What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 58

Chapter 58 – Love Rival

Duan Yi deftly changed the subject. “I just don’t think this is as simple as it seems.” He quickly added, “What should we have for dinner? How about trying that new rice noodle shop near the school gate?”

Sheng Yunze slowly turned his head, picked up his pen, and began his most familiar routine, feigning deafness.

Sheng Yunze possessed a remarkable skill, selectively becoming disabled—specifically, in his hearing.

In simpler terms, he only listened to what he wanted to hear.

He could forget every compliment Duan Yi ever gave him, but he’d remember every insult for a year.

In short, he was incredibly petty.

His most practiced technique was the one Duan Yi was witnessing now, simply ignoring anything he didn’t want to hear, pretending anything unseen never happened.

Duan Yi: ……

Sheng Yunze calmly put on his headphones, acting as if Duan Yi weren’t even there.

He stared intently at his test paper, focusing on the questions.

Instantly, he entered his trademark mode, a high-and-mighty, aloof, and borderline delusional state of “I’m too noble for this world.”

Duan Yi: “Are you really going to do this?”

Sheng Yunze marked “A” for the first multiple-choice question on his test.

Duan Yi fell silent for a moment, then threw his hands up in exasperation. “Ugh, fine! I lost, I surrender!”

He pouted, muttering, “Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss…”

Sheng Yunze’s “deafness” vanished instantly. He turned his head, tilted his chin slightly, and gestured for Duan Yi to hurry up.

Duan Yi planted a quick kiss on Sheng Yunze’s lips, then glanced around furtively, like a thief, terrified someone from the class might notice their corner.

Fortunately, this time they were luckier than before—no classmates were stacked like cats at the window.

Duan Yi’s face remained flushed. He fanned himself with his hand and grumbled, “Secretary Sheng, your skin is getting thicker by the day.”

Sheng Yunze retorted, “That’s only because you’re such a pervert.”

“How is this my fault again?” Duan Yi complained.

Jiang Wangshu burst through the front door, mop in hand. Today was his and Hao Shanshan’s turn for cleaning duty.

Class One’s cleaning duties rotated weekly, with two students handling all tasks—wiping windowsills, cleaning the blackboard, mopping, and sweeping—for the entire week.

Only refilling the water dispenser—hauling the heavy water buckets—was a grueling task shared daily by rotating pairs, along with taking out the trash.

However, there was an exception. Sheng Yunze had never been assigned to garbage duty. The Old Class Teacher, showing favoritism, had given him a long-term, stable job: cleaning the water dispenser.

All he had to do was give it a perfunctory wipe with a cloth each day. The hardest part was emptying the water tray beneath the dispenser.

But this semester, some scoundrel had stolen the tray, leaving Sheng Yunze without even this minor chore.

Jiang Wangshu swung his mop, playfully sparring with Hao Shanshan as they walked.

Their brooms and mops danced with ferocious energy, striking poses reminiscent of a Huashan martial arts duel. “Ata!” “Atai!” Their voices echoed as one played Yue Buguang and the other Eastern Unrivaled, their mock battle progressing from the front door to the back. A splash of mop water landed on Pingtou’s exam paper, startling him into a yelp.

“Chairman! Can’t you two ever settle down?”

Hao Shanshan replied with enigmatic solemnity, clasping her hands in a martial salute. “Alliance Leader Yue, today’s sparring ends here.”

Jiang Wangshu leaned on his mop handle. “Brother Dongfang speaks wisely.”

Duan Yi interjected, “So, no more mother-daughter roleplay?”

Jiang Wangshu turned to him. “Isn’t that because you cheated on your wife?”

Hao Shanshan addressed Duan Yi. “Mister Duan, has Old He been giving you trouble? Has he been causing you pangs of heartache?”

Jiang Wangshu sat down. “Is the matter resolved?”

“Not yet,” Duan Yi replied. “My parents came and chatted with Old He in the office for a while before leaving. Scar’s parents didn’t come; his aunt did, and she’s lying down in the infirmary now.”

Suddenly remembering, Duan Yi grabbed Sheng Yunze’s wrist. “Where’s your watch?”

Xu Huifang’s bratty son had snatched Sheng Yunze’s watch earlier and hadn’t returned it.

“It’s fine,” Sheng Yunze said calmly. “He’ll give it back eventually.”

Duan Yi stood up. “I’m going to get it back. What if that idiot breaks it?”

“If he breaks it, he breaks it,” Sheng Yunze shrugged.

Duan Yi squatted down, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “School beauty, you’re so bad.”

Sheng Yunze maintained his usual composure, unruffled as ever.

Jiang Wangshu settled back into his seat. “The older I get, the less I understand what you two are talking about.”

He then pulled out an exam paper.

With final exams approaching, the pressure to study was unprecedented. After the exams, winter break would begin. Second High School’s winter vacation schedule hadn’t been announced yet, but everyone knew it would likely only be seven days long. Students would have to return to school before the Lantern Festival was even over to prepare for the National College Entrance Examination.

Hao Shanshan refreshed the forum and reported, “President Duan, the forum says all your posts seem to have disappeared.”

Jiang Wangshu replied, “They must have been deleted.”

He then glanced subtly at Sheng Yunze.

The administrator account for Second High School’s intranet was managed by the Student Council, specifically the head of the Publicity Department. As the former Student Council President, Sheng Yunze could easily obtain the account password. He deleted what needed to be deleted and banned what needed to be banned.

Teenagers’ interests shifted quickly. The drama that had dominated conversations just days ago was already fading into obscurity. After all, netizens’ memories lasted only three seconds. Without ongoing discussion, no one would remember.

Duan Yi enjoyed a day of peace before the weekend arrived. He originally planned to invite Sheng Yunze to a movie, but the lingering trauma of Avengers: Endgame proved too much. Sheng Yunze firmly declined, citing the need to “focus on studying at home.”

Reluctant to distract his boyfriend from his studies, Duan Yi volunteered to accompany him to the library—only to be predictably rejected.

The reason was that Duan Yi kept thinking about inappropriate things, making it impossible for them to focus on studying together.

This infuriated Duan Yi.

Grabbing Jiang Wangshu, he complained, “Do you think he’s already over me after just a week?”

Jiang Wangshu was speechless. “You two haven’t even been together for more than seven days.”

“So his passion for me only lasts a week? What a scumbag!” Duan Yi retorted.

Jiang Wangshu reminded him, “Instead of worrying about your relationship with the school beauty, shouldn’t you be more concerned about how you’re going to explain being an Omega to your parents when you go home?”

Duan Yi fell silent.

“Stop bringing up sore subjects,” he snapped.

Despite his reluctance, Duan Yi eventually steeled himself and went home.

Fortunately, Duan Ji Huai had to leave for a week-long business trip to Australia. Duan Yi arrived home just as his father was departing.

After leaving a stern warning to “deal with you when I get back” and lingering tearfully with Xiaoduan Mom for a while, Duan Ji Huai boarded his private jet.

Meanwhile, Sheng Yunze received a file of investigation reports.

Sheng Yunxi leaned over the table. “Who is this? Is it really worth digging up old dirt?”

The document detailed Xu Liang’s disciplinary record from his middle school days, starting with his nickname, “Scar.” Sheng Yunxi had asked an old classmate from Attached Middle School to get it from his uncle, who happened to be the headmaster of Xu Liang’s former middle school.

Sheng Yunze read through the list line by line: sexual harassment of an Omega, street fights, vandalism of public property, early romance, theft of school computers—he’d committed every kind of despicable act imaginable.

Most crucially, Xu Liang had once received a probationary expulsion for an incident involving Omega inducers. He had a “big brother” outside of school, nicknamed Tiger Brother, who was sentenced to ten years in prison last year for illegally selling multiple bottles of narcotics, inducers, and gray-market Inhibitors. Tiger Brother was also a major drug supplier in the western district. On the day of the arrest, Xu Liang was caught red-handed with him in a hotel.

Xu Liang was later released due to his minor status, and the school only issued a probationary expulsion.

Sheng Yunze pointed to this entry. “Can you get the transaction records?”

Sheng Yunxi retorted, “Lao Sheng, I may be your errand boy, but even errand boys have their limits! Getting you this disciplinary record was already a miracle, okay?”

Sheng Yunze shot a disdainful glance at Sheng Yunxi, his eyes brimming with undisguised contempt. “Utterly useless,” he spat venomously.

Sheng Yunxi: ……

On Saturday afternoon, Sheng Yunze transformed his appearance and appeared on the bustling bar street in the city center.

He had shed his usual school uniform and even his favorite hoodie. Beneath a cool black jacket, he wore only a black tank top, paired with half-finger leather gloves, a silver chain necklace, cargo pants, and combat boots. He looked every bit the rebellious biker youth, exuding a distinctly hooligan vibe.

Sheng Yunze checked the photo on his phone, confirming this was the right bar.

The photo showed a bald man with a large dragon tattoo on his back, his eyes fierce as he cradled a curvy Omega woman with cascading waves.

This was a regular at the Ramp Bar, and after Tiger Brother’s downfall, he had taken over the area’s trade in inducers, illegal drugs, and narcotics.

Following the same naming convention as Tiger Brother, he was known as Brother Long.

Sheng Yunze silently scoffed inwardly before striding into the Ramp Bar.

“Are you sure we should go in?”

Shortly after Sheng Yunze entered the bar, several handsome young men gathered outside. Duan Yi was among them.

It had been Jiang Wangshu’s idea to find a place to welcome Zhou Yao back to the country, as he was returning today.

Duan Yi repeated, “I still think we should reconsider.”

Jiang Wangshu suggested, “Why don’t you call Zhou Yao?”

Zhou Yao was Duan Yi and Jiang Wangshu’s elementary school classmate.

When they were in sixth grade, Zhou Yao’s British grandmother had taken him abroad to study. Over the years, he had maintained intermittent contact with Duan Yi.

They had been close as children, ruling the roost among their elementary school peers.

In middle school, Jiang Wangshu and Duan Yi had even visited him abroad, spending a wild month together and cementing their revolutionary friendship.

Duan Yi grumbled, “He’s just coming back to show off. Why would minors go to a bar? Wouldn’t it be better to gather in the fragrant library?”

Jiang Wangshu clicked his tongue in mock exasperation. “Zhou Yao’s eighteen now. You expect him to go to the library? Does he even recognize two Chinese characters anymore?”

Duan Yi still didn’t want to go in, convinced that Zhou Yao was just putting on an act.

As they hesitated, Zhou Yao finally arrived, stepping out of the car and giving Duan Yi a vigorous hug.

“I came straight from the airport. Not bad for a friend, huh?”

Zhou Yao’s Alpha pheromones were overwhelming. Duan Yi stepped back, waving his hand. “Didn’t you spray any inhibitor?”

Overseas, it was common to flaunt one’s pheromones like a peacock, with no sense of restraint or subtlety.

Seeing Duan Yi’s reaction, Zhou Yao instinctively assumed Duan Yi was also an Alpha and repelled by his pheromones. He apologized and suppressed his scent.

“I brought a friend along. Hope you don’t mind,” Zhou Yao said, introducing his companion—a strikingly handsome Omega with a refined air, clearly from a scholarly family.

Jiang Wangshu raised an eyebrow. “Is this your boyfriend?”

The Omega smiled. “Zhou Yao and I are just friends.”

His name was Luo Yunshan, a rather refined and scholarly name.

Jiang Wangshu exchanged a knowing glance with Duan Yi, suddenly understanding, “Oh—so you haven’t won him over yet.”

The four of them dispensed with small talk and entered the bar, heading straight for a booth. Duan Yi, who disliked noisy, crowded environments, took a while to adjust.

Zhou Yao suddenly pulled him into a corner and whispered, “Brother, hey, do me a favor.”

Duan Yi was blissfully sipping his fruit juice, unaware that the bartender had forgotten to mention it contained alcohol. Dazed, he stared at Zhou Yao. “What kind of favor?”

Zhou Yao said awkwardly, “It’s about Xiaoshan.”

Duan Yi: “Your Omega?”

Zhou Yao: “Help me win him over.”

Duan Yi sobered up instantly. “Are you trying to set me up? Let me make this clear, I’m a married man.”

Jiang Wangshu took a sip of his juice. “Our school beauty got snatched up by Xiaoduan.”

Zhou Yao was immediately filled with admiration. He slowly raised his thumb. “Brother Duan, I salute you, Brother Duan.” He asked Jiang Wangshu, “How did your school beauty beat Nan Yi?”

Judging by his tone, Nan Yi seemed like a real handful.

Jiang Wangshu said, “You have no idea. Our school beauty is a High Mountain Flower—a cool and aloof one at that. Before Xiaoduan started dating her, she barely spoke three words a day in class. She was like a beautiful vase, and none of us dared copy her homework. Plus, she’s a master at handling men. Xiaoduan is completely under her thumb now.”

Zhou Yao was intrigued. “What’s she like? Got any photos?”

Duan Yi realized he didn’t have many pictures of Sheng Yunze. “No.”

Jiang Wangshu added, “She’s a model student, our class’s League Branch Secretary. Her grades are amazing—better than mine. She’s projected to be Zhejiang Province’s top science student on the National College Entrance Examination next year. She’ll get to choose between Tsinghua and Peking Universities.”

“Damn, that’s impressive,” Zhou Yao exclaimed.

His mind immediately conjured up an image of a pure, bespectacled Liu Yifei, like the one from Chinese Paladin when she was seventeen.

Having already assumed Duan Yi was an Alpha, he pictured Sheng Yunze as a stunning beauty.

He marveled, “No wonder Duan Yi’s got her. She’s gorgeous.”

Duan Yi tried to act humble, but his tail wagged so hard it nearly knocked the ceiling. He practically spoke through his nostrils to Zhou Yao, “No, no…”

Jiang Wangshu: “Look at Xiaoduan acting like this. Do you think he can understand?”

Zhou Yao: “I think so.”

Undeterred, Zhou Yao pressed on, “Can you guys help me out? I’ve been chasing Xiaoshan for ages, and he hasn’t given me any sign.”

As someone with experience, Duan Yi wanted to offer Zhou Yao some guidance. But after racking his brain, he realized he’d somehow ended up with Sheng Yunze without any clear strategy.

He was stumped.

He pulled Jiang Wangshu aside. “Do you think it’s weird that I’m with Sheng Yunze?”

Jiang Wangshu: “Didn’t you chase him? What’s so weird about it?”

I didn’t exactly have a systematic approach, Duan Yi thought. I never even did anything romantic like serenading him outside his dorm. Does stealing his underwear count?

Lost in thought, he couldn’t help but wonder. Why does Sheng Yunze like me?

Is it for my money? My looks?

It can’t be because I got a 250 on the midterm, right?

Zhou Yao rubbed his hands together. “My question… my question is a bit more serious.”

Zhou Yao took a swig of his drink to steel his courage. Seeing that Xiaoshan hadn’t returned from the bathroom yet, he stammered out a one-sided love story that Duan Yi found utterly uninteresting and unromantic, “Xiaoshan and I met overseas. He studied cello at Berkeley—his dad’s a professor, his mom’s an opera singer. You know, a real cultured, scholarly family.”

Zhou Yao’s own family was nouveau riche. Back when he was close to Duan Yi, the Duan family had taken him under their wing, helping his father rise through the ranks of the nouveau riche to become exceptionally wealthy—the King of the Nouveau Riche, as it were.

Families like his had an embarrassing habit: they lacked any artistic sensibilities.

“I tried to learn for him—painting, musicals, operas—but I couldn’t master anything. I always fell asleep at the opera, though my sleep quality improved,” Zhou Yao sighed. “But that’s not the main thing. The real problem is Xiaoshan has this childhood sweetheart, his white moonlight. He’s always hung up on her and refuses to accept me.”

Duan Yi and Jiang Wangshu’s eyes lit up instantly.

Just then, Luo Yunshan returned. Duan Yi gave him a meaningful look: Watch me.

Duan Yi ordered the most expensive bottle of wine and poured a glass for Luo Yunshan, who smiled calmly, unfazed by the attention.

“What were you talking about?” Luo Yunshan’s voice was pleasant.

It was no wonder Duan Yi was so popular; he picked up the conversation quickly. “We were just discussing your childhood sweetheart, your white moonlight.”

After refilling Luo Yunshan’s glass, Duan Yi enthusiastically declared, “A $27,000 Ace of Spades—fine wine for a fine man. It suits you perfectly.”

Luo Yunshan looked at Zhou Yao in surprise, then laughed. “How did we end up talking about Sheng Yunze?”

The moment those three syllables left his lips, Duan Yi, his face expressionless, casually tipped the entire bottle of wine onto the floor.

Damn it, that wine! Zhou Yao’s first thought. His second: What the hell is Duan Yi doing?!

Jiang Wangshu’s eyes widened like copper bells.

The atmosphere turned painfully awkward. In the bustling bar, only their table fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone stared at the spilled wine.

Duan Yi broke the silence with a snap of his fingers, summoning a bartender. “Do you have Sparkling Beer here? The $2.50 kind—not a penny more. Swap this out for it.” He waved the $27,000 Ace of Spades in his hand.

Luo Yunshan: ???

Duan Yi’s attitude had completely flipped. Inwardly, he sneered without a trace of emotion. What “suits you”? You’re only fit for $2.50 Sparkling Beer—the kind that says “Dare to Venture.”