TCFGBH Chapter 47

This chapter is translated with love specially for PlantGnomon! thank you for your support on Kofi.

—

October 6th.

As the National Day holiday approached its end, people were busy enjoying their final moments of revelry.

There were four resident bands at Third Bar, and the manager, known for his keen business sense, made the most of every opportunity. One of the band’s lead singers recently gained popularity, prompting the manager to swiftly organize a small concert to test the waters.

It was 7:30 PM, half an hour before the concert was set to begin.

The bar was already packed, filled with the scent of alcohol, as people chatted about their favorite bands, claiming to be there for one particular member.

Whenever someone mentioned Xia Yan’s name, they would immediately shake their heads in disdain.

“What’s so great about that idiot? All style, no substance.”

“Exactly! Apart from his looks, he’s got nothing.”

“Well… his singing isn’t bad, right?” someone retorted quietly, somewhat unwilling to give in. “Though he misses the beat sometimes, his voice is really unique.”

“Can you compare that to Carmosido’s lead singer? He’s a professional musician.”

The man was left speechless: “…”

Someone else glanced around, ensuring no one was paying attention, then lowered their voice, “I heard a few Alphas blocked Xia Yan at the bar entrance a few days ago, but his fans beat them up.”

“Must’ve been because he conned someone out of their money again.”

“Of course. Gifting him tens of thousands, and they couldn’t even hold his hand. Who wouldn’t be pissed?”

“He’s just a Beta, but acts like an Omega, playing hard to get.”

The two kept criticizing as if they had witnessed the incident firsthand, condemning the young man based solely on their impressions.

Shen Wenqing sat in the best seat, sipping a low-alcohol fruit drink, listening to the murmured conversations around him.

He was dressed simply yet cleanly, as always. His neatly styled hair revealed a smooth forehead. A black beauty mark near the corner of his eye added a subtle charm to his otherwise cold demeanor.

The most eye-catching detail was the white suppressant patch on the back of his neck, exclusive to Omegas. How could such a graceful, powerful man be an Omega?

It made the Alphas around itch with desire, eager to dominate him, to make him cry and submit beneath them.

A confident, handsome Alpha approached, “Hello, may I sit here?”

Shen Wenqing shot him a cold glance, “No.”

“…”

The man’s expression stiffened, not expecting to be rejected so bluntly. He tried a few more lines, but the answer remained the same each time. Defeated, he slunk away, his pride wounded.

Seeing this, others held back from trying their luck, especially as the concert was about to begin.

At 7:58, the lights in the bar dimmed.

At 8:00, several beams of light illuminated the stage, showcasing the performers in full clarity.

At the front was a young man, about 1.8 meters tall, with carefully styled, soft hair. A few strands were dyed a pale pink, matching the pink earrings he wore.

Dressed in a soft beige silk V-neck shirt, black pants, and vintage drawstring Martin boots, he looked like a noble duke from Northern Europe.

But when his gaze swept across the room, those striking features, pale skin, bright red lips, and a faint, teasing smile left many inwardly cursing.

Elegant, my ass! He’s a devil, seductive and dangerous!

The Sunday band opened with a powerful, high-energy English pop song, instantly stirring up the crowd and sending the atmosphere soaring.

In the center of the stage, the young man seemed to glow, radiating confidence and charm.

Shen Wenqing sat in the shadows, staring at him without blinking.

The song wasn’t long, and it quickly reached its climax. With impressive lung capacity, the young man finished without missing a beat. As the next song began, he suddenly turned his head, locking eyes with Shen Wenqing.

Their gazes met.

Just as Shen Wenqing was momentarily dazed, Xia Yan winked at him.

“?”

“Hiss!”

“Damn.”

A chorus of gasps erupted.

Those who had just been trash-talking Xia Yan began arguing in his defense.

“He’s flirting with me.”

“Nonsense, he’s clearly signaling me! My gifts weren’t in vain.”

“Please, with your measly few thousand bucks? It’s obviously the limited-edition sneakers I gave him that did the trick. No one his age can resist rare kicks!”

“A pair of sneakers? How much are they worth? I gave him a Gucci bag.”

“Only an Omega would fall for a bag. Xia Yan’s a Beta.”

“…”

As the debate raged on, the next song had already started.

Sitting in the shadows, Shen Wenqing felt a faint, almost imperceptible sense of joy. Only he knew that wink was meant for him.

But then, doubt crept in.

Was he paying too much attention to this Beta?

This wasn’t a good sign.

–

The concert was scheduled to last two hours, but by 8:30, the young man had already led the band offstage, leaving despite the crowd’s pleas.

The next band took over, but the energy had already fizzled out.

“Wow, we really nailed it tonight,” the bassist, Fan Ting, chuckled as he clapped Xia Yan on the shoulder. “Your voice keeps getting better. That high note was solid.”

Fan Ting had a heavy hand, and Xia Yan winced, slightly shifting away to avoid another smack. He quickly changed the subject, “Are we going out for dinner later?”

The original Xia Yan had always been terrible in romantic matters but was decent to his friends.

Their band consisted of four members: three men and one woman, all Betas.

Fan Ting, the bassist, was the oldest and had a bold personality. Tang Zihang, the guitarist, was shy and a music academy graduate. Shao Jiaze, the drummer, was a fiery woman with a matching temperament.

Originally, they had come together just for money, but their chemistry turned out better than expected, leading to a surprisingly harmonious collaboration.

“I’d love to, but I’ve got a date with my girlfriend,” Fan Ting regretfully shrugged, flashing a sweet smile. “I’ve got to head out now.”

“Aw, look at you, all love-struck,” Shao Jiaze teased, arms crossed. “If I were picking a boyfriend, I’d go for someone like Xia Yan.”

Xia Yan, who suddenly called out: “???”

Fan Ting seriously considered this momentarily, glancing at the pile of gifts backstage before saying, “My girlfriend couldn’t afford him.”

Everyone: “…” Fair point.

“Hey!” Xia Yan smiled innocently, twirling the Cartier bracelet he’d just received, “I’m not some gold-eating beast.”

Fan Ting rolled his eyes, “You’re harder to maintain than one.”

“That’s harsh,” Xia Yan puffed his cheeks, looking a bit childlike. He tossed the bracelet back into its original box and threw it toward Fan Ting.

Fan Ting caught it reflexively, confused. “What’s this?”

“A gift for your date. Showing up empty-handed is lame,” Xia Yan blinked, long lashes fluttering. “Oh! Don’t forget to grab some flowers.”

The backstage wasn’t large, but with two other bands waiting to perform, it was packed with flowers and gifts. Just picking one up revealed pink cards covered with sickly, sweet words.

Xia Yan didn’t quite get it.

Those people insulted him, calling him a fool, a gold-digger, and trash, acting like they despised him. But secretly, they sent gifts.

It was just…

Men’s hearts were as unpredictable as the ocean, impossible to read.

Being a simple program, the system and the pink ball of a dream system didn’t understand it either and were equally baffled.

One of Xia Yan’s side missions was to receive as many gifts as possible. The more he received, the more points he earned. However, he had to personally open the gifts for them to count.

He scanned the flowers, picked up the most vibrant red rose, removed the card, and handed it to Fan Ting. “Here.”

The female drummer, Shao Jiaze, interjected, “Flowers should be bought by the lover themselves to have real meaning.”

“She’s right,” Fan Ting nodded.

Xia Yan shrugged and casually tossed the rose back onto the pile. The blood-red rose landed atop a bunch of white roses, scattering a few petals like droplets of blood.

“And you…”

“Hmm? Me?” Xia Yan tilted his head in confusion.

“At least appreciate the gifts, even if you don’t like them,” Shao Jiaze jabbed him playfully. “With your attitude, watch out for some crazy stalker coming after you.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

No one in their right mind would ruin their life over one person.

Xia Yan felt confident, casually opening a card, his mind wandering to the protagonist shou.

He had already completed Mission 1.

But Mission 2 and Mission 3 were tied to the protagonist shou, especially Mission 2, which required the protagonist shou to confess to him.

In other words… he had to make the protagonist shou confess first?

Xia Yan felt troubled.

In his last life, winning over Tu Xi took him half a year. This one… it might take even longer!

But no matter what, he needed to interact with the protagonist shou first.

As the concert neared its end, should he ask someone to bring the protagonist shou over, or should he approach Shen Wenqing himself?

Xia Yan was lost in thought for a good ten seconds before lowering his head to look at the card.

Suddenly, a sea of vivid red filled his vision.

[My dear, today, as always, you’re utterly captivating. I want to kiss your lips, slide my tongue between your teeth, taste your flavor, strip off your clothes, and leave marks on every inch of your skin…]

Xia Yan couldn’t bear to read any further. The rest of the revolting sexual fantasies were described with coarse, obscene language.

It made him want to vomit.

Xia Yan: “!!!” Help, there’s a pervert!!!

The shock was so overwhelming that his fingers trembled, and the pink card slipped from his grasp, fluttering to the ground like a broken-winged butterfly, ominous and unsettling.

“What’s wrong?”

Shao Jiaze, who was in the middle of removing her makeup, looked puzzled. She bent down to pick up the card, casually opening it while asking, “What did it say that made you—”

Her expression changed abruptly before she could finish her sentence, and she cursed, “What the hell? A damn pervert! If I ever catch this sicko, I’ll kill him!”

Not satisfied with just cursing, she angrily tossed the bouquet of roses to the floor and stomped on them, grinding them under her heel.

Her series of swift and ruthless actions were over by the time Xia Yan snapped out of it.

Xia Yan: “…”

As someone who had come from a peaceful world, encountering such a vile and shameless letter for the first time left him a bit at a loss.

“Are you okay?”

Hearing the woman’s concerned question, Xia Yan pressed his lips together and maintained his character. He quickly tore the card apart with force, throwing the pieces into the trash.

“Ha! It’s just a cowardly piece of trash. Only dares to use a computer to print it, too scared to even leave a handwritten note,” Xia Yan said with haughty disdain, chin held high. “All he can do is fantasize in secret.”

“Glad to hear it,” Shao Jiaze relaxed when she saw that he wasn’t affected. “If any of those cowards show up, I’ll take care of them.”

Half of her makeup was removed, while the other half was still on, leaving her face looking a bit odd.

Xia Yan couldn’t help but laugh, poking her head toward the mirror. “Alright, hurry up and finish your makeup removal.”

“Damn, I look hideous like this.” She covered her face in despair and went back to work.

As the two bantered back and forth, the guitarist on the other side hesitated several times as if he wanted to approach but didn’t dare. His eyes occasionally darted toward Xia Yan, looking guilty.

Xia Yan: “…” What’s going on?

As he pondered whether the creepy letter might be related to the guitarist, the backstage door suddenly flew open. A huge bouquet of red roses nearly obscured the face of the person delivering them.

“Surprise, darling.”

The somewhat familiar voice carried an air of exaggeration and pretentiousness. Xia Yan blinked, instinctively shifting his gaze toward the sound, only to see a handsome face.

It was the rich second-generation Alpha who had once given him gifts. After pretending to be bankrupt, this guy asked Xia Yan to date him, but he was ruthlessly rejected.

—Although, even if he hadn’t pretended to be bankrupt, following his persona, Xia Yan still wouldn’t have been with him.

But clearly, the Alpha was still holding a grudge, convinced that Xia Yan was a greedy, gold-digging Beta. He immediately turned against Xia Yan, insulting him with harsh words.

Even his handsome face had taken on an ugly expression.

Xia Yan was utterly confused.

Had he not made his love for money obvious enough? Why did the Alpha only show a heartbroken, wronged lover’s act after being rejected?

Now, here he was, showing up backstage, holding flowers and, in a showy manner, gifting them to the guitarist. Afterward, he deliberately glanced at Xia Yan, as if to say, “Jealous yet?”

Xia Yan twitched at the corner of his mouth. What is this? Elementary school behavior?

He looked over at the guitarist—a shy, delicate-looking young man, holding the bouquet with a blush, clearly smitten.

Noticing Xia Yan’s gaze, the boy’s expression tinged with guilt and anxiety. His hands tightened around the flowers. After a good thirty seconds, he hesitantly approached Xia Yan, speaking softly, “Xia Yan, this is Yan Ming—he’s… my boyfriend.”

Before Xia Yan could respond, he quickly added, “I know about your past with him, but I didn’t steal him from you. He pursued me, and I agreed. Please don’t be upset, okay?”

Tang Zihang wasn’t sure what was going on with himself.

He knew Yan Ming had once pretended to be bankrupt to test Xia Yan. After Xia Yan failed the test, he was dumped and turned into a laughingstock in their social circle. Given his relationship with Xia Yan, Tang Zihang should have righteously rejected Yan Ming.

But… an attractive and wealthy Alpha who showered him with expensive gifts every day, patiently listened to his complaints, and thoughtfully comforted him—who wouldn’t fall for someone like that?

Today, Yan Ming said he wanted to bring Tang Zihang flowers backstage, which made Tang Zihang both happy and worried. He was happy that his boyfriend remembered him so attentively but worried that Xia Yan might cause a scene and make the band’s atmosphere awkward.

The young man positioned himself protectively in front of his boyfriend, staring intently at Xia Yan.

But then, the young man smiled—it was his usual lazy smile. He leaned back in his chair, casually crossing his long legs, and gave the man a quick glance, utterly unconcerned. “Congratulations on finding a boyfriend.”

He didn’t offer a single explanation, but his attitude clarified everything.

Xia Yan didn’t care about Yan Ming at all.

Tang Zihang was momentarily stunned, his gaze unintentionally drifting to the pile of gifts behind Xia Yan. Among them were luxury items worth five figures, things that, to Tang Zihang, were symbols of a perfect boyfriend but to Xia Yan, were just tokens from countless suitors.

Xia Yan had so much; why would he care about losing a little?

Tang Zihang couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He had judged Xia Yan with a narrow-minded heart.