What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 43

Chapter 43 – Boyfriend

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For a long time, Duan Yi heard nothing.

The crowd outside buzzed with noise, but his mind had stopped working. All he could see was Sheng Yunze’s tall figure.

Even though Sheng Yunze was just looking at the crowd, Duan Yi felt like he was looking right at him.

What had he just said?

Duan Yi’s heart pounded.

Oh.

He said I’m his boyfriend.

This time, Duan Yi’s lips curled upward without him realizing it.

Then he remembered: Wait, he’s already my husband. Now he’s been demoted to boyfriend? What’s there to be happy about?

Don’t smile! Don’t smile!

But I’m so happy.

I feel so happy.

I want to jump up and down, run around, or shout wildly right here. I want to change Sheng Yunze’s phone screen to a selfie of me, leave my fingerprints all over his phone, and do everything couples do. But most importantly, I want to post it on social media and brag to the whole world.

Duan Yi used to hate couples who posted about their relationships. When Nan Yi was with him, Duan Yi was going through a rebellious phase. Nan Yi wanted to post a picture of them, but Duan Yi thought it was so embarrassing. Every time Nan Yi asked, Duan Yi would say no.

Nan Yi had said he didn’t love him enough. Duan Yi didn’t believe it then, thinking Nan Yi was overreacting and just didn’t want to show off their relationship. How could he not love him?

But now he understood. When you truly love someone, you can’t hide it, you can’t hold back.

Duan Yi had already planned everything, from the selfie to the caption. Jiang Wangshu and the others had to comment “99” on it.

Sheng Yunze would definitely mock him for being some washed-up, non-mainstream nobody.

So what?

Well, you’re still obsessed with this washed-up nobody! Duan Yi thought.

Jiang Wangshu noticed Duan Yi’s blank expression, as if he were frozen in place. He nudged his shoulder, snapping Duan Yi out of his wild daydreams.

The Otako in his hand had all fallen to the ground, rolling away to be flattened by passing feet. Duan Yi felt like his heart had been flattened too. The messed-up part was, he kind of liked it.

So what if it’s flat? It still looks good.

After the initial shock, Jiang Wangshu managed to keep some composure. Before Hao Shanshan could come over and lose it, he quickly pulled Duan Yi to the audience seating area.

As the crowd thinned, Duan Yi took a deep breath of fresh air. His mind slowly began to clear, but his limbs remained stiff, and he sat awkwardly in his seat.

Facing Jiang Wangshu, Duan Yi didn’t know what to say.

All he wanted to do was rush backstage to see Sheng Yunze.

“I said…”

Jiang Wangshu broke the silence, his usual carefree smile replaced with a serious expression. “Sheng Yunze didn’t lose a bet, did he?”

Duan Yi bristled. “What do you mean ‘lost a bet’? Am I really that unappealing? Why can’t it be that he genuinely confessed to me?”

Jiang Wangshu: “I’d rather he lost a bet.”

Jiang Wangshu’s composure crumbled, his features contorting into a living “Holy shit?!” written across his face. He stammered, “So it’s true? I wasn’t misunderstanding? You and Sheng Yunze?”

Duan Yi: “What about us?”

Jiang Wangshu: “You’re dating?!”

Duan Yi: “I haven’t said yes yet.”

Jiang Wangshu: “Damn it! Is there even any suspense? He just has to beckon, and you’ll come running!”

Duan Yi: …

“Whose side are you on? Are you my friend or his? Why are you boosting his ego while undermining mine?” Duan Yi snapped. “Didn’t you consider I might say no?”

Jiang Wangshu hesitated. “So, you’re not going to say yes?”

Duan Yi: ……

Jiang Wangshu: “Do you think that’s funny?”

Duan Yi’s face flushed suspiciously, and he began to stammer. “W-well, I was just giving him an out. Sheng Yunze confessed in front of everyone. If I’d rejected him, he would have lost face. How could he ever face anyone again?”

Jiang Wangshu gave up on Duan Yi. He casually remarked, “Oh, so if I confessed to you on stage, you’d say yes too?”

Duan Yi replied coldly, “You’d be dead.”

Fine.

Jiang Wangshu finally accepted that what he’d witnessed today was real, not some bizarre dream.

Duan Yi glanced at the stage. The music festival wasn’t over yet. Sheng Yunze’s sudden confession had been the highlight, and the crowd was still buzzing with excitement.

Even amidst the roaring cheers, Duan Yi could hear people discussing his name.

His ears turned red. Why did Sheng Yunze have to do that? he wondered. He didn’t even give me a warning before confessing!

Duan Yi hadn’t prepared much.

He glanced down at his clothes and suddenly felt they weren’t very cool.

Duan Yi started thinking about changing into a cooler, more stylish jacket so Sheng Yunze would be completely smitten when they met later.

As he was daydreaming, a cheerful ringtone cut through the noisy crowd.

Duan Yi reached into his pocket, but his phone was dead—he’d forgotten to charge it last night while sleeping with Sheng Yunze.

Jiang Wangshu’s phone was ringing. He took it out and handed it to Duan Yi, “It’s Xiaoduan Mom.”

Duan Yi quickly answered, but his face turned pale after just a few words.

He hung up and said, “Something happened to my mom at home. I need to go back. If anyone asks for me, just say I’m home.”

Jiang Wangshu teased, “You’re just worried Sheng Yunze won’t be able to find you, right? What happened to Auntie?”

Seeing Duan Yi’s pale face, he asked again.

“Acute appendicitis. It’s just a small surgery.”

“Still can’t get through?” The bassist spoke cautiously backstage at the music festival.

Sheng Yunze’s phone automatically hung up for the fifth time.

A cold, robotic voice coldly informed him that the other person’s phone was turned off.

He was calling Duan Yi.

The captain tugged at the bassist’s arm. The bassist shrugged, found a quiet spot to sit down, and didn’t bother Sheng Yunze.

The captain: “I don’t think you should bother him right now.”

Bassist clicked his tongue in surprise. “I never thought even handsome guys could get rejected.”

Sheng Yunze sat motionless backstage, his gaze distant, as if lost in thought.

The only sign he wasn’t asleep was the number he kept dialing and the constant “phone is off” message.

Did I rush things too much?

Sheng Yunze’s grip on his phone tightened.

Or did I scare him away?

For the first time in his life, Sheng Yunze felt a flicker of panic.

He never took risks without being sure of success. He had only confessed to Duan Yi after being certain of his chances. He never expected things to go wrong on such a smooth path.

Had he misunderstood Duan Yi?

Or did Duan Yi not mean it that way at all?

The more Sheng Yunze called, the more uncertain he felt.

Regret almost overwhelmed him. He began to wonder if he had acted too rashly.

Perhaps Duan Yi hadn’t forgotten that other world…

His face paled slightly.

The bassist stood up to get him a glass of water, but a black shadow suddenly darted past him.

Before the band could react, the shadow was beside Sheng Yunze.

Sheng Yunze’s vision blurred, then Nan Yi’s furious face loomed before him.

He calmly stared back as Nan Yi punched him without a word.

Sheng Yunze didn’t bother arguing. There was no reason to take a hit without hitting back.

He didn’t care why Nan Yi had punched him. They had disliked each other for a long time.

Sheng Yunze was furious, a pent-up rage burning inside him. Nan Yi had walked right into it. Sheng Yunze’s counterpunch was swift and clean, leaving Nan Yi worse off.

The bassist screamed, and the captain hurriedly ordered his men to pull Nan Yi away.

Both Sheng Yunze and Nan Yi had bruises on their faces.

They had fought fiercely, aiming for each other’s faces for no apparent reason.

Sheng Yunze’s expression was gloomy, his eyes dark as if shrouded in mist. Even after being pulled away, Nan Yi refused to give up, his shirt disheveled as he glared at Sheng Yunze.

The captain exclaimed, “Hey! Who are you? Why did you start a fight? Young man, this is a civilized society! If you cause any more trouble, I’ll call security, got it?”

Nan Yi spat through clenched teeth, “Sheng Yunze, what do you mean by this?”

Sheng Yunze calmly straightened his rumpled shirt, a smear of blood at the corner of his mouth. “Can’t you understand English?”

“Fuck your mother!” Nan Yi struggled forward, the captain and the drummer barely managing to restrain him. “You’re trying to steal my love?!”

The captain froze, dumbfounded.

He had assumed this was a vendetta, but it turned out to be a love triangle!

Recalling Sheng Yunze’s grand confession earlier, the captain realized, this was a classic two-men-fighting-over-one-woman scenario.

The bassist glanced at Nan Yi, a handsome man with a great physique, and wondered, “I wonder how beautiful that ‘woman’ must be?”

Sheng Yunze smirked. “Duan Yi likes me, and I like him back. What’s it to you?”

Nan Yi snapped, “Who do you think you are to like him back?”

Sheng Yunze replied coldly, “And who do you think you are?” He chuckled mockingly, emphasizing each word, “His… ex-boyfriend?”

Nan Yi retorted, “We’ve known each other for over a decade. If you hadn’t interfered, we would have gotten back together eventually.”

Sheng Yunze gave a fake smile. “Oh.” He leaned back comfortably. “I think he likes me more.”

Liar.

Before today, he would have confidently boasted about this.

But after that confession, he couldn’t.

Duan Yi had vanished without a trace, impossible to reach.

The captain and the bassist stared at each other in disbelief.

So it wasn’t about revenge after all. This was a huge scandal!

“Ex and current?”

No, no, their lead singer had just been rejected, it seemed…

“Hey… young man, explain yourself. You broke up with him, so why can’t he find true love?” the captain nagged.

Nan Yi glared at him.

The captain quickly turned to Sheng Yunze, scolding them both, “And you too! They’re broken up, so stop rubbing it in. We know you’re happy now, but think about the ex’s feelings…”

Sheng Yunze: Happy my ass.

Tsk.

The captain went back to Nan Yi, “Look, beating up your love rival here won’t solve anything. If you hit him again, we’ll call security… Right? Why don’t you talk to the person involved and ask how he feels?”

The captain continued smoothly, “If he wants to get back together, great. If he wants to move on, let him. It’s that simple…”

Nan Yi kicked over a nearby chair with a loud crash and glared coldly.

The captain winced at his broken chair. Before he could even pick up the pieces, Sheng Yunze stepped on it and walked over the wreckage without a second thought.

“Hey…” the captain sighed.

The bassist stopped him. “Captain, I don’t think you should try to reason with a man who’s just been dumped.”

The captain shook his head. “See? Even handsome guys aren’t immune. Just like us regular folks, they get dumped too.”

Jian Qiao strode forward and grabbed Sheng Yunze’s arm.

Sheng Yunze pulled his arm away expressionlessly and kept walking without looking back.

Jian Qiao bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes, and stubbornly grabbed his arm again.

This time, Sheng Yunze finally snapped. He yanked his arm away with force, sending Jian Qiao stumbling backward. Large tears streamed down her face as she stared at him, trembling.

“What’s going on between you and Duan Yi?” Jian Qiao asked.

Sheng Yunze was beyond frustrated. Does she not understand plain words? Was there some hidden meaning in what he’d said? Did that song sound like a brotherly oath instead of a confession? Or had he not made it clear enough that Duan Yi was his “boyfriend”?

Jian Qiao raised her voice, almost screaming, “What do you take me for?!”

Sheng Yunze glared at her coldly.

Jian Qiao froze under his gaze, but forced herself to finish, “I’ve liked you for so long…”

“So you’ve liked me for so long. What does that have to do with me? Did I force you to?” Sheng Yunze had never spoken so much to her before.

After saying this, Sheng Yunze realized how it sounded and grew even more irritated.

It was like he was talking about himself.

He hadn’t confessed to Duan Yi because Duan Yi had forced him to.

Yet now, Sheng Yunze wanted to blame Duan Yi.

Jian Qiao’s face turned pale. She had always known Sheng Yunze’s terrible temper and sharp tongue, but he had never turned it on her before.

She had never imagined he would be so cruel.

But Sheng Yunze was too annoyed. Everyone kept bothering him, wanting him to take responsibility for their feelings.

Who the hell is going to take responsibility for his feelings?

Had anyone considered how he felt?

Fuck! He was standing in the square, just heartbroken, and his wife had vanished into thin air!

Stop bothering him!

Sheng Yunze wanted to drag Duan Yi out and demand what he was thinking, what he meant by all this.

You can flirt all you want, but run away when things get tough, huh?

Sheng Yunze, his face dark, strode toward the exit and saw Sheng Yunxi.

“Lao Sheng,” Sheng Yunxi said, “how does it feel to be caught off guard?”

“Go away,” Sheng Yunze snapped.

“Oh, right, Jiang Wangshu asked me to tell you—”

Sheng Yunze had already stormed away, his face still dark, when Sheng Yunxi finished with a grin, “Duan Yi said his phone died. He’ll call you later.”

It was impossible to tell if Sheng Yunze had heard.

Sheng Yunxi shrugged. “I delivered the message. Don’t blame me.”

She tucked his hands into her pockets and walked toward Jian Qiao.

At six that evening, light snow began to fall.

December’s chill had truly arrived. The neighborhood was covered in fallen leaves, the trees bare, and the sky gloomy—much like Sheng Yunze’s landslide of emotions.

Hang City’s first snow of the year had come suddenly and early. Everyone on social media was excitedly taking pictures, but Sheng Yunze felt terrible.

Normally, Duan Yi would be begging him for a silly selfie, then urging Jiang Wangshu and the others to leave even sillier “99” comments below. Sheng Yunze’s job was just to make fun of them.

Despite his teasing, Sheng Yunze secretly wanted this.

Weighed down by his thoughts, Sheng Yunze skipped dinner and retreated to his room alone.

After a while, he sent Duan Yi one last message.

[ Duan Yi, if you don’t want this, can we pretend today never happened? ]

[ At least don’t avoid me. ]

As soon as he sent it, Sheng Yunze realized that in matters of the heart, pride and aloofness were utterly fragile.

Like every other boy in China caught in the uncertainty of a budding romance, he found himself humbled by his feelings.

Sheng Yunze prepared to go find Duan Yi, only to realize he didn’t even know where Duan Yi lived.

His calls went unanswered, and his messages remained unread. Sheng Yunze suddenly realized how superficial their connection truly was.

Duan Yi had many friends and eagerly introduced them to Sheng Yunze, but Sheng Yunze had never been interested in making new acquaintances.

Now, he didn’t even have Jiang Wangshu’s number, leaving him no way to indirectly inquire about Duan Yi.

Sheng Yunze sat motionless for a moment before opening the textbook on his desk and slowly began reading the problems.

He couldn’t focus on a single word, and a bitter taste of regret finally dawned on him.

It felt like a hole had been carved out of his heart, leaving it drafty and empty. He couldn’t bear to think about it too deeply; the moment he did, a hollow ache settled in.

Sheng Yunze flipped open his phone again, checking for messages. He’d been checking every minute, but Duan Yi still hadn’t replied.

Switching to Koukou, Sheng Yunze angrily changed his profile signature to a shared song. “Decent.”

Outside, the light snow had turned into a blizzard. The withered tree branches shook wildly in the north wind, scraping against his window with a grating crackle.

The noise irritated Sheng Yunze, though really, everything irritated him now. He yanked open the curtains and suddenly saw a boy standing downstairs.

It was Duan Yi.

Sheng Yunze’s gaze froze.

Duan Yi was still wearing the same thin clothes he’d left Sheng Yunze’s house in that morning—clearly not warm enough for the weather.

He was holding a dark, bulky bundle. Sheng Yunze couldn’t make out what it was, because his mind was completely filled with Duan Yi’s smile.

Could it be…?

A tiny flower bloomed in Sheng Yunze’s withered heart, swaying in the wind like a sudden glimpse of hope.

He wasn’t sure what Duan Yi’s visit meant. It couldn’t be that simple.

Perhaps…

“I brought roasted sweet potatoes,” Duan Yi answered honestly. “I bought them on the way.”

A thick coat, faintly scented with Sheng Yunze’s pheromones, covered Duan Yi. Shivering from the cold, Duan Yi stared guiltily at the ground.

His guilt had reached its peak when he turned on his phone earlier and saw countless missed calls and over a dozen messages from Sheng Yunze.

Especially that line, “If you don’t want to, just pretend it never happened.”

Oh no! He’d only spent an afternoon at the hospital, and now his boyfriend was gone!

Sheng Yunze silently took the roasted sweet potato. The two stood beneath a utility pole in the residential complex.

Facing the pole, Duan Yi stammered, “Um, my phone was off this afternoon.”

Sheng Yunze’s fingers, which had been slowly peeling the potato, paused briefly but otherwise showed no reaction.

“I asked Jiang Wangshu to find you and explain. Did he?”

“No,” Sheng Yunze replied coolly.

Duan Yi cursed inwardly. No wonder Sheng Yunze called so many times! He must think I was avoiding him.

He decided to play the sympathy card. “My mom was rushed to the hospital this afternoon with acute appendicitis. My dad and brother are both in Beijing, so I was the only one who could sign the consent forms. I spent the whole afternoon taking care of her. When my dad finally arrived tonight, I came straight here.”

Duan Yi’s voice grew softer and softer, his guilt rising with each word. “I didn’t mean to ignore your calls… My phone was dead, but I came right over as soon as it charged.”

“Um…” Duan Yi picked at a sweet potato peel. “About that confession… you said it didn’t count…”

Sheng Yunze finally spoke. “It doesn’t.”

Duan Yi: =口=!

“That’s not fair!” Duan Yi protested. “You should think about it again. Young people shouldn’t rush into decisions. And I didn’t reply because of an emergency. My phone was off—how can you just dismiss it without hearing my side?” Sheng Yunze let out a long sigh, feeling like he’d narrowly escaped disaster.

The heavy snow he’d found annoying earlier now seemed breathtakingly beautiful.

“Forget about noon. It’s just us now, so I’ll ask again.” Sheng Yunze looked at him. “Can I be your boyfriend?”

He phrased it as a question.

Sheng Yunze had lived seventeen years, but this was the first time he felt so uncertain. His palms were sweating.

Thinking one offer wasn’t enough, he impulsively added something childish, “I’ll even let you copy my homework.”

Duan Yi stopped mid-sentence, his face flushing from his neck to his ears. He stammered at the telephone pole, “Ah? Ah… Oh, y-yes, I’d be very happy to.”

“Even if I don’t let you copy my homework?”

Sheng Yunze fell silent for a moment, then couldn’t resist teasing, “Why are you agreeing to a telephone pole? You might as well make it your boyfriend.”

Duan Yi: =口=!

“You were being sweet for, like, five seconds! Did you have to start teasing so soon? Couldn’t you have stayed romantic for a few more seconds?”

Sheng Yunze’s face remained impassive. “If you saw your boyfriend declaring his love to a telephone pole, you’d tease him too.”

Duan Yi: “I’m not—”

He froze, the word “boyfriend” in Sheng Yunze’s sentence hitting him like a shock.

His eyes darted around before settling on Sheng Yunze with a bright, hopeful look. “Does this mean we’re dating…?”

“…Yes,” Sheng Yunze replied, avoiding Duan Yi’s gaze. Duan Yi’s sudden stiffness and awkwardness made him feel a little embarrassed too.

Duan Yi had broken school rules before.

But why did adding the word “dating” make it feel so exciting?

He was playing an early romance with Sheng Yunze. Duan Yi sighed, “I’m too cool for this… Tomorrow I’ll be dead by Old He’s hand.”

Duan Yi’s heart skipped a beat. His gaze landed on Sheng Yunze’s lips before quickly darting away.

Shouldn’t there be a passionate French kiss after confessing?! Duan Yi grumbled silently, then took a bite of his sweet potato, feeling strangely detached. Why does this feel so unreal? It’s like I suddenly have a boyfriend out of nowhere.

From husband to boyfriend… Can’t I be happier?

The cowlick on Duan Yi’s head suddenly stood straight up. He didn’t know what he’d remembered, but his heart began to race.

Does this mean I’ll see Sheng Ming and Sheng Xi again in this life?

Sheng Yunze cleared his throat, changing the subject. He tried to sound casual as he said, “Boyfriend, let’s go inside. It’s cold out here.”

But if you listened closely, you could still hear the tremor in his voice.

Duan Yi felt clumsy. He mumbled an “Okay” and followed Sheng Yunze inside.

Sheng Yunze walked half a step ahead, his dangling hand swinging in rhythm with his steps, as if hinting at something.

Duan Yi’s hand, holding the sweet potato, was burning hot, while Sheng Yunze’s hand was icy cold. They should have held hands.

They had done everything intimate before becoming boyfriends. But once they made it official, they suddenly became awkward and shy. One was afraid to reach out, the other afraid to make the first move.

They acted like middle schoolers in their first crush.

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Author’s Note: Xiaoduan still has worries.

But love can make you forget everything.

Even with his worries, Xiaoduan still loves his husband so much.

Also—

School Beauty (deadpan): I won’t stop teasing you just because you’re my boyfriend.

Duan-bao: =口=!

This relationship is doomed!