Pretending to Be an Alpha in an All-Alpha Boy Band - Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Birth Date

“I’m sorry, I can’t accept gifts.”

The soft glow of the signing event illuminated Yuan Shiyuan’s refined profile as he meticulously signed autographs, his head bowed in concentration. Suddenly, a fan extended a gift bag and a handwritten letter across the table.

A staff member swiftly intercepted the fan’s gift. They had strict rules against artists accepting gifts, especially expensive ones. The gift bag, emblazoned with a high-end brand logo, clearly indicated its considerable value.

The fan’s eyes dimmed for a moment, but she obediently withdrew the gift bag. Just as she lowered her head in disappointment, a slender, long-fingered hand stealthily reached out and took the carefully prepared envelope.

She looked up in surprise, her gaze colliding with Yuan Shiyuan’s clearly amused eyes.

They resembled students passing notes during class, both sharing a secret. Yuan Shiyuan winked quickly at her. “The gift is too extravagant. Keep it for yourself—that would make me even happier.”

“Just receiving your letter makes me incredibly happy.”

The staff turned a blind eye.

The next fan was an old acquaintance. Before she could even sit down, Yuan Shiyuan recognized the familiar voice.

“Shiyuan-ge, I’m back again!” It was Song Mian.

“Long time no see,” Yuan Shiyuan smiled at Song Mian, then glanced at the other fans waiting in line. “Your friend came along too, huh?”

Lu Lin’s face remained expressionless, but when Yuan Shiyuan’s gaze fell on him, he awkwardly lowered his head, his fingers fidgeting with the camera clutched in his lap.

“Shiyuan-ge, can we take a photo together with a heart pose?” Song Mian asked. “My friend has a camera. We can face him and have him take it!”

Yuan Shiyuan chuckled warmly. “Of course.”

He leaned forward slightly, making sure the camera could capture his full image. He extended his right hand, curving his fingers to form half a heart, which Song Mian completed with his own hand, creating a full heart shape.

Their closeness allowed Song Mian to catch a faint, pleasant scent wafting from Yuan Shiyuan. His heart pounded faster, completely obliterating the meticulously planned pose. He fumbled through the photo shoot in a daze.

When it was Lu Lin’s turn, he wordlessly pulled out a stack of cute stickers. He didn’t speak or move, but he furtively glanced at Yuan Shiyuan from the corner of his eye.

“Want to stick them on my face?” Yuan Shiyuan asked kindly.

“Mm-hmm.”

The table was quite wide, and both were seated, making it awkward to reach over and apply the stickers.

Just as Lu Lin was about to stand up, Yuan Shiyuan beat him to it, leaning forward across the autograph table and offering his delicate face directly to Lu Lin.

Pale pink strands of hair cascaded down, the tips swaying gently and brushing against the back of Lu Lin’s hand.

“It’s alright, I can stand up,” Yuan Shiyuan said, turning his cheek toward Lu Lin with a gentle smile.

Noticing several stickers had been placed near the corner of his eye and along his browbone, he asked softly, “Do you want to touch my face? Or take a photo?”

His lips curved into a smile as he glanced at Song Mian, who was also holding a camera. “Your friend seems ready.”

This was Lu Lin’s first time attending an offline event. Clueless and breathless, he extended his hand, his palm meeting a sensation of delicate, cool smoothness.

He watched as the pink-haired youth leaned forward, pressing his cheek against Lu Lin’s palm, then tilted his head to look up at him. Amber eyes, brimming with laughter, met his gaze directly.

Lu Lin remained frozen throughout the interaction. Only after the photo was taken did he awkwardly shuffle away, his movements stiff and clumsy.

His face flushed crimson belatedly, his mind flooded with that close-up, magnified image of Yuan Shiyuan’s face and the lingering warmth on his palm.

So soft…

His skin is so fair.

Yuan Shiyuan isn’t even wearing makeup!

“Shiyuan-ge is so freaking handsome! He’s so hot I’m dying! Aaaaah!” Song Mian shrieked, grabbing his friend’s arm and jumping up and down with excitement as soon as they met up.

Lu Lin was still reeling from the visual shock of moments ago, his heart pounding like a drum.

His gaze instinctively drifted back to the stage, where the pink-haired idol was working diligently. Noticing Lu Lin’s gaze, Shiyuan subtly tilted his head and flashed him a faint smile.

Lu Lin whipped his head away, his heart hammering even harder.

“Yeah, he’s… really handsome,” he muttered. He’d never followed a star before, let alone experienced anything like this in person.

He’d never understood the appeal of attending fan events. It seemed like such a waste of money and effort—all for a brief glimpse of someone.

But now, he finally understood.

Seeing Yuan Shiyuan with his own eyes was its own reward.

Next, Yuan Shiyuan encountered a particularly unusual fan.

The woman wore a mask and sat silently in her chair. When Yuan Shiyuan spoke first, her eyes immediately welled up, the corners growing damp.

He quickly pulled a tissue from his pocket and asked softly, “Have you been going through something difficult lately?”

Yu Jiao accepted the tissue, her fingers and voice trembling slightly. Instead of answering, she countered with a question: “Have you been doing well these past few years?”

“Are you truly happy?”

As if desperate to confirm something, she blurted out her question.

Yuan Shiyuan paused, then smiled reassuringly. “I’m doing well. I’m so happy you came to see me.”

“Can I… touch your face?” Yu Jiao asked tentatively.

It wasn’t an unreasonable request; many fans had asked the same thing today.

“Of course.”

Yuan Shiyuan stood up and, with practiced ease, bent down, pressing his cheek against the back of her trembling hand.

He deliberately slowed his movements, even nuzzling her hand with his cheek in a gesture of dependence, before looking up at her.

“Will this make you feel a little better?”

Yet this considerate gesture seemed only to agitate the woman further, tears welling up in her eyes.

As her time was up and she had to leave, she heard a gentle voice behind her.

“I hope our meeting today brought you some joy.”

She glanced back to see the pink-haired youth gazing at her intently, his eyes curving into a warm smile. “And I hope that you, who came to see me, found a little happiness too.”

Watching her retreating figure, Yuan Shiyuan instinctively recalled the redness around her eyes earlier.

For some reason, his heart ached, and he felt a pang of sadness.

The autograph session continued, and Yuan Shiyuan quickly composed himself to resume his professional demeanor, greeting the next fan.

Some fans had traveled great distances to attend the autograph session, investing significant time, money, and effort. Yuan Shiyuan knew he had to be at his absolute best for them.

The autograph session finally concluded late into the night.

Surrounded by staff, Yuan Shiyuan and the other members of Scepter left the venue.

Throughout the journey, Scepter continued to interact with fans. Even as they boarded their nanny van, they rolled down the windows to wave goodbye, extending the interaction for as long as possible.

Not far away, a black sedan sat silently in the shadows.

The occupant inside kept his gaze fixed on the nanny van.

Only after the nanny van merged into traffic and disappeared from sight did the black sedan slowly start up, gliding noiselessly into the night, heading in a completely different direction.

At the other end of the city, in a quiet alley corner:

The wind chimes above a bookstore’s entrance jingled crisply as the automatic door slid open.

Yuan Xing, formerly a Chinese language teacher, had always loved reading. Due to illness, she had temporarily resigned from her job to focus on her recovery.

Worried she might get bored, Yuan Shiyuan and Yuan Shize used money from their private stash to open a bookstore for her, hoping it would keep her occupied.

When Yu Jiao and her husband entered the store, they immediately spotted the refined Omega arranging books on the shelves.

They exchanged a glance, then grew inexplicably flustered, wandering conspicuously around another bookshelf, feigning interest in the titles while their minds remained completely elsewhere.

“May I assist you with anything?”

Yuan Xing rarely approached customers unless they requested help. However, noticing the couple’s frequent glances in his direction, he assumed they needed assistance finding a book and stepped forward.

“We’re… looking for a book,” Yu Jiao said softly. “We’ve searched everywhere for it, for a long time.”

“If you’ve been searching for so long, it must be very important to you,” Yuan Xing said sympathetically. “Do you remember the title? Perhaps I can help.”

“I have many rare, out-of-print ancient books here, as well as volumes my family and I collected abroad.”

Yu Jiao opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Her mind was far from books; flustered by Yuan Xing’s friendliness, she abruptly changed the subject.

“We’ll look around on our own first, thank you.”

“No problem. Feel free to call me if you need anything,” Yuan Xing said with a warm smile.

He understood that some customers were introverted and preferred not to bother others. He added, “If you’d like, you can order drinks and read in the reading area. Our shop is very casual.”

Yu Jiao and her husband ordered two drinks and sat uneasily in the reading area.

How should they broach the subject? Should they cut straight to the chase, or circle around it cautiously?

Would she find their directness rude? Would she resist their probing?

The couple, accustomed to grand occasions, now felt as flustered as fresh-faced newcomers to the working world.

It wasn’t until Yuan Xing placed their coffees on the table that Yu Jiao finally decided to speak. “Your bookstore has such a cozy atmosphere. Has it been open long?”

“No, just recently,” Yuan Xing replied, a blissful smile lighting her face. “My two sons insisted on opening it for me. They worried I’d get bored at home, so they leased this shop and gave me something to do.”

The shop’s basic structure remained unchanged; Yuan Xing had only added personal touches to soften the space.

Two sons? Yu Jiao paused. Ah, yes, Yuan Shiyuan had mentioned that his family had adopted two children.

And the brothers were very close.

“Your sons are very filial,” Yu Jiao said, glancing down as she took a sip of her coffee, her fingers tracing the rim of the cup. “How old is your eldest son now?”

Starry Night Entertainment had Yuan Shiyuan’s official details, including his birthdate.

But information in the entertainment industry was notoriously unreliable. Many artists fudged their ages and birthdays, and some companies even consulted fortune-tellers to give their talents “auspicious” names or birthdates—standard practice in the industry.

“My eldest son? He’s not even nineteen yet, but he’ll be soon,” Yuan Xing said, her expression softening as she spoke of her child. “He’s still just a kid, really.”

Yu Jiao and her husband exchanged a glance, their hearts pounding. The age matched!

Her fingers trembled as she struggled to maintain her composure, wanting to proceed cautiously. But at that moment, she couldn’t contain her urgency and blurted out, “Your child… is adopted, isn’t he?”

Yuan Xing’s expression instantly turned cold. “What exactly do you want to know?” she asked calmly.

At first, the couple had wandered aimlessly around the bookstore, and Yuan Xing assumed they were just killing time.

Later, they seemed to be chatting, asking innocuous questions that were easy enough to answer.

It wasn’t until the end that Yuan Xing finally realized they had an ulterior motive.

Father Yu apologized in a low voice, “I’m sorry for barging in like this, but we couldn’t wait another second…”

“Your child, Yuan Shiyuan, might be our biological son.”

Yuan Xing didn’t seem surprised, or perhaps she simply didn’t care who Yuan Shiyuan’s biological parents were.

“Is that so? And what of it?” he said coolly. “You abandoned him at birth. Now that he’s famous, you come crawling back to claim him?”

“There’s no such thing as a free ride in this world,” Yuan Xing declared, dismissing them with a gesture. “If this is why you’re here, please leave.”

“You’re not welcome here. Please don’t disturb our lives.”

“No… no, that’s not it at all!” Yu Jiao immediately protested. “We never abandoned him! We’ve been searching for him all along—our whole family has been searching for him! For nineteen years, we’ve searched every day, never giving up.”

They had rushed over in such haste that their bag contained only a fraction of the documentation. Father Yu opened the backpack and pulled out a stack of “evidence”: a mountain of plane tickets, charity project documents, and missing person posters offering staggering rewards, all accompanied by photographs of a young infant.

Yuan Xing stared in surprise at the photographs that had fallen beside her hand. Though tiny, the baby was clearly well-cared for, with fair skin, chubby cheeks, and a dimpled chin when he smiled.

Amber eyes, each corner adorned with a tiny mole. These two distinctive features alone were unmistakably identical to Yuan Shiyuan’s.

Yuan Xing stared intently at the photo, her brow furrowed. She had seen photos of Yuan Shiyuan as a child before, and there were indeed some similarities, but she couldn’t be certain if the two children were the same person.

The photos taken at the welfare institute during Yuan Shiyuan’s infancy were blurry and showed an exceptionally frail child. His face was gaunt, lacking any trace of baby fat, a clear sign of chronic malnutrition. His entire body was covered in a layer of dust, neglected and uncared for.

This starkly contrasted with the meticulously cared-for, plump-cheeked, and radiant baby before her.

“Our whole family has been searching for him ever since he went missing as a child. Back then, surveillance technology was primitive, and personal information wasn’t yet fully tracked… Finding a lost child was almost impossible.”

“For nearly nineteen years, our family never gave up. His birthday is in October. Even though he’s not with us, we still hold a birthday celebration for him every year and prepare gifts…”

Yuan Xing noticed the dates and ages written beneath each photo, all marked as October 10th.

In the photos, the family had meticulously decorated for the birthday celebration and prepared gifts. Everyone smiled at the camera, but the sadness in their eyes couldn’t be concealed.

“As long as there’s a sliver of hope, we won’t give up.”

Yuan Xing and her husband had once taken their child back to the welfare institute where it all began.

The Director Mother had personally told them that Yuan Shiyuan had been abandoned. She had found him behind a tree by the riverbank in the dead of winter. The rural winters were especially harsh, yet Yuan Shiyuan was clad in only thin clothing, filthy and too weak to even cry, shockingly emaciated, clearly starved for an extended period.

Tucked into the hastily bundled swaddling clothes were a few medical examination reports. The Director Mother immediately understood: the child’s family had likely abandoned him due to his frail health, frequent illnesses, and significantly underdeveloped glands.

Yuan Xing and her husband were both furious and heartbroken at the child’s cruel fate.

Yuan Xing didn’t readily trust the couple before her. After all, Yuan Shiyuan was now incredibly famous. What if they were just trying to ride his coattails by claiming kinship?

Remaining vigilant, Yuan Xing discreetly messaged her husband and then focused intently on the documents before her.

As she studied them, she gradually began to believe that the couple genuinely meant no harm.

Many of the documents bore official seals. Even though Yuan Xing paid little attention to the entertainment industry, she recognized the name of a family renowned for its charitable work.

The Yu Family was a renowned musical dynasty in A City, having produced numerous world-class performers. Among them was the woman before him, Yu Jiao, one of the family’s most celebrated figures.

She was also Master Yu’s most beloved daughter. He had publicly declared her a “heaven’s favored,” possessing unparalleled talent.

After inheriting her father’s legacy, Yu Jiao quickly married her childhood sweetheart and gave birth to a child. The entire family eagerly awaited the new life’s arrival. Even before the baby was born, they began meticulously documenting every aspect of the pregnancy—from routine prenatal checkups to shopping for baby supplies.

In essence, this child was born into a world overflowing with anticipation and love.

Yuan Xing had heard rumors of a missing Yu Family child. She flipped back through the documents in astonishment, each page chronicling their decades-long, arduous search.

They had established a charitable foundation to help lost children worldwide reunite with their parents. They also regularly delivered supplies to welfare institutes, with family members personally overseeing each trip to ensure the goods reached those in genuine need.

The most astonishing revelation was that the welfare institute where Yuan Shiyuan had once lived had also received funding from the Yu Family!

Located in a remote rural area, the institute’s conditions had been spartan at best.

But starting in a certain year, thanks to the Yu Family’s support, the children began wearing new clothes, eating nutritious meals, and living in renovated buildings that were sturdy and comfortable.

“We’re not con artists,” Yu Jiao’s voice choked with emotion as silent tears streamed down her face. “We never intended to disrupt your lives. We just wanted to know if our child was still alive… As long as he’s well, we don’t even need him to acknowledge us.”

She struggled to continue, “We won’t interfere with your current life, let alone take him away. We understand that you are the ones who truly raised him, the ones who gave him a home.”

How could they not yearn for their child to return to their arms? But after countless dashed hopes, they had long since abandoned such dreams.

Their prayers to heaven had been lowered time and again, until all they asked was for their child to still be alive, well-fed, warmly clothed, and part of a loving family, growing up safely. That would be enough.

Yuan Xing silently flipped through the documents, carefully organizing and returning them without a word.

Her tone softened considerably, now carrying a solemn gentleness. “If Shiyuan truly is your biological child, whom you’ve been searching for all these years… he has a right to know the truth.”

“You should also let him know there are people in this world who love him.”

Yuan Xing paused, then let out a soft sigh, a complex tenderness flickering in her eyes. “He’s always believed… that he was abandoned by his parents, a child no one wanted.”

The couple were about to offer an explanation, but Yuan Xing raised a hand to stop them. “But all this hinges on one condition: that he truly is your missing child.”

After all, there was currently no direct evidence to prove Yuan Shiyuan was their son.

Could two moles at the corners of his eyes and amber eyes alone be enough? Yuan Xing believed that over the years, the couple must have encountered many children with similar features, their hopes repeatedly kindled only to be extinguished.

Physical resemblance alone couldn’t establish blood ties.

“Let’s exchange contact information first.” Yuan Xing took out her mobile phone. “I’ll find a way to assist you with a DNA test. But for now, please don’t tell him about this.”

“And please, don’t contact him proactively.”

If the test results showed no blood relation, prematurely telling Yuan Shiyuan about this would only cause him further heartbreak.

As his closest family member, Yuan Xing would never allow any situation that could potentially harm him.

In the nanny van, Yuan Shiyuan yawned lazily.

The intensity of the autograph session had far exceeded his expectations, but thankfully, he had been in good form that day, and no mishaps had occurred. Now, a wave of fatigue was slowly washing over him.

From the back seat, Ying Mingche suddenly leaned forward and poked Yuan Shiyuan’s cheek with his distinctly bony fingers.

“Baby, your birthday’s coming up soon,” he said, his voice suppressing a long-brewed excitement, clearly having held back for ages. “How do you want to celebrate?”

Everyone in the van turned to look at Yuan Shiyuan.

Zhuang He immediately clapped in agreement. “That’s right! Next week is our Shiyuan’s birthday. The company originally planned a grand celebration… but he refused, saying it would be too ostentatious.”

“Or,” Zhuang He added magnanimously, “you guys can plan something yourselves! Venue, expenses—the company will cover everything!”

Zhuang He understood these young people. When it came to celebrating birthdays, they undoubtedly wanted to spend time with close friends, not have it turn into a work obligation.

If the company held a birthday party, it would mostly be attended by staff and media. To Yuan Shiyuan, what difference was there between that and working overtime?

When Yuan Shiyuan refused the birthday party, Zhuang He wasn’t surprised and immediately negotiated with the company.

The outcome of the negotiation was that if Yuan Shiyuan wanted to celebrate with his friends himself, the company would reimburse all expenses.

Yuan Shiyuan, who had nearly dozed off, was instantly jolted awake by this topic.

He stared blankly ahead, and after a long pause, he belatedly asked, “Isn’t there still a week left?”

His birthday was next week. Were these people already planning so far in advance?

“Just a week—seven days. It’ll be here before you know it,” Ying Mingche quickly interjected. “It’ll fly by.”

Yuan Shiyuan had no particular feelings about birthdays, and he didn’t even know if he had any scheduled activities for the day itself.

Moreover, the birthdate on his ID card might not even be his real birthday. Even he himself didn’t know when he was actually born.

His current birthday was just an educated guess made by Director Mother, the woman who had found and raised him.

In this world, aside from his biological parents, perhaps no one truly knew his exact birthdate.

But Yuan Shiyuan didn’t really care which day his birthday was.

It wasn’t important.

“Is there anything you want?” Bo Jin interjected calmly.

The others were also waiting for Yuan Shiyuan’s answer.

After pondering seriously for a moment, Yuan Shiyuan shook his head. “There’s nothing I really want.”

Seeing the Alphas’ simultaneous expressions of dissatisfaction, he sighed helplessly. “I’m not just being polite. I genuinely don’t want anything. I have everything I need right now, and I can’t think of anything I’m missing…”

Yuan Shiyuan truly felt incredibly fortunate.

His loving family was healthy, his friends cared for him deeply, and he had many supportive fans. He had achieved modest success in his career and hadn’t fallen behind in his studies.

He was already a winner in life.

To ask for more would be too greedy.

However, Bo Jin gave him a profound look, as if encouraging him, and said:

“You can be a little greedier.”