Ren Yi could only agree helplessly before asking again, “So, where exactly are we going, Brother Yuan?”
“Where did you just come from? Spring Creek Breeze?”
Ren Yi’s gaze drifted to the suppression patch stuck to the back of Xie Wangyuan’s neck. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “Yes, I was there… but tonight’s gathering was a mess and there were Omegas present. You, like this…”
Ren Yi had known Xie Wangyuan since junior high. He differentiated as a Beta when he was seventeen. After learning that Xie Wangyuan was going abroad, he followed him overseas as well but after graduating from university, he returned home. The two hadn’t seen each other in almost two years.
“Let’s just go there,” Xie Wangyuan insisted.
Ren Yi knew all too well how stubborn Xie Wangyuan could be. He sighed softly and didn’t try to persuade him further. They drove back into the city, followed the main road for a while and eventually Ren Yi flicked on the turn signal, steering into the grand entrance of the club. “We’re here.”
Spring Creek Breeze was the largest private clubhouse in City C. It sat squarely on the most valuable land in the city center, every inch worth a fortune. The membership fee alone was astronomical and the club conducted strict background checks on every potential member.
Xie Wangyuan replaced his old suppression patch with a fresh one and followed Ren Yi inside.
The box room was noisy, music blaring loud enough to rattle the air. Overhead, rotating lights scattered rainbow colored flashes across the room. Only after Xie Wangyuan entered did the group bother to turn up the main lights. It was a pure pleasure gathering, loud and indulgent and already slipping into chaos, drunken laughter, flirting, bodies leaning too close, a whirl of color and sound.
He had been abroad for several years. Even before leaving, he’d never been particularly sociable within this circle. Now, in the current City C, he hardly recognized anyone yet plenty of people recognized him.
Several tipsy rich young men came over one after another, demanding to toast with him. Xie Wangyuan couldn’t be bothered to entertain them. In the end, Ren Yi stepped in, shooing everyone away until the corner they sat in finally quieted down.
Ren Yi poured a glass of wine and handed it to him, lowering his voice. “Brother Yuan, how’s your pheromone dysregulation lately? Do the strong suppressants still work?”
Xie Wangyuan answered lazily, “They don’t work anymore. I switched to the short acting ones.”
Ren Yi pressed further, “And these past two years… you still haven’t gone back to see a therapist?”
“Stopped going ages ago. Useless.”
Xie Wangyuan had been a late differentiator. At eighteen, he still showed no signs of differentiating. His father, Xie Tiancheng, who had always shown him indifference bordering on neglect, suddenly became attentive overnight, constantly checking in on him, even hoping fervently that he would become an Omega.
He, Xie Wangyuan, who had been rebellious and untamable since childhood, became an Omega?
The idea was more absurd than him being topped by a Beta.
Even Xie Tiancheng soon realized how unrealistic that hope was. So, one afternoon, he brought home an Omega whose facial features faintly resembled Xie Wangyuan’s deceased mother, Yu Xile.
Newly differentiated Omegas had unstable pheromones to begin with. When Xie Wangyuan finally woke up in the hospital, he learned he had been forcibly induced into early differentiation by someone with an extremely high compatibility pheromone and that he had developed dysregulation as a result.
He didn’t even stay long in the hospital. A few days later, during which he even missed the national entrance exams, he bought a plane ticket and fled abroad.
Ren Yi didn’t know any of this. Xie Wangyuan had never mentioned it but during their four overlapping years overseas, Ren Yi had learned about his condition.
Because of the pheromone dysregulation, Xie Wangyuan was far more susceptible to external pheromones than the average Alpha. His heat cycles were unstable and unpredictable.
For Alphas, the best treatment was soothing from a highly compatible Omega’s pheromones but Xie Wangyuan had a psychological repulsion toward Omega pheromones to begin with.
He had been hospitalized more than once due to pheromone breakdowns and more than once, because he had developed resistance to suppressants and they failed to fully control his pheromones; he had to endure an entire heat cycle under medical supervision.
Ren Yi muttered, “You are suddenly coming back… I honestly thought it was because of that Yu Xile.”
Xie Wangyuan paused. “What?”
“You didn’t know? You two are still trending on the hot search right now.” Ren Yi took out his phone, opened the gossip app and handed it over. “I thought your mental issues had improved and you’d finally come around.”
Xie Wangyuan took the phone, skimmed through a few lines and raised a brow.
A few days ago, when his pheromones spiraled out of control, he had ended up in the hospital. He even accidentally injured another Alpha who was in the pheromone clinic at the time. Once discharged, he immediately bought a ticket home.
And now Xie Tiancheng was already rushing to tie him and Yu Xile together?
Ren Yi started probing openly, “So what’s the deal between you and this Yu Xile anyway? Before we went abroad, I don’t remember ever hearing about this guy.”
Xie Wangyuan dodged the question, casting a glance toward the other side of the room where a young playboy had an Omega curled in his arms.
“Oh, right, Zhi ge also said your dad invested in Yu Xile’s entertainment company.” Ren Yi still looked confused. “So this guy has ties to your family too?”
Xie Wangyuan lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply. “Invested?”
“Yeah,” Ren Yi confirmed. “Back when Zhi ge first started that entertainment company.”
Xie Wangyuan didn’t have many friends. Aside from Ren Yi, Meng Chaozhi was the only other one. He was an Alpha who had absolutely zero interest in his family business. Two years ago, just to support his little boyfriend, he founded his own entertainment company.
Xie Wangyuan frowned. “How come everything that happened to me overseas hasn’t been leaked? These marketing accounts aren’t doing their jobs.”
Ren Yi was bewildered as well. “I know, right? You’re already on the hot search. Someone should’ve dug up everything by now.”
Xie Wangyuan scrolled through his contacts and dialed Meng Chaozhi.
Ren Yi listened from the side. Even though he already knew Xie Wangyuan had always clashed with his family, he still couldn’t help clicking his tongue in shock. “Brother Yuan, you just got back and you’re already gearing up to go head to head with your dad…”
Xie Wangyuan didn’t take any of it seriously. “He gave me such a big gift already. How could I not return something just as generous?”
The alcohol in the private room had long begun working its magic, pushing the already wild atmosphere to an even more chaotic peak. The pheromone scents drifting intermittently through the air were faint, but still strong enough to make Xie Wangyuan uncomfortable.
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m heading out for a bit.”
Ren Yi couldn’t smell anything himself, but he still called out, “Left turn when you exit. Walk a bit and you’ll see the restroom.”
Xie Wangyuan washed his face, paused to steady his breathing, then pulled out a cigarette.
Two men in the club’s uniform were clearly slacking off, hiding in the corner near the sinks and chatting quietly. When they noticed him, they only spared him a glance before leaning closer to one another, lowering their voices even further.
But the restroom’s wash area wasn’t large and Xie Wangyuan’s hearing was excellent. No matter how softly they spoke, he still caught every word.
“So, where were we? Oh, right, that second young master of the Qin family. He used to make the rounds of every single club in the city. Not a place he didn’t frequent but he hasn’t been heard from in years.”
“Really? Something happened to him?”
Xie Wangyuan pulled out a paper towel to dry his hands, his ears pricking up involuntarily.
“You seriously don’t know?” one of the men whispered conspiratorially, leaning close to the other’s ear. “That young master was notorious for playing wild. He almost played an Omega to death once. A few years back, an Omega stabbed him in the gland, nearly killing him.”
The gossiping Xie Wangyuan: Wow. That’s really asking for death but damn, surviving a gland stabbing as an Alpha? That’s some luck.
“No wonder! I kept wondering why the Qin family’s current head is a Beta. Turns out their Alpha was ruined.”
“Shh, keep your voice down! That man is in one of the business boxes right now! Don’t underestimate him. Even if he’s an illegitimate child, his methods are ruthless and he’s got serious ability. What Beta can survive in a business circle full of Alphas? Only him!”
The still eavesdropping Xie Wangyuan: Oh? Qin family? Illegitimate son? Beta? Interesting.
“Forget those unreachable big shots. Hey, by the way, did you see that gossip from the past two days? Didn’t your girlfriend used to be a fan of Yu Xile?”
“Don’t even start. She cried for half the night when she saw the trending topic, then got all excited and started shipping the CP…”
The gossip suddenly hit him personally.
Xie Wangyuan lost interest in listening to anything else. He flicked away the cigarette, turned around and headed back to the private room.
Less than half an hour later, a brand new trending topic bearing Xie Wangyuan’s name climbed onto the tail end of the hot search and shot up rapidly into the top ten.
It was peak evening traffic and Yu Xile had been popular these past two years. Meanwhile, Xie Wangyuan’s name was still hanging high on the hot search from earlier.
The crowd of gossip lovers had been curious for ages about this rarely seen Second Young Master Xie. With fresh drama appearing, of course they wouldn’t let it go.
Only, the new trending topic wasn’t the relationship confirmation they had all expected. Instead, it was a collection of photos showing the Second Young Master Xie frequenting various entertainment clubs during his years abroad.
And that wasn’t all. Several marketing accounts also claimed that although Second Young Master Xie was an Alpha, every single escort he requested overseas… was a Beta.
Once the marketing accounts jumped in, the comment section exploded with people coming forward to add details.
Before going abroad, Xie Wangyuan was already known as a good for nothing young master who hated studying.
After leaving the country, his reputation in overseas student circles only worsened, constant drinking, endless parties, blowing through money like water, jetting across the world without restraint.
A dissolute Alpha scumbag who only favored Betas, the image destroyed whatever refined, mysterious persona he’d briefly had from the earlier trending topic.
Ren Yi scrolled through the comments, fretting. “Didn’t you say your dad invested in Yu Xile’s company? What if he reaches out to have the hot search taken down?”
“He doesn’t keep tabs on this stuff every day,” Xie Wangyuan said calmly. “And even if he removes it, it doesn’t matter.”
He transferred another sum of money to Meng Chaozhi, then set his phone aside. “That illegitimate son from the Qin family. How much do you know about him?”
Ren Yi froze. “Qin Yu? Where did you even hear about him?”
Xie Wangyuan rolled the name lazily over his tongue. “Qin… Yu…”
“A few years ago, the Qin family even held a banquet just to introduce him.” Ren Yi tried to recall. “My sister went. She said it was a big deal but an illegitimate child and a Beta at that, the Qin family really got laughed at.”
“And in that situation… you’re telling me it took only two years?” Xie Wangyuan tapped a finger on the tabletop.
Ren Yi held up two fingers dramatically in front of him. “Two years! Just two! And Qin Yu took the position of CEO of Qin Corporation. Damn it, he’s a Beta!”
After getting worked up, Ren Yi mumbled, “Honestly, I think my sister told me to manage the family’s hotel because she saw how capable he was but how can people be compared like that? Betas are not all the same! Qin Yu is stronger than many Alphas.”
Xie Wangyuan tapped lightly again. “Anything else?” He smiled. “His personal life, Relationships, That sort of thing.”
Ren Yi stared at his expression, then at the trending topic and the realization hit him like a blow. “Brother Yuan… don’t tell me you’re thinking of going after him…”
Xie Wangyuan raised a brow. “So what? Why can’t I?”
Ren Yi glanced nervously at the rowdy mess of people dancing and drinking nearby, then leaned in close to whisper urgently. “Listen. This is what my sister told me. After the second young master of the Qin family had that accident, the Qin family brought Qin Yu back and even though the Qin family kept the whole thing suppressed, everyone in the circle whispers that Qin Yu was at the scene the night Qin Er got injured.
“Qin Er really wasn’t a good person, but if the rumors are true, Qin Yu basically almost killed someone, his own brother, for the sake of climbing upward. My sister says he’s extremely calculating. Anyone who does business with him gets the short end of the deal and you still want to provoke him?”
“Really?”
When Ren Yi looked up and saw the unmistakable spark of excitement in Xie Wangyuan’s expression, he was speechless. “Brother Yuan…”
Xie Wangyuan drawled, slow and amused, “This Beta is getting more and more interesting.”
He rose to his feet and Ren Yi immediately followed behind him. “Where are you going?”
“Didn’t you say he’s in one of the business boxes?” Xie Wangyuan said with a lazy smirk. “I’m going to go meet him.”
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Vynellia
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · A Beta who looks particularly attractiveChapter 2 · Illegitimate child? BetaChapter 3 · Am I going to kick a hornet’s nest?Chapter 4 · A banquet that only Betas can attendChapter 5 · The young man’s heart was wastedChapter 6 · What’s so fun about Beta?Chapter 7 · Your dad has too many loversChapter 8 · Date with a ‘beautyChapter 9 · Long Time no see…Chapter 10 · He’ll definitely be the dominant oneChapter 11 · Seeing Qin Yu was like a dog seeing a bone.Chapter 12 · Young Master Qin, what a coincidenceChapter 13 · I don’t like things that other people have touched.Chapter 14 · Just call him “little brother”Chapter 15 · Are you going to pursue Xiao Mei O?Chapter 16 · The dead are deadChapter 17 · Qin Yu, aren’t you going to take responsibility?Chapter 18 · Xie Wangyuan and his dog are not allowed insideChapter 19 · Got into his carChapter 20 · He really gave me a hard timeChapter 21 · You actually Like that beta?Chapter 22 · Like an Alpha catching his wife cheatingChapter 23 · How do you want me to repay you?Chapter 24 · An Alpha without pheromonesChapter 25 · I’m determined to get my hands on Qin YuChapter 26 · Whatever service you needChapter 27 · Honey, shall I put it on for you?Chapter 28 · Mr. Qin has a rather unique aesthetic senseChapter 29 · Who says Qin Yu is hard to deal with?Chapter 30 · Please teach me, Teacher QinChapter 31 · These are all he can lose.Chapter 32 · I’m looking for someone who has “disappeared”.Chapter 33 · A new meaning in his lifeChapter 34 · Your birthday is in a few days, right?Chapter 35 · Just the two of us.Chapter 36 · It was like Qin Yu’s O-selection banquetChapter 37 · He saw himself clearly in his eyesChapter 38 · Do those Betas really make you this comfortable?Chapter 39 · Qin Yu, you just wait.Chapter 40 · I’m to blame for stealing tonight’s main characterChapter 41 · If you have only one piece of clothing left, you winChapter 42 · I admit defeatChapter 43 · He is my lover!Chapter 44 · What kind of cult is Yuyuan?Chapter 45 · There are no other BetasChapter 46 · Go to bedChapter 47 · Susceptible periodChapter 48 · Qin Yu, are you a damn dog?!Chapter 49 · It would be best to lock us up completelyChapter 50 · I’ll give you five million, leave my sonChapter 51 · Other Alphas smell awfulChapter 52 · He can’t possibly be like those stupid Alpha dogsChapter 53 · Only youChapter 54 · Go ahead and say what you just said again if you dareChapter 55 · I thought you were going to meet someone at night.Chapter 56 · Swallow it.Chapter 57 · Service fee for the second young masterChapter 58 · He touched it himself and showed it to meChapter 59 · To make an Alpha no longer need an OmegaChapter 60 · They’re kindly taking me in?Chapter 61 · Qin Yu is different.Chapter 62 · HelpChapter 63 · At times like this and that with Qin Yu.Chapter 64 · We will never abandon themChapter 65 · My wife’s surname is QinChapter 66 · Two numbersChapter 67 · Qin Yu and dogs are not allowed insideChapter 68 · Eat a lotChapter 69 · It’s a must-eatChapter 70 · Batian misses youChapter 71 · Earn money to support your wife.Chapter 72 · I hug you like a crossChapter 73 · Use these to exchange for a wish.Chapter 74 · Extra 1Chapter 75 · Extra 2Chapter 76 · Extra 3Chapter 77 · Extra 4Chapter 78 · Extra 5Chapter 79 · Extra 6Chapter 80 · Extra 7Chapter 81 · Extra 8Chapter 82 · Extra 9Chapter 83 · Extra 10Chapter 84 · Extra 11Chapter 85 · Extra 12