Chapter 51: The Fickle and Amorous Attacker Reborn 7

Chapter 51: The Philandering Charmer's Rebirth 7

After stepping off the stage that day, Jian Xun felt an unusual calm, as if he were looking at an unfinished puzzle from his youth and, as an adult, naturally placing the missing piece into place. It felt like closing a chapter on an old dream. Deep in thought, he eventually fell asleep right there on the drum set.

When Jian Xun woke up again, he was on Song Wuqing’s back. They had already reached the entrance of Yunhe Residence, and when he looked up, he could see a luminous, clear moon hanging overhead, with clouds distinctly visible around it.

"Are we almost home?"

"Almost."

The soft moonlight shone on both of them, and the atmosphere was so perfect that Song Wuqing hardly dared to breathe. Ah Xun’s breath warmed the skin of his neck…

*

The day after Jinmu's reopening was rainy. Jian Xun spent the entire day sleeping deeply at Yunhe Residence. At noon, he heard movement at the door and could tell from the footsteps that it was Song Wuqing.

The door opened, and sure enough, it was him.

"You’re awake?" Song Wuqing was holding a few plastic bags full of fresh vegetables from the market. "How did you sleep?"

A few strands of Jian Xun’s hair were sticking up, though he didn’t notice. "Not bad. I just had a dream last night."

Song Wuqing carried the bags to the kitchen, his voice drifting from that direction. "What dream?"

Jian Xun put on his slippers and leaned against the doorframe, pausing to think for a moment. "I remembered it when I woke up this morning, but I just forgot it…"

By then, Song Wuqing had already tied on an apron and lit the stove. Hearing this, he seemed to smile. "Yeah, that happens to me too. Sometimes the dream is so clear the night before, but I forget it as soon as I wake up."

Jian Xun: "Oh."

Actually, he hadn’t forgotten. He had dreamed about things from their past life together—how he had been so terrible, calling Song Wuqing out all the time even before breaking up with Zuo Zhou… Although he had been a playboy in the past, he had never deliberately messed with anyone like that. So why had he done it to Song Wuqing? Just to test his limits?

Jian Xun didn’t know himself.

*

Before he knew it, three months had passed since his rebirth. During that time, Jian Xun had attended classes at school, run into some old friends, and many things had happened.

One of them was that his former bandmates, after facing setbacks elsewhere, had come to terms with reality and realized their own limitations. Remembering how good Jian Xun had been to them, they one by one wanted to come back.

Of course, Jian Xun refused without a second thought.

Faced with their sentimental pleas, Jian Xun didn’t say anything too harsh. He just smiled and had the ones he once considered his best friends thrown out, reminding them to repay their monthly debts.

Jinmu's deputy manager, who was always good at flattery, was there too. Seeing Jian Xun seemed displeased, he asked if they should do something about it.

Jian Xun shook his head.

He had no intention of creating obstacles for them. There was no need to go out of his way—reality would soon show them their place.

Jian Xun hadn't been angry because they wanted to leave when Jinmu closed down. He was angry because he had once treated them with authentic kindness, but in their eyes, it was something they had to endure and flatter their way into.

But he had already been angry about this in his past life, so he easily moved on in this one.

*

Well, another thing was that Jian Xun used the surveillance footage to find the person who had splashed water on him.

After finding them, he didn’t do much—just exactly what he had done in his past life: had someone rough them up and splashed water on them in return.

On the day he got his revenge, Song Wuqing asked him why he was so cheerful.

Jian Xun initially wanted to tell him directly what he had done, but at the last moment, he started wondering whether Song Wuqing would think he was… too harsh.

So before telling him, he tentatively asked if Song Wuqing remembered the incident where he had been splashed with water. Seeing Song Wuqing furrow his brow, Jian Xun then told him what he had done.

There were no cameras in the restroom, but the hallway outside had surveillance. Based on his memory of the time, he identified a few suspects, checked them one by one, and found the person.

Song Wuqing wasn’t surprised at all by what he had done. He just said, "Oh," in a very calm tone, and added, "It’s fine. I splashed them back too."

Jian Xun: "？？？？"

"That was a while ago, right?" Song Wuqing thought for a moment. "Probably around the time you were splashed. But they didn’t see it was me."

Jian Xun: "Did you have any past issues with them?"

Song Wuqing: "No."

Jian Xun: "..."

This kind of rash act didn’t seem like something Song Wuqing would do—it was completely out of character for him. But he had done it anyway and never told Jian Xun.

Jian Xun: "Then why?"

Song Wuqing: "...Because I was unhappy about what they did to you."

Jian Xun opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. How could he have been so blind in the past to think Song Wuqing didn’t have deep feelings for him? Just because he didn’t talk much?

Jian Xun’s expression was subtly complicated.

Song Wuqing: "Well, let’s eat. The food’s getting cold."

*

If the first thing Jian Xun did in these three months was resolve a minor vendetta from the past, the second thing was that Zuo Zhou seemed to have… an even deeper misunderstanding about him?

It seemed Zuo Zhou misunderstood that Jian Xun still had feelings for him, or something else. In any case, for a while after Jian Xun returned to Yanyang, he repeatedly encountered Zuo Zhou.

Of course, it wasn’t just Zuo Zhou—sometimes he also bumped into some past flings. But overall… he encountered Zuo Zhou more frequently.

Even a fool would have noticed something was off, let alone Jian Xun, who wasn’t that stupid.

*

Zuo Zhou was always hanging around, which made Jian Xun’s mean streak come out more. He would sometimes deliberately ask Song Wuqing: "I heard you used to tutor him alone often?"

Song Wuqing would explain that it wasn’t tutoring—tutoring didn’t help because Zuo Zhou never paid attention—so usually, he just completed the assignments for him.

"How thoughtful. No wonder people at school said you two were a pair. You even did his homework for him…"

At that time, Jian Xun would hold Song Wuqing in the upstairs office, scenting the air with his pheromones to tease him while watching his face gradually flush and his breathing quicken. Then, looking down at Zuo Zhou outside, he would ask in Song Wuqing’s ear if he was ready for this.

Song Wuqing: "Yeah."

It’s said that everyone has a bit of a mischievous or dark side in their heart, and it’s normal to have some shadowed aspects. Jian Xun felt… that his own mischievous and dark sides might be much more pronounced than most.

Otherwise, he really couldn’t explain why he would deliberately play such a cruel game. The glass in Song Wuqing’s office was a one-way mirror—no one outside could see inside, but those inside could see out.

He said: "Ah, I really hope he glances up right now."

*

"I really have nothing going on with him…"

Song Wuqing would initially explain it this way, saying that he and Zuo Zhou were really not a couple and had never dated—those were just school gossip.

Neither he nor Zuo Zhou had any special relationship; the care he had shown him before was only out of gratitude toward Zuo Zhou's parents, which was why he kept a closer eye on him. He had no other intentions toward Zuo Zhou himself.

But later... Song Wuqing realized that Jian Xun didn’t seem too hung up on the answer to this question. He just found the situation amusing and thrilling, so Song Wuqing stopped bothering to explain much. After all, if Jian Xun wanted to play along, he might as well let him.

Even though Song Wuqing wasn’t as laid-back as Jian Xun back then—he was genuinely busy, with his startup company in a phase of rapid growth, swamped with work every day and always on call for messages—despite all that, no matter how busy he was, he would still take care of certain preparations every morning.

*

This behavior of his often made Jian Xun tease him, saying it would give him the wrong idea.

Song Wuqing: "Misunderstand what?"

Jian Xun: "Misunderstand that you’re actually looking forward to it too."

Song Wuqing said with a straight face: "Something like that."

Jian Xun seemed surprised that he admitted it. He sat on the desk, one hand propped behind him, the other resting on Song Wuqing’s shoulder, then tugged at his tie: "Well, well, how come I never noticed before? I’ve always been openly wild, but you—you’re the low-key wild type?"

Song Wuqing would pull out the documents pinned under Jian Xun, glance outside, and fill him in on his schedule for the day—where he needed to go later or who he needed to meet.

Song Wuqing: "Are you coming back to my place today or going home?"

Jian Xun: "Your place."

Song Wuqing: "Alright, I’ll pick up more groceries on my way back. The drinks in the fridge are almost out—need to stock up."

Song Wuqing didn’t like drinks; Jian Xun was the one who did. So, it was obvious who the drinks were for.

*

Actually, in the past, when Jian Xun interacted with other omegas or betas, he never carried on like this. Aside from one-night stands with clear intentions, in more serious relationships like the one he had with Zuo Zhou before, he wouldn’t be so forward about showing his hand...

No matter what, he would still somewhat beat around the bush, starting with a bit of romance the other person liked, talking about other things—never cutting straight to the chase.

But he and Song Wuqing were both alphas. Honestly, they understood each other too well—there was no need to pretend to be gentlemen.

Perhaps that was why? It gave the Jian Xun of his previous life the illusion that both he and Song Wuqing were just fooling around, fully aware it wasn’t serious, and there was no need to invest real feelings?

If it weren’t for that belated letter later, Jian Xun truly wouldn’t have thought he held much weight in Song Wuqing’s heart. This lifetime, though, he found out and noticed many, many details...

The more he noticed, the more puzzled he became—how could he have missed it?

*

When he ran into Zuo Zhou at a coffee shop again, the other looked incredulous and said, "Fancy meeting you here!" Jian Xun smiled without replying. Zuo Zhou then asked if he could sit down.

Jian Xun didn’t refuse, so he ended up sitting with his ex, whom he had briefly dated, making small talk.

His attitude was far too ambiguous—it gave Zuo Zhou the illusion that they could get back together.

Perhaps Zuo Zhou still liked Jian Xun—his handsome looks, his wealthy background, and that free-spirited charm of his—but this liking was just like Jian Xun’s: shallow, take-it-or-leave-it, something that could be there or not.

Actually, Jian Xun had long forgotten most of the memories from his brief relationship with Zuo Zhou in his previous life. But during those few chance encounters, some of it came back to him.

Compared to the act Zuo Zhou used to put on—playing the frail, innocent, poor little wallflower—Jian Xun much preferred his more genuine side: a bit vain, a bit clever, a bit greedy. That was what a normal person with desires and emotions should be like.

*

"Actually, I don’t know much about business matters, and I had no idea your family went through such a hard time back then. How are things now...?" Zuo Zhou put on a show of sadness at just the right moment, "If only I had known back then..."

Zuo Zhou actually did know, and when he found out, he felt rather relieved: "Thank goodness we broke up when we did—if we broke up now, I might not have walked away with as much."

But of course, he couldn’t say that in front of Jian Xun.

"Oh... I see." Jian Xun on the other side nodded as well, propping his chin on one hand. He seemed to be checking Zuo Zhou out, or perhaps looking through him at someone else, and casually asked, "Hey, Zhouzhou, after we broke up, have you dated anyone else? Like that hometown friend of yours before?"

Had he dated anyone else? Of course, he'd been with a few. That's what Zuo Zhou thought, but what actually came out of his mouth was: "No, I think I'm mostly focused on studying right now. As for... me and Eldest Brother Song, he's really busy, and I haven't seen him in a long time."

"He is quite busy." Jian Xun rested his cheek on his hand. "He was still working late last night."

"Huh?" Jian Xun's last sentence was spoken too softly, and Zuo Zhou didn't catch it, wondering if he'd misheard.

"Oh, nothing. I said I've been pretty busy lately too, working hard until late last night."

Once the small talk was over, Zuo Zhou got to the point.

"Oh... hey, Master Jian, are you free tonight?" Zuo Zhou pursed his lips, acting shy. "It's my classmate's birthday tonight, and everyone else is bringing their partners, so... well..."

*

Whatever Zuo Zhou said after that, Jian Xun didn't hear. He noticed that Song Wuqing had appeared at some point, standing there quietly watching him.

It wasn't entirely unexpected, since that coffee shop was near the office building of Song Wuqing's new company.

Following Jian Xun's gaze, Zuo Zhou clearly saw Song Wuqing too. He heard the omega beside him mutter softly, "Just my luck," though he didn't catch the rest.

Song Wuqing made eye contact with both of them and didn't bother hiding. He walked over step by step. Zuo Zhou probably thought Song Wuqing was there for him and asked preemptively why he was there.

Song Wuqing appeared to answer Zuo Zhou, but his eyes were fixed on Jian Xun: "My workplace is nearby, so of course I'm here. What about you?"

"Why do you care why I'm here?"

Zuo Zhou rarely used such a sharp tone with Song Wuqing. At that moment, he probably wanted to hint to Jian Xun beside him that he and Song Wuqing really weren't close.

Jian Xun innocently put his hands up: "Don't look at me. I just came down to buy coffee and happened to run into him."

*

The commotion they caused quickly drew the attention of nearby patrons. Human curiosity is innate, and soon some were whipping out their phones to sneak pictures and share the gossip with friends.

To outsiders, the situation looked like an alpha and an omega having a pleasant chat when suddenly another alpha who seemed hard to read showed up, and the two began questioning each other about why they were there.

Since it involved two alphas and one omega, most people instinctively assumed the two alphas were rivals. But then they noticed that the later alpha didn't seem hostile toward the other alpha—instead, there was a weird tension?

What was this?

A love triangle? Who was catching whom?

So juicy!

Soon, some of the younger crowd recognized Jian Xun's face and his identity. Given Young Master Jian's long rep for romantic drama, onlookers quickly jumped to conclusions.

It must be Jian Xun butting into someone else's relationship!

Ugh, how shitty.

What kind of monogamy is this?

But on second thought, with Jian Xun, that tracks. Doesn't he do this kind of thing often?

Speaking of which... Jian Xun and his older brother Jian Chen are polar opposites—completely different.

Jian Xun overheard those comments too. He even heard someone mutter quietly that they wondered if they were even related.

Yeah, he used to think that too, wondering if there'd been a mix-up at birth, if he was actually the switched-at-birth rich kid from a soap opera.

But in the end, a DNA test proved they were indeed biological brothers—no doubt about it.

*

To outsiders, the commotion in the coffee shop ended when Song Wuqing's phone rang. He seemed to have received a message, glanced down at it, looked at Jian Xun once more, and then, under everyone’s watchful eyes, headed off to… the restroom.

Shortly after, Jian Xun’s phone also chimed. He checked it, gave Zuo Zhou an apologetic smile, said he suddenly had something to attend to, and left through the main entrance.

What others didn’t know was that he looped around and slipped in through the back door, making his way to the restroom. Inside a stall, the two people everyone thought might end up fighting instead locked in a passionate kiss as soon as they saw each other.

Not a word passed between them.

*

When Zuo Zhou saw Song Wuqing again, his unease intensified. Was this his usual pheromone scent?

He had rarely caught whiff of Zuo Zhou’s pheromones before and didn’t know what his natural smell was like.

Unlike the obvious pheromones of an omega, another alpha’s pheromones mixed with his own created a weird, unfamiliar blend, and it seemed he had also doused himself in cologne?

It was odd—but hard to pinpoint.

When they were finally alone, Zuo Zhou brought up the news of Song Wuqing’s family member passing away some time ago.

It had actually been a while since it happened. The fact that he only found out now showed how little he’d really cared.

“I actually just found out a few days ago myself—my parents called and told me about Grandma Song…” Zuo Zhou pressed his lips together and sighed. “How’s your new company going?”

Song Wuqing: “It’s alright.”

They exchanged a few more awkward sentences before Zuo Zhou, unwilling to stay any longer with this emotionally dense alpha, got a call from a friend pressing him to leave. He picked up his bag and stood. “Alright, I’ll head out first.”

*

On the evening after Song Wuqing saw him with Zuo Zhou at the coffee shop, Jian Xun was waiting for Song Wuqing to bring it up, but he never did.

After the coffee shop incident, Jian Xun ran into Zuo Zhou a few more times, and a few other incidents went down between them.

The last time, Zuo Zhou saw Jian Xun leaving Song Wuqing’s startup company with his own eyes and even witnessed the two of them with their arms slung over each other’s shoulders.

*When did they become friends?* was his first thought.

Zuo Zhou didn’t pay attention to anything related to Song Wuqing, but if he had just scrolled through his social feed, he would have noticed that, ever since his grandmother passed away, another person started appearing frequently in his photos.

That person was Jian Xun.

They even often bantered in the comments.

Because Zuo Zhou hadn’t seen those updates, he had no idea—and was naturally shocked—about when they had become such close friends.

*

“Friends?” Jian Xun repeated the word with a laugh, over and over. He ignored Zuo Zhou completely and looked straight at Song Wuqing. “Are we friends?”

Song Wuqing didn’t answer right away. After a moment of silence, as if steeling himself, he said, “No.”

“See? We’re not friends.” Just as Zuo Zhou thought, *sure enough*, Jian Xun leisurely drawled, “We’re clandestine lovers.”

Zuo Zhou: “????????”

Even Song Wuqing looked at Jian Xun in surprise.

Then, as if he’d picked it up from somewhere, Jian Xun uncharacteristically put on a somewhat shy expression, leaning against Song Wuqing’s shoulder. “Aren’t we? You weren’t like this last night… How can you deny it now? You have to do right by me.”

It was Song Wuqing’s first time seeing this side of Jian Xun, and he was stunned for a moment, but he quickly collected himself and nodded, even smiling indulgently.

After his brief moment of dramatic flair, Jian Xun slowly returned to his usual self. He looked at Zuo Zhou and, unusually serious, apologized:

“Well, it’s just as you see. I’m sorry—I should have told you earlier and not kept it from you. Anyway, for various reasons, Song Wuqing and I are dating.”

While Zuo Zhou stood there shell-shocked, Jian Xun continued confessing: “This is actually why I broke up with you before. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you directly back then…”

Zuo Zhou seemed bewildered:

“So—so when you came after me—was it also because—”

“No, no, not because of that,” Jian Xun immediately denied. “It really wasn’t back then. I pursued you only because I was really into an obscure language at the time, and I happened to find a notebook with your name on it at school. I snooped through it, got curious about you, and specifically went to find you with the notebook…”

That was how Jian Xun and Zuo Zhou met. Zuo Zhou had even suspected he was a thief, and Jian Xun had to talk his way out of it. This was also the origin of the misunderstanding Jian Xun mentioned when he confessed to Zuo Zhou.

*

But actually, that notebook…

Zuo Zhou’s face went slack: “I never take notes. That was written by Song Wuqing.”

“Yeah, I found that out later,” Jian Xun said with a smile. “But we were already together by then. At least during that time, we were both happy, right?”

Jian Xun had never marked Zuo Zhou, mainly because Zuo Zhou’s persona back then was that of an innocent, pure type—the kind unlikely to casually get involved with an alpha.

Looking back now, it was something to be grateful for.

“You two… you two…”

Zuo Zhou probably wanted to say, “How can two alphas be together?” but then he noticed their hands subconsciously intertwined and finally identified the indescribable pheromone scent on Song Wuqing—it was Jian Xun’s pheromones.

He swallowed his words,

and left looking completely thrown.

*

After that day, it must have been ten days or so before they saw Zuo Zhou again. When they finally met, he was no longer dressing modestly but in a style completely different from before, with a cigarette between his fingers.

“What? Omegas can’t smoke?” Zuo Zhou said with a slight sarcastic tone.

Zuo Zhou had fully returned to his usual private self—no more deliberately innocent, goody-two-shoes act. His tone was back to normal too, and when he saw Jian Xun’s surprised expression, he rolled his eyes.

“Do you have any idea how much what you said that day messed me up mentally? Goddamn, I thought both of you were into me, but in the end… I was the joke… shit!”

Zuo Zhou blew a smoke ring and crossed his legs. “I was spaced out for a whole day after going back that day. Later, when I thought about it carefully, I realized—no wonder you two were being so sketchy!!”

Jian Xun laughed along, raising a glass to clink against his. “Hahaha, my bad. I should’ve told you earlier. Let’s toast with drinks instead—here, cheers…”

After a few words, Jian Xun naturally pulled out several prepared high-denomination gift cards and membership cards from his pocket—usable at many malls under the Jian family’s name. “Here, don’t be mad. Take these and go shop to blow off steam.”

Zuo Zhou glanced at the amounts and immediately smiled, all traces of anger gone. He took the cards without a second thought. “Then I won’t hold back.”

Jian Xun: “Of course.”

The two bantered easily like old friends, making it hard to imagine the messy past between them or guess what had happened before.

*

That day, Song Wuqing stayed quiet the whole time. He seemed unable to understand how Zuo Zhou could move on so effortlessly and hadn’t expected the meeting to go so smoothly.

“He used to talk about you often in front of me. I thought he really liked you,” Song Wuqing said after returning home that day. “And a few days ago, it seemed like he really wanted to get back together with you…”

“That’s normal… what’s the big deal? When it comes to feelings, as long as you’re happy, why cling to it?”

Jian Xun slipped an arm around Song Wuqing’s waist. “Actually, you’re the one I don’t understand. I always thought you’d be like Zuo Zhou—able to let go after breaking up, unscathed, and living your life well. But…”

Song Wuqing: “I…”

Jian Xun: “I know you couldn’t…”

If Song Wuqing could have, there wouldn't have been that thick letter, nor would there have been Jian Xun's rebirth, and everything about their future would have been altered.

But... Song Wuqing couldn't have.

Jian Xun understood this better than anyone, so he simply cut Song Wuqing off, leaned in, and kissed him: "Now we're not secret lovers anymore—we're official."

*

Actually, they had been out in the open for a while.

From the moment Song Wuqing's friends actively asked about them, from the first time Jian Xun's older brother inquired about that alpha, to Jian Xun's parents knowing about their relationship...

But it still seemed different for Song Wuqing?

Although it was already September and the worst summer heat had passed, the weather was still extremely hot, commonly referred to as the "autumn tiger" (a phenomenon similar to Indian summer).

The two walked outside for a while but soon grew unbearably hot and decided to head home to enjoy the air conditioning. On the way, they bought a crunchy watermelon, and once home, they cut it in half and ate it with spoons.

A soft rug was spread in front of the living room sofa, so instead of sitting on the couch, they sat on the rug, leaning against the sofa, watching a hit reality show.

Outside, the sun blazed fiercely, while inside, the two enjoyed the cool air conditioning and chilled watermelon. Jian Xun occasionally scrolled through his phone, and Song Wuqing’s laptop was placed nearby so he could work at any time.

In this relaxed and comfortable atmosphere,

Song Wuqing suddenly spoke: "Ah Xun"

Jian Xun: "Hmm?"

"Your family reached out to me recently."

Jian Xun: "???!!"

*

Jian Xun's parents rarely meddled in his affairs. No matter how promiscuous he'd been, they never said a word, since he wasn't Jian Chen—their expectations for him had long been lowered.

So when Song Wuqing mentioned that his family had visited, Jian Xun was surprised, wondering who it could be. After some thought, he guessed it might have been his mother...

"Yeah, was it my mom? What did she say to you?" Jian Xun speculated. "Did she offer you money? Did you take it?"

"No." Song Wuqing’s fingers, which had been typing, hesitated for two seconds before quickly resuming their pace. "It was your older brother."

Jian Xun: "Huh??? What did he come to you for?"

Song Wuqing’s eyes remained fixed on the code scrolling across the screen as he answered Jian Xun’s question while typing: "He said that Madam Jian is eager for grandchildren, that we're not suitable, and that they’ve already introduced many Omegas to you..."

It seemed his mother had sent his brother.

Jian Xun: "And then?"

Song Wuqing: "Nothing much. He offered me money, but I didn’t accept it."

*

Jian Xun scooped out a piece of bright red watermelon with his spoon—icy cold and incredibly sweet. After taking his third bite, he called his brother immediately.

If it had been his mother who visited Song Wuqing, he might not have known how to confront Madam Jian, but since it was his brother, it didn’t matter.

Jian Xun: "Hello?"

Jian Chen on the other end was likely in his office, as the surroundings were very quiet. His tone was quite bright and alert: "Yeah, I can hear you. What made you suddenly think to call me?"

Jian Xun didn’t mince words and got straight to the point: "Did you go see Song Wuqing?"

The voice on the other end fell silent for a few seconds. When he spoke again, his tone was noticeably colder: "Did he complain to you?"

"What complaint? Don’t I have the right to know about this?" Jian Xun put the phone on speaker and set it aside, continuing to eat his watermelon. "Did Mom send you?"

It was normal for Madam Jian to have trouble accepting an Alpha—perhaps in her worldview, Alphas are naturally meant to be with Omegas to produce optimal offspring.

Jian Chen remained silent on the other end, so Jian Xun took it as silent confirmation. Thinking about what Song Wuqing had just said, he couldn’t help but laugh.

"Wait, why did you frighten him like that? You know perfectly well that Alphas can also carry children. There are already existing cases, though it wasn’t publicized. He didn’t know about it, but you did."

*

As soon as Jian Xun said this, not only did his brother fall silent on the phone, but Song Wuqing also immediately turned to look at him.

There’s an information disparity between classes. What seemed like common knowledge to Jian Xun was like a fantasy to Song Wuqing.

But it was normal not to know—it had only been discovered a few years ago: that Alphas inherently have a womb, though it has atrophied over time. They can bear children, just not as easily as Omegas.

Song Wuqing didn’t know. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have foolishly undergone that gland alteration procedure. He was going the roundabout way—he had a perfectly functional womb all along, he had...

The risks of the two surgeries were not even comparable... but he didn’t know...

*

His brother sighed over the phone:

"...Are you really insisting on being with him?"

Jian Xun: "What if I am?"

Jian Chen: "You need to think carefully. Are you doing this out of spite, or are you serious?"

Jian Xun fell silent for a few seconds, images of his past moments with Song Wuqing involuntarily surfacing in his mind. It seemed... he had really changed somewhat.

Probably because Song Wuqing endlessly tolerated him, Jian Xun sometimes acted particularly immature in front of him, often forgetting that he was already twenty-seven years old at the time of his death in his previous life. He was... not exactly young anymore.

Then again, even the Jian Xun of his previous life wasn’t all that mature in the end—he was just better at keeping up appearances in front of outsiders.

What was the twenty-seven-year-old Jian Xun like?

He had an arranged marriage partner with excellent looks and background. They rarely saw each other and had almost no emotional connection. Rather than being engaged, they were more like an icy business arrangement.

He sometimes felt a void in his heart, but on the other hand, he couldn’t even articulate what he truly wanted.

On days he didn’t go home, he was almost always out having fun. He was often photographed by tabloid photographers. When in a good mood, Jian Xun would politely let them take a few shots; when in a bad mood, he’d have them thrown out.

His arms were often around unfamiliar Omegas or Betas. It seemed like his life was filled with people, but in reality, he still felt an inexplicable loneliness.

Jian Xun had always been searching for something he couldn’t even name. But if you’re searching for something and don’t even know what it is, how can you find it?

Not only was his brother asking if he was acting out of spite, but in that moment, Jian Xun also began to seriously contemplate whether he was.

He couldn’t figure out the answer no matter how hard he thought, but at that moment, a long-forgotten thought suddenly crossed his mind:

How strange, really strange. In his previous life, he always felt a sense of mutual repulsion when around Song Wuqing, so why was it that in this life, he rarely felt that repulsion anymore?

Jian Xun immediately shared this discovery with Jian Chen: "You know what? Before, if I spent too long with him, I’d feel really irritable. But now, even after spending several days together, I don’t feel that way at all..."

Jian Chen: "..."

Jian Xun: "...Well, he cooks really well, has a great figure, is more cooperative than some Omegas in certain intimate matters, and has a quiet, calm personality—never makes a fuss. Brother, I’m serious, I think I might actually love him."

Jian Chen: "...You think this is love?"

Jian Xun: "I don’t know either. But since I’m just trying things out with everyone anyway, and killing time with everyone, why can’t I try things out with him and kill time with him?"

Jian Xun's words were spoken with such sincerity that his older brother fell silent for a long time, probably unsure how to refute them.

After the call ended, Jian Xun pulled Song Wuqing close and kissed him on the cheek. "Alright, now it's your turn to confess. When... did you remember?"

*

Earlier that morning, Jian Xun had learned from the system that Song Wuqing had gotten his memories back. He had been surprised as he watched Song Wuqing calmly preparing breakfast for him.

—"Are you sure he's remembered?"

The system seemed like a voice-controlled smart assistant. Once awakened, its voice remained the same cold, mechanical tone. —"Yes, he remembered last night."

Jian Xun’s gaze lingered on the 'alpha' in the kitchen. Honestly, he couldn’t tell one bit. Whether it was Song Wuqing’s emotions, his attitude toward him, or even the tone of his voice—everything seemed almost exactly the same as before...

—"Really?"

—"Yes."

During the meal, Jian Xun casually asked, "Didn’t you say before that you had a dream but couldn’t remember what it was about? What about now—did it come back to you?"

Song Wuqing’s hand, holding the chopsticks, paused mid-air. "No, still don't remember."

It was at that moment that Jian Xun finally noticed a slight crack in Song Wuqing’s calm exterior and was sure that he had indeed recalled their shared past.

*

"Hey, Wuqing, do you hate me?"