He admitted his methods were a bit base. This was the trouble with being a twin; their tastes were almost identical. Since childhood, he had competed with Duan Yue for many things, but objects were just objects. If there was one, there was usually an identical substitute. One for him and one for Duan Yue meant no one was left wanting.
But a person is different. There is only one. He admitted he was shameless: he had set his sights on his brother’s boyfriend.
Ever since meeting him in the office that day, he couldn’t help but think of the Omega named Xiang Shuyu—his face, his pheromones.
At first glance, he had simply thought him beautiful, but his personality and aura seemed too bland. He expected to have little memory of him afterward. To his surprise, once the door closed and he left the company, the other’s face began to drift through his mind from time to time, accompanied by the memory of those pheromones.
When one thinks too much, curiosity turns into greed. Sometimes he wondered how Duan Yue had even met Xiang Shuyu. And just how deep did their relationship go?
The more he thought, the more he investigated.
He heard Xiang Shuyu was the son of a mistress in the Xiang family—not even of the Xiang bloodline, just given the surname. Both mother and son had terrible reputations in their social circles. In reality, however, Xiang Shuyu hadn’t done anything particularly egregious; his bad reputation was merely collateral damage from Jiang Xiayue’s actions.
He also heard that Xiang Shuyu had a poor reputation in the guzheng industry. Yet, looking into it, no one claimed his skill was lacking; they only said he was money-hungry, taking any commercial performance for a paycheck and failing to cherish his artistic “feathers.”
Duan Lin was a businessman. Businessmen valued profit. He didn’t think loving money was a big deal. If Xiang Shuyu truly loved wealth, then approaching him wouldn’t be that difficult.
But currently, he could feel that Xiang Shuyu was avoiding him, as if afraid of any contact. Duan Lin didn’t understand. Why? He and Duan Yue looked exactly the same. Why would a person’s attitude toward them be so worlds apart? Simply because Duan Yue was the boyfriend?
After much effort, Duan Lin discovered there had been a banquet at a suburban villa last month. That was when Duan Yue and Xiang Shuyu met—likely a one-night stand.
How stable could a relationship born of a one-night stand be? He had noticed during their chance encounter at the restaurant that Duan Yue had not given Xiang Shuyu a permanent mark.
So, all the talk of “boyfriend” and a “future” was likely just Duan Yue coaxing a naive Omega—empty promises spoken on a whim. In reality, the foundation was shaky and could easily be shattered.
The corners of Duan Lin’s mouth curled slightly. His phone screen was lit, showing Ming Xiu’s name. While his parents talked, no one noticed his expression or movements. With a swipe of his finger, he sent a message and a transfer of funds to Ming Xiu.
The next day was a clear, sunny day.
When Xiang Shuyu woke up, Duan Yue was still sleeping. He seemed to have drunk too much last night and was in a deep slumber. Xiang Shuyu’s legs felt a bit weak from the night’s “activities,” and though his movements weren’t exactly quiet, he didn’t wake the other man.
He went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, placed it in the warming oven, and left a note on the dining table explaining that he was going to Nancheng.
Having finished this, he picked up his suitcase and headed for the door. As he closed it, a flicker of guilt washed over him. He wondered if Duan Yue would be angry when he saw the note.
Probably not, he reasoned. Duan Yue likely wouldn’t be too concerned about a casual dating partner. It was just a temporary long-distance relationship. Perhaps by the time he cleared his head, he could calmly face the reality that he and Duan Yue would eventually part ways. When the time came for Duan Yue to end it, he wouldn’t need much time to “detox” from the relationship.
Xiang Shuyu comforted himself with a few words, shut the door, and caught a taxi.
While waiting for his flight, he received a message from Ping Wenchun. He had mentioned the trip to Nancheng yesterday. Ping Wenchun liked Xiang Shuyu’s attitude—finding him very polite and not at all like the rumors online—so he had promised to pick him up personally.
Ping Wenchun asked when he was boarding. Xiang Shuyu scanned his surroundings and replied: “In half an hour.”
Before he could send the message, his body suddenly froze. In the busy crowd, he spotted a familiar figure.
Had Duan Yue chased after him?
Xiang Shuyu was incredibly nervous. He was mostly worried that Duan Yue wouldn’t let him go to Nancheng. Although he hadn’t mentioned the trip, Duan Yue had never explicitly forbidden it. But sometimes, a sixth sense is so strong it feels like a premonition: if he told Duan Yue he was going to Nancheng, Duan Yue would only make him cancel the ticket and stay home to work.
But Xiang Shuyu had wanted to escape Jiang Xiayue for a long, long time. Going to Nancheng was the first step in his plan to distance himself from her. Even Duan Yue could not stop him.
In a panic, Xiang Shuyu gripped his backpack and turned to hide, only to hear a familiar voice with an unfamiliar tone call out: “Sister-in-law?”
Xiang Shuyu’s footsteps halted abruptly. His heart was racing so fast he felt faint; for a moment, he could only hear his own ragged breathing and the thumping in his ears.
It wasn’t Duan Yue. It wasn’t Duan Yue; it was Duan Lin.
He had seen wrong. He had mistaken him. It was Duan Lin.
Xiang Shuyu’s emotions slowly settled as he turned around blankly. Immediately, a familiar scent of pheromones wafted over, intentionally or unintentionally wrapping around his body and restricting his movements. Xiang Shuyu felt his scalp go numb again. His body stiffened; he couldn’t move, couldn’t even speak.
Duan Lin seemed not to notice his state. His tone carried a hint of familiarity as he said, “Sister-in-law, what a coincidence. Where are you going?”
“I…” Xiang Shuyu’s throat felt tight.
He didn’t know if Duan Lin was here to report back to Duan Yue. Being nervous was one thing, but the discomfort of facing Duan Lin was another. Under the dual pressure, he felt as if he were suffocating.
“I’m going to Nancheng for a business trip,” Duan Lin surprisingly took the initiative to speak. “Looking at your direction, you’re heading to Gate H? Are you going to Nancheng too?”
Xiang Shuyu’s lashes trembled. He didn’t understand the point of Duan Lin talking to him like this. In his view, Duan Lin had been cold during their previous encounters; he shouldn’t have any reason to approach him now, let alone strike up a conversation so calmly, as if they were well-acquainted.
Seeing him remain silent and guarded, Duan Lin’s gaze darkened slightly. “We’ve met before.”
At this point, recognizing Xiang Shuyu’s attitude, he stopped using the formal “Sister-in-law.” Xiang Shuyu didn’t notice the change in address; he just looked up, slightly dazed.
Duan Lin looked at his pale, beautiful face. Such a pure gaze was something Duan Lin rarely saw in the business world—untouched by desire, devoid of malice, like a young deer. It was no wonder Duan Yue had thrown himself into this Omega; someone like this was indeed a novelty to them.
Duan Lin reached out while Xiang Shuyu was dazed and brushed a stray hair from his cheek.
The searing heat of the fingertip startled Xiang Shuyu. He immediately took a step back, staring at Duan Lin in wide-eyed panic. His lips moved as if to speak, but in the end, nothing came out. He was so frightened he was momentarily speechless.
Duan Lin felt a surge of irritation, but he was accustomed to being calm. He didn’t wear his emotions on his face like Duan Yue. He explained calmly, “I just returned to the country last month. I saw you faint from heatstroke on the road and took you to the hospital. I didn’t recognize you then.”
After a pause, Duan Lin continued, “The scent of your pheromones is very pleasant.”
Duan Yue had said those exact words before. Xiang Shuyu’s mind drifted. It was because of that one sentence from Duan Yue that he had felt a flicker of attraction, leading him to acquiesce to Jiang Xiayue’s demand to get close to him.
Seeing Xiang Shuyu daze off, Duan Lin intuitively guessed who he was thinking about. He couldn’t help but clench his fists. He said, “You might not know this yet, but Duan Yue is going on a blind date today.”