Zhong Yi’s head of striking white hair made him stand out effortlessly. His distinctive style of dress clashed so dramatically with the surroundings that he looked like he had wandered into the wrong place entirely.
His chin tilted slightly upward, both hands tucked in his pockets, eyes sweeping across the school entrance as though patrolling. Anyone could tell at a glance that he was waiting for someone.
“…Why are you here?” Zhong Heng had come to the entrance alone to wait for Su Xu, yet the moment he arrived, he immediately spotted Zhong Yi.
He walked over in surprise, suspicion rising in his chest.
Zhong Yi held his expression taut. “I am waiting for my boyfriend.”
Boyfriend?
Zhong Heng’s heart gave a sharp jolt.
He forced out a faint smile and tried probing, “You never mentioned you had a boyfriend before. And he is from my school? Do I know him? Last time I took you to eat, you clearly…”
“He is here,” Zhong Yi interrupted.
Su Xu had just arrived at the school gate when he saw Zhong Yi and Zhong Heng standing together.
Whatever the two had been talking about, the next moment, Zhong Heng abruptly turned his head and locked his stare directly onto Su Xu.
Su Xu completely ignored him.
He walked forward and deliberately stood on the other side, putting a clear distance between himself and Zhong Heng. “What made you come pick me up?” he asked Zhong Yi. “Are you not in class today?”
Before Zhong Yi could respond, Zhong Heng cut in sharply. “He dropped out.”
Su Xu did not reply. He did not even spare Zhong Heng a single glance. His beautiful eyes simply remained fixed on Zhong Yi, quietly waiting for an answer.
Seeing that calm, unwavering gaze, Zhong Yi’s lips lifted slightly. “I am not from the Imperial Capital,” he said lazily. “Something happened at my family home, so I was sent here for a year to… take a vacation.”
“Alright.”
Su Xu nodded. He offered no comment on whether the vacation or the dropping out was good or bad. He only asked, “So what are we eating later?”
“I know a place that makes good fish,” Zhong Yi said. “Want to try it?”
“Sure.”
Their conversation ended there, perfectly natural, completely ignoring the person beside them. The two walked toward the nearby parking area together. From beginning to end, neither spared Zhong Heng another look.
Zhong Heng remained rooted where he stood, unable to get a single word in. A flicker of confusion crossed his face. “How did this happen…”
He was still muttering when a hand suddenly clapped his shoulder. He froze and glanced back, only to see a familiar Alpha.
“Zhong Heng, we have combat class this afternoon. Why are you standing here instead of going to eat?”
As he spoke, the Alpha followed Zhong Heng’s earlier line of sight and blinked in surprise. “Hey? Is that Su Xu?”
“…Yes,” Zhong Heng replied stiffly.
“He came to look for you again?”
His friend cast another curious glance in the direction where Su Xu had gone. The presence of another person beside him puzzled him, but he quickly assumed something else entirely and gave Zhong Heng a knowing look.
“Brother, you are incredible. A top tier Omega and you actually told him no. If only I had your family background. I am not picky at all. If it were me, I would definitely marry Su Xu.”
“Shut up,” Zhong Heng snapped, his face full of irritation. “I have things to do. I am leaving.”
His friend blinked and muttered in confusion, “I did not even offend him… why is he acting like he swallowed fireworks…”
Zhong Heng turned away and walked deeper into the school. A hollow, unsettled feeling gnawed at his chest.
Once he reached a quieter path, he immediately contacted his father, his voice brimming with anger.
“Dad, did you not promise that Su Xu would marry me? Then why did you let Zhong Yi meet him? Now Su Xu and Zhong Yi are together! If my classmates find out, what are they supposed to think of me?”
“I do not care who Zhong Yi is or what his background is. I want Su Xu!”
“…Really? Are you serious?”
“Then when is he leaving?”
Whatever his father said next only made Zhong Heng’s expression darken further. His voice dipped into a furious whisper.
“So you want me to take an Omega who has already been with Zhong Yi? Someone who is basically second handed? Am I not your biological son anymore?”
After venting for a long while, he finally thought of Su Xu’s face. His anger cooled, and his expression hardened into indifference.
“…Fine. I understand.”
On the way, Zhong Yi kept glancing at Su Xu.
Su Xu was the first to sit down inside the hovering vehicle. His posture was relaxed but still refined, his upbringing showing clearly in the way his back remained straight without any effort.
Once Zhong Yi sat beside him, Su Xu turned his head slightly, their eyes meeting. A faint smile curved at his lips. “Do I look good today?”
“…You look good,” Zhong Yi muttered.
He frowned. “Why ask something like that all of a sudden?”
Su Xu spoke slowly and leisurely. “Because you keep staring at me. So I thought I must look very good today.”
“I was not looking at you because you look good,” Zhong Yi said immediately.
But after speaking, he glanced once more at Su Xu, his gaze lingering on that beautiful face for two long seconds before he muttered in a soft voice, “It is not like you ever did not know you look good…”
Su Xu chuckled. “If it is not because I look good, then why were you looking at me?”
“You really do not…”
Zhong Yi started to speak, then stopped abruptly. He waved a hand dismissively. “Forget it. Never mind.”
Since he refused to finish the sentence, Su Xu did not push. He leaned back lazily and said, “Tell me next time you actually want to talk about it.”
He opened his terminal and saw a message from his friend Chi Lin.
[Xu, the matter you asked me to take care of is already done. And wow, the moment I entered that guy’s terminal, guess what I saw? The whole thing was mosaic from top to bottom. I was so shocked I deleted every bit of it.]
[That guy looks so innocent in his selfies. Who knew his brain was filled entirely with filthy nonsense.]
Su Xu let out a silent sigh.
[You are so mean.]
[Mean? I helped him. Saved him from ruining his health.] Chi Lin continued,
[Also, I later found out that he insulted a bunch of people behind their backs and even bullied your younger brother. Honestly, freshmen should be studying. Why waste time being a keyboard warrior and doing shady things online? I sent all his little secrets back to the owner himself. Hopefully he will not thank me too hard.]
Su Xu’s eyes curved with amusement.
Truly. Someone who posts such things online usually leaves plenty of evidence of insulting others too. No one needs to lift a finger. They bury themselves with their own nonsense.
[Thank you for the trouble] Su Xu replied.
[Do not be polite with me. If not for you, I would not even be in university. I have something urgent to handle now. Talk later.]
[Alright.]
“What are you looking at? You look very pleased,” Zhong Yi leaned over.
Su Xu did not hide it. He tilted the screen toward Zhong Yi. “There was someone who bullied my little brother. I asked a friend to teach him a lesson.”
Zhong Yi narrowed his eyes as he skimmed the messages. He immediately understood what happened.
“You mean that school message network? The anonymous forum? I looked through it when I was bored. There are always posts talking about you. Why did you target this one in particular?”
Su Xu only smiled and put his terminal away. “How long until we arrive? I am hungry.”
“Soon,” Zhong Yi replied, raising a brow.
The restaurant was quite far. Even with a hovering car, the ride took some time.
Su Xu was so bored that he ended up playing match games with Zhong Yi for quite a while before they finally reached their destination.
He looked around.
In the Imperial Capital, especially near the city center, the buildings tended to be tall and tightly packed.
But here, most of the houses were low. The tallest things in sight were the rows of trees lining both sides of the road, their leaves rustling loudly whenever a breeze swept through.
The greenery was so dense it almost formed a living corridor, and the hovering car kept a respectful distance from the branches.
“This is the outskirts, right?” Su Xu asked.
“Yes. A pretty remote spot,” Zhong Yi replied. “But the restaurant has a fish pond behind it. All their fish are raised by themselves.”
“Let us go then. I am hungry.”
Su Xu followed him out.
The restaurant owner’s wife recognized Zhong Yi instantly. The moment she saw that head of white hair, she broke into a bright smile.“You are here again, young man?”
Then she noticed Su Xu beside him. Her eyes lit up. “You brought your brother here to eat fish?”
Brother?
Zhong Yi’s face darkened like the bottom of a burnt pot.
Su Xu could not hold back a laugh. “Auntie, he is my boyfriend.”
“Oh my, look at my eyes! No wonder. You two look so handsome, and you really do look a little like a married couple. I misjudged at first glance.”
The owner’s wife looked as though she wanted to say something else, but when her gaze brushed across Zhong Yi’s darkened expression, she stopped herself, coughed lightly, and changed the subject. “Why don’t you two come over here and pick out your fish first?”
“Alright,” Su Xu agreed with a nod. He reached out and tugged gently at Zhong Yi’s sleeve. “Come on.”
Zhong Yi was still sulking. The earlier “you two look like a couple” had not soothed his mood in the slightest. His expression carried obvious reluctance, yet when Su Xu gave that small tug, he allowed himself to be led along obediently.
After they had chosen the fish, the two sat waiting for their meal.bZhong Yi dropped heavily into the seat beside Su Xu, grabbed Su Xu’s hand, and began toying with his slender fingers idly in his palm.
Every now and then, he would glance toward the owner’s wife, as if to make sure she saw.
Su Xu could not help but laugh softly. “You are being far too deliberate,” he said, amusement glimmering in his voice. “You already explained it. That is enough.”
Zhong Yi mumbled something under his breath, voice so low that Su Xu could not quite catch the words. He only heard the faint, dissatisfied rumble and found it more funny than anything else.
The ingredients at the restaurant were fresh, and the fish, cooked to perfection, filled the air with a savory fragrance that made one’s appetite surge. Each bite was tender and flavorful, the kind of taste that lingered pleasantly on the tongue even after swallowing.
Su Xu ate quickly yet gracefully, every movement practiced and neat. Zhong Yi, however, was no slower. The two of them almost seemed to be competing for food.
Their pace of eating was so matched and energetic that it stirred hunger even in the people watching.
When the plates were finally empty and both of them had their fill, Su Xu leaned back lazily and let out a soft sigh.
“The food was good. I am so full I can hardly move.”
Of course, the main reason he was that full was because Zhong Yi had kept stealing bites from his plate.
Zhong Yi snorted lightly. “Of course it was good. I was the one who recommended it.”
In the afternoon, Su Xu had two classes lined up back to back, leaving him no extra time. After lunch, Zhong Yi drove him back to the school.
At the gate, just before parting, Su Xu turned and asked, “Since you are not in school anymore, what do you even do all day?”
Zhong Yi answered casually, “I will go to Lantern Bloom, play some games, maybe wander around the city a bit. That fish restaurant we went to just now, I found it by accident while exploring.”
“I see,” Su Xu responded with a light hum.
Zhong Yi looked at him and chuckled softly. “What is that tone? Are you checking up on your boyfriend now? You can relax. I have no interest in any other Omega but you.”
“…What are you thinking?” Su Xu sighed helplessly, his voice somewhere between laughter and exasperation.
Zhong Yi grinned. “Alright, I am leaving.”
The two afternoon classes dragged endlessly. The subjects were dull, the lectures repetitive, and because they were scheduled right before his evening class at 7, it was one of the longest school days of Su Xu’s week.
By the time he finally finished the last lesson, it was already past 9. Darkness had fallen outside, the campus bathed in soft, scattered lamplight.
Su Xu gathered his books from the back row, moving in hurriedly. His friends Qiu Jiang and Jing Chang, still curious about the “boyfriend” Su Xu had mentioned earlier in the day, exchanged glances as they packed their things.
But seeing Su Xu yawning every few minutes, clearly uninterested in conversation, they wisely held their questions and said nothing more.
After bidding them goodnight, Su Xu walked out of the school grounds alone. He had not gone far when a sharp instinct prickled along his spine. Someone was watching him.
His brow creased slightly.
A sudden thought surfaced, the scene from the original story in which he would be kidnapped by Chen Tingyi.
Could it be… that this important plot point was happening now?
According to the novel’s events, Chen Tingyi kidnapped Su Xu as revenge for being jilted. He had not intended to truly harm him; the goal was merely to frighten him.
Yet during that kidnapping, Chen Tingyi accidentally discovered that Su Xu had not differentiated.
From Su Xu’s own lips, he learned that this person was only an inferior Omega, and that the scent on his body belonged to his younger brother, Su Rui.
At that time, watching Su Xu crying and begging for mercy, Chen Tingyi felt a strange and bitter sense of mockery toward his past self.
Later, he released Su Xu, perhaps out of some lingering attachment, and he never revealed the secret about the pheromones. The truth only came to light much later, when Su Rui’s scent was exposed.
Su Xu lowered his gaze thoughtfully, then quickened his pace, slipping into the nearby food street.
The plot had already started to deviate.
In the original story, he had never attended Chu Xi’an’s lecture, yet he had gone. He should have been preparing to get engaged to Zhong Heng, but now he was involved with Zhong Yi instead.
Even Chu Xi’an himself had unexpectedly joined the “auction” and had nearly ended up claiming Su Xu for himself.
If all that could change…
Su Xu’s eyes brightened with sudden excitement. Did that mean this time, too, the outcome could be altered?
If he refused to follow the script, if he evaded whoever was following him, then perhaps the entire chain of events might be rewritten.
Just as he was entertaining this thought, fully intent on trying it, a sharp pain exploded in his head.
It came without warning, slicing through his skull like a cold blade. The world tilted violently. It felt as if he had been plunged naked into a frozen lake, his body locking up instantly.
He trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering against each other. Then, without any strength left to fight it, he collapsed forward.
But the impact never came.
Instead of hitting the ground, he fell into a pair of strong arms.
Before he could even see who it was, darkness swallowed him whole.
The person holding him clicked their tongue softly, a faint sound of irritation. They adjusted their grip, then strode away swiftly with Su Xu in their arms.
After a few steps, they tossed the unused syringe, something that had clearly been prepared but turned out unnecessary, into a nearby trash bin without a second thought.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed.
Su Xu stirred faintly, eyelids fluttering open. His mind was hazy at first, his vision blurred, but clarity returned by degrees. The moment he recognized his surroundings, his breath caught sharply.
Memories rushed back in a rush, the street, the pain, the fall, and, recalling what happened in the book, he forced himself to calm down before he began to study the place carefully.
He was inside a closed, cold space. The air smelled faintly of damp concrete, and the silence around him felt unnervingly heavy. Above him, a small skylight allowed a shaft of pale light to spill through, landing squarely on him like a spotlight.
Directly across from him stood a tall mirror, large, spotless, and almost too bright. He did not even have to look intentionally; with just a glance, his eyes met his own reflection.
That was what had startled him so badly at first.
The mirror clearly showed his current state. A strip of adhesive tape sealed his lips, preventing him from making a single sound. Thin cords of hemp rope bound him tightly to a chair, wrapping around his torso and arms in several rough loops.
The rope was coarse and cheap. It dug sharply into his skin, leaving faint red marks where it pressed too hard. Every small movement made the strands bite in deeper, the sting forcing his body to stay still.
He was bound so securely that even breathing felt difficult, the contrast between the chill air and the heat of his skin amplifying every tiny sensation.
The sight of himself, pale, gagged, and tied down under that narrow beam of light, sent a cold shiver through his veins.
And for a fleeting second, all he could do was stare at that reflection, silently measuring the danger he had walked straight into.
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A small offering may keep this translator’s soul attached to their body.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
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 · A wedding?Chapter 104 · You’re Wu JiChapter 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)