PTBC chapter 5

After such a chaotic night, none of them felt like talking much.

When they returned to the dorm, Xia Yan finally woke up, though he looked listless. After listening to the manager’s instructions, he didn’t protest. He casually said goodnight to the others and went straight to his room to sleep.

Before bed, he removed the suppressant patch from his neck, took his medication, and sprayed a generous amount of pheromone blockers.

Yet the faint scent of roses still lingered in the air.

Xia Yan reached up to touch the back of his neck.

His pheromones had first appeared when he was twenty, much to the relief of the agency, which had been worried about his late development.

However, the scent had been so faint—like a wisp of smoke— More like perfume than anything aggressive

Back then, everyone in the group had been curious. Xiao Ning had even boldly touched the back of Xia Yan’s neck and remarked, “Captain, your pheromones smell like roses with a hint of rum. I thought top-tier alphas like you would have something like cedarwood or gunpowder. This smells more like an omega’s scent.”

Xia Yan had punched him on the shoulder in response, dismissing it as stereotyping.

He hadn’t expected the stereotype to one day prove true.

With a sigh, Xia Yan covered his eyes with his arm.

…..

The next day, the entire team headed to the company for a meeting about Xia Yan’s unexpected differentiation.

Although labeled as a “discussion,” the company’s higher-ups were remarkably unified in their stance, rare as that was.

“Suppress it.”

Every channel would be sealed off, and the official narrative would be that Xia Yan hadn’t differentiated yet.

As for when, or if, the truth would ever be revealed, the company offered no definitive answer.

Xia Yan wasn’t surprised by the decision. Even Bai Yu had told him this was the best course of action for now.

The company had invested immense resources into training and nurturing their group. Their career was on the rise.

Xia Yan wasn’t just the most popular member of the team; he also carried numerous endorsement contracts and was the group’s soul. Longtime fans deeply respected his leadership as captain.

At this critical juncture, news of his omega status would undoubtedly incite a storm.

Bai Yu sighed. “There’s no other choice. Think about it—if you announce you’re an omega, would your fans be happy? You have two years left on your contract and countless endorsements. You can’t afford to be honest. Xia Yan, you’ve been in the industry long enough to know that some things are just inevitable.”

Xia Yan lowered his gaze. He knew the manager was right, but that didn’t stop him from looking out the window and craving a cigarette.

It all felt like the punchline to a dark, ironic joke.

Everyone thought his differentiation would usher in the peak of his career—who would’ve guessed it would lead to a cliff instead?

“I know,” Xia Yan said dully. “Let me think it over.”

Unable to hold back, he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and waved Bai Yu off. “I want to be alone for a while.”

Alright.

Bai Yu understood his frustration. Xia Yan rarely smoked, wanting to protect his voice, so this was clearly an exception. With a sigh, Bai Yu patted him on the shoulder and left him alone.

Xia Yan held the cigarette in his mouth but didn’t light it.

He scrolled through his phone, reading the discussions among his fans online.

Since he needed to isolate, he wouldn’t be able to attend a promotional event the next day. Lin Qixu had his own solo activity, leaving only three members to participate as a group.

The company’s official explanation was that he had acute gastroenteritis and needed two days of rest.

The announcement caused an uproar. Fans speculated that the company’s relentless exploitation of Xia Yan’s time and energy had pushed him to the brink, resulting in illness.

Across various social media platforms, fans expressed their anger, demanding accountability from his manager and the company.

Leaning against the window, Xia Yan pressed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

This time, the company and Bai Yu had truly taken the fall for him.

He saw fans creating videos, drawing fan art, and flooding his social media with comments wishing for his recovery.

Their care and sincerity were overwhelming.

As he scrolled further, he saw old fan content praising him as the “husband” of the entertainment world and one of its brightest stars. Most fans agreed he was a rare, top-tier alpha, meant to lead from the front.

Closing his phone, Xia Yan gazed out the window, replaying Bai Yu’s words in his mind:

“Would your fans be happy if they knew you were an omega?”

The answer was, of course, no.

At the end of the day, idols sold personas and dreams. If someone shattered that illusion, it would trigger an overwhelming backlash.

Lost in thought, Xia Yan didn’t notice a hand holding a lighter appear beside him. With a soft click, the orange flame lit the unburned cigarette in his mouth.

He turned to see Xu Cong’s face.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, voice muffled.

“You didn’t come out for a while, so the others sent me to check on you,” Xu Cong replied. He placed a cigarette in his own mouth but didn’t use the lighter. Instead, he leaned toward Xia Yan’s cigarette, lighting his own with its flame.

Xia Yan chuckled softly.

As he looked at Xu Cong, his striking eyes reflected the daylight, glimmering like rippling water. Despite his sharp brows, there was a captivating allure to his contradictory features.

“Are you giving fans new CP material?” Xia Yan teased. “If paparazzi caught this moment, our CP stans would celebrate the new year early.”

He and Xu Cong were the most popular CP in the group, thanks in part to the modern acceptance of same-gender relationships. The AA ship had grown massively, with fans often debating over who was the dominant partner.

Xu Cong chuckled. “Then let them celebrate—it’s not like it’s fake.”

Blowing out a cloud of smoke, Xu Cong glanced at Xia Yan. “But seriously, what’s on your mind? Are you upset about the company’s decision in the meeting?”

Xu Cong studied Xia Yan’s expression carefully.

Tapping his finger against the window frame, Xu Cong thought to himself: If Xia Yan truly didn’t agree with the decision, he’d find a way—contracts and companies be damned—to clear the path for him.

But Xia Yan shook his head.

Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, Xia Yan extinguished it in the ashtray. The cigarette was barely smoked, most of it still intact.

“What’s there to agree or disagree with? We all know this is the most practical solution right now. Keeping it hidden benefits both me and the company. It’s just…” Xia Yan’s voice was hoarse, his expression blank. “I can’t keep it hidden forever, can I?”

He paused, then smiled faintly at Xu Cong. “But who knows? Maybe in a few years, I won’t be as popular. If I come clean then, it won’t matter as much. The industry churns out fresh faces all the time. Eventually, old stars like me will be left in the dust.”

“Don’t say that,” Xu Cong scolded.

He hesitated before adding softly, “I doesn’t matter whether you’re an alpha or an omega. As long as you’re on stage, you’ll always be the one who shines brightest.”

This was something Xu Cong had believed since he was eighteen when he first saw Xia Yan practicing alone.

“Stop with the mushiness,” Xia Yan joked, kicking Xu Cong lightly. Glancing at the time, he noted how late it had gotten.

“Alright, let’s head back.” Hooking an arm around Xu Cong’s shoulder, Xia Yan led him out of the corridor. “I’m fine—just spaced out for a bit.”

As they descended the stairs, Xia Yan’s carefree demeanor returned. Teasing Xu Cong, he said, “You know the higher-ups are probably cursing right now. With me turning into an omega, you’re the only S- class alpha holding the fort in our group. I wonder if we’ll still make other groups’ knees weak at award shows.”

He patted Xu Cong on the shoulder. “So, tell me, as the sole remaining S-grade alpha in the group, how does it feel?”

Xia Yan pinched Xu Cong’s face with his other hand.

Xu Cong swatted his hand away, his gaze briefly landing on the suppression patch on Xia Yan’s neck. The faint rose scent lingered in the air, making Xu Cong’s throat tighten involuntarily.

But his face betrayed nothing as he replied, “It doesn’t matter. I told you, whether you’re an omega or an alpha makes no difference to me.”

Xia Yan laughed, playfully punching Xu Cong’s shoulder. “I knew you’d have my back.”