What was that play about? Liang Yan couldn’t really remember.
He hadn’t even managed to spot Yin Tongguang—or rather, he hadn’t seriously tried. The villain’s presence was simply too overwhelming. Not just him, but many others were captivated by the Omega on stage, who looked completely different from usual. If it weren’t for the engaging plot and the strong performances from the entire cast, the audience might have focused solely on Ji Qiu.
So, it wasn’t that Liang Yan couldn’t take his eyes off him—it was just that Ji Qiu was too eye-catching.
That’s how Liang Yan rationalized it.
Ji Qiu didn’t make many movements, but every gesture was packed with tension.
Liang Yan wasn’t sure if the whip in Ji Qiu’s hand was a prop, but every time Ji Qiu, wearing military boots, leaned lazily with a hand resting on his bent knee and cracked the whip with a loud snap, the sheer pressure could be felt without him uttering a word.
Ji Qiu was dazzling—so dazzling that every time he casually glanced toward the audience, Liang Yan instinctively held his breath, even feeling the urge to look away.
Yet, perhaps it was Liang Yan’s imagination, but he had the distinct feeling that the warlord’s gaze always lingered on him momentarily, as if piercing through the crowd to meet his own.
Wearing a military cap that shaded his exquisitely attractive features, Ji Qiu’s expression remained inscrutable. Only the faint, mocking curve of his lips stood out—sharp and provocative.
No wonder he’s so good at acting in general. Turns out, he’s a natural showman, Liang Yan thought.
In that moment, memories of Ji Qiu’s past antics suddenly felt somewhat surreal.
Nevertheless, the play’s overall tone remained uplifting. The lawless warlord ultimately couldn’t escape justice. He was utterly defeated. Yet, proud as he was, he would never stoop to becoming someone’s prisoner. At the climax, the warlord laughed freely and wildly, his voice crisp and unrestrained, as if all his past atrocities had nothing to do with him.
After laughing, he flung his military cap aside, stood tall, and pointed his sidearm at his own temple, pulling the trigger without hesitation.
“Bang!”
The gunshot reverberated through the venue, shaking the audience to their core. The stage lights went out at the same moment, like a somber elegy to his end.
Perhaps it was the stunning stage effects, or maybe the gunshot was simply too shocking, but Liang Yan felt his chest tremble violently with the sound. The reverberation was so intense it made his spine tingle.
After a moment, the lights came back on. The curtain rose to reveal the righteous protagonists raising their flags, singing triumphantly of their victory.
The warlord, however, did not reappear for the final bow. All that lingered was the crisp echo of military boots striding across the floor, reverberating in the ears of the audience.
Liang Yan blinked, realizing his eyes had been open for so long they felt faintly sore.
The actors left the stage amid thunderous applause.
Behind him, classmates from various departments were showering Ji Qiu’s performance with effusive praise. Liang Yan, however, didn’t catch a word of it.
He had even forgotten to applaud, stunned by the rare moment of daze overtaking him.
It felt as though… the Omega he thought he knew was just a façade of his acting. The person on stage, radiating tension with every movement, felt like the truest version of him.
Unbidden, Liang Yan found his mind drifting back to the contours of Ji Qiu’s frame under the constraints of his uniform, the firm line of his waist held in place by a cold, rigid belt, and the faint motion of his Adam’s apple as he threw his head back in laughter.
…And the unique, heady spice of his pheromones.
“Pretty impressive,” Lai Qiutong remarked, clapping as she turned to glance at Liang Yan. “I almost couldn’t find Yin Tongguang.”
Snapping out of his trance, Liang Yan nodded hurriedly to cover his lapse. “Yeah.”
“Want some water?” Lai Qiutong noticed his dry throat and pulled a bottle of soda water from her bag, handing it to him.
“Thanks.” He unscrewed the cap and took a deep gulp.
The strange feeling from earlier lingered. Liang Yan almost hoped the cold drink could wash it away, soothing the odd, unidentifiable vibrations in his chest.
Lai Qiutong chuckled lightly, as if talking about something utterly inconsequential, and whispered, “You know, don’t you?”
Liang Yan froze mid-sip, the bottle in his hand suddenly feeling scalding to the touch.
Lai Qiutong said nothing more, but her tone left no room for doubt, as if she was entirely certain Liang Yan understood exactly what she meant.
Liang Yan lowered his gaze, finally calming down. He twisted the bottle cap shut, one turn at a time, before answering, “Mm.”
Lai Qiutong didn’t beat around the bush. “How much do you know?”
“Not much,” Liang Yan replied evenly, his voice devoid of emotion. “I only know he’s an Alpha and that there’s another person who looks very much like him—an Omega named Ji Yang.”
He lied to me… and even temporarily marked me.
Liang Yan left the last part unsaid.
“Ji Yang was his only brother,” Lai Qiutong continued quickly. “But he’s already… you know that much.”
“It wasn’t intentional on his part. Ever since he enrolled, his ID card listed his secondary gender as Omega. The situation is a bit complicated, and I can’t reveal too much.”
“I understand that hiding some truths from you is unfair. But Ji Yang was indeed one of the first victims of KB’s 1.0 inhibitor. Ji Qiu’s family situation is a mess, and his late differentiation didn’t help. After Ji Yang’s accident, their mother started behaving strangely, and they haven’t found a good way to resolve it.”
“But please believe me—Xiao Qiu bears no malice toward you. I hope you can keep this secret for him for now. When the time is right, he won’t hide it from you anymore.”
“And you are…”
How do you know all this?
Liang Yan didn’t ask aloud, but Lai Qiutong seemed to anticipate the question. She raised an eyebrow. “Me?”
She smiled brightly, but there was an almost imperceptible melancholy in her eyes. “I’m Ji Yang’s only Alpha.”
Liang Yan was about to say something when a figure came running toward him. Upon closer look, it was Yin Tongguang, who had been a background character in the earlier play. “Yan Yan, I’m back! Did you guys spot me earlier?”
Lai Qiutong leaned back into her seat, smiling. “We did, we did! You were the one standing next to the second female lead, right?”
Yin Tongguang nodded enthusiastically. “Yan Yan, did you see me?”
Liang Yan, who hadn’t seen him at all because his eyes were glued to the warlord, hesitated. “…Mm.”
He couldn’t bear to hurt his roommate’s feelings.
Fortunately, Yin Tongguang didn’t press further. He plopped back into his seat to watch the performance with them.
Liang Yan, however, was still processing what Lai Qiutong had told him. He felt like he’d uncovered something, but the pieces of information were too fragmented to form a complete picture.
Soon, though, another commotion arose in the crowd.
This feels familiar… Liang Yan thought. It must have something to do with Ji Qiu again.
Sure enough, as the emcee announced the next act, the audience buzzed with excitement.
“A fashion show! Is it the one I’ve been waiting for?”
“Qiu Qiu! Qiu Qiu’s coming out again!!”
“How do you know?”
“I just know!! He’s participating in this segment too! Such a hardworking king!!”
“Ah, Mom, today was so worth it…”
Liang Yan remembered Ji Qiu casually mentioning that he’d joined an eco-friendly fashion show, but he hadn’t paid much attention at the time. After Ji Qiu’s impressive performance in the earlier play, though, Liang Yan’s curiosity got the better of him. Feigning nonchalance, he lifted his head, preparing to watch intently.
And then—
A “beggar” strutted onto the runway with the poise of a professional model.
Ji Qiu was dressed in a suit made of newspapers and recycled bags. On his head was a peculiar hat crafted from unknown materials, and he carried a handbag shaped like a trash-sorting bin. As he walked, he began winking flirtatiously at the audience.
…Admittedly, the beggar outfit didn’t look half bad.
But as Ji Qiu swayed his hips with every step, Liang Yan finally couldn’t hold back. He raised a hand to his forehead and turned his face away.
This kind of Alpha should just be thrown into the hazardous waste bin.
[mfn]If you enjoy my translations, feel free to support me by leaving a comment below or sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you, and happy reading! -TL: Ysiad ❤️[/mfn]
