Xia Yan had been a bit distracted these past few days.
Ever since Xu Cong mentioned going on a blind date, he kept thinking about it.
Like now.
They were clearly having a meeting at the office, discussing the plans for the second half of the year, but he was distracted, staring at Xu Cong’s profile.
Xu Cong, unusually, was wearing a white jacket, with a light gray hoodie underneath. He had on a pair of large black-framed glasses, though they didn’t have any prescription.
Xia Yan’s hand tapped unconsciously on the table.
Even with his picky eye, Xu Cong’s looks were top-tier.
Especially with today’s outfit, which softened his usual frosty, icy demeanor, making him seem a little more approachable.
Xia Yan couldn’t help but think.
There’s probably no omega who would see Xu Cong like this and not like him, right?
He comes from a good family, is talented, is responsible, and his looks and pheromones are top-notch, with stable emotions.
Anyone who went on a blind date with him would likely be satisfied and willing to arrange another date.
But what about Xu Cong?
Would Xu Cong fall for them that easily?
He probably would.
Compared to him, a late-blooming omega, a true omega would surely be more attractive, just like he had imagined before.
Xu Cong liking him must have been a momentary lapse in judgment, with his pheromones playing a part.
Once another highly compatible omega appeared, perhaps Xu Cong would quickly turn around.
Xia Yan’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. He didn’t know why, but even though this should have been good news, something in his chest felt a little empty.
Maybe it was because he was too used to Xu Cong being by his side.
Xia Yan thought.
From their teenage years until now, it was hard for him to imagine Xu Cong in a relationship.
So even though he knew it was a good thing, he still couldn’t quite lift his spirits.
“Xia Yan, Captain Xia, are you listening?” Bai Yu waved a hand in front of him.
Xia Yan’s pen slipped from his hand, and he quickly snapped back to reality. “What? What is it?”
Bai Yu gave him a strange look before flipping a page in his notes.
“This year, the company plans to send you to a private acting course—one-on-one lessons with a carefully selected instructor. You have real talent in acting, so you shouldn’t waste it. Who knows? You might become our company’s second Best Actor.”
Bai Yu was visibly pleased, his confidence in Xia Yan boundless.
Xia Yan chuckled. “Stop giving me credit I haven’t earned yet. If people hear this, I’ll be mocked for three days straight.”
But he was already aware of this arrangement. Bai Yu had discussed it with him before. He nodded in agreement. “I’ll attend the classes properly, respect my teacher, and make sure the money doesn’t go to waste.”
The others laughed along.
They had just ordered afternoon tea as a reward for their hard work. Bai Yu had been especially generous, and the table was filled with sushi, sandwiches, and an assortment of desserts.
Xia Yan picked up a sandwich, and while eating, a bit of sauce stuck to the corner of his mouth.
Before he could notice, Xu Cong reached over with a napkin and wiped it away for him.
Xia Yan froze for a moment.
Xu Cong looked completely unfazed, but the teammates nearby exchanged glances, seemingly confused about their current relationship.
Bai Yu, on the other hand, pretended to be blind, acting as if he had seen nothing.
But Xia Yan suddenly found himself wondering—if Xu Cong got together with another omega, would he treat them the same way?
At that thought, his stomach felt strangely heavy.
…..
The days passed by in a blur of busy work.
By March, Xia Yan could finally have his cast removed.
Xu Cong accompanied him to the hospital. After the bandages were taken off, the scars on the back of his hand were exposed. But just as Zong Yi had reassured him, he could wear gloves, use tattoo stickers, and eventually get plastic surgery.
At least it wasn’t on his face.
Xia Yan gently flexed his hand. It still felt numb, and he could barely move it.
For the next six months, he would have to undergo rehabilitation training to gradually regain sensation and movement in his hand.
He looked up to find Xu Cong watching him. Though Xu Cong said nothing, Xia Yan knew what he was thinking.
“Enough with that gloomy face,” Xia Yan chuckled.
He raised his uninjured hand and snapped his fingers in front of Xu Cong.
“Put away your sentimental nonsense. Look, I’m still alive and kicking.”
Xu Cong pressed his lips together. He knew Xia Yan didn’t like dwelling on things. This was just the way he was—whether injured or facing setbacks, as long as the sky wasn’t falling, he carried on.
Xu Cong reached out and ruffled Xia Yan’s hair without saying a word.
But ever since that day, he had developed a habit of kissing Xia Yan’s hand, as if making up for what had happened.
“You’ve got some weird obsession,” Xia Yan muttered.
…..
That afternoon, they were shooting the April cover for TA magazine.
This was Xia Yan’s first cover shoot since his cast had been removed.
The makeup artist deliberately covered his scars with concealer, even placing a gold bracelet with dangling tassels and feathers over his hand. The positioning perfectly covered the mark.
For the shoot, Xia Yan was dressed like a spirit, adorned in a long gown decorated with white crystals and feathers.
His face was dusted with pale blue glitter, which caught the light and shimmered faintly as he moved.
Throughout the shoot, Xu Cong never took his eyes off him.
Later, when only the two of them were left in the dressing room, Xu Cong cornered Xia Yan against the door and kissed him.
The shoot was over.
Technically, they should have been removing their makeup.
But there were still traces of glitter on Xia Yan’s face, and under his nervousness, they twinkled slightly.
Xu Cong kissed his lips, his hand sliding beneath the intricate white gown.
“Don’t get it dirty!” Xia Yan urgently tried to pull him away.
Xu Cong didn’t stop, his lips trailing down Xia Yan’s neck. “Don’t worry.”
His voice was lazy, carrying a hint of amusement. “I asked the editor-in-chief. The designer is willing to sell this outfit. You look amazing in it, so I bought it.”
Xia Yan was stunned for a moment before scolding him, “You’re insane.”
He suspected that Xu Cong had joined the entertainment industry just to spend money—one moment buying this, another moment investing in that, and none of it was guaranteed to be worth it.
But when Xu Cong’s hand slipped further beneath the fabric, Xia Yan didn’t push him away.
The small dressing room was soon filled with quiet, intimate sounds.
Xia Yan’s head tilted back, relying on Xu Cong’s support and the door behind him to stay upright.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Xu Cong finally withdrew his hand.
Xia Yan kept his eyes shut, unwilling to look, but Xu Cong forced him to open them.
Their bodies were pressed together.
Xia Yan could clearly feel Xu Cong’s warmth against him.
Then, Xu Cong took his hand.
He kissed Xia Yan’s fingertips, slowly trailing down to his palm and finally to the scar on the back of his hand.
His lips lingered there.
“Does it hurt?” He asked in a low voice. “The doctor said you’ll still feel some soreness over the next six months. I saw you rubbing your hand earlier.”
Xia Yan had indeed been rubbing it.
Injuries like this never truly disappeared without a trace.
Pain was nothing unusual for him—it was just a part of life, something he could endure without issue.
But the way Xu Cong held his hand so carefully, pressing kiss after kiss onto the back of it, that was what he found unbearable.
Wherever Xu Cong’s lips touched, the wound that should have been numb tingled with a strange sensation, sending waves of shivers through him, even making his heart tremble.
“You…”
Xia Yan’s lips moved slightly, his eyelashes lowering. “Stop kissing me. If we don’t go out soon, the others will come looking.”
He pulled his hand away from Xu Cong’s grasp.
Xu Cong raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t tease him any further.
Still, he leaned in to kiss Xia Yan’s ear, deliberately saying, “Alright, then I’ll kiss you tonight instead.”
With that, he straightened up just in time to dodge Xia Yan’s incoming kick.
Half an hour later, both of them had changed back into their regular clothes and stepped out.
Their makeup had also been removed. The makeup artist had to leave unexpectedly for personal reasons, but fortunately, most of the makeup was already gone, leaving only the final touches.
So, the last step had been done by themselves.
After coming out, Xia Yan remained silent, his fair skin carrying a slight flush. Even after getting into the car, he just stared out the window.
It wasn’t until dinner that he ordered a bottle of beer despite Bai Yu’s protest, claiming it was to celebrate his hand’s initial recovery.
Bai Yu had no choice but to pour him a small glass. “That’s all you’re getting.”
When dinner ended, everyone returned to the dormitory. As they each headed to their own rooms, Xu Cong, true to his word, naturally followed behind Xia Yan into his bedroom.
Xia Yan had barely flipped on the light switch before Xu Cong embraced him from behind.
His jacket slipped to the floor.
His belt was undone.
Entangled together, they tumbled onto the bed.
Xu Cong kissed him relentlessly, his own clothes soon discarded to the side.
Xia Yan felt as if that half-glass of beer had been stronger than vodka.
The alcohol simmered in his blood, and Xu Cong’s kisses were the spark that set him ablaze.
Xu Cong was getting bolder.
Xia Yan, half-dazed, thought to himself.
Ever since he had set that deadline, Xu Cong’s actions had become more and more reckless—far beyond simple kisses and hugs.
Like now, for example, with him straddling Xu Cong, their positions were reversed, making him appear taller.
Xu Cong’s lips had already trailed to places too intimate to ignore.
This isn’t right, Xia Yan thought.
He should stop this.
His eyes half-lidded, lost in the kisses.
These past few days, he had tried countless times to tell Xu Cong to stop.
After all, Xu Cong was about to go on a blind date.
What if, by some chance, that omega was the one destined for Xu Cong? What if they could finally free him from this hopeless infatuation?
If so, then Xia Yan shouldn’t be indulging Xu Cong any further, shouldn’t be letting them sink into this undefined relationship.
Everything should stop. They should return to how things were. Xu Cong would still be Xu Cong, and he would still be the captain of D.A, the one whose word was absolute. They wouldn’t be like this—hiding behind closed doors, kissing each other.
But Xu Cong’s kisses were too hot.
So hot that Xia Yan trembled all over, unable to utter a single word.
…..
Half a month later, Xu Cong had already taken leave to attend his grandfather’s birthday.
Everyone in the group knew about it and jokingly told him to send their regards.
Only Xia Yan knew that Xu Cong wasn’t just going home for the celebration—there was likely another purpose to this trip.
He stood aside, his expression unreadable.
Xu Cong had already packed his suitcase.
They all had work later and couldn’t see him off.
Not that Xu Cong needed it—he wasn’t a child leaving home for the first time. They spent so much time flying between cities that they had long grown used to it.
Dragging his suitcase, Xu Cong took a few steps forward, then turned back to look at Xia Yan.
“I’ll bring you guys gifts,” he said, though his gaze was locked on Xia Yan. “If there’s anything you want, just tell me.”
Xia Yan stood by the railing, turning his face away as if he hadn’t heard.
Xu Cong chuckled softly, said no more, and left with his suitcase.
Xia Yan also got ready and soon after, left with Bai Yu.
That day, he had a commercial shoot.
It was a solo ad.
Although D.A was a group, they had distinct personal styles and individual career paths. Naturally, brands would approach them separately, choosing members whose image best fit their brand.
That day, Xia Yan was shooting an ad for KUNO’s new smartphone, with silver and black as the featured colors.
As he was getting his makeup done, Bai Yu chatted with the makeup artist about his upcoming film ‘The Moon by the Silent River’.
But Xia Yan wasn’t paying attention.
Had Xu Cong landed yet?
He wondered.
Pinggang was only three hours away—barely a blink.
Xu Cong had taken four days off. The first day was for meeting with family, the second for the birthday celebration, the third for the blind date.
If things went well, they might even arrange another date the next day.
A perfectly scheduled plan, without a single gap.
At that thought, Xia Yan’s eyelids twitched violently, and the eyeliner pen slipped, drawing an uneven line across his eyelid.
The makeup artist gasped and quickly grabbed a cotton pad to fix it.
Xia Yan realized it was his own fault and quickly apologized. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” the makeup artist said with a smile, reapplying foundation and eyeshadow. She added kindly, “You must be really tired—your eyelids are extra sensitive. I’ll be more gentle.”
Xia Yan smiled at her.
For the rest of the day, he was utterly distracted.
But thanks to his professionalism, he still completed the shoot successfully.
When work ended, he returned to the dormitory, lay on his bed, and opened the D.A group chat.
The group chat consisted of five members plus Bai Yu, their manager.
A few hours ago, Xu Cong had checked in on their group chat, even sending a picture of his dinner.
From the photo, Xia Yan could tell that he had already met up with his family. Seated at the table, he recognized Xu Cong’s parents and older brother.
But after that, Xu Cong hadn’t sent another word, disappearing like a drop of water into the ocean—completely silent.
Xia Yan placed his phone on his chest.
With Xu Cong gone, things were finally peaceful. Xiao Ning and Lin Qixu were still at work and hadn’t returned yet. Ye Zhaoyang was in the study playing games.
The villa suddenly felt eerily quiet.
Lying in bed, he no longer had to worry about Xu Cong sneaking into his room out of nowhere—kissing him, holding him, or even doing something more outrageous.
Yet, he didn’t feel relieved.
He didn’t let out a deep breath or feel like he could finally sleep soundly, as he had imagined.
He pressed his fingers to his lips.
Just yesterday, before leaving, Xu Cong had come into his room.
But he hadn’t done anything excessive. He had only left a light kiss on his lips.
Then, he had asked, “Xia Yan, do you think I’ll ever be able to fall in love with someone else?”
At that moment, Xia Yan’s heart skipped a beat.
He stared at Xu Cong, completely at a loss, unsure of what answer to give.
Saying “yes” felt too eager, too cruel to Xu Cong.
But saying “no” was even crueler.
Fortunately, Xu Cong didn’t seem to need an answer.
“I think it’ll be difficult,” he had said. “After loving you, it feels impossible to love someone else.”
Then he smiled at Xia Yan. “But if I don’t try, how would I know?”
“Before I go, though, I still want to ask you—do you want me to meet someone else, Xia Yan?”
That was the last thing Xu Cong had asked him yesterday.
~Do you want me to meet someone else?
As an alpha, meeting an omega—confirming their attraction through pheromones, leaving behind a hint of ambiguous possibility.
It didn’t necessarily mean anything.
It was just a blind date—an arrangement made by their parents, likely nothing more than a formality in the end.
But at least Xu Cong was finally willing to consider someone other than him.
Xia Yan covered his face with his hands. He hadn’t been able to answer that question yesterday.
Because deep down, he resisted the idea. The thought of Xu Cong meeting another Omega—one with a 90% compatibility rate—made him feel uneasy.
But that was wrong.
He hadn’t even figured out his own feelings. He couldn’t say if his possessiveness toward Xu Cong stemmed from friendship or something more. What right did he have to interfere with Xu Cong’s decision?
So he had said, “That’s your decision to make.”
But now, Xu Cong was really gone.
Lying alone in bed, Xia Yan thought about the way Xu Cong had kissed him yesterday.
And he heard a weak voice inside him—
~I don’t want him to go.
He didn’t know how to explain this feeling, but when Xu Cong had pulled his suitcase out the door this morning and turned back to wave at him—
For a split second, Xia Yan had the urge to pull him back.
He wanted to say, Don’t go.
“I should never have watched all those things Zong Yi kept sending me,” Xia Yan grumbled, ruffling his own hair in frustration. He kicked his legs irritably and muttered to himself, “It’s messed up my brain.”
Almost there 🤣🤣 you can so it XY!!!!