The rushing water drowned out most other noises, and the warm air blowing overhead made the young man drowsy.
His hand paused as he squeezed the body wash and pricked up his ears, listening intently. One second, two seconds, three seconds—nothing. Maybe it was just his imagination.
Relieved, he continued washing up.
White foam covered his lean, athletic body; his six-pack abs were faintly visible, and steam poured out from the slightly ajar bathroom door.
The phone on the bedside table suddenly lit up.
Like a pair of quiet, watchful eyes, it silently observed the room, its background apps running autonomously without the owner’s notice.
In less than three minutes, by the time the young man emerged, the phone had already turned off, returning to its usual dormant state.
His freshly dried hair still had slightly damp ends, and his face, flushed from the steam, glowed with a rosy hue. The young man flopped onto the bed, playing with his phone.
Knock, knock, knock!
The crisp sound of knocking startled the drowsy young man. He rolled over and sat up on the bed, looking at the door suspiciously. Could it have been more than just his imagination earlier?
There were security cameras at both ends of the hotel corridor, a guard outside, and a peephole on the door.
Xia Yan squinted his eyes. He was going to see for himself who was outside.
He tiptoed to the door, careful not to make a sound, and peered through the peephole, spotting a familiar face.
Huh? Wu Qin?
Xia Yan felt an inexplicable sense of disappointment.
If it had been a stalker, he could’ve caught them immediately.
He opened the door. “Why are you back?”
“You left something…” The man abruptly stopped mid-sentence. He turned his head sharply, stammering, “W-why are you dressed like that?”
Xia Yan looked down, confused, his mind full of question marks.
What was wrong with wearing a bathrobe after a shower?
The hotel’s bathrobe was a little short, only reaching mid-thigh, leaving a large expanse of fair skin exposed. The sight made Wu Qin, who had just recently realized his feelings, blush furiously.
Wu Qin awkwardly handed over the item. “In any case, don’t answer the door dressed like that again.”
“?” Xia Yan replied, “Are you telling me what to do?”
“No, I’m begging.”
Xia Yan was speechless.
The protagonist gong was far too easy to soften, making it hard for him to maintain his character.
“It’s getting late. I’ll head out,” Wu Qin said, taking the opportunity to suggest a “date.” “I’ll come pick you up tomorrow.”
“No need.”
“?”
“I already have plans to attend class with my boyfriend tomorrow.”
Wu Qin: “…”
A brutal rejection.
Xia Yan wasn’t lying.
Since his side mission hadn’t progressed yet, he couldn’t afford to alarm Wu Qin and Wen Changming, making them suspicious. He had to proceed slowly.
So, why not gather intel while completing the main mission?
Besides… regarding the Omega suppressant, perhaps he could use Shen Wenqing to push for an investigation.
Ignoring the flustered Alpha, the young man closed the door and placed the gift bag on the dresser. The expensive items worth tens of thousands were left untouched, while a small, palm-sized penguin plush toy on top received all the attention, resting peacefully on the bedside table.
Before bed, the young man gave the little penguin a firm squeeze.
Its fluffy texture and soft, squishy body… Just as he expected, it was quite stress-relieving.
—
S University Forum
【OMG! The beauty came to class with his boyfriend again today.]
【Ahhh! Such godly looks, such a perfect couple! I don’t need to date as long as my favorite couple stays together.】
11th floor: 【I can’t ship a beta who hasn’t even graduated from high school and only relies on his looks! Senior Shen has thousands of fans, and there are plenty of beautiful betas. Why would he fall for a failing student?】
【But none of them are as beautiful as Xia Yan.】
【…】
【Did no one mention what happened the other day? Does anyone know what’s going on between Xia Yan and Wu Qin?】
【I’m curious too.】
【Lurking for updates.】
—
【11th floor, did you seriously insult the forum’s little princess? Your account is definitely getting banned.】
【???】
Ten minutes later.
Title: 【Is someone Voldemort from the Muggle world? You can’t even mention them without getting silenced?】
【I didn’t insult anyone, just told the truth, and my account got banned.】
【Finally, someone said it.】
【Can we expose the random banning admin?】
【I’m on a backup account, so I’m not afraid. Xia Yan’s reputation in our circle is terrible. He’s vain and materialistic and only cares about money. As for why he’s dating Shen Wenqing? He received a gift worth ten million U.S. dollars, so of course, he has to repay the favor and serve his sugar daddy well】
This bombshell revelation instantly triggered a massive wave of discussion.
As a prestigious university, S University’s graduates earned an average salary of 300,000 a year, and most students had bright futures ahead, not caring about small sums of money.
But that amount… far exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Of course, not everyone believed it.
【Do you have any proof?】
【Slandering people is illegal, you know.】
【He’s one of the resident singers at Third Bar. Just go there, grab any regular, and you’ll find out if I’m lying.】
After sharing this information, the person continued: 【When Shen Wenqing gave the gift, a group of witnesses was backstage at the bar. One of my friends was among them.】
They provided the time, place, and ‘witnesses,’ showing no fear of investigation.
To be honest, most people already believed it.
A crowd, eager to discuss the juicy gossip, suddenly found the thread sealed off the next moment.
Everyone: “…” This is getting out of hand!
It’s often said that one fervent fan can do more damage than ten haters, and many who hadn’t initially harbored ill feelings toward Xia Yan began to resent the constant censorship.
—
In finance class, Xia Yan was on the verge of dozing off.
He hid in a corner, quietly playing with his phone. Since Shen Wenqing was well-known, the professors knew Xia Yan was just auditing, so they turned a blind eye.
Without him noticing, the progress bar on his system panel sped up.
200… 369… 468…
Finally, the progress bar for Task 5 stopped at 732, leaving only one-third more to complete the mission of being disliked by 1,000 people at S University.
One class lasted forty-five minutes.
The professor left when the time was up.
Since Shen Wenqing’s next class was in the same room, most students stayed in their seats. The omega sitting in front turned around, cautiously glancing between Shen Wenqing and Xia Yan.
Shen Wenqing asked, “Do you need something?”
“Senior Shen,” the omega hesitated, his eyes betraying his curiosity. “I heard you gave your boyfriend a ten million dollar gift. Is that true?”
“Where did you hear that?” Shen Wenqing frowned.
“I…” The omega stammered, “Everyone’s talking about it on the forum.”
Xia Yan also leaned in, curious. “Wasn’t it five million? Oh, wait, that makes sense—it’s been a few years, so it must’ve gone up by now.”
The omega: “!!!” Is it true?!
He wanted to pry further, but the intense, cold stare from the person beside him made him retreat hastily, eager to share the gossip in a forum post.
As the saying goes, public opinion can be harsh, and Shen Wenqing understood that Xia Yan’s actions would inevitably attract criticism once exposed on public platforms.
—Even though Xia Yan didn’t mind.
He pulled out his phone, planning to contact a moderator to delete the posts, but he noticed the forum was already full of people lamenting their banned accounts.
Has someone else already taken care of it?
Shen Wenqing relaxed.
Meanwhile, Xia Yan checked his Task 5 progress, pleased to see it had surpassed the halfway mark. His eyes gleamed mischievously as he glanced at the omega who had asked the question.
This kid was clearly a helpful gossip-spreader.
Xia Yan touched his nose, quickly thinking of the right words in his mind. He reached out and patted the omega’s shoulder, pretending to be curious. “What’s everyone saying in the forum?”
Caught gossiping behind his back, the omega trembled and stammered, “N-nothing.”
“Is anyone badmouthing me?”
The omega blinked, lying through his teeth, “No.”
“Really?”
“…”
“Tsk! I knew it.” Xia Yan shrugged and, with complete self-assurance, said, “I just like money. What’s wrong with that?”
Shen Wenqing nodded in agreement.
The omega: “Uh…”
Their relaxed attitudes started to affect the omega’s own feelings.
Yeah! Who doesn’t like money in this world? Xia Yan openly loves it. He doesn’t deceive people or take advantage of others. Why should he be criticized?
After ten seconds of silence, the omega nodded seriously. “You’re right.”
“?”
The omega lowered his head, typing furiously on his phone. “I’ll go fix their wrong opinions right now.”
Xia Yan: “???” Wait a second, are you that easily brainwashed?
The rest of the day became even more surreal.
Students from S University kept approaching, asking all sorts of questions. True to his task-oriented nature, Xia Yan answered everything openly and honestly.
He might as well have had “Come at me” written across his forehead.
But every person who came to confront him first blushed, their confidence faltering. Even when they tried to question him, their words came out soft and gentle.
Xia Yan thought this wouldn’t do.
So, he deliberately put on a fierce face.
What he didn’t realize was that, with his strikingly beautiful features, his sharp expression only made him even more eye-catching, his angry look adding a vibrant energy to him.
The crowd: “…” Oh no, we’re falling for him.
He liked money, sure. But he was unapologetic about it. Whenever asked, he’d say it plainly, unaffected by rumors.
In a way, wasn’t that just another form of staying true to himself?
Xia Yan: “…”
—
On the forum.
【Guys, I saw Xia Yan today. He’s really good-looking, has such a nice voice, and his personality is great. Honestly, he’s worth a million.】
【Isn’t it just money? Give it to him.】
【How do people not understand that only the ‘strong’ deserve beauties?】
【Fun fact: Education and character aren’t related. Looking down on others because of bad grades? You people are too narrow-minded.】
…
Suddenly, some people in the forum began defending Xia Yan, confusing others.
【Wait… didn’t the original post say Xia Yan was materialistic and didn’t deserve Shen Wenqing?】
【What’s so special about Xia Yan that he’s turning everyone to his side?】
【Replying to the above: You can try meeting him yourself if you’re curious. Honestly, he’s just… different. There’s this feeling, like he loves money, but not in a shallow way. I can’t explain it. He’s so bad, but I love him.】
【Are you guys out of your minds?】
The discussions on the forum kept spreading.
People couldn’t wait to tell their friends about their thoughts—if they disliked Xia Yan, their friends did too; if they liked him, their friends followed suit.
As a result.
Xia Yan’s task grew, almost reaching completion at 908/1000. Just one step away from finishing his mission.
—
Getting from zero to ninety points was easy. But moving from ninety to one hundred was hard. The progress fluctuated over the next few days, but it never quite reached the end. The progress was stuck.
Finally, the weekend arrived—performance night at the bar.
In the past, Xia Yan would arrive just in time, casually applying some stage makeup before going on with the band. But this time, he remembered the warning from the police.
Someone in the bar had been watching them.
If this stalker weren’t giving up, they’d definitely show up at the bar on the weekend to spy on him. So… could Xia Yan set up a counter-ambush and figure out who acted suspiciously?
He pondered seriously.
“What are you thinking about?” Shen Wenqing asked, one hand wrapped around Xia Yan’s waist while the other held up a plump, juicy strawberry, offering it to his lips.
The strawberry was almost as big as a palm, fresh and sweet. Xia Yan couldn’t finish it in one bite, so he took half, the juice coating his lips with a glossy sheen.
He mumbled, “Thinking about tonight’s band performance.”
“Is something wrong?”
“…”
Only then did Xia Yan realize—he hadn’t told Shen Wenqing about the stalker.
“?”
Shen Wenqing looked at him curiously, his eyes filled with trust and understanding.
Feeling guilty, Xia Yan avoided his gaze, taking another bite of the strawberry. “There’s just some band stuff, so I must go early.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No need.” Xia Yan quickly refused. “You’ve got so much going on with classes and the company. It’s your day off. Just relax at home.”
His thoughtful reasoning was flawless.
Shen Wenqing stared at him for a long moment, his gaze darkening, but the corners of his lips held a faint smile. “Alright.”
—
The Third Bar.
Sundays were the busiest nights at the bar.
Regulars arrived early, grabbing seats, drinking, chatting, and eagerly waiting for the band’s performance.
Even though everyone knew Xia Yan had a boyfriend.
They all shared the same thoughts.
—That unruly Beta would dump his partner sooner or later, and they needed to get their foot in the door early.
In a dark corner, Xia Yan, wearing a baseball cap and mask, sat on a sofa, discreetly observing the crowd.
Unfortunately, the dim lighting provided the perfect cover.
He’d been watching for a good half-hour but saw nothing suspicious. Instead, his eyes grew sore, and his right eyelid kept twitching.
Xia Yan: “…”
Resigned, he walked over to the bar and tapped on the counter. “Do you have any eye drops?”
There was only one person behind the bar, Xu Rang’s apprentice, who was busy wiping glasses. Hearing Xia Yan, he rushed over, concerned. “Brother Xia, are your eyes bothering you?”
Xia Yan lazily nodded. “Mm.”
“Hang on, I’ll find some.”
Since Xia Yan often asked the bar for random things, there was a drawer just for him. The Alpha found a bottle of eye drops, checked the expiration date, and handed it to him.
The cool drops hit his eyes, coating Xia Yan’s eyelashes and making his eyes glisten as if he’d just cried.
The Alpha’s breathing quickened, though the chatter around them covered it.
The eye drops couldn’t stop Xia Yan’s eyelid from twitching, but they soothed the dryness. He handed the drops back. “Thanks.”
He casually pulled out two hundred yuan from his bag as a tip.
“Thank you, Brother Xia.”
The Alpha took the money enthusiastically, but his expression seemed oddly disappointed, almost as if… he wasn’t entirely happy.
Xia Yan was puzzled. “Aren’t you happy to make money?”
“I just feel… guilty for taking so much for something so small.” The Alpha scratched his head sheepishly. “Brother Xia, you should save your money, not spend it recklessly.”
Xia Yan shrugged. “It’s just a little.”
Since he had to perform that night, he didn’t drink. After sitting for a bit, and before anyone could muster the courage to approach him, he left first.
The hotel backstage has two routes.
One is directly inside the bar, going through the staff passageway, passing by the waiters’ dressing room and lounge, and then arriving at the band’s backstage. The other is from the outside, leading from the band’s backstage, through the waiters’ lounge and dressing room.
Since the bar was packed tonight, choosing the inside route meant brushing past a crowd of people. Without a second thought, Xia Yan opted for the outside route.
Even though it required a few more steps, it avoided physical contact.
Compared to the lively interior, the outside was much quieter, especially near the bar’s back door, which was located in a secluded corner to avoid running into customers.
Xia Yan put on his hat and mask, keeping his head down as he walked.
After some time, just as he was about to reach the back door, a familiar sound of arguing stopped him in his tracks.
“I can go by myself. You don’t need to follow me.”
“Why are you so angry? I didn’t know it was a blind date. My dad tricked me, saying it was just a family dinner, so I went.”
“You still don’t understand why I’m upset?”
Yan Ming responded, “How am I supposed to know if you don’t explain?”
“You got tricked into a blind date; I’m not mad about that.” Tang Zihang, trembling with anger, said, “I’m not unreasonable, but your attitude is the real problem.”
“Then explain it.”
Tang Zihang questioned, “When I bumped into you at the restaurant, why didn’t you introduce me to your parents as your boyfriend?”
Yan Ming looked at him in disbelief, “We’ve just started dating, and now you want me to meet your parents? That’s too fast, even faster than a rocket.”
“I’m not saying that. But since we ran into each other, it would’ve been normal to introduce me as your boyfriend, right? It shouldn’t have been just ‘a friend’.”
“That’s still meeting the parents.”
“Are you genuinely confused, or are you pretending?” Tang Zihang wiped his tears away. Usually shy and gentle, the boy suddenly showed a sharper side. “What happened the day before yesterday? You didn’t respond yesterday, and today, you suddenly showed up wanting to go to the bar with me.”
“I was giving you time to cool off.”
Tang Zihang sneered, “Cool-off time? If you were dating Xia Yan and he found out you were on a blind date, would you have asked him to cool off?”
Yan Ming’s face darkened immediately. “Why are you bringing him up? This is about us.”
Xia Yan, suddenly mentioned: “…”
“Because you can’t forget him!” Tang Zihang raised his voice. “You came here tonight—are you really here for me or to see him? You know the answer.”
“Stop being unreasonable.”
At this point, Tang Zihang dropped his pretense and laid it all out. “I had my suspicions before, but I kept telling myself to trust you.”
“Can you honestly say you’ve forgotten Xia Yan?”
“…”
“You can’t.” Tang Zihang’s face flushed red with anger. “You’re one of the people behind the posts on the S University forum, right? You deliberately tried to smear his reputation, hoping to break him and Shen Wenqing up.”
“That’s nonsense.”
“Ha, don’t act like a good guy now. His reputation in the bar was ruined because of you, wasn’t it?”
Yan Ming, unable to retort, stood there speechless.
Tang Zihang, exhausted, waved his hand. “Enough. There’s no need for more explanations. Yan Ming, let’s break up. You can go chase after your dream guy now.”
“…”
“Though, really…” Tang Zihang gave him a once-over, “With Shen Wenqing as his boyfriend, and Xia Yan being so obsessed with money, how could he ever choose you?”
Although Tang Zihang didn’t know Shen Wenqing’s exact background, anyone who could casually throw around millions of dollars was clearly a rich young master, certainly wealthier than Yan Ming, who could only manage a few million.
It was ironic. Yan Ming often insulted Xia Yan for being materialistic, but hearing someone else belittle him now made Yan Ming feel uncomfortable.
He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and blew out a ring of smoke.
“Don’t you like money too?”
Tang Zihang: “What are you talking about?”
“Three-figure bouquets, four-figure candlelight dinners, five-figure gifts…” Yan Ming raised his head arrogantly, looking down at Tang Zihang. “Every bit of romance you liked was built on money. Would you have liked me if I didn’t have any?”
“…”
“In the 20-plus days we’ve been dating, I’ve given you plenty of gifts, totaling at least a few hundred thousand.” After a pause, he added, “Oh, and I almost forgot—the ring, two or three million.”
“You won’t earn that much money in the next two years with your current job.”
“Dating me, you didn’t lose anything. Acting like a victim now—what’s the point?” Yan Ming’s words were sharp, mercilessly crushing any lingering hope Tang Zihang had.
Wiping his tears with his sleeve, Tang Zihang muttered, “It’s just a ring, right? I’ll return it to you tonight.”
“Tsk! No need. I’m not so petty that I’d ask for gifts back.” Yan Ming flicked his cigarette butt to the ground, stepping on it to put out the flame, then casually walked away with his hands in his pockets.
Since his feelings had been exposed, there was no need to act anymore.
After all, romantic stories in which someone falls for a stand-in because they can’t forget their true love only work when the real love isn’t as unforgettable.
That thought flashed across his mind.
Who could truly love anyone else after meeting Xia Yan?
A gust of autumn wind blew, lifting the hem of his coat. As he turned the corner, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. The arrogant man morphed into a stunned meme.
“Xia, Xia, Xia Yan!!!”
Tang Zihang, who was just about to enter the door, froze and was dumbfounded.
Xia Yan: “…” Honestly, he hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. Do they believe that?
In this awkward atmosphere, he decided to take control of the situation to avoid feeling embarrassed himself. Without hesitation, Xia Yan demanded, “You were the one who posted that stuff about me?”
The alpha, who had been so cocky in front of Tang Zihang, was now like jelly, shaking his head like a rattle. “No, it wasn’t me. It’s all a misunderstanding!”
![There’s a Beauty [Ancient Wear Modern]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/image_2023-11-22_095131618.png "There’s a Beauty [Ancient Wear Modern]")
