“Is he really your boyfriend?”
Back at the dorm, Lin Yan shut the door and immediately struck the pose of a courtroom prosecutor. “Confess and you’ll be treated leniently; resist and face strict consequences. If you don’t tell the truth, I’m staying up all night with you.”
“No,” Shi Qi replied flatly. “Just a friend.”
“…” Lin Yan, who had been prepared to interrogate him until dawn, was caught off guard. “You gave in that easily?”
“I wasn’t planning on hiding it from you.”
To avoid pressure from his family, he had to wait until he had fully transitioned into a Beta a year later before telling Shi An and the others the truth. Until then, it was best to limit the number of people who knew about his fake relationship with Shang Sui.
But Lin Yan knew him too well for it to be worth hiding.
As Shi Qi spoke, he grabbed his pajamas, getting ready to shower. When he turned around, Lin Yan was looking at him with teary-eyed emotion. “Wuwuwu! What a good baby! All these years of blood, sweat, and tears weren’t in vain—raising you on suppressants and blockers…”
Shi Qi: “Alright, that’s enough. Wrap it up.”
Lin Yan: “.”
Dropping the act, Lin Yan asked seriously, “So what’s the deal? Why’d you get him to pretend to be your boyfriend?”
Shi Qi paused and then explained.
He only mentioned the fake relationship part. Since Shang Sui had already left Huijian, he didn’t bring up that experience. Lin Yan’s expression went through a whole spectrum of emotions as he listened. In the end, he sighed. “I thought your rebellious phase ended after high school. Turns out it’s just getting started.”
Then he shifted gears, giving a thumbs-up. “But I support you. If it’s for freedom, anything can be sacrificed. And honestly, faking a relationship is a pretty clever move.”
“Ah, Shi Qi, remember back in high school when we talked about what kind of Alpha we liked?”
Lin Yan and Shi Qi had gone to the same schools since they were kids and had ended up in the same class in high school, even becoming deskmates.
Naturally, during puberty, they got curious about the opposite sex, and Lin Yan often dragged Shi Qi into random conversations during class.
“I said back then that you liked the ones who didn’t look like good people. You denied it, but every time we watched a movie or anime, you fell for the villain. I noticed everything,” Lin Yan said smugly, then recalled the chaos Shang Sui had stirred up earlier that day. “Was I wrong? That Alpha today clearly had schemes written all over him.”
Shi Qi was well-practiced in calling Lin Yan out. “More than that, there’s one thing I remember even more clearly.”
“What?”
“That time in second year of high school, when you forgot your suppressant and happened to get cornered by that jock who was into you.”
Lin Yan went quiet for a moment, clearly not enjoying the memory. “Yeah, that was a close call.”
He’d been in heat, head foggy, caught in a tug-of-war with the Alpha. If anything had really happened, it would’ve been disastrous.
Luckily, Shi Qi had shown up out of nowhere and kicked the guy a few meters away.
Not only had he driven the Alpha off, he’d also slapped the suppressant into Lin Yan’s hand. “Can you inject it yourself? If not, I’ll do it.”
Remembering the way Lin Yan had looked at him with teary eyes, Shi Qi chuckled. “You grabbed me, bawling, ‘What took you so long? I was so scared alone.’ And of course, our homeroom teacher happened to walk by. The next day, he asked if we were dating.”
“……”
“He also said it wasn’t good for Omegas to date other Omegas, lectured us for half an hour, and then changed our seats.”
Lin Yan looked a bit embarrassed. “You remember it that clearly?”
Shi Qi: “Because you were hilarious.”
At that, both of them couldn’t help but laugh.
“By the way, what does Shang Sui do?” Lin Yan asked curiously.
Shi Qi paused for a moment, thinking it was fortunate Shang Sui had changed jobs. Otherwise, if he said he was a chat companion… well, while technically accurate, it still sounded somewhat improper.
“Teaching assistant to Qin Shuhe and the others.”
“An artist? No wonder he’s so flamboyant… No, I mean, becoming a teaching assistant at the art academy at such a young age is really impressive.”
Speaking of that, Shi Qi also found it a bit surprising.
Things had happened so quickly, he hadn’t had time to properly ask Shang Sui about the job change. Qin Shuhe liked to talk nonsense, but their school was one of the top art academies in the country. If Shang Sui said he got in, then he must be quite talented.
In that case, why had he worked as a waiter at Huijian?
…Oh right, Huijian paid well. Going there to make a quick buck wasn’t unreasonable.
“He helped you out so much, so you should at least treat him to a meal, right?” Lin Yan’s voice broke into Shi Qi’s thoughts. “Feels like even a three-day banquet wouldn’t be enough to repay him.”
From what Shi Qi had said, it didn’t sound like he’d known Shang Sui for long. The guy didn’t seem to have any bad intentions, but…
Was there really an Alpha who would help an Omega like that and expect nothing in return?
Sometimes, the things that came with no visible price were the most expensive.
“Treating him to a meal definitely isn’t enough, but I can’t think of a way to repay him just yet.” Shi Qi thought for a moment, then made up his mind. “I’ll figure it out later.”
–
Before heading off on vacation, Yu Wan made a point of stopping by Shang Sui’s place to check in on him.
Yu Wan was a renowned ballet dancer. Even with age, she remained tall, slender, and beautiful. Much of Shang Sui’s appearance had clearly been inherited from her.
Unlike a few months ago, the apartment had gradually become more decorated.
Colorful throw pillows were scattered across the sofa, and vibrant flowers adorned the kitchen island. The once plain dining and coffee tables had both been replaced by Shang Sui. A soft, fluffy carpet now covered the floor, so inviting it made you want to walk on it barefoot.
“I didn’t expect you to stay.” Yu Wan caught him scrolling through various fuzzy sofas on his phone. He finally picked out a pink one, prompting her surprised comment.
She knew Shang Sui well—he’d always had a mild case of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
He liked everything around him to be just right. The fact that he was taking the time to decorate the apartment meant he planned to live here for a while.
Originally, she had assumed he would remain abroad, or, if he returned, would spend most of his time traveling around the country. After all, he had lived like that throughout his first year after graduation. She hadn’t expected him to settle down in the capital, let alone accept a position as Professor Xie’s teaching assistant at the academy.
Yu Wan asked curiously, “Did something interesting happen recently?”
It was a casual question, but Shang Sui set his phone down and gave an “Mm.”
Yu Wan’s expression shifted slightly, as if she had something to say, but in the end, she simply smiled at him.
Seeing this, Shang Sui changed the subject. “By the way, I still have one psychological evaluation left for this year. I’m planning to get it done before the New Year.”
Compared to ordinary Alphas, those with special ruts tended to be more aggressive and extreme—some even had underlying psychological conditions.
To prevent incidents, Alphas with special ruts were required to undergo regular psychological evaluations. If their results showed abnormalities, they would be subject to monitoring or even isolation. These evaluations had to be done at least three times a year, either at designated institutions or through appointments with licensed doctors. Shang Sui had a regular private physician.
“Ah, should I go with you—”
“No need. Don’t stress over nothing,” Shang Sui interrupted her. “I was just mentioning it in passing. You and Dad go enjoy your trip. Unless you forget your own names, don’t even think about coming back early.”
Yu Wan was silent for a moment, then let out a laugh. “Still, we probably shouldn’t have that much fun.”
But thanks to that joke, her mood lightened considerably.
Ever since they’d found out that Shang Sui had a special rut, Yu Wan couldn’t help but worry each time. Not just because it was extremely difficult to endure, but also because of… certain things from the past. She and her husband, Shang Yao, had always felt guilty, believing they owed something to Shang Sui.
At that moment, Shang Sui glanced at a new message on his phone, then got up and said to Yu Wan, “I’ve got something to take care of. I’ll head out first, alright? Make yourself at home.”
He added with a grin, “Don’t be shy—just pretend it’s your own place.”
“…I will. Thank you.”
Before he left, Yu Wan couldn’t help but call out to him. “Xiao Sui.”
He turned around, a hint of confusion in his eyes, and Yu Wan found herself unable to fully explain what she was feeling.
Whether it was due to his personality or something else, Shang Sui always gave off a sense of emptiness, as if nothing in the world could truly hold his interest.
In the end, she said softly, “If you come across something you’re truly interested in… you should treat it well.”
“Of course,” Shang Sui replied with a smile. “I’ll cherish it.”
–
At the hospital, Shi Qi waved when he spotted Shang Sui.
They had agreed to meet there to get a compatibility report. Once they had it, Shi Qi planned to officially announce to his family that he had a boyfriend.
Even if that boyfriend had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and sounded completely unconvincing, Shi Qi had decided to act first and explain later. Whether or not his family believed him could be dealt with afterward.
He’d even made backup plans. If his compatibility with Shang Sui turned out to be too low, he would simply play the part of someone “willing to defy everything for love,” using rebellion as his weapon to counter Shi An’s pressure.
Most of the people coming for compatibility checks were Alpha-Omega pairs preparing for marriage. Shi Qi saw several lovey-dovey couples walking by hand in hand. Surrounded by an atmosphere of happiness and sweetness, he felt a bit out of place and started a conversation.
“You’re a teaching assistant for Qin Shuhe’s class, right? What kind of painting do you teach?”
“Oil painting.” Shang Sui was slightly amused. “Don’t you know your own friend’s major?”
Shi Qi shook his head. “The only time I’m curious about him is when I’m wondering which support he’s going to pick to drag me down in a game.”
Shang Sui couldn’t help but smile, just about to respond when—
“Number 119.”
The announcement cut in. Shi Qi had been about to say something when the nurse asked, “Is Number 119 here?”
The number-calling reminded Shi Qi of school, and he instinctively raised his hand. The two of them were both striking in appearance and looked like a well-matched pair. The nurse smiled brightly and said, “It’s you two, right? Come on in.”
Before the test began, Shang Sui said, “If there’s a chance, I’ll show you my paintings.”
Shi Qi’s eyes lit up, and he immediately nodded.
. . .
After the test, they had to wait a while before receiving the detailed compatibility report. Shang Sui went downstairs to buy drinks, and Shi Qi sat alone on a bench to wait.
At that moment, the pinned family group chat lit up with a flurry of messages. Shi Qi raised his hand and opened it.
Shi An knew Shi Qi often ignored WeChat messages and had asked him to pin the family group. Now, it was in total chaos, even Jiang Li, who usually didn’t talk much, had popped up.
Shi An: [Xiao Qi! When did you get a boyfriend???!]
Shi Qi stared at the message in surprise.
17: [How did you find out?]
Shi An: [Just heard it from Auntie Fu. Fu Siyue went home and cried all night. His rut even got triggered early from crying, and then he cried for another three days straight.]
Shi An: [Sigh, that kid…]
Shi An: [He’s actually liked you since you were little.]
Shi Qi wasn’t feeling even a shred of pity.
17: [Tell him to stop crying, or he’ll cry away all his good fortune.]
Shi An: […]
Jiang Li: [.]
Jiang Youning, as fearless as Shi Qi, burst into thunderous laughter.
Jiang Youning: [Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!]
Things hadn’t gone quite as planned. Shi Qi decided to move up the step of informing the family and replied directly to the message about the “boyfriend.”
17: [Yeah, we’re doing a compatibility report right now.]
17: [I’ll tell you the result once it’s out.]
Now even Jiang Youning stopped laughing. She and Shi An both sent a flood of question marks, demanding to know how Shi Qi had met this person, why he started dating without a word, and why he hadn’t said anything when they were pressuring him to get married…
Faced with the barrage of questions, Shi Qi felt overwhelmed. He hadn’t even gone over their story with Shang Sui yet and didn’t know how to respond to some of them.
Shi An then asked: [What does your boyfriend do?]
That one, at least, he could answer.
17: [Teaching assistant at the art academy.]
Shi An replied hesitantly: [A teaching assistant? …Baby, you’re a big spender. Can he afford to support you?]
17: [He doesn’t need to. I’ll earn my own money in the future.]
Shi Qi thought of something and added a line.
17: [I could support him too.]
Jiang Li, who hadn’t said anything in a while: [?]
Shi An was even more alarmed. Shi Qi didn’t sound like himself—he sounded like a rich girl getting scammed out of her money and heart by some gigolo. It was the kind of tacky drama even soap operas wouldn’t touch, and there was just no way that story fit their youngest son.
After the initial shock, Shi An asked doubtfully: [Shi Qi, be honest. You didn’t just randomly find someone to fool me, did you?]
You’re sharper than expected.
But he wasn’t randomly picked.
Just as Shi Qi was about to reply, a clean, magnetic voice interrupted him.
“Here, your peach soda.”
The hand that came into view wore a snake-bone ring, making the knuckles appear even more distinct against fair skin.
Looking up, it was a long and strong arm, distinctly that of an Alpha.
Shang Sui held the drink out, his fingers hooked as he popped open the pull tab with one hand.
“Thank you.”
Shi Qi met his gaze for a moment before taking the brightly colored soda and lowering his head to type.
17: [Why would I lie to you.]
17: [Whether he has money or not doesn’t matter. I can live on love alone.]
Author’s note:
17: But Daddy, he’s really not just some poor boy
Sui: Sumimasen, but I’m really not…
