TCFGBH Chapter 49

The bar suddenly fell silent, with only the sound of a man’s scornful rebuke echoing in the air.

Tang Zihang felt deeply embarrassed, secretly tugging on his boyfriend’s sleeve, his voice urgent, “Yan Ming, what are you doing? That’s Xia Yan and his friend’s business. It has nothing to do with you.”

“I just can’t stand watching someone being deceived,” Yan Ming retorted righteously, though his eyes darted uneasily.

Tang Zihang opened and closed his mouth, hesitantly and unable to form coherent words. After all… Xia Yan’s behavior was, indeed, not the most likable.

But everyone knew about his materialistic ways, and he never bothered to hide it. He flaunted it openly. Both parties—one willing to hit, the other willing to be hit—seemed like a match made in heaven!

Tang Zihang stood awkwardly, not daring to look at Xia Yan’s face anymore.

It was too humiliating.

“Heh.” He heard the mocking sound from the Omega across from them. His tone was indifferent, completely unfazed by Yan Ming’s words. He exuded a chilling air, like the cold snow on a high mountain.

After hesitating for a moment, Tang Zihang cautiously lifted his head.

He saw a Beta and an Omega standing side by side opposite him. Their dark eyes casually glanced at Yan Ming, filled with irritated disdain.

That look… How could he describe it?

It was as if a normal person was walking down the street, and a mad dog suddenly jumped out and started barking.

As a human, was there any need to explain oneself to a dog?

Ignoring them was the best form of insult.

The two continued discussing their plans.

Xia Yan: “Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“No, not yet.”

“Wanna eat together?”

“…Okay.”

“You smell like alcohol.” The young man tilted his head, sniffing at the man’s neck, his fine hair brushing against the man’s skin, sending a ticklish sensation through him.

The man stiffened. “I only had one glass of light fruit wine.”

“Still, you shouldn’t drive. A driver will take time to arrive; I’ll call a taxi.”

“…Okay.”

“Let’s go.”

“Just like that?” Shen Wenqing called out to him, pointing at the pile of gifts on the dressing table. “Do you need to do something with these?”

Xia Yan, halfway through leaving, turned back, stared at the pile, and simply scooped it all up, stuffing the items haphazardly into his locker.

Some delicate bags were crushed, leaving unsightly creases.

The young man seemed quite satisfied, clapping his hands cheerfully. “Alright, let’s go have dinner.”

Shen Wenqing shot him a subtle glance, silently helping to close the locker door without making any comments.

The two of them walked out side by side, completely ignoring the towering Alpha, whose face had darkened considerably. He angrily kicked a chair, muttering, “Let’s go too.”

Tang Zihang, feeling slightly wronged, snapped out of his daze and nodded dejectedly.

–

At eleven o’clock at night, most of the shops were already closed.

Shen Wenqing and Xia Yan exited a Japanese restaurant, greeted by the chilly autumn wind. The trees overhead rustled as the wind blew through, and a few yellowed leaves spiraled to the ground.

It was early in the month, and a crescent moon hung like a silver hook in the sky.

Shen Wenqing had recently undergone his secondary gender differentiation, and his pheromones were still unstable. After drinking a few cups of sake at the restaurant, his body felt slightly feverish.

He glanced at the young man beside him, who had clearly drunk more than him yet showed no signs of intoxication, his expression perfectly clear.

In the hazy moonlight, he was breathtakingly beautiful.

Shen Wenqing pinched the skin between his thumb and forefinger hard to keep himself grounded. “It’s getting late. I’ll take you home.”

“Heh.”

The young man stretched his body languidly like a big cat, his lips curling into a smile as his eyes narrowed slightly. He chuckled, “Don’t push yourself. I should be the one taking you home.”

“…”

Shen Wenqing was taken aback.

“Surprised?” The young man winked at him. “I may be bad, but I’m not about to let a drunk Omega without a collar go home alone.”

Even though ABO equality had come a long way, Omega bodies were still inherently at a disadvantage.

Once marked by an Alpha, they would be enslaved by the pheromones and forced into heat.

And that was far from a pleasant experience.

“A collar, huh?” Shen Wenqing instinctively touched the back of his neck. Beneath the white suppressant patch, his newly developed glands were burning hot.

For someone like him, the best solution would be to wear a collar.

A one-inch-wide leather collar would tightly bind the neck, covering the glands completely. It would ensure that an Alpha couldn’t mark him even in a sudden heat.

But Shen Wenqing couldn’t bear the thought of being leashed like a dog.

Unless… He glanced at the young man, his eyes flickering.

“The taxi’s here. Let’s get in.”

Shen Wenqing snapped back to reality. “Okay.”

He gave the driver his address.

The driver, an Alpha, had been quietly glancing at them since they got in. After some time, as they neared their destination, the driver couldn’t hold back anymore and softly asked, “Uh… sir, your pheromones are leaking. Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“Pheromones?”

The alcohol and the sudden onset of his heat had clouded Shen Wenqing’s mind. It took him over a minute to realize the driver was talking to him.

“No! I don’t need to,” Shen Wenqing panted slightly. “I have suppressants at home; no need for the hospital.”

The driver sped up. “Got it, sir.”

In a daze, Shen Wenqing heard the young man’s concerned voice. “Are you sure you don’t need to go? You’re burning up.”

Feeling the cool temperature of the other’s forehead, Shen Wenqing instinctively leaned into it, his handsome face flushing slightly. His breath came out in hot gasps, and a haze of moisture filled his dark eyes.

“No need. Even if I went to the hospital, they’d just give me suppressants,” he murmured, his voice carrying a hint of a spoiled tone.

His entire demeanor was soft and inviting, making him appear vulnerable and easy to manipulate.

Xia Yan: “!!!”

He swallowed, his heart beating faster.

Screech—

The taxi stopped in the residential complex.

Shen Wenqing’s address was to a place where he lived alone. It was a one-apartment-per-floor setup, with strict security requiring an access card to enter and exit. Although he looked disheveled, his mind was still clear.

Pulling out his access card from his pocket, he swiped it to enter the building.

“I’m leaving now. You should head back,” he said weakly.

Xia Yan frowned involuntarily, hearing the faltering tone in Shen Wenqing’s voice and seeing how he seemed on the verge of collapsing. “I’ll go inside with you. I’ll leave once you’ve taken the suppressant.”

“…”

“Relax. I’m a Beta. I won’t do anything to you.”

Shen Wenqing stared at him, his gaze lingering from the young man’s eyes to his flushed lips, slender neck, and smooth, pale collarbones.

The night concealed the predatory glint in his eyes.

He suddenly chuckled. “Alright, come on in.”

The elevator opened with a soft mechanical hum, like the gaping maw of a beast, waiting to swallow the unsuspecting young man whole.

Shen Wenqing’s apartment gave Xia Yan a cold first impression.

The space was decorated in black, white, and gray tones. Everything was neatly arranged, with no signs of everyday life, like a model home in a sales office—cold and lifeless.

The suppressants were in the drawer of the living room cabinet.

Shen Wenqing walked over in quick strides, took out the bottle, and skillfully extracted the liquid with a syringe before injecting it into his body.

The swift and precise movements made Xia Yan’s scalp tingle.

Unable to hold back, Xia Yan asked, “Do you have to do this every time?”

“There are oral medications, but injections work faster,” Shen Wenqing replied, sitting down on the floor. As he spoke, he tore off the now-useless suppressant patch on his neck, allowing his pheromones to escape, silently coiling around the unsuspecting young man like a venomous snake.

Xia Yan walked over. “Are you still feeling unwell?”

“Mm,” Shen Wenqing grunted. “The injection takes about half an hour to kick in.”

“…”

This was Xia Yan’s first time dealing with an Omega’s heat, and he didn’t know what to do. Based on his limited knowledge of biology, he knew Omegas would get feverish, lose their rationality, and certain parts of them would…

That’s why the system confidently assured him that the protagonist shou would never be able to top him.

Now… what about Shen Wenqing’s body?

The young man’s gaze involuntarily drifted downward, landing on a place he shouldn’t have been looking.

“Are you curious?”

The man’s sudden question startled Xia Yan.

“Want to try?”

“???” Xia Yan doubted his own ears, looking incredulous. Seeing his reaction, the man let out a low chuckle.

He took Xia Yan’s hand and gently brought it to his lips, planting soft kisses on his long fingers.

It was such a simple touch, yet Xia Yan began to tremble. The subtle sensation spread from his fingertips throughout his entire body.

“I’m in pain. Consider this mutual help.”

Xia Yan was completely stunned.

Is the world progressing this fast?

“Wait! I don’t want to take advantage of you,” Xia Yan quickly objected.

“But I want you to help me.” The man leaned in, exposing the vulnerable nape of his neck, his deep voice carrying a hint of temptation. “Kiss it.”

…

Xia Yan had no idea how things had escalated this far.

The Omega’s fragile gland was incredibly sensitive. Each touch brought low, stifled moans, and every small sound seemed amplified in the quiet space.

For some reason, Xia Yan caught a whiff of something peachy, sweet and fragrant.

It smelled… nice.

He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but eventually, the heat in the gland subsided, likely due to the suppressant taking effect.

Xia Yan pulled away with a flushed face, avoiding eye contact, and stammered softly, “It’s time. I should go.”

“Stay here tonight.”

The man grabbed his hand.

“Next time,” Xia Yan tried to pull away, only to realize, to his surprise, that he couldn’t shake off the Omega’s grip. His strength was unusually strong, and in a sudden move, the man flipped them over, pinning Xia Yan down.

???

Wait! This scene seems oddly familiar.

–

As the sunlight streamed in the next day, Xia Yan groggily woke up, feeling refreshed. He turned over in satisfaction.

It was truly a mutually beneficial night.

Nothing else happened, though.

However, after this experience, Xia Yan learned that not every Omega would… Some were frigid or strongly resistant to heat cycles, refusing to engage during them.

After freshening up, Xia Yan found Shen Wenqing already sitting at the dining table, breakfast prepared.

“Good morning.”

Memories of the previous night flashed through Xia Yan’s mind, but he quickly brushed them aside, responding calmly, “Morning.”

“I made bacon and eggs. Would you like some black pepper?”

“Sure, anything’s fine.”

“Alright.”

Shen Wenqing served breakfast, sitting across from Xia Yan, his demeanor calm as if nothing had happened the night before.

From Xia Yan’s angle, he could faintly see the white suppressant patch on the back of Shen Wenqing’s neck. The large patch covered the gland and hid the numerous kiss marks beneath it.

Xia Yan’s expression momentarily faltered before hastily changing the topic, “Today is the last day of the National Day holiday. You’re going back to school tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do your classmates know you’ve transformed into an Omega?”

Shen Wenqing paused slightly. “Most don’t know yet.” He had been on leave ever since his transformation, so no one at school had found out.

“Oh.”

Xia Yan wasn’t much of a conversationalist. After a few exchanges, the conversation quickly fizzled out.

As the awkward silence settled in, the man accidentally dropped his fork. Following his gaze, Xia Yan noticed a leather collar casually thrown on the floor.

But Shen Wenqing only picked up the fork, ignoring the other object entirely.

?

Puzzled, Xia Yan asked, “Aren’t you going to pick that up?”

Shen Wenqing glanced at it indifferently. “I don’t need it.”

“Going out without a collar as an Omega is dangerous,” Xia Yan recalled from the original owner’s memories. “You need to think about your safety.”

Shen Wenqing set down the dirty fork and propped his chin on his hand, his gaze playful. “Are you worried about me?”

“Of course.” Xia Yan blinked innocently. “My gem is still with you. I don’t want to see you end up on the evening news.”

“If you’re worried about me, why not pick out a new collar for me?” Shen Wenqing’s smile was unusually seductive for someone so typically aloof. He took Xia Yan’s hand and placed it on the back of his neck, the warm breath from his exhalation tickling Xia Yan’s arm.

“Lock it for me.”

Xia Yan’s breath hitched.

He planned to seduce Shen Wenqing and make him confess, but now it felt like he was the one being seduced.

Either way, he couldn’t lose the upper hand.

Xia Yan gently pressed his fingers against Shen Wenqing’s sensitive gland through the suppressant patch, teasing, “You want me to give you a gift?”

“Can’t I?”

“Of course you can.” Xia Yan smiled. “What color do you like? White, pink, red… No, black would suit you best. Your skin is so pale; black would look amazing on you.”

After a brief pause, he continued, “Fingerprint lock or key lock, which do you prefer?”

“…”

Though Xia Yan was asking Shen Wenqing, he’d already decided. “Fingerprint lock it is. How about we program my fingerprint into it too?”

“Is that all?” Shen Wenqing lowered his head and bit lightly on the inside of Xia Yan’s wrist, leaving a faint mark. Smiling, he said, “Why not just use your fingerprint alone?”

“…”

“Without your fingerprint, I’ll never be able to take it off.” Shen Wenqing’s voice grew softer. “So you’ll always be the one to lock me.”

Xia Yan’s eyes widened in shock.

Damn! He lost. Couldn’t win this one.

—

After breakfast, Xia Yan hurriedly made an excuse to leave.

As he sat in the taxi heading home, he finally sighed in relief. So much had happened in just a few hours, and he needed time to process it all.

Xia Yan’s rental was not far from Shen Wenqing’s place, only about a half-hour drive.

When he arrived at his door, he found a red gift box placed in front of it. A simple sticky note was attached, reading: “For Xia Yan.”

Was it a gift from someone?

Xia Yan picked up the box and opened the lid.

Inside was a single red rose, with a card beneath it.

“…”

His fingers clenched tightly, already guessing what was inside.

Sure enough, the card was filled with vile and obscene language in red print, but the last line was what caught his eye:

[Xia Xia has been naughty, getting intimate with an Omega.]

A chill crept up from the soles of his feet.

This person… had been stalking him all along. They knew where he worked, where he lived, and even what had happened between him and Shen Wenqing last night.

Xia Yan spun around, his gaze scanning the staircase.

The surroundings were empty, and after ensuring no one was around, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Quickly entering the passcode to his door, he hurried inside. Only after ensuring he was safe did he pull out his phone to call the police.

The police arrived soon after.

Although they were a man and a woman, both were Alphas. Upon seeing Xia Yan, they immediately caught a whiff of Omega pheromones in the air, a strong, sweet peach scent that enveloped him possessively.

But the young man was completely unaware, making no attempt to hide it, which stirred people’s imaginations.