DPT chapter 15

After enduring a frustrating holiday, Zuo Chi returned to work, using it as a temporary escape to numb himself.

Soon, it was the last day of the year. On the afternoon of the thirty-first, he brought the prepared gift to the Sheng residence. As soon as he walked in, he noticed that the people in the living room were different from what he had expected.

Although it was New Year’s Eve, it was just the Gregorian calendar’s “year,” and he hadn’t anticipated so many relatives being present at the Sheng house.

Without needing to look around deliberately, he spotted Sheng Li sitting in a corner of the sofa, dressed in simple, casual home clothes, teaching a little girl around seven or eight years old how to do her homework.

“Xiao Chi.” Sheng Changyu was chatting with a man in his forties. Seeing Zuo Chi out of the corner of his eye, he warmly called him over to sit, “Didn’t I tell you to call Sheng Li to pick you up?”

“It’s fine, no trouble,” Zuo Chi said, handing over the gift and greeting everyone present.

Sheng Changyu introduced him to each person, referring to Zuo Chi as “our Sheng Li’s fiancé,” but Sheng Li didn’t look up the entire time, as if Zuo Chi’s arrival had nothing to do with him.

However, the little girl curiously glanced at him and asked, “Sheng Li ge, is that your Omega?”

A middle-aged woman beside her chuckled and said, “You understand such things at a young age?”

“What’s so hard about it? Of course I understand,” the little girl replied. “Alphas and Omegas who like each other get together to start a new family and then have babies.”

Her voice was innocent, but her tone was pretentiously mature, causing everyone in the Sheng family to burst into laughter.

“Xiao Xi isn’t wrong,” Sheng Changyu said. “When your brother Sheng Li and brother Zuo Chi get married, they will have…”

“Sheng Xi!” Sheng Li interrupted impatiently, pointing at the workbook. “Have you figured out how to solve this problem yet?”

“Why are you being harsh to Xiao Xi?” Sheng Changyu frowned and scolded Sheng Li. “Can you explain it or not? If not, let Xiao Chi do it.”

He then mentioned to the others, “Xiao Chi’s grades were always excellent, always among the top in his class from elementary to high school. He scored over 690 in the college entrance exam…”

“I was just lucky,” Zuo Chi said with a smile. He walked over to Sheng Li and bent down to look at the workbook. “Do you need my help?”

Sheng Li responded coldly, “It’s an elementary school problem. I can handle it.”

Zuo Chi felt several gazes fall upon them. Just as he felt awkward, Sheng Changyu called him over for a conversation.

Sheng Changyu, along with Sheng Li’s uncles, discussed the economic situation and business opportunities. They then talked about a piece of land recently acquired by the Zuo family, a project that Zuo Chi was handling. However, he was somewhat distracted, his mind on finding an opportunity to speak with Sheng Li alone.

He didn’t find a chance until dinner. However, at the table, he was seated next to Sheng Li and could smell a hint of amber fragrance.

It was such a subtle scent, yet particularly alluring. Zuo Chi sniffed, trying to trace the pheromone’s scent, only to turn and find Sheng Li staring at him, a flash of disgust in his eyes.

Just that one look was enough to cause a dull ache in Zuo Chi’s heart.

What was Sheng Li’s meaning?

The meal tasted bland. After dinner, Sheng Li went to the balcony to smoke, and Zuo Chi finally found an opportunity to follow him.

Sheng Li leaned against the balcony railing, a cigarette in his mouth, looking up at Zuo Chi.

Even though he revealed nothing, Zuo Chi found it incredibly sexy, as if he were silently seducing him.

“You changed the lock,” Zuo Chi said.

“Yes.” Sheng Li exhaled a puff of smoke without offering further explanation.

Zuo Chi hadn’t expected such a calm reaction. He thought Sheng Li would at least question when he had gone to his house again.

“The things I said that day…” Zuo Chi steadied his emotions, “Did you understand?”

Sheng Li gave him a deep look. “You want me to see you as an Omega?”

“Yes…” Zuo Chi’s heart trembled even though he had been the one to say it.

Sheng Li’s left hand hung by his side, holding the cigarette between his index and middle fingers. “Do you think being an Omega would give you any special treatment from me? Zuo Chi, you’re ridiculous. I changed the lock because I’ve never given any Omega a key to my house. I followed through. Are you satisfied?”

He was nearly driven mad with anger, yet Sheng Li asked him if he was satisfied. Zuo Chi’s lips trembled, “We’re engaged. Sooner or later, we’ll live together. What you’re doing is pointless.”

Sheng Li leaned in, his pupils dark. The balcony light was too dim for Zuo Chi to see his own reflection. “I won’t live with you. Where I live is my freedom.”

Zuo Chi said, “Your father said he picked out a villa for us as our marital home.”

Sheng Li sneered, “I don’t need another villa. If you want to live there, you can.”

Zuo Chi gritted his teeth. “Do you really not want to live with me?”

A voice of denial appeared in Sheng Li’s mind first, but then his rationality told him: Yes, he used to like being alone with Zuo Chi, but that was when Zuo Chi didn’t pressure him. Given the current situation, he couldn’t face Zuo Chi normally at all.

He resented Zuo Chi for gradually ruining their relationship. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

They had known each other for so many years. Even if he had other feelings for Zuo Chi, wasn’t brotherhood stronger than the bond between an Alpha and an Omega?

“Yes, I don’t want to,” Sheng Li said. “If I live with you, how could I bring other Omegas home?”

Zuo Chi’s chest heaved violently. He found it difficult to breathe. He wanted Sheng Li to see him beyond a friend and as an Omega, not completely reject the possibility of them being together as an Alpha and Omega.

He wanted it, but Sheng Li wasn’t willing to give it.

Zuo Chi’s five fingers tightened as he raised his chin, “Your words don’t count. You don’t have the ability to leave the Sheng family. Without the Sheng family, you have no choice.”

Sheng Li extinguished his cigarette, his eyes emitting a cold light. The Alpha, who was stung at his sore spot, stared at him with piercing eyes, like staring at prey, full of aggression.

Sheng Li hated being treated as a bargaining chip by the Sheng family, and he also hated his own inability to escape fate. If he were a little stronger, capable of competing with the Sheng family, everything would be different. And what Alphas feared most was their own weakness and incompetence.

He grew up joking around with Tai Xingyu and the others. Now Tai Xingyu hadn’t taken over the family business; instead, he had started his own company independently. Xu Hui had even entered the entertainment industry and won the TV Emperor, achieving some success in another field… As for Xiang Yiqun, he was similar to him. He followed the family’s arrangements for work, but because Xiang Yiqun had a stable boyfriend, he had also begun to strive to please his future father-in-law recently.

Only he couldn’t find a direction and still lived the same life as when he graduated, selling himself for the sake of the Sheng family’s heir position.

He knew Zuo Chi would come today and had argued with Sheng Changyu, blaming him for not notifying him in advance.

“Who do you think I’m doing all this for? I want you to marry Zuo Chi, not just because of Zuo Chi’s family background. Zuo Chi has strong work abilities and can help you manage the company in the future. It’s beneficial for him to start dealing with the Sheng family early. Sheng Changyu said, “The Sheng family will eventually be handed over to you, but with your current appearance, can I trust you with it? You, an Alpha, are not as useful as Zuo Chi, an Omega. Being with him is your good fortune.”

As a friend, Sheng Li had heard plenty of praise for Zuo Chi from those around him. In the past, he would echo these praises, even feeling proud at times: “Of course, our Ah Chi is the coolest.”

But now, these words were extremely grating, making him feel utterly ashamed. So this was how Sheng Changyu thought, and this was how Zuo Chi thought…

Zuo Chi had always thought of him like this. To him, Sheng Li was just a useless person. Being friends with him was elevating him. What was he, just a tool that could be reluctantly used when Zuo Chi needed an Alpha to marry?

In the face of Zuo Chi’s life plans, everything, even more than twenty years of brotherhood, had to give way. Brotherhood was just nonsense, something he had deluded himself with.

Sheng Li’s expression became ferocious, and Zuo Chi was startled. For a moment, he couldn’t speak. He took two steps back before finally regaining his composure, “Wasn’t I speaking the truth?”

The pride of an Alpha shattered as if it had been lifted high and then smashed to the ground. Sheng Li tried to control the explosion of pheromones, but couldn’t help but say hurtful words, “Omega? Zuo Chi, take a look in the mirror. Do you look like an Omega? You may be smart, you may have business acumen, but as an Omega, you are a complete failure. Are you cute? Can you act cute? Are you soft enough? Can you moan in bed? An Omega like you, how could anyone like you?”

Zuo Chi’s eyes turned red, feeling like the whole world was spinning, “Shut up.”

Sheng Li sneered, “Even if I just randomly pick someone up in a bar, they would be better than you…”

Zuo Chi grabbed Sheng Li’s collar, “I told you to shut up!”

Sheng Li retaliated, “Ha, wasn’t I speaking the truth?”

Their argument attracted the attention of the people in the living room. Li Mingchuan came over and reprimanded, “Sheng Li! It’s rare for the family to gather for the New Year. Why did you make Xiao Chi angry!”

With others present, Zuo Chi quickly calmed down. He let go of Sheng Li’s collar, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.

After straightening his clothes, Sheng Li turned around, ignoring the scrutiny of the relatives, and walked straight to his bedroom, slamming the door shut with a “thud.”

Sheng Changyu couldn’t stand his appearance and felt that he had lost face in front of the relatives. He walked over angrily and kicked the door a few times, “Open the door! You made your Omega cry, and now you’re hiding in your bedroom. What sin did I commit to raise a son like you!”

Sheng Li opened the door, his pheromones completely breaking through the barrier of suppressants, fluctuating wantonly, “He’s not my Omega.”

The father and son quarreled, and the concentration of pheromones grew higher and higher, almost affecting others.

Li Mingchuan took Zuo Chi to the guest room on the third floor to avoid the conflict. He patted his back gently, “Xiao Chi, don’t mind him. I’ll definitely educate him properly another day. He’s already twenty-five years old and still so immature.”

Zuo Chi covered his face, feeling embarrassed, “Uncle, I’m sorry to have made everyone witness this.”

Li Mingchuan shook his head, “It’s not your fault.”