TAO | Chapter 117

Xu Wenyi started by talking about the house. Then, her tone shifted.

“It’s a good thing you’ve both been working during the summer and in your spare time,” she said, “but I don’t want you continuing that kind of life in college.”

Wei Xiaochi nervously scratched at his knees.

The Jiang family was wealthy enough that Jiang Zhan could live in comfort for the rest of his life. The fact that he was now working out under the blazing sun—let’s be real—was largely because of Wei Xiaochi.

Jiang Zhan frowned, feeling the direction of the conversation wasn’t right, and asked bluntly, “Why not?”

Xu Wenyi answered in an unhurried tone, “Because you’ve already experienced how hard it is to earn money. What I hope is for you to have a relaxed, comfortable college life—especially you, Xiaochi.”

Wei Xiaochi looked up and met Xu Wenyi’s warm, yet powerful gaze.

“I know you want to be independent, to earn your own tuition through hard work. But we only get one youth, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

“Xiaochi, when you graduate and step into society, there’ll be endless work waiting for you. From youth to middle age, maybe even old age. These four years of university may be the last time in your life you’ll get to ‘rest.’”

Her voice was sincere and full of care. “So I don’t want you to shoulder the burdens of life so early, to carry them all alone.”

“If you really want to work, that’s okay. When you get to junior year, I’ll help arrange an internship. But for these next two years, I want you to focus on being happy and enjoying your studies. Okay?”

Her eyes were full of gentle affection and concern—like a real mother’s love. Wei Xiaochi was rendered speechless.

He had never been looked at like this by any woman in his life. It felt like a pair of warm hands had gently smoothed over the wounds in his soul.

He gave a stiff little nod, then awkwardly rummaged through his pocket. He pulled out a bankbook and handed it to Xu Wenyi, looking dazed and awkward, eyes flickering with a mix of shyness and courage.

After hearing about the house and being invited for dinner tonight, something had made Wei Xiaochi bring the bankbook with him. He didn’t know why, but deep down he had a feeling tonight was going to be important.

He was like some penniless guy wanting to marry a rich heiress—bringing all his savings, bracing himself to walk into the girl’s house and propose.

Sure, his little bit of money was nothing to the Jiang family—probably couldn’t even buy the bathroom in that two-bedroom apartment—but it was everything he had.

And the crazy thing was, he hadn’t been dazzled by some “beautiful heiress,” but rather moved by the motherly glow radiating off the “heiress’s” mom. He handed over all his savings willingly.

As for that “proposal”… totally forgot about it.

Xu Wenyi blinked in surprise.

She took the bankbook and glanced at the balance: over 40,000 yuan.

She remembered hearing outside the principal’s office—Jiang Zhan angrily asking Wei Xiaochi’s father if he even knew that his son had saved over 20,000 yuan for college.

Now, after their two months working at the golf course, their combined salaries must’ve added to that amount—resulting in this 40,000 total.

This little guy had just handed over everything he owned.

Xu Wenyi smiled.

How much effort had Wei Xiaochi poured into saving this money all these years?

That thought made her smile fade. For someone so young to study hard, work part-time, and still maintain top grades—the hardship of it all was something only Wei Xiaochi himself could understand.

She decisively kept the bankbook, folded her hands over it, and took on the tone of a true head of the family.

“Even if you give me your entire salary, I’ll still give you a monthly living allowance. I’ll deposit the money into Xiaochi’s account. Any objections?”

Jiang Zhan: “No.”

Xu Wenyi looked to Wei Xiaochi gently. “What about you, Xiaochi?”

He shook his head quickly.

“Good,” she said, clearly satisfied. “Then it’s settled. First official family meeting: adjourned.”

From that day on, Wei Xiaochi started coming to the Jiang household for meals more often, no longer nervous around Xu Wenyi.

Because in his heart, Xu Wenyi had already become family.

–

Summer break passed in a blink. Just before school started, it was Wei Dongjian’s birthday. He personally called Wei Xiaochi and asked him to come home for dinner.

In the year since he’d moved out, Wei Xiaochi had only returned twice—both times with Jiang Zhan. Wei Dongjian didn’t say anything and treated Jiang Zhan like a guest.

Since it had been a while, Wei Xiaochi bought some fruit. Xu Wenyi also had Jiang Zhan bring two bottles of good liquor and some dried goods.

He’d left his house key behind on purpose last time, so now he always knocked when coming back.

They arrived at the door with their arms full of stuff. It was already 10:30. When Fang Yuan opened the door and saw them, her smile bloomed like a flower.

“You didn’t have to bring anything!” she scolded playfully. “Come in, come in!”

Wei Dongjian was smoking by the coffee table. Hearing the commotion, he stubbed out his cigarette and shifted over a bit. “Sit down, don’t just stand there.”

Wei Xiaochi put the things on the dining table and sat next to Jiang Zhan on the sofa.

Wei Dongjian habitually reached for his cigarette pack, pulled one out—then, after a pause, seemed to think better of it and put it back.

“When does school start?” he asked.

“Report-in is August 31st.” Since Jiang Zhan stayed silent, Wei Xiaochi answered for him. “His school starts around the same time too.”

Jiang Zhan held a grudge against Wei Dongjian, and the feeling was mutual. Neither tried to talk to the other. Across two visits, they’d exchanged less than ten sentences total.

Sensing the awkward air, Fang Yuan brought out the twins from their room.

“Didn’t you say you missed your big brother? Well, here he is—and he brought Brother Jiang Zhan too. Don’t mess around, especially you, Zimo. Zixin, go play with Brother Jiang Zhan.”

Wei Dongjian glanced at her with a frown.

Wei Zimo was too rowdy, but Zixin was a bit more well-behaved. Jiang Zhan actually had some patience for little girls. Last time, the two of them had played a match-three game together on the phone.

But since it had been a while, Zixin shyly hid behind Wei Dongjian, stealing glances at Jiang Zhan and Wei Xiaochi.

“I ordered some honey-heart apricots online—they’re super sweet,” Fang Yuan said, carrying over a plate of washed fruit. “Xiao Jiang, have a taste.”

She placed it in front of him, and Jiang Zhan politely took two.

“Xiaochi, you have some too.” She handed a handful to him.

Wei Xiaochi quickly accepted. “Thank you, Aunt Fang.”

–

Tonight, Fang Yuan handled all the hosting while Wei Dongjian stayed in the kitchen stewing fish.

On holidays, if he was home, he’d cook a feast. Only during those times would Fang Yuan retreat from the kitchen.

Unlike Wei Dongjian, Fang Yuan was a talker—smooth and chatty. All the previous visits had relied on her to keep the atmosphere alive.

Dinner went down relatively peacefully thanks to her warmth.

They stayed until around 2 p.m. before heading out.

Just after leaving the neighborhood, Wei Xiaochi patted his pockets and realized he’d forgotten his phone. He had to turn back.

He hadn’t climbed stairs in a while, and by the time he reached the fifth floor, he was winded. With just a few steps to go, he paused to catch his breath.

Seeing him so exhausted, Jiang Zhan—still calm—said, “You stay here. I’ll go get it.”

Wei Xiaochi was just about to nod when—

From inside the apartment came Wei Dongjian’s shout—

“You think I don’t know what the hell you’re thinking? I don’t care if I’m broke and begging in the streets—I would never sell my own son!”

Fang Yuan’s shrill voice rang back, trembling with tears, “What’s that supposed to mean, Wei Dongjian? I’ve been with you all these years, and in your eyes, I’m that kind of woman?”

“If I was all about money and vanity, would I have married you? What did you even have back then? Besides this shitty apartment, what did you have? That two-hundred-thousand car loan? My brother and I were the ones who helped you with that!”

Wei Dongjian exploded at that. “Don’t bring that shit up! I paid back every damn cent—with interest!”

The twins burst into frightened cries. Wei Dongjian, clearly on edge, snapped, “Cry cry cry—that’s all you ever do!”

Fang Yuan shielded the kids. “Why are you yelling at them? Have you ever cared for them all these years? You already scared your oldest away—what, you want to chase them out too?”

Then came the sound of things being smashed—and Fang Yuan’s voice, sobbing and screaming—

“Go ahead! Break it all! Why don’t you just smash this whole house apart? Kick us all out—me and the kids!”

She wiped away tears. “Is it so wrong for me to be nice to people? That’s a crime now?”

Wei Dongjian’s eyes were bloodshot. “Nice? That’s not nice! That’s sucking up to people because of their money! That’s groveling!”

“I just can’t stand people like you,” roared Wei Dongjian. “Let me tell you—even if you gave me a mountain of gold and silver, I’d never trade away my kid. That goes for the little ones too.”

“I already lost my eldest—whatever, I can’t control him anymore. But these two? Don’t you dare stuff those messy ideas into their heads.”

“What’s the point of having them stick to that Jiang kid? Trying to arrange a childhood engagement with the Jiang family’s kids or something?”

“Bullshit,” Fang Yuan snapped back, voice rising in a near cry. “Xiao Chi and that Jiang boy are already basically together. What’s wrong with building a good relationship with their family? It’s not like I’m trying to get anything out of it!”

Wei Dongjian glared at her. “If you’re not trying to get something, why bother getting so close?”

Fang Yuan said, “If their family has work opportunities in logistics or transport, and they introduce something to you that you can hold down, maybe even land some big orders, we could buy another car!”

Then she quickly added, “But even if there’s nothing, with his relationship with Xiao Chi, we should treat them well. That’s just basic manners. Do you even get what social niceties are?”

Wei Dongjian planted one hand on his hip and waved the other furiously. “I don’t need their introductions. I’ll earn what I deserve with my own damn abilities.”

Fang Yuan let out a bitter laugh. “Fine, fine. You’re noble and virtuous, and I’m a shallow gold-digger. A scheming social climber. That work for you?”

Their argument filtered out in bits and pieces through the security door, but it was enough for Wei Xiaochi to get the gist.

It wasn’t hard to guess what the fight was about.

Wei Dongjian thought Fang Yuan had been way too eager in the way she treated Jiang Zhan. After a couple times of holding back, this time it finally exploded.

He was a traditional, face-proud man. Stubborn and prideful. The last thing he wanted was to have people whispering that he was selling his kids.

He didn’t treat Jiang Zhan any differently because of his wealth—on the contrary, he hated the idea that people might think they were clinging to the rich.

But Wei Xiaochi was willing. And now that he couldn’t control him anymore, he just let him be.

Already frustrated, seeing Fang Yuan “fawning over” Jiang Zhan pushed him right over the edge.

Wei Xiaochi looked up at the front door, now just a few steps away, his expression lost.

Then a hand quietly slid into his, their palms fitting together tightly. He blinked, looked to the side, and saw Jiang Zhan.

Seeing the worry hiding beneath the alpha’s frustration, Wei Xiaochi smiled and kissed him—firm and quick—right on the lips.

Jiang Zhan froze.

Wei Xiaochi slipped his hand out of Jiang Zhan’s, took a deep breath, and walked up to the door to knock.

The shouting inside stopped instantly, leaving only the sound of the twins crying.

He knocked again.

Fang Yuan’s voice came, wary: “Who is it?”

Wei Xiaochi: “It’s me.”

“Oh, Xiaochi…” Her voice cracked in panic for a moment before calming down. “What is it?”

“I forgot my phone.”

“I’ll open the door for you, wait a second.”

About thirty or forty seconds later, the door opened. Fang Yuan’s eyes were a little red, and she kept brushing her bangs, trying to hide it. She handed him his phone through the half-open door.

“Those two were crying non-stop just now, I gave them a little spanking, so I didn’t notice your phone on the couch.” She let out an awkward laugh. “Wanna come in for a bit?”

Wei Xiaochi glanced at the messy living room and shook his head. “No need.”

“Well then, you and Xiao Jiang be careful on the way back. Come home to visit when you have time,” she said, stepping out as if to walk them out.

But Wei Xiaochi gently declined her offer and headed downstairs with Jiang Zhan.

Once they left the building, hand in hand, they walked out of the neighborhood that had been Wei Xiaochi’s home for more than a decade.

He knew Wei Dongjian had been trying to make up for lost time, to mend their relationship—because he was still his father.

But it couldn’t go back to how it was.

Even if the chasm had been filled, the cracks still remained.

Whether Wei Dongjian admitted it or not, to him, Wei Xiaochi and the twins were not the same. And when affection starts to require caution, it means the bond is already broken—even if it’s family.

Not all relationships can be mended with a smile and a simple “let bygones be bygones.”

What they had now—just keeping things civil—was already the best outcome.

They’d never go back to being a “normal” father and son.

Wei Xiaochi squeezed Jiang Zhan’s hand tighter.

Holding onto the happiness he had now—that was enough.

–

The two-bedroom apartment was finally finished. Jiang Tang drove them over to see it, with Song Langlang tagging along.

Langlang hugged a doll in her arms, had a SpongeBob backpack on her shoulders, and wore a fluffy little princess dress. Snow-pale and adorable.

She looked up and asked, “So Zhu Zhu and Xiaochi-Zhu Zhu are gonna live here now? Are they coming back home anymore?”

Jiang Tang glanced at her in the rearview mirror and smiled. “That depends on your Zhu Zhu.”

Langlang turned and asked Jiang Zhan, “Zhu Zhu…”

“It’s not Zhu Zhu,” he corrected, annoyed. “It’s Jiujiu (Uncle), you dummy.”

Langlang huffed, “You’re the dummy!”

Big and small, the two of them instantly started bickering again—for like the fifth time today.

Jiang Zhan refused to let even a toddler get the upper hand, which left little Langlang fuming. Wei Xiaochi quickly pulled out a candy to coax her.

“Xiaochi-Zhu Zhu is still the best,” Langlang said, happily popping the candy in her mouth and making a face at Jiang Zhan. “Zhu Zhu is a big meanie!”

Jiang Zhan: “Tch.”

As Jiang Tang turned into the underground parking lot of the complex, she glanced over at Wei Xiaochi. “See that? Some people are just this childish. He’s been like that since he was little. You’ve got your hands full with this one.”

Before Wei Xiaochi could say anything, Jiang Zhan snapped, “Just focus on your driving.”

Jiang Tang made a mysterious little noise of amusement.

–

She’d told them the apartment had been lightly furnished, but that “light” had clearly been watered down.

She’d decorated the place as luxuriously as possible within a short time, just to make sure they’d live comfortably.

All the materials used were eco-friendly. After the renovations, a professional team came in to deep-clean and disinfect. The windows had been kept open for four or five days, and there wasn’t the slightest trace of odor inside.

Jiang Zhan walked around the apartment, generally satisfied with Jiang Tang’s taste—especially the way the study was designed.

She handed each of them a key and then jingled the third one in her hand.

“I’m keeping the spare,” she said. “But don’t worry, I won’t drop by without notice. I won’t intrude on your two-person world.”

Jiang Zhan lifted his chin. “Better not.”

Wei Xiaochi tugged on his sleeve and said to Jiang Tang, a little embarrassed, “Thank you, Tang-jie.”

Jiang Tang dramatically sighed, flipping her hair. “What’s the use of doing all this? I’m not even your real ‘jie’ (sister), we’re just cousins.”

Wei Xiaochi quickly said, “No, you’re my jie.”

She immediately grinned. “Alright, alright, I’m done teasing you guys. I’ll get out of your way now—wouldn’t want someone to get grumpy.”

Jiang Zhan, feeling targeted, opened the door. “Hurry up and go.”

“You better not regret this,” Jiang Tang said as she grabbed her bag and walked out. “If you beg me to come back later, I’m not gonna.”

Wei Xiaochi felt bad and was about to chase after her, but Jiang Zhan grabbed him by the back of the collar.

“Don’t bother.”

Bang—Jiang Zhan shut the door.

Wei Xiaochi’s face scrunched into a bitter melon. “That… wasn’t very nice.”

“What’s so bad about that?” Jiang Zhan muttered, eyes full of grievance. “When she bullies me, you never stand up for me.”

Wei Xiaochi pushed up his glasses and replied honestly, “That doesn’t really count as bullying. Your sister actually spoils you a lot.”

Jiang Zhan let out a cold snort but didn’t argue.

At this point, Jiang Tang had definitely already driven off. Wei Xiaochi stopped dwelling on it and suggested, “Why don’t we start unpacking?”

The apartment had been bought under Xu Wenyi’s name, but just a few days ago she’d brought them to the housing bureau—now both of their names were on the title deed.

Even now, Wei Xiaochi still couldn’t believe it—they had a home.

The Omega’s eyes sparkled like they’d been sprinkled with frost and starlight, glimmering softly with joy. When Jiang Zhan looked at him, his chest felt both warm and scalding.

Their eyes met. Wei Xiaochi’s breath caught for a second, his lashes fluttered.

Jiang Zhan leaned in, unable to resist.

Their lips were just about to meet… when they both froze—because from the corner of their eyes, they saw the sofa.

Song Langlang was lying on it, tilting her head curiously as she stared at them.

Wei Xiaochi panicked and pulled away immediately. They couldn’t go around corrupting little kids!

Jiang Zhan’s pupils shrank. He turned and glared. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been here the whole time,” Song Langlang said innocently.

Jiang Zhan’s chest rose and fell sharply. He pulled out his phone and called Jiang Tang.

The second the call connected, he exploded. “What kind of mom are you?! You just dumped Song Langlang on me?!”

Jiang Tang replied calmly, “Really? I already drove off. Let her stay with you guys for a few days. I’ll pick her up when I have time.”

Then she hung up—no room for protest.

Jiang Zhan tried calling again. She didn’t pick up.

Song Langlang blinked her big round eyes, watching her dumb “Zhu Zhu” rage like a volcano.

“Xiao Chi Zhu Zhu, I wanna watch cartoons,” she said sweetly.

“Okay.” Wei Xiaochi immediately went to turn on the TV.

“No!” Jiang Zhan grabbed the keys from the entryway. “I’m taking her back right now!”

Song Langlang looked pitifully at Wei Xiaochi. “I wanna stay here…”

“No,” Jiang Zhan said flatly.

She hugged Wei Xiaochi’s arm, blinking her eyes like a little deer. “I’ll be good. I’ll eat well, sleep well, and even bathe myself.”

Wei Xiaochi hesitated. In the end, he gave in to the overwhelming cuteness and nodded.

Jiang Zhan shot him a deadly glare. “They did it on purpose!”

Wei Xiaochi blinked. “How could that be?”

Jiang Zhan yelled, “It’s definitely on purpose! They’re sabotaging our two-person world!”

And Jiang Zhan… was proven absolutely right.

When Wei Xiaochi opened Song Langlang’s SpongeBob backpack to get her a change of clothes, the alpha’s death-ray-level glare swept over like a mini-Gatling gun, almost killing him on the spot.

Wei Xiaochi shrank his neck and sat quietly next to Song Langlang like a little chicken.

–

That night, Song Langlang bathed herself, then walked out in her soft cotton pajamas. Wei Xiaochi used a hair dryer to gently dry her hair.

She scrambled onto the bed, pulled up the covers, and rolled her big eyes between Wei Xiaochi and Jiang Zhan.

Jiang Zhan had already cooled down. Seeing Wei Xiaochi drying Langlang’s hair, he leaned over, still with a damp head.

Wei Xiaochi chuckled and helplessly turned the dryer back on, running his fingers through Jiang Zhan’s dark hair as he let the warm wind brush through the strands.

After his hair was dry, Jiang Zhan lay on the bed beside Langlang. The big one and the little one stared at Wei Xiaochi as he busied himself around the room.

When he finally climbed into bed, Song Langlang looked up at him with her snow-white face and said, “Xiao Chi Zhu Zhu, I want a story.”

“Which one?” Wei Xiaochi asked, pulling out his phone.

She thought for a moment. “Little Red Riding Hood.”

He found a children’s audiobook. “Once upon a time, there was a lovely little girl, and everyone who saw her loved her…”

After finishing that one, Song Langlang started rubbing her eyes and yawning. “One more. I want to hear Silly King and Jumping Horse.”

Wei Xiaochi had experience lulling the twins to sleep. He knew that when kids got sleepy, telling stories in a soft, gentle voice worked best.

“Long, long ago, in the land of Sillyland, there lived a silly king…”

Midway through the story, Song Langlang dozed off.

Wei Xiaochi tucked the blanket around her waist. The weather hadn’t turned cool yet, so just covering the belly was enough.

When he looked up again, he locked eyes with the alpha’s deep, still gaze. In that moment, something inside Wei Xiaochi melted.

“Good night,” he whispered to Jiang Zhan.

Just as he reached out to turn off the light, Jiang Zhan grumbled, “I’m not asleep yet.”

Wei Xiaochi turned back and waited.

“I said I’m not asleep yet,” Jiang Zhan repeated, his voice full of meaning.

“…Do you want me to tell you a story too?” Wei Xiaochi asked.

Jiang Zhan looked at him, full of wounded pride. “You think I’m that little brat?”

Wei Xiaochi swallowed. “Then… what do you want?”

Jiang Zhan snuggled his chin deeper into the summer quilt. “How should I know?”

If Jiang Zhan didn’t know, then Wei Xiaochi was even more clueless.

Just as the atmosphere froze between them, Song Langlang suddenly rolled over and snuggled into Jiang Zhan’s arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Oh oh, time to sleep. The dog came, the cat came, and Zhu Zhu got scared and fell asleep~” she murmured, patting his back like a lullaby.

Wei Xiaochi: …

Jiang Zhan: …

Jiang Zhan’s eyes bulged. “Weren’t you asleep?!”

Song Langlang’s eyes rolled craftily. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t saying bad things about me.”

Then she poked her own chubby cheek and mocked, “Zhu Zhu’s so embarrassing~ So big and still needs someone to put him to sleep~”

Jiang Zhan clenched his jaw. “Go to sleep.”

“But don’t you need someone to put you to sleep? Xiao Chi Zhu Zhu can’t do it, so I’ll do it.” She slapped a hand over his eyes. “Close your eyes, go sleepy-bye~”

The image was just too ridiculous. Wei Xiaochi couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Jiang Zhan batted her hand away and scowled at Wei Xiaochi. “Don’t laugh!”

Langlang’s chubby hand landed right back on him. “Why are you so naughty? No talking during bedtime! Or I’ll spank your butt!”

“You try it!” Jiang Zhan growled. “I’ll turn your butt into fireworks!”

Langlang puffed up. “I’ll call grandma to come and spank you!“

They started bickering again. Wei Xiaochi tried to calm them down, “Can we sleep now—don’t fight…”

But before he could finish, Jiang Zhan shot him a deadly glare. “Who agreed to let her stay here again?”

…Silence.

–

Ten minutes later, Langlang had successfully lulled Jiang Zhan to sleep with her inherited bedtime skills.

She rolled away from him and scooted up to Wei Xiaochi, eyes sparkling. “Stinky Zhu Zhu’s asleep~”

Wei Xiaochi was totally charmed. “You’re amazing.”

Pleased with herself, Langlang tucked the blanket around her like a little burrito. “Now you put me to sleep.”

Wei Xiaochi chuckled helplessly. “Another story?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded. “But not fairy tales. I’ve heard them hundreds of times. They’re boring.”

He was stumped. “Then what do you want to hear?”

“I want to hear your story with Zhu Zhu,” she said, eyes full of anticipation.

“There’s not really much to tell,” Wei Xiaochi muttered. Their story started with something as dull as borrowing money.

“Tell me, Xiao Chi Zhu Zhu,” Langlang pouted, hugging his arm like a cuddly koala. “I really wanna know~”

Wei Xiaochi couldn’t handle this kind of pressure. “Alright, fine. One day after school, on the way home, your uncle suddenly stopped my bike and borrowed fifty yuan from me.”

“But actually, he took a hundred and forty-nine. The next day he didn’t pay me back, and neither did he the day after that, so I had to go find him to ask for it.”

Back then, he really thought Jiang Zhan was a bit sketchy—one of those debt-dodging deadbeats. But in the end, it turned out to be a total misunderstanding.

Thinking back on how they met, Wei Xiaochi found it all pretty magical—like fate tied two people with completely opposite personalities together.

A lot of stuff happened in between, but instead of driving them apart, it only brought them closer.

Wei Xiaochi didn’t want to be a bad influence on a kid, so he skipped the falling-in-love part and just talked about how they met.

At some point, Song Langlang had dozed off, curled up next to the alpha who was also peacefully asleep.

Wei Xiaochi couldn’t help but smile, and he gently kissed both Song Langlang and Jiang Zhan on the forehead before switching off the room’s light.

–

Jiang Tang had said Song Langlang would be staying for a few days, but she came to pick her up the very next afternoon. Of course, this had everything to do with Jiang Zhan’s non-stop calls that morning.

Wearing eight-centimeter hot pink stilettos, Jiang Tang effortlessly carried her daughter in one arm. “Sweetheart, let’s wish your uncle all his dreams don’t come true.”

Song Langlang glared at Jiang Zhan and gave a cold snort. “Stinky Jiūjiū.”

Jiang Tang put on her sunglasses, flipped her hair dramatically, and gave Jiang Zhan a cold, sassy back view as she left.

Jiang Zhan responded by slamming the door so hard that Wei Xiaochi’s eardrums took a hit.

Jiang Zhan: “Why are you looking at me like that? Got something to say?”

Wei Xiaochi quickly said ‘nothing,’ and lowered his head to pretend he was tidying things up, though honestly, he felt Jiang Zhan’s attitude toward Jiang Tang was kind of rude.

Probably guessing what Wei Xiaochi was thinking, Jiang Zhan said, “They did it on purpose. Didn’t you notice?”

Wei Xiaochi couldn’t really shake his head or nod either, so he just changed the subject. He picked up a cardboard box from the corner and asked, “Are we putting these CDs you brought in the study?”

“Yeah.” Jiang Zhan took the box full of CDs from him.

Successfully dodging the dangerous topic, Wei Xiaochi let out a quiet sigh of relief and followed Jiang Zhan into the study to help organize the CDs.

–

After dinner, Wei Xiaochi made a shopping list—he and Jiang Zhan were planning to hit the supermarket.

Just as they were about to leave, dressed and ready to go, someone started banging on the door.

They’d only just moved here, so they didn’t know the neighbors yet. And they hadn’t even had time to tell their friends about moving… so who could be visiting now?

Wei Xiaochi and Jiang Zhan exchanged a look.

“Who is it?” Jiang Zhan asked grumpily as he headed for the entrance.

The moment the door opened, Han Ziyang threw himself inside, eyes full of tears. “Zhan-ge…”

That “Zhan-ge” sounded like he was about to break into sobs.

But Jiang Zhan was made of stone—he didn’t even flinch. Before Han Ziyang could get close, Jiang Zhan grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back.

Jiang Zhan looked downright disgusted. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Han Ziyang looked heartbroken and called Jiang Zhan again, voice full of sorrow. If you didn’t know better, you’d think Jiang Zhan had just died and Han Ziyang was here to pay respects.

Wei Xiaochi walked over, startled by Han Ziyang’s current state. “What… what’s going on?”

Han Ziyang looked a mess—his hair was damp, eyes bloodshot, and he reeked of alcohol.

“Teacher Wei,” Han Ziyang opened his arms, ready for a hug, but Jiang Zhan clamped him down like a vice.

The alpha was raging. “What the fuck are you trying to pull now?”

Han Ziyang flailed like a moth, but when he couldn’t break free, he gave up and sniffled, “I got dumped.”

Then he covered his face and bawled.

Wei Xiaochi froze. Han Ziyang was in a relationship? Wasn’t he all about that single-for-life mindset?

–

Because of Han Ziyang’s sudden arrival, Wei Xiaochi’s original plans had to be put on hold.

From the moment he sat down on the couch, Han Ziyang hadn’t stopped blowing his nose. Wei Xiaochi watched as he went through nearly half a pack of brand-new tissues in no time.

Finally, Wei Xiaochi couldn’t take it anymore. “How’d you get dumped?”

Han Ziyang immediately stopped sniffling and looked at the AO couple in front of him with a whole world of resentment. “Because of you two!”

Wei Xiaochi blinked. “Us? What does this have to do with us?”

Han Ziyang raised his voice and accused, “Everything! If it weren’t for you guys, I wouldn’t have added that idiot on QQ!”

His brain was clearly a mess, and he was struggling to organize his thoughts, but Wei Xiaochi somehow managed to piece together the whole story.

Turns out, Han Ziyang’s heartbreak was kind of their fault. This all started during winter break.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Han Ziyang hosted a class reunion and invited a bunch of people over to his place—Wei Xiaochi and Jiang Zhan included.

That day, Jiang Zhan took a stack of comics from Han Ziyang’s house—more than a dozen volumes. Since Han Ziyang said he didn’t want them anymore, Jiang Zhan planned to sell them as scrap paper.

They were all part of a series. Wei Xiaochi noticed they were pretty well-kept—though a few had some mildew stains, they were still a complete set. Selling them as scrap felt like a waste, so he snapped some pics and listed them on a second-hand app.

A few weeks later, Han Ziyang realized Jiang Zhan hadn’t returned the comics and asked for them back.

That’s when they found out—another total misunderstanding.

Jiang Zhan had seen comics piled up randomly in Han Ziyang’s room and figured he didn’t want them. Rather than let them go to waste, he brought them back.

He did ask Han Ziyang first, but Han Ziyang was gaming with Jiang Rui and the others and only half-heard him. He thought Jiang Zhan just wanted to borrow them, so he said, “Sure, take ’em.”

Later, when he found out they’d sold them for five yuan each—and that Wei Xiaochi even paid for shipping because it was a local order—Han Ziyang nearly exploded.

“That was a first edition from 1992! I spent so much time hunting that down in comic stores and secondhand bookshops. It’s a first edition!”

To a true comic fan, a first edition has serious collector value.

But to outsiders, it doesn’t mean much. Before selling them, Wei Xiaochi even looked up the series on the app—going rate was five to six yuan per book, with really beat-up ones going for just one or two.

If it had been someone else who sold his comics, Han Ziyang might’ve gone full berserk.

Taking a deep breath, he asked Wei Xiaochi for the buyer’s info.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Wei Xiaochi obediently handed over the app account so Han Ziyang could reach out.

That’s when things took a wild turn—Han Ziyang discovered the buyer was actually pretty cool. They had the same hobbies and both loved collecting comics. The other guy’s collection was just as impressive as his own.

Bit by bit, they hit it off. They moved from the second-hand app to QQ, added each other, and chatted on and off for half a year.

After the college entrance exam, Han Ziyang suggested they meet in person. He was expecting a stylish Omega—but turns out, that person was an alpha.

Even worse? It was someone he knew.

Wei Xiaochi, now extra curious, asked, “Who?”

“It was Yan Shen,” Han Ziyang said, furious. “I can’t believe I share the same taste as that shut-in freak. And he lied about being an Omega! Isn’t that sick?”

Wei Xiaochi was dumbfounded. “He told you he was an Omega?”

Han Ziyang: “His QQ name was Pink Little Bunny, and his bio even said Omega. I asked him directly—he didn’t deny it!”

“Pink Little Bunny, my ass! I swear I’m gonna beat him into a Bloody Dead Bunny.”

Wei Xiaochi: …

Han Ziyang was grinding his teeth. “I’m a pure, red-blooded straight alpha and almost got played like a fool. That bastard pretending to be an Omega just to scam my comics!”

Turns out, Pink Little Bunny was actually one of Yan Shen’s little sister’s side accounts. He hadn’t logged into his main account in years and forgot the password, so he borrowed hers.

His sister was a hardcore fangirl, and “Pink Little Bunny” was actually her idol’s fan name.

As for pretending to be an Omega? Just like Han Ziyang guessed—Yan Shen hoped that if he acted all soft and cute, Han Ziyang wouldn’t take back the comics.

Yan Shen could be shameless when needed. When Han Ziyang generously told him to just keep the comics, Yan Shen—still playing his little bunny role—even replied with a sweet, “Thank you, gege~”

Which nearly sent Han Ziyang into the afterlife from pure cringe. He got chills all over.

He wasn’t into loli vibes at all. The only reason he gave the comics to Yan Shen was because he recognized him as a genuine comic lover. It had nothing to do with that stupid bunny persona.

After that, he stopped contacting Yan Shen.

But a couple months later, Han Ziyang needed help finding a rare comic, so he decided to ask Yan Shen about where to buy it.

By then, Yan Shen had completely forgotten about the Pink Little Bunny act. His chat style had gone back to normal, so Han Ziyang decided to keep talking.

Their convos started with comics, then shifted to motorcycles, and eventually spanned just about everything.

Han Ziyang had recently picked up a limited edition motorcycle model and was planning to give it to Yan Shen as a gift when they met up, which was the only reason that terminally lazy Yan Shen agreed to the meetup.

He’d long forgotten he’d once played the Omega card.

Han Ziyang, on the other hand, still remembered—he just never thought too much about it until the day that bunny turned into a living, breathing alpha.

That’s when he realized… he might’ve had more-than-friends feelings for that nerdy yet oddly dashing Pink Little Bunny.

But the thing is, he was into the Pink Bunny who said they were an Omega—not the alpha who actually had a bunny downstairs.

Han Ziyang’s entire worldview just collapsed. The moment he realized his feelings, it was already a breakup. Who the hell could understand this messed-up kind of heartbreak?

After staying silent this whole time, Jiang Zhan finally spoke. “Are you done? If you’re done, then leave. We’re heading to the supermarket.”

Wei Xiaochi looked at the alpha with shock—zero sympathy at all.

Han Ziyang, who had just been yelling with righteous fury, instantly deflated like a popped balloon. Tears welled up again as he looked pitifully at Wei Xiaochi. “I just got dumped…”

Wei Xiaochi really felt like this was half their fault. If they hadn’t sold his comic books back then, this whole karmic mess wouldn’t have happened.

“Don’t be so sad,” Wei Xiaochi tried to comfort him. “It’ll pass. Everything passes. Hey, have you eaten?”

Han Ziyang shook his head weakly.

Wei Xiaochi immediately said, “Then I’ll cook you a bowl of noodles—with scallions and a poached egg. Do you eat beef? I’ll throw in a few chunks of beef.”

Han Ziyang collapsed onto the sofa like he’d lost the will to live, nodding slowly.

Wei Xiaochi got up and headed to the kitchen to cook. He pretended not to see the storm brewing on the alpha’s face.

Earlier in the afternoon, when Jiang Tang had stopped by, Xu Wenyi had sent them some braised beef. Wei Xiaochi pulled it out of the fridge.

Jiang Zhan silently appeared behind him. When Wei Xiaochi turned and saw him, he nearly had a heart attack.

Stiffly, he explained, “He’s heartbroken. He’s in a bad place emotionally… and to be honest, this is kind of our fault.”

Jiang Zhan said nothing, just stared at Wei Xiaochi with a terrifying look.

The back of Wei Xiaochi’s neck tingled under that gaze, but he pressed on, cooking noodles for Han Ziyang like a man on a mission.

Wei Xiaochi firmly believed that appetite could help lift someone’s mood, so he made a big bowl of noodles.

Originally, he thought Han Ziyang wouldn’t have much of an appetite with how dead inside he looked—but nope, he wiped the whole thing clean.

During the meal, Han Ziyang was totally fine. But the moment he put down the chopsticks, he shriveled back up like a furry mushroom, curling into the sofa corner without a word.

He looked so pitiful that Wei Xiaochi softened his voice. “Are you okay to head home by yourself?”

Han Ziyang lifted his eyelids and gave Wei Xiaochi a broken, soul-crushed stare.

Wei Xiaochi’s heart twinged. “Why don’t you just sleep here tonight? Though… we only have one room.”

Han Ziyang immediately said, “That’s fine. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

He said it with lightning speed. Wei Xiaochi blinked, feeling like something was off.

Han Ziyang slumped back into the sofa, totally in despair again, facing away from them. His shoulders trembled like he was crying.

Wei Xiaochi wanted to comfort him but didn’t know how, so he went to the bedroom to grab a blanket and gently covered him up.

Jiang Zhan’s eyes were practically on fire—especially after seeing that tender gesture. He grabbed the Omega and dragged him back into the bedroom.

Once the door shut, Han Ziyang quickly stretched his limbs and wiped the nonexistent tears off his face.

Everything he said earlier was true… he just wasn’t that sad. He just didn’t want to go home—seeing that pile of comics there would just piss him off all over again.

He had plenty of rowdy friends, but if they ever found out about this whole thing, it’d be blackmail material for life. After thinking it over, he figured only Teacher Wei and Zhan-ge were reliable.

Those two weren’t the gossipy kind, and they wouldn’t make fun of him.

Han Ziyang wasn’t someone who could keep things bottled up. He needed to vent. Now that he had, and with a full stomach, the drowsiness kicked in hard.

–

The bedroom, however, was far from peaceful. Once they were inside, Wei Xiaochi had to face a fuming alpha alone.

He could practically smell the danger. Wei Xiaochi knew exactly what this meant—Jiang Zhan had been waiting for this day for a long time.

After the college entrance exams, Xu Wenyi still hadn’t relented, so Jiang Zhan couldn’t really do anything. But now that they’d finally moved out on their own, it was like the talisman sealing him up had finally disappeared.

He’d been waiting so long to enjoy alone time with Wei Xiaochi… only for it to keep getting interrupted. Of course he was pissed.

After two minutes of silent standoff, Wei Xiaochi broke the tension. “Don’t be mad.”

The alpha seemed to be waiting for him to say something. “Who’s mad? What do I have to be mad about?”

He sounded like he was about to launch into a lecture. Wei Xiaochi quickly reminded him, “Keep your voice down, Han Ziyang’s still outside.”

Jiang Zhan turned his face away angrily.

Wei Xiaochi had no choice but to keep coaxing. “He’s our friend. He just broke up—he’s feeling awful. We can’t just kick him out right now.”

“Oh, and I have the right to kick people out?” Jiang Zhan sat on the bed, turning his back on Wei Xiaochi. “I get it. I’ve got zero status in this house.”

For some reason, that line hit Wei Xiaochi’s funny bone.

Which only made Jiang Zhan angrier. He glared at him. “You’re laughing?!”

“I’m not, I’m not,” Wei Xiaochi quickly shook his head, lips pressed tight. “Totally not laughing.”

Jiang Zhan turned away again.

Seven or eight minutes passed, and the Omega behind him stayed completely silent. Jiang Zhan’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter—finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and turned to look.

Wei Xiaochi said softly, “Don’t be mad.”

Jiang Zhan growled, “Is that all you know how to say?”

Wei Xiaochi hesitated for a moment, then walked up and kissed him. “Don’t be mad.”

Jiang Zhan snorted through his nose and turned his face slightly.

Wei Xiaochi leaned in and kissed him again. “Don’t be mad.”

Jiang Zhan suddenly tackled him onto the bed, grabbed his cheeks and started mushing them around.

Wei Xiaochi’s glasses got knocked crooked, so Jiang Zhan just took them off and set them aside, squishing all the soft flesh on his face to the center. “From now on, no more guests sleeping over in our house, got it?”

Wei Xiaochi didn’t dare hesitate. “Got it.”

Jiang Zhan braced himself with one long leg on the edge of the bed, one hand beside Wei Xiaochi’s shoulder, and slowly leaned down for a kiss.

As the alpha’s kisses grew deeper, Wei Xiaochi gave him a little push and whispered, “Someone’s… outside.”

Jiang Zhan let out a heavy snort, then rolled over and lay beside him, wrapping a hand around the Omega’s and resting his head on Wei Xiaochi’s shoulder.

Wei Xiaochi lifted a hand and gently patted Jiang Zhan’s back, trying to calm the restless big puppy.

Jiang Zhan nuzzled into his neck, giving little kisses and rubs, even nibbling on his earlobe from time to time.

Every time Wei Xiaochi let out a little pained hiss, Jiang Zhan would hug him tighter and tremble with laughter—low and deep in his chest, like a clingy little gremlin.

No one knew what time it was when they finally stopped messing around and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

–

The next morning, Wei Xiaochi woke up to see Han Ziyang sprawled out on the couch, looking like he was halfway to falling off.

And, sure enough, by the time Wei Xiaochi came out of the bathroom after brushing his teeth—thud—Han Ziyang hit the ground.

He opened his sleepy eyes, rubbed his aching cheek, and crawled back onto the sofa to keep sleeping.

Wei Xiaochi: …

Does that seriously not hurt?

After making breakfast, he called Han Ziyang to get up and wash up.

One night’s sleep had clearly done wonders—after splashing his face, Han Ziyang didn’t even bother drying off before yanking out a chair. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Rice porridge, egg pancakes, pickles, fried egg… not bad.” He plopped into the seat like he owned the place.

Jiang Zhan, cold as ever: “Eat and go home.”

Han Ziyang instantly wilted. He knew who wore the pants in this house and looked pitifully at Wei Xiaochi for help.

Which only made Jiang Zhan angrier. “Cut the crap. And how’d you even know where we live?”

Han Ziyang sipped his porridge. “Didn’t you post it on WeChat?”

Wei Xiaochi looked confused. “What WeChat post?”

Jiang Zhan said quickly, “Nothing.”

But Han Ziyang replied, “Zhan-ge posted on his Moments yesterday—said you two moved to a new place. The address was this complex. I got the unit number from Tang-jie.”

Wei Xiaochi glanced over at Jiang Zhan, who immediately looked away, eyes darting everywhere but at him.

–

That afternoon, Li Suilin came to pick up Han Ziyang—all thanks to Jiang Zhan’s relentless call barrage.

Li Suilin had no choice but to come collect his troublesome little cousin.

Han Ziyang originally wanted to stay another day, but that dream ended the moment his “kind and gentle” cousin showed up.

The second he saw Li Suilin, Han Ziyang really hit peak despair.

The breakup was bad enough, but now he had to deal with this stone-faced bastard too? Brutal.

With both little troublemakers finally picked up, Wei Xiaochi and Jiang Zhan were back to their much-missed couple time.

This time, wherever Wei Xiaochi went, Jiang Zhan followed like a ghost. His eyes stayed glued to him.

Wei Xiaochi’s heart pounded like crazy. He kind of had a hunch what Jiang Zhan wanted to do. He paced around the house, pretending to be busy.

But Jiang Zhan stuck to him like glue.

Palms sweating, Wei Xiaochi fidgeted with all sorts of useless tasks. Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore and turned around.

“W-what’s up?”

Before he even finished the question, Jiang Zhan cupped his face and kissed him.

Wei Xiaochi’s eyes went wide as he heard the alpha’s heavy breathing, his own heart beating like a drum.

Even though he’d read up on this after the college entrance exam, doing that in broad daylight still made him nervous—this was his first time, after all.

But nerves aside, he was an Omega, full of youthful energy… and this was the alpha he liked.

While he was busy overthinking, Jiang Zhan had already pushed him onto the bed.

“Chichi.” Jiang Zhan whispered between kisses, his dark eyes clouded with desire.

He leaned down, his breath hot against Wei Xiaochi’s forehead, nose brushing affectionately against his.

Wei Xiaochi was wearing a short-sleeved plaid shirt. Jiang Zhan unbuttoned the top button, then looked up into his eyes.

Wei Xiaochi’s brain was fried. He grabbed at the bedsheet, glanced at Jiang Zhan… and quickly looked down again.

Under Jiang Zhan’s silent gaze, he bit his lip and gave a small nod.

Then Jiang Zhan lowered his head again.

–

Sunlight spilled in through the window, scattering soft golden flecks across the bed.

Author’s Note:

As long as I stop the story here, they can stay like this forever.

–

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