SSEWC Chapter 3

[You’re an Alpha, huh!]

Whether it was an illusion or not, He Heng felt that the system’s originally indifferent mechanical voice had become somewhat gritted.

He continued to maintain his handsome pose with a 360-degree angle without any dead angles, communicating with the system consciously: ‘So, Alphas can’t have children?’

[Not exactly, but the probability is very low, less than 3%, just like using that and still hitting the jackpot.]

He Heng: ‘Well, is it greater than a small probability of me being killed by a giant lamp?’

[…]

996 was momentarily speechless and choked up. Although it had no evidence, it suspected that He Heng was deliberately retaliating against it.

However, 996 did not forget the main task. It quickly reminded He Heng:

[Your recent actions seem to have had some effect; the protagonist’s blackening value is now below 90.]

He Heng raised an eyebrow and corrected 996’s wording: ‘Not ‘seem to have,’ but ‘indeed.’ Thank you.’

[…]

In fact, while striking a pose, he had been paying close attention to Shi Shuang’s reaction.

When He Heng spoke those words, he noticed the ever-changing expression on Shi Shuang’s face, like shifting clouds. Now that the other person had already moved away from the edge of the terrace, his expression seemed somewhat dazed.

Seizing the moment when Shi Shuang was distracted, He Heng, who had just been “pale-faced” and bending over the second before, suddenly “startled upright as if recovering from a deadly illness” the next second. With agile movements, he pulled Shi Shuang down from the terrace.

Shi Shuang evidently hadn’t anticipated this sudden move, and he was pulled forward with an unstable center of gravity. However, he didn’t fall to the ground as expected because He Heng caught him, pulling him into his embrace.

Shi Shuang’s cheek pressed against the man’s shirt collar button, the touch slightly cool. The tip of his nose still lingered with a faint scent of cologne. Unlike the past forceful tugs and pulls, He Heng didn’t exert much force this time. He merely protected him from falling, preventing Shi Shuang from resisting the man’s embrace immediately.

By the time Shi Shuang regained his senses, he realized that he had once again been played by He Heng.

Although Shi Shuang was still immersed in the shock of He Heng’s impromptu performance just now, his body instinctively struggled. Past experiences told him that what awaited him next would be the man’s escalated retaliation.

The person in his embrace was very slender, with a low body temperature, resembling a delicate and fragile porcelain item. He even had a “strawberry scent.” Despite this fragility, he struggled fiercely. He Heng could easily hold Shi Shuang down with just a little force, rendering him immobile.

However, He Heng chose not to tighten his grip on Shi Shuang further. Instead, he lowered his head, looking at the other person with a serious expression, and said, “Don’t move recklessly, be careful. I might miscarry.”

Shi Shuang: “…”

System 996: […]

Both the man and the system were petrified, frozen like statues.

Taking advantage of Shi Shuang’s stunned moment, He Heng, with the protection of his bodyguards, maneuvered through the crowd of flashing lights. He didn’t forget to quip to the system, ‘You see, didn’t I complete the mission excellently?’

System 996: [Where did you learn all this from?]

He Heng: ‘Self-taught, deductive reasoning, understand?’

There was still a distance to cover from the terrace to the rooftop passage, and the paparazzi continued snapping photos along the way. He Heng, always fearless, didn’t mind. After all, he had already embarrassed himself enough earlier. He let them take as many pictures as they wanted, but he reached out to shield Shi Shuang’s face, preventing him from further agitation.

Once they entered the rooftop corridor of Tian Sheng Building, the security personnel blocked the paparazzi outside.

Meanwhile, Ji Yuan followed He Heng closely, cautiously observing his expression.

“President He, you have a banquet tonight. Do you need to prepare now?” he asked.

At the words, He Heng glanced at them, noticing the fearful expressions on the people around.

Seeing how the news of his “pregnancy” had scared them, he couldn’t help but find it amusing.

However, considering that he had to maintain the original owner’s persona, He Heng had no intention of explaining. Instead, he looked down on Ji Yuan with a well-played indifference of a CEO, “Do you think I have the mood for that?”

Of course, this was just his excuse.

His immediate priority was to bring down Shi Shuang’s blackening value. Taking him to a spotlighted banquet now would only make matters worse.

“Help me reschedule,” He Heng glanced at his watch and strode forward with Shi Shuang, putting on a stoic expression. While talking, he made sure his face remained motionless, except for his mouth.

“Also, you know how to handle what happened upstairs, right? Tomorrow, I don’t want to see any reports about this incident,” he added.

The secretary nearby nodded repeatedly at his words.

In his mind, He Heng spoke to the system, ‘Damn it, is this what it feels like to be a CEO? My mouth seems to be twitching a bit.’

996: [You can try speaking more normally.]

“President He, what are your plans now?” The secretary asked one last question, raising his head.

He Heng, with Shi Shuang in tow, entered the elevator and pressed the button for the underground garage. “Go home.”

Upon hearing the words “go home” Shi Shuang subconsciously shrank, a chill creeping up his spine.

“Go home” were the two words he feared the most.

Or rather, that place couldn’t even be called “home.”

It was gloomy and cold, filled with surveillance cameras outside the bedroom. The housekeepers and servants at home were sent by “He Heng” to monitor him. His daily routine had to strictly adhere to the schedule set by “He Heng.” He must go to bed at eleven, wake up at seven, eat when instructed, stay in the living room at certain times, and retreat to the bedroom at specific hours.

All of this left him with no semblance of freedom.

Compared to physical torment, this person was more adept at mental control, slowly nibbling away at the core like ants until only an empty shell remained.

Perhaps, that was his ultimate goal.

Today, his escape undoubtedly infuriated the other party. He Heng was clearly enraged to the extreme, unable to endure even a moment, willing to cancel such an important banquet. Returning to the “home” must entail something even more terrifying waiting for him. Just the thought sent shivers down his spine.

At that moment, a “ding!” sounded, and the elevator reached the underground garage, and the doors opened.

Throughout the journey, He Heng worked hard to maintain the CEO’s persona, and a CEO would never bow his head. Thus, he kept his head held high and naturally didn’t notice Shi Shuang’s unusual expression.

In his mind, he sighed, ‘Poor thing, so thin. I bet the original owner hardly fed him properly. But just now, he must have noticed my considerate gesture of canceling the banquet to take him home.’

Thinking this, He Heng confidently asked the system, ‘What is the protagonist’s blackening value now?’

It had dropped to 90 on the rooftop just now, and he didn’t believe it hadn’t reached 80 by now.

996: [95.]

He Heng: ‘Are you sure? Double-check it.’

996: [We are professionals and never make mistakes.]

Upon hearing this, He Heng furrowed his brows.

Indeed, the protagonist’s thoughts were hard to decipher, but that wouldn’t stump someone as clever as himself. He was confident that he would conquer the protagonist with his own charm.

He would definitely complete the mission with his intelligence and wit.

With these thoughts in mind, He Heng regained his confidence and walked with Shi Shuang towards the sleek black Maybach.

The driver opened the rear door for them, “President He, going back home?”

“No,” He Heng got into the car, glanced outside, and said, “Go to the apartment in the garden community.”

The apartment He Heng referred to wasn’t a property under his name. It was a small apartment left to him by Shi Shuang’s deceased mother. The apartment was very small, with just one bedroom and one living room.

Because it was one of the few things left by his mother, Shi Shuang had kept it till now.

In addition to the inconspicuous nature of this property, which wouldn’t fetch much money if sold, Shi Min, his half-brother from the same father but different mother, never considered laying claim to it.

He Heng chose this option because the villa where he usually stayed with Shi Shuang was too large. It had four floors, including the basement, with a whopping 800 square meters. There was even an estate outside. What if Shi Shuang decided to play hide and seek and got lost in such a large house?

Thinking it over, He Heng felt it was better to take Shi Shuang to the small apartment his mother had left him and make do for the night.

He wanted to ensure that the first night was a safe one.

Upon hearing the address, Shi Shuang’s pupils trembled slightly. Subconsciously, he looked at the man beside him with an indifferent expression. The fear and unease that had occupied his mind suddenly diminished by a large margin.

He couldn’t articulate why. Perhaps it was because the small house his mother left him felt like a sanctuary. Throughout his life, whenever he felt he couldn’t endure anymore, he would go there for a while.

That house was indeed very small, yet it provided him with enough sense of security. It was as if his mother was still there with him.

So when He Heng mentioned that address, almost like a conditioned reflex, the unease faded away.

There was some traffic on the way, and by the time they reached Shi Shuang’s apartment, it was already dark.

It was an old-fashioned apartment, and even the iron gate outside had some rust.

Shi Shuang used the key to open the iron gate, and a faint fragrance of wooden furniture wafted through the air.

As he stepped into this small but comforting place, the sound behind him suddenly reminded him that the man was here too.

Immediately, Shi Shuang turned back and glanced at the man who was changing shoes in the shadow of the entrance. He tentatively asked, his tone still trembling slightly, “Aren’t you going back?”

He Heng’s moods were unpredictable, and he had been unusually abnormal today.

From the incident until now, he hadn’t punished Shi Shuang. This, in turn, made Shi Shuang even more uneasy. If this man stayed, something bad was bound to happen.

So, he could only ask if the other was planning to leave, clinging to a sense of hope.

At his words, He Heng paused, glanced at the sky outside for a while, and then said, “I’m not at ease.”

Shi Shuang was stunned, and his pupils suddenly contracted. Not at ease with what?

Could it be…

He’s not at ease with himself?

He actually worried about himself?

He Heng changed into a pair of slippers and walked in, saying, “It’s so dark outside. I’m not at ease driving back alone.”

Shi Shuang: “…”

He blinked his beautiful eyes, filled with disbelief. He even doubted if there was something wrong with his ears just now. After a moment of contemplation, he finally said, “You can have the driver take you back.”

He Heng sat on the sofa, unbuttoning his shirt and shaking his head. “It’s so dark. I’m not at ease sitting in a stranger’s car alone.”

The air suddenly quieted.

Although Shi Shuang wanted to say that the driver has been driving for you for over a year, he restrained himself. It seemed that He Heng had set his mind on staying here.

As expected, he was just being delusional. How could He Heng easily let him off?

Thinking of this, Shi Shuang tightened his grip on his palms, lowered his head, and with the pointed chin hidden in the shadows, he laughed self-deprecatingly. In a soft voice, he said, “I understand.”

Seeing that the other person remained sitting on the sofa without any further action, Shi Shuang simply carried his clothes and went straight to the bathroom. He had sweated a lot standing on the terrace today, and the clothes clinging to his body were uncomfortable. Since he couldn’t figure out when He Heng would make a move, he might as well take a bath first to make himself more comfortable.

Even if he were to die, he wanted to die as a clean ghost.

“Very well,” as soon as Shi Shuang left, He Heng stood up from the sofa. He looked around tentatively, then pushed open the door to Shi Shuang’s bedroom. He spoke to 996, ‘I want to ensure the safety of the mission target on the first night.’

996: [Have you played too much Resident Evil?]

He Heng searched on his own, muttering, “I’m afraid there might be some dangerous tools in his bedroom. What if in the middle of the night—”

At that moment, his words came to an abrupt halt. He discovered a bottle of sleeping pills on Shi Shuang’s bedside.

He Heng walked over, shook the bottle, and the inside produced a ringing sound. As he opened the bottle cap, he frowned. His expression, rarely serious, became solemn.

The white pills in the bottle looked like they were only half full.

This indicated that Shi Shuang had a severe insomnia problem, forcing him to rely on medication to help him sleep. Or rather, he had tried it before.

The bathroom was infused with the warmth of steam, water droplets flowed along Shi Shuang’s dark hair. His hands rested against the wall, and his body, exhausted from the day, found relaxation. However, the thoughts in his mind remained heavy.

Why did He Heng exhibit so many unusual behaviors today? What exactly does he intend to do? These two questions lingered incessantly in Shi Shuang’s mind.

He began to recall the usual punitive measures He Heng employed:

Locking him in a dark and windowless place for several days,

Restricting his freedom,

Even using cigarettes to burn him.

But none of these made sense because He Heng had no reason to bring him to this small house.

Except for the fact that there was no one else in this small house, he couldn’t think of anything special about it. Wait, no one else?

Could it be that he intends to…

Like a lightning bolt striking through, this terrifying thought caused Shi Shuang’s pupils to contract suddenly.

Mark himself?!

The sound of flowing water became quieter, and the more Shi Shuang thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Suddenly, he felt that even taking a shower was not enjoyable anymore. He turned off the shower in a daze, roughly dried his hair with a towel.

In his mind, he thought, “It’s over. He Heng wants to mark me.”

Although He Heng had always controlled him on a mental level, there had never been too much physical contact between them.

Shi Shuang often secretly celebrated this fact, and he even wondered if He Heng had any issues in that department.

However, if He Heng decided to mark him, it would mean that from now on, he would start relying on He Heng’s pheromones. Escaping He Heng’s control would become even more difficult.

With an uneasy heart, Shi Shuang walked out of the bathroom.

He Heng sat on the sofa, chatting with 996 when suddenly, the bathroom door opened. An Omega with slightly damp hair hurriedly walked out. A faint strawberry scent lingered in the air. Seeing this, He Heng immediately picked up a magazine from the coffee table and pretended to read.

He Heng held the magazine in front of his face and asked 996 in his mind,’How do I look? Do I seem natural?’

996: [Although, however, you’re holding the magazine upside down.]

Damn it!

He Heng quickly flipped the magazine the right way.

At that moment, he noticed the Omega intentionally slowing down when passing in front of him, even turning his head to secretly glance at He Heng.

In the fleeting moment when their eyes met, Shi Shuang’s porcelain-white face suddenly blushed. Perhaps it was due to just having taken a shower; his lips were also tinted with a rosy hue, making his originally delicate features appear even more animated.

He Heng held the magazine high, trying to convince himself that the other person definitely hadn’t noticed the issue with the upside-down magazine.

Yet, there was a small voice in his mind whispering:

“So, he can blush too?”

“Quite cute, actually.”

When Shi Shuang walked by just now, he couldn’t help but steal a few more glances at He Heng. Unexpectedly, their eyes met head-on.

Feeling guilty, he quickly averted his gaze, hastening his steps back to the bedroom. With a loud “bang,” he shut the door.

Leaning against the door, Shi Shuang took a deep breath before proceeding to the bedside.

The next moment, he noticed that something on his nightstand seemed to have been tampered with. The bottle of sleeping pills was missing, replaced by a cup of warm milk emitting steam.

Seeing this, Shi Shuang was momentarily stunned. An indescribable emotion surged within him as he walked towards the bedside, and his palm instinctively touched the glass.

The milk wasn’t too hot, but it was still warm.

Since his mother’s death when he was eight, no one had heated milk for him before bedtime.

After the shattering of his dream at eighteen, enduring two years of mental control by that Alpha, Shi Shuang developed severe insomnia. He tried numerous medications during this time, gradually becoming immune to their effects.

Today, in the bedroom of the small house his mother left him, he saw the cup of warm milk on the nightstand. Out of instinct, Shi Shuang’s eyes began to warm, and the edges of his eyelids gradually misted with tears.

This feeling was something Shi Shuang hadn’t experienced in a long time. During these two years under the control of the other, he had never yielded, never cried. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to shed tears.

But the next second, Shi Shuang tilted his head slightly upward, restraining the surge of emotions.

He suddenly became calm, pondering why He Heng would act this way.

Up until now, He Heng had done too many things that Shishuang couldn’t comprehend. At times, he even felt like “He Heng” had turned into a different person.

But after a second thought, Shi Shuang chuckled self-deprecatingly. It was probably just his illusion. How could such bizarre things happen in this world?

How could a person suddenly change their nature?

And how could someone suddenly start treating him well?

Maybe there was something added to the milk. After contemplating for a while, Shi Shuang decided to drink the milk anyway.

Anyways, since He Heng had plenty of means, Shi Shuang decided not to drink the milk proactively.

If He Heng wanted him to drink it, he might as well force it into his mouth. With this thought in mind, he resignedly lay down on the bed, resembling a prisoner waiting for execution on the guillotine, nervously paying attention to any movement outside the door.

In the night, all was silent, with only the ticking of the wall clock persisting in the room.

One minute passed, and He Heng showed no signs of movement.

Two minutes passed, and He Heng still did not enter.

Five minutes passed, and Shi Shuang, puzzled, tossed and turned on the bed.

Half an hour passed, yet there was not a single sound coming from outside the door.

One hour passed, and Shi Shuang couldn’t bear it any longer. He got out of bed and secretly opened the door ajar to peek outside.

It was almost midnight, and the day was about to end. Could it be that He Heng really had no intention of punishing him?

Soon, he saw He Heng lying horizontally on the small sofa in the living room. His long legs stretched out, appearing somewhat awkward. He had a magazine covering his face and was emitting a faint snoring sound, looking like he was sleeping soundly.

Shi Shuang’s forehead twitched: “…”

Despite tossing and turning for an hour, he didn’t expect that the other party had already fallen asleep.

He never expected things to turn out this way. So, Shi Shuang became even more convinced that maybe He Heng really couldn’t do it.

With this thought in mind, he lay back on the bed and fell asleep.

The next morning, he woke up to find that it was already ten minutes to eight, well beyond the schedule He Heng had set for him. It was probably the first time in several months that he had slept in this late.

Thinking about this, Shi Shuang instinctively feared He Heng’s reaction. He nervously opened the door, only to find the sofa empty. He Heng, on the other hand, was sprawled on the floor, face pressed against the ground, still sound asleep. He hadn’t been awakened by the fall during the night. The once perfectly maintained hairstyle, softened by last night’s shower, now looked loose, soft, and much gentler, reducing some of his usual fierce aura.

His appearance was utterly harmless.

He Heng’s relaxed sleeping posture made Shi Shuang unconsciously curl his lips. In a situation he wasn’t even aware of, He Heng had a dream. He dreamed of lying on a hard rock, his face stinging from the discomfort.

Then, the incessant ringing of his mobile phone woke him up. He Heng was still in a half-asleep state, not even opening his eyes. He reached out, feeling a cool and hard surface beneath him.

Puzzled, he explored further and discovered the sensation of a hard floor beneath his touch. Wondering, he reached for the phone, which had also fallen to the ground. Opening his eyes, he realized, ‘Oh, I slept on the floor. That’s fine.’

Although He Heng woke up on the floor on the second day dressed as a president, rather than from the 99,999-square-meter bed, it didn’t affect his mood.

“Hello?” He Heng propped himself up from the floor with one hand, answering the phone with a voice still carrying traces of morning grogginess.

“President He, President He, something happened! Something happened!” came the panicked voice of his secretary Ji Yuan from the other end of the line.

He Heng rubbed his eyelids. He was almost immune to Ji Yuan’s panicked phrases by now.

Sometimes Ji Yuan gave him a feeling more like an AI than 996.

Ji Yuan continued, “President He, you need to check the top trending topic right away!”

Hearing this, He Heng swiped open his screen, and a highly conspicuous headline on the trending topics caught his eye:

“Shocking!!! Current CEO of Tian Sheng Group and Top Alpha, He Heng, Turns Out to be a 0 for Love!!!”

Below it was the photo of him, holding his stomach and still smiling at the camera.

Now, He Heng was instantly awake. He stared at the content for a while and then said to 996, ‘Don’t lie, the photo is not bad.’

996: [Is that your focus point?]

He Heng shook his head, rubbing his chin. ‘But it’s not as handsome as in reality.’

996: […]

Living on the edge of breaking defenses every day.

 

 

 

---

Support me on ko-fi ʚ(´꒳`)ɞ