TCFGBH Chapter 74

A beautiful accessory made of alloy, inlaid with three gorgeous rubies, luxurious and dazzling.

The young man half-closed his eyes, subconsciously wanting to touch it, but the man gripped his hand tightly. He looked up, seeming a bit confused. After a long moment, he mumbled in a daze, “What are you doing?”

“…I just want to hold your hand.”

“Why?”Shen Wenqing didn’t respond, just gave him a slight smile.

Seeing this, the young man grew irritated. Why should this person be holding his hand? Pouting, he stared at the other person angrily and even bumped his forehead against Shen Wenqing’s. A soft sound marked the light impact.

Both of them let out a small cry in unison.

The slight pain on his forehead made the young man feel wronged, and his pretty face scrunched up. “I don’t want you here, go away.”

Shen Wenqing was also hurt but didn’t care about himself; he hurriedly lowered his head to check on Xia Yan. “Does it hurt? Let me see…” Only when he saw there was no bruise did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“You… Did your intelligence drop to zero because of the pheromones?”

Xia Yan didn’t fully understand but could sense the comment wasn’t flattering. Seeing the man’s face close by, a bold idea flashed through his mind. He lifted his head suddenly and bit down hard on Shen Wenqing’s cheek, leaving a clear row of teeth marks without hesitation.

Shen Wenqing: “…”

The young man curled his lips in a smirk, looking at the other with a teasing expression.
After a few seconds of shock, Shen Wenqing unexpectedly burst into laughter. “Oh, so Yan Yan was eager all along?”

“…”

“Good! Hug me, let’s go to the room.”

?
Wait! Isn’t there something wrong here?

Flashback ends.

The young man held his head in his hands, his sharp and pretty features showing a trace of bewilderment. The flood of information left him unable to think. Until a pair of strong hands embraced his waist, the man lovingly patted his head and greeted, “Good afternoon, Yan Yan.”

“…Oh.”

“Aren’t you tired? Would you like to sleep a bit more?”

“No, that’s okay.” He really needed some quiet time to think.

Shen Wenqing asked, “What would you like to eat? I’ll make it.”

“Anything’s fine.”

“What’s wrong, Yan Yan? You’re so well-behaved today!” Shen Wenqing finished dressing and walked over, giving Xia Yan a peck on the cheek, then reaching to ruffle his hair.

“???”

Xia Yan’s body stiffened; he instinctively grabbed Shen Wenqing’s hand faster than his mind could react. “Don’t touch my head so casually.”

“Oh.”

“…”

“I told you not to keep touching me, you—”

Halfway through his words, Xia Yan felt Shen Wenqing’s hand brush lightly against his cheek, a tiny black lash resting on his fingertip. With an innocent look, Shen Wenqing said, “Yan Yan, what are you thinking? I was just trying to help you.”

“…”

He did that on purpose!

Xia Yan’s lips twitched. Giving up on pleasantries, he let his host’s bad temper come out, pulling the man’s hair a bit out of spite. The soft hair slipped through his fingers, carrying a faint shampoo scent.

Shen Wenqing let out a muffled sound: “Ow.”

Triumphant, the young man smirked. “Now we’re even.”

With his eyes slightly narrowed and a playful gleam in his gaze, Xia Yan looked both defiant and pleased, making him look incredibly attractive. Shen Wenqing’s heart melted, and he couldn’t help but laugh along.

Xia Yan: “…” So odd—happy even when teased?

Shen Wenqing pretended not to see the young man’s surprise and changed the topic. “I’ll go make something to eat.”

“…Oh.”

“If only Yan Yan could stay by my side forever…” His voice was soft, almost a whisper, more like a wish than a conversation.

The door to the room opened and closed as the man left. A gust of cold wind blew from the living room, and the young man shivered, his brain finally starting to work.

He! A Beta! Was dominated by an Omega!!!

An inherently weaker, delicate Omega!!

Xia Yan gripped the bed sheet tightly, staring at the marks on his arm and feeling his aching body, nearly losing his breath. He called out to the system, [Why could an Omega even dominate me?]

[Ask yourself that!] The system, too, was questioning its own existence.

[And I was supposed to be the heartless one, right?]

[…]

[Is your mission even reliable at all?!]

The system… had no words to offer.

Xia Yan rubbed his sore waist, questioning his life choices.

Help!!! The protagonist shou’s persona has completely crumbled!!

Who even wants to keep playing this role?

He had decided! He was going on strike! Forget the persona; he’d just work hard in the next world if he had to.

Being dominated by an Omega was a breaking point for Xia Yan, who thought he had control. Going for broke, he found his phone from last night and texted Wen Changming.

[You there?] Look at him, already shedding his social anxiety and learning to take initiative.

Wen Changming replied quickly: [Cat head peeking.jpg.]

[I know you’re researching a new Omega suppressant. Don’t ask how I know, I just want to know—will it be completed?]

Xia Yan’s persistence with the side mission wasn’t for the points but because he didn’t want this world to collapse.

It took a while before Wen Changming replied: [So, you’ve been by my side all this time… for the new suppressant?]

[Yes.]

Just one word, simple and direct.

Wen Changming was silent for a long time again.

Perhaps he was ready to give up, and it didn’t matter anymore. With the energy in his heart, Xia Yan pressed on step by step: [Will the inhibitor succeed? ]

[Mr. Xia.]

After many days, Wen Changming’s address to him became the original ‘Mr.’, with alienation, politeness, and some unattainable delusions and desires.

He sent a voice message: “I didn’t expect that you loved Shen Wenqing so much.”

[?] Xia Yan was bewildered, sending a question mark.

Wen Changming only left two sentences before switching to text: [I can’t bring myself to bless you. I’m sorry.]

[???]

[The new suppressant will come to light.]

With that, the conversation ended.

Xia Yan reread the messages, convinced that Wen Changming had misunderstood something. The side mission had somehow progressed, and the tension he’d been holding onto dissipated significantly.

For someone like Wen Changming—a genius among geniuses—to be approached as a mere tool must be a first. He was likely feeling very hurt.

Xia Yan hesitated, intending to explain.

But for every word he typed, he ended up deleting them one by one.

For the local inhabitants of this world, completely cutting off Wen Changming’s feelings for him would be for the best.

–

Dinner was lavish.

However, the dishes were all light considering Xia Yan’s physical state. Shen Wenqing had honed his cooking skills during their previous cohabitation, and each dish was delicious.

The dinner table was quiet; Xia Yan, worn out, responded to everything Shen Wenqing said with a disinterested “Mmm” or “Oh,” killing the conversation entirely.

After the meal, Xia Yan expressed his desire to go home.

Shen Wenqing said, “Maybe stay here tonight? Wait until you’re feeling better.”

“No need.”

A pause of silence followed. Shen Wenqing finally said, “Well, let me drive you then.”

Usually, when someone refuses a first request, guilt keeps them from rejecting a second. But right now, Xia Yan… was already fully embracing his role as a laid-back, uninterested ‘salted fish’.

He shook his head firmly again.

“My body’s fine. I can still get home just fine.”

The smile on Shen Wenqing’s face grew slightly strained. “Alright, just remember to call me when you’re home.”

Xia Yan neither nodded nor shook his head, heading straight for the door. Shen Wenqing watched as his figure faded into the distance, feeling his heart beat faster—a helpless feeling like water slipping through his fingers.

“Xia Yan.” His voice rose slightly. “Make sure to send me a message.”

The winter wind tousled the young man’s hair, making it difficult to see his face from a distance. Shen Wenqing watched as Xia Yan got into a cab and left.

The ruby crown lay forgotten on the sofa.

–

Did Xia Yan go home? The answer was no.

He had already given up on Shen Wenqing’s mission. Now, he was planning to complete the final task.
Ahem! Even though he decided to slack off, why not take the free points that were up for grabs?

The bartenders at Third Bar had a rotating shift system, and the employee dormitory was located near the bar. Although Xia Yan had never been there, he was quite familiar with the bar’s waitstaff, so all he had to do was ask, and someone would gladly take him over.

When he arrived, a few employees were still resting in the dormitory, and they looked at him with surprise.

Ignoring the curious stares from everyone, Xia Yan looked at Xu Rang and pointed outside, saying, “I have something to talk to you about. Can we go outside?”

Noticing the seriousness in Xia Yan’s demeanor, Xu Rang nodded, “Alright.”

The dormitory was located in an old neighborhood, mostly inhabited by elderly residents and migrant workers. Xia Yan, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, looked glamorous like a celebrity, clearly out of place in this area, and passersby couldn’t help but steal glances at him.

When a rude male Beta tried to squeeze his way close to Xia Yan, Xu Rang pushed him away, scolding coldly, “What are you doing? Keep your hands to yourself.”

“Tch.”

The Beta muttered angrily and walked away.

After finding a quiet spot, Xia Yan got straight to the point. “Would you consider going back home with me?”

“You haven’t given up yet?” Xu Rang scratched his head helplessly. “I already told you, I—” still want to live.

“As my pretend boyfriend, you’ll get to pick three gifts from my room as a reward.” The mission had given Xia Yan some loopholes to exploit. It only required that they appear to be a couple for a month, so whether they were genuinely a couple didn’t really matter.

His room was filled with items gifted to him by others, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands in value.

Xia Yan’s attitude was calm and sincere; he wasn’t joking like before, nor did he seem desperate. He was simply offering a final invitation: if it worked out, he’d get the points, and if not, that would be fine too.

Xu Rang sensed the change in Xia Yan’s mindset. “You seem different today.”

Xia Yan rubbed his nose and replied, “Yeah, I guess I’ve come to terms with a few things. Think of it as helping me out, and the gifts are your ‘salary.’”

Xu Rang didn’t quite understand why Xia Yan was so insistent.

But with Xia Yan asking again and again, he found it hard to refuse.

“I’ll need some time to take care of things at the bar.”

He was… agreeing.

Xia Yan’s eyes lit up. “Alright.”

With the free points in hand, he could slip away quietly once he completed the final task, using the original owner’s savings to settle down in a scenic spot and enjoy life. The moment the side mission wrapped up, he’d leave right away.

And as for getting dominated by the protagonist shou?

Ahem! As long as he could run fast enough, that problem wouldn’t exist.

This was the last stand of the scumbag gong.