Neon lights in every imaginable color flashed across buildings of wildly different styles, each plastered with gaudy slogans trying to grab the attention of passersby.
The bustling street was alive with sound and movement; now and then, clusters of glowing blue light would gather in the air and materialize into virtual avatars, transforming into all kinds of characters before blending seamlessly into the crowd.
In the midst of it all, a nimble light-blue slime was bouncing and weaving between people. It didn’t take long before it smacked right into the “entrance” marker of a café.
The wind chime hanging at the café door jingled.
“Late, late, late!”
Chi Lin hurriedly hopped inside, bouncing onto the table with a Duang Duang, then looked at his friend across from him. He was so out of breath that he skipped gasping entirely and went straight to gossip:
“Xu ah, did you really break off your engagement with the Chen family’s only heir?”
At those words, the young man by the window turned his head away from the street. He had been gazing outside, lost in thought. Now he replied calmly, “Mm. Why?”
Chi Lin froze for a moment. Being this close, his breath caught in his throat.
The youth before him was devastatingly handsome: delicate features, eyelashes thick and dark like crow feathers, long eyes with upward-curving corners that gleamed with clarity, as if light itself shimmered within.
His nose was high and straight, lips soft and lightly tinted, shoulders narrow, waist slender, legs long even when bent under the table. Every line of his body was perfectly proportioned, flawless from head to toe.
Even after sharing a dorm with Su Xu for nearly four years of university, Chi Lin still wasn’t immune to being knocked breathless by his friend’s looks every single time.
And he wasn’t alone. Around them, plenty of people were also openly staring at Su Xu. A flood of green-colored friend requests had popped up, cluttering the interface around half a meter from his seat, forming what looked like a shield of notifications.
Yet Su Xu didn’t spare them so much as a glance.
His long, pale, finely-boned fingers toyed idly with a coffee stirrer. Lashes lowered, he absently destroyed the neat latte art on his drink, stirring it into a messy swirl.
In a voice casual to the point of laziness, he said, “Hasn’t it already been half a month since that happened?”
The clink of the stirrer against the cup finally snapped Chi Lin out of his daze.
“…Yeah, but your Su family really handled it in the worst way.” Chi Lin frowned.
“Back then, when you didn’t want to be engaged to the Chen heir, it was your family who forced you to agree. Now that the Chen family just went bankrupt, the instant your people got the news, they rushed over to break off the engagement. Isn’t that just kicking someone when they’re down?”
Back then, the engagement between Su Xu and Chen Tingyi, the Chen family’s only son, had been a sensation across the capital.
The Chen family’s business had been booming at the time, spanning entire star systems, sitting firmly at the top of the wealth rankings. As for Chen Tingyi, he had differentiated into a top-tier Alpha the moment he came of age, becoming the dream of countless unmarried men and women in the capital.
No one had expected that he would choose Su Xu, who hadn’t even differentiated yet and whose family was, at best, upper-middle class. It had shocked the entire aristocracy, who could only assume Chen Tingyi had fallen hopelessly under Su Xu’s spellbinding face.
Now that the breakup couldn’t be kept secret, the backlash was harsh. Before coming here, Chi Lin had already seen forum posts all over the university network tearing into Su Xu.
Even though none of it had been Su Xu’s fault, he was the one getting blamed.
Chi Lin fumed at the injustice, his slime avatar swelling a size larger in indignation, almost bursting from the pressure.
But Su Xu only chuckled softly.
Leaning back in his chair, posture relaxed, he picked up his cup, sipped the slightly bitter coffee, and finally said unhurriedly, “So the reason you dragged me here in such a hurry was just to talk about this?”
“What else? I’m stuck interning out in the N-14 star system and can’t come back. I can’t protect you. You know how the people at school are! What if something happens! Hey, are you even listening to me?”
“I’m listening, I’m listening.” Su Xu nodded. “But it’s not as bad as you think. Two more years and I can retire anyway. Time’s running; I need to curry favor with the next target. Message me if you need me. Oh, and stop making such a big fuss over everything.”
Chi Lin: “Huh??”
How was this not making a big fuss! This was absolutely a big deal!
Wait, retire?
Su Xu was twenty-one, but still hadn’t differentiated. Biologically, that was practically the same as being underage. Retire from what, exactly?
Hold on, who in their right mind talked about “bootlicking” so righteously, like it was a normal career plan?!
Wait, wait, who was this “next target” supposed to be?!
At least explain before you log off!
When Su Xu finally logged out of the virtual Inner World, his gaze fell on the half-finished cake on the counter before him. It had been abandoned too long, and the future-tech device had already marked it as spoiled.
“Tch.”
“Ge.”
Just then, there was a soft knock on the kitchen door. Su Rui poked his head in, watery eyes blinking up at him. “Mom and Dad said to remind you, we have to go test our pheromones again after school.”
Su Xu’s hands paused. Without turning around, he replied, “Got it.”
Su Rui bit his lip, then called again: “Ge.”
He stared at his tall, slender brother, lashes curled and long, expression intent on the mixing bowl in front of him, as though the egg batter mattered more than anything else.
For a brief moment, jealousy flashed through his gaze though he couldn’t even tell whether he envied Su Xu himself, or envied the people around him.
“Brother Tingyi said he’s sent you a lot of messages, but you never replied. He asked me to check…”
“Oh.” Su Xu cut him off. “I blocked him.”
“…Why?”
Su Rui frowned. “Even if you and Brother Tingyi aren’t going to be together anymore, you don’t have to be that harsh, do you? After all, he really did like you back then. Even when you hadn’t differentiated, and no one knew if you’d ever become a top Omega, he insisted on marrying you despite all opposition… Why?”
Su Xu found the question absurd. He straightened, turned to glance at his younger brother, and said lightly, “If I block him, doesn’t that leave you with a chance?”
Su Rui froze.
His face flushed crimson at a speed visible to the naked eye. “Ge! What are you talking about!”
Su Xu only shrugged.
He couldn’t be bothered to deal with his brother’s adolescent crush. Returning his attention to his work, he slid the baking tray into the oven, set the temperature and timer, and sank into silence.
This marked Su Xu’s twenty-first year living inside this novel world.
The book was titled “Domineering Love: The Beloved Darling and His Four Alpha Husbands.” It had been one of the few thrilling NP novels Su Xu had found to read before he transmigrated and it even had an ABO setting!
From the very start, it screamed smutty as hell!
The plot began with the protagonist shou, born into a selfish, status-obsessed family. Labeled “ordinary,” he was bullied mercilessly from childhood, especially by his devastatingly beautiful older brother who overshadowed him in every way.
Things only got worse after adulthood. When he and his brother went for their differentiation test, the truth was: he had actually differentiated into a top-tier Omega, his pheromones so sweet and irresistible that no one could withstand them.
Meanwhile, his brother had become a low-grade Omega, his pheromones so faint they were barely perceptible. But the family, unwilling to accept that the “plain” younger son had surpassed the elder, falsified the records, declaring the older brother the top Omega instead.
They even extracted samples of the younger’s pheromones and gave them to the elder to carry with him!
Everything changed one day when the protagonist accidentally leaked his pheromones.
Anyone who caught the scent went feral, eyes bloodshot with the urge to claim him. His older brother saw everything but deliberately allowed the assault to happen, refusing to help.
In the end, it was the nation’s king, the main gong who happened to pass by and saved the protagonist.
The truth came out. Everyone learned of the brother’s deception and the family’s cruelty, and hearts ached for the wronged shou.
What followed was a tangle of relationships with the various gongs. Fueled by the irresistible draw of his pheromones, their days became filled with constant entanglements, this way and that way and plus endless jealousy and love rival drama.
Back then, Su Xu had read it under his blanket, face burning red.
But now? Now he couldn’t blush over it even if he tried because, as fate would have it, he had transmigrated into this very book. Worse yet, he hadn’t become the treasured protagonist shou…
He had become the contrast character. The foil. The story’s ultimate evil supporting role: The older brother.
Even after twenty-one years, Su Xu remembered the plot clearly.
Once exposed as a low-grade Omega, the brother was cast aside by everyone, showered in humiliation. The gongs, who adored the protagonist, despised the brother, and in order to make it up to their beloved, they tormented him in every way imaginable.
By the end, he was penniless, abandoned on the lawless frontier planets.
A pretty piece of trash tossed into a den of wolves, his fate was sealed. He was quickly degraded into a plaything for all.
Some had even wanted to keep him like a pet because of his beauty, but under pressure from the protagonist’s gongs, they gave up.
In the final side story, the brother died miserably on a pitch-black winter night, alone on the streets.
Tragic.
Truly miserable.
And what made it even worse was this: over the past twenty-one years, Su Xu had already confirmed with countless trials that the key plot points of this novel were unchangeable.
Whenever he tried to alter an important event, he would face punishment in return and if the violation was severe enough, he could even be erased entirely.
“Sigh.”
Life was hard. The supporting villain could only sigh.
Having lived like a Buddhist monk for twenty-one years, Su Xu knew the opening act of the novel’s plot was about to unfold. He had already worked out his counterplan: at worst, he’d just drag everyone down with him in a mutual-destruction gambit.
All he had to do was endure the next two years until the storyline finished running its course. After that, he could fake his death, quietly retire, and spend the rest of his life farming. Then, everything would finally be over.
Until then, though, Su Xu had to play his assigned role as the “vicious supporting character.” No breaking character, no acting out of line.
Once the cake had finished baking, he carefully removed it from the mold. He spread an even layer of cream over the surface, then placed a freshly washed, jewel-bright crimson strawberry right on top, like a piece of polished ruby.
He admired the little cake for a moment, fully satisfied, before wrapping it up neatly and heading out the door with it in hand.
Imperial Capital University.
Carrying the small cake, Su Xu ascended the stairs. He had only taken a few steps when he overheard two students chatting up ahead.
“Hey, did you see the posts on the school forum?”
“Of course, of course.”
“Unbelievable! Su Xu actually had the nerve to break off the engagement right after the Chen family got into trouble. Poor Chen Tingyi, to think he once chose Su Xu so firmly. Now that I think about it, he really got the short end of the stick.”
“Pfft. What’s so surprising? Su Xu’s a future top-tier Omega, even if he hasn’t differentiated yet. Everyone’s been trash-talking him on the forum, sure, but let’s be real who in this school doesn’t secretly lust after him? Now that the Chen family’s bankrupt, of course Chen Tingyi’s not worthy of him anymore. Didn’t you notice Su Xu’s been hanging around Zhong Heng lately?”
“That makes sense. In this school, aside from Chen Tingyi, there’s only Zhong Heng left as an option. But still, Zhong Heng isn’t a top-tier Alpha. Can he really satisfy Su Xu?”
“Who knows.”
The two of them laughed, shoving each other playfully, still blocking the middle of the stairs.
Su Xu waited for a few seconds, then glanced at the time. “Excuse me, could you move aside?”
The moment they heard that voice, both students froze. Their bodies stiffened, and they instantly shuffled to the side, making way. Their gazes followed Su Xu as he walked past them.
“…Ahem.”
“Wait a second. Isn’t Su Xu in a logistics-related program? What’s he doing here in our building?”
They exchanged a meaningful look.
Zhong Heng.
“Hurry, hurry! Something good’s about to happen!”
“Huh?”
“Someone just posted on the forum! Zhong Heng’s about to confess to the department’s beauty queen!”
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Coffee is technically a form of emotional support.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
Next →
ChaptersChapter 1 · The Inner WorldChapter 2 · Pheromone Testing CentreChapter 3 · Low Grade OmegaChapter 4 · Faking to be Top tier OmegaChapter 5 · Zhong YiChapter 6 · The culprit behind the videoChapter 7 · Lecture ticket of powerful military OfficerChapter 8 · Zhong Heng acting like a thugChapter 9 · General ChuChapter 10 · Do you really like that good for nothing, Alpha?Chapter 11 · Chen TingyiChapter 12 · Class AssessmentChapter 13 · Call me HusbandChapter 14 · Almost Like AffairChapter 15 · Lantern BloomChapter 16 · Mild Pheromone overflowChapter 17 · Hi, WifeChapter 18 · Or you can kiss me. I’m not pickyChapter 19 · It’s not too late for you to call off the engagementChapter 20 · My BoyfriendChapter 21 · Kidnapped?Chapter 22 · Sister in LawChapter 23 · So you didn’t differentiateChapter 24 · PrinceChapter 25 · That Alpha… is none other than His MajestyChapter 26 · My mom said you’re too oldChapter 27 · Do you still have me in your heart?Chapter 28 · You Can call me Brother in law or sister in lawChapter 29 · I fell in love with you at first sight.Chapter 30 · What kind of friend? Alpha, Beta, or OmegaChapter 31 · Your current boyfriend is hereChapter 32 · I can protect youChapter 33 · Mental suppressionChapter 34 · It doesn’t matterChapter 35 · Watched another horror movie?Chapter 36 · Did you hear thatChapter 37 · You’d know what it tastes like once you try itChapter 38 · He is my boyfriend, his name is Zhong YiChapter 39 · This is what I just received from your father todayChapter 40 · Who did you return the photos of me and Su Rui to?Chapter 41 · As a result, Rui Rui ran away with meChapter 42 · Constitutes accomplice behaviorChapter 43 · You can’t stay in the second bedroomChapter 44 · No one will think you are inferior anymore.Chapter 45 · I am inferior, what’s it to you?Chapter 46 · Let’s wait until the debt collectors come knockingChapter 47 · Focus on your studiesChapter 48 · Am I that valuable?Chapter 49 · From now on, call me MasterChapter 50 · I have always been tolerant of beautiful MenChapter 51 · Don’t be so recklessChapter 52 · He’ll only get more excitedChapter 53 · Call him sister in lawChapter 54 · You haven’t even fulfilled your obligations yetChapter 55 · What? Grandma Su Xu is sick?Chapter 56 · That wasn’t what he meant at all!Chapter 57 · I could actually share him with youChapter 58 · Why was someone added at the last minute?Chapter 59 · You can’t record videos here.Chapter 60 · I like it tooChapter 61 · Distinguish between two similar pheromones.Chapter 62 · Why do you think I blocked you?Chapter 63 · Why hasn’t Su Xu replied yet?Chapter 64 · His Majesty never comes back to eatChapter 65 · Hide your things wellChapter 66 · Connection?Chapter 67 · Maybe I can even inhale it for some comfortChapter 68 · So you don’t run awayChapter 69 · Will you be with His Majesty?Chapter 70 · Take itChapter 71 · Who is this person?!Chapter 72 · Who did you just call worthless?Chapter 73 · Weren’t we talking about Mr. Su and His Majesty?Chapter 74 · Aren’t you very capable?Chapter 75 · As expected of Wu ChuChapter 76 · Help him sleep?Chapter 77 · Su Xu’s Alpha was His MajestyChapter 78 · You really are something, playing favorites like thatChapter 79 · World of a novelChapter 80 · I simply… know them inside outChapter 81 · Wait for meChapter 82 · But I think you’ve become a lot cuter latelyChapter 83 · The feeling of me kissing you?Chapter 84 · Our Xuxu… is finally becoming an adultChapter 85 · Rare stolen moments for an affair like this.Chapter 86 · What kind of death-level love triangle battlefield was this!?Chapter 87 · It was practically torture!Chapter 88 · What sinful karmaChapter 89 · You weren’t worried I’d get angry?Chapter 90 · I’m going to mark youChapter 91 · Who did you go with?Chapter 92 · Chu Xian….. You really aren’t humanChapter 93 · Did this man actually know how to kiss?Chapter 94 · After all, he’s still the current boyfriendChapter 95 · Did they mark you again?Chapter 96 · It’s not my bloodChapter 97 · Did you seduce another alpha??Chapter 98 · After that, don’t use that kind of thing anymoreChapter 99 · Even at this point, Su Xu is still lying to him!Chapter 100 · What’s wrong with you?Chapter 101 · Don’t tell anyoneChapter 102 · I Think my hear startedChapter 104 · You’re Wu JiChapter 104 · A wedding?Chapter 105 · Exceptionally Beautiful OmegaChapter 106 · If you’re with him, aren’t you afraid of being cheated on?Chapter 107 · “Am I the same person as him?”Chapter 108 · What important matter could Chu Xian possibly have to do?Chapter 109 · Did the boss actually steal someone else’s partner?Chapter 110 · Wu Chu is preparing for his weddingChapter 111 · I know better than you what’s so great about Su XuChapter 112 · Chu Xian had gotten a bit tannedChapter 113 · Su Xu, your boyfriend is here!Chapter 114 · I’ve completely lost face!Chapter 115 · Don’t you think your sister-in-law is interesting too?Chapter 116 · I will definitely tell Wu Chu the truth.Chapter 117 · Didn’t you already meet your boyfriend today?Chapter 117 · Why do I need to take a day off on Saturday?Chapter 119 · This is a TrapChapter 120 · This is the future queen chosen by their monarch!Chapter 121 · Could it be that Su Xu went directly to the scene?Chapter 122 · Slipped the ring on Su Xu’s ring fingerChapter 123 · You have no experienceChapter 124 · I haven’t even mentioned your lover in Galaxy A yetChapter 125 · He suddenly had a strong urge to kiss Qi YanChapter 126 · May I ask what you encountered?Chapter 127 · It’s not Jiang Cang, it’s Jiang CangxingChapter 128 · Where does the money come from for a single line of code?Chapter 129 · This is unbelievable!Chapter 130 · Su Xu slammed the box shut.Chapter 131 · This is so weird!Chapter 132 · This person and Teacher Sang are mutual followers!Chapter 133 · I can finally keep my promise and come see youChapter 134 · Extra 1: He’s mango FlavouredChapter 135 · Extra 2: Boyfriend meets ParentsChapter 136 · Extra 3: The Game (1)Chapter 137 · Extra 4: The Game (2)