What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 41

Translator’s Note:

Hey guys! Just a heads-up—the last chapter accidentally got cut off.

I suggest giving it another read, especially the last part.

It actually ends with Sheng Yunze asking Duan Yi to call him “Master.”

Also, don’t miss the updated Author’s Note at the end!

Sorry for the mix-up, and thanks for sticking around!

---

Chapter 41 – That, That

---

Duan Yi’s expression instantly turned into =口=!

Damn it, Sheng Yunze, what weird thing have you awakened?!

Snap out of it! You’re only seventeen! What’s with this master-slave play?!

But Duan Yi’s face still flushed crimson. He stubbornly insisted, “I won’t.”

Sheng Yunze frowned, then abruptly changed the subject. “Why do you keep making that ‘=口=!’ face?”

Duan Yi: ……

“Damn it, stop making that face with your actual face! It’s so weird.”

Sheng Yunze: “Why not?”

He paused. “And just now you were making this ‘=日=!’ face.”

Duan Yi struggled wildly. “Damn it! I didn’t! Let me go!”

Sheng Yunze circled back to his original demand. “Call me ‘Master’ and I’ll let you go.”

Duan Yi: =口=!

Sheng Yunze calmly stated, “See? You’re doing it again.”

Duan Yi struggled frantically, Sheng Yunze’s weight pinning him to the bed. Only his legs kicked wildly.

He refused to give in, partly out of sheer embarrassment. The neatly arranged blanket became a tangled mess under his kicks, and the bed frame rattled with each impact.

Neither of them heard Mrs. Sheng knocking on the door.

Duan Yi, craning his neck to reach the bedside table, glanced up and saw Mrs. Sheng standing dumbfounded in the doorway.

His first thought was, “Holy shit!” Then his body froze as if struck by lightning.

Sheng Yunze noticed Duan Yi’s sudden stiffness and followed his gaze. He saw his own mother trembling, one finger pointing at him.

Sheng Yunze: ……

If a fourth person had been there, they would have witnessed a truly spectacular display of facial expressions.

Sheng Yunze wedged his knee between Duan Yi’s legs, lifted Duan Yi’s hands, and pinned him to the pillow with one hand. During their grappling, Duan Yi’s coat had flown off somewhere, his shirt was disheveled, his face was flushed, and fine beads of sweat clung to his hair. The scene was decidedly inappropriate.

Mrs. Sheng stood petrified in the doorway.

Duan Yi, summoning some unknown strength, abruptly shoved Sheng Yunze off him and sat up straight. Embarrassed, he stammered, “Auntie Sheng…”

Mrs. Sheng set the milk tray on the table and drifted to the door like a ghost, closing it behind her.

Father Sheng was about to go upstairs to find Sheng Yunze when he saw his wife pressed against the door, looking shocked. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

He reached for Sheng Yunze’s door, but Mrs. Sheng startled and grabbed his hand. “No!”

Father Sheng: ?

Mrs. Sheng took a deep breath and said solemnly, “I think I’m going to be a grandmother.”

Father Sheng: ……

“What do you want me to say?”

Mrs. Sheng: “I’m all ears.”

Father Sheng: “I think you’ve lost your mind.”

“Ahhhhh! Auntie Sheng must think I’m crazy!” Duan Yi finally realized what had happened. He clutched his head and rolled around on the bed, then glared at Sheng Yunze. “It’s all your fault! What the hell was that? Were you possessed? Why did you pin me down like that? We’re doomed! Auntie Sheng probably thinks I’m some pervert trying to corrupt her son…”

Sheng Yunze calmly drank his milk. Duan Yi jumped off the bed, furious. “How can you still be drinking milk at a time like this? Have you even thought about how to explain this to Auntie Sheng?”

Sheng Yunze: “It’s pretty good. Want a sip?”

Duan Yi’s anger faded, replaced by suspicion. “Really?”

He took two big gulps from the same side of the cup Sheng Yunze had used, leaving a white milk foam mustache on his upper lip. Sheng Yunze stared at the foam, his heart pounding.

Oblivious, Duan Yi glanced at the milk and exclaimed, “Wow, it’s actually good! What brand is this?”

Sheng Yunze suddenly snatched the cup away. “Don’t drink it.”

Duan Yi: “?”

Didn’t you offer me a sip? Why are you taking it back now?

There were two cups of milk on the tray. Duan Yi picked up the other one, his face worried. “What are we going to tell Auntie Sheng later?”

“Tell her what?” Sheng Yunze asked calmly.

Duan Yi’s ears turned red again. “About… what just happened…”

“Did anything happen?” Sheng Yunze asked, his voice steady.

“No.”

“Then why do we need to explain anything?” Sheng Yunze said, his tone confident. “Or do you think something did happen?”

Duan Yi’s heart skipped a beat.

Sheng Yunze raised an eyebrow. “You’re not thinking about something you shouldn’t be, are you?”

Duan Yi protested, “No! I just thought…”

Sheng Yunze reassured him, “Don’t worry, my mom definitely won’t overthink it. You’re clearly not my type.”

Duan Yi didn’t feel comforted at all. In fact, a surge of anger flared within him.

What do you mean I’m clearly not your type?

Duan Yi drank his milk with a clenched jaw, muttering indistinctly, “Oh? So what is your type? Jun Ji-hyun?”

Sheng Yunze teased, “You want to know?”

Duan Yi’s curiosity burned. “If you don’t want to tell me, fine.”

Sheng Yunze deliberately dragged it out. “I like smart women.”

Duan Yi hastily ran through his mental checklist. Smart… I’m definitely smart! (He was misunderstanding himself.) Women… Does Sheng Yunze like women?

Sheng Yunze continued, “Pure face, devilish figure, hot, pretty, sensible, mature, stable… Which of those do you fit?”

Duan Yi mentally compared himself to Sheng Yunze one by one. When he heard Sheng Yunze’s last remark, he quickly retorted, “Who said I wanted to fit those?”

Sheng Yunze’s expression hovered between amusement and disbelief. “Weren’t you just secretly comparing yourself in your head?”

Damn it.

Duan Yi felt the burning humiliation of being caught red-handed. He choked out, “Heh, perfect. You’d better not like any of the same types as me. If you fell for me, I’d feel terrible.”

He leaned coolly against the table. “I have plenty of admirers, you know. If you accidentally fell for me, it wouldn’t be surprising. Who can resist my charm?”

Sheng Yunze deadpanned, “I don’t see it.”

“Anyway,” Duan Yi snapped, “my type isn’t someone like you.”

The glass in Sheng Yunze’s hand cracked with a sharp crack, as if he had crushed it with his grip.

Determined to win this argument, Duan Yi blurted out, “School Idol Sheng? You’re just pretty.”

Sheng Yunze’s face darkened further.

It had to be said, Duan Yi truly possessed a cursed luck that allowed him to step on every landmine. Whatever Sheng Yunze worried about most, Duan Yi would inevitably stumble upon it.

Oblivious to the danger, Duan Yi continued blithely, “Xiaoxi’s face isn’t anything special either. It’s not like yours is some rare masterpiece. But her personality is way better than yours—she’s cheerful, enthusiastic, and, most importantly, she doesn’t randomly throw out insults.”

Sheng Yunze’s jaw clenched so hard his teeth ground together. “Is that so?”

As Duan Yi spoke, he seemed to convince himself. “Actually, you’re both Alphas. Liking you or Xiaoxi makes no difference. Do you even have the same pheromones?”

Before he could finish, Sheng Yunze had flipped him onto the bed again.

Luckily, Duan Yi had already finished his milk, or it would have spilled everywhere.

Duan Yi didn’t understand why Sheng Yunze was acting crazy again. Suddenly, a wave of icy pheromones crashed down on him, suffocating him. The air around him vanished, leaving him gasping. A strange panic flushed his face crimson.

Duan Yi gasped for air, his hands flailing weakly. His pupils rapidly lost their shine as Sheng Yunze’s pheromones forced him into a false heat. His body convulsed uncontrollably for a moment before Sheng Yunze scoffed and withdrew his pheromones.

Duan Yi’s mouth was dry. He gulped in fresh air, breathing heavily.

Regaining his composure, he stared at Sheng Yunze in disbelief. “You used your pheromones on me?”

Sheng Yunze chuckled. “Can you tell the difference between my pheromones and Sheng Yunxi’s now?”

…I don’t even know what Sheng Yunxi’s pheromones smell like!

Duan Yi, inexplicably pressured, flew into a rage.

“You’re insane!” Duan Yi cursed, shoving him. “I’m done! I’m angry! I want to fight!”

Sheng Yunze rested his chin on his hand. “I don’t.”

Duan Yi’s resistance proved futile. He slowly realized something even more embarrassing, the brief false heat had…

He squeezed his legs together and turned away. “I’m going to sleep. I won’t talk to you tonight.”

Sheng Yunze: “You’re angry at me and still want to sleep in my bed?”

Duan Yi, his face half-buried in the blanket, his cheeks flushed, mumbled weakly with his eyes closed, “Stop bothering me. I’m asleep.”

Sheng Yunze clicked his tongue. “You want to sleep without taking off your coat? You’re filthy. Go take a shower.”

Duan Yi had an idea. “Why are you only telling me? Why don’t you go first?”

His priority was to get Sheng Yunze out of the room.

Just then, there was another knock at the door. Mrs. Sheng, having regained her composure, spoke normally. “I’m here to collect the milk glasses. Are you finished?”

Duan Yi quickly sat up. “Yes, Auntie.”

Mrs. Sheng: “No need to sit up. You must be tired.”

Duan Yi: …?

Tired from what?

He was confused.

Mrs. Sheng handed Sheng Yunze a paper bag. “This is the custom-made pajamas you ordered in Italy. You never wore them, so they’ve been in the closet. Auntie Chen washed and ironed them. Give them to Xiaoduan tonight, okay?”

Sheng Yunze opened the bag. The clothes had been washed with essential oils, giving off a faint freesia scent that was very soothing.

Mrs. Sheng always cared about quality. The essential oils she used came from a French studio that made custom blends for China’s rich. A small bottle cost 30,000 yuan. At first, Mrs. Sheng thought the scent was too strong, so she had Auntie Chen add a drop or two to the laundry. Wearing the clothes helped calm her.

“Anything else?” Sheng Yunze asked.

Mrs. Sheng didn’t leave after he took the bag. He knew she had something to say.

“What’s going on with you and Xiaoduan?”

“Oh, we’re classmates,” Sheng Yunze said without shame.

“Don’t lie. Do you like him?” Mrs. Sheng asked.

Sheng Yunze didn’t answer. He turned his head slightly and saw Duan Yi in the room, wrapped in a blanket like a sticky rice ball. A strand of his hair stuck up from their play, making him look very cute.

He turned back, serious. “He’s the one who likes me.”

Mrs. Sheng: …

Sheng Yunze: “It’s annoying, but I don’t hate it. Stop asking. It’ll happen if it’s meant to. Go to sleep.”

Mrs. Sheng wouldn’t give up. “Xiaoduan is a good kid. If you like him, stop teasing him so much. I know you best. You’ll tease him away, and then you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.”

“No way. He loves me to death. He wouldn’t want to leave me for a second.”

Then he closed the door.

Duan Yi saw Sheng Yunze return and asked curiously, “What’s in that bag?”

Sheng Yunze tossed the bag onto the bed. “Pajamas. Go take a shower.”

Duan Yi’s face turned suspiciously red. “You go first.”

Sheng Yunze took off his jacket, revealing his upper body. He had the perfect physique: lean when dressed, muscular when undressed—not too much, not too little. His body was perfectly balanced and pleasing to the eye, with snow-white skin covering a layer of lean muscle that hinted at the explosive energy of youth.

Duan Yi panicked and stammered, “Hey! Hey! Hey!” until Sheng Yunze looked confused.

Pointing at Sheng Yunze, Duan Yi stuttered nervously, “Why are you taking off your… your… your clothes?”

Sheng Yunze mocked him, deliberately mimicking his stutter. “Why are you taking a shower with your… your… your clothes on?”

“You couldn’t undress in the bathroom?” Duan Yi grabbed a piece of clothing from the bed and threw it at Sheng Yunze. “Put it on! Put it on right now!”

Sheng Yunze crossed his arms, a knowing smile on his face. Duan Yi stared at him in horror. “Don’t you dare say something cheesy like, ‘Do you like what you see?'”

But Sheng Yunze said nothing. He simply glanced at Duan Yi and went to take a shower.

“There’s another bathroom on the left. I want to see you back in bed before I finish showering,” Sheng Yunze said as he went into the bathroom.

Duan Yi protested, “Why? I take forever to shower! I’ll be in there until tomorrow morning!”

“It’s cold,” Sheng Yunze replied. “I need someone to warm my bed.”

“Go warm your sister’s bed!” Duan Yi retorted.

Despite his words, the moment Sheng Yunze entered the bathroom, Duan Yi jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom himself.

As the hot water ran, steam filled the room, and Duan Yi slowly calmed down.

Normal, normal, he thought. I’m a normal man. Of course I’d react to someone’s pheromones. I’m not impotent.

With this realization, Duan Yi felt much better. A hot bath during a thunderstorm was a great pleasure, and Sheng Yunze’s luxurious bathroom had everything he could want.

The north wall was a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking a wide river. The view was clear, and lightning flashed nearby as the storm raged. Duan Yi soaked in the water, feeling sleepy. The south wall was glass connected to the bedroom. Duan Yi hadn’t noticed it was two-way glass when he came in. His own glass was one-way—he could see out, but no one could see in. He assumed this glass was the same.

After enjoying the warm water, Duan Yi felt a surge of youthful desire.

He glanced around, torn between two voices in his head.

One voice whispered, “This isn’t your home. It’s not right.”

The other voice retorted, “What do you mean ‘not your home’? This is Sheng Yunze’s house—your future in-law’s place! Why be so formal? Besides, isn’t Sheng Yunze the one who got you like this? He can tease you but not help you? Is he even human?”

The first voice persisted, “But Sheng Yunze isn’t your husband yet. You’re not related…”

The second voice scoffed, “How many times have you two done it in this bathroom? You’re not a kid anymore! If you don’t say anything, who would know?”

In the end, one voice silenced the other. After a moment of hesitation, Duan Yi extended his guilty right hand and slowly lowered it into the water.

He sighed, tilted his head back against the bathtub, his dark hair stark against the white porcelain. The mist heavily dampened his lips, and tiny droplets clung to his eyelashes. Duan Yi squinted slightly, gazing blankly at the night view outside.

Sheng Yunze came out of the bathroom to this sight.

He knew exactly what Duan Yi was doing. Any man would.

For a moment, Sheng Yunze felt something strange. Embarrassed? Annoyed? Or wanting to look away? He thought he would turn away, but when his eyes met Duan Yi’s face, he forgot what turning away even meant.

His gaze stuck to Duan Yi’s face like glue, then slid down to his lips, chin, long neck like a beautiful woman, deep collarbones, and milky white skin that glowed with water droplets.

Ripples spread slowly across the water, hiding what was under the surface behind the white bathtub.

Sheng Yunze had never been so thankful for his perfect vision. He even thought about all the eye exercises he had done. Maybe God was rewarding him for taking care of himself.

He even saw Duan Yi’s lips move slightly, as if saying his name.

Maybe he was mistaken.

But Sheng Yunze felt as if lightning had struck him, freezing time itself.

To be fair, he was only seventeen and had never seen anything like this before. Duan Yi even seemed to be whispering his name…

This kind of explicit scene, usually hidden in late-night high schoolers’ secret videos, was now unfolding before his eyes. The shock was no less than Columbus discovering a new continent.

Duan Yi seemed to have been entertaining himself for a while, so distracted that he looked half-asleep.

His head bobbed weakly, like a pecking chicken, listless and soft, as if slowly comforting himself.

This shouldn’t be like this, Sheng Yunze thought strangely.

Not forceful enough, not fierce enough, not wild enough. And he shouldn’t have that satisfied kitten look on his face.

Fragments of memories flashed through his mind. Duan Yi sobbing uncontrollably, tears gluing his eyelashes together, gasping for breath in convulsive spasms, his fingers gripping the sheets tightly. Those were the expressions of intense, frenzied passion.

Sheng Yunze stood frozen, staring at Duan Yi’s face, his strange thoughts multiplying.

Maybe I can help him.

He thought this, then startled himself with the crazy idea.

Just then, Duan Yi suddenly opened his eyes.

Sheng Yunze had nowhere to hide. His feet felt rooted to the spot as their eyes met in the air.

For a moment, Duan Yi’s mind went blank. The warm water suddenly felt icy. He shivered, turned away, and stared dumbly as a liquid slowly seeped into the water.

Duan Yi dove back into the bathtub, splashing water everywhere. Another thunderclap shook the room, making him feel like the lightning had struck him directly. Why doesn’t it just kill me?

What was I just doing?

What crazy thing did I just do?

And to top it off, the owner caught me?!

Duan Yi’s face turned pale. He wanted to smash his head against the wall.

But then, Sheng Yunze looked away as if nothing had happened. He calmly picked up the books that had fallen on the floor.

Duan Yi’s heart, which had been pounding in his throat, slowly calmed down.

Right…

Right.

I remember now. The glass between the bathroom and bedroom is one-way.

The hairs on Duan Yi’s arms finally lay flat, and the goosebumps faded. He felt like he’d escaped death, a survivor of a disaster. He let out a long sigh and sank into the water.

I was scared to death.

He thought, Damn it, I was scared to death. I’ll never do anything so shameful again.

Thank goodness Sheng Yunze didn’t see him. If Sheng Yunze had seen him, Duan Yi would have jumped from the eighteenth floor.

So embarrassing.

Even though he knew Sheng Yunze hadn’t seen him, Duan Yi’s face was still red. After changing the water, he buried half his face in the water and silently blew bubbles.

The scene just now reminded him of some long-forgotten, embarrassing role-playing games hidden deep in his memory.

Actually, this wasn’t the first time he’d acted like this in front of Sheng Yunze. In parallel worlds, Sheng Yunze often made him do strange things. Duan Yi always fought hard, but he always lost and got even worse punishments.

But in the real world, Sheng Yunze was only seventeen. Duan Yi suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt…

Damn it… Sheng Yunze is still a minor…

Duan Yi spent an hour and a half in the shower.

When he finally changed into his pajamas and left the bathroom, he remembered Sheng Yunze’s request to warm the bed. Normally, Sheng Yunze would have seized the opportunity to tease him mercilessly, or at least find some excuse to bully him.

But Sheng Yunze was sitting quietly on the bed, reading a book without moving. He didn’t even look up when Duan Yi came out.

What’s going on?

Has the sun risen in the west?

Has he changed his personality?

Duan Yi immediately forgot his earlier embarrassment and quickly regained his composure.

Only I was embarrassed. Sheng Yunze didn’t see anything. If I act too obvious, he’ll just use it against me later.

He shuffled to the bedside. “Hey, can I get in bed now?”

Sheng Yunze barely lifted his eyelids. “Mm.”

Duan Yi pulled back the covers. Thanks to Sheng Yunze’s warmth, the bed was cozy and warm.

It had been a long time since they’d been alone like this. The warm room, the soft yellow light, the huge window with its automatic curtains slowly parting—everything felt like a scene from his imagined married life.

All that was missing were Sheng Ming and Sheng Xi running in to bother them.

Sheng Ming, the older brother, resembled Sheng Yunze more. Even at a young age, he liked to scold Duan Yi with a stern face, but he was easily embarrassed. Whenever Duan Yi ruffled his hair, he would retort with a sharp remark, then secretly blush and deliberately place Duan Yi’s hand back on his head.

Sheng Xi, the younger brother, was much more outgoing than his brother—a little angel with ADHD. He was always running around, never stopping. Even as a child, he knew to take his brother to steal fruit from the neighbor’s uncle’s yard.

Duan Yi was lost in thought, and a chuckle escaped him.

Sheng Yunze closed his book. “What are you laughing at?”

And laughing so disgustingly, like my mom when she looks at me— Sheng Yunze’s venomous thoughts remain unspoken.

He still didn’t quite understand what a “motherly smile” was supposed to be!

Duan Yi, still lost in thought, blurted out, “I was thinking about Sheng Xi. He’s been much better behaved since you beat him up last time. He hasn’t caused me any trouble in ages.”

Sheng Yunze frowned. “Sheng Xi?”

Who is that? He seemed to have heard the name somewhere before. Duan Yi spoke so naturally, as if Sheng Xi were a real person.

And he’d even hit him before.

Sheng Yunze couldn’t remember ever hitting anyone named Sheng Xi.

Hearing Sheng Yunze’s voice, Duan Yi snapped out of his daze, breaking out in a cold sweat. “Oh, oh, that’s right! He’s a friend of mine…”

Sheng Yunze’s face remained impassive. “I hit your friend too?”

Duan Yi: ……

Damn it, there’s no way to explain this now.

He burrowed deeper under the covers, pretending to be dead.

Seeing Duan Yi’s cowardice, Sheng Yunze couldn’t resist wanting to tease him even more.

His hand paused just as it reached the edge of the blanket Duan Yi had pulled over his head.

For some reason, the scene from the bathroom flashed in his mind. Sheng Yunze, the seventeen-year-old School Idol Sheng, still a pure boy with no romantic experience, whose thick skin had never failed him… was blushing.

Why am I like this?

Sheng Yunze felt a surge of anger and embarrassment.

If Duan Yi hadn’t deliberately provoked me, why would I feel ashamed?

This was his house, his room. How dare Duan Yi be so bold… or did he really think Sheng Yunze wouldn’t dare do anything to him?

“Are you asleep?” Sheng Yunze, feeling annoyed himself, wasn’t about to let Duan Yi rest. He nudged Duan Yi awake.

Duan Yi mumbled a sleepy reply, his voice still a little childish when he was tired. “Mmm…”

Sheng Yunze: “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

Duan Yi was speechless. “Can’t you at least let me sleep through the night before kicking me out? Is this how a good host acts? Is this your special way of being nice?”

Sheng Yunze: “Who’s kicking you out? I just asked if you have plans tomorrow.”

Duan Yi thought for a moment and shook his head. “No.”

Sheng Yunze ordered him, “Come watch my performance.”

Duan Yi blinked. “What performance?”

He racked his brain. When had Sheng Yunze ever acted like he had hidden talents?

Maybe it was a skateboarding show? Duan Yi didn’t remember Sheng Yunze’s life being that exciting.

But as he tried to remember, the image of Sheng Yunze from their old world became blurry. In its place was the increasingly vivid image of the young man beside him now.

Duan Yixin’s heart tightened. He couldn’t quite put his feelings into words, but he didn’t want to forget that Sheng Yunze.

The more he tried to remember, the blurrier the image became. Duan Yi’s mood visibly darkened.

“At Cultural Plaza,” Sheng Yunze said. “What are you thinking about?”

Duan Yi mumbled, “I’m not thinking about anything.”

Sheng Yunze scoffed, “Nothing? Then why are you acting like a widow who’s lost her husband?”

Duan Yi: =口=!

How dare you talk about yourself like that!

Of course, Sheng Yunze wasn’t actually cursing himself—

Well, maybe it was kind of like cursing himself.

Duan Yi was naturally optimistic and rarely showed such a gloomy expression, as if heartbroken.

Nan Yi would never make him sad. The only possibility was that Sheng Yunze from Schrödinger’s parallel world.

Fuck…

Sheng Yunze nearly ground his teeth to dust.

Lying in my bed thinking about another man?

Fuck!

Another troubling thought surfaced. If that was the case, when he’d heard Duan Yi whispering his name in the bathroom earlier, was he thinking of him or that old bastard?

Seventeen-year-old Sheng Yunze considered any man older than himself—especially those who still had designs on his “boyfriend”—to be nothing more than old geezers.

He glared at Duan Yi, his anger practically making steam rise from his head. Turning his back, he might as well have written “I’m furious! You’d better come and apologize!” on his back.

Duan Yi poked him. “Hey, I didn’t say I wouldn’t come. What’s with the attitude?”

Sheng Yunze replied sarcastically, “Whatever.”

Duan Yi crawled out of bed and poked Sheng Yunze’s back again. “Come on, don’t ignore me. Should I bring you flowers tomorrow? Are you performing with your band? When did you join? Guitarist or lead singer?”

Though still annoyed, Sheng Yunze couldn’t resist answering. “High school. Drums.”

Duan Yi’s admiration was obvious. “Damn, drums? That’s so cool! I wanted to learn, but I gave up.”

“Why?”

“Just some stuff. But I’m pretty good at guitar. I’ll play for you sometime.”

Sheng Yunze was pleased by Duan Yi’s words. The young man’s anger flared quickly and faded just as fast.

Duan Yi rubbed his nose, glanced at the thunderstorm outside the window, and cleared his throat. “Freezing.”

Sheng Yunze shot him a look. Duan Yi didn’t move. Sheng Yunze closed his eyes. Duan Yi gave up. “Fine, fine. Can you at least not sit so far away? There’s enough space between us for another person to sleep.”

Sheng Yunze chuckled. “Really cold?”

Duan Yi resigned himself and went straight to the point. “How could I be cold with the AC on? I just want to be closer to you.”

Sheng Yunze never knew how to handle Duan Yi’s directness. He froze for a moment, then pulled Duan Yi into his arms and began groping him randomly.

Duan Yi laughed, squirming. “No, no! You’re holding me too tight. I’ll get too hot tonight.”

Sheng Yunze wrinkled his nose at Duan Yi’s softness, and Duan Yi bristled, refusing to let him touch him anymore. Sheng Yunze then brought up the embarrassing time he’d asked Duan Yi to call him “Master,” but Duan Yi still refused.

Sheng Yunze pinched Duan Yi’s cheek. “You’re coming to tomorrow’s performance. If we win first prize, you have to grant me my request.”

Duan Yi was speechless. “What kind of weird thing is this?”

Sheng Yunze squeezed his face hard. “Are you going to come or not?”

Duan Yi, helpless against the harassment, relented. “Fine, fine, I’ll come.”

“What’s going on…” The next morning, Duan Yi, wearing Sheng Yunze’s clothes, rolled up the sleeves and pant legs three times each. “I thought they’d be waiting for me, but no one’s here.”

Sheng Yunze’s clothes were too big for him. Duan Yi put on his shoes and headed to the Cultural Plaza District as planned.

On Sunday, the plaza was bustling with people. As Duan Yi approached the entrance, he noticed two large advertising boards on either side of the gate, promoting the day’s events at the Cultural Plaza.

“Cultural Festival?” Duan Yi raised an eyebrow.

“Duan-zai!” Hearing the familiar voice, Duan Yi turned to see Jiang Wangshu hopping off a shared bicycle nearby and parking it to the side. “Where were you yesterday?”

Duan Yi felt awkward explaining, so he brushed it off. “I had some things to do.”

Jiang Wangshu slung an arm around his shoulder. “No worries, you’re here now. Let’s go, they’re all waiting for us.”

“Waiting for what?” Duan Yi asked.

He looked genuinely confused, not faking it.

“Didn’t you see my WeChat message?” Jiang Wangshu asked.

Duan Yi pulled out his phone, turned it on, and opened WeChat. Jiang Wangshu’s message popped up.

“Holy crap! I thought you came because you saw the message. Turns out you didn’t!”

Did I even make plans with Sheng Yunze? Duan Yi wondered.

Jiang Wangshu continued rambling, “This must be some kind of mother-son connection!”

He turned his head. “You know about the Cultural Festival at the plaza, right? I found this amazing barbecue place here and invited Jian Qiao and the others. We’re going to eat until we’re stuffed today!”

“Jian Qiao’s coming too?” Duan Yi scoffed. “Isn’t she always complaining about dieting? How did you convince her to come?”

“Exactly!” Jiang Wangshu grinned.

“Jiang Wangshu, are you crazy? You sent me the wrong location! I had to circle the whole area to find the main entrance.” Nan Yi strode over, his eyes lighting up when he saw Duan Yi. “I knew you’d be here too.”

“Are you here to eat too?” Duan Yi greeted him.

“Jiang Wangshu invited me. I wouldn’t have come if you weren’t here,” Nan Yi said, stepping back. “Whose clothes are you wearing? Yours?”

…Sheng Yunze’s.

Duan Yi couldn’t tell the truth. “Ah, they’re my brother’s.”

Jiang Wangshu immediately fell for it. “No wonder they’re a bit big.” He continued, “By the way, you asked why Jian Qiao came back, right? I’ll be honest—it’s mainly because Sheng Yunze has a competition here today. Didn’t you know?”

Duan Yi: …Of course I knew. That’s why I came.

Nan Yi frowned. “Why is Sheng Yunze always around?”

Jiang Wangshu retorted, “Why are you so hostile towards him? Not all Alphas are into double-A relationships like you. The school beauty clearly said he’s not interested in Xiaoduan. If Xiaoduan is still pining for him, that’s his problem.”

Nan Yi raised an eyebrow. “Are you the one pining for Sheng Yunze?”

Duan Yi snapped, “I might as well pine for Jun Ji-hyun!”

Nan Yi suggested, “You could pine for me instead. Then we’d have mutual secret crushes and a chance to get back together.”

Jiang Wangshu said as they walked, “Jian Qiao came just for Sheng Yunze. See those familiar faces from Second High? They heard the school beauty was competing here and came to watch the band competition. Pretty cool, right?”

Nan Yi explained, “The music festival at the Cultural Festival has nothing to do with us. Let’s go eat at the food festival.”

Duan Yi said, “I kind of want to watch the performance…”

Nan Yi grabbed him, preventing him from turning around. “There’s nothing to see. You’d rather look at me. I’m way cooler…”

“Xiaosheng, ready?”

The band leader had put a lot of effort into his look for the performance, getting dreadlocks.

Sheng Yunze glanced absently at the crowd. “Yeah…”

The dreadlocked captain asked, “Waiting for someone?”

“Yeah.”

The captain’s heart skipped a beat. “Girlfriend?”

The band guitarist walked over. “Girlfriend? Captain, is your girlfriend here?”

The guitarist was a college student from the nearby Conservatory of Music, dressed seductively with heavy makeup and clearly interested in Sheng Yunze.

Many people were interested in Sheng Yunze. With his handsome face and single status, girls and single Omegas often fantasized about dating a handsome Alpha.

The same was true in reverse. Alphas also fantasized about single, beautiful women and Omegas.

“I thought you were single,” the captain said. “I didn’t know you were seeing someone behind our backs.”

“I’m not,” Sheng Yunze replied.

The captain’s eyes widened in realization. “You two aren’t together yet?”

The guitarist, overhearing the gossip, eagerly leaned in. But when he realized Sheng Yunze might have someone he liked, his excitement turned to despair. Heartbroken, he dramatically hugged his guitar and declared he’d sing “Happy Breakup” at the band’s dinner tonight.

Sheng Yunze was tuning someone’s instrument when the guitarist, resting his chin on his hand, glanced down at the crowd. His eyes lit up again.

“I’ve found my first love again!” the guitarist cheered.

The captain chuckled. “Your spring romance just keeps blooming.”

Following the guitarist’s gaze, he spotted Nan Yi.

“This guy is hot!” the guitarist gushed.

Sheng Yunze saw them too, and noticed Duan Yi with his arm around Nan Yi’s shoulder.

A guitar string snapped. The guitarist gasped.

Sheng Yunze’s face darkened. He stood up, ready to storm offstage. “Xiaosheng, we’re about to rehearse! Where are you going?” the captain called out.

Sheng Yunze froze, knowing it would be irresponsible to leave now.

After a moment of internal struggle, he gritted his teeth and dialed Sheng Yunxi’s number.

When Duan Yi was dragged to the food festival by Jiang Wangshu, Jian Qiao and the others had already been waiting for a long time.

Besides a few familiar faces, there were also Nan Yi’s friends and Jian Qiao’s friends. They were all popular, and some didn’t even attend Second High School.

Duan Yi was well-known, so everyone recognized him, and he didn’t need to introduce himself.

Jiang Wangshu joked around with the group, and Duan Yi chimed in occasionally. After ordering some food, Duan Yi’s phone rang.

He answered and saw an unfamiliar number.

Sheng Yunxi’s voice came through the line, “Sister-in-law, where are you? I’m at the entrance of Cultural Plaza. Come pick me up!”

Duan Yi was annoyed by Sheng Yunxi’s nickname but didn’t argue.

Her voice wasn’t too loud, but Jiang Wangshu overheard and exclaimed in surprise, “Sister-in-law? When did you get married, Xiaoduan? Why didn’t Mom tell me?”

Duan Yi replied, “She’s just joking. She’s a friend.”

Jiang Wangshu pressed, “What kind of friend?”

Duan Yi remembered that Sheng Yunxi was Sheng Yunze’s younger sister. He wanted to explain but didn’t know how. Meanwhile, Sheng Yunxi kept rambling, first saying she was lost, then complaining about being hungry.

Resigned, Duan Yi said, “Wait here. I need to pick someone up.”

Jian Qiao asked, “Your friend?”

“Wow, sounds like a girl!” Hao Shanshan wiggled her eyebrows. “Dad, is this my new new mom?”

Jiang Wangshu: “She’s the new empress!”

Duan Yi kicked him. “Get lost! She’s a female Alpha, okay? Stop with the creepy looks. You’re not getting any girls here!”

Jiang Wangshu’s disappointment vanished instantly. “Fine, a female A works too! At least she’s a girl! Is she pretty?”

Duan Yi: “You’ll see when she gets here.”

Five minutes later, facing the petrified Jiang Wangshu and Hao Shanshan, Duan Yi introduced Sheng Yunxi with glee, “Here she is! Sheng Yunxi, Secretary Sheng’s younger sister—his twin sister, to be exact. Look at her face. Still got anything to say?”

Jiang Wangshu forced his mouth shut, trembling. “Xiaoduan… you… you wouldn’t go after both siblings, would you?”

Hao Shanshan, struck dumb, stared at Sheng Yunxi. “Isn’t this just Secretary Sheng in drag?”

---

Author’s Note:

School Beauty: “Keep an eye on your sister-in-law. Even if I’m not there, my face must still be present!”

—Commonly known as: “Face-Brushing”