Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Meeting the Parents 

“Pull up some surveillance footage for me,” Yu Jiao said, cutting straight to the chase without any preamble when she found Yu Sijing. “The footage from the camera near the public umbrella rack—get me the footage from the last ten minutes, and send it over immediately.”

“Of course,” Yu Sijing replied without hesitation, immediately instructing his subordinates to comply. “Did something happen?”

“Something… odd,” Yu Jiao replied, her voice tinged with puzzlement.

Perhaps a kind-hearted stranger, not needing an umbrella themselves, had noticed her foul mood and left one behind. It wasn’t an extraordinary gesture, hardly worth dwelling on.

But Yu Jiao’s instincts had always been remarkably accurate.

Her intuition told her she had to review that footage, or she would later regret it.

Unfortunately, the surveillance footage revealed nothing unusual.

Just as Yu Jiao had suspected, it was a kind-hearted couple who, noticing her apparent distress, had quietly discussed it before deciding to leave the umbrella for her.

The Good Samaritans were bundled up so tightly, not even their eyes were visible.

As Yu Jiao stared intently at the screen, Yu Sijing’s gaze sharpened beside her, precisely capturing a nearly imperceptible detail in the surveillance footage—a wisp of pale pink hair peeking out from under the brim of the slender youth’s cap, a few strands clinging obediently to the side of his neck.

“Are you looking for this person?” Yu Sijing asked, a hint of inquiry in his voice. “Did he… do something?”

From the footage they’d watched so far, Yu Sijing saw nothing unusual. It couldn’t be about her foster mother, could it? Just wanting to thank someone in person for a moment of kindness?

How strange. There’s nothing remarkable about this footage. The smaller youth is bundled up completely.

Yet Yu Jiao’s gaze remained magnetically fixed on that figure, unable to tear itself away.

“It’s nothing,” she murmured, her voice distant. “I just want to…”

She paused, uncertain even to herself. After a moment of silence, she continued with a determination she couldn’t quite explain, “I just want to know who he is.”

“If that’s all you wish to know,” Yu Sijing said, nodding slightly and lowering his head respectfully, “I may have the answer.”

The rain stopped almost as soon as it had begun.

As the car approached Yuan Shiyuan’s neighborhood, Jiang Heng suddenly stopped the driver. “Driver, could you pull over for a moment?”

Yuan Shiyuan tilted his head, puzzled. “Need to use the restroom?”

“No.” Jiang Heng hesitated, his voice low and strained with obvious nervousness. “It’s my first time at your house… Should I have brought a gift? Coming empty-handed feels so…”

When Yuan Shiyuan invited him to dinner, Jiang Heng’s initial reaction was pure excitement, followed by an eagerness to see him as soon as possible.

But as the initial thrill faded, his mind finally regained its clarity, leaving only anxiety and self-reproach.

How could I be so thoughtless? Visiting Yuan Shiyuan’s home empty-handed?

Yuan Shiyuan chuckled. “It’s just dinner, why would you need to bring anything? You’re not here to propose! Besides, my parents just want to thank you in person. If you spend money on a gift, they’ll feel even more indebted.”

“Relax, don’t worry. It’s just a casual meal.” Seeing the Alpha’s tension, Yuan Shiyuan patted his shoulder reassuringly. “My parents are really nice and easy to get along with. Plus, my dad’s cooking is amazing. When I was in school, my classmates would always rush over to my house after class…”

“Just waiting for my dad to take that bite.”

“Was that during high school?” Jiang Heng pressed, his gaze locked on Yuan Shiyuan’s smiling profile.

“Yeah, middle and high school,” Yuan Shiyuan replied after a moment’s thought. “Not yet in college, but my parents have met my roommates…”

Back when Yuan Shiyuan was struggling financially, his roommates had gone out of their way to support him. Knowing he wouldn’t accept anything too expensive, they’d bought nutritional supplements for him to pass on to Yuan Xing, who was hospitalized.

Jiang Heng stared at Yuan Shiyuan’s face, a sudden pang of bitterness rising in his heart. What had Yuan Shiyuan been like on campus?

In those youthful years, before Jiang Heng had entered the picture, Yuan Shiyuan must have been the center of attention, dazzlingly radiant, the most popular Alpha in his grade, the talk of the entire school.

But these memories were beyond Jiang Heng’s reach, mere phantoms he could only imagine.

The car fell silent. After Yuan Shiyuan’s repeated refusals, Jiang Heng seemed to have given up on giving him a gift.

However, the driver interjected, “Hey, young man, I disagree!”

The driver glanced at the two in the back seat through the rearview mirror, speaking with the earnestness of someone who had been there. “Even if it’s just a simple meal with the parents, you can’t show up empty-handed for the first meeting. It’s basic etiquette.

“Besides, just because your parents are easygoing and raised you well doesn’t mean the Alpha can take you for granted. For a first meeting, he absolutely needs to bring something—it shows he cares.”

Yuan Shiyuan froze, realizing the driver had mistaken them for a young couple about to meet the parents. He hurriedly interrupted, “Hey, sir, it’s not like that…”

“I know you young folks don’t care about formalities these days,” the driver interrupted sternly, “but it’s about attitude! I’ve been there, kid, I know. Don’t listen to this handsome guy—bring something! The more you can afford, the better.”

“That’s how I won over my wife back in the day,” he added with a hint of pride.

Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t help but laugh, yet he felt somewhat helpless. “Sir, we’re not meeting parents. We’re just friends…”

“Uncle’s right.”

The car had already pulled over. Ignoring Yuan Shiyuan’s protests, Jiang Heng seized his hand and dragged him out of the vehicle.

The driver, considerate as always, had thoughtfully stopped at a high-end supermarket.

Yuan Shiyuan watched as Jiang Heng loaded a shopping cart with Moutai liquor, premium tea leaves, bird’s nest, American ginseng, a massage pillow, and other lavish gifts.

The saleswoman, sizing them up as a perfect couple and judging by Jiang Heng’s selections, immediately recognized they were visiting his parents for the first time.

She offered knowingly, “Young man, meeting the parents for the first time? How about a scarf? This one’s perfect for fall or winter—a sophisticated color…”

In the blink of an eye, the shopping cart was overflowing with gifts.

As Jiang Heng reached for a pack of cigarettes, Yuan Shiyuan finally couldn’t hold back. “No, no! No one in my family smokes.”

Yuan Shiyuan himself occasionally indulged, but only under extreme stress. His younger brother and parents were strictly non-smokers.

Jiang Heng obediently withdrew his hand, his dark eyes filled with uncertainty. “…Is this…too little?”

Having no prior experience, Jiang Heng was terrified of making a misstep or falling short, leaving a poor impression on the elders.

Yuan Shiyuan raised an eyebrow at the Alpha’s anxiety. “Is that not enough? Anyone would think you’re here to propose!”

“This is almost as much as meeting the parents of a girlfriend…”

Who proposes at a supermarket? Jiang Heng disagreed. “If it were a proposal, this definitely wouldn’t be enough.”

“Not enough? Should I get more?”

“No, no, it’s plenty,” Yuan Shiyuan said, noticing Jiang Heng’s slight disappointment. After a moment’s thought, he added, “Let’s get a fishing rod too? My dad loves fishing, he’d definitely like it.”

Jiang Heng immediately searched for fishing rod brands online, selecting the most expensive model favored by serious anglers.

As they approached the checkout, Jiang Heng reached for his phone to scan the QR code, but Yuan Shiyuan beat him to it.

“You…” Jiang Heng glanced at Yuan Shiyuan, who was already paying, his eyes reflecting a mix of defeat and hurt, as if more than just the payment had been rejected.

“I’d feel terrible letting you pay.”

Since Yuan Shiyuan’s home was nearby, he borrowed a shopping cart from the supermarket and pushed it back himself.

He didn’t let Jiang Heng take over the cart.

“If you’re helping me, it would be too much to let you pay too, right?”

“Between good brothers, there’s no keeping track. Your treat or mine, it’s all the same.”

Jiang Heng pushed the cart in silence, listening to Yuan Shiyuan finish before finally humming in acknowledgment, “Got it.”

That makes sense.

They hadn’t seen each other in so many years, and Yuan Shiyuan, being so polite, would naturally be embarrassed to let Jiang Heng pay. After all, so much time had passed between them. Even if they’d been inseparable as children, sharing everything without a second thought, they were bound to have grown distant now.

Yuan Shiyuan’s home was in an old residential complex, shaded by lush trees, the air thick with the aroma of home-cooked meals. Jiang Heng followed him along winding, tree-lined paths, eventually entering a unit building and stepping into the cramped elevator.

The ascending floor numbers flashed like the accelerating rhythm of an Alpha’s heartbeat. As Yuan Shiyuan fumbled for his keys, ready to unlock the door, Jiang Heng held his breath, so tense he dared not even exhale.

Before Yuan Shiyuan could insert the key, the door swung open from within.

An Alpha wearing an apron stood in the doorway, a spatula in his hand, beaming with pride.

“I heard your footsteps coming! Your dad’s got sharp ears, huh?”

Father Yuan turned to the tense Alpha standing behind Yuan Shiyuan and exclaimed warmly, “This must be Little Heng! Little Yuan’s good friend! I’ve heard so much about you from Little Yuan over the years… You’ve grown so tall and handsome—a real gentleman!”

“Uncle, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jiang Heng replied stiffly, forcing an awkward, rigid smile like a sculpted figure.

Father Yuan burst into hearty laughter at the sight of that strained smile. Yuan Shiyuan struggled to suppress his own amusement. “Dad, what are you doing? Stop teasing my friend! By the way, where’s Mom?”

“She’s reading. Wait, I’ll go get her—”

Drawn by the commotion at the door, Yuan Xing emerged as well. Gentle-natured with a soft voice, he greeted Jiang Heng with a warm smile. “So you’re Little Heng? After all these years, Little Yuan still thinks of you so fondly… Why bring gifts? We’re not strangers.”

Yuan Shiyuan, kicking off his shoes, shot Jiang Heng a mischievous glance. “He insisted on buying them for you, said it was proper etiquette for a first meeting. I couldn’t stop him!”

“If I hadn’t intervened, he would have cleared out the entire supermarket…”

Jiang Heng looked at Yuan Shiyuan in surprise.

But Yuan Shiyuan had clearly paid for everything himself… Noticing the increasingly doting gazes from the two elders, he seemed to suddenly understand something.

“You really didn’t need to go to all this trouble.”

“Xiao Heng, you’re too polite.”

“Is the air conditioner cold enough?”

“……”

From the entryway to the sofa, Jiang Heng was enveloped by the elders’ warm hospitality.

Polite and reserved, he tried his best to appear composed, anxious not to leave a bad impression on them.

The couple before him exuded doting affection for Yuan Shiyuan in their eyes.

Yet their features, contours, and even their demeanor were utterly different from the couple he remembered adopting Yuan Shiyuan from the orphanage all those years ago.

Jiang Heng maintained a polite smile, but his gaze wandered uncontrollably across their faces, searching for a trace of familiarity, only to feel an increasingly intense sense of alienation.

Had he misremembered?

Or… had something happened after Yuan Shiyuan’s adoption that he didn’t know about?