Chapter 24: Cruise Ship

Chapter 24 The Cruise Ship

Sunlight filtered through the curtain gaps, casting dappled light and shadow across the floor.

A pink-haired Alpha lay sound asleep on his side, a long stuffed animal clutched between his legs. His clothes were disheveled from sleep, the blanket tangled around his waist, subtly outlining a slender curve.

When Yuan Shize pushed open the door, he hadn't expected Yuan Shiyuan to still be asleep.

He tiptoed into the room, crouched by the bedside, his fingertips hovering above Yuan Shiyuan’s head, gently caressing the soft pink strands.

A faint, elusive fragrance drifted into his nostrils.

It was wonderful.

The scent was richer than he remembered, an instinctive allure.

Yuan Shize thought, perhaps it was because he was nearing differentiation that his mind was racing.

He was so captivated by Yuan Shiyuan’s sleeping face that when Yuan Shiyuan suddenly shifted closer, he froze.

Yuan Shiyuan abruptly rolled over, kicking the stuffed animal to the foot of the bed. Mistaking Yuan Shize’s hand for the toy, he drowsily clutched Yuan Shize’s wrist. His flushed cheek rested in Yuan Shize’s palm, and as if finding the warm "toy" more comfortable, he slowly nuzzled against it.

Yuan Shize’s arm stiffened; he dared not move a muscle.

He gazed at Yuan Shiyuan’s long eyelashes, inhaling his scent…

Suddenly, Yuan Shize regretted taking a leave of absence from school years earlier.

He was only a few months younger than Yuan Shiyuan, but having been bullied in the orphanage and abandoned by his first adoptive family, his mental health had always been fragile.

Yuan Xing believed a child’s mental well-being was more important than academics, so she arranged for him to take time off school. Yuan Shize’s father also took special leave to travel with him, helping him relax and open up to the family.

It was during that time that he learned to cook.

The couple had bought a home in a school district for their children’s education, so the house wasn’t far from the school.

Yuan Shize’s greatest joy every day was cooking and then picking his older brother up after school. Or leaning by the windowsill to watch the playground ahead, searching for a chance to lock eyes with his brother among the crowd.

“When did you get here?”

The face against his palm lifted slightly before settling back down. Yuan Shiyuan wasn’t fully awake yet; he mumbled something and drowsily tried to sit up.

“Bro, don’t move,” Yuan Shize said. “Let me help you up.”

With an arm around his waist, Yuan Shiyuan was half-carried, half-supported to the bathroom to freshen up.

Yuan Shize had done this countless times before.

He knew how to help his brother wash up even when he was barely conscious, and he knew which positions would be most comfortable for him.

By the time they finished, Yuan Shiyuan was mostly awake. He lay on the sofa, his feet naturally resting on Yuan Shize’s lap, letting Yuan Shize put on his socks.

He, meanwhile, busied himself with his phone.

【Group Chat: Scepter Family】

Zhuang He: Everyone’s been working hard lately! Let’s have a group dinner this afternoon, meet at the company at 6 PM. [Grin]

The message was sent at 8 AM, and by 1 PM, no one had responded.

Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t help but laugh.

These S-Class Alphas really had no respect.

Yuan Shiyuan: Received. [Salute]

Soon, the other S-Class Alphas replied one after another.

Bao Jin: 1

Jiang Hang: .

Pei Yanbing: Okay.

Ying Mingxi: Received.

Ying Mingche: [Salute]

“Why aren’t you at the base or school today?” Yuan Shiyuan nudged Yuan Shize’s hand with his toes.

Yuan Shize grabbed his foot and said, “I took half the day off. I have to go back tonight.”

“Perfect, I have to go to the company tonight too,” Yuan Shiyuan declared matter-of-factly. “Help me pack.”

After preparing lunch, Yuan Shize immediately started packing Yuan Shiyuan’s backpack.

He put some disposable items inside, like disposable underwear.

At home, Yuan Shiyuan never had to do chores; Yuan Shize had always taken care of washing his socks and underwear since they were kids.

The company surely wouldn’t provide a personal attendant for artists, right? At most, they’d have a washing machine.

Even if there were attendants, Yuan Shize wouldn’t trust anyone else with Yuan Shiyuan’s clothes, nor would he feel comfortable with Yuan Shiyuan using a shared washing machine for his intimate wear, so he bought plenty of disposable items.

After ensuring all daily necessities were packed, Yuan Shize didn’t forget to attach a pink bow tie to the small stuffed animal keychain.

When it was almost time, Yuan Shiyuan slung his backpack over his shoulder without bothering to check it. “I’m heading back to the dorm then. You should head back soon too.”

“Come here, give me a hug.” He spread his arms, and a broad embrace enveloped him completely.

Before leaving, Yuan Shiyuan reached out to touch his piano, humming cheerfully as he took a photo and posted it on his social feed.

Caption: From Xiao Ze. [Proud]

“Who is Xiao Ze?”

Yuan Shiyuan had just reached the company entrance when, before he could even clearly see the other person’s face, a forceful push slammed him against the door.

The glass door reflected two figures. When he looked up, he saw Ying Mingche’s face—a mix of anger, resentment, and disbelief.

“Why do you smell like an Omega?”

Ying Mingche acted like a husband returning from a business trip, suspicious of his wife’s infidelity, as he kept sniffing Yuan Shiyuan. “What have you been doing? Are you dating someone?!”

“Don’t you know our contract forbids dating Omegas?” he added. “Betas aren’t allowed either.”

Why only Omegas and Betas? What about Alphas?

Yuan Shiyuan thought, baffled—what was Ying Mingche doing? Bombarding him with accusations, suspecting he was in a relationship?

"Xiao Ze is my brother." He had just pushed Ying Mingche away a little when Ying Mingche pressed in close again. He gave up, "Stop releasing your pheromones on me."

"You allow an Omega to release pheromones on you, but not me?" Ying Mingche gritted his teeth, "Unfair!"

Yuan Shiyuan: "When I was on the subway, an Omega suddenly went into heat. I must have picked up the pheromones on me accidentally then."

Ying Mingche’s expression softened: "Really? You’re not dating an Omega behind my back?"

"Is Xiao Ze really your brother?" he confirmed, "The kind of brother like me and my brother, not *that* kind of brother, you know?"

On his day off, Ying Mingche didn't sit idle either. He scoured Yuan Shiyuan’s forum and read some of the more famous fanfictions within the fandom.

In these fanfictions, Yuan Shiyuan was cast as both an older brother and a younger brother. The only common point was that, whether as a younger or older brother, he was never safe, inevitably becoming the object of desire.

Among them, the 'younger top' dynamic was quite popular.

"Obviously, what other kind of brother could it be?"

Yuan Shiyuan was exasperated. He reached out and yanked Ying Mingche down by his collar, "Smell me again. Is the Omega pheromone on me very obvious?"

Yuan Shiyuan sniffed carefully but could only catch a faint whiff of pheromones. He had been far from the subway car where the Omega went into heat, so even if some had rubbed off, it shouldn’t be much.

Does Ying Mingche have a nose like a bloodhound? How can he smell it?

Caught off guard, Ying Mingche’s face was practically nuzzling Yuan Shiyuan’s neck. Staring at the snow-white skin up close, his Adam’s apple worked for a moment.

"Very obvious." He inhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing slightly in pleasure.

Then, Ying Mingche nuzzled in with a blissed-out expression.

Unfortunately, Yuan Shiyuan wasn’t having any of it. He grabbed Ying Mingche’s hair and mercilessly pulled his head away.

"If it’s obvious, I’ll go back and spray some Pheromone Remover," he said. "I'm going back to the dorm first."

If an Alpha has Omega pheromones on them, it’s indeed inappropriate. When Yuan Shiyuan returned to the dorm, it was empty. He rummaged through the drawers looking for the Pheromone Remover.

Where did I put it last time?

Yuan Shiyuan searched until he reached the wardrobe. The moment he opened the door, he stood frozen in shock.

His once-empty wardrobe was now filled with all kinds of summer clothes!

When he turned on the light, he noticed various department store gift boxes on the floor, still tied with ribbons, clearly unopened.

What’s going on? Did Bao Jin go on a shopping spree? Buying so many clothes?

But even if he bought a lot, he can't just take over my half of the wardrobe.

Yuan Shiyuan checked his backpack. He hadn’t brought many personal clothes, as he usually wore clothes provided by the company. Thinking about it, he decided Bao Jin could just use it.

When he needed it, Bao Jin could just clear out the space.

Yuan Shiyuan found the Pheromone Remover in the corner of the wardrobe. Just as he sat on the bed and was about to open it, he suddenly felt strangely uncomfortable.

He stared ahead, his brows furrowing seriously, then gently rubbed his leg.

Didn't I have Yuan Shize apply anti-itch ointment for me last night?

Why is it still itchy?

Did Yuan Shize slack off and not use enough?

Yuan Shiyuan had the dorm to himself. He parted his knees and used his phone’s flashlight to examine the irritated area.

It looked normal, just a bit red. But since he had just come from outside, a little redness was to be expected.

Without thinking, Yuan Shiyuan suddenly reached out and rubbed the irritated area.

He was too rough, and the harsh pressure landed directly on the sensitive skin. He jolted like a startled cat, his back arching like a bow, and he uncontrollably fell forward onto the bed. As his nose brushed against the sheets, a faint gasp escaped him.

Beneath his disheveled pink bangs, his eyes were wet and filled with confusion.

Th-this is strange.

Yuan Shiyuan was completely bewildered. An 18-year-old virgin who'd never felt anything like it, he was at a loss.

Dazed, he rolled over and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Tears welled up at the corners of his eyes, glistening with a misty sheen. His eyes widened slightly as he stared vacantly into space.

The moment Bao Jin returned, he saw Yuan Shiyuan like this.

"Still sleepy?" He had just closed the door when his Alpha instincts instantly picked up the scent of an Omega.

It was faint but lingering, emanating from Yuan Shiyuan.

Bao Jin’s gaze sharpened: "Why do you have…"

"The scent of Omega pheromones?" Yuan Shiyuan propped himself up with one hand, slowly sitting up as one leg naturally bent.

"Ying Mingche said the same thing earlier, that the Omega pheromones on me are very obvious. It’s from accidentally brushing against someone." He explained the whole story.

Bao Jin was skeptical: "This is from another Omega?"

Yuan Shiyuan: "What else? Could it be mine?"

"Well, no." Bao Jin said, "You’re an Alpha. How could you produce Omega pheromones?"

"Besides, your gland doesn’t smell like this." He instinctively glanced at Yuan Shiyuan’s gland.

It was where Bao Jin had buried his face before. He was familiar with it and knew its scent. It was indeed fragrant, but different from the current smell—not this sweet.

His gaze drifted downward almost imperceptibly.

As one leg naturally lifted, the shorts rode up, creating a shadow.

Was it Bao Jin’s imagination, or did this fragrance…

seem to be coming from there?

After spraying the Pheromone Remover, Yuan Shiyuan picked up his shoulder bag.

"Is it heavy?" Bao Jin walked over. "Let me carry it."

"No need." Yuan Shiyuan found it odd. "I’m not your wife. You don’t need to carry my bag."

Bao Jin: "…"

Yuan Shiyuan patted his shoulder: "Let’s go. Brother Zhuang is urging us to gather at the entrance."

By the time the two arrived at the meeting point, most of the other members were already there.

Yuan Shiyuan walked over, his single-shoulder bag strap slipped down to his elbow, his cool, pale arm chafed to a light pink.

He waved to greet his teammates, the charm on his bag swaying along with the motion.

Jiang Hang’s eyes widened in astonishment. He stared intently at Yuan Shiyuan and was about to speak when Yuan Shiyuan said:

“Do I have Omega pheromones on me?”

Jiang Hang fell silent.

That wasn’t what he had intended to ask.

Ying Mingxi said gently, “You really do, Shi Yuan.”

Yuan Shiyuan had already mentioned the subway incident twice. Now that everyone was present, he recounted it once more.

“An Omega went into heat in the subway car, and their pheromones accidentally got on me.”

Yuan Shiyuan added, puzzled, “But I sprayed plenty of deodorizer—how can you still smell it?”

“Could it be because that Omega’s rank is very high?”

The Alphas fell silent.

The fragrance had been as fleeting as a night-blooming cereus, ephemeral and hard to grasp now. But they had to admit, in that brief moment when they caught the pheromones on Yuan Shiyuan, they had felt an uncontrollable, compelling sense of submission.

“Why are you all making that face? Were you affected?” Yuan Shiyuan said. “That can’t be—you’re S-rank.”

Just like him, S-rank.

Ying Mingxi said, “It’s not that we were affected…”

“Are you feeling unwell? Should I ride in a separate car?”

“No need.”

The feeling of submission had lasted only an instant.

Still, the thought of Yuan Shiyuan carrying someone else’s pheromones did make them deeply uncomfortable, stirring a ridiculous impulse to overwrite it with their own.

An Alpha wanting to mark another Alpha with their pheromones—wasn’t that just absurd?

-

By the time the car reached the port, the sky hadn’t yet grown dark.

A massive cruise ship loomed on the glittering water like a great beast.

An attendant in white gloves smiled as he welcomed them aboard.

“A dinner on a cruise ship?” Yuan Shiyuan said. “Brother Zhuang is being way too generous.”

Pei Yanbing said, “Something’s off.”

Pei Yanbing, walking at the front, came to an abrupt halt. Yuan Shiyuan, behind him, couldn’t stop in time and stumbled right into him.

Two large hands gripped Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulders from behind, and Yuan Shiyuan wrapped his arms tightly around Pei Yanbing’s waist to steady himself.

He could clearly feel Pei Yanbing’s body stiffen and quickly let go. “Sorry, Captain.”

He turned to smile at Jiang Hang and Bao Jin in thanks, then asked quietly, “What do you mean, ‘something’s off’?”

“There are cameras filming us,” Pei Yanbing said.

Yuan Shiyuan glanced around. To him, everyone nearby seemed like ordinary tourists and staff.

But… although they weren’t hugely famous, they were still recognizable enough to be spotted by fans in a crowd.

Would Zhuang He really invite them to dine in such a public place?

Ying Mingche said, “Could it be a false alarm?”

Ying Mingxi thought for a moment and shook his head. “The Captain is highly alert to cameras…”

He discreetly scanned the nearby tourists and added, “Besides, the tourists are too composed. It feels unnatural.”

“Finally, you’re here!” Zhuang He walked over smiling from the open-air restaurant ahead. “Come, come, have a seat and eat. I’ve already ordered—take a look and see if you want to add anything.”

“Here’s the menu.”

After sitting down, Yuan Shiyuan cautiously surveyed their surroundings.

“What are you looking for?”

“Cameras.”

Yuan Shiyuan asked directly, “Brother Zhuang, is it really just a meal today? There aren’t any hidden cameras, are there?”

Zhuang He laughed heartily and took a sip of his drink. “Of course not! If there were a schedule, I’d have told you in advance. I invited you all here purely for a meal, to reward you for your hard work lately. Come on, don’t just sit there—dig in!”

“Our Shi Yuan is the youngest—he should eat more.” He looked at Yuan Shiyuan with a fatherly gaze. “You must be hungry, right?”

His overly eager attitude seemed suspicious.

Yuan Shiyuan picked up his chopsticks obligingly—not that he had much choice. It was mealtime, and he was hungry.

Rather than worry endlessly, he might as well enjoy a good meal. If something unexpected happened later, he’d deal with it then.

Yuan Shiyuan picked up a piece of prepared soft-roed lobster, the rich golden roe dripping like molten gold from his chopsticks.

He ate gracefully, and the melt-in-the-mouth deliciousness made him tap his toes lightly and flutter his eyelashes happily.

At the table, the other Alphas also began to eat.

The cruise ship sailed slowly, its propellers churning the water behind. In places none of them noticed, tiny live-streaming cameras were hidden in every corner of the ship, their faint red lights blinking almost imperceptibly.