chapter 76: Flower Wall 

“Is that all you’re eating?”

Yuan Shiyuan feigned interest in a product demonstration as an excuse to sit down and rest for a moment. Bo Jin and Ying Mingche flanked him on either side, feeding him snacks.

After only a few bites, Yuan Shiyuan waved his hand. “I’m afraid if I eat too much, my stomach will bulge out.”

Yuan Shiyuan’s waist was slender, and his abdomen was flat and toned. Even the slightest bulge would be visible through his clothes.

To maintain his perfect image on camera, he dared not overeat, limiting himself to a light meal.

Bo Jin subtly picked up a thick product catalog, opening it to a page that perfectly blocked prying eyes. On the other side, Ying Mingche smoothly produced a wet wipe and leisurely wiped Yuan Shiyuan’s palm.

“We haven’t seen each other in so long. Don’t you miss me at all?” Ying Mingche leaned closer, his tone tinged with petulant complaint.

Yuan Shiyuan looked puzzled. “Didn’t we just see each other yesterday?”

“That still feels like an eternity.”

Ying Mingche yearned to nuzzle into the crook of Yuan Shiyuan’s neck as he had in the past. But under the watchful gazes of onlookers, he forced himself to suppress the urge to bury his face in that warm, familiar space and inhale deeply.

In the shadows where no one noticed, his fingers boldly intertwined with Yuan Shiyuan’s thumb, gently kneading from the base to the tip.

“I’ve been thinking about you constantly, but you never think about me.”

“You’re always so good to my brother,” Ying Mingche added wistfully, his tone suddenly melancholic, as if a new thought had struck him.

Yuan Shiyuan let Ying Mingche’s words pass in one ear and out the other, humming vaguely in response. When he noticed someone taking photos, he dutifully turned to the camera with a smile.

“Are you still nervous?” Bo Jin asked, observing Yuan Shiyuan’s composed demeanor.

“I was nervous at first, but it got much better later,” Yuan Shiyuan replied honestly. “Maybe it’s because I knew you were here, so I wasn’t as scared?”

Bo Jin’s posture stiffened momentarily, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Beneath his mask, the corners of his lips seemed to twitch upward before he forced them back down.

He shifted his fingers awkwardly. “That’s good.”

Yuan Shiyuan, however, seemed oblivious to the loaded implication of his words. Ying Mingche nearly ground his teeth in fury. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m right here! Are you flirting right in front of me?”

“Do you take me for a ghost?”

Yuan Shiyuan was utterly bewildered. “What flirting? I was just telling the truth.”

Unexpectedly, Ying Mingche’s expression darkened further, while Bo Jin struggled to suppress a smug grin. However, with his face obscured by a hat and mask, Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t see their reactions clearly and remained oblivious to their strange behavior.

Initially, Yuan Shiyuan had been nervous. But knowing that familiar friends were nearby, even without seeing them, his anxiety gradually eased.

Ying Mingche’s sudden appearance still caught him off guard.

“But I came to keep you company too,” Ying Mingche whined, nuzzling his arm like a large dog seeking its owner’s attention. “I wanted to surprise you, that’s why I didn’t tell you.”

“You don’t even think of me.”

Yuan Shiyuan pondered for a moment before hooking his fingers around the Alpha’s and gently squeezing them.

“Now I know, and I’m really touched,” he said. “Of course I think of you.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

Ying Mingche’s expression finally softened considerably, his mood brightening.

He shot a smug glance at Bo Jin, then casually scanned the nearby area, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face beneath his sunglasses.

Why are Yuan Shiyuan’s former teammates still hanging around? Don’t they realize how irritating they are?

“Those guys… they’re your former teammates, right?” Ying Mingche asked, feigning nonchalance. “What are they doing here?”

“This brand doesn’t exactly scream ‘Alpha shopping spree.’ They must be buying gifts for their lovers, huh? And they actually managed to snag VIC…” He subtly smeared their reputation. “Looks like they’ve got more than one lover.”

As he spoke, Ying Mingche carefully observed Yuan Shiyuan’s subtle changes in expression.

Yuan Shiyuan remained indifferent. “If you’re so curious, why don’t you just go ask them yourself?”

He had zero interest in their romantic entanglements or private lives.

“I couldn’t care less about them,” Ying Mingche replied, his mood soaring. He leaned in closer, pressing his advantage, and whispered in a voice only they could hear, “I’m only interested in our little princess Yuanyuan.”

Yuan Shiyuan shuddered with disgust, goosebumps prickling his skin. He shoved the Alpha’s face away with a look of disdain. “Cut it out.”

Seeing Yuan Shiyuan visibly disgusted, his usual composure cracking, Ying Mingche leaned against the armrest and burst into laughter. Across from them, Bo Jin frowned, his eyes icy under the brim of his hat, clearly displeased by their earlier intimate exchange.

Yuan Shiyuan leaned back against the sofa, the earlier tension dissipating amidst the familiar banter.

Ying Mingche had always been a troublemaker, full of bluster but quick to panic when actually put on the spot.

Indeed, Yuan Shiyuan thought, I prefer Scepter’s relaxed atmosphere.

Yuan Shiyuan hated being restrained.

Around his Scepter teammates, Yuan Shiyuan felt himself unwind completely, stretching out as naturally as a cat settling into its familiar den.

Pale pink strands of hair brushed against his snow-white neck as he sank slightly into the sofa. His entire demeanor exuded a casual ease and trust he would never have shown his former teammates.

Nearby, Su Luochen watched the scene unfold, a cold sneer escaping his throat.

He slammed down a gulp of chilled champagne, but it couldn’t quench the burning fire in his chest.

Yue Xiao, a man of exceptional intellect, was born with a deficit in social intelligence and emotional awareness. Yet even he could clearly sense something was amiss with his childhood friend.

“What are you so angry about?” he asked, then added with certainty, “You are angry, aren’t you?”

Su Luochen scoffed, a sardonic twist of his lips. “Ha! Me? Angry? What have I got to be angry about?”

“It’s just Yuan Shiyuan showing favoritism, right? Clinging to his new teammates like they’re Siamese twins, practically sitting on their laps. And toward me? He throws me cold looks, not even bothering to pretend otherwise.” As Su Luochen spoke, his chest heaved more violently, and his words tumbled out faster. “Now that he’s so close to his new teammates, all buddy-buddy, I should be setting off firecrackers to celebrate!”

“I just find it strange how he can be so biased.”

“He’s never been this warm toward us before!”

Yue Xiao’s gaze at his friend grew increasingly peculiar.

Even someone as emotionally tone-deaf as him could clearly perceive the turbulent, almost out-of-control emotions churning beneath Su Luochen’s words.

Su Luochen was clearly seething with rage, yet he insisted on maintaining a facade of magnanimous indifference.

At this moment, Nan Liujing, who had been silent all along, spoke up gloomily. “That’s you guys. He’s never been this close to you, but he has been this close to me.”

“Shiyuan used to be so good to me,” he said.

Yue Xiao replied coldly, “That’s all in the past now.”

“He was good to you?” Su Luochen scoffed, as if hearing the joke of the century. “He was good to you, and then what? You suddenly ignored him, and he ignored you right back.”

“Now you’re crawling back like a lapdog,” he sneered mercilessly. “Don’t you have any self-respect? Even a dog has more backbone than you!”

Nan Liujing’s face turned deathly pale. “It was an accident! I… I was really confused back then.”

Su Luochen didn’t bother acknowledging him. “Shut up. You sent him all those pathetic essays, and he didn’t reply once, not even a word. Useless.”

Nan Liujing’s expression darkened, clutching at the last straw. “But he didn’t block me.”

“That’s because we all added his work account,” Yue Xiao revealed cruelly, “He probably hasn’t even logged in for ages.”

The truth was the hardest pill to swallow. Nan Liujing looked utterly devastated, his face falling into that mournful, haunted expression again.

Su Luochen gritted his teeth and stared ahead, forcing himself to watch the cozy scene of Yuan Shiyuan surrounded by other Alphas.

Fickle! As changeable as the tides!

He and Nan Liujing had once been as close as brothers, sharing everything, yet he’d abandoned him in an instant. And now, after so little time, he’s already become so close to these new Alphas? Two of them!

Su Luochen remained completely oblivious to the bitter resentment churning within him, the hurt of betrayal, like a wronged husband abandoned after being used.

Seething with anger, he suddenly remembered something and beckoned a sales associate.

“How much do we need to spend for a group photo?”

“Five million.”

Su Luochen did a quick mental calculation. “Oh, we’ve already exceeded that, right?”

“Yes, Mr. Su,” the sales associate replied gently. “Your combined spending with Mr. Nan and Mr. Yue has exceeded five million. You’re all eligible for a group photo…”

“Can we stack the photo sessions?” Su Luochen asked. “I want to take several.”

At this, Nan Liujing and Yue Xiao both turned their heads, staring in disbelief.

Accustomed to such requests, the sales associate explained smoothly, “Of course! However, each photo session is timed, not counted by the number of shots. If you wish to spend more time with Mr. Yuan Shiyuan, the duration can be extended…”

Su Luochen paused, taken aback. He had assumed five million yuan would buy only a cold group photo, but it turned out the price was per unit of time.

Could he actually buy time alone with Yuan Shiyuan?

That’s quite the bargain.

“Fine,” Su Luochen said after a moment’s thought, gesturing casually at the display case. “All the items he touched earlier—every single one. I’ll take them all.”

As an artist himself, Su Luochen knew full well that today’s sales would indirectly boost the spokesperson’s commercial value. But he had no ulterior motives, no intention of supporting Yuan Shiyuan’s sales. He was simply buying a few items on a whim—money burning a hole in his pocket, nothing more.

Yue Xiao didn’t understand. “Why buy so much? We’ve already spent enough.”

Their personal styles clashed with the brand’s aesthetic. Even if they tried to give the items away, it would take forever to find suitable recipients.

Su Luochen leaned back lazily on the sofa, crossing his long legs. His gaze, however, unconsciously drifted to the pink-clad figure in the distance.

“The more I buy, the longer our photo session will be… He hates me so much, doesn’t he?” Su Luochen drawled, his voice dripping with malice. “Then I’ll buy even more, forcing him to spend time with someone he despises, making him endure my presence.”

“I’ll disgust him to death.”

Yue Xiao frowned, his brow furrowed. “Is that really what you’re thinking?”

Su Luochen dismissed the matter with a shrug. “I have my own rhythm. You wouldn’t understand.”

The high-tier fragrances in the store functioned as air fresheners, yet the complex, interwoven scents of Alpha pheromones still lingered in the air.

Many Alpha customers were present, including some shy figures wearing masks. Though their outfits were relatively casual, they wore Yuan Shiyuan’s signature pain-themed apparel, and their itabags (painful bags) were adorned with badges and miniature character charms, clearly marking them as fervent fans of Yuan Shiyuan.

Yuan Shiyuan was well aware of his sizable fanbase, and he had heard rumors of the absurd behavior of some extreme fans.

Yet now, in close proximity, the Alphas before him appeared refined and courteous. Though their gazes held fervent intensity, they maintained a respectful and restrained distance.

It seems the extreme fans are just a minority, Yuan Shiyuan thought. Most of his fans are normal, like these Alphas.

Just as he came to this conclusion, one Alpha customer suddenly asked in a hushed voice, “Little Yuan, do people often mistake your gender and assume you’re an Omega?”

The Alpha’s voice trembled with suppressed excitement, the tail end of his words quivering.

Adhering to the principle that the customer is always right, Yuan Shiyuan maintained his composure. Besides, the question wasn’t difficult to answer. “Yes, it’s true. Ever since I differentiated, I’ve been mistaken for other genders.”

Now, however, such misidentification was no longer a concern. He was unequivocally an Omega.

Just when Yuan Shiyuan thought the conversation had ended, the Alpha seemed emboldened, his breathing growing noticeably heavier. “Then… has anyone ever mistaken you for an A-same?”

Their voices were neither too loud nor too soft, perfectly audible to everyone present. All eyes turned simultaneously to focus on Yuan Shiyuan.

The Alphas stared intently at his figure, holding their breath as they awaited his answer.

“Oh, yes,” Yuan Shiyuan replied casually.

“So, are you one?”

“That question…” Yuan Shiyuan drawled, his tone playful and teasing. He paused deliberately, letting his voice rise slightly at the end of the sentence. Then, leaning in slightly, he flashed a faint smile. “Does it really matter?”

Even hidden behind a mask and hat, the Alpha’s flustered state was betrayed by the crimson flush that gradually spread across his face. His ears and neck flushed crimson, and his breathing grew even heavier.

Yuan Shiyuan didn’t give a direct answer. Instead, he calmly moved on to serve the next VIC customer.

He remained utterly perplexed as to why Alphas were so fixated on his sexuality, constantly wondering if he was “A-same.”

Ah… but that’s not quite right either.

He was an Omega now. Even if he were with an Alpha, it wouldn’t technically be “A-same.”

Yet the mere thought of being with an Alpha sent chills down his spine and made his muscles tense. The image of an Alpha placing a big orange segment into his pigudrum… it was just too strange.

He still couldn’t quite accept it.

“Mr. Yuan Shiyuan!” The manager hurried over, accompanied by another Alpha, impeccably dressed in a suit and radiating an air of extraordinary refinement.

“Mr. Yu Sijing needs to leave early due to urgent business. Would you be available to take a photo with him now?”

The Alpha’s lead-gray suit accentuated his broad, upright frame. In his arms, he held a small, exquisitely sculpted boy. Both the man and the child turned to Yuan Shiyuan, awaiting his reply.

Yuan Shiyuan nodded. “Of course. Shall we shoot here?”

Gu Weiyuan chimed in eagerly, “Daddy set up a special venue! Let’s go there!”

Yuan Shiyuan glanced at Yu Sijing in surprise, not expecting Yu Sijing to have prepared a special venue. Noticing his gaze, Yu Sijing returned a gentlemanly, composed smile.

Deep within the VIP area, the sight before Yuan Shiyuan’s eyes made his pupils dilate sharply.

Both sides of the ground were covered with freshly air-freighted pink and white roses, their rich fragrance filling the air. The rose-lined path snaked upward, eventually converging into a towering wall of fully blooming flowers.

At the center of the floral wall, a meticulously crafted, perfect circle had been carved out.

“I did my homework,” Yu Sijing’s deep voice rumbled slowly, rich as the roses’ scent. “It seems you have a nickname: ‘Circle’ (○). I hope you like it.”

Snap!

Nearby, Bo Jin slammed his product catalog shut, while Ying Mingche’s smile instantly froze, his gaze locked rigidly on the scene unfolding before him.

Countless Alpha gazes turned scalding with hostility, all fixed on Yu Sijing.

The high-ranking Alpha pheromones surged around Yuan Shiyuan, as invisible to him as the air itself.

His gaze was utterly captivated by the flower wall designed specifically for him, his amber eyes brimming with genuine surprise and delight.

“Thank you,” he said, turning his head with a radiant smile. “I love it.”

The professional photographer had already taken his position. Gu Weiyuan squirmed in Yu Sijing’s arms, then suddenly reached out his little hand toward Yuan Shiyuan, his lips forming a pout. “I want Mommy to hold me.”

“Don’t call him that,” Yu Sijing corrected with a frown. “Call him Big Brother.”

Gu Weiyuan surreptitiously observed Yuan Shiyuan’s expression.

Yuan Shiyuan had always been indulgent toward well-behaved children. He reached out and took Gu Weiyuan into his arms. “Let me hold him.”

He lowered his head and added, “Your daddy’s right. You should call me Big Brother.”

“Okay…” Though reluctant, Gu Weiyuan obeyed obediently, nuzzling his small head against Yuan Shiyuan’s neck. “Big Brother, you smell so good!”

“I really like it!”

Yuan Shiyuan let the little boy snuggle into the crook of his neck as he stood beside the impeccably dressed Alpha, smiling at the camera.

“Daddy, move closer! You’re barely in the shot!” Gu Weiyuan urged.

Yu Sijing, ever the gentleman, didn’t immediately move. Instead, he glanced at Yuan Shiyuan as if seeking permission.

Seeing this, Yuan Shiyuan took a step closer to the Alpha.

Their arms nearly brushed, separated only by the thin fabric of their clothes, the warmth radiating from each other’s bodies distinctly palpable.

“Mr. Yu, this distance should capture a better shot,” Yuan Shiyuan said, tilting his head slightly and asking politely, “Do you mind?”

Yuan Shiyuan’s irises were unusually pale, a striking amber color.

Under the crystal chandelier’s glow, as he tilted his face up to look at the Alpha, his lashes curved upward, giving him an exceptionally gentle appearance. He cradled the little boy in his arms as he looked up at the impeccably dressed Alpha beside him.

This distance, this angle, this scene…

Yu Sijing found himself momentarily dazed. A strange, powerful illusion struck his heart like an electric shock.

It felt less like a casual group photo and more like a family portrait.

After the photo session, Yuan Shiyuan slipped away to use the restroom.

He instinctively headed for the innermost stall, confirming the green “vacant” light was lit. Just as he pushed the door open, he saw a dark figure inside.

“Sorry…”

Before Yuan Shiyuan could finish speaking, a brutal grip seized his wrist. A moment later, a sharp tug at his lower back yanked him completely into the stall.

Bang! The door slammed shut behind him.

The suffocating, damp stench of rotting grass, like rain-soaked decay, filled the air around him.

A voice choked with suppressed rage hissed in his ear: “How dare you accept flowers from Yu Sijing?!”

Su Luochen’s pent-up jealousy and resentment finally burst forth.

“Don’t you know he’s gay?!”

Yu Sijing, an S-rank alpha, had remained single for years. Despite pressure from his elders to marry, he had flatly refused, declaring he was “A-same,” meaning he only liked alphas.

His conservative relatives were horrified and never dared pressure him again. This fact was hardly a secret in their social circles, yet Su Luochen emphasized it as if it were damning evidence.

Yuan Shiyuan raised his eyebrows, utterly baffled. “What does his sexuality have to do with you?”

Even if Yu Sijing were gay, it was none of Su Luochen’s business, and Su Luochen certainly had no right to warn Yuan Shiyuan about it.

Su Luochen seemed to choke on his words, faced with Yuan Shiyuan’s calm, cold, even disgusted gaze. He felt hurt, yet strangely thrilled at having finally captured Yuan Shiyuan’s attention, a twisted, perverse excitement blooming within him.

“I was just trying to be nice and warn you. Is this how you repay my kindness?”

Su Luochen’s gaze fell on Yuan Shiyuan’s curved eyelashes beneath his pale pink hair. The excessive proximity made his ears burn, and he turned his head to mumble, “Doing good deeds is like casting pearls before swine.”

“Kindness?”

Yuan Shiyuan scoffed as if he’d heard the greatest joke of all time. He pressed his palm against the Alpha’s chest and shoved him away. Su Luochen stumbled and crashed into the door with a dull thud.

Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t wanted to bring this up, hadn’t wanted to dredge up old grudges. “Weren’t you the one who’s been targeting me all this time? Throwing trash on my bed, sending people to warn me in secret?”

“And now you’re pretending to be ‘nice’?”

“Is this all you’re capable of—resorting to such petty, underhanded tactics?”

Su Luochen stared back in shock, his first reaction a surge of wild joy. Yuan Shiyuan had actually said so much to him! This was the most Yuan Shiyuan had ever said to him since they’d met.

But the wild joy was soon shattered by Yuan Shiyuan’s next words. Su Luochen’s brows furrowed sharply. “What are you talking about? I didn’t—”

“You don’t have them?” Yuan Shiyuan had anticipated the Alpha’s denial, his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile. “You don’t ‘collect’ my things? I saw you asking others for my belongings with my own eyes. Was that all just my imagination?”

“Do you think I don’t know you’ve been secretly having people steal my belongings and warn me?”

“……”

Su Luochen stumbled backward, his face flushing crimson and then paling, his knuckles white from clenching his fists.

He had believed his actions were perfectly concealed, yet Yuan Shiyuan had actually caught him! He did indeed collect Yuan Shiyuan’s discarded, insignificant items—the mineral water he had drunk, the tissues he had wiped his face with—hoarding them like precious treasures.

But he had never ordered anyone to steal them!

Nor had he ever asked anyone to warn Yuan Shiyuan.

“I didn’t—”

“Whatever.”

Yuan Shiyuan truly didn’t care whether Su Luochen had done these things or not. “Suit yourself. We’ll never cross paths again anyway.”

Su Luochen’s expression twisted violently, his urge to explain himself vanishing like smoke in the wind.

“What about Nan Liujing? Won’t you ever cross paths with him either?” He lunged forward, closing the distance between them. “You used to be so close, he considered you a dear friend…”

“Does he not matter to you either?”