Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 78
Chapter 78: Confession
“What the hell were you doing just now?!”
Following Su Luochen’s outburst, Nan Liujing erupted with equal fury.
Faced with his friends’ relentless interrogation, Yue Xiao remained utterly composed. “I wasn’t doing anything,” he said flatly. “Just apologizing.”
“Apologizing? You call that an apology?!” Su Luochen nearly laughed in disbelief.
“This is between Yuan Shiyuan and me. It’s none of your business,” Yue Xiao retorted, shoving past Su Luochen and slowly smoothing the wrinkles from his collar. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly when he noticed a faint bloodstain above.
“None of our business?” Su Luochen sneered. “You dare say it’s none of our business? Who do you think you are, trying to make yourself look so high and mighty?”
On the sofa, Bo Jin cradled Yuan Shiyuan securely in his lap, his head bent as he meticulously checked for other injuries. Ying Mingche knelt nearby, picking up Yuan Shiyuan’s socks and shoes, preparing to help him put them on.
Yuan Shiyuan wrinkled his nose and recoiled, his face twisted in distaste. The smooth, rounded toes on his arched foot gleamed silver under the light, and he was clearly repulsed by the lingering sensation on his skin.
As the Necro Boy Group’s fierce argument escalated, the Scepter members found the scene both absurd and comical. They hadn’t even begun their accusations, yet Necro was already tearing itself apart from within?
Su Luochen, in particular, acted like a rabid dog whose tail had been stepped on, biting anyone who came near, not even sparing his childhood friend.
“Shiyuan…” Nan Liujing finally spoke cautiously, looking at Yuan Shiyuan on the sofa but daring not to approach, his voice barely audible. “Can we… talk alone?”
“Excuse me, who are you?” Ying Mingche interrupted rudely, having been simmering with anger for some time. “Our Princess Yuanyuan is very busy. You think you can just waltz in and demand her time? If you really want to talk, contact our company, follow proper channels, and submit a budget. Then you can get in line like everyone else.”
Nan Liujing’s face darkened instantly at the provocation from the S-rank alpha of equal standing.
Yet when he looked at Yuan Shiyuan again, his handsome features softened into an almost humiliatingly pitiful expression.
Yuan Shiyuan glanced at him but said nothing.
He was all too familiar with that look and tone. Back when their relationship was still good, Nan Liujing would use this same pitiful, self-deprecating act to beg for forgiveness whenever he’d upset Yuan Shiyuan.
Nan Liujing managed to restrain himself in the face of Ying Mingche’s provocation, but Su Luochen was completely ignited. He had long harbored resentment toward Ying Mingche, and now he finally had an outlet for his pent-up anger.
“And who do you think you are to address Princess Yuanyuan like that?” Su Luochen sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, right, I remember now—you’re that pathetic hanger-on, aren’t you?”
“It figures. Knowing you’re nothing, you cling to Yuan Shiyuan like a parasite. Do you spend every night practically licking him in his sleep, terrified he’ll run away?”
The barrage of insults crashed down on Ying Mingche, yet he remained unmoved, seizing only the last few words. “Licking him in his sleep?” he repeated thoughtfully.
He actually pondered the idea seriously before turning to Yuan Shiyuan and asking earnestly, “May I?”
“You—!” Su Luochen’s forehead veins throbbed with fury.
The ultra-luxury VIP changing room had transformed into a gladiatorial arena. Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t fathom why these S-rank alphas were tearing each other apart.
“No,” he first coldly rejected Ying Mingche. Then, in an equally detached tone, he added, “But you’re right, I am very busy. If you need to contact me, please go through the company.”
Ying Mingche’s face lit up with delight. He obediently snuggled against Yuan Shiyuan’s knee, his cheek pressing against Yuan Shiyuan’s calf. Turning his head toward Su Luochen, he flashed a silent but utterly provocative, victor’s smirk.
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t bother listening to their infighting, finding it utterly absurd.
His feet ached, and he didn’t want to wear shoes, so Bo Jin simply picked him up, cradling him face-to-face.
Ying Mingche rose, carrying Yuan Shiyuan’s socks and shoes.
Throughout the entire exchange, Yuan Shiyuan didn’t even spare them a glance.
He lazily draped himself over Bo Jin’s shoulder, his arms instinctively circling Bo Jin’s neck, his chin nestled against the Alpha’s neck—clearly accustomed to such intimacy. This natural ease could only have been cultivated through repeated familiarity over time.
Just as Ying Mingche opened the door and they were about to leave, a desperate shout rang out from behind.
“The reason I ignored you back then… it’s because I realized I was falling for you!”
Ying Mingche and Bo Jin froze simultaneously, turning back in astonishment.
Even Yuan Shiyuan, still cradled in Bo Jin’s arms, froze momentarily.
The room fell silent, leaving only Nan Liujing’s voice echoing through the empty space, trembling at the edges: “Because I realized I was falling for you, I was scared… I was scared you’d think I was just like those other Alphas harassing you, a disgusting A-same!”
“That’s why I couldn’t face you. I was afraid you’d find out, afraid you’d know, afraid you’d hate me. I wanted to sort out my feelings quickly, at least stop liking you so much… If I could just hide it well enough, we could still be good friends, like before.”
Because they were so close, Yuan Shiyuan had once confided in Nan Liujing about the harassment he’d suffered from other men, including some disturbingly obsessive pursuers.
And because they were so close, Nan Liujing knew better than anyone that even though Yuan Shiyuan seemed nothing like an Alpha, he was a genuine, pure-blooded straight man—absolutely incapable of changing his orientation or being attracted to Alphas.
Nan Liujing’s first reaction was to hide his feelings at all costs, or they wouldn’t even be able to remain friends.
“But I can’t do it!”
The Alpha’s voice suddenly rose, then plummeted again, like a large dog lost in a storm, its head drooping in defeat. “No matter how hard I try, how much I adjust, how much I try to distract myself… it’s no use.”
“I still… like you so much.”
After hearing all this, Yuan Shiyuan showed no reaction. Instead, Bo Jin’s large hand, which had been resting on Yuan Shiyuan’s waist, suddenly tightened. Yuan Shiyuan glanced up and unexpectedly met a pair of deep, fathomless eyes.
At the same moment, Ying Mingche was also staring intently at him, his gaze unwavering.
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t turn his head, merely said in a flat tone, “I understand.”
Using the excuse that his clothes had gotten dirty and he needed a quick rinse, Yuan Shiyuan finally managed to get his feet washed.
He’d been standing all day and his feet felt like they barely touched the ground. If someone else was willing to do it, he certainly wasn’t going to lift a finger himself. He lazily sank into Bo Jin’s embrace, leaned back against his chest, adjusted himself into the most comfortable position, and went completely silent.
Bo Jin lowered his head to look down at Yuan Shiyuan’s smooth, effortless movements, like a natural, unbroken flow.
Yuan Shiyuan lazily lifted an eyelid, returning a silent, questioning look: “?”
Bo Jin casually wrapped an arm around his waist. “You’re quite practiced at this lying back.”
Ying Mingche had just placed the foot basin filled with warm water on the ground and was about to lift Yuan Shiyuan’s foot.
Hearing this, he snorted coldly, “If you’re not happy with it, let me do it.”
Ying Mingche’s tone dripped with displeasure.
He’d only been a step behind, but Bo Jin had already scooped Yuan Shiyuan up, cradling him in his lap for the entire time. This left Ying Mingche no choice but to concede and help wash Yuan Shiyuan’s feet.
Ying Mingche had never served anyone in his life. Yet as he lifted that foot—the porcelain-white skin contrasting sharply against his darker, larger hand—the stark visual contrast sent a strange, thrilling sensation through him.
He cupped warm water in his palm and slowly poured it over the instep. As his large hand kneaded the arch and pressed the sole with just the right amount of pressure, the water’s slickness made the touch feel even more intimate and delicate.
“Even his feet are so white,” Ying Mingche suddenly muttered.
“Of course they’re white,” Yuan Shiyuan replied, too comfortable to even lift his eyelids, his voice lazy and nasal. “They’re always in socks, never exposed to the sun. Just like your ass. Even the darkest people have white butts.”
Bo Jin’s mind unexpectedly conjured an image of something pale.
His fingertips twitched slightly, reliving the sensation of something soft, warm, and damp. He agreed, “Indeed.”
“Indeed what?” Ying Mingche sneered. “You’ve seen it? Stop fantasizing.”
Bo Jin glanced at him, a meaningful curve lifting the corner of his lips, but offered no rebuttal.
Of course he’d seen it—and not just seen it, but felt it up close.
Ying Mingche was just being provocative.
Yuan Shiyuan nestled quietly in Bo Jin’s arms, pretending to nap under the guise of having his feet washed.
But he wasn’t asleep. As Ying Mingche washed his feet, whether by accident or otherwise, his fingertips kept brushing across the sensitive soles. The sharp, ticklish sensation shot up his body, making him instinctively turn his head and nuzzle his cheek against Bo Jin’s chest, emitting muffled, nasal hums.
“Enjoying this?” Bo Jin asked, looking down at Yuan Shiyuan’s slightly disheveled pink hair, feeling the subtle friction against his chest, and hearing the faint, muffled hums.
Curiously, he asked, “Did you react the same way when your former teammates licked you?”
“Of course not,” Yuan Shiyuan replied languidly. “That’s a completely different situation.”
“Then what did it feel like when they licked you?” Ying Mingche pressed, his massage growing unconsciously firmer, his thumb grinding heavily into the sensitive spot at the center of Yuan Shiyuan’s foot.
Yuan Shiyuan flinched, his fingers gripping Bo Jin’s arm tightly, gasping softly.
“Disgusting, of course. What else could it feel like?” he asked, bewildered. “Who would enjoy being licked on the feet by an Alpha? Isn’t that weird? It’s utterly disgusting.”
Yuan Shiyuan still couldn’t understand why Yue Xiao had done such a thing.
Bo Jin and Ying Mingche’s gazes simultaneously fell on the pinkish-white feet soaking in the basin, and they lapsed into a brief silence.
“Besides disgust?” they pressed. “Were there no other feelings?”
Yuan Shiyuan frowned. “Why are you asking?”
“We need to know everything you felt,” Bo Jin said without a flicker of emotion. “Aren’t we a team of good brothers?”
Ying Mingche chimed in, “Exactly. This will also help us understand your body better.”
“Ah,” Yuan Shiyuan murmured, his lips parting as he let out a meaningless sound. Then, as if truly beginning to focus, he started to earnestly recall the details of that moment.
“Besides feeling nauseous… there was also a hot, itchy sensation,” he paused, then added, “and a bit numb? When you guys burst in, I lost control of my body and just collapsed into the sofa.”
“Numb? Itchy?” Ying Mingche summarized precisely. “Sounds like pleasure to me.”
“So sensitive,” Bo Jin chuckled softly, his large hand resting on Yuan Shiyuan’s waist. He flexed his knuckles and lightly brushed them against Yuan Shiyuan’s finger bones.
Yuan Shiyuan mumbled an indifferent “Mm.” He was indeed quite sensitive, especially around his ticklish waist. If someone suddenly touched him there, he might just jump out of his skin.
Beneath his palm, Ying Mingche felt the smooth, supple texture of Yuan Shiyuan’s skin, yet a sour feeling inexplicably welled up in his heart. “Tsk, your former teammate sure had good taste… I haven’t even gotten to lick you yet.”
So far, he’d only kissed Yuan Shiyuan’s cheek and held his hand. To think some outsider had already gotten ahead of him.
Yuan Shiyuan rolled his eyes. “Don’t say such disgusting things.”
Bo Jin casually steered the conversation elsewhere. “But… what do you think about your former teammate saying he liked you?”
“Don’t make it sound like he’s my ex-boyfriend.” Yuan Shiyuan maintained his indifferent expression, lazily adjusting his posture. “What’s there to think? It’s all in the past.”
“If he likes me, he likes me.”
It’s not like I’m short on admirers.
If I responded to every one of them, even just with a glance, I’d be dead from exhaustion.
“Your former best friend likes you, and this is your reaction?” Bo Jin asked, surprised.
“You said it yourself—former.”
If Yuan Shiyuan and Nan Liujing were still friends, facing such a confession might have troubled him.
But now they’re nothing. Just strangers who’ve met and spent time together. Not worth wasting my energy on.
This nearly indifferent response plunged the two Alphas into an even deeper silence.
Yuan Shiyuan had a good temper and a playful nature, but he could also be remarkably ruthless. Once he decided to sever ties with someone, there was no room for negotiation.
Only the faint sounds of water and breathing filled the air. Yuan Shiyuan comfortably accepted the pampering from the two S-rank Alphas, drifting into a drowsy state when he suddenly grew puzzled.
Why are these two so quiet all of a sudden?
Didn’t they love asking questions?
Perhaps it was precisely this unusual silence that reminded Yuan Shiyuan of Nan Liujing’s confession. Out of the blue, he blurted out, his voice tinged with genuine confusion: “Actually… I find it really strange.”
“We’re both Alphas. Why would he fall for me?”
Though Yuan Shiyuan was now an Omega, he had been a genuine Alpha when he first met and interacted with Nan Liujing. How could Nan Liujing have fallen in love with him, knowing he was an Alpha?
Bo Jin lowered his head in silence, his gaze dark and fixed on Yuan Shiyuan, who leaned against his arm.
Yuan Shiyuan happened to look up at him, his amber eyes shimmering like pools of water under the lamplight.
Bo Jin couldn’t understand why Yuan Shiyuan, naturally charismatic, would say such a thing.
As Yuan Shiyuan straightened his clothes and prepared to return to his post, he noticed a staff member wearing a black mask and carrying a camera.
“Hello?” he called out.
The cameraman seemed startled, his tall frame stiffening abruptly. As if controlled by invisible threads, he slowly turned around.
The wide brim of his hat and the tight mask obscured most of his face, revealing only a pair of eyes sunken deep in shadow.
Yuan Shiyuan picked up an unopened bottle of mineral water and offered it with a natural, polite smile. “You’ve been working hard today. Have some water and take a break.”
The cameraman’s gaze flickered across Yuan Shiyuan’s face before darting away as if burned. He carefully set down the expensive equipment and reached out to accept the water, his fingers trembling visibly.
Yuan Shiyuan gazed at the other man, a flicker of suspicion in his amber eyes. Before he could speak, the man hastily scooped up the equipment from the floor and fled almost in a panic.
That evening, Yuan Shiyuan was scheduled to attend a gala hosted by the brand. Many celebrities, influencers, and VICs would be present.
After the store’s closing event, he returned to the changing room to organize his belongings.
In the highly private VIP room, an unexpected item had appeared on the table: a cold, cylindrical glass container. It was instantly familiar—identical to the containers used for pheromone extracts.
Yuan Shiyuan pondered for a moment, then, using a tissue as a barrier, carefully rotated the container to examine the label’s serial code. His excellent memory immediately confirmed: this was the very extract that had been stolen earlier.
The S-rank alpha pheromone extract that had originally filled the container was now mysteriously gone.
In its place, under the dim light, shimmered an unfamiliar solution with an eerie, spectral glow.
Yuan Shiyuan immediately found Bo Jin and Ying Mingche to report the incident.
The Alphas’ first reaction was, “You didn’t open it and smell it, did you?”
Yuan Shiyuan, naturally, wasn’t that foolish. “No, I just checked the label.”
He had been extremely cautious, even using a tissue as a barrier when examining the label. From start to finish, he hadn’t touched the object directly.
“It could be some kind of sedative. Sasaeng fans love pulling stunts like this,” Bo Jin said, his voice icy.
But when Bo Jin sent the pheromone extract for analysis, the results showed it was no dangerous substance. It was just ordinary, artificially synthesized pheromone.
However, because it was a low-quality synthetic pheromone, the scent was extremely poor, resembling toilet freshener and even somewhat pungent.
The nanny van glided smoothly along, its interior bathed in soft light.
Yuan Shiyuan frowned in thought, his fingertips drumming unconsciously against the leather armrest, utterly baffled.
“Who would steal pheromone extract for no reason?”
“And then return it, replacing it with something else?”
To anyone who didn’t need it, pheromone extract was utterly worthless.
Could the person have a weak stomach? Or perhaps a pheromone deficiency requiring S-rank pheromone for therapeutic support?
Ying Mingche had a rough guess.
He crossed his long legs casually, his gaze fixed on Yuan Shiyuan. “I bet it was some extreme fan of yours who misunderstood. Seeing you carrying our pheromone extract… they probably thought we were secretly intimate?”
Bo Jin: “What’s intimate about that?”
“An Alpha carrying around another Alpha’s pheromone extract? How could that not be seen as intimate?”
Ying Mingche scoffed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees and looking up at Yuan Shiyuan. “In the A-same world, this is how they ‘mark’ their lovers. Since they can’t leave pheromones directly on their partners, they extract the pheromones and have their lovers carry them around, creating the illusion of being marked and constantly bathed in the scent.”
“Even if it’s just a self-deceptive fantasy, it’s enough to satisfy them.”
Yuan Shiyuan shivered. “I’m treating an illness.”
Carrying the pheromone extract was merely a precaution for emergencies. How had it unexpectedly turned into proof of being A-same in other people’s eyes?
“A-same relationships are relatively niche, and this practice is a common custom within their community. It’s understandable you wouldn’t know—after all, our Little Princess is so pure.”
As Ying Mingche spoke, he reached out to tug on Yuan Shiyuan’s arm, then nuzzled his face into the crook of Yuan Shiyuan’s neck, taking a deep breath. “I’ve wanted to do this for ages.”
Seeing Yuan Shiyuan offer no resistance, instead acting as if this were perfectly normal, Bo Jin felt a suffocating frustration well up inside him, his brows furrowing deeply.
“You seem remarkably well-informed,” he sneered. “Could you be A-same?”
“Of course I do,” Ying Mingche replied casually. “I was born into a double-Alpha family. My mother and father were both Alphas. It might seem strange to you, but it’s common knowledge for me.”
“But—”
Ying Mingche completely disregarded Bo Jin’s supposed “first place” and instead pulled Yuan Shiyuan closer, gently twirling a strand of his light pink hair between his fingers as he stole two quick kisses, his expression utterly indifferent.
“I am curious, though. From whom was that stolen pheromone extract taken?”
Yuan Shiyuan thought for a moment. “I think it was the captain’s.”
Yuan Shiyuan had deliberately saved Pei Yanbing’s pheromone extract for last. Pei Yanbing’s pheromone naturally had a cooling effect, so he had planned to use it when it got hot.
Unexpectedly, someone with malicious intent had stolen it.
“Oh? Then the captain should be careful.”
Ying Mingche chuckled softly, his voice dripping with schadenfreude. “In that Sasaeng’s eyes, Captain is probably Enemy Number One. He must be thinking, Oh my god, my Yuanyuan Baby loves Pei Yanbing so much, she even carries his pheromone extract with her everywhere…”
He mimicked the Sasaeng’s tone, his breath warm and suggestive against Yuan Shiyuan’s earlobe. “What have you two been doing in private? Kissing? Hugging?”
Perfect. They’ve done all that.
Not just kissing and hugging, but deeper, more scandalous temporary marking.
Yuan Shiyuan slapped Ying Mingche’s face away expressionlessly. “Stop getting into character as the Sasaeng and fantasizing about this nonsense.”
Bo Jin sneered. “I bet he’d love to replace you and become your own Sasaeng.”
“Why would I need to be a Sasaeng?” Ying Mingche raised an eyebrow, shooting Bo Jin a provocative glance. “I’m in the same group as the Little Princess. I can do whatever I want.”
He paused deliberately, his fingertip curving suggestively as it brushed against Yuan Shiyuan’s waist. “Openly. Right in front of all of you. Do it.”
“Enough.”
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t want to hear about this topic, nor did he want to hear Alphas fantasizing about him. He analyzed the situation seriously. “To infiltrate the filming venue undetected and then enter the exclusive cabinet right under everyone’s noses… I think their identity must be someone like a cameraman or other staff member.”
“I encountered a rather strange cameraman today,” he said, unable to pinpoint exactly what was off about him.
“Given the layers of security, their ability to bypass it strongly suggests an inside job.”
“I’ve already had the surveillance footage reviewed,” Bo Jin said grimly. “The staff will be instructed to keep a close eye on the cameramen.”
This matter didn’t require Yuan Shiyuan’s concern; others would handle it for him. He hummed in acknowledgment, settling lazily into the comfortable chair.
The back-to-back work hadn’t left him excessively fatigued.
However, the potent pheromones of the two S-rank Alphas filling the confined space reignited that familiar hunger deep in his abdomen.
Fortunately, this hunger wasn’t intense.
It was more like the lingering craving after a satisfying meal—the urge for a sweet dessert or after-dinner fruit.
Pei Yanbing’s temporary mark as an S-rank Alpha was still proving quite effective.
With other appointments looming and Yuan Shiyuan needing to attend rigorous classes and training, he decided to contact Ying Mingxi as a precaution.
He opened their chat window and tapped Ying Mingxi’s profile picture.
Yuan Shiyuan: Brother Mingxi?
Ying Mingxi: I’m here.
Yuan Shiyuan: I think I want some… [Finger-twirling emoji]
Ying Mingxi: Do you need my Silent Night?
Yuan Shiyuan nearly jumped at the sudden notification.
He had initially planned to ask Ying Mingxi for a temporary mark, just like Pei Yanbing had given him. Temporary marks were quick—a single bite and done (as long as it didn’t drag on like Pei Yanbing’s).
But then Yuan Shiyuan remembered Ying Mingxi’s previous proposal: no direct contact required. Instead, it would be like making cream puffs—whipping the cream first, then injecting it with a tool like a syringe.
This method would avoid direct contact between Xiao Xue and Citrus Lobe, and with the needle being so small, the process would be quick, simple, and easy to swallow.
Yuan Shiyuan deleted his original message and retyped:
Yuan Shiyuan: Yes, yes!~ [Eager emoji]
After all, he was asking for a favor, so he should be enthusiastic. He added a sweet, expectant emoji for good measure.
Ying Mingxi was likely checking his phone; the screen immediately displayed “Typing…” But Yuan Shiyuan didn’t receive a reply right away.
About a minute passed before his phone finally vibrated.
It was a voice message.
Yuan Shiyuan put on his earphones and listened to Ying Mingxi’s slightly raspy voice. He chuckled softly.
“I’m looking forward to it too, Shiyuan.”
At that very moment, Ying Mingche, sitting beside him, suddenly let out a stifled groan. His body tensed almost imperceptibly, his breathing becoming ragged.
He tugged at his collar, his gaze locked precisely on Yuan Shiyuan.
“What are you chatting about with my brother? You look so happy.”
Ying Mingche leaned closer, pulling Yuan Shiyuan into a half-embrace. His tone dripped with feigned innocence, his voice laced with chaotic breaths and a palpable, unspoken heat.
“?” Yuan Shiyuan replied. “Were you peeking at my phone screen?”
“Do I need to peek? Your expression gives it all away.”
In truth, he had gleaned the answer from the intense excitement and anticipation emanating through their shared bond.
Ying Mingche’s tone remained casual, yet carried a clear undercurrent of suspicion and resentment. “What’s the big secret? Can’t you share with us? We’re all family here.”
“Or…” Ying Mingche’s fingertips slowly tightened around Yuan Shiyuan’s wrist. “Are you plotting behind my back, secretly up to no good with my brother?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Bo Jin, who had been silent until now, finally lifted his gaze. His piercing stare, as tangible as a physical blow, landed on Yuan Shiyuan, pinned in the Alpha’s half-embrace, like a silent accusation of betrayal.