Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 87

Chapter 87: The Umbrella

“It’s nothing,” Yuan Shiyuan said, his voice trembling slightly as he forcibly suppressed the tingling electric sensation that surged through his gland after being touched.

“I just bumped it accidentally. It stings a little.”

After gently removing Ying Mingche’s hand, Yuan Shiyuan carefully examined his gland. The already delicate skin, which had been slightly chafed earlier, now showed a faint red flush from Ying Mingche’s inadvertent rub, starkly contrasting against the surrounding snow-white skin and making it all the more glaring.

Tears still welled in the corners of Yuan Shiyuan’s eyes as he glanced at Ying Mingche, who innocently raised both hands. “You were the one who offered it to me to touch.”

Though Ying Mingche spoke softly, the Alpha on the other end of the phone’s line could still keenly detect his voice.

Ying Mingche gallantly picked up Yuan Shiyuan’s phone for him. Yuan Shiyuan heard Jiang Heng’s calm voice: “Is that so?”

“I can hear someone else breathing beside you,” Jiang Heng paused briefly, then added, “and someone speaking.”

Yuan Shiyuan: “……”

How acute is his hearing?

Since it wasn’t a secret he couldn’t share, Yuan Shiyuan decided to be direct. “Yesterday, Ying Mingche and Bo Jin accompanied me to film a commercial. It got late, so we stayed at the hotel.”

“We’re having breakfast now.”

After a moment of silence, Jiang Heng finally asked, “The three of you are sharing a room?”

“Absolutely not!” Yuan Shiyuan immediately retorted. “We each have our own suite, of course.”

The brand had generously booked suites for all three of them, but unfortunately, all three rooms remained empty. Bo Jin had suddenly entered his susceptible period, and both he and Ying Mingche had spent the night in Ying Mingxi’s suite.

In the end, the only suite that had actually been used was the one Ying Mingxi had paid for himself.

“Is that so?” Jiang Heng’s voice was noticeably flatter, as if he believed Yuan Shiyuan’s explanation. He added, “Send me the room number.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

After hanging up, Ying Mingche finally burst into a sneering laugh, his voice dripping with mockery. “What’s with Jiang Heng’s tone? Does he really think he’s the wronged spouse catching his partner cheating?”

“He’s way too immersed in his role.”

Yuan Shiyuan: “……”

How could Ying Mingche have the nerve to criticize others? Ever since Zhuang He had mentioned the audition, Ying Mingche had been obsessively immersing himself in the role of the mistress, utterly absorbed and intoxicated by the performance.

“Still, why would Jiang Heng have time to come here today?” Ying Mingche wondered. “Isn’t it his father’s birthday? They’re throwing a lavish family banquet. Why isn’t he at home playing dutiful son and grandson? How does he have time to come here?”

Yuan Shiyuan, his mouth full with half a soup dumpling, mumbled, “How do you know?”

“My dad and his dad have business dealings.”

Seeing Yuan Shiyuan’s bewildered expression, his cheek slightly bulging from the dumpling, Ying Mingche suddenly curled his fingers and gently rubbed his slightly distorted cheek.

“You’re so close—childhood sweethearts who grew up like two peas in a pod—and he never told you about his family?” Ying Mingche could tell from Yuan Shiyuan’s expression that he genuinely had no idea. He continued, “His dad only recently acknowledged him, saying something about… getting lost? Oh, and his family’s pretty old-fashioned. They look down on his whole boy group thing.”

“Being in a boy group is bad enough, but to be such a nobody? It’s a disgrace to their ancestors! They told him to quit,” Ying Mingche chuckled heartily. “The gossip reporters are hilarious with their stories, though the truth isn’t far off.”

In the entertainment industry, many second-generation heirs pursue their dreams rather than seek wealth. But some old-money families still consider being a celebrity a low-class profession and refuse to let their children tarnish their reputation by getting involved.

Even for a middle-class family like Yuan Shiyuan’s, the first reaction upon learning he wanted to enter the entertainment industry was worry. The industry was notoriously chaotic, and without connections or backing, he would be vulnerable to exploitation.

Though Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t deliberately researched Ying Mingche’s family, he knew they were well-off.

Hearing Ying Mingche’s explanation, he grew even more puzzled. “Your dad was willing to let you join a boy group?”

“My brother and I were actually pushed into the entertainment industry by our dad. We debuted as child stars,” Ying Mingche said, a sardonic twist to his lips. “Our mother… even though he didn’t want to be our mother, he still gave birth to us. He used to be a star in the spotlight, and my father naively believed that if my brother and I followed that path, our mother might finally look at us—father and sons—and perhaps even develop a fondness for us through association.”

Yuan Shiyuan’s mind flashed back to the scar at the corner of Ying Mingche’s eyebrow and its origin: a shard of glass from a vase shattered during one of his parents’ arguments, leaving a neglected scar.

He couldn’t gauge the truth behind Ying Mingche’s words. After all, Ying Mingche was prone to tall tales. Whether to achieve his goals or elicit sympathy, he often embellished the truth to dramatic effect.

Perhaps Ying Mingche was just playing the victim.

Even when Yuan Shiyuan had kissed his scars and satisfied him recently, he had prepared himself for the possibility that Ying Mingche might be lying.

Yet Yuan Shiyuan still did it.

Even with only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, he hoped to help heal the wounds Ying Mingche had suffered in the past. Even if those wounds meant nothing to the adult Ying Mingche he had become.

“So you see,” Ying Mingche said, nuzzling the back of Yuan Shiyuan’s hand with a smile, “I’m so pitiful. Please pity me and love me a little more.”

His tone was teasing, as if he didn’t mean a word of it. But his eyes remained fixed on Yuan Shiyuan’s face, scrutinizing every subtle shift in his expression as he anxiously awaited the response.

“Sure,” Yuan Shiyuan agreed quickly. “As long as you’re still obedient, I’ll like you.”

“If you’re even more obedient, I’ll like you even more.”

Ying Mingche’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently. He seemed desperate to say something, but a knock at the door interrupted him.

He glared irritably toward the entrance.

At the same moment, Yuan Shiyuan’s mobile phone vibrated. He answered the call. “That was quick?”

“Just wait, I’ll open the door.”

Yuan Shiyuan had barely stood up when Ying Mingche yanked him back down.

“You’re just leaving like that?” Ying Mingche’s voice carried the petulance of abandonment. “What about me?”

“Do whatever you want. I’m not stopping you.”

“What are you two going to do? I want to come with you…”

Yuan Shiyuan said nothing, casting Ying Mingche a mild, frowning glance.

Though Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t uttered a word and his expression remained unusually calm, Ying Mingche instantly reined in his anger. It was as if he had heard Yuan Shiyuan’s silent warning: You’re being disobedient again.

Ying Mingche immediately swallowed his clingy, insistent words, retracting his claws like a tamed beast. He lowered his gaze, feigning meekness. “Can I drive you guys? I’ll drop you off and leave right away, I promise I won’t get in the way.”

“No need. We’ll just take a taxi.” Yuan Shiyuan suddenly realized the call was still connected. Jiang Heng had been silently listening to their exchange the entire time.

“Jiang Heng?” he ventured tentatively.

Only then did Jiang Heng’s voice come from the other end of the line: “I’m listening.”

“……”

The door swung open, and a black-clad figure swept into the room, bringing with him a wave of outdoor heat. Jiang Heng’s sharp gaze swept across the interior, his tense expression softening slightly as he noted the room’s neatness and the remnants of breakfast on the table.

However, his dark eyes instantly turned icy when he saw Ying Mingche clinging possessively to Yuan Shiyuan.

Sensing his gaze, Ying Mingche didn’t back down. Instead, he wrapped an arm around Yuan Shiyuan’s waist and buried his face in the crook of his neck, taking a deep, lingering sniff.

“Do you want breakfast?” Yuan Shiyuan asked, worried Jiang Heng hadn’t eaten. “If so, we can grab something downstairs before we leave.”

“No need,” Jiang Heng replied. “I’ve already eaten.”

“Then let’s call a cab now?” Yuan Shiyuan was about to open the ride-hailing app when Jiang Heng cut in, “I’ll get it.”

Jiang Heng opened the app first, but his finger froze above the screen when it came time to enter the destination.

He didn’t know Yuan Shiyuan’s address.

After so many years apart, he had never visited Yuan Shiyuan’s home and had no idea about his current life or routines.

In that brief hesitation, Yuan Shiyuan had already booked a ride. He waved his phone at the Alpha. “No need—I couldn’t let you pay.”

“I’ve already booked a car. Let’s go downstairs and wait.”

Jiang Heng, having missed his chance to call a ride, lowered his gaze in disappointment.

But he quickly moved to Yuan Shiyuan’s side, pulling him from Ying Mingche’s arm and positioning him before himself. He then produced a pre-prepared mask, hat, and other protective gear.

Yuan Shiyuan obediently tilted his face upward, making it easier for Jiang Heng to fully outfit him.

Suddenly, he turned to Ying Mingche. “Oh, right,” he said, “if you see Brother Mingxi, please thank him for me. He really went through a lot yesterday.”

Yesterday, Ying Mingxi had gone above and beyond, working tirelessly. Yuan Shiyuan had been too focused on enjoying himself to even remember to thank him at the time. He would have to make up for it in person later.

Ying Mingche froze for a moment, then burst into unrestrained, malicious laughter, as if he’d heard the world’s greatest joke.

“After you let him do that to you, you’re thanking him?” He laughed until tears welled in his eyes. “That’s it, my brother’s going to be in heaven now! I told you he’s a total pervert!”

But Yuan Shiyuan stubbornly refused to believe it.

Perhaps Yuan Shiyuan had sensed some subtle warning signs, but because Ying Mingxi’s outward demeanor was so perfectly crafted—like an impeccable camouflage—he completely overlooked them.

After all, Ying Mingxi hadn’t actually harmed him; on the contrary, he had taken meticulous care of him. What reason did he have to harbor any doubts?

Just then, a cool hand brushed against his jawline, unexpectedly smoothing over the pink strands of hair to caress his ear.

Jiang Heng quietly adjusted Yuan Shiyuan’s mask, smoothly interrupting their conversation. “Ready to go now?”

Yuan Shiyuan glanced at the traffic conditions. The driver was only seven or eight hundred meters away, but a stretch of road around the corner was marked in red, indicating a complete standstill.

“Let’s head downstairs first. If we can’t move, we can just wait at the entrance.”

The elevator was at the end of the corridor.

As Jiang Heng pressed the button and waited for the elevator to descend, he casually asked, “What was Ying Mingche saying earlier? What’s this about ‘you’ve already let him do that’? What did you let Ying Mingxi do?”

What exactly had Ying Mingxi done to warrant Yuan Shiyuan’s insistence on thanking him?

Yuan Shiyuan kept it brief: “Nothing much. I just asked Brother Mingxi for a small favor.”

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and his fingers brushed against the plastic blister pack. He froze, suddenly realizing.

Ying Mingxi really was incredibly thoughtful.

Yuan Shiyuan had carelessly left the blister pack on the table the night before. He had slept soundly, waking up feeling perfectly fine except for a slightly sore pigudrum, a dry mouth, and some chafing around his gland.

Ying Mingxi had already ironed Yuan Shiyuan’s clothes and hung them in the closet. Perhaps knowing Yuan Shiyuan might forget, he’d even slipped the medicine blister pack into the pocket beforehand.

Even with a busy schedule today, Ying Mingxi still managed to wake up early, handle all the big and small matters, and take care of everything.

Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t help but marvel—he’d definitely chosen the right person.

Sensing Yuan Shiyuan’s reluctance to elaborate, Jiang Heng didn’t press further, though his gaze darkened slightly.

The elevator descended smoothly, the numbers ticking down. Jiang Heng suddenly turned back, his voice earnest. “If you ever need help with anything, you can come to me too.”

“I’m always here,” he emphasized.

Anything Ying Mingxi could do, Jiang Heng was certain he could do as well.

Ding! The elevator doors opened.

Yuan Shiyuan casually replied, “Yeah, yeah, sure. I’ll definitely ask you next time I need something.”

Yuan Shiyuan had seriously considered Jiang Heng before.

Jiang Heng was tight-lipped, outwardly cold but warm-hearted beneath the surface. However, that one out-of-control passionate kiss had truly frightened him.

Moreover, Jiang Heng was his childhood friend… Though they hadn’t kept in touch for years, their childhood bond still lingered.

Approaching Jiang Heng for help would just feel… strange.

The elevator descended from the upper floors, initially carrying only the two of them. But as it stopped at each floor, the doors opened and closed repeatedly, and the space rapidly filled with a surging crowd.

The sudden influx of people crammed the once-spacious cabin. Many wore hotel employee uniforms, their hurried movements betraying a sense of urgency.

Yuan Shiyuan had taken refuge in the farthest corner, Jiang Heng instinctively positioning himself in front of him, shielding him protectively. The Alpha instinctively drew Yuan Shiyuan closer, cradling him in his arms.

Then, as someone pushed from behind, Jiang Heng lurched forward, one leg pressing firmly between Yuan Shiyuan’s knees. In a completely enveloping embrace, he trapped Yuan Shiyuan against his chest.

The physical distance shrank, yet the heat between them intensified.

“Hey, stop pushing!” “Show some manners…”

Grumbling complaints rose from the crowd, but Jiang Heng heard nothing.

Trapped in the corner, Yuan Shiyuan wore a dark baseball cap, a mask, and loose-fitting athletic wear with long sleeves and shorts, leaving little skin exposed.

Yet the small crescent of snow-white ear peeking from beneath his pink hair, and the nape of his neck flushed crimson with heat, seemed to emanate a warm, intoxicating fragrance that coiled around Jiang Heng in invisible strands.

The Alphas in the crowd abruptly sniffed the air, their gazes instinctively drawn to the source of the captivating aroma.

In the corner stood a towering S-rank Alpha, shielding the person in his arms with possessive protectiveness, as if reluctant to reveal even a glimpse of their clothing. All the onlookers could see was a small section of slender ankle above pristine white sneakers.

Due to the overwhelming pressure of the Alpha’s rank, the other Alphas quickly averted their gazes. Yet a few bolder individuals persisted in their covert glances toward the corner, drawn by the addictive aroma.

How could he smell so good?

Even without releasing any pheromones, he’s utterly intoxicating…

“Are you hot?” Jiang Heng asked, his entire body stiff and his voice strained with an unnatural tension. “Just a bit longer. It’ll be over soon.”

Hotel staff hurried in and out, the elevator stopping on nearly every floor. Judging by their frantic expressions, a high-profile client had arrived.

Yuan Shiyuan murmured a soft “Mm-hmm,” feeling a little warm. He lifted his lashes and glanced at the Alpha standing like a wall before him.

At least with Jiang Heng blocking the view, I don’t have to worry about being recognized by fans or anyone else.

Slender fingers pinched the edge of his mask and tugged it down, revealing his flushed cheeks and the tip of his nose. He’d only meant to get some air, but his face was too small—the ear loops slipped off, exposing his slightly parted lips to the air.

Safety first, Yuan Shiyuan thought, quickly pulling the mask back into place. Noticing Jiang Heng staring at him, he tilted his head in confusion. “?”

Jiang Heng felt a sudden panic, his gaze flitting around uneasily before settling, almost imperceptibly, on Yuan Shiyuan’s lips. Lao A Yi Zheng Li

Even with the mask covering them, he remembered those slightly swollen, naturally flushed lips.

After I lost control and kissed him, his mouth looked exactly like this—red and tender.

Jiang Heng slowly raised his hand and cupped Yuan Shiyuan’s cheek. Through the mask, his thumb gently kneaded Yuan Shiyuan’s lips, neither too light nor too firm.

Yuan Shiyuan’s brow furrowed again in confusion. He murmured softly, “What’s wrong?”

“Did I get something dirty on my face?”

After a brief pause, Jiang Heng muttered an awkward, “Hmm.”

Yet his fingertip seemed bewitched, lingering, massaging the corner of Yuan Shiyuan’s mouth through the mask with a lingering, almost reluctant touch.

Inside the elevator, staff members were diligently replying to work group messages, their heads bowed in concentration. One employee, his face ashen with despair, instinctively turned his head toward the familiar voice that had reached his ears.

His eyes widened instantly as he spotted two tall, strikingly charismatic figures in the corner of the elevator, one of whom sported the unmistakable pink hair peeking from beneath his cap.

He stared for a long moment, yet dared not make his gaze too obvious, contenting himself with surreptitiously tugging at his colleague’s sleeve and trying to convey his message with frantic eye signals.

When the elevator finally reached the ground floor, the hotel lobby buzzed with activity.

Yuan Shiyuan instinctively glanced toward the crowd, only to realize that the center of attention was none other than Yu Sijing, impeccably dressed in a suit. He stood listening to his subordinates with a cold, resolute expression, the sharp lines of his profile taut with tension.

“CEO Yu’s adoptive parents are returning to the country today and will be staying at this hotel, one of the family’s properties. No wonder he came personally…”

“Didn’t they say they went abroad because their long-lost child might have been adopted by a foreign family? Why are they back so suddenly?”

“…The welfare institute made a mistake.”

“……”

Yuan Shiyuan put on his headphones and walked through the crowd with Jiang Heng. He sat down in the lounge area, opened the pre-recorded song, and listened intently.

“Do you think this melody is too bland?” he suddenly asked, turning to the Alpha.

Yuan Shiyuan suddenly realized Jiang Heng couldn’t hear him. He removed one earbud, gently brushed aside the Alpha’s hair with a curled finger, and helped him put the earbud in.

The same melody now flowed through the headphones, shared between them.

Warm fingertips pressed against his earlobe as the clear, clean vocals filled the earbuds. Jiang Heng gazed at Yuan Shiyuan’s face and said, “It’s beautiful.”

He added, “Your voice is beautiful too, and so distinctive.”

Just then, the song was interrupted by an incoming call.

“Wait, the driver might be here.” Yuan Shiyuan answered the call, and the driver immediately apologized. After listening to the explanation, Yuan Shiyuan said, “It’s okay, we’re not in a rush.”

“We’ll wait for you at the main entrance, is that alright?”

“Or if we walk a bit further, would it be easier to park?”

Jiang Heng gazed at Yuan Shiyuan’s profile, his ear filled with that gentle, patient voice, and felt momentarily dazed.

“The driver who took the order is new. He parked near a convenience store nearby. Shall we walk over there?” Yuan Shiyuan knew the convenience store. “It’s not far, maybe two or three hundred meters.”

A faint drip-drip-drip sounded outside the window.

“Is it raining?” Jiang Heng asked, rising with Yuan Shiyuan. “There are shared umbrellas nearby.”

The hotel provided shared umbrellas for guests. Since the rain had just started, there should still be some available.

But when they asked the staff for directions and finally reached the umbrella stand, they realized they were too late.

Only three umbrellas remained. A family of three and a couple who had just arrived had already taken two, leaving just one for them.

Just as Yuan Shiyuan was about to marvel at their good luck, he suddenly noticed a tall figure standing in a corner of the garden.

A woman with shoulder-length hair was talking on the phone with her back to them, her voice as flat and emotionless as a machine. “I’m already at the entrance.”

“Remember to bring an umbrella when you pick up Mom and Dad. It’s raining.”

As soon as one call ended, another came in. She seemed reluctant to answer, but seeing the caller ID, she picked up. “I know, I’m fine.”

“I just need some time alone to calm down. Don’t come looking for me.”

Whatever the person on the other end said, the woman glanced up at the sky. Dark clouds were gathering, and a light drizzle began to fall.

She stood there motionless, even her back radiating an unbearable weariness.

After hanging up, she lowered her head to stare at her mobile phone screen, seemingly focused on something unknown.

Yuan Shiyuan looked away and tugged Jiang Heng’s sleeve, whispering, “The convenience store is really close.”

“It looks like someone needs this umbrella more than we do,” he murmured, lowering his voice further. “How about we leave it for her?”

After all, they didn’t urgently need the umbrella and only had a short walk ahead. They had hats to shield them from the rain, but if they took the umbrella, the woman would have nothing.

Jiang Heng agreed without hesitation: “Sure.”

The rain intensified.

Soon, the fine drizzle transformed into a torrential downpour, bean-sized raindrops pounding the ground and splashing up in great sheets.

The photo on her mobile phone screen showed a baby adorned with gold and jade jewelry—tokens of love from elders—its smiling face blurred by the rain.

Yet she had seen this photo countless times. Even with her eyes closed, she could vividly recall the child’s carefree, smiling eyes.

Yu Jiao stared silently for a moment before a new message popped up on her phone, sent by Yu Sijing.

The rain was coming down too hard. He had arranged for someone to pick her up.

Yu Jiao immediately locked her screen, ignoring the message. Having just returned from abroad with her husband, her spirits remained low.

Originally, the couple had crossed the ocean with hearts brimming with excitement and anticipation, praying to the heavens that the adopted child they sought would be their own. Even if the child refused to acknowledge them, even if they preferred to stay with their current family, it wouldn’t matter.

As long as they lived well and grew into adulthood, that was all that mattered.

The child’s adoptive family, highly educated and welcoming, had cooperated fully with their visit. But after further investigation, it became clear: this was not the child they were searching for.

Years ago, due to inadequate surveillance and flawed procedures at the welfare institute, a mistake had been made.

A fleeting hope, dashed against the rocks of reality.

Yu Jiao leaned against the wall, her expression blank for a moment. After a long silence, she took a deep breath and prepared to turn away.

As she passed the umbrella stand, her footsteps abruptly halted.

Yu Jiao possessed an exceptionally high pheromone level and heightened senses. She had overheard footsteps nearby and snippets of conversation, confirming that three separate groups had arrived in succession.

Logically, the umbrella stand should contain no umbrellas suitable for sheltering her from the rain.

Yet there, in the metal stand that should have been empty, stood an unexpected clear, long-handled umbrella.