What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 101

Chapter 101 – The True Finale

Duan Yi felt as if he had been dreaming for an eternity.

He had that sensation of returning to reality, realizing he was utterly exhausted—so tired he couldn’t even open his eyes. In layman’s terms, it felt like sleep paralysis.

Strange and fantastical images flashed through his mind, as if countless memories, abstractly materialized, were being crammed into his brain. Things he had never been able to recall, or that had long lain dormant, exploded like fireworks.

He saw himself in a car accident on the way back to China, saw his bloodied body lying on a stretcher, saw Sheng Yunze’s desperate decision, saw Xiaoduan Mom and the others standing outside the hospital room…

Finally, he saw himself running toward Sheng Yunze, his consciousness being pulled outward by an invisible force.

Without resisting, he simply closed his eyes.

He knew Sheng Yunze was waiting for him. His parents, relatives, friends—everyone was waiting.

And they had been waiting for far too long.

Duan Yi continued to walk through his memories, simultaneously trying to move his body.

At first, he could only make his little finger twitch slightly, an effort that felt to him like lifting a fifty-kilogram stone, with enough force to topple himself off the bed.

In reality, it was just a faint tremor.

Duan Yi struggled to sit up.

Opening his eyes felt like breaking free from immense shackles. In an instant, his limbs regained mobility, and he felt as if he had been hauled out of the deep sea.

For a moment, he even felt suffocated.

Gasping for breath, Duan Yi’s vision gradually cleared, revealing a white ceiling.

He paused for a long moment before slowly sitting up and turning to his right.

Outside the window stretched a brilliant blue sky, the weather perfect for April.

A click sounded at the door as someone opened it.

Duan Yi instinctively turned his head. The nurse who entered froze, her eyes widening at the sight of him awake. She hastily set down the IV bag she was carrying and rushed out of the room.

The ringing in his ears was deafening. Duan Yi’s blood sugar was dangerously low after waking up, so he could only see the nurse’s terrified expression without hearing a sound.

The world appeared to him like a silent film, giving him a dark, cold sense of humor.

But his smile vanished in an instant.

The door opened again, this time revealing Sheng Yunze.

Duan Yi felt like he had developed Sheng Yunze PTSD—the kind where just seeing him could trigger an uncontrollable stream of tears.

Sheng Yunze moved with fluid grace, not pausing for a moment after opening the door.

Duan Yi stared blankly, his mind a void, before Sheng Yunze pulled him into a tight embrace.

The hug was so tight that Duan Yi felt dizzy, his vision blurring, and he struggled to breathe. Yet he didn’t want to push Sheng Yunze away.

Buried in the other man’s arms, Duan Yi began to sob uncontrollably.

Then he started to struggle, hitting and clawing at Sheng Yunze, venting his emotions in every way he could think of. It wasn’t until ten minutes later that his emotions gradually calmed.

Still, he refused to release his grip on Sheng Yunze’s sleeve.

The first words Duan Yi spoke were, “I’m sorry.”

Sheng Yunze stared intently at him, his eyes unwavering. Duan Yi’s rims were red-rimmed. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

He touched Sheng Yunze’s arm, where his earlier grip had left two red marks on the pale skin.

Duan Yi mumbled, “Does it hurt…? Why didn’t you dodge earlier…?”

Sheng Yunze remained silent for a long time. He was always quiet, but this time his silence felt excessive.

Duan Yi had imagined many scenarios: if he woke up and saw Sheng Yunze, he would never let him out of his sight. He would finally say all the things he had been too embarrassed to admit. He would tell him how desperately he had searched, how he hadn’t forgotten him on purpose.

But the moment he saw Sheng Yunze again, his heart surged with not only the joy of reunion but also a wave of resentment and pain.

Deep down, Duan Yi still blamed Sheng Yunze for disappearing without a word, for knowing everything but telling him nothing.

Yet the instant he hit him, regret washed over him.

Why did I hit him?

Duan Yi’s thoughts snapped back to clarity.

If he had told me what was happening, I wouldn’t have believed him anyway!

Duan Yi thought bitterly.

So… was he really wrong?

Maybe not.

And I wasn’t exactly right either…

Duan Yi fell into deep thought.

I forgot him too. In that case, I’m the one who was worse…

Sheng Yunze suddenly spoke, “Duan Yi.”

Duan Yi immediately looked up, whether as the seventeen-year-old or the twenty-seven-year-old version of himself. His emotions always shifted from cloudy to sunny; as long as the outcome was good, he could always forget any unpleasantness along the way.

Sheng Yunze kissed his forehead. “This is the last time you’ll cry for me.”

The tip of Duan Yi’s nose tingled. “I’m the one who wronged you…”

He suddenly snapped back to reality. “Where are Sheng Ming and Sheng Xi?”

“They’re at home. You just woke up, so I didn’t let them come to the hospital.” Sheng Yunze asked, “Are you feeling any discomfort?”

Duan Yi shook his head. “No. I just can’t remember some things. Oh, right! I have so many questions for you!”

Sheng Yunze knew Duan Yi would have countless questions now that he was awake. But Duan Yi had been bedridden for too long, and his body needed time to recover. It wasn’t wise for him to talk too much. Sheng Yunze gently pressed him back against the bed. “We can talk about everything in a few days. I know you have a lot to ask, but you’ll have to be patient.”

Duan Yi immediately grabbed his arm. “Then where are you going?!”

Sheng Yunze replied, “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here with you.”

Duan Yi tugged at Sheng Yunze’s sleeve, refusing to let go. He noticed the rims of Sheng Yunze’s eyes were red, but he didn’t dare mention it.

Sheng Yunze was being unbelievably gentle with him now—something Duan Yi wouldn’t have even dared to imagine in his wildest dreams.

A major illness for a few days of being treated like royalty? Not a bad deal at all, Duan Yi thought.

The only question was how long this “gentle husband” experience card would last. Based on his past experiences, it usually lasted no more than three days.

But given the severity of this illness, it might extend to a week.

Holy crap, a whole week without hearing Sheng Yunze’s sharp tongue? This is too good to be true!

Duan Yi felt a sudden surge of euphoria, his face glowing with happiness.

Sheng Yunze sat beside him. “Mom will be here to see you soon.”

Duan Yi nodded.

“Rest and get plenty of sleep,” Sheng Yunze said. “You need to regain your strength.”

He sounds just like my dad, Duan Yi thought.

He nodded outwardly, but after a moment, he retorted, “But I’ve been sleeping for so long already. I can’t sleep anymore.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Duan Yi asked, “How long have I been asleep?”

Sheng Yunze replied calmly, “A very long time.”

He remembered it clearly, down to the minute.

Every second had felt like an eternity to him.

Duan Yi fell silent for a moment.

In truth, once he pieced together the cause and effect, the whole situation wasn’t difficult to understand.

Duan Yi remembered being in a car accident on the way back from the airport.

In that final moment, several thoughts had flashed through his mind. He suddenly realized how fleeting his time with Sheng Yunze had been in this lifetime. In his last breath, he had begged God to let him wander as a lonely ghost for decades, waiting until Sheng Yunze grew old and left this world. Then, they could reincarnate together and be together in the next life.

He wanted to tell Sheng Yunze how deeply he loved him, regretting that he hadn’t confessed his feelings before leaving.

Then, everything went blank. Duan Yi didn’t even have time to register the pain before losing consciousness.

When he awoke again, it was during his third year of high school—

Duan Yi now understood that he hadn’t actually woken up in his third year. He had woken up within a dream, like those nested dreams he sometimes had.

Duan Yi wondered what technology Sheng Yunze had used to extract a portion of his memories and create this massive “Duan Yi’s World,” allowing him to spend a carefree period of time in a fabricated subconscious realm.

However, as Duan Yi reflected more carefully, he realized there were subtle discrepancies between that high school period and his actual past.

For example—

Sheng Yunze had clearly been the one who pursued him back then, and they had gotten together in their second year of high school…

Yet in the world Sheng Yunze had created, it was Duan Yi who had chased after Sheng Yunze!

Damn it, how devious…

Duan Yi muttered to himself.

Then he suddenly remembered the system from the fabricated world.

Because of that damned system, he had made a complete fool of himself countless times!

Duan Yi glared fiercely at Sheng Yunze.

Sheng Yunze sensed his gaze—in truth, he had been staring at Duan Yi since the beginning, as if watching a bubble about to burst.

His obsessive gaze made Duan Yi reluctant to meet his eyes directly.

But now that he had a reason to confront him, Duan Yi demanded, “I’m asking you…”

Sheng Yunze absentmindedly hummed in response, his attention flitting between Duan Yi’s IV drip and his urge to pinch Duan Yi, as if afraid he might be an illusion.

Duan Yi asked sternly, “That system voice in the other world, the one that kept telling me to choose A, B, or C—did you create it?”

Sheng Yunze: ……

He slowly averted his gaze, pretending to be absorbed in the IV drip.

Duan Yi: Damn it!

You fucking bastard!

It was definitely you, wasn’t it?!

You went too far!

Those choices you made—were they even humanly possible?!

Have you no shame?!

Is there anything remotely normal about you?!

For once, Sheng Yunze’s face betrayed a hint of guilt. Then, in a commanding tone, he said, “Go back to sleep.”

Duan Yi realized his “gentle husband” experience card had probably expired.

“I just woke up… And could you be a little gentler with your patient? You were only nice for a little while…”

As he spoke, he actually started feeling sleepy. The IV drip might have contained some sedative. Duan Yi mumbled, “When can I get out of here? I want hot pot…”

He slowly closed his eyes, thinking of his classmates from years ago.

Having just relived his high school memories, this particular recollection was exceptionally vivid, as if he were reliving his high school days all over again.

He thought of Jiang Wangshu, who had gone to Tsinghua University after graduation to study medicine. After completing his studies, Jiang Wangshu became an internal medicine physician, dedicated to saving lives. During his four years at university, he had also self-taught Thai boxing and Karate, insisting that in such a high-risk profession as medicine, one couldn’t possibly be competent without some martial arts skills.

The doctors in their department had developed a conditioned reflex: at the Headmaster’s command, they would sprint faster than rabbits and knew the emergency exits better than the security guards. Two years ago, Jiang Wangshu even won the provincial 100-meter sprint, proving that workplace training could lead to championship-level performance.

Yet, this time, Jiang Wangshu hadn’t participated in Duan Yi’s surgery. After years as a doctor, it was the first time he couldn’t even bring himself to approach the operating table. His face was as pale as paper, and he struggled to even lift his hand, let alone wield a scalpel.

Duan Yi felt deeply grateful for Jiang Wangshu’s unwavering loyalty. Their twenty-plus years of friendship were as close as brotherhood.

Still, Duan Yi couldn’t help but worry about Jiang Wangshu’s continued bachelorhood at twenty-seven.

Then he thought of Hao Shanshan. Duan Yi remembered that she had gone to Renmin University to study foreign languages, later pursuing graduate studies. Her high school grades hadn’t been particularly impressive, but she had made remarkable progress in college, as if a switch had flipped, her IQ soaring.

Eventually, she completed a combined master’s and doctoral program in simultaneous interpretation, leading to a career as a translator. Fluent in three lesser-known languages, she traveled constantly between countries, always rushing to catch flights or already on her way to the airport.

Her romantic life mirrored her “mother” Jiang Wangshu’s—equally unsuccessful. At twenty-six, she remained single, occasionally meeting up with Jiang Wangshu at bars to lament their fading youth.

Nan Yi had become an outstanding police officer. After graduating from the Public Security University, he stayed in the Capital and quickly rose through the ranks of the Criminal Investigation Brigade, now serving as its deputy chief. Among their group of friends, he had achieved the greatest political success. Duan Yi’s own political peak had been his time as a Young Pioneer—he might have even become a League Member later, but disciplinary action stripped him of his eligibility…

After several years with the Criminal Investigation Brigade, Nan Yi, against his family’s wishes, went to the Golden Triangle to pursue drug traffickers. Their time together grew increasingly scarce as his missions became more demanding. Their last meeting had been a year ago—not that Sheng Yunze approved of their meetings anyway.

Nan Yi had already gone through several girlfriends and was even considering marriage recently!

Professor Sheng was so petty, still holding onto grudges after all these years.

And then there was Jian Qiao—no longer just Jian Qiao, but Big Star Jian. She had gained admission to the Central Academy of Drama through the National College Entrance Examination. By her junior year, she began taking on cameo roles in films through her professors’ connections. Initially, she relied on her looks, her acting skills still lacking refinement. But through years of honing her craft and continuous improvement, she had become one of the entertainment industry’s most sought-after young actresses.

Last summer, she starred in a wildly popular historical fantasy romance idol drama, propelling her studio to new heights. The artists under her management were also highly acclaimed. Despite the scandals—secret marriages, being kept by wealthy patrons, having a sugar daddy—Jian Qiao remained unfazed by public opinion, sticking to her own path, just as she had in high school.

What Duan Yi never expected was that after several relationships, Jian Qiao would eventually end up with Nan Yi.

When Duan Yi received Jian Qiao’s call, his vision went black for a moment before he burst out laughing in disbelief. Jian Qiao sounded smug on the other end of the line. “What do you call this, Duan Bao? Karma’s a bitch! What goes around comes around, and heaven spares no one…”

However, Jian Qiao’s relationship remained a secret. The media and paparazzi had been staking out for ages, but no one had managed to uncover the identity of her boyfriend.

Probably no one would ever guess that a scandal-ridden, pampered actress like Jian Qiao would be engaged to a narcotics police officer.

As for Pingtou, he apparently went to East China Normal University, one of the few classmates who chose the sacred profession of teaching. The Old Class Teacher was pleased to hear this, though it was hard to see any natural aptitude for teaching in the kid.

After graduating, Pingtou applied for a physics teacher position at Second High School—a true rags-to-riches story. Old He now gives him strange looks during meetings…

And of course, there was his boyfriend, the renowned High Mountain Flower, one half of Second High School’s legendary Twin Flowers—the school beauty. After graduation, she indeed went to Peking University. After a year, she became an exchange student abroad. Following a year of long-distance romance with Duan Yi, he also went abroad for further studies. Upon graduation, he returned to China with Sheng Yunze, accompanied by two adorable twin toddlers, like little glutinous rice balls.

He and Sheng Yunze were among the first of their high school classmates to get married!

After graduation, Sheng Yunze joined the Chinese Academy of Sciences, ascending from school beauty to Academy Belle. Duan Yi had no idea what he did all day, but he knew Sheng Yunze was incredibly accomplished. He often saw him hosting dignitaries whose names Duan Yi couldn’t even pronounce, and Sheng Yunze himself frequently appeared in prestigious academic journals, hailed as the youngest physicist, the youngest professor…

And then there was Duan Yi himself!

Duan Yi had always been single-mindedly focused on his art. After gaining admission to the Central Academy of Fine Arts, he pursued further studies abroad. Though not as renowned as Sheng Yunze, he had achieved modest fame, holding exhibitions around the world.

Speaking of which, this car accident was still caused by the art exhibition. It’s truly…

Duan Yi will probably have PTSD from art exhibitions for a long time to come…

Oh, and Old He!

Old He is still the Headmaster of the Political Education Office at Second High School. Rumor has it he’ll retire in a few years. They say he’s switched his favorite novel from Divine Sword and Hero to The Legend of the Condor Heroes, and now the students at Second High School are copying The Legend of the Condor Heroes, twice as much as Duan Yi and his classmates copied Divine Sword and Hero back in their day.

Still, every year at graduation, Old He’s underwear gets stolen and his bicycle tires get punctured. Perhaps this is the fate of a Dean…

By the way, Bookworm, Fang Yun, Xiaobudian, Xiaobang, and the others—after graduating from high school, they all forged their own paths and futures.

Scattered across the country, they’re working hard to realize their life’s dreams.

When they graduated, they stood at life’s crossroads, their swords not yet properly sheathed, already thrust into the Martial World. Sixteen- or seventeen-year-old youths stumbled forward, feeling their way across the river of destiny, one stone at a time.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had rushed by.

If not for this extraordinary encounter, if not for the memories Sheng Yunze had given him, Duan Yi would never have realized that Second High School’s notoriously long and grating morning bell actually lasted only ninety seconds. Back then, it had felt like the infernal thing rang for half an hour.

He realized that what they had once considered earth-shattering crises—like not finishing homework or dropping two places on the final exam rankings—were now trivial.

He realized that the adult world they had yearned for wasn’t as glorious as they had imagined.

He realized that the cafeteria Auntie and the boiler room Grandpa were indeed together, rumored to be a twilight romance.

He realized that the distance from the first floor to the fourth floor of Second High School, from the dormitory to the classroom building… truly spanned only three years.

The school beauty, President Duan, the Chairman, Flat-Top Abbot, Bookworm, Xiaobang, Xiaobudian, Hao Shanshan, Jian Qiao, Nan Yi, Bei-ge, Old He, Old Class Teacher, Yu Wenshu…

And Second High School’s industrial milk tea, black-and-white uniforms, Coco Restaurant, foot-stomped rice noodles, and oil-fried watermelon—things they had once despised—were now forever out of reach.

It felt like just yesterday they had graduated, yet they were already married with children, addressed as “Dad,” “Mom,” “Uncle,” and “Auntie.”

Graduation, he realized, was merely a fleeting moment.

They had all grown up.