Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 85
Chapter 85: The Loser
“No.”
“I’m full now.”
As the pleasure from the pheromone exchange intensified, Yuan Shiyuan subtly reduced his pheromone concentration. This minute shift was instantly detected by the Alphas, who instinctively reined in their own pheromones in perfect unison.
It was as if an invisible force compelled them to submit, daring them not to overstep their bounds.
Yuan Shiyuan’s rejection only deepened Ying Mingche’s dejection. He stared intently at Xiao Xue, now thoroughly sated and smeared with muddy residue, her cheeks flushed with a ripe, crimson hue.
“My brother can, but I can’t?” he persisted, still trying to win him over.
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids. “Because I like Brother Mingxi better.”
Behind him, Ying Mingxi suddenly lowered his head to glance over, his eyes wide with astonishment.
Ying Mingche exploded like a firecracker. “You’d say that right to my face?!”
“What else would I do?” Yuan Shiyuan shot him a sidelong glance. “Gossip about you behind your back, like you do to me?”
Ying Mingche’s bravado instantly deflated. “That was ages ago…” he muttered, remorseful.
He tried to steer the conversation back on course. “You must like me too, right? Otherwise, why would you… you know, every time I touch you?”
That’s not it at all.
In that state, even with an Alpha, Yuan Shiyuan could easily lose control.
Hearing Ying Mingche bring up the past, the tips of Yuan Shiyuan’s ears twitched slightly with embarrassment, but he forced a nonchalant, languid demeanor, his voice flat: “Oh? And then what?”
“……”
Ying Mingche was about to continue when Ying Mingxi calmly interrupted, “Feeling better now? If so, I’ll take you for a bath.”
“Sure,” Yuan Shiyuan replied lazily.
Ying Mingche eagerly interjected, “I’ve already drawn the bath. The temperature’s perfect—you can soak right away.”
As he spoke, he looked at Yuan Shiyuan with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness, an invisible tail seeming to wag behind him like a large dog waiting for its master’s praise.
Yuan Shiyuan casually remarked, “Good job.”
These four simple words sent Ying Mingche into a state of euphoria.
Sensing the shared joy through empathy, Ying Mingxi lowered his gaze to Yuan Shiyuan. The flush still lingered on Yuan Shiyuan’s face, but his amber eyes had regained their clarity, now radiating a peculiar post-coital weariness and detachment.
During their intimacy, driven by his need for pheromones and comfort, Yuan Shiyuan seemed capable of saying anything—even things he might find embarrassing later. His expression had been wild, his head thrown back as he leaned in for kisses, clinging like a vine.
But once it was over, his demeanor shifted dramatically, as if he were a completely different person.
The abrupt reversal, the stark contrast in his demeanor, gave Ying Mingxi the unsettling feeling that he had truly become nothing more than a disposable tool.
If I’m just a tool, so be it.
At least I’m still more valuable than some who can’t even qualify as tools.
Ying Mingxi had been about to carry Yuan Shiyuan into the bathtub when Ying Mingche preemptively occupied the edge.
With unwavering calm, Ying Mingche steadily lowered Yuan Shiyuan into the warm water, positioning him perfectly to sit cradled in his 미리 펼쳐진 arms.
Water splashed as Yuan Shiyuan settled against Ying Mingche, simultaneously experiencing the Alpha’s scorching body heat and the luxuriously hot water.
He narrowed his eyes in contentment, unconsciously bracing his hands against the smooth tub’s edge as he gasped for breath.
“Shiyuan, are you hungry?”
Outside the tub, Ying Mingxi knelt on one knee, his slender fingers gently brushing aside the damp hair clinging to Yuan Shiyuan’s neck.
Then he cupped water in his hands and poured it over Yuan Shiyuan’s rounded shoulders.
Yuan Shiyuan obligingly tilted his head back, exposing the graceful line of his neck and shoulders, allowing the Alpha to wash him more thoroughly.
“No, I’m not hungry.”
Before coming to Ying Mingxi’s place, Yuan Shiyuan had already eaten dinner, and now, after being fed pheromones, his stomach was bursting.
Even if he were hungry, it wouldn’t be for food, but for more pheromones.
“But Brother Mingxi, I kind of want bubble tea,” Yuan Shiyuan said after their shared moment, his sweet tooth kicking in.
“Okay, I’ll take a quick shower and go buy some downstairs,” Ying Mingxi replied. Delivery services were too slow; for the bubble tea to taste its best, it needed to be freshly made.
“Thank you, Brother Mingxi… mm?”
Before he could finish, a hot, damp chest pressed against his back. Yuan Shiyuan could clearly feel the Alpha’s chest vibrating as he spoke, and hear the acidic, almost grinding tone close to his ear.
“You can be on top of me and still completely ignore me, chatting so animatedly with my brother?”
Yuan Shiyuan glanced at Ying Mingche over his shoulder. “Do you want some too?”
“No.” Ying Mingche didn’t care for sweets, but he added, “I’ll drink what you leave behind.”
“Fine by me.”
The Alpha’s body heat was intensely hot, combining with the bathwater to create a subtly comfortable sensation. Yuan Shiyuan leaned back decisively, shifting his hips slightly to find a comfortable position. “I won’t finish it anyway.”
Most of the time, Yuan Shiyuan wanted milk tea simply because he was craving it, just a few sips to satisfy his urge.
When he used to go out with his younger brother, they’d always buy one cup. After he’d had his fill, he’d toss the rest to his brother to finish.
Back then it was his brother; now… it didn’t matter who.
As long as the food wasn’t wasted.
Ying Mingxi listened patiently to their conversation, his expression barely changing, unfazed by their momentary neglect.
When Yuan Shiyuan finally looked back at him—as if Ying Mingxi had been waiting there the entire time for his gaze to return—he offered a perfectly measured, gentle smile.
“Shiyuan, I’ll go rinse off first.”
The suite’s restroom was spacious, with separate wet and dry areas. The bathtub stood opposite the glass-enclosed shower, flanked by a massive mirror above the vanity.
Ying Mingxi’s voice remained soft, but as he rose and turned to Ying Mingche, his words carried a distinct warning.
“Help Shiyuan wash up properly. Don’t do anything extra.” He paused meaningfully, “I can tell.”
Ying Mingche clicked his tongue in irritation.
Yuan Shiyuan lazily chimed in, “Brother Mingxi is right.”
“You…” Ying Mingche stared at Yuan Shiyuan in disbelief. But since Yuan Shiyuan had already spoken, he could only grudgingly reply, “Fine, I get it.”
The words had barely left his lips when Ying Mingche realized with astonishment: Why am I listening to Ying Mingxi?
Fine, I’ll listen to Yuan Shiyuan, Ying Mingche thought bitterly. But who does Ying Mingxi think he is, telling me what to do? Meddling in my relationship with Shiyuan?
Does he think he’s the Primary Consort, ruling the inner palace as the First Wife?
Ying Mingche seethed inwardly, but when he looked down and saw Yuan Shiyuan nestled against his chest, a blossoming joy flooded his heart.
He pulled Yuan Shiyuan closer, burying his face in the nape of his neck like a large dog marking its territory, leaving damp streaks of pink hair everywhere.
“Why do you smell so good?”
Yuan Shiyuan didn’t bother replying, but Ying Mingche didn’t mind. Instead, he took Yuan Shiyuan’s hand and gently massaged his knuckles and palm.
Perhaps the massage felt good, because Yuan Shiyuan snuggled deeper into the Alpha’s arms. This gesture made Ying Mingche chuckle softly. “You certainly know how to enjoy yourself.”
“Why would I look for trouble when I can relax?” Yuan Shiyuan’s voice was husky and laced with the lingering dampness of their earlier encounter. “I’m not stupid.”
“Besides…” He suddenly tilted his head, glancing sideways at Ying Mingche with a sidelong glance, “Aren’t you enjoying this too?”
Ying Mingche couldn’t argue with that.
His gaze swept over the glaring marks on Yuan Shiyuan’s body—marks left by other Alphas—and a wave of bitterness washed over him. “How could my brother be so rough? It’s outrageous.”
Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t noticed before. Now, snapping out of his daze, he glanced down and startled himself.
The area around his gland was flushed crimson, its edge even slightly torn. His hips and waist were covered in finger marks, the original pale pink now ripened to a vivid scarlet, swollen and tender after soaking in the hot bathwater, like two ripe, scarlet berries.
Yuan Shiyuan averted his gaze with a casual, “It’s fine.”
But inwardly, he was shocked. Ying Mingxi, who seemed so gentle and refined, had actually been so rough?
Or was it simply because Yuan Shiyuan’s skin was so fair, making the marks appear especially bright red?
Ying Mingche hadn’t expected Yuan Shiyuan to defend his brother after being treated like this. He felt a surge of aggrieved resentment. “You always favor Brother Mingxi,” he grumbled. “You let him do whatever he wants.”
Unable to directly confront Yuan Shiyuan, Ying Mingche stewed in silence, burying his face in the crook of Yuan Shiyuan’s neck while his hands continued their massage without pause, even intensifying their efforts to prove he was the more attentive.
“You don’t like me at all.”
The massage felt good, so Yuan Shiyuan didn’t mind tossing out a few kind words. “I like you too.”
“Really?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
His perfunctory tone clearly betrayed a lie.
Liar.
Even this flimsy lie was enough to make Ying Mingche ecstatic.
Unable to restrain himself any longer, he pulled Yuan Shiyuan into an even tighter embrace and lowered his head, pressing sloppy kisses against Yuan Shiyuan’s cheeks and the tip of his nose.
The water rippled, and mist swirled in the air. Yuan Shiyuan, feeling ticklish from the nuzzling, glanced sideways, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across the massive floor-to-ceiling mirror.
The mirror reflected the scene in the bathtub with startling clarity.
Yuan Shiyuan sat drenched and flushed in Ying Mingche’s arms, while Ying Mingche nuzzled him like a giant puppy… perfectly complementing his swollen lips, the marks on his body, and the clothes strewn across the floor.
The tableau was undeniably bizarre.
Yuan Shiyuan quickly averted his gaze, tacitly accepting Ying Mingche’s actions.
These brothers are a real pair—one handling the before, the other the after. They may not have earned any praise, but they’ve certainly worked hard. And, let’s face it, I did accidentally pee on Ying Mingche… what a mess.
The shower door slid open, and Ying Mingxi emerged, freshly cleaned. He said goodbye to Yuan Shiyuan before heading downstairs to buy milk tea.
As soon as Ying Mingxi left, Ying Mingche immediately declared, “From now on, don’t bother with my brother. Coming to me is the same thing.”
“You like his vibe? I can act like that too.”
“We look identical anyway. Why bother with him when you can come to me?”
Yuan Shiyuan was utterly perplexed. “If I can just ask Brother Mingxi, why would I bother with you?”
“Why him and not me? I’m perfectly obedient too…”
“Because I don’t trust you,” Yuan Shiyuan cut him off. “From the beginning until now, have you ever listened to me? You always just do whatever you want.”
Ying Mingche choked, his bravado instantly crumbling under Yuan Shiyuan’s darkening expression.
He mumbled, “But you never said I couldn’t…”
“Do I have to teach you everything step by step?” Yuan Shiyuan snapped. “Must I spell out every single thing? Can’t you be more considerate? Brother Mingxi never needs me to say a word—he just knows what I want.”
“That’s why I like him better.”
Her words were delivered with such unwavering conviction and crystalline clarity that Ying Mingche couldn’t possibly argue.
After a moment of reflection, Ying Mingche murmured, “I’ll change from now on.”
He added defensively, “No one ever taught me how…”
“Oh, but Brother Mingxi just knows, doesn’t he?”
Ying Mingche and Ying Mingxi shared nearly identical genes, and from childhood, they had been constantly compared. In these comparisons, Ying Mingche usually emerged victorious.
He was better at feigning enthusiasm and cheerfulness, making it easier to win people over.
He knew exactly what kind of image would grant him an advantage in social situations and earn his family’s affection.
Except for Yuan Shiyuan.
Only with Yuan Shiyuan had he never won, always ending up a humiliated loser.
“I understand,” Ying Mingche said, wrapping his arms tightly around Yuan Shiyuan’s waist, as if struck by a blow. His voice suddenly darkened with disappointment. “But please don’t keep comparing me to my brother.”
Yuan Shiyuan brushed aside the hands around his waist and turned to face the Alpha, straddling him.
He cupped the Alpha’s face in his hands, his tone shifting swiftly from stern to gentle and patient. “You’re both unique individuals. I shouldn’t have compared you—my apologies.”
“But many of your actions truly upset me, and I don’t want to endure it. If I keep tolerating them, I’ll grow to resent you more and more without you even knowing.”
Yuan Shiyuan leaned forward slightly, his eyes, glistening with moisture from the steam, fixed earnestly on the Alpha.
“Do you want that?”
“No!” Ying Mingche answered quickly, eagerly gripping Yuan Shiyuan’s hand. “I don’t want that! You don’t have to endure anything—just tell me directly, and I’ll change… You can even compare me to my brother.”
“But… please don’t hate me.”
Yuan Shiyuan countered, “Then, if I want you to be more obedient in the future, can you do that?”
“Yes!” Ying Mingche replied without hesitation, his eagerness to prove himself palpable. “I’ll do even better than Brother Mingxi.”
“……”
Just moments ago he was saying not to compare us, and now he’s practically begging to compete with Ying Mingxi. Yuan Shiyuan raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t call him out on it, instead saying languidly, “Then I’ll be watching with anticipation.”