After finishing their meal, Wen Li wanted to drag Xie Guanning around the mall for a while longer. However, the moment they stood up, a notification chimed on Wen Li’s terminal. He looked down, and his face instantly fell.
He looked at Xie Guanning with a pitiful expression. “My mom wants me home early.”
Wen Li’s actual birthday was tomorrow; Xie Guanning was just celebrating with him a day early. But for a milestone like an eighteenth birthday, the Wen family would certainly have grand plans, and there would be no shortage of relatives and friends to host.
“Go on back then,” Xie Guanning said. “You’ll likely be busy all day tomorrow.”
Wen Li hummed unhappily, looking at Xie Guanning expectantly. “Are you really not coming tomorrow?”
Xie Guanning couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle the boy’s hair. “I’ve been busy lately. We’ll make plans in a few days when I have time.”
Wen Li lowered his head and muttered something under his breath. Xie Guanning laughed but pretended not to hear.
While the Wen family wasn’t part of the elite “high society” circles, Xie Guanning’s status was sensitive. Wen Li’s parents were polite to him because of their son’s friendship, but if he attended the coming-of-age ceremony and was spotted by someone with an agenda, it would cause an unnecessary scene. Xie Guanning didn’t want to ruin his best friend’s big day.
Wen Li left reluctantly, but not before beating Xie Guanning to the punch and settling the restaurant bill.
Xie Guanning shook his head helplessly. Since it was still early, he decided to wander the mall and pick out a proper gift for Wen Li. The mall in District 3 was filled with luxury brands, but fortunately, it also housed several niche designer boutiques. After browsing for a while, he settled on a pair of exquisitely crafted cufflinks. The price wasn’t astronomical, and the style suited Wen Li perfectly.
Satisfied, Xie Guanning headed toward the exit.
The restroom in the mall was decorated in a minimalist, elegant style, with a faint scent of incense lingering in the air. Xie Guanning washed his hands, picked up his shopping bag, and turned to leave. He hadn’t gone two steps when a stall door opened, followed by a snide, sarcastic voice.
“Isn’t this Xie Guanning? I thought I’d seen wrong, but it really is you.”
Xie Guanning paused and glanced over. A clean-cut, handsome Omega in a white shirt walked slowly to the sinks. As the water ran, he offered a light smile, though his words were laced with malice.
“Tell me, how do you have the nerve to show up in a place like this? Shouldn’t someone like you—who’s so skilled at breaking up families—stay in the gutter where you belong, instead of coming out to annoy people?”
Xie Guanning turned fully around, tilted his head as if thinking, and asked tentatively, “Lin Ziyan?”
Lin Ziyan’s smile faltered, his expression souring. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Sorry,” Xie Guanning said. “I don’t usually bother remembering unimportant people.”
This nonchalant attitude infuriated Lin Ziyan even more. That specific phrase—”unimportant people”—made him feel as though he were nothing in front of Xie Guanning.
He slammed the faucet shut with a loud clack. “You certainly put on a high-and-mighty act. I wonder what tricks you used to make Zhou Hengyuan so obsessed with you.”
Xie Guanning raised an eyebrow. Great, it’s about Zhou Hengyuan again.
Lin Ziyan’s gaze dropped to the bag in Guanning’s hand, and he sneered. “Oh, I remember now. Tomorrow is Wen Li’s birthday, right? Some off-brand junk? I suppose that’s all someone like you can afford. It suits you, actually.”
He grabbed a paper towel and dried his hands lazily. A moment later, he feigned a look of mock regret. “Oh, listen to me. No matter what, the Wen family is a respectable household. I’m not even sure if they’ll actually invite you to the banquet tomorrow.”
Xie Guanning had already been dragged into enough trouble because of Zhou Hengyuan, and his patience was wearing thin. Hearing these words, a realization suddenly clicked in his mind. He asked calmly, “Are you finished?”
Lin Ziyan froze, his composure beginning to crack. Xie Guanning looked at him seriously. “If I’m not qualified to be in a place like this, what about you?”
His tone was flat. “If Zhou Hengyuan found out you drugged him, what do you think he would do?”
Lin Ziyan’s pupils shrank. His voice rose sharply in defensive panic. “What are you talking about?!”
A dark glint flashed in Xie Guanning’s eyes. It had been a shot in the dark, but Lin Ziyan’s reaction confirmed everything.
“Don’t be so nervous,” Xie Guanning said slowly. “I was just speaking casually. Why are you so agitated?”
Lin Ziyan clenched his fists, crumpling the paper towel into a tight ball. He fought to suppress his panic, staying stubborn. “Who’s agitated? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Stop making up lies to slander people.”
“Is that so?” Xie Guanning leaned lazily against the doorframe, looking puzzled. “I recall there were surveillance cameras in the booth that night. Should we go check the footage?”
Lin Ziyan’s breathing became ragged. He cut him off sharply. “Xie Guanning!”
Xie Guanning stopped speaking. Lin Ziyan took a deep breath, trying to regain his footing. “You were the one who drank that wine, weren’t you? How did you deal with it? Xie Guanning, you’re an Omega who’s been ‘used’ by someone else. If I tell Zhou Hengyuan that, do you think he’ll still love you? Do you think you’ll ever set foot in the Zhou family home?”
“So?” Xie Guanning smiled calmly. “Whether Zhou Hengyuan likes me or not has nothing to do with me. But what about you?”
If Zhou Hengyuan knew Lin Ziyan had attempted to drug him, any hope Lin Ziyan had would be dead.
Lin Ziyan couldn’t hide his panic; his face turned pale, then flushed with shame. The room fell into a heavy silence.
Xie Guanning’s expression softened slightly as he gave a light sigh. “Honestly, I’ve always felt that you picking fights with me is a complete waste of time.”
Lin Ziyan looked at him, mocking. “Zhou Hengyuan likes you. How is that a waste of time?”
“And then what?” Xie Guanning asked. “Is the Lin family going to quietly murder me? Even if you killed me, classmate, do you understand what a ‘White Moonlight’ or a ‘Cinnabar Mole’ is? A dead person is the most beautiful memory. Even if you ended up with Zhou Hengyuan, he would spend the rest of his life mourning me. Wouldn’t that disgust you?”
Lin Ziyan bit his lip, speechless.
Xie Guanning’s tone turned breezy as he continued to “brainwash” him. “What you should actually be doing is using every means necessary to win his heart. If he doesn’t like you, figure out why. Whether you use a heavy hand or the ‘persistent Omega’ strategy, the methods are fixed but people are flexible. Is it really that hard to chase someone if you put your mind to it?”
Lin Ziyan’s gaze wavered.
“Even better,” Xie Guanning coaxed. “If Zhou Hengyuan is a dead end, go through Mrs. Zhou. With a ‘piece of gravel’ like me in the way, Mrs. Zhou will find you more and more perfect by comparison. ‘Marriage first, love later’ tropes are very popular these days. If all else fails, you can always try the ‘run away with the baby’ and ‘chasing the wife at the crematorium’ routine. Are you really worried you can’t make him submit?”
Lin Ziyan actually looked tempted. “You… you have a point,” he muttered after a moment. Then he looked at Guanning suspiciously. “But why are you trying so hard to give me advice? You’re just trying to push Zhou Hengyuan onto me?”
He looked suddenly indignant. “What’s so bad about Zhou Hengyuan that you’d treat him like this?”
Xie Guanning: “???”
He found it impossible to understand the logic of someone so blinded by a crush. After a moment of silence, he looked at Lin Ziyan with total sincerity. “Do you know what it’s like when two sets of pheromones perfectly blend together?”
Lin Ziyan looked blank.
Xie Guanning said seriously, “It’s like this: after that night, I deeply experienced the bliss of pheromone compatibility, and I can’t forget the feeling. Since then, no matter how excellent another Alpha is, they can’t even catch my eye.”
Lin Ziyan froze. When he realized what Guanning was implying, his face turned bright red with shock and fury. “You—you—you’re an Omega! Have you no shame?!”
Xie Guanning was completely unbothered. “Anyway, I’ve said my piece. What you do next is your business.”
Stunned, Lin Ziyan looked at Xie Guanning with a complicated expression for a moment, then turned and marched out. As he brushed past, he didn’t forget to give a loud, heavy huff.
Xie Guanning didn’t care at all. He watched the retreating back, his expression returning to its usual calm. He had only engaged in that conversation to get an answer. Now that he knew Lin Ziyan hadn’t specifically targeted him for a grand scheme, he was too lazy to hold a grudge. Whatever happened had happened; he would just take it as a hard lesson learned.
As for the “advice,” Xie Guanning wasn’t being kind. He just figured it was better for Lin Ziyan to focus his energy on the Zhou family instead of bothering him. Specifically, on Zhou Hengyuan. It killed two birds with one stone, leaving him in peace.
Xie Guanning let out a long breath and relaxed. He began to walk out with a lighter step, but as he rounded a corner, he stopped dead.
The lighting in the corridor corner was dim. An Alpha stood there, his tall frame leaning against the wall, half his face obscured by shadows. His hands were still slightly damp from washing, making the sharp joints of his fingers stand out. As if sensing someone, he turned his head. His calm gaze met Xie Guanning’s in the yellowish light, carrying an unreadable meaning.
He gave a soft, low “Hm.”
“What a coincidence.”
Xie Guanning: “…”