What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 33

Chapter 33 – Cat Sucking

Duan Yi stumbled back to the dorm, dizzy. Jiang Wangshu was burning the midnight oil, studying under the lamplight. Seeing Duan Yi’s ghostly form drift toward his bed, he couldn’t help but ask, “President Duan, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I know it’s not easy to score below 20 on every subject, but I believe that if you just perform normally, you shouldn’t be too far off.”

“Get lost,” Duan Yi grumbled, claiming Jiang Wangshu’s bed and settling down peacefully.

Midterm exams were looming. Except for Duan Yi, who had given up on studying, everyone else was working hard. Jiang Wangshu, usually carefree, had begun studying diligently and displayed an almost superhuman memory. In just three days, he had memorized a week’s worth of material.

He had made a solemn promise to his mother, he would rank in the top five in the grade on this midterm exam.

Moreover, this midterm exam would be a factor in determining spots for direct admission to university in his third year.

Jiang Wangshu was a chronic procrastinator, a champion of the “Good Enough” competition. He could have gotten into Tsinghua through his own merits, but he chose to apply for direct admission to Fudan.

Amidst his busy schedule, he still found time to check on Duan Yi. “Duan Bao, don’t stress too much. I know it’s not easy to score below 20 on every subject, but I believe that if you just perform normally, you shouldn’t be too far off.”

“Get lost,” Duan Yi grumbled, claiming Jiang Wangshu’s bed and settling down peacefully.

His bed was spotless, with no trace of pheromones, only the scent of fresh smelling laundry detergent.

Duan Yi scoffed, “You should switch to lavender. I think it smells better.”

Jiang Wangshu flipped to the next page of his exam paper. “Don’t wear rose-tinted glasses, Xiaoduan. Secretary Sheng might find lavender pleasant, but it might not suit me.”

Turning around, he snapped, “Can’t you take off your shoes before getting on my bed?”

Duan Yi wiggled his feet. “My feet aren’t even touching the bed.”

The Bookworm was engrossed in a physics textbook, devouring it with such intensity that he seemed oblivious to the world around him. Every now and then, he would turn to Jiang Wangshu for help with a challenging physics problem.

Fatty, meanwhile, was munching on potato chips to replenish his energy while simultaneously attempting to devour his English textbook, hoping to absorb knowledge through osmosis.

Only Duan Yi lay idly on the bed, bored and restless. He decided to stir up some trouble with Jiang Wangshu.

“Hey,” Duan Yi nudged him. “Let’s chat.”

Jiang Wangshu replied, “About what? Where were you just now? You came back looking like you were floating.”

Duan Yi sat up, his expression serious. “Sheng Yunze invited me to his dorm tonight. Should I go or not?”

Jiang Wangshu paused his writing. “What for?”

Duan Yi’s face flushed suspiciously.

Sheng Yunze had said he would show him what a true “Forceful Love” was.

At first, Duan Yi hadn’t understood. But then it hit him.

Was Sheng Yunze flirting with him?

After much internal debate, Duan Yi spoke carefully, his voice tinged with uncertainty, “I think Sheng Yunze might like me.”

“Pfft—” Jiang Wangshu choked on his water, spraying it across the table.

Fortunately, he was sitting by the window, and the remaining water swerved sharply, splashing outside.

Jiang Wangshu turned to him, concerned, “Are you under too much pressure from studying? Oh, my little piglet, you don’t have to be so hard on yourself. It’s okay if you score above twenty on one subject every now and then. Why push yourself so hard? You’ll burn out your brain…”

Duan Yi: …

Jiang Wangshu: “Or is it the brain damage from the car accident that hasn’t fully healed yet?”

Duan Yi: “I really think he might like me. Am I wrong?”

After Jiang Wangshu dismissed his theory, Duan Yi began to doubt himself.

Could it be that Sheng Yunze wasn’t interested in him at all?

The confidence he had built up instantly vanished. The vague sense of Sheng Yunze’s arrow and affection he had sensed earlier became uncertain. This made him think of Sheng Yunze’s dog-like temper—maybe he was just saying that to tease him.

Duan Yi often called Jiang Wangshu “wife.” Did that mean he liked Jiang Wangshu?

Once the first crack of self-doubt appeared, Duan Yi found countless reasons to widen it, shattering his afternoon’s conviction that Sheng Yunze liked him into fragments.

Duan Yi instantly deflated.

He had heard of a psychological phenomenon called transference. Duan Yi asked himself, What if the real-world Sheng Yunze had a different life? He wasn’t indispensable.

The memories from that timeline were thin, like scattered fragments. He often struggled to recall them unless he actively tried.

Sheng Yunze occasionally surfaced in his mind, fragmented and incomplete. He could clearly see his body but struggled to make out his face.

He still liked him. That feeling had never changed. Each time he remembered, it felt like a knife twisting in his heart.

Jiang Wangshu said calmly, “Do you think he likes you?”

Duan Yi replied dryly, “I thought so just now.”

Jiang Wangshu asked, “What about now?”

Duan Yi looked gloomy. “Now I don’t think so anymore.”

Jiang Wangshu closed his notebook. “What about you? Do you like him?”

Duan Yi neither confirmed nor denied it.

Jiang Wangshu patted his shoulder. “I understand.” He thought for a moment. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I neither support nor oppose it. If you insist on being together, I can’t stop you. But let me remind you, it’s definitely not possible right now.”

Duan Yi asked, “Why?”

“Because Sheng Yunze is currently a first-class protected figure at our school, public property of Second High School. The Political Education Office is watching him closely, comparing him with the top students from the key schools in the neighboring city. The entire third-year class is focused on who will become this year’s Science Top Scholar. If you start dating him, you’ll only harm him,” Jiang Wangshu said. “I don’t believe in the idea that dating won’t affect your studies. For example, if you were together, would you rather attend tutoring sessions or go on dates during the weekends?”

Duan Yi replied, “I…”

“No, no,” Jiang Wangshu said. “You don’t need to worry about your future. He does.”

He paused, probably because Duan Yi looked so depressed. He then comforted, “I’m not saying you’re bad. But you fell for Nan Yi once. Now, right after getting back on your feet, you’re about to fall for another Alpha?”

Duan Yi: “You make a compelling point. I can’t argue with that.”

Jiang Wangshu: “If you really like him, give it some time. If you still like him after the National College Entrance Examination, and still like him in college, then there’s no question. That’s true love.”

Duan Yi fell silent again.

Jiang Wangshu was curious. “How did you suddenly start liking Sheng Yunze?”

It was a long story, and Duan Yi wasn’t interested in retelling it from the beginning. Besides, the whole thing was so fantastical that no one would believe him.

So he replied, “What do you know? I’m just admiring him. Is that liking? You have no taste.”

Jiang Wangshu was speechless. Duan Yi jumped off the bed, no longer dwelling on the matter.

After showering and putting on his bear pajamas, he grabbed his mug and went to Sheng Yunze’s dorm to visit.

Sheng Yunze was alone in his dorm.

The bathroom door was half-open, half-closed, concealing the boys’ boisterous laughter and the rushing sound of the shower, punctuated by a few curses.

Duan Yi knocked lightly and slipped inside. Sheng Yunze, sensing the movement, removed his headphones and looked at him.

Duan Yi settled onto Sheng Yunze’s bed as if he owned the place, glanced at his test paper, and asked, “You studying?”

Sheng Yunze replied, “What else would I be doing?”

Duan Yi simply nodded.

Strangely, neither of them spoke.

Sheng Yunze had already showered, and a faint scent of shower gel lingered on him. It wasn’t the same fragrance as Duan Yi’s, but both undeniably smelled expensive.

Duan Yi pretended to have forgotten why he’d come to see Sheng Yunze. He feigned interest in the surroundings for a moment before inching closer, ready to remind him. You promised to lend me your pheromone this afternoon.

But now it was Sheng Yunze’s turn to be a block of wood. No matter how close Duan Yi got, he remained completely unmoved. Duan Yi grew frustrated and slammed his hand down on Sheng Yunze’s pen.

“Hey, do you remember what you told me?”

Sheng Yunze gently brushed his hand away. “Don’t be a pain.”

Duan Yi retorted, “I’m being serious!”

Sheng Yunze: “I’m listening.”

Duan Yi stroked his chin, “You promised to lend me your pheromone. I’m here to get it.”

Sheng Yunze lifted his eyelids slightly.

Duan Yi had prepared a long speech, but before he could even open his mouth to begin his eloquent performance, his body suddenly tilted, the world spun, and the next moment his back slammed onto the bed with a thud.

Sheng Yunze pinned him down.

Duan Yi’s legs were spread apart, held in place by Sheng Yunze’s bent knee. Sheng Yunze asked casually, “How do you plan to borrow it?”

Completely immobilized, Duan Yi struggled briefly but couldn’t break free. He mumbled, “You’re pinning me down. It’s hard to talk like this.”

Sheng Yunze loomed over him, “Speak like this.”

Unable to resist, Duan Yi said, “Just your school uniform…”

Sheng Yunze threatened, “Say it again.”

Duan Yi: =口=!

Sheng Yunze: “Think carefully about how you should phrase it.”

His gaze was cold and sharp, making Duan Yi’s legs tremble.

Sheng Yunze’s words always carried a hint of command, usually subtle due to his quiet nature. But when speaking to Duan Yi, this controlling urge intensified, causing Duan Yi to instinctively soften at the sound of his voice.

After a long silence, Duan Yi finally spoke, “Are you going to bite me?”

Sheng Yunze finally heard an answer he found satisfactory.

He already knows, doesn’t he? Why play hard to get?

Duan Yi looked distressed. “I can’t.”

Sheng Yunze’s face darkened. “Why not?”

Duan Yi: “I just can’t. I’m not that kind of person.” He spoke righteously, “We’re just ordinary classmates. We can’t unlock the pheromone marking skill.”

“Are you hinting I should pursue you?” Sheng Yunze raised an eyebrow.

Duan Yi was terrified. “No, no, no, no, no! Don’t overthink it!”

Sheng Yunze leaned down, suddenly grabbing Duan Yi’s chin and forcing him to tilt his head, half his face buried in the pillow.

Half of Duan Yi’s gland at the back of his neck was exposed, completely unguarded in Sheng Yunze’s view. He examined it closely, then reached out to touch it, pressing hard against the fading teeth marks.

Duan Yi groaned, nearly screaming, “Stop pressing! Damn it, it hurts like hell!”

Sheng Yunze sneered. “Why didn’t it hurt when you let him bite you?”

Duan Yi fell silent.

Sheng Yunze carefully examined Duan Yi’s gland and noticed something strange.

Why does this bite mark look so familiar?

Sheng Yunze had two small canine teeth. Though they usually weren’t very noticeable, they were actually extremely sharp, like a cat’s fangs. When he bit something, his canine teeth left deeper marks than his other teeth.

The bite mark on Duan Yi’s neck was fierce, with two deeper red puncture marks.

It looks like the marks left by canine teeth.

Before he could continue his examination, Duan Yi turned his head and began struggling frantically.

His face flushed crimson. “Get up! Stop pinning me down! It’s not fair!”

Sheng Yunze: “So what if I pin you down? Why are you blushing? Even if you stripped naked and slept in my bed, I wouldn’t be interested in your washboard physique.”

Duan Yi: =口=!

Sheng Yunze watched him with amusement, then suddenly smirked mischievously. “Are you nervous?”

Duan Yi stammered, “Not… not really.”

Sheng Yunze had already leaned in close, their breaths mingling as they spoke. Remembering the lesson from last time, Duan Yi quickly turned his face away, only to have Sheng Yunze pinch his cheek.

“Afraid to look at me?”

Duan Yi closed his eyes. “No. Secretary Sheng, I think you’re speaking too close to me. How about we maintain a bit of a beautiful distance?”

“I won’t,” Sheng Yunze said matter-of-factly.

Duan Yi was truly terrified and kept pushing Sheng Yunze away.

The latter smiled slightly. “Didn’t you come here hoping I’d do something to you?”

Duan Yi’s eyes snapped open. “What?!”

Sheng Yunze: “Forced love? Isn’t that what you wanted? Now you’re scared.”

Duan Yi’s face flushed crimson instantly.

Sheng Yunze laughed heartily and released Duan Yi’s shoulders.

Duan Yi had been pinned to the bed and roughly manhandled. His face was flushed, his hair a mess, and he was still furious.

Sheng Yunze picked up a pen, propped his chin on his hand, and stared at Duan Yi with a half-smile.

This little squabble made them seem like a young couple.

Duan Yi: “I’m leaving.”

He was so angry his lungs felt like they might explode. Am I an idiot? Did I come here just to let him make fun of me for free?

Sheng Yunze stretched out a long leg and hooked it around Duan Yi’s. “Did I say you could go?”

Duan Yi thought, My legs are mine. I’ll leave when I want, without needing your permission.

Who knew that the next second, Sheng Yunze would suddenly exert force, pulling Duan Yi into his arms?

Duan Yi lost his balance and sat down, allowing Sheng Yunze to embrace him from behind.

He flailed his arms and shouted, “What do you want?!”

Sheng Yunze inhaled deeply, burying his face in Duan Yi’s neck. “If you don’t want to be ‘done,’ shut up.”

Duan Yi was stunned into silence.

Is he very tired?

Duan Yi thought, First the Physics Competition, then midterms right after. He must be under immense pressure and working so hard.

Though he didn’t study himself, he understood that high-intensity work was exhausting. Moreover, Sheng Yunze carried the school’s high expectations, so the pressure on him must be unimaginable.

Duan Yi spoke, “Can you let me go first?”

Sheng Yunze, as if petting a cat, replied with a poker face, “No. I need to relieve stress.”

Duan Yi: ……

“You can’t use me to relieve stress!”

Sheng Yunze pinched his waist. “It’s quite effective.”

Duan Yi yelped in pain. Hearing movement from the restroom, he panicked. “Then hug me when no one’s around next time! Let me go now! Someone will see us soon!”

Duan Yi’s priorities were completely off, but Sheng Yunze seemed quite satisfied, thinking, I can hug him again next time.

Sheng Yunze: “Why can’t we be seen?”

Duan Yi crawled toward him, “Are you even speaking human language?”

He finally pried Sheng Yunze’s hand away and had just sat on the edge of the bed when Pingtou emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. He had a pretty good physique. Duan Yi, feeling guilty, immediately started making small talk to cover his tracks, making it obvious he was trying to hide something.

Pingtou asked first, “President Duan, what are you doing here?”

Duan Yi: “Oh, I came to ask Sheng Yunze about a problem.” He held a book upside down. “You’ve got a nice physique.”

Pingtou chuckled, about to brag, when a shirt suddenly landed on his head. He brushed it off to see Sheng Yunze’s face as dark as a pot, and heard his cold voice, “Can’t even put on your clothes properly?”

Pingtou sensed Sheng Yunze was in a bad mood. Without asking why, he quickly put on the shirt. “I can wear it, I can wear it. I know how.”

Sheng Yunze lowered his voice. “You have quite a bit of free time to check out other people’s bodies?”

Duan Yi knew men couldn’t stand this kind of comparison, so he quickly replied, “Your body is great too.”

Sheng Yunze was appeased, but still annoyed. “How do you know? Have you seen it?”

Duan Yi thought, Not only have I seen it, I’ve touched it too.

He said, “I guessed. Isn’t that good? Do you want to show me yours?”

Sheng Yunze: ……

Duan Yi had turned the tables, winning back a point and feeling pleased.

Sheng Yunze’s phone vibrated on the table. Duan Yi habitually picked it up and unlocked it. His password hadn’t changed in over a decade. Only when he reached the home screen did Duan Yi belatedly speak, “Secretary Sheng, can I borrow your phone for a bit?”

Sheng Yunze nodded, his gaze fixed on Duan Yi’s profile. A small thought flickered through his mind, I’ve never told him my phone password.

Duan Yi opened Sheng Yunze’s WeChat. There weren’t many chat threads: just the class group, his own thread, and those with his parents and sister.

Sheng Yunze and his sister are twins. She’s a female Alpha, one living domestically and the other abroad. They looked quite similar as children, but their appearances diverged as they grew older. His sister, who cosplayed as him, became more lively and outgoing, while Sheng Yunze grew more aloof.

When Duan Yi first saw his sister-in-law, he felt a pang of nostalgia, recalling memories from a parallel universe. Continuing to scroll, he noticed Sheng Yunze’s WeChat contact for him was labeled with a pink pig emoji.

He was instantly furious!

But as he scrolled further, he realized that Sheng Yunze had only labeled him. Everyone else in Sheng Yunze’s WeChat had no contact notes.

His mood brightened slightly.

He immediately changed his own contact note to “Peerless Handsome President Duan” and took a screenshot.

“Why did you mess with my WeChat?” Sheng Yunze asked coldly.

“You slandered my personal reputation. I was simply correcting your mistaken judgment of me,” Duan Yi said, shaking his phone.

Sheng Yunze snorted, his mind a jumbled mess despite staring at his exam paper.

Seeing Pingtou wearing headphones and doing English listening practice, while the others were still in the bathroom showering, Sheng Yunze asked, “Duan Yi, what are you planning to do about your heat?”

Duan Yi blinked, startled. “Huh?”

Sheng Yunze: “Isn’t it almost time?”

Duan Yi: “Sure, suppressants or anything will do.” He snapped back to reality. “It would be even better if you’re willing to help.”

Sheng Yunze recalled Duan Yi’s help in the music room, his gaze drifting back to Duan Yi’s lips.

He averted his gaze. “You need a temporary mark.”

Duan Yi’s expression flickered. He’d actually been hoping for a kiss, or at least a bite through his uniform. He hadn’t considered a temporary mark. “That… doesn’t seem right. What if it interferes with your future relationships? We’re not even related…”

Damn, if Sheng Yunze bites me, he’ll definitely discover my body contains his pheromones!

A permanent mark is invisible to the naked eye. From the perspective of the glands, it’s hard to distinguish from a temporary mark.

But after a single bite, even an idiot would know if it’s a permanent mark, right?!

Sheng Yunze said calmly, “Stop playing dumb.”

At those words, Duan Yi froze as if someone had hit the pause button. After a brief moment of mental blankness, his heart thundered like thunder, deafening him with the clamor of gongs and drums.

Sheng Yunze: “I… for you…”

“Sheng Yunze!” Duan Yi interrupted him abruptly. Sheng Yunze glanced at him, and Duan Yi, as if knowing what he was about to say, swallowed nervously and stammered, “Don’t say it yet.”

Sheng Yunze: “Do you know what I’m going to say?”

“I do, but please don’t say it yet.” Duan Yi’s heart was racing. If he pressed his ear to Sheng Yunze’s chest, he would hear the same frantic beat. “Don’t rush. It will happen.”

Sheng Yunze watched him. Duan Yi fanned himself with his test paper, trying to cool his flushed face. Suddenly, Sheng Yunze chuckled.

Duan Yi stammered awkwardly, “Why are you laughing at me?”

“Nothing. Just thought it was the only time you and I filled in the same answer.” Sheng Yunze twirled his pen, his hand hidden under the desk trembling slightly. “But it’s not time to hand in the papers yet.”