Chapter 26: Day Twenty-Six of Pretending to be A

Chapter 26: Day 26 of Pretending to Be an Alpha

The inhibitor syringe was picked up by a stranger.

The person holding it was unmistakably an alpha.

Chu Mo hid inside the stall, holding his breath.

He didn’t dare make a sound.

Chu Mo had thought this out-of-the-way restroom on the first floor was seldom-used and unlikely to have visitors—never expecting to run into an alpha.

Outside the stall, the alpha who picked up the inhibitor syringe seemed completely floored.

The alpha was speechless for a long moment.

Not that you could blame him.

Any alpha finding an inhibitor syringe rolling out from a stall in an alpha restroom would be freaked out.

Chu Mo’s throat was dry, but he didn’t dare even swallow.

After hesitating for a while, the alpha outside cautiously asked, “Hello? Anyone there?”

The voice was familiar.

Chu Mo recognized it instantly.

His heart jumped to his throat.

A few minutes earlier—

Zhou Jingyan had been practicing dance in the studio with laser focus, outperforming the others with precision.

To reward him, the instructor allowed him a ten-minute break alone.

Zhou Jingyan wanted to find a quiet restroom to rest for a while.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he reached the entrance, he heard a guy’s muffled groan.

Baffled, Zhou Jingyan walked in, when suddenly an inhibitor syringe rolled out.

After asking his question and receiving no response, Zhou Jingyan started worrying.

He had learned in physiology class that some omegas might react badly to inhibitors during their heat.

Mild reactions caused chills, while severe ones could lead to shock.

“Are you okay in there?” Zhou Jingyan asked again.

*I’m fine, just go away already!* Chu Mo thought to himself.

When there was still no response, Zhou Jingyan figured they’d passed out and panicked.

“You need help in there?” Zhou Jingyan called out. “If I count to three and you don’t answer, I’m calling for help!”

Chu Mo knew that Zhou Jingyan was a sweetheart in the original story.

But he was being nice at the worst possible moment.

"Three, two..." Zhou Jingyan started counting down.

"Don't call the police."

A voice came from inside the stall, cutting off Zhou Jingyan.

Low, hoarse, and dry.

Yet weirdly familiar.

Zhou Jingyan hesitated for a beat, his eyes going wide. "Chu... Mr. Chu?"

Jesus, why was Mr. Chu here??

Shouldn’t there be an omega in there?!

Chu Mo cleared his throat, making himself snap out of his tense state.

"Zhou Jingyan, as your boss, I order you to do two things," his voice grew steadier. "First, give me back the suppressor shot. Second, leave the bathroom and don’t let anyone else in."

Hearing this, Zhou Jingyan's eyes went wide.

No freaking way, was this suppressor shot really Mr. Chu’s?!

Could it be... Mr. Chu was an omega?

The crazy idea popped into Zhou Jingyan’s mind.

His ears instantly turned red, and the suppressor shot in his hand felt like it was burning his hand.

Suppressor shots were super personal stuff for omegas.

They could easily absorb scent traces.

The moment Zhou Jingyan realized this was Mr. Chu’s suppressor shot, he didn’t know if he should keep holding it or toss it.

"B-boss Chu," Zhou Jingyan stammered, his face flushed, "are you... really an omega?"

He never would have imagined that their always perfectly put-together boss was actually an omega?

"Of course not," Chu Mo replied ice-cold and calmly.

Zhou Jingyan gave him a skeptical look. "If you’re not an omega, then why would you have a suppressor shot?"

At this point, Zhou Jingyan’s ears had turned beet red.

He couldn’t even look at the suppressor shot in his hand.

His fingers shook slightly from how awkward this was as he held it.

"It’s not mine," Chu Mo said shortly. "It belongs to someone else."

His voice was like he was talking about the weather.

Zhou Jingyan just got more confused.

When he picked up the syringe earlier, it was still warm to the touch—clearly just used.

Zhou Jingyan worked up the nerve and said, "This inhibitor syringe seems to have been used recently..."

"That’s not your business," Chu Mo coldly cut him off, repeating his earlier command. "Give the syringe back to me, then leave and don’t let anyone else in."

Zhou Jingyan grew even more confused.

Then, he suddenly recalled the choked-back moan he had heard earlier—definitely an omega’s voice.

Zhou Jingyan’s head spun, his hand trembling so violently that he almost dropped the syringe.

Wait, was Mr. Chu… injecting an omega with inhibitors?!

The more he thought about it, the likelier it seemed.

In other words, there was someone else inside the stall.

At this realization, Zhou Jingyan’s face turned bright red, even his pale neck flushing.

He’d never have guessed that Mr. Chu, who always appeared cold and collected, would do something like this in an alpha’s bathroom stall.

A flood of X-rated images flashed through Zhou Jingyan’s mind.

"S-Sir, I—I’ll leave right away," Zhou Jingyan stammered.

With that, he clenched his eyes shut, crouched down, and tossed the syringe under the door.

The syringe rolled back inside.

After doing this, Zhou Jingyan bolted.

The moment he stepped out of the bathroom, only one thought remained in his mind—

Mr. Chu is insanely bold!

To do something like this in a company bathroom stall…

No one would’ve pegged him as such a wild alpha.

Inside the stall, Chu Mo had no idea what Zhou Jingyan was thinking.

Retrieving the inhibitor syringe, Chu Mo finally exhaled.

Only then did he realize his back was soaked with sweat.

He stashed the syringe, planning to ditch it later.

He couldn’t leave any evidence behind at the company.

Then, Chu Mo took out a bottle of scent neutralizer.

It looked just like breath spray, something he always carried with him just for emergencies like this.

He hit his neck, collar, and sleeves.

Chu Mo sniffed his clothes to confirm there was no lingering mint pheromone scent before finally relaxing.

After leaving the bathroom, Zhou Jingyan walked down the long corridor and returned to the company lobby.

Just then, two alphas approached.

Spotting Xie Songchen and Chi Cheng, Zhou Jingyan politely stopped them. "The bathroom is out of order. Please wait a moment."

As he spoke, Zhou Jingyan felt a pang of guilt.

Chi Cheng frowned. "Isn't Chu Mo inside?"

Zhou Jingyan hesitated, unsure how to respond.

Xie Songchen suddenly looked behind Zhou Jingyan.

Unbeknownst to them, Chu Mo had already emerged from the bathroom.

Seeing Chu Mo alone, Zhou Jingyan went stock-still.

Where was that omega?

Before Zhou Jingyan could process the thought, Chu Mo had already walked up to him.

Zhou Jingyan's ears burned red at the sight of Chu Mo.

Chu Mo furrowed his brow. "What's wrong with you?"

Why was Zhou Jingyan acting so strangely?

Clueless about alpha-omega relations, Zhou Jingyan was thoroughly rattled by what he believed had occurred with Chu Mo.

Unable to meet Chu Mo's eyes, he averted his gaze and muttered "It's nothing" before quickly walking away.

Chu Mo was completely baffled by what was going through Zhou Jingyan's mind.

"Chu Mo, I need to talk to you."

Chi Cheng's voice brought Chu Mo back to the present.

"Mr. Chu, this document requires your signature."

Simultaneously, Xie Songchen handed a file to Chu Mo.

The two men had spoken in near-perfect sync.

After speaking, Chi Cheng glared at Xie Songchen.

Their eyes locked in challenge, charging the air between them.

Both turned to Chu Mo, waiting to see who he'd choose.

Without even looking at Chi Cheng, Chu Mo reached out and took the file from Xie Songchen, completely snubbing Chi Cheng.

Chi Cheng stiffened.

His expression clouded over immediately.

Xie Songchen purposefully stepped closer, standing close to Chu Mo as he launched into explaining the document's contents.

"Chu Mo."

Chi Cheng couldn’t help but cut in sharply, breaking the conversation between the two.

Chu Mo stopped mid-action.

He hesitated for a moment before looking at Chi Cheng. "I’m busy right now. Spit it out if you have something to say."

Investing in Chi Cheng’s project had already taken things off-script.

And this detour was entirely Chi Cheng’s doing.

Outside of the script, Chu Mo wanted nothing more to do with Chi Cheng for the time being.

Chi Cheng hadn’t expected that after coming all this way to see Chu Mo, he’d be given the cold shoulder.

"Why can’t we talk alone?" Chi Cheng asked bluntly. "I’m right here, aren’t I?"

His tone carried a hint of hurt.

Xie Songchen raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with mockery. "Mr. Chi, as I’ve said, appointments are required to see President Chu."

Without even lifting his eyelids, Chu Mo said, "Unless it’s business, please don’t appear in front of me again."

Chu Mo was afraid things might go off-track again.

Chi Cheng’s fingers balled into fists on their own.

He had thought that after becoming Chu Mo’s investor, everything would change.

At the very least, he wouldn’t be treated like a nuisance anymore.

But now, it seemed nothing had changed at all.

Chu Mo’s attitude toward him was no different from before.

His eyes darkened with disappointment.

"Forget it," Chi Cheng said, unclenching his fists as his tone turned icy. "We’re done here."

He had never imagined that all his work meant nothing.

With that, Chi Cheng stormed off, not looking back.

Chu Mo was puzzled. Didn’t he say he had something to discuss?

Why come all this way just to bail?

After finishing the documents,

Xie Songchen seemed smug as he ran through Chu Mo’s schedule.

"There are three meetings in the afternoon, and in the evening, there’s a dinner party hosted by the CEO of [Redacted] Corporation..."

As a CEO, Chu Mo had a packed social calendar.

Naturally, he had to attend these events.

Chu Mo immediately jumped back into the grind.

Fortunately, he was wearing a bespoke suit today, so he didn't need to choose another outfit.

As soon as he got off work in the evening, Chu Mo could head straight there.

Amid his work,

Chu Mo didn’t forget to take some time to get rid of the inhibitor syringe.

He threw it into a secluded trash bin far from the company.

Chu Mo was sure no one would ever discover that spot.

After finishing this task, Chu Mo sent Xu Yi a message, urging him to bring a potent inhibitor right away.

Upon hearing about Chu Mo’s situation, Xu Yi was so shocked that a chill ran down his spine.

After work, he personally delivered the potent inhibitor to Chu Mo.

Their meet-up was almost comical.

Both Xu Yi and Chu Mo were bundled up, meeting in an abandoned park.

“Does this batch work well?”

“Don’t worry, it kicks in right after injection, and the price is reasonable.”

“…” Chu Mo fell silent for a moment before saying, “Feels like we’re dealing in something illicit.”

Xu Yi said nothing.

After a long pause, he replied, “In a sense, it really is.”

What he meant was that Chu Mo could only inject inhibitors in secret.

Chu Mo: “Can’t argue with that.”

Chu Mo stashed the potent inhibitor in his bag and zipped it up.

Only then did he feel at ease heading to the exclusive dinner hosted by a wealthy mogul.

At the dinner, glasses clinked as toasts were made.

Every big-name executive in City H had received invitations.

Chu Mo didn’t expect to bump into Chi Cheng at this event.

Chi Cheng stood in a corner, with people occasionally approaching him to chat, but he gave curt replies.

When he saw Chu Mo, Chi Cheng stiffened.

Then he frowned and turned away.

Chi Cheng acted like he couldn’t stand a second of interaction with Chu Mo.

He retreated to a corner, nursing his champagne and stewing alone.

Yet his eyes kept flicking uncontrollably toward a certain someone.

The alcohol did nothing to lift his mood—Chi Cheng only sank deeper into gloom with each sip.

At that moment.

A well-dressed middle-aged alpha approached Chi Cheng and asked with a smile, "Mr. Chi, are you here alone?"

Chi Cheng hid the gloom in his eyes and replied coldly, "Can I help you?"

Lately, Chi Cheng had matured significantly, working hard not to let Chu Mo look down on him.

He had begun learning to control his emotions.

The middle-aged alpha looked at Chi Cheng thoughtfully before suddenly asking, "Do you like Chu Mo?"

Chi Cheng froze, then frowned and denied it, "I'm an alpha."

"Alphas can like other alphas too," the middle-aged alpha said with a meaningful smile. "It's just that you can't have that natural pheromone pull like an AO pair."

Chi Cheng was already in a bad mood.

Hearing that he and Chu Mo couldn't match only made him more agitated.

His expression turned colder. "None of your business."

Not bothered, the middle-aged alpha chuckled and said, "There's nothing wrong with liking an alpha, right?"

Chi Cheng's frown deepened.

As he spoke, the middle-aged alpha picked up a bottle of champagne and went to pour Chi Cheng a drink.

Chi Cheng declined, "No need."

He found this person rather strange.

"Chu Mo is indeed a top-tier alpha, but you know the Chu family isn't for ordinary people like us," the middle-aged alpha remarked to Chi Cheng.

Chi Cheng's face darkened. "What exactly are you implying?"

"You could give me a chance," the middle-aged alpha suggested. "I may not be as exceptional as Chu Mo, but I'm also an alpha."

With that, the middle-aged alpha suddenly grabbed Chi Cheng's hand holding the wine glass.

Chi Cheng's hand trembled.

His expression instantly changed.

The next second, he hit him square in the face!

Smack—

The middle-aged alpha hadn't expected Chi Cheng to punch him without warning. Staggered back from the punch, he fell to the ground.

The commotion immediately drew everyone's attention.

Chu Mo looked at Chi Cheng in surprise—why did this kid suddenly start a fight?

Chi Cheng turned even paler, his lips turning white.

The middle-aged alpha stammered, "Chi Cheng, how dare you hit me, motherfucker..."

"Say one more word," Chi Cheng growled in a low voice, flexing his fist, "and I'll give you another punch."

The middle-aged alpha was too scared to speak.

The banquet host quickly intervened to defuse the situation.

When he asked Chi Cheng why he had hit someone, Chi Cheng remained silent.

Chi Cheng slammed his wine glass down on the table and turned to leave the chaotic scene.

He looked visibly upset.

Chu Mo stood nearby, watching the scene in bewilderment.

He almost went after him to see what was wrong.

But remembering it might affect the plot, Chu Mo suppressed his impulse.

A nearby beta sneered and said to Chu Mo, "Boss Chu, you saw it, right? Chi Cheng’s got a few screws loose."

This beta had gone to college with Chi Cheng.

During their school days, he had tried to curry favor with Chi Cheng but was rejected.

He’d been nursing a grudge ever since.

After the Chi family lost their status, this beta loved piling on when Chi Cheng was already down.

Chu Mo glanced at the beta but said nothing.

He was still confused—this wasn’t part of the original storyline.

The beta continued, "Boss Chu, I heard you invested in Chi Cheng’s new company? You should cut your losses now. That guy’s no real businessman. I’ve got some projects here you might want to consider..."

As H City’s hottest new entrepreneur, many people sought Chu Mo’s investment.

Bitter that Chi Cheng had won Chu Mo’s support, the beta tried to sow discord.

"Investment decisions are my personal choice," Chu Mo replied politely but distantly. "It’s none of your concern."

The beta shut up, stung.

Not ready to back down, he pushed further, "Boss Chu, did you know? Chi Cheng started working on that lousy project as early as his freshman year. So... he’d been at this for four years?"

Chu Mo froze.

That wasn’t in the book.

"He even admitted back then that this whole project was just to get your attention," the beta added sarcastically. "Everyone knows he’s got a chip on his shoulder about you. For all you know, this whole thing’s a scam."

Hearing this, Chu Mo’s eyes widened in shock.

Chi Cheng had done all this... for him?

No way... right?

But the beta in front of him was Chi Cheng's schoolmate and didn't seem like he was lying.

Chu Mo was lost in thought.

At this moment, the beta was still going on: "And, back then, some of us even suspected that Chi Cheng had a thing for—"

"Enough." Chu Mo interrupted him expressionlessly, his voice cold. "You had time earlier to present your project, but you chose to spread rumors instead—now maybe you understand why you can't secure any investments?"

Hearing this, the beta's expression stiffened.

After speaking, Chu Mo glanced toward where Chi Cheng had left.

He hadn’t known Chi Cheng had been preparing for this project for so long.

Chu Mo’s feelings became conflicted.

In the end, Chu Mo still decided to go after Chi Cheng.

As long as it didn’t interfere with Chi Cheng and Chu Yun’s relationship, things shouldn't get too off track.

Thinking this, Chu Mo set off, heading in the direction Chi Cheng had gone.

In the bathroom.

Chi Cheng scrubbed his face roughly with water, water dripping down his handsome, pale cheeks.

The sick feeling still made him feel uneasy.

He gripped the edges of the sink, his body trembling slightly.

Water droplets rolled down Chi Cheng’s well-defined nose, falling with soft patters.

That alpha from earlier had reminded Chi Cheng of an extremely terrifying incident from his childhood.

That event remained a haunting memory for him even now.

Back then, Chi Cheng was still in elementary school.

Whether going to or leaving school, Chi Cheng always walked home by himself.

His reason was to follow behind Chu Mo, to walk to school with him—even if all he could see was Chu Mo’s back.

One day after school, as it was getting dark, Chi Cheng didn’t see Chu Mo on his way home.

He had wanted to hurry back, but then he encountered an alpha around thirty years old.

That alpha cornered him with bad intentions, offering him candy and even touching him inappropriately.

Chi Cheng had been terrified.

He was just an elementary school kid. Though his test results indicated he would become an alpha in the future, he stood no chance against an adult alpha.

The street was empty. The perverted alpha grabbed Chi Cheng’s hand.

In Chi Cheng’s memory, those hands were sticky, sweaty, and smelled disgusting.

Chi Cheng was so scared he nearly cried.

He screamed for help, but the alpha’s other hand slammed over his mouth.

The revolting stench hit his nostrils.

Chi Cheng was in despair, crying—

"Thud—"

Chu Mo, who had just started high school at the time, appeared out of nowhere and knocked out the predatory alpha with one blow, saving Chi Cheng.

The moment Chi Cheng saw Chu Mo in his school uniform, he broke down sobbing.

Chu Mo fumbled to comfort him.

Afterward, Chu Mo called the police, who immediately arrested the predatory alpha.

The police also arranged a therapist for Chi Cheng to help mitigate the incident's impact.

But it didn’t help much.

After the ordeal, Chi Cheng was so terrified that he didn’t leave his house for a month.

From then on, Chi Cheng developed a crippling fear of physical contact with others.

He became intensely afraid of any form of touch, especially from alphas.

This is why Chi Cheng was dead certain he could never develop feelings for Chu Mo, an alpha.

He would never do AA romance in this lifetime.

Today, the harassment from that middle-aged alpha dug up those buried memories.

When the man’s hand grabbed his, Chi Cheng couldn’t help but recall the hands that had tried to molest him as a child.

Just thinking about it had him gagging.

His eyes turned red.

Chi Cheng scrubbed his skin raw where the alpha touched him.

The cold water turned his fingers icy, but he didn’t even feel it.

Until Chu Mo showed up.

“What’s wrong, hey Cheng?” Chu Mo stood behind him, raising an eyebrow mockingly through the mirror. “Who got under your skin this time?”

Chi Cheng froze.

He hadn’t expected Chu Mo to be here.

In the next second, Chi Cheng hastily grabbed a few tissues from the wall dispenser and wiped his face.

He straightened up, fixing his face, trying to appear less disheveled.

“You said you didn’t want to see me,” Chi Cheng’s jaw clenched, his tone stubborn. “Why come looking for me now?”

“As your partner,” Chu Mo smirked, “I at least need to check if you’re losing it, don’t I?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Chi Cheng said coldly. “No need for your phony concern or to rub it in.”

At that moment, Chi Cheng felt another wave of nausea rise in his stomach.

He dry-heaved, tears welling up in his eyes.

Chu Mo frowned. "Don't make yourself sick."

Chi Cheng's fingers tightened, gripping the edge of the sink.

Whether from stress or not, Chi Cheng's heartbeat felt irregular and his body was growing cold.

Seeing Chi Cheng's pale complexion, Chu Mo grew worried he might actually be in trouble.

Dropping his usual act, Chu Mo stepped forward and patted Chi Cheng's back a few times. "If you're gonna puke, just get it over with."

Chi Cheng's back went rigid at the contact.

Then surprise flashed in his eyes.

Chu Mo was making physical contact with him.

Normally, Chi Cheng shrank from any alpha's touch.

But right now, he didn’t feel the slightest aversion.

Strangely, he even found it comforting...

Was Chu Mo not an alpha?

The thought flashed through Chi Cheng's mind but was quickly dismissed as absurd.

Chi Cheng pressed his lips together, his voice softening:

"...Why are you helping me?"

"We used to be neighbors," Chu Mo said tonelessly, speaking slowly, "and now we're business partners. Even if I don't like you and don't want you with my brother, I'm not about to let you come to harm."

Chi Cheng could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"Alright," Chu Mo withdrew his hand, his expression cold. "Since you hit someone, there’s no point staying at this banquet anymore. Get going."

Chi Cheng's fingers were still trembling, his lips growing paler.

The stress left him chilled to the bone.

Noticing something was wrong, Chu Mo asked, "What's wrong with you?"

This marked the second time Chu Mo had shown him concern.

The first was when Chu Mo had rescued him from that pervert.

Suddenly, Chi Cheng felt a wave of resentment rise in his chest.

In the mirror, his gaze found the man behind him.

Chi Cheng's slanted eyes were red-rimmed, tears clinging to his lashes. Sweat dripped from his jaw, darkening his collar.

Eyes red, he choked out two words:

"I'm cold."

The voice brimmed with grievance, tinged with pitiful undertones.

Like a big dog pleading for its owner’s embrace.

Chu Mo went still.

His throat moved as he was about to say something, but Chi Cheng rasped out hoarsely:

"Can you... lend me your jacket?"

At this moment, Chi Cheng, who usually carried himself with proud arrogance, was showing rare vulnerability.

The last time Chu Mo saw such fragility in Chi Cheng was when he had rescued him from a pervert, and Chi Cheng had sobbed uncontrollably.

Chu Mo studied Chi Cheng for a few seconds.

In the end, he couldn’t bear it and took off his bespoke suit.

Then, Chu Mo carelessly tossed the jacket over Chi Cheng's shoulders.

"Half a mil. If you stain it, you pay for it yourself."

Chi Cheng didn’t expect Chu Mo to actually help him.

"Get it together. Don’t let outsiders laugh at you," Chu Mo said coolly. "I'll wait for you outside."

Chi Cheng’s throat moved.

In truth, the moment Chu Mo draped the jacket over him, his panic had already subsided.

But he still feigned distress and nodded.

After Chu Mo left.

Chi Cheng couldn’t help but look it over repeatedly.

He couldn’t believe he was actually wearing Chu Mo’s clothes right now.

Chi Cheng dried his hands and carefully touched the fabric of the suit.

Premium, perfectly tailored, elegant.

Just like Chu Mo himself.

Chi Cheng handled it like priceless treasure.

He even gave in to the urge to slide his hand into the pocket of Chu Mo’s jacket.

Chi Cheng wanted to feel any lingering warmth from Chu Mo’s touch that might remain in the pocket.

Unfortunately, the pocket held no warmth.

With a pang of disappointment, Chi Cheng pulled back.

As he turned to exit,

Then—

A whisper of crisp, barely-there mint teased Chi Cheng’s senses.

Chi Cheng paused momentarily.

This smelled like...

*Omega pheromones?!*

Chi Cheng quickly searched for its source.

Soon, he pinpointed it to his own fingers.

The fingertips of the hand that had just been in Chu Mo's suit pocket bore a distinct minty scent.

Chi Cheng's heart skipped a beat, his eyes widening instantly.

The tiny amount of pheromones wasn't enough to make Chi Cheng, a top-tier Alpha, lose control.

But for a brief moment, he still momentarily lost focus.

Chi Cheng was certain this was Omega pheromones!

Moreover, just a tiny amount was enough to elicit a physical response in him.

Chi Cheng had learned that in physiology class:

The higher the pheromone compatibility between an Alpha and an Omega, the more sensitive they were to each other's pheromones.

The signs indicated Chi Cheng's pheromone compatibility with this hint of mint scent was extremely high.

Chi Cheng stood frozen in place, as if lightning-struck.

How could Chu Mo, an Alpha, have pheromones with such high compatibility in his suit pocket?!

Could it be Chu Yun's?

No, impossible.

Pheromones would degrade within half a day if not preserved with specialized equipment after leaving the gland.

Half a day ago, Chu Mo had clearly been at Xiangyang Entertainment, with Chu Yun nowhere in sight.

So—

Whose pheromones were these?