09

No matter how bad Shen Dai felt, his expression remained perfectly composed: “How would I confirm it? We don’t know each other at all.”

“Just ask him directly. Try provoking him and see his reaction. He and Qu Chengchen are both wary of me, and it isn’t appropriate for me to get too close to an Omega who has already been marked. “But with you, I believe he’ll seek you out himself. He’s going to be curious about you, just like Qu Chengchen.”

As Qu Moyu was saying this, the coldness in his expression and eyes caused Shen Dai to have doubts for a moment. Was this really the same person who had saved him on two occasions?

“President Qu, I’m not sure what to do.”

“For a top-class Omega, only receiving a temporary mark from their partner is a form of indignity. If you expose him, he’ll likely be so humiliated that he’ll get angry.”

Shen Dai felt an even deeper chill run down his spine: “And what if you’re wrong? What if Qu Chengchen really did mark him?”

“Then you should see a fitting response.”

He was silent for a moment. “Alright.” He simply had no way of refusing Qu Moyu; Every word this person said was undoubtably a command.

“From your point of view, all this falls outside the scope of the contract. In return, you are also free to make a demand.”

“……”

There was always a transactional quality in the way Qu Moyu handled their interactions. This meal wasn’t even a gesture of goodwill to ask for his help, merely the little time he was willing to spare him from his busy schedule.

“Don’t forget what I said the last time. You now have a bargaining chip to play.”

His heart started beating with a series of drumbeats. He didn’t know if Qu Moyu really didn’t understand or was pretending to not understand. What he had was just a coin, seeing his opponent's stack of chips, how could he dare to play? What confidence would he have to make a demand? Even if he were to go all in, all he could win back at best were a few coins. Nothing more.

So he cautiously put forward his request: “May I add you on WeChat?”

Qu Moyu narrowed his eyes slightly. His gaze which was directed at Shen Dai now had an added layer of scrutiny.

Shen Dai immediately began to explain. "I can't think of anything right now, but since you asked, could I have the chance to get back to you later? I don't usually get to see you, so this way, once something comes to mind, I can tell you right away? For example, the idea of returning every weekend, that also came to me out of the blue." Pausing for a moment, he added, "I won't bother you for no reason.”

The corners of Qu Moyu’s lips turned up slightly, causing Shen Dai’s heart to skip a beat.

That barely perceivable smile seemed to carry a bit of mockery, but then again, it could just be that he lacked self confidence and was thinking too much.

“Of course,” replied Qu Moyu, pushing his phone over to Shen Dai.

・・・ 

Back in his room, Shen Dai’s heartbeat still hadn’t returned to normal. He looked at Qu Moyu’s profile picture. It was a section of dark gray, coarse, worn out tree bark, full of deep grains which had the imposing manner of craggy odd rock formations found on mountains. Every cracked valley was hiding an unknowable story.

His first thought was that it was exactly the type of profile picture someone like Qu Moyu would use.

But what kind of person was Qu Moyu anyway?

It seemed as if the Qu Moyu glimpsed from the perspective of the outside world and the public, the Qu Moyu from three years ago who held him closely in his arms, and the Qu Moyu he could have close access to now were three completely different people. Revealing little of himself but concealing so much more; This person was an enigma.

He clicked expectantly into Qu Moyu’s WeChat Moments page but, unsurprisingly, found only a single grey line. He didn’t feel that Qu Moyu would have blocked him, rather, it had always been empty.

Yet he was still happy to have gotten a little closer to Qu Moyu, and to have the possibility of contacting him at any time.

He knew these types of thoughts were dangerous. One shouldn't have high hopes for things that one couldn't have. But this wasn’t him proactively trying to get closer; it was that he had been dragged here. His light was so close, tempting him with its brightness and warmth, what other choice did he have left?

・・・ 

Shen Dai knew that sooner or later, he would not only have to face You Xinghai, but also that younger brother with a different mother, whom he had never met, but whose life could be accessed through various snippets at any time on the internet.

These so-called wealthy families were such slaves to formalities. Both sides clearly knew why Qu Moyu had married him, yet they still had to go through this meaningless exercise of visiting the relatives. Just like Qu Moyu insisting that he live at the Qu residence; it was all for the sake of outward appearances.

When he saw him, You Xinghai put on an exaggerated show of affection, as if afraid that Qu Moyu would dislike him - the substitute - for being too much of an embarrassment. “A-Dai, you’re back.”

Shen Dai held back his nausea and greeted him, “Dad,” before moving his gaze over to the person behind him.

Even though images and videos of him were recommended so frequently that they seemed to fill the entire internet, even though Shen Dai felt as if he had already been forced to admire every possible angle of this person’s gorgeous life and face, nothing could compare to the shock of seeing him in the flesh.

You Boyue was so beautiful he resembled a mannequin generated by artificial intelligence. Even the curvature of his bangs appeared to be the optimal solution selected through repeated algorithmic approximations. But when he smiled, he appeared full of life.

You Boyue was smiling in his direction, but of course, this smile was meant for Qu Moyu.

“Yu-ge.” You Boyue strolled over, meeting Qu Moyu’s gaze in a natural and relaxed way, without the slightest hint of shyness. “Haven't seen you in a while!”

What kind of familiarity, or maybe you could say audacity, would allow an Omega to face a top Alpha so calmly? This wasn't a question of psychology but a question of physiology, just like seeing a tiger, could anyone not be afraid?

Qu Moyu laughed, “Actually, I see you all the time on the internet.”

“Oh don’t make fun of me. I’m just doing some promotional work to earn a bit of extra money. Could I even compare to someone like President Qu who attends to hundreds of important matters every day?” The corners of You Boyue’s eyes had a smile that gave him charm; they were warm and exuberant, and had a kind of unwitting seductive quality. He then turned his attention to Shen Dai, his expression still very composed. “Hello, Shen, Dai.”

“Pleased to meet you,” returned Shen Dai, nodding his head with a slight smile. He picked up a faint note of tuberose* pheromones. The scent was fresh and refined. Even he liked it, and he wasn’t even an Alpha. At the same time, he also picked up the scent of the Asian Hazel* alpha pheromones belonging to Qu Chengchen.

You Boyue quietly looked Shen Dai over with a gaze that was reserved yet not impolite. He gave a faint smile, as though he had something to say, yet left it unspoken.

Shen Dai didn’t think that he was overly sensitive, yet the way that You Boyue was acting towards him might have been even more disdainful than Qu Chengchen’s outright attempts to embarrass him. Of course, he could understand - You Boyue’s feelings toward him were probably just as complicated.

“How about Chengchen?” inquired Qu Moyu.

“He’s a little late, something came up.” You Boyue glanced at his phone. “He’ll be here soon.”

“You both can have a chat. I have something to discuss with President You.” Qu Moyu gestured politely for You Xinghai to go ahead first.

You Xinghai added, "Xiao Yue, why don’t you take A-Dai somewhere to relax."

“Alright.”

After the two of them had walked away, Shen Dai and You Boyue were left standing there, and the atmosphere stiffened for a moment. Shen Dai was someone who was completely unafraid of awkwardness, so he simply stood there blankly. He had indeed agreed to sound You Boyue out for Qu Moyu, but no matter how the conversation would begin, it would have to be You Boyue who dropped his guard and spoke first. And Shen Dai was confident that he would. 

Sure enough, You Boyue asked, “Shall I bring you around to meet the relatives?”

Shen Dai cast a glance over the relatives in attendance. They were all discreetly sizing him up, yet none of them stepped forward. He was just the illegitimate son that You Xinghai had once tossed aside like an old shoe, and now that there was something to gain, he had taken him back, so no one was particularly eager to build any connection with him.

"It’s fine," Shen Dai replied.

"I heard that you work at the Rare Earth Research Institute at the Starship Corporation? You must be a whiz at studying," You Boyue remarked.

"Not at all, it’s just an ordinary job," replied Shen Dai.

You Boyue tilted his head as he looked at him and said with a bright smile, "Is it that you daren't look at me, or that you can’t stand me?"

Looking into You Boyue’s eyes, Shen Dai politely returned a faint smile. "Neither, it’s just that this is the first time we’re meeting. We still haven’t found the right subject to talk about."

“The right subject,” repeated You Boyue, as if he had just heard a joke. “But we have so many subjects in common, the relationship between our parents, the relationship between the both of us, the relationship between the two brothers of the Qu family - It's actually pretty brilliant that we have so many relationships in common, and yet today is only the first time we’re meeting?”

Shen Dai nodded, finding that what he said made sense, “True, so which subject would you like to discuss?”

“Isn’t there something you wanted to ask me?” said You Boyue, returning his question.

Shen Dai contemplated for a moment. “Why you broke off the engagement. You must think I’d be curious about that.”

“And you aren’t curious?”

“I am, but I don’t like to pry into other people’s private affairs.”

“You’re … quite an interesting person,” said You Boyue, raising his eyebrow slightly.

“Once I know your secrets, I’d have to offer mine in return," Shen Dai said, looking indifferently at him. “How about you tell me what you’d like to know and I’ll see if I can tell you?”

“It’s so easy talking with intelligent people,” said You Boyue with a smile. “What I want to know is if you and Yu-ge have slept together?”

“We haven’t.”

“And do you want him to mark you?”

“It’s only a cooperative relationship, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”

“You’re avoiding the question.”

Shen Dai furrowed his brows slightly. “I’ve already answered one of your questions. So now it’s my turn: Why did you break off the engagement?” From the perspective of most people, nobody would refuse to marry a top Alpha.

You Boyue's gaze drifted off into the distance: “Oh? He didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

“He told me he would never, ever give anyone his mark,” said You Boyue, pouting slightly, with a hint of a mockery in his expression.

Shen Dai was not at all surprised by this answer.

“If I can’t even get his mark, then what claim do I have?”

“…Is a mark really all that important?”

“If it’s an ordinary Alpha’s mark, then of course it isn’t - his family’s entire fortune for three generations might amount to no more than an apartment in the city. But with the Qu family...,” he trailed off, giving Shen Dai a wink in his direction. 

“So, did you get what you wanted after all?” Shen Dai looked at You Boyue, his gaze calm yet imbued with a sort of detached sense of power. “What Qu Chengchen gave you was only a temporary mark, wasn’t it?”

You Boyue’s eyes widened immediately.

 

 1. tuberose | 晚香玉 : You Boyue’s pheromone scent is the tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa), a fragrant perennial known for its intensely scented, waxy white flowers, whose extracts are commonly used in perfumery.

 

2. Asian Hazel | 榛木 : Qu Chengchen's pheromone is described as being that of the Asian Hazel (Corylus heterophylla), a deciduous shrub or small tree native to eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Siberia), widely recognized for producing edible hazelnuts and being highly cold-hardy.