What's Wrong with This Alpha? - Chapter 79

Chapter 79 – Drink More Hot Water

It took a full hour just to coax Sheng Ming and Sheng Xi.

By the time he finally convinced them to stay at Sheng Yunze’s place for a while, Duan Yi was utterly exhausted.

The main reason was that he had taken the twins to play in the neighborhood park. By noon, when the children needed their nap, Duan Yi had promised them he would come back to pick them up soon.

Duan Yi, feeling overheated, removed his short down jacket, revealing a white turtleneck sweater underneath.

He sat beneath the slide the twins had just been playing on and ordered Sheng Yunze, “Fan me.”

Sheng Yunze, equally worn out from dealing with the twins, sat beside Duan Yi and lazily waved his hand twice.

Sensing his boyfriend’s half-hearted effort, Duan Yi weakly muttered, “Break up, break up, break up…”

Sheng Yunze glanced at him. Less than a second later, Duan Yi smacked his lips and sighed, “I really want an ice cream.”

“Ice cream in the dead of winter?”

“You don’t understand. I’m practically melting. How do kids have so much energy?”

Sheng Yunze retorted, “That’s because you overfed them. Did you think you were raising piglets?”

When he had first picked them up, the twins had felt surprisingly heavy.

Then, Sheng Yunze seemed to have discovered a new continent. He looked at Duan Yi and burst into laughter, the kind that wouldn’t stop.

Duan Yi shoved him. “Hey, are you crazy or something?”

Sheng Yunze laughed so hard he collapsed onto Duan Yi. Duan Yi hadn’t found anything funny at first and didn’t even know what Sheng Yunze was laughing about.

But seeing him laugh so uncontrollably, Duan Yi was infected. “What’s so funny? Hahaha… Are you poisoned? Hahaha…”

Duan Yi pushed him away while laughing. “Get off me! I’m dying of heat. You’re like a furnace right now!”

When Sheng Yunze finally stopped laughing, he said, “You guys look like the Three Little Pigs.”

Duan Yi couldn’t even muster the energy to roll his eyes. “And what are you? The zookeeper?”

Sheng Yunze grinned. “It must cost a fortune to feed you three.”

Duan Yi slumped onto the slide. “I’m exhausted. I don’t even have the energy to argue with you.”

He gave Sheng Yunze a pitiful look. “Brother, buy me an ice cream.”

Sheng Yunze raised an eyebrow. “Pulling out the puppy-dog eyes?”

Duan Yi’s feigned helplessness reached legendary levels. “If a trick works, why not use it again?”

Clinging to Sheng Yunze’s waist, Duan Yi rubbed his slightly chubby face against him, whining, “Please, please, please, please…”

Sheng Yunze pinched his cheek and ordered, “Call me ‘husband’ and let me hear it.”

Duan Yi’s pride crumbled completely. He became as fawning as possible, repeating, “Husband, husband, husband, husband, husband, husband…” like a broken record.

Though it didn’t quite feel right, Sheng Yunze took the opportunity to tease him. “You say it so smoothly. You wouldn’t happen to call Nan Yi that too, would you?”

“I wouldn’t!” Duan Yi blurted out the question that had been nagging him for ages. “Why do you always bring up Nan Yi when we’re alone? You’re so petty.”

“My heart’s only the size of a pinhead. Want to see?” Sheng Yunze retorted.

“It’s weird to keep bringing up exes…” Duan Yi grumbled.

“Then why can’t you cut ties with him completely?” Sheng Yunze pressed.

Duan Yi scratched his cheek. “Well, that’s… I think we should change the subject! What do you say, husband? I’ll treat you to ice cream!”

“Oh,” Sheng Yunze replied.

Still, that “husband” had sent a pleasant shiver down his spine.

Duan Yi bought a Want Want Crushed Ice at the convenience store on the commercial street near the residential complex. He broke off a piece for Sheng Yunze, handing him the end with the bite mark and saying, “You know, you have to be practically blood brothers to get the longer half of a Crushed Ice from me. Jiang Wangshu and the others used to only get the stub I’m eating now.”

Sheng Yunze, who seemed unfamiliar with the treat, turned to study how Duan Yi was eating it.

Duan Yi held the ice pop in his mouth, shivering from the cold as he forced a bite. “Freezing! Freezing!”

He burrowed into Sheng Yunze’s arms without a care. Sheng Yunze retorted, “Then don’t eat it.”

“You wouldn’t understand,” Duan Yi replied. “It’s called ‘painfully delightful.’ Eating ice cream in winter is as satisfying as cranking up the AC while wrapped in a thick blanket in summer.”

After a while, Sheng Yunze couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

At first, Duan Yi had been simply licking the ice pop, a pleasing sight.

He’d bought a yogurt-flavored Crushed Ice, its milky-white body contrasting with his reddish tongue as it softly glided across the frozen treat.

But as Duan Yi grew impatient and started biting into it with his teeth, Sheng Yunze’s mood soured.

A faint ache stirred within him.

“Can you stop biting it?” Sheng Yunze asked.

“Why?” Duan Yi looked bewildered. “How else am I supposed to get to the bottom?”

Sheng Yunze felt a sudden itch in his canine tooth. “Don’t say things like that.”

He abruptly changed the subject, using the hand holding the ice cream to pull down Duan Yi’s turtleneck sweater. His fingers slipped down the back of Duan Yi’s neck, unerringly locating the Omega gland.

Duan Yi startled, his body jerking. He quickly glanced around. “What are you doing…?” His voice was soft and weak, his legs feeling like jelly.

It wasn’t that Duan Yi was scared, but Sheng Yunze’s actions were akin to publicly unbuttoning his girlfriend’s bra—blatant sexual harassment.

Enduring the strange sensation on his neck, Duan Yi waited until Sheng Yunze confirmed his bite marks were still there. Then, he asked with feigned nonchalance, “When’s your next Heat?”

Duan Yi’s face flushed crimson. Sheng Yunze’s question sounded no different than asking when they’d next have sex. Duan Yi thought his own skin was thick enough, but Sheng Yunze’s seemed even thicker when it came to matters like this!

“Soon, I think…” Duan Yi calculated. “But my heat cycles are irregular.”

Sheng Yunze nodded. “Yeah, eating ice cream in the dead of winter—how could they be regular? No more ice cream for you.”

Sheng Yunze snatched the half-eaten popsicle from Duan Yi’s hand.

Duan Yi: “=口=! Holy shit! I’m not a girl on her period! Who says you can’t be in heat just because you ate ice cream in the dead of winter?!”

He tried to salvage his popsicle, but Sheng Yunze swiftly tossed it into the trash.

Turning to Duan Yi with a tender gaze, Sheng Yunze said earnestly, “Drink more hot water. It’ll regulate your heat.”

Duan Yi exploded, “Xiaoduan’s gonna fight you!”

The result was predictable: Duan Yi couldn’t beat Sheng Yunze and ended up being scooped into his arms and pressed against his chest.

Exhausted from struggling, Duan Yi truly had no strength left and demanded Sheng Yunze carry him.

Sheng Yunze pretended to resist, but Duan Yi hopped around behind him until he managed to leap onto his back.

Instinctively, Sheng Yunze gripped Duan Yi’s fleshy thighs, giving them a playful squeeze.

He remembered the last time he’d carried Duan Yi, back when they were just classmates, their relationship undefined.

Back then, Sheng Yunze’s feelings had been vastly different. Every step had been taken with utmost care, afraid of walking too fast or too slow and making Duan Yi uncomfortable.

“Are you going home for the holidays?” Duan Yi asked suddenly, his arms around Sheng Yunze’s neck.

“Do you want to come with me?” Sheng Yunze raised an eyebrow.

If he’s saying that, he’s definitely going back to Beijing, Duan Yi thought. That means we won’t see each other for several days during winter break.

“Second High School only gets seven days off. Two are already gone, leaving just five. How are you going to make it back?”

“Something came up back home,” Sheng Yunze replied. “Besides, it’s only a four-hour round trip between Beijing and Hangzhou.”

“Oh.”

“Do you want to come with me?” Sheng Yunze asked.

Duan Yi grew sullen, tightening his grip around Sheng Yunze’s neck. “My parents are definitely staying here. They’d notice immediately if I ran off.”

He added, “How long will you be gone?”

“Four days, I think. I’ll be back before school starts.”

Duan Yi remained unhappy for a while.

Sheng Yunze gave him a playful jostle. “Hey, why so quiet? Missing me already?”

Duan Yi nodded, looking adorably forlorn.

Sheng Yunze was suddenly struck by Duan Yi’s cuteness. He steadied his steps and asked, “Are you missing me, or my winter break homework?”

Duan Yi sighed, sounding genuinely regretful. “I’m really going to miss you.”

Sheng Yunze’s face remained impassive. “I’ll give you one more chance to say that. Think carefully about what you want to say. This will determine whether I gently set you down or just drop you.”

Duan Yi squeezed his eyes shut and desperately blurted out, “Y-y-y-you! I’ll miss you!”

Sheng Yunze: “Then come with me.”

Duan Yi mumbled, “I already told you I can’t…”

He had spent over half an hour with Sheng Yunze.

Checking his watch, Duan Yi estimated the twins would be waking up soon. He bid Sheng Yunze farewell and turned to leave.

Sheng Yunze crooked a finger, beckoning him closer.

Thinking Sheng Yunze wanted to say something, Duan Yi leaned in. Sheng Yunze immediately pinched his cheek.

Sheng Yunze seemed particularly fond of pinching his cheeks. The soft flesh squished together, puckering Duan Yi’s lips.

“You’re going to be away from me for so long. Aren’t you going to show me any affection?”

“Do you want me to kiss you?” Duan Yi asked earnestly. “Or maybe you should let go first. I think we need a little romantic atmosphere.”

Sheng Yunze: “You’re not allowed to speak anymore.”

Then, he lowered his head and kissed Duan Yi.

They stood at the entrance of the residential complex, a place usually bustling with people, but now deserted. Someone might appear at any moment.

They had to end the kiss abruptly.

Duan Yi waved goodbye. “I’m heading back.”

Sheng Yunze reminded him, “Just so you know, the final exam results are out today.”

Duan Yi’s cheerful back view lost its cheerfulness, his feet even slipping slightly. “Thank you so much!”

Returning home, Duan Yi felt a pang of guilt.

He hadn’t felt guilty before, but learning about the exam results as he left had filled him with dread, making him reluctant to enter.

The problem wasn’t just the emotional pain of his grades; entering the house might also lead to physical pain.

Duan Yi lurked suspiciously by the door for ages until Xiaoduan Mom discovered him.

Lately, Xiaoduan Mom had become obsessed with embroidery, spending her days stitching what she insisted were mandarin ducks—though they looked more like green ducks.

Seeing Xiaoduan Mom at home, Duan Yi breathed a sigh of relief and cautiously slipped inside. He started to ask, “Where’s Dad…?”

Then he spotted Xiaoduan Dad sitting on the sofa, peeling an orange for Xiaoduan Mom.

Duan Yi: …

Duan Ji Huai raised an eyebrow. “What about your dad?”

Duan Yi slid on his knees like a fawning lackey to Xiaoduan Dad’s sofa, pounding his legs and massaging his shoulders. “What’s wrong with my dad? He’s the epitome of valor, a jade-faced gentleman, a benevolent conqueror, a fearless warrior, a wise and martial hero, an extraordinary paragon of chivalry, a man of unparalleled loyalty, unmatched throughout history, humble and eager to learn… He’s simply unprecedented—a towering jade tree standing against the wind, his elegance surpassing all others, like a pear blossom tree overshadowing a crabapple!”

Duan Ji Huai: “Did you copy that from Baidu? Must have been tough memorizing all those idioms.”

Duan Yi modestly replied, “Not at all! I have an excellent memory—it’s genetic, inherited from my dad’s peerless intellect!”

Duan Ji Huai continued coolly, “Then why haven’t you memorized any of the idioms for your Chinese exam?”

Alarm bells rang in Duan Yi’s mind: This isn’t good, this isn’t good, this isn’t good…

“Dad, did you get any spam texts? Oh, right! Our school’s Communication Platform got hacked! Hackers have been impersonating the system to send parents junk messages about final exam scores and stuff. Don’t believe any of it!”

Duan Ji Huai: “Really? I thought those scores seemed rather unreliable.”

Duan Yi swallowed hard. “You don’t understand, Dad…”

“What score did this hacker say I got?”

Duan Ji Huai pulled out his phone and showed him the text message. “See for yourself!”

The legendary hacked system of Second High School had sent Xiaoduan Dad the following message:

[ Dear Parent of Duan Yi,]

[ We are pleased to inform you of Duan Yi’s academic performance in the first semester final exams of his third year: Total score: 511. Chinese: 111, Mathematics: 100, English: 109, Combined Sciences: 191. The semester has successfully concluded. Thank you for your support and cooperation. We wish you a wonderful holiday and extend our early New Year greetings.]

“Holy shit?!” Duan Yi exclaimed, so shocked he forgot to hide his Zu’an-level vocabulary from his father.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit?!” Duan Yi’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He pointed at the phone. “Five hundred and eleven?!”

Xiaoduan Mom covered her mouth, laughing. “Didn’t you know your own scores, dear?”

“What the hell?!” Duan Yi was still reeling. “No way… Such a high score… Did I… did I actually get this?”

Duan Ji Huai clearly didn’t believe Duan Yi’s sudden leap to 511 points. Although Duan Yi had managed to score 400 on the midterm exam—his best score ever in three years of high school, a veritable miracle that nearly convinced Xiaoduan Dad that Duan Yi had cheated with supernatural help—511 points was unprecedented. For Duan Yi, achieving this score was a miracle beyond miracles.

As an art student planning to pursue art college admissions, 511 points already exceeded the minimum score for the Central Academy of Fine Arts. Duan Yi’s artistic skills were even less of a concern, as he possessed genuine talent for painting.

Duan Ji Huai hesitated. “Did you cheat?”

“What cheating are you talking about…” Duan Yi slowly sank onto the sofa, still in disbelief. “I’m just too awesome.”

His ego swelled instantly.

“Dad, wait! I need to take a picture and post it on WeChat! Holy shit, 511 points! I suddenly feel like I could even get into Tsinghua!”

Duan Ji Huai couldn’t help but smile. “Well done.”

Duan Yi was ecstatic. His score was so impressive that he hugged his phone on the sofa, rolling around several times.

Duan Ji Huai coughed. “Are you sure you didn’t cheat?”

“Absolutely not!” Duan Yi protested. “I studied so hard for the final exams that I nearly threw up blood!”

He paused, then admitted, “Actually, it wasn’t entirely my idea to study.”

Duan Yi had simply wanted to hang out in Sheng Yunze’s dorm, but Sheng Yunze and his roommates were all academic powerhouses, burning the midnight oil until 2 AM. (Truthfully, most students were studying until 2 AM back then; even Jiang Wangshu was glued to his textbooks every night.)

Since Sheng Yunze studied until 2 AM, Duan Yi stayed up too, waiting for him.

Caught up in the intense atmosphere, Duan Yi found himself focusing and studying as well.

Of course, unlike the others, he was studying with Sheng Yunze.

Sheng Yunze had an uncanny knack for predicting exam questions. Whatever he guessed would appear on the test, so accurately that Duan Yi began to question his very existence.

Except for the National College Entrance Examination, Sheng Yunze could correctly predict two out of three major questions on midterms and finals.

The questions weren’t exactly the same, but the problem-solving methods and approaches were identical.

Duan Yi’s score post went viral, with likes pouring in.

Xiaoduan’s going all out! Brother’s final exam scores! [Cool] [Image]

Jiang Wangshu: Damn, did you eat some Brain Gold or something?

Duan Yi replied: What did you get?

He was bursting with pride, eager to show off.

Jiang Wangshu responded: [Humble] Just 679.

Duan Yi instantly deleted Jiang Wangshu’s reply, sneering coldly, “You dare come to my feed to brag about your scores?”

Sheng Yunze also liked the post. Duan Yi tagged him: “Why just a like? No comment?”

When Sheng Yunze didn’t reply, Duan Yi messaged him directly, sending his exam scores first, followed by a smug “Hehe.”

“Praise me!”

Sheng Yunze chuckled. “Not bad.”

Duan Yi: “What do you mean ‘not bad’? This is the best I’ve ever done!”

He added, “What did you get? Send me a screenshot of your scores.”

Sheng Yunze sent a screenshot. Duan Yi fell silent.

Duan Yi: …Maybe you should just delete that.

Sheng Yunze: [Disdainful]

Duan Yi: Damn it! You’re really crushing my confidence! You got a perfect score in math!

Sheng Yunze: Is a perfect score that strange?

Duan Yi: [Crying pig emoji] Why is your combined science also perfect? Don’t you lose any points at all…?

Sheng Yunze: The exam wasn’t difficult this time.

“Didn’t you lose points on Chinese and English?” Sheng Yunze asked.

“I only missed one question on English! Are you even human?” Duan Yi retorted.

“I know, I messed up a multiple-choice question. I remembered it when I handed in the test, but it was too late to change it.”

“This makes me even angrier!” Duan Yi exclaimed.

Duan Yi: [Angry Pig]

Sheng Yunze: Drink more hot water. [Pitying]

“Ugh, why does his ‘pitying’ emoji feel so sarcastic? It’s practically leaping off the screen…” Duan Yi fumed, his face pressed against his phone as he waged a WeChat war with Sheng Yunze.

Duan Ji Huai frowned. “Who are you chatting with?”

Duan Yi hastily put down his phone. “No one! You must have misread it.”

He had been about to ask about Sheng Ming and Sheng Xi, but Duan Ji Huai’s question made him straighten his back and hide his phone.

Never mind, I’ll ask Sheng Yunze later tonight.

Duan Ji Huai stared at Duan Yi’s face, as if suddenly remembering something, and then paused.

“Never mind…”

Considering Duan Yi’s excellent test scores, he decided to let the early romance slide for now.

Duan Ji Huai didn’t want to admit it, but the facts were undeniable: his son’s grades hadn’t just held steady since starting his relationship—they had actually improved.

Of course, Duan Yi’s usual scores were already over 100, so it wasn’t like there was much room for improvement anyway.

Xiaoduan Mom called out, “Sweetie, go upstairs and tidy your room. We have a flight tonight.”

Duan Yi was bewildered. “What plane?”

He was still basking in the joy of his exam score of over 500 points.

Duan Ji Huai spoke up. “The Beijing flight tonight, around 9 PM. Just pack a few changes of clothes. Your maternal grandfather wants to see you, and we’ll also attend your aunt’s wedding while we’re there.”

Duan Yi’s aunt wasn’t Xiaoduan Mom’s biological sister. Xiaoduan Mom was an only child. The aunt’s surname was Shen, and she was the daughter of Duan Yi’s maternal grandfather’s former comrade-in-arms. She was thirty-three years old.

After Duan Yi’s maternal grandfather’s old comrade passed away, the aunt, orphaned at sixteen, was adopted by Duan Yi’s maternal grandfather and had lived in Beijing ever since. Her primary job was as a news reporter, a profession that kept her constantly on the move. She had never married until two years ago, when Duan Yi’s maternal grandfather arranged a blind date for her. The two hit it off, and she married the man this year, at thirty-three, fulfilling one of Duan Yi’s maternal grandfather’s greatest wishes.

Duan Yi only remembered his aunt being very kind to him. When he was little, she loved taking photos of him. She also enjoyed dressing him in various skirts, styling him as a girl, and taking him shopping.

Damn it… all black history.

Duan Yi covered his face.

Duan Ji Huai said, “Hurry upstairs and pack your things.”

As Duan Yi nodded, he texted Sheng Yunze, his primary concern now being where the twins would go.

Sheng Yunze had already informed his family that he would be bringing Sheng Xi and Sheng Ming back to Beijing with him.

Duan Yi felt a little awkward asking Sheng Yunze how he had introduced the twins to his family, imagining the chaos that must have ensued.

Sheng Yunze was likely preparing to return to Beijing as well, as his replies were no longer instantaneous.

Duan Yi decided to focus on packing his clothes. Around 9 PM, he messaged Sheng Yunze to let him know he was boarding the plane, then turned off his phone, planning to reconnect upon arrival in Beijing.

But he ended up oversleeping.

Duan Yi slept through the entire flight, then continued sleeping in the car all the way to the mansion. He only woke up when he got out of the car.

His maternal grandparents and aunt came out of the mansion to greet them. Duan Yi rallied his spirits and joined in the lively reunion.

His maternal grandfather had only one daughter, Xiaoduan Mom, who in turn had only two sons, Duan Shaoheng and Duan Yi. Duan Yi was his grandfather’s favorite. As soon as they arrived, his grandmother secretly pulled him aside and stuffed him with snacks.

Some of the snacks Duan Yi no longer enjoyed; they were all things he had loved as a child.

Having not seen his grandparents in years, the elderly couple only remembered what he used to like, unaware of the Duan Yi he had become.

The thought made Duan Yi’s nose tingle. He sat with his grandmother for a long time, chatting.

The first night was chaotic and eventful.

Early in the morning, Duan Yi was woken up and told to get dressed. A distant relative of his aunt’s fiancé’s family was coming to visit.

Duan Yi was currently lounging on the sofa in the living room, secretly texting Sheng Yunze. Sheng Yunze’s flight was scheduled to arrive in Beijing around noon.

Duan Yi frantically bombarded Sheng Yunze with recommendations for fun tourist attractions in Beijing, nearly filling up his entire itinerary for the next two days.

Only after Sheng Yunze boarded his flight did Duan Yi finally stop flooding him with messages.

Aunt Shen Xu tugged Duan Yi off the sofa, but he went limp like a boneless creature, whining, “Aunt, I don’t want to move! Let me stay entwined with this sofa forever!”

“You’re practically glued to it already,” Shen Xu retorted. “Get up. I want you to meet someone today.”

“Who is it? I don’t know them. You should focus on your own wedding! You’re getting married tomorrow—you should be resting, not worrying about visitors. You’ll get pimples!”

Shen Xu chuckled. “The less you argue with me, the fewer pimples I’ll get!”

Shen Xu dragged Duan Yi to the reception room. The visitor was a relative of her fiancé’s family.

Thanks to Xiaoduan Mom’s connections, Shen Xu’s future in-laws were a prestigious family—a century-old jewelry dynasty steeped in history.

Shen Xu’s fiancé, Zhao Xinchuan, was the eldest son of the family. He had come today with his sister and his niece, Zhao Yu, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl who was said to be studying dance and possessed an elegant demeanor.

Zhao Yu was the person Shen Xu had mentioned introducing to Duan Yi.

She was reportedly an outstanding student at a prestigious local dance academy.

Not only did she excel academically and possess impeccable character, but her family background was also exceptional.

Dressed with refined taste and immaculate neatness, she stood tall and graceful, like a flower in full bloom, carrying a luxury handbag.

Even her voice was delicate and refined.

In that instant, Duan Yi understood: his aunt was setting him up.

Among wealthy second-generation heirs like Duan Yi, internal matchmaking was quite common.

However, these circles were often exclusive. Local elites formed their own cliques, while those from other regions, particularly Beijing, maintained tight-knit, insular groups.

Duan Yi was surprised. Zhao Yu, presumably part of the Beijing Circle, why would she want to connect with him?

In the past, he might have been interested in getting to know her better. But now, not only was he married, but he was also an Omega.

Since Zhao Yu was also an Omega, any further interaction would likely lead to them becoming “sisters.”

Shen Xu, unaware of Duan Yi’s Omega status, had unwittingly arranged this matchmaking-like encounter.

Zhao Yu didn’t seem particularly interested in Duan Yi either. After a polite nod and brief greeting upon meeting, they sat on opposite sides of the room, saying nothing to each other.

That evening, when Shen Xu asked Duan Yi how the meeting had gone, he knelt before his aunt. “Aunt, please stop worrying about me! I’m only seventeen and still have the National College Entrance Examination to worry about!”

“But you’ll be studying in Beijing eventually,” Shen Xu countered. “Wouldn’t it be good to make friends here early?”

Duan Yi sighed. “That’s not exactly how friendships are made.”

Shen Xu looked concerned. “Do you not like Zhao Yu’s type?”

“It’s not that, Aunt…” Duan Yi rubbed his nose and confessed sincerely, “To be honest, I already have a girlfriend.”

Meanwhile, Sheng Yunze, the “girlfriend” in question, was tying Sheng Xi’s shoelaces when he suddenly sneezed several times.

Sheng Xi raised his little arms, wanting to be picked up. “Why did Dad sneeze?”

Without hesitation, Sheng Yunze replied, “Your mother must be badmouthing me behind my back.”

Sheng Ming, obediently following Sheng Yunze, tilted his head and asked, “Dad, when can we see Mom again?”

“Soon. Stop sucking your fingers. Are you hungry?”

Sheng Xi piped up, “You look like a single dad!”

“One more smart remark and I’ll leave you at the airport.”

Sheng Xi let out a strange cry, then burst into laughter, clinging to Sheng Yunze’s neck. “I’m going to tell Mom!”

Sheng Yunxi chimed in from the side, “Seriously, aren’t they your secret love children?”

She hadn’t overheard the twins’ earlier conversation with Sheng Yunze. Moreover, the twins had been calling him “Brother” in public.

Sheng Yunze remained calm. “I’ve told you a hundred times, no. I was twelve when I got someone pregnant? You’re out of your mind.”

Sheng Yunxi still didn’t believe him. “They look too much like you, Lao Sheng. Tell me the truth—where did you find these twins? I don’t buy that ‘friend’s younger brothers’ nonsense.”

When Sheng Yunze didn’t want to answer his sister, he simply pretended not to hear.

Over the past two days, Mrs. Sheng and Father Sheng had fully accepted the twins as the younger brothers of their son’s classmate. Mrs. Sheng, in particular, had grown increasingly fond of them, practically treating them like her own grandsons.

With Sheng Yunze’s handsome looks, his equally attractive sister Sheng Yunxi, and the adorable twins, the group drew countless stares at the airport. Some young girls even approached them to ask if they were celebrities.

Father Sheng, having just finished a phone call, addressed his children, “Prepare yourselves for tomorrow morning. We’re attending a wedding.”

Sheng Yunxi immediately hopped down from her suitcase. “Dad, whose wedding is it?”

“Zhao Xinchuan, an old college classmate of mine,” Father Sheng replied. “He even held you when you were little.”