What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 44

Chapter 44 – Xiaoduan’s Going to Fight You

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Duan Yi shuffled into Sheng Yunze’s room.

He hadn’t been nervous yesterday, but today he felt like a newlywed visiting her in-laws, unable to take a proper step.

As he sat down, his eyes darted around until they landed on the bathroom across from the bedroom. In that instant, he felt like he’d been struck by lightning.

Holy shit?!

Holy shit?! Holy shit?!

Why can I see inside the bathroom?!

Last night, Duan Yi had done something incredibly scandalous in that bathroom. Now, overwhelmed with guilt, he’d only meant to steal a glance. Instead, he’d stumbled upon a shocking secret.

A secret so shocking it left him completely stunned.

Sheng Yunze’s master bathroom had fucking two-way glass?!

Which meant Sheng Yunze had been able to see everything Duan Yi did in there last night.

Duan Yi’s neck flushed crimson, then his face, then his head started to smoke. His brain overloaded and crashed.

Sheng Yunze returned with water to find Duan Yi in this state.

Following Duan Yi’s gaze to the bathroom glass, Sheng Yunze understood immediately.

Duan Yi’s acting skills were terrible, but Sheng Yunze didn’t call him out.

He planned to use this as blackmail later, to gain an advantage.

Then he remembered, Duan Yi was his boyfriend now.

What was wrong with taking advantage of him? It wasn’t illegal.

Despite everything, Sheng Yunze still hadn’t fully adjusted to being a “boyfriend” and felt slightly nervous.

After all, this was his first relationship, and he had zero real-world experience. It was inevitable that the school beauty would end up with someone inexperienced.

“Hot water.”

Duan Yi shakily took the hot water, took a sip, and gradually warmed up, calming down.

Sheng Yunze didn’t ask, so Duan Yi didn’t say anything.

Duan Yi placed the cooled sweet potato on the table and noticed the cut on Sheng Yunze’s lip.

Outside, the streetlights had been dim, and Duan Yi hadn’t gotten a good look at Sheng Yunze’s face.

Plus, the situation had been tense, with snow falling and visibility limited to just two meters. Duan Yi was lucky he could even tell the difference between grass and trees.

His mind had been completely occupied with Sheng Yunze.

“What happened to your face?” Duan Yi quickly stood up and gently touched the corner of Sheng Yunze’s mouth.

Nan Yi’s punch had been pretty strong, leaving a cut that hadn’t healed and a faint bruise.

Duan Yi’s expression shifted from surprise to anger.

Sheng Yunze thought Duan Yi was about to say something sympathetic, but Duan Yi exploded. “Damn it! Who punches you in the face like that? Are they jealous of your looks? When did our Second High School’s One and Only Flower get bullied by others?!”

“I don’t rely on my looks,” Sheng Yunze said, a dark line appearing on his forehead. “What’s this ‘Second High School’s flower’ thing?”

The school beauty was one thing—Sheng Yunze could tolerate that. But what was this new “Second High School’s One and Only Flower” nickname?

How bored are the students at Second High School? he wondered. They’re giving me ridiculous nicknames every day.

Duan Yi offered his twisted logic, “Your mouth isn’t on your face. If you don’t rely on your looks, what else do you have? Let me get a closer look. Are there any other injuries besides this?”

Sheng Yunze found Duan Yi’s worried expression quite pleasing.

He even managed to accept the ridiculous “Second High School’s One and Only Flower” nickname.

Duan Yi asked cautiously, “Does it hurt?”

Sheng Yunze: ……

“Hiss,” he inhaled sharply, his face expressionless.

Duan Yi: ……

Sheng Yunze continued, still expressionless, “Yes, it hurts.”

Duan Yi was speechless. “It doesn’t look too bad.”

“Not too bad?” Sheng Yunze countered.

“Is it?” Duan Yi asked.

Sheng Yunze suddenly tilted his chin, pointing to the tiny cut on his lip.

Truthfully, it wasn’t serious. The wound would almost be healed in a few minutes.

But he insisted it needed stitches.

“Nan Yi did this,” Sheng Yunze reported.

Duan Yi froze. “He did? Why would he pick a fight with you for no reason?”

Sheng Yunze sneered, “He thinks I stole his love. He thinks I’ve become someone else’s kept man, and now he’s no longer your safe harbor.”

Duan Yi said, a little embarrassed, “We broke up a long time ago.” Then, “Where did you even hear those cheesy lyrics?”

Sheng Yunze: “No lingering feelings?”

Duan Yi: =口=!

“Bullshit! What lingering feelings could I possibly have for him? Let’s get one thing straight: good men don’t bring up the past.”

Sheng Yunze, sounding jealous:, “Really? He was your first love. You wouldn’t still think about him?”

Duan Yi: “Middle school relationships don’t even count! Nothing happened between us!”

Sheng Yunze said mysteriously, “Is that so? I’ll have to check.”

Before Duan Yi could figure out what “check” meant, Sheng Yunze had pinned him to the bed.

Doing this after they’d confirmed their relationship was risky. Duan Yi tensed up and started struggling with all four limbs. “Wait, wait! I think we should start with holding hands!”

Sheng Yunze looked at him strangely. “What are you thinking? I’m just checking if you’ve gained weight.”

Duan Yi: …Fuck.

He was furious with embarrassment!

Sheng Yunze acted like he’d just realized something and said disdainfully, “You’re such a pervert.”

Duan Yi pushed Sheng Yunze away, forcing out the words between clenched teeth, “I didn’t…”

He glanced at the heavy snow outside. “I have to go home.”

Sheng Yunze looked reluctant, but didn’t say anything. “Can’t you stay the night?”

“No,” Duan Yi said firmly. Staying in Sheng Yunze’s room now was too dangerous—he was afraid something bad might happen.

He quickly calculated that his next heat cycle was coming soon.

The thought of school tomorrow gave Duan Yi a headache.

Jiang Wangshu wouldn’t mind. He’d always let Duan Yi do whatever he wanted. Even if Duan Yi ran naked down the street, Jiang Wangshu would eventually support him unconditionally.

But Hao Shanshan and the others would be more complicated.

And Nan Yi… Duan Yi’s headache worsened at the thought of him. If he’d known Nan Yi was like this, he never would have agreed to that six-month trial period. Why had he ever accepted Nan Yi’s confession?

Of course, the most important thing was Jian Qiao…

She must have heard Sheng Yunze’s confession today too.

Duan Yi felt a strange mix of emotions, like he’d done something wrong.

In another world, Duan Yi and Sheng Yunze could be together openly. But in this world, nothing was certain.

A thought flashed through Duan Yi’s mind: If I hadn’t interfered, would Sheng Yunze have ended up with Jian Qiao?

“No,” Sheng Yunze suddenly said.

Duan Yi jumped. “What won’t happen?”

Sheng Yunze sneered. “What kind of nonsense are you thinking?”

Duan Yi protested, “How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“Do I need to ask? It’s written all over your face.” He warned Duan Yi, “You’d better not do anything stupid to make yourself feel better, like thinking you owe Jian Qiao something and breaking up with me. If you dare, you’re dead.”

“I wouldn’t,” Duan Yi mumbled, feeling guilty.

“You’d better not,” Sheng Yunze said coldly. “I don’t like Jian Qiao. With or without you, I never would.”

Duan Yi was curious. “Why not?”

Jian Qiao was kind, had a good personality, was beautiful, and was very talented.

Half the Alphas at Second High School had a crush on her, even Duan Yi himself when he was still an Alpha.

Admiring her was like admiring a beautiful painting.

“She’s so smart,” Duan Yi said.

“There’s no reason,” Sheng Yunze replied. After a moment, he added with a venomous tongue, “I just like raising pigs.”

Duan Yi’s jaw dropped. “Don’t think I can’t understand your roundabout insults!” he retorted fiercely, then couldn’t help but ask with a hint of excitement, “So, what do you like about me?”

He just confessed to me like that…

Duan Yi still felt like he was floating.

He had never lacked confidence. From childhood, he had believed himself to be a prodigy, the kind of chosen one who starts a novel at max level, destined for greatness.

But Sheng Yunze seemed utterly detached—or, more accurately, a cold and aloof beauty, the kind of High Mountain Flower who would never deign to fall for someone.

Why would he like someone like me?

Before yesterday, Duan Yi had only dared to vaguely wonder if Sheng Yunze might have some interest in him.

“I don’t know,” Sheng Yunze said, flopping onto the bed and staring at the ceiling.

Truthfully, he wanted to pull Duan Yi into his arms and tease him. He had spent half the day building up the courage—but hadn’t dared.

Before, Duan Yi didn’t care what he did because they weren’t officially together. Now that they were boyfriends, he worried that if he went too far, Sheng Yunze might break up with him.

Annoying.

But also sweet.

The troubles of adolescence were always tormenting.

Duan Yi protested, “What do you mean you don’t know? Don’t I have any good qualities that make you like me?”

Sheng Yunze replied, “I don’t know, okay? Why are you talking so much? Liking you is like needing to eat every day, got it?”

Duan Yi didn’t really understand, but he didn’t want Sheng Yunze to think he was stupid. He pretended to get it, nodded seriously, and said, “Oh, I see…”

Sheng Yunze: He doesn’t get it at all.

He said sarcastically, “But you’re like two bowls of rice.”

Now Duan Yi understood. “Hey! You’re calling me fat again!”

Around nine o’clock, Duan Yi got up to go home. He remembered Sheng Yunze saying that now that they were boyfriends, he could copy his homework whenever he wanted.

Even though he had stubbornly refused to let Duan Yi copy his homework earlier, Sheng Yunze had agreed.

But after calming down, Duan Yi thought, Damn it, this won’t work. I need to date, and I need to copy my homework.

He hadn’t done a single problem from the twelve tests and four workbooks over the weekend. The Old Class Teacher would definitely call him to the office for a serious talk the next day.

To avoid disaster, Duan Yi grabbed all of Sheng Yunze’s finished tests before leaving.

When he realized Sheng Yunze had completed everything, he was shocked. We were both playing these past two days. When did he find the time to finish all this?

Is this the difference between a top student and a slacker?!

Duan Yi happily clutched the homework and walked to the door. Sheng Yunze didn’t want him to leave, but asking him to stay felt like inviting him to bed. Without the pretense of pure friendship, they had to part downstairs.

Duan Yi waved goodbye, his eyes only on the tests.

Sheng Yunze felt annoyed. Is he only dating me to copy my homework?

Duan Yi had barely taken a step when Sheng Yunze suddenly caught up. “I’ll walk you home.”

Duan Yi hesitated. “It’s snowing so hard… are you sure?”

Sheng Yunze said sharply, “Don’t pretend. Don’t you want to?”

Duan Yi: ……

“I do.”

Sheng Yunze: “Where’s your umbrella?”

Duan Yi held his umbrella, but for some reason, he blurted out, “It’s broken.”

Sheng Yunze: “It was fine just now.”

Duan Yi’s face flushed slightly. “If you knew, why didn’t you just pretend nothing happened?”

Sheng Yunze paused, then said, “Oh.” He rarely lost an argument. His back stiffened, and he awkwardly opened his own umbrella.

It wasn’t too big, but it wasn’t small either. The two seventeen-year-olds were crammed together in the tight space.

Duan Yi subtly pressed his shoulder against Sheng Yunze’s, making conversation. “Your pheromones smell like snow too, right?”

Sheng Yunze felt the skin where they touched burning hot. Even through three layers of clothing, he could sense Duan Yi’s blood racing beneath his skin.

He answered absently, “Yeah.”

Actually, there was a slight difference. Sheng Yunze’s pheromones smelled better, with some kind of fragrance mixed in.

Duan Yi moved closer, and Sheng Yunze felt his hand hanging by his side start to twitch.

Sheng Yunze hesitated, wondering if he should put his arm around Duan Yi.

Then he thought, What if he doesn’t want me to?

After a moment, Sheng Yunze calmly decided, I still want to put my arm around him. If he doesn’t want to, I’ll just make him want to.

But before Sheng Yunze could act, Duan Yi leaned closer himself.

The back of Duan Yi’s hand lightly brushed against Sheng Yunze’s, sending a tiny electric shock tingling through his body.

Sheng Yunze felt like every cell in his body was banging drums and throwing a concert on the back of his hand, bubbling so intensely he thought they might burst out of his skin.

Duan Yi’s little finger hooked around Sheng Yunze’s, tentatively rubbed against it, then pulled away.

Sheng Yunze calmly stared ahead, then slowly but firmly grasped Duan Yi’s hand.

It was indeed hot.

Duan Yi’s fingers were slender, his palm small enough to fit easily in Sheng Yunze’s hand.

Duan Yi stumbled, his ears turning red.

Without a word, Sheng Yunze separated Duan Yi’s fingers and interlaced their hands.

The road was empty, save for the heavy snow.

No one noticed the young love blossoming in the corner.

As a result, Duan Yi tossed and turned in bed all night, unable to sleep.

“Aaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!” He rolled around clutching his blanket, grateful Xiaoduan Mom was at the hospital. Otherwise, she would have banged on his door and told him to be quiet.

Duan Yi peeked out from under the blanket, staring at the test paper on his desk. Then he flipped out of bed.

First, copy the test.

But then he remembered the test also belonged to Sheng Yunze, which led him to realize Sheng Yunze was now his boyfriend—and he bounced back onto the bed to roll around again.

The bed was a mess from his rolling. Duan Yi picked up his phone and opened WeChat. Countless messages flooded in.

Sheng Yunze’s chat was pinned at the top. Duan Yi had saved his contact as “Someone.”

He thought for a moment, then changed “Someone” to “Boyfriend.”

But that felt too obvious. What if Old He confiscated his phone and saw it? Then he’d know it was Sheng Yunze. Well, changing it for one night wouldn’t hurt, right?

I’ll change it back tomorrow morning, Duan Yi thought.

He looked down at the Third Year Class 1 group chat. No one had posted anything recently; the last message was from the Old Class Teacher assigning holiday homework two days ago.

Below that was a WeChat group called “Share the Good Times, Leave When Things Get Tough”—the real Third Year Class 1 group chat, without any teachers or the Headmaster.

The group was buzzing. Jiang Wangshu was uploading homework answers one by one, as everyone had asked.

It was clear no one had done the work yet. Every time Jiang Wangshu posted a correct answer, a row of messages appeared, “Heroic Mother,” “Stay Humble,” “Savior,” “Great Bodhisattva Wangshu.”

Duan Yi popped into the chat.

Duan Qingjue Fulfils Red Love: Is your answer to the second-to-last question wrong?

Energetic Young Wife Lin Pinru (Jiang Wangshu): Which one?

The group went wild when they saw Duan Yi had joined.

Over 99+ emojis flooded the chat—all middle-aged and elderly memes photoshopped with embarrassing photos of Duan Yi from the sports meet.

Duan Yi: …Fuck!

My “girlfriend” is still in this group! Can’t you guys post some cool pictures for once?!

How did they even capture that photo of him with his nose turned up like that?

Fang Yun: I’ve turned down Daniel Wu multiple times. President Duan is amazing! Sisters, type “Impressive!” in the chat.

Pingtou: I already copied everything. Did someone help you, President Duan? Thanks for the answers! [Emoji: A million blessings for you, a million good fortunes follow you]

Abbot: Amitabha! President Duan, did you get your brain upgraded during your weekend break?

It’s normal for Duan Yi to struggle with problems.

It’s also normal for him to solve them.

But it’s not normal for him to solve a problem no one else could!

Duan Yi smugly glanced at Sheng Yunze’s test paper, enjoying the thrill of pretending to be powerful.

Just as he was about to type something in the group chat, Sheng Yunze popped up.

Lifetime Pig Farming Achievement Award: .

—He literally sent a bubble emoji.

Duan Yi’s profile signature read: “Locally famous handsome guy.”

Sheng Yunze had just changed his to: “New boyfriend of the locally famous handsome guy.”

The news that Sheng Yunze had entered the group flashed by quickly, his message soon buried under 99+ notifications.

Once the flurry of messages subsided, everyone realized, “Did Secretary Sheng just show up?”

Top-Tier Player of Desperate Pleas: “Holy crap, this group is truly blessed now!”

The entire group welcomed Secretary Sheng’s arrival, with over twenty members of Class 1 spamming messages that blurred their eyes.

Duan Yi tapped open Sheng Yunze’s WeChat profile and immediately saw his username. Furious, he privately sent a string of “fist.jpg” emojis.

Duan Qingjue Fulfils Red Love: “Are you implying something?” [Angry]

Duan Qingjue Fulfils Red Love: “[Screenshot of WeChat username]”

Lifetime Pig-Raising Achievement Award: “Change your username. I don’t like it.”

Lifetime Pig-Raising Achievement Award: “Is that a couple’s username with Jiang Wangshu?”

Duan Qingjue Fulfils Red Love: “……”

He suddenly felt guilty.

Jiang Wangshu had come up with that username; Duan Yi had nothing to do with it.

Jiang Wangshu had even forced Nan Yi to change his username to “World-Destroying Evil Lord Jennifer”—Jennifer being Ellie’s English name.

Duan Qingjue Fulfils Red Love: “Why should I change it?”

Sheng Yunze replied slowly, “Knit Pig.”

Duan Yi: “……”

The next moment, Duan Yi’s WeChat name changed to: “Xiaoduan’s going to fight you!”

The moment after that, Sheng Yunze’s WeChat name also changed: “Xiaosheng thinks that is inappropriate.”