Whether Jiang Wan can successfully pursue the young alpha, we’ll leave that for another time. As the Spring Festival holiday began, Qiao Qiao boarded the high-speed train to his hometown, W City, with Zhang Peng by his side.
Zhang Peng, the founder of Yiqiao Technology, a young entrepreneur worth billions, nervously murmured under his breath, practicing his introduction, “Respected Uncle and Auntie, hello. It is an honor to stand here and introduce myself. I am Zhang Peng, Qiao Qiao’s boyfriend. I’m 27 years old, from N City, and I own three properties. I run a tech startup. Today, I sincerely ask for your permission to let me take care of Qiao Qiao for the rest of his life…”
Qiao Qiao, resting his chin on his hand, gazed out at the passing scenery. Hearing Zhang Peng repeat what sounded more like a job interview or a matchmaking script for the tenth time, he took advantage of the brief darkness as the train entered a tunnel. Turning to Zhang Peng, he gently silenced him—with a kiss.
The alpha pheromones instantly spread, bouncing around the train compartment and drawing complaints from other passengers before gradually subsiding.
As the train emerged from the tunnel and the compartment filled with light again, Zhang Peng sat up straight, his face flushed red. The beta beside him resumed his position, leaning on his hand and looking out the window, though the slightly wrinkled collar hinted at something unspeakable that had occurred just seconds earlier—though what exactly happened was known only to them.
Upon arriving in W City, the two headed to the valuable goods shipping center to pick up the Impressionist masterpiece worth $20 million, which Zhang Peng held carefully in his arms. Then, they hailed a ride to Qiao’s house.
Something didn’t seem right.
As Zhang Peng cradled the silk-wrapped painting, and Qiao Qiao glanced at the departing ride-share car, he suddenly realized—they probably should have at least opted for a premium service like a luxury ride, given their current status.
Qiao Qiao reflected deeply on his overly modest lifestyle choices.
When they reached the Qiao family’s front door, Zhang Peng began to take deep breaths, visible puffs of white mist forming in front of his face. Just as Qiao Qiao raised his hand to press the doorbell, the mist trembled slightly.
Qiao Qiao lowered his hand to comfort Zhang Peng, “Don’t worry. I already called Ms. Su ahead of time.”
“What did Ms. Su say?” Zhang Peng asked, trying to steady his nerves.
Qiao Qiao thoughtfully recalled, “She said to let her know ahead of time, so she and my dad could prepare…”
Zhang Peng let out a sigh of relief.
Qiao Qiao nodded and continued, “…because she wasn’t sure where the feather duster was and needed time to find it!”
Zhang Peng froze.
Qiao Qiao patted Zhang Peng’s shoulder, “It’s not as bad as you think.”
Zhang Peng nodded stiffly, his muscles tensing like a rock.
Qiao Qiao pressed the doorbell, and after a moment, they heard footsteps inside. Soon, Su Ya’s face appeared on the screen of the intercom.
In front of the camera, Qiao Qiao flashed a bright, sunny smile and cheerfully greeted, “Mommy, I’m home!”
Su Ya looked thoroughly disgusted, “How old are you? Stop acting cute.”
Qiao Qiao dropped the smile and retorted, “What do you mean? No matter how old I am, I’m still your baby.”
Zhang Peng stood there, expressionless, already scared stiff.
Su Ya tilted her head slightly, glancing at Zhang Peng standing beside Qiao Qiao.
Qiao Qiao elbowed Zhang Peng in the side.
Zhang Peng jolted back to reality, forcing a standard, polite smile.
Su Ya shook her head, thinking her son’s boyfriend was even worse than before. She turned and called out into the house, “Qiao Lao-shi, they’re here!”
Qiao Qiao heard his father—Mr. Qiao—respond happily, “Coming!”
Su Ya then issued orders, “Open the door and let the dogs out!”
Mr. Qiao, clearly flustered, asked, “Is that necessary?”
Su Ya urged, “Do it quickly!”
“Bark! Bark! Bark!”
Qiao Qiao: “…”
Zhang Peng: “…” Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, falling onto the front steps of the Qiao family home, forming trembling puddles of anxiety.
As the door opened, two large golden retrievers leaped out. Qiao Qiao quickly shouted, “Big Mao, Little Mao, take it easy! Big brother brought you imported cans!”
The golden retriever brothers’ eyes lit up at the mention of canned food, and though they wagged their tails even more excitedly, they didn’t pounce on Qiao Qiao.
Qiao Qiao hurriedly opened his suitcase, took out two cans, and placed them by the door.
The dogs barked happily and began devouring their food, paying no further attention to Qiao Qiao.
Qiao Qiao shot a smile at Su Ya.
Su Ya raised an eyebrow, “You always know how to handle things. Come in.” She turned and headed to the kitchen, her back radiating an air of indifference.
Mr. Qiao, trailing behind her, happily went to help in the kitchen, giving his son a thumbs-up along the way. Qiao Qiao led Zhang Peng inside, and just as they shut the door, Mr. Qiao sent Qiao Qiao a WeChat message: “Ms. Su is tough on the outside but soft on the inside. She knew you were coming today, so she went out early to buy groceries.”
Qiao Qiao sniffed the air, catching the familiar scent of chicken soup—something that takes at least a couple of hours to make. Ms. Su’s cooking skills were top-notch!
“I think we’re in the clear.” Qiao Qiao whispered to Zhang Peng.
Zhang Peng hesitated at the entrance and asked quietly, “Should I change my shoes?”
Qiao Qiao nodded and rummaged through the shoe cabinet for a pair of slippers. Just as he placed them at Zhang Peng’s feet, they heard several “meows.” Looking around, they spotted a seal-point blue-eyed Ragdoll cat, a hyperactive British Shorthair with black paws and golden fur, and another cat all watching them from the floor, the top of the shoe cabinet, and a cat tree, respectively.
Qiao Qiao understood the unspoken request and dug out three cans of cat food from his suitcase, opening them one by one and placing them on the floor. The three cats gracefully approached, sniffed each can, and each chose one to start eating.
Qiao Qiao crouched down and whispered to the two dogs and three cats, “Make sure to say something nice about me later, alright?”
The three cats pretended not to hear, while the dogs gave a token wag of their tails, happily munching away at their food.
Qiao Qiao sighed, realizing that despite having so many siblings, none of them could be relied on. He stood up, grabbed another pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, and after putting them on, was about to ask Zhang Peng if he needed to use the bathroom when he noticed Zhang Peng frowning at the slippers, still not having put them on.
Qiao Qiao asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhang Peng, visibly nervous, asked, “Do you think my feet might stink?” He had worn formal leather shoes for this visit, but now he worried they might have an odor. Zhang Peng mentally chastised himself for not thinking this through.
Qiao Qiao was puzzled, “You don’t usually have that problem. Don’t stress too much.”
Zhang Peng nodded and put on the slippers. Qiao Qiao sniffed the air but didn’t detect any unusual odors. He then crouched down, leaned closer to Zhang Peng’s feet, and sniffed again before thoughtfully stroking his chin. The Ragdoll cat, curious about what Qiao Qiao was doing, approached, pressed its nose against Zhang Peng’s toes, and also took a sniff.
Both men watched the Ragdoll’s reaction.
The cat scrunched its face, walked back to its can, and, after hesitating for a moment, couldn’t hold back any longer: “Bleh!”
Zhang Peng immediately said, “I should go wash my feet.”
Qiao Qiao replied, “Yeah, go ahead.”
So they both went to the bathroom to wash their hands and feet.
Zhang Peng quietly explained, “I was nervous today and sweated too much.”
Qiao Qiao nodded, “Makes sense.”
Mr. Qiao’s voice called out, “Dinner’s ready!” pulling them out of the bathroom. Qiao Qiao quickly headed to the kitchen, eager to help bring the dishes to the table, but he was promptly shooed away.
Su Ya said, “Kids shouldn’t get in the way.”
At 27 years old, yet still considered a “kid” Qiao Qiao obediently sat down at the dining table.
Zhang Peng followed Qiao Qiao into the kitchen. Seeing Qiao Qiao shooed away, he hesitated briefly before picking up the plate of stir-fried beef with green peppers.
Su Ya glanced at him but said nothing, continuing to serve the chicken soup. Mr. Qiao nodded approvingly and motioned for Zhang Peng to carry the plate out.
Zhang Peng silently took on the task of serving the dishes and setting the table.
Finally, with the food laid out, the four of them sat down at the table, yet no one reached for their chopsticks. The atmosphere grew a bit awkward. Zhang Peng focused intently on his hands, while Qiao Qiao stole glances at Su Ya, who in turn observed Zhang Peng closely.
After some thought, Mr. Qiao broke the silence with a smile, “Xiao Zhang, this is your first time visiting, how about we have a drink?”
Zhang Peng suddenly remembered the speech he had rehearsed twenty times, and he looked up at Mr. Qiao and Su Ya, “Uncle, Auntie, hello, my name is Zhang Peng, I’m 27 years old…” His mind buzzed, and he found himself stumbling over his words, performing worse than he did at job interviews right after college.
His pheromones lost their fizz, turning into a flat cola scent, and everyone could sense his dejection.
Qiao Qiao, sensing Zhang Peng’s leg muscles tense like stone, reached under the table to pat his thigh. He was about to step in to lighten the mood when Su Ya finally spoke.
“Alright, there’s no need to recite your biography. I’ve already read it on Baidu.” Su Ya remarked. She glanced at the gift box Zhang Peng had brought, “Didn’t you bring wine? Have some with your uncle.”
Zhang Peng hadn’t yet processed her words when Mr. Qiao eagerly jumped up to grab the bottle of wine Zhang Peng had brought. “Red wine, huh?” He placed the bottle on the table and went to the kitchen to fetch glasses and a corkscrew.
Su Ya looked at the wine label and commented, “Must’ve been expensive?”
Zhang Peng, with his hands neatly on his knees, sitting like a model student in class, responded cautiously, “It’s okay.”
Seeing that Zhang Peng’s collar was slightly wrinkled at the back, Qiao Qiao reached out to smooth it down, only to be met with a sharp warning glare from Su Ya.
Qiao Qiao quickly withdrew his hand and sat still.
Su Ya, like a teacher questioning a student, asked Zhang Peng, “What else did you bring?”
Zhang Peng listed, “Two packs of Huanghelou cigarettes, a box of bird’s nest, a tin of tea, and a painting.” After a moment’s thought, he added, “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I just bought a few things.”
Su Ya sighed, “An Impressionist masterpiece worth 20 million dollars—Xiao Zhang, you’re being too modest.”
Mr. Qiao, grinning, added, “It’s all over the news. Xiao Qiao’s hated art since he was a kid, but when Ms. Su saw you buy a painting, she knew it was for her.”
Zhang Peng clenched his jaw, then stood up and said earnestly, “Auntie, Qiao Qiao has endured a lot with me over the years. It’s only now that I’ve made something of myself that I dare to come here.” Seeing that Qiao Qiao’s parents had taken the time to look up his Baidu entry and read some of his news articles, he felt that he might have earned some recognition.
“Sit down, sit down.” Mr. Qiao gestured for him to sit back down. “Xiao Zhang, don’t be so nervous. Did Xiao Qiao say something to make you think Ms. Su is some sort of fierce beast?”
Qiao Qiao, playing cute, protested, “Daddy, I didn’t.”
Mr. Qiao frowned, his expression resembling that of an old man on the subway glaring at a noisy phone.
Qiao Qiao promptly shut his mouth, vowing to give up his sweet, youthful act.
His parents were just not playing along.
Su Ya, looking directly at Zhang Peng, said, “Let me be honest with you—I did push Xiao Qiao to break up with you a few years ago.”
Zhang Peng responded truthfully, “Xiao Qiao told me.”
Su Ya continued, “Back then, your company had been running for five or six years with no real progress. Xiao Qiao helped you out financially several times, and I didn’t stop him.”
Zhang Peng bowed, “Thank you.”
Su Ya went on, “Then suddenly, last year, you became successful. I’ve read a lot about you; you’re a smart, visionary young man, and I shouldn’t have judged you so harshly.”
Zhang Peng replied, “You’re too kind.” He was secretly pleased, thinking this visit might actually go smoothly.
Su Ya smiled and added, “Even though you’re now quite wealthy, I still have a lot of confidence in Xiao Qiao. You two are well-matched in terms of character.”
Zhang Peng’s pheromones immediately became lively, like switching from a 1-liter bottle of flat cola to a freshly opened, chilled glass bottle.
He felt invigorated all over.
Qiao Qiao, however, sensed something amiss. Knowing his mother’s style, all this buildup was likely leading to a “but.”
Sure enough, Su Ya continued, “But—”
Qiao Qiao quickly interjected in a drawn-out tone, “Mooom—” He knew his tone wasn’t quite right, but there was no time to worry about that.
Su Ya remained unfazed, finishing her sentence, “—Xiao Zhang, you’ve differentiated into an alpha, and Xiao Qiao is just a beta. Can you really resist the temptation of all those omegas? It’s an alpha’s instinct; Auntie has done her research.”
Zhang Peng was about to mention how he had once sent a heat-stricken omega to the hospital to prove he was unaffected by omega pheromones. However, at that very moment, a burst of omega pheromones suddenly flooded his senses—a scent so sweet and intoxicating, as seductive and dangerous as a poppy flower.
The dining room fell silent. The three betas quietly inhaled the sweet omega pheromones, saying nothing, while the lone alpha looked toward the door, slowly sitting back down.
Outside, the sounds of running feet and panicked voices could be heard.
“Get some betas to help guard the door!”
“My sister-in-law’s heat just hit, and my brother’s out of town!”
“Hurry! Hurry!”
Zhang Peng had previously assumed that having resisted omega pheromones once, he would always be able to ignore this so-called alpha instinct. But as his alpha nature matured, the allure of omegas grew stronger.
That incredibly sweet, dangerously seductive poppy scent seemed to whisper like a devil in his ear: Go and claim that omega. Go and take what’s yours. Zhang Peng could hear his instincts screaming inside him.
Though only a minute had passed, it felt as if an entire day had dragged by. As Zhang Peng’s breathing grew heavier, Su Ya broke the deathly silence with a dry voice, “What a coincidence.”
Her tone was laced with concern. She hadn’t wanted her beta son to be with an alpha, but this kind of intense separation was far more alarming.
Would she have to watch her son’s lover abandon him, rushing to a stranger omega?
And the reason? Simply because that omega had gone into heat.
Yes, Su Ya was convinced that Zhang Peng would be unable to resist the deadly temptation and would take that step that could drive a wedge between lovers.
The primal AO attraction, so contrary to humanity, was nothing more than a beastly desire.
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