PTBC chapter 4

“Impossible!!!”

Several voices echoed in unison in Dr. Li’s office.

“Stop joking around,” Lin Qixu said, his face dark. “Everyone knows our captain’s differentiation tendency is Alpha. How could he possibly become an Omega?”

“Exactly,” Xiao Ning chimed in, protesting. “There’s no way the captain is an Omega. Have you ever seen the way he fights? How could an Omega have that kind of strength?”

Xu Cong simply picked up the lab report that Xia Yan had dropped on the floor and scanned it quickly, his furrowed brow tight enough to crush a fly.

“Believe it or not, he’s an Omega, no mistake,” Dr. Li said coldly. “Instead of doubting me, you’d better take a closer look at the report. I wouldn’t risk my hospital’s reputation as a joke.”

“Utter nonsense! You quack!”

Bai Yu slammed his foot onto the desk and grabbed Dr. Li by the collar. Lin Qixu and Ye Zhaoyang rushed to pull him back, both astonished at the sudden burst of strength from their Beta manager.

“When Xia Yan was born, he was confirmed to absolutely be an Alpha! Last year’s test—done at your hospital—showed a 99% Alpha differentiation tendency!”

Bai Yu glared at Dr. Li with a look of utter devastation, gritting his teeth. “Did you secretly alter his results? Change them back right now!”

“You can strangle me, but he’s still an Omega,” Dr. Li said icily, unfazed. “99%? Well, he’s the 1%. What can I do about it? I personally reviewed the test; there’s no mistake. Although I was surprised myself, his true differentiation takes precedence over predictions.”

Bai Yu was on the verge of breaking down.

He had been in the entertainment industry for ten years, clawing his way up from being a lowly assistant to his current position, and never had he felt so helpless as he did today.

“Li Mingchen, are you even human? How can you be so heartless, saying this to me…”

“Get off me. If you keep this up, I’ll report you for assaulting a medical professional.”

“Go ahead! You think I’m afraid of you?”

…

The small office turned into utter chaos.

There were people arguing, mediating, and breaking down emotionally—it was a mess.

Fifteen minutes later, Xia Yan slammed a hand on the table, shouting, “What’s with all this noise?!”

The room finally quieted down a bit.

Bai Yu was still kneeling on the desk, restrained by Lin Qixu and Ye Zhaoyang, but his hands continued to struggle, reaching for Dr. Li’s collar.

Xiao Ning, snot and tears streaming down his face, was pulled off the table by Xu Cong.

What a circus, Xia Yan thought wearily.

If there had been any third-party witnesses, they’d all be on the front page of tomorrow’s tabloids.

He scanned the room with a dark expression. “Shut your mouths. It’s not even that big of a deal. Keep making noise, and I’ll throw you all in the river.”

“Especially you.”

He glared at his manager, who had gone from crying to creating an outright scene. “Don’t you have any sense of leadership? Are you trying to make the headlines tomorrow? ‘D.A Manager Assaults Doctor, Suspected Mental Breakdown’?”

Bai Yu closed his mouth, looking utterly wronged.

Dr. Li snorted coldly, adjusting his collar that Bai Yu had almost torn apart.

He cast an appreciative glance at Xia Yan.

See? Every group really needs at least one rational person.

Xia Yan picked up the overturned chair amidst the commotion and sat down opposite Dr. Li with an air of authority. His teammates stood behind him, forming a united front as if he were the patriarch of a family.

“Sorry for the scene,” Xia Yan said to Dr. Li, his tone calm and composed. “This was all a bit sudden, and they got a little carried away.”

He gathered the scattered reports from the desk and said coolly, “Now, can you explain the changes happening to me and the precautions I need to take?”

Dr. Li adjusted his glasses, his expression softening slightly.

This wasn’t his first time dealing with Xia Yan. Familiar with Xia Yan’s personality, Dr. Li got straight to the point.

“Your situation is very tricky. Delayed differentiation comes with numerous side effects, especially since you’re already 23. Generally, the later the differentiation, the more unstable the hormones in the body.

“In the coming days, you may experience headaches, nausea, inexplicable joint pain, occasional tinnitus, and a racing heartbeat. But those are minor issues.

“The most critical problem is your heat cycle and pheromones, which will be highly unstable. You’ll be very sensitive to the pheromones of other alphas or omegas, making you easily influenced. Medication will be essential to regulate this.

“These side effects won’t last forever. Once your hormones stabilize, they’ll disappear. However, this process could take a month or even a year. It will be particularly difficult for you because you’re a public figure. The number of people you interact with makes it harder for you to complete this transition smoothly.”

Dr. Li paused, a hint of sympathy in his gaze.

He had been responsible for D.A’s physical checkups for years and was well-acquainted with the group’s dynamics. Xia Yan was undoubtedly the heart and soul of the team—an all-rounder ACE, the captain, and a figure who held everything together like a family leader.

He had once been a perfect alpha under the spotlight.

But now…

To Dr. Li’s surprise, Xia Yan remained far calmer than expected. After meticulously noting everything he needed to do, he asked, “Is there anything else?”

“Nothing more. Just come in for regular checkups. Avoid going out in the next few days and take leave from the company. During this time, not only will you feel physically uncomfortable, but your pheromone levels will also spike,” Dr. Li said, typing on the keyboard before glancing meaningfully at Xia Yan. “I’m guessing you wouldn’t want people to know you’re an omega. I’ll prescribe some inhibitors and medications for you to start taking tonight.”

“Alright. Thank you, doctor,” Xia Yan replied.

There was nothing more to say.

Although he knew the chances were slim, Xia Yan still scheduled a second test to reconfirm the differentiation results. Then he led the group out of the doctor’s office.

Their manager, who had barely pulled himself together, was sent off to pay the bill and collect the medication.

The rest of the team, still reeling from the shocking night, went downstairs to grab drinks from the vending machine to steady their nerves.

Only Xu Cong stayed with Xia Yan in the lounge.

Xu Cong hadn’t fully processed everything yet. In Dr. Li’s office earlier, he had been emotional, repeatedly questioning Dr. Li about the possibility of a misdiagnosis. Now, while he appeared calm, his mind was in turmoil.

It was difficult to associate Xia Yan with the term “omega.”

His gaze drifted over Xia Yan’s long, well-built hands and the sharp contours of his face. He had known Xia Yan since they were 17, starting as trainees together. They used to share a single pair of earbuds at night, sometimes falling asleep hugging each other…

He wasn’t even this close to his own brother.

Only Xia Yan.

Xia Yan felt like an extension of himself.

But now, this friend and brother who had been by his side through it all had suddenly become an omega.

Xu Cong’s eyes landed on Xia Yan’s nape before quickly looking away. His throat felt inexplicably dry and itchy.

Xia Yan, on the other hand, stared blankly at the ceiling.

He murmured, “I want to die…”

The composure he had shown in the doctor’s office had been purely for show. With his team of fools unable to handle the situation, he had no choice but to step up.

But in reality, his mind was a complete wreck, as if it had been bombed into oblivion.

He closed his eyes in anguish. “If Forest Group hears about this, they’ll laugh their heads off. An omega in an all-alpha group? It’s like a civilian group outing a werewolf. Great, now they’ll probably top the sales charts next year.”

Xu Cong was speechless.

He glared at Xia Yan. “You still have the energy to worry about that? Focus on getting through your differentiation first.”

Neither of them mentioned the elephant in the room—that becoming an omega would drastically upend Xia Yan’s life and career.

Meanwhile, downstairs, the rest of the team was discussing that very issue.

After buying chilled drinks, they huddled in the hallway behind the vending machine. It was late, and the private hospital was nearly empty.

Xiao Ning popped open his drink and downed half of it in one go. “I still can’t accept that the captain is an omega,” he said miserably. “It’s not like I’d stop liking him because of it, but he could beat me up any day. At the start of the year, he even made headlines for catching a thief on the street. If he’s an omega, then what am I?”

“Exactly,” Lin Qixu said coldly. “He’s built like he could wrestle a bull. He placed in the top three during the celebrity marathon last time.”

He was drinking soda water, but the sea salt flavor grew increasingly bitter with every sip.

Then he raised a more practical question.

“If the captain’s second test still confirms he’s an omega, can he even continue performing with us?”

Everyone fell silent, their expressions complicated.

It was an unavoidable reality. The entertainment industry wasn’t hostile to omegas, but a boy band marketed as an elite all-alpha group couldn’t accommodate an omega.

Their fanbase was predominantly omegas and betas. While there were some alpha fans—many of whom adored Xia Yan—they were far from the majority.

Once news spread that Xia Yan had become an omega, his fanbase would undoubtedly be shaken. Even though modern society had normalized relationships between AA and OO, such cases were rare, and most people would struggle to accept it.

Who could accept their “Idol husband” waking up one day as a “sister”?

Just thinking about it gave Ye Zhaoyang a headache. His fingers instinctively tightened, and the can in his hand slowly deformed.

Lin Qixu, ever the realist, added fuel to the fire in a cold tone, “What kind of omega can operate alongside four alphas? The heat cycles and pheromones alone are one issue, but even our individual fans wouldn’t accept it. Remember when I worked with Gu Zhanyi? Her fans nearly tore her apart.”

Gu Zhanyi was a well-regarded female omega in the industry. Despite her positive reputation, she had been harshly attacked by fans, leaving Lin Qixu feeling guilty ever since.

“Stop. My head’s pounding,” Ye Zhaoyang raised his hand. “Today’s been chaotic enough. Let me catch my breath.”

Xiao Ning nodded fervently as he sipped his cola, looking like a chick pecking at grain.

“I don’t want to lose our captain,” he murmured.

The youngest member of the group, Xiao Ning, had been the last to join. While his overall skills were weaker compared to the others, the captain had always been patient with him—teaching him to dance and helping him improve his singing. Xiao Ning couldn’t imagine the group without Xia Yan.

The thought made his face take on a pitiful expression, though he quickly hid it by taking another sip of cola.

Ye Zhaoyang noticed and ruffled his hair. “Don’t assume the worst.”

….

After lingering downstairs for a while, they headed back upstairs to find Xia Yan and Xu Cong.

Upon entering the lounge, they were surprised to see Xia Yan asleep on Xu Cong’s shoulder, covered by a blanket from who-knows-where.

Noticing them, Xu Cong whispered, “He’s exhausted. He just fell asleep ten minutes ago.”

The group exchanged glances, fully understanding the situation. No one dared to disturb Xia Yan, and they quietly took their seats in a row until Bai Yu arrived after handling everything.

When Bai Yu saw Xia Yan asleep, he wasn’t surprised. With a sigh, he said, “Don’t wake him up. Someone carry him—we need to leave.”

Xu Cong nodded but didn’t carry Xia Yan on his back. Instead, he scooped him up in his arms, cradling him.

Without a word, the group left the hospital.

Even in the car, Xia Yan remained fast asleep, nestled against Xu Cong’s chest.

….

Bai Yu, having calmed down after his earlier outburst, had returned to his usual composed self. Pushing up his glasses, he addressed the group. “As for how to handle Xia Yan’s differentiation, that will be decided during tomorrow’s company meeting. I’ve already asked Dr. Li to keep this confidential, and all medical staff involved will sign non-disclosure agreements. The expenses will be reimbursed. For now, don’t worry about leaks. Even if the media finds out you were at the hospital, we’ll say Xia Yan was suddenly ill. Understood?”

Everyone nodded solemnly.

“Understood.”