GBROTAH CH47

“Now that you’re willing to cooperate with the treatment, and the medical team has been reassembled, you shouldn’t be as careless as before.”

“I’ve told you repeatedly, your pheromone fluctuations shouldn’t be too intense! Suppressants have kept them down for too long. Do you understand how much damage it causes when they’re pushed to the limit and then violently rebound?”

“You have to listen to medical advice.”

“Last night, your pheromone level readings were off the charts. When the medical team told me this morning, it scared me into climbing out of bed at six AM.”

“Even though, even though you’re my employer, you still call me ‘Uncle,’ so can’t you consider my heart?”

On the second floor, in a room, a phone placed in front of a treadmill by a large French window blared, a nagging, motherly voice chattering away.

Shen Bianye ran, the words smoothly gliding through his cerebral cortex, leaving no ripple.

Until Dr. Li said, “Do you still want to get better? This is the most hopeful time.”

Shen Bianye reached out and stopped the treadmill. The mechanical wristband he usually wore was gone, replaced by a blue and white bracelet.

It looked a little strange, with red numbers ticking on the screen.

“If I didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have asked you to put this handcuff on me.”

Now, though he didn’t have to be observed 24 hours a day like a monkey in a glass room, wearing it still brought back those disgusting memories.

Dr. Li: “Then last night?”

Shen Bianye fell uncomfortably silent for a moment and said, “You don’t need to worry about what happened last night.”

Because of a sweet bite of Xie Yuanxing, his pheromone fluctuations were so violent that the entire medical team couldn’t sit still. At six in the morning, they woke up the main person in charge to call him and inquire about the situation.

Such an embarrassing thing, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

Shen Bianye lost the mood to exercise. He went to the bathroom for a shower. When he came out, the auntie had already prepared breakfast and set it on the table.

His mood was chaotic. While eating, he mindlessly scrolled through short videos.

One clip showed fireworks exploding.

Another, “Lesser-known fireworks cities you’ve never heard of.”

And another, “The most comprehensive fireworks town travel guide on the entire internet.”

Shen Bianye’s face darkened, and he turned off his phone. He furrowed his brows, thought for a moment, and then understood.

Although he had already tasted sweetness, all his initial preparations had been invested. If he didn’t take Xie Yuanxing, wouldn’t all that preparation be for nothing?

It was simply to avoid wasting his efforts.

He knew that he never planned trips for himself. Now that he had made plans, he couldn’t let them go to waste.

Now, all he needed to think about was what excuse to use and when to persuade Xie Yuanxing to go.

New Year’s Eve and Spring Festival were too grand; they could easily lead to misunderstandings.

But…

Young Master Shen clicked his tongue. These two days, if Xie Yuanxing spent them alone, it would be a bit too pitiful.

No one understood Xie Yuanxing’s situation better than he did. Both his parents were deceased. As for relatives, the close ones were in jail, not worth mentioning, and the distant ones were so far that they couldn’t be reached.

And to say his friendship with that shriveled monkey was good? Pure nonsense.

Shen Bianye thought back to the scene he saw when he went to the dorm last night: a dimly lit room, guarding a steaming small pot, Xie Yuanxing sitting beside it with his chin in his hand, lost in thought.

Clearly all alone.

How did he feel happy and content?

Was it because there was too much suffering and too little possessed, so losing the greatest suffering and gaining a little made him feel satisfied?

Shen Bianye irritably opened his phone, switched accounts, and opened the chat window. Just as he was about to send a message, he paused.

Let X accompany Xie Yuanxing through the New Year, a pitch-black New Year?

Clearly inappropriate.

X: “It’s almost New Year. What are baby’s plans for New Year?”

Xie Yuanxing received the message just as he arrived at his part-time job. He took out his work badge and put it on. As he looked down to reply, the blue lanyard swayed.

Xie Yuanxing: “I’ll be on duty here for New Year.”

X: “?”

X: “No holiday for New Year?”

X: “Is it mandatory duty?”

X: “Quit, baby. I’ll make up this month’s and next month’s salary for you.”

Xie Yuanxing: “No, I volunteered.”

“There’s triple overtime pay during the New Year period, so I applied for it.”

X: “Baby works too hard. You just started working right after school let out, and you won’t rest for New Year. After work, you’ll go back to school.”

X: “Your body won’t be able to handle it.”

Xie Yuanxing: “Anyway, there’s nothing else to do. Working isn’t that tiring, and I even have one day off a week.”

“And New Year’s Day itself is a holiday. I can rest, and it still counts towards duty pay.”

“I have to work now. Talk to you later.”

The bell for the first class rang throughout the second and third floors. Xie Yuanxing put his phone on silent and walked into the classroom through the back door.

A City’s first snow arrived belatedly on New Year’s Eve. Xie Yuanxing walked to work, burying his face deeper into his dark blue scarf.

The streets were deserted, yet red decorations were plastered everywhere, a contradictory blend of coldness and festivity.

He walked to the usual breakfast shop where he bought steamed buns. Seeing the “closed for three days for New Year” note on the door, Xie Yuanxing sighed and turned to walk upstairs.

The usually lively second floor was now empty. Xie Yuanxing took out his key, opened the door, and sat at the front desk, staring blankly for a while. He then brought out a pile of exercise books from the office to mark.

The phone at the front desk rang, breaking the silence of the entire floor.

Xie Yuanxing quickly put down his pen and answered, “Hello, Hongwang Education. How may I help you?”

The voice on the other end made him pause.

X: “Baby, good morning.”

Xie Yuanxing instinctively smiled in surprise, his eyes still a little bewildered, “How did you…?”

X: “I looked up the front desk number online.”

X: “Didn’t baby say you’d be on duty? I guessed you’d be sitting at the front desk, so I called to try.”

X: “Is Xingxing sitting alone at the front desk?”

Xie Yuanxing hummed twice, then heard X say, “Are you the lucky cat baby sitting at the front desk?”

X: “When I open my company in the future, I’ll ask baby to sit at the front desk. You won’t have to do anything, or receive guests, just sit there and play.”

X: “Baby is so beautiful, putting you at the front desk will definitely bring wealth and treasures.”

Xie Yuanxing chuckled, his ears red, and said, “Keeping someone who only collects salary and doesn’t work will lead to bankruptcy.”

X: “I wouldn’t be keeping anyone else, just baby.”

X: “I ordered breakfast for baby. If baby already ate, just set it aside. If not, eat it when the delivery arrives.”

Xie Yuanxing was a little surprised: “Did you guess I hadn’t eaten breakfast?”

X: “It’s New Year’s Eve today. Most shops are closed. Just in case, I ordered it.”

X: “If baby is the only one there, the cafeteria won’t have food, right? I also pre-ordered lunch for baby. It will be delivered at noon.”

The meals Shen Bianye had High Uncle deliver were only dinner, because Shen Bianye didn’t know where Xie Yuanxing worked, and it was impossible for him to have another meal delivered to Xie Yuanxing’s workplace.

Shen Bianye’s identity made it difficult to do too much; X could simply pick up the slack where he couldn’t.

Xie Yuanxing felt a lump in his chest, yet also as if he had been flushed with syrup. X could think of all these minute details; it was truly hard for him not to be moved.

He lowered his gaze, his long, thick eyelashes fluttering like butterflies, and whispered, “Thank you.”

X chuckled gently: “Baby doesn’t need to thank me.”

X: “If you must say it, ‘Thank you, hubby,’ would be better.”

Xie Yuanxing pursed his lips, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, “Thank you, hubby.”

?

What did he just hear?

The busy signal from the hung-up call came from the phone. Shen Bianye looked down at his tented blanket and silently cursed.

His pheromones were more useless than anything.

Some reactions were almost completely beyond his control.

Damn.

Xie Yuanxing had no idea of the reaction his words caused. He knew his relationship with X wouldn’t last, so he cherished the present.

He would oblige X’s wishes, however embarrassing.

Not long after hanging up, his own phone rang again.

The delivery driver walked out from the second-floor entrance. Seeing him, he smiled, placed the takeout on the front desk, and said, “Happy New Year.”

Xie Yuanxing was momentarily stunned, then smiled faintly, “Happy New Year.”

After eating breakfast, Xie Yuanxing tidied up the trash, turned on the heater, and sat back down to work. There wasn’t much to do, actually, and it was even more relaxed than usual.

Outside, firecrackers occasionally popped and crackled. Xie Yuanxing sat on the second floor, smelling a faint whiff of gunpowder, like sulfur, in the air.

It was quite similar to the smell of Shen Bianye’s pheromones.

…He shook his head, clearing the strange person from his mind.

Why think of Shen Bianye? He might as well focus on writing his class summary.

At the Shen family old mansion, before the New Year’s Eve dinner even began, the scent of gunpowder already permeated the air.

Shen Sanye looked at his son and said, “Afeng, after the New Year, go and help your eldest uncle. You can’t be idle like others; you need to work harder.”

Shen Bianye sat lazily on the sofa, not even lifting his eyes. “Don’t bother working hard. With his nickname, no matter how hard he tries, he’ll only be good for composting.”

Shen Sanye’s face instantly turned livid, and the young man beside him was too choked to speak.

Second Aunt quickly tried to smooth things over: “Xiao Ye, that’s not right of you.”

“How can you say your cousin is…”

Shen Bianye: “Did I say anything?”

“Second Aunt, you worry too much. You want to manage Third Uncle’s affairs, and you want to manage our family’s affairs too.”

“You and Second Uncle-in-law send one Omega after another to my father. Those who know would say you care about my father’s romantic life. Those who don’t would think you’re pimping.”

An Omega sitting in the far corner also looked displeased and spoke softly, delicately, “Xiao Ye, how can you say that?”

Shen Bianye: “Didn’t the madam teach you to be cautious before successfully climbing up the social ladder?”

He played his game with both hands, yet it was as if he slapped everyone he saw.

Until footsteps came from the staircase of the old mansion, the Omega bit his lip, stood up, and called out, “Mr. Shen… Young Mr. Shen, he…”

Shen Zheng took one look at the atmosphere in the living room and knew what had happened. He said coldly, “He’s sick, don’t mind him.”

Then he turned to Shen Bianye and said, “Don’t you know what to say on a festive New Year’s day?”

“When your grandfather comes down later, watch your mouth.”

“Sometimes I really can’t understand, was your mother worried to death by your illness, or angered to death by your mouth?”

Shen Bianye’s hands paused on his game, and he sneered, “Shen Zheng, you’re destined to die without an heir in this life.”

Second Aunt got a slap, Third Uncle got a slap, the Omega got a slap, and his own father got two slaps.

As Shen Zheng’s face turned livid, Shen Bianye scoffed and stood up. “Boring.”

He threw the game console aside and walked away without looking back.

Behind him were a few people feigning shouts, making Shen Bianye nauseous.

Everyone in the old mansion knew he had a short life. Each and every one of them wished he would die sooner, eyeing his inheritance. His father thought of having another child to raise and take over the company.

They used to be more restrained, but now as time passed, and more and more people asserted that he couldn’t be cured, they seemed to grow more impatient. Third Uncle dared to speak in front of him, and Second Aunt’s family even dared to have the Omega who had recently been following Shen Zheng come directly to the old mansion.

Shen Bianye didn’t care about eating New Year’s Eve dinner, but getting cursed at one by one during New Year’s was also very unlucky.

Shen Bianye checked the time and called Zhou Chao and Lu Qiang.

At 7 PM, Xie Yuanxing pressed his finger on the time clock at the entrance, turned off the lights, locked the door, and walked down from the second floor.

The streets had only a few people, and strings of festive red lanterns hung from the trees.

Maybe he should buy a small lantern to hang in his dorm too, but he probably wouldn’t find any place still open selling such trinkets now.

As Xie Yuanxing was thinking, he saw Shen Bianye walking past the entrance.

The other person seemed even more surprised to see him. Shen Bianye: “What are you doing here?”

Xie Yuanxing: “…I work here.”

Shen Bianye seemed to look up at the Hongwang Education sign behind him and said, “Off work?”

“That’s good. Come with me.”

“Since we ran into each other, I’ll bite you today. It saves me the trouble of going to your dorm in a couple of days.”

Xie Yuanxing tilted his head, revealing his smooth nape, “Just bite me here.”

Shen Bianye ground his teeth, laughing in exasperation: “I told you, biting someone’s neck in the street is no different from doing it in public.”

“Just because you’re a Beta, you can be so reckless? Have some shame, will you?”

Xie Yuanxing was silent and speechless. To him, the difference between the two was huge.

But Shen Bianye had his Alpha pride. He could only rephrase, “Where are we going? Can we just find a corner?”

Shen Bianye snorted, “Just follow me. You’re lucky you ran into me today.”

?

How was he lucky?

A steaming hot roasted sweet potato with a spoon stuck in it appeared before him, interrupting Xie Yuanxing’s thoughts. Xie Yuanxing tilted his head, looking at Shen Bianye with a puzzled expression.

His eyes were dark and round, and a little snow clung to his thick eyelashes, trembling as he blinked, as if falling softly onto Shen Bianye’s heart.

Not cold, but a little itchy.

Shen Bianye coughed uncomfortably and said, “Didn’t I have a bowl of your noodles last time? This sweet potato is to compensate you. I don’t feel like eating it anyway.”

Xie Yuanxing took it, his slightly cold hands warmed by the sweet potato.

A light snow was falling from the sky. He held the steaming sweet potato and ate it, while Shen Bianye carried a bag in one hand. The two, unusually harmonious, walked forward together.

Shen Bianye was heading to a restaurant further down the road from where Xie Yuanxing worked. It seemed that Shen Bianye encountering him near Xie Yuanxing’s workplace was just a coincidence.

Lu Qiang and Zhou Chao, already seated, were surprised to see Shen Bianye enter with Xie Yuanxing.

Zhou Chao: “You two are…?”

Shen Bianye: “I ran into him on the way here. Might as well bring him along.”

Lu Qiang then said, “Xie Yuanxing, right?”

“Just call me Lu Qiang.”

Xie Yuanxing greeted him, feeling a little impressed by the man’s sturdiness. Just as he was about to shake hands, a menu was thrust into his hand.

Lu Qiang’s hand hung awkwardly in the air, and Xie Yuanxing, holding the menu, was also caught off guard.

Only Shen Bianye, who had handed him the menu, looked normal. “Order whatever you like to eat. Otherwise, I bring you here, and you’ll say I didn’t feed you.”

Xie Yuanxing: “…Okay.”

Zhou Chao, watching the scene, had a teasing glint in his narrow eyes. He said, “Just order freely, don’t be shy. Shen Bianye’s paying for everything.”

Shen Bianye glanced at him. Zhou Chao: “Bro, it’s New Year’s Eve, and you’re out to eat with me. It’d be a bit much if you didn’t treat us, wouldn’t it?”

Zhou Chao leaned forward and tapped the table in front of Xie Yuanxing. “Order all the expensive stuff.”

Lu Qiang had already pulled his hand back and sat down, grinning, “Let’s drink something, it’s New Year. How can we not drink?”

This was a music restaurant and bar, so alcohol was the last thing they lacked.

Although it was New Year’s Eve, there were still quite a few people here, mostly young people, gathered together lively. A singer on stage was playing a guitar, their voice becoming the accompaniment to the lively atmosphere.

Xie Yuanxing still remembered his three-drink limit from the last mixer and handed the menu over. “I don’t drink. You guys order.”

Shen Bianye also remembered the mixer from last time and was somewhat tempted, the scales in his mind wavering.

One side felt that doing so was bad, too intentional.

The other side thought of nothing, just felt greedy.

After wavering for a moment, he regretfully thought, Forget it.

He just didn’t want Xie Yuanxing to like him. If he deliberately plied someone with alcohol, it would be a bit annoying.

The food was ordered, the drinks too. While waiting, there was nothing else to do but chat.

Zhou Chao’s gaze swept back and forth between the two opposite him. He deliberately said, “Speaking of which, how did you two end up together?”

“Didn’t winter break already start?”

Shen Bianye: “He works at that intersection ahead. I happened to run into him when I came over.”

He clicked his tongue, “Seeing him working alone on New Year’s Eve, I felt sorry for him, so I brought him along for a meal.”

Xie Yuanxing, like a mushroom, murmured, “I’m not pitiful.”

Shen Bianye ignored him. Zhou Chao also paid no mind to that remark, and instead said, “Oh~ by chance.”

“Speaking of which, this restaurant is…”

Shen Bianye gave him a cold glance. A hint of mischief flashed in Zhou Chao’s eyes, and he changed his words, “It’s where I ate last time I came. The food was pretty good, which is why I invited you here today.”

He gestured towards the poster on the wall in front, “Their signature Flaming Drunken Goose is excellent. Did you order it?”

Shen Bianye: “If you didn’t order it, order it now. Anyway, you picked the place, so you’re treating.”

Zhou Chao: …

Heh, who booked the place, they knew.

Lu Qiang said to Xie Yuanxing, “Speaking of which, I’ve seen your photos many times, but this is the first time I’ve seen you in person.”

Xie Yuanxing looked at him in confusion, “My photos?”

Lu Qiang: “Oh, you probably don’t know, I was involved in your aunt and uncle’s situation a bit.”

He didn’t specify how he was involved, but Xie Yuanxing didn’t need to think to know that “involved” meant he had helped.

The dishes were served one by one, and the wine had already been placed on the table.

Xie Yuanxing stood up, opened the wine bottle, poured himself a glass, and said seriously, “Thank you.”

He gulped down the wine, enduring the spiciness without frowning.

Lu Qiang: “Hey, hey, hey! Just a sip will do, hey, hey, wait, wait!”

Xie Yuanxing’s actions were too fast; Lu Qiang couldn’t stop him and watched him finish the drink.

Lu Qiang silently extended his hand towards Shen Bianye, “You can’t blame me for this.”

Then he looked at Xie Yuanxing, “Instead of thanking me, you should thank Shen Bianye. I was helping him too.”

Xie Yuanxing pursed his lips, the wine on his lips drawn into his mouth. He reached out to pour another drink.

Shen Bianye stared at the glass of wine, then at Xie Yuanxing’s moist, full lips. Taking advantage of the situation, on New Year’s Eve, taking advantage of the situation, on New Year’s Eve, these eight words repeatedly rolled and switched in his mind.

Finally, he laboriously pressed down on the rim of the glass, “You don’t need to toast me.”

“I wasn’t helping you, I was helping myself. If you’re in a good mood, I won’t feel so bitter when I eat.”

Eat?

Taste?

Lu Qiang was bewildered. His gaze swept back and forth between Shen Bianye and Xie Yuanxing, his thoughts galloping in a suggestive direction.

He subtly mouthed to Zhou Chao, “Just playing around?”

Meaning, was Shen Bianye just toying with Xie Yuanxing?

Zhou Chao shook his head. These two, for now, should be in a pure patient-and-medicine relationship.

But one gesture and one look couldn’t convey that much, so Lu Qiang directly sucked in a cold breath—then it’s serious!

Shen Bianye really was in an A/B relationship.

But male Betas couldn’t have children. How would he get past his father?

If A/B was acceptable, then A/A?

Shen Bianye had no idea that Lu Qiang had already completely misunderstood. He brought Xie Yuanxing to meet these two. One reason was convenience, the other was that both of them were decent people, and Zhou Chao only messed around a bit in his romantic relationships.

It wouldn’t hurt for Xie Yuanxing to get to know them.

The music in the music restaurant slowly stopped. The host on stage was already warming up for the New Year countdown: “Ten… nine…”

Most people looked up, holding their wine glasses, enthusiastically shouting along: “…six… five…”

Shen Bianye, however, leaned back, seemingly playing with his phone casually.

The New Year’s bell chimed precisely. Xie Yuanxing, along with everyone in the music restaurant, raised his glass in a lively cheer: “Happy New Year!”

His phone buzzed, also precisely receiving a New Year’s greeting.

X: “Happy New Year, baby.”

X: “New Year’s money for baby.”

The restaurant was lively, completely insulating them from the heavy snow outside. Xie Yuanxing didn’t hear his phone buzz, but immediately after the cheer, he picked up his phone.

“Happy New Year!”

“Cat spinning wagging tail.jpg”

Shen Bianye raised his wine glass and tapped the table, “Alright, it’s time for New Year’s red envelopes.”

Zhou Chao: “How old are you?”

Lu Qiang: “Your esteemed age?”

Shen Bianye pointed at Xie Yuanxing, “He’s not even nineteen yet, just a kid, younger than both of you.”

“Hurry up, give him red envelopes.”

Xie Yuanxing, pointed at, was bewildered. He blinked and said, “No…”

He had just said one word when Shen Bianye pressed him down, “What did you think I brought you here for?”

“Of course, it’s to trick them on my behalf. Don’t worry, it’s not for you. The red envelope money is small change to them anyway.”

Zhou Chao said exasperatedly, “Are you really just plain extorting us?”

Lu Qiang: “Next time I’ll bring a seventeen-year-old; you just wait.”

Both were more defiant than the other, yet both were pulling out their phones.

Shen Bianye directly reached for Xie Yuanxing’s phone, tapped on the WeChat QR code, “Next year’s business is for next year. Hurry up.”

It had been a long, long time since Xie Yuanxing had pulled the “no red envelope” move during New Year’s.

Perhaps as a child, it was feigned, but now his desire to refuse was truly immense.

He wanted to take his phone back. Shen Bianye was strong, and his arm was long; he could firmly pin him to one side with one hand. “What’s the rush? Opportunities to extort them don’t come often.”

“You’re really lucky to have run into me this time. Next time, such good fortune won’t be yours.”

He not only took Xie Yuanxing’s phone for him but also collected the money on his behalf.

Only after receiving the transfers did he return the phone to Xie Yuanxing, “Don’t dislike the amount. They’re afraid you’d feel pressured if they transferred too much.”

Xie Yuanxing took it and saw that both of them had transferred eight thousand each.

The pressure was indeed not small, but fortunately, it wasn’t enough to make him afraid to accept.

After leaving the music restaurant, Shen Bianye returned to the old mansion. The bag he had been carrying since the beginning was casually placed aside.

Under the grand crystal chandelier in the living room, the four already cold roasted sweet potatoes in the open bag glowed orange-red in the light.