Chapter 31: Live Stream Accident (Part 2)

Chapter 31: Live Stream Incident (Part 2)

The shower time was only one hour, and after deducting time for undressing, moving between areas, and other logistics, each of the six people had no more than ten minutes on average.

Yuan Shiyuan also needed to wash his hair, so every second counted.

Fortunately, his hair wasn’t particularly long, and he didn’t bother with conditioner or similar products. If he moved quickly, he could definitely finish within ten minutes.

After rinsing off the last of the foam, to save time, Yuan Shiyuan didn’t even fully dry off. He hastily wiped himself with a towel a few times, put on disposable underwear, slipped on a bathrobe, and emerged still dripping.

Yuan Shiyuan lowered his head slightly, using the towel to dry the ends of his hair. His pink hair, still wet from the shower, had a noticeable flow.

He was surrounded by lingering steam from the hot water, water tracing paths down his face—some disappearing into the loose collar of his robe, others trickling down his legs, leaving shiny trails.

His fair skin was flushed pink from the steam, the bathrobe hanging loosely around him. He wore nothing underneath, the belt emphasizing his slender waist.

Yuan Shiyuan was completely oblivious to his surroundings, still focused on drying his hair: "Captain, you can go in now. Oh, I left some pheromones inside, so it should still be strong."

"There should be enough body wash, but there’s not much shampoo—only a 30ml sample. If you plan to wash your hair, go easy on it."

"Don’t use too much."

Yuan Shiyuan was carefully advising them, worried the Alphas might run out of supplies. However, the room had grown quiet, with only their breathing audible.

He paused and looked up, sensing something.

All the Alphas were staring at him.

Though scattered around the room, their bodies were turned toward the bathroom, their intense, suffocating gazes.

What was going on?

He’d just taken a shower—why were they staring like they were starving?

Was today's work really that draining?

Yuan Shiyuan met their eyes one by one, finally landing on Pei Yanbing: "Captain?"

"Aren’t you going in to shower?"

"Going now." Before leaving, Pei Yanbing turned back thoughtfully, giving him another glance.

Was he looking at him?

Yuan Shiyuan glanced down and realized his current state was pretty revealing.

His robe was disheveled, most of his collarbones exposed. If he moved too much, the robe might slip open entirely, revealing the lean muscles of his abdomen.

Conscious of the cameras, Yuan Shiyuan reached to adjust his collar.

But Ying Mingche hooked a finger through his collar, pulling it open and exposing his damp collarbone to the air.

"The live broadcast’s main plug has been pulled. Don’t worry, the audience can’t see." He eyed Yuan Shiyuan’s collarbone, licking his canine, his gaze drifting downward—unfortunately, he couldn’t see further. He said teasingly, "Why hide? Afraid of us?"

"It’s so hot, and you’re covering up like this? Might as well lose the robe. Since the audience can’t see, even if you ran around naked, it wouldn’t matter…"

Yuan Shiyuan swatted Ying Mingche’s hand away, declining politely: "That would still matter. I have some dignity."

His hand stung from the slap, a tingling sensation spreading. If any other Alpha had dared hit Ying Mingche, he would’ve made them pay…

But Yuan Shiyuan’s hand was soft, the strike carrying the scent and warmth of his recent shower.

It actually felt good.

Ying Mingche raised an eyebrow slightly: "What? We’re all Alphas. Worried I'll take a look?"

"Fine, later I’ll strip too. I’ll show you mine, and we can look at each other."

Yuan Shiyuan continued to decline: "No thanks, I’m afraid you’ll get insecure after seeing me."

Ying Mingche raised an eyebrow in surprise, sizing up Yuan Shiyuan’s slender frame—quite the bold claim.

He threw an arm over Yuan Shiyuan’s shoulder, leaning in to sniff: "You smell so good."

This was a shared sentiment among the Alphas—Yuan Shiyuan was amazingly fragrant.

The light scent of body wash blended with his natural aroma, the steam from the shower amplifying and spreading it, creating an intoxicating blend.

Yuan Shiyuan sniffed at himself but couldn’t detect anything unusual.

"If I use your body wash, will I smell like this too?" Ying Mingche twisted a strand of damp pink hair, and while Yuan Shiyuan wasn’t paying attention, stealthily licked the water droplets from it.

Ying Mingxi’s Adam’s apple jumped.

Ever since Yuan Shiyuan entered the shower, the Alphas had been seized by a strange restlessness.

The lingering heat and thirst were momentarily satisfied, only to leave them craving more…

Ying Mingche looked captivated, about to steal another taste when Bao Jin suddenly shoved him forcefully from behind.

Caught off guard, Ying Mingche stumbled and slammed into the wall. Irritated at having his fun interrupted, he snapped, "What’s your problem? Looking for a fight?"

Bao Jin: "Just can't stand you. Got a problem with that?"

"Sure, no problem at all." Ying Mingche said with a cold smile, "Then I’ll just punch you, no problem either, right?"

As the two S-class Alphas looked ready to fight, Yuan Shiyuan quickly wedged himself between them, not even bothering to dry his hair: "Can we not argue? The broadcast is only temporarily cut. The crew won't just stand by—they could charge in with cameras any moment…"

"I don’t want to be filmed showing our team fighting, with members openly fighting on camera."

Who cares if they film it?

So what if they were filmed? Their team was already known for its discord—how many times had they been caught fighting already?

Compared to so-called team honor, they cared more about being provoked. The high pride and strong territorial instincts of S-class Alphas had them retaliating immediately.

Until a warm, soft touch simultaneously pressed against their chests, and the two enraged S-class Alphas froze in surprise.

Looking down, they saw a hand resting on each of their chests—slender, fair fingers with faint pink nails, still damp and fragrant from the shower.

Their eyes shifted upward simultaneously to a lightly flushed face, brows slightly furrowed, long damp lashes lifting.

"Both of you, calm down, okay?"

"What exactly happened?"

Bao Jin wasn’t one to explain himself—he acted without needing reasons. But Yuan Shiyuan lifted his leg, tapping Bao Jin’s knee with his own.

After a moment of silence, Bao Jin said: "He licked your hair."

Yuan Shiyuan shot Ying Mingche a glance: "That's disgusting."

The obvious disdain in his eyes and tone left Ying Mingche deeply dissatisfied. He made excuses, "I didn't lick it, okay? I just smelled your hair, and accidentally got too close—my tongue happened to touch it. Besides, I only wanted to check if your hair was clean. Why are you making it sound like I'm some kind of pervert?"

Yuan Shiyuan: "Aren't you?"

Bao Jin sneered: "Do you have eyes on your tongue? Using your tongue to see? So if you want to look at Yuan Shiyuan in the future, will you have to French kiss him?"

Ying Mingche froze instantly. Stung by some word or another, his heart raced as he retorted, "Who—who wants to French kiss him!"

"No one wants to French kiss you."

Yuan Shiyuan pulled his hand back in exasperation. The thought of having his hair licked by another guy gave him the creeps. He kept wiping the ends of his hair with a towel, his face stern beneath the pink locks. "So it really is your fault. Bao Jin isn't wrong, and you've got no excuse."

Bao Jin watched as Yuan Shiyuan took a step closer to him, taking his side again. The hostility in his eyes gradually eased, replaced by a hint of triumph as he glanced tauntingly at Ying Mingche, like a male flaunting his victory after competition.

Ying Mingche gritted his teeth, but the disgust in Yuan Shiyuan's eyes genuinely hurt him.

Yet he couldn't refute it, so he resorted to arguing irrationally: "But Bao Jin pushed me really hard—it hurt. My hand is even scratched... If it scars, I won't be perfect anymore."

"I won't be a complete Alpha anymore."

It's just a scratch, not like he lost a limb. What's the big deal?

With team infighting and the team leader still showering—even if Pei Yanbing were present, he'd probably choose to watch coldly from the sidelines—and the other S-Class Alphas unlikely to do anything but add fuel to the fire, Yuan Shiyuan had to step up and take charge.

"Let's not provoke each other from now on. We're all one family—can we please coexist peacefully? And you, Ying Mingche, can't just lick me whenever you want. Not even my hair."

"We need to keep each other in check and set up a punishment system. If anyone argues again, they have to accept punishment."

Ying Mingche still wanted to appeal, but under Yuan Shiyuan's warning gaze, he could only say dejectedly, "Oh... I get it."

"You said you'd listen to me, right?" Yuan Shiyuan softened his tone and asked again.

Hearing Yuan Shiyuan's gentle tone, Ying Mingche was clearly in a better mood: "Of course."

Sure enough, dealing with Ying Mingche required a mix of firmness and sweetness.

Successfully resolving the team conflict, Yuan Shiyuan was satisfied. His hair was half-dried from wiping, but the ends were still dripping.

He looked all around the room but couldn't find the hairdryer.

"Shi Yuan, are you looking for the hairdryer?"

"Yes."

Yuan Shiyuan looked across the room and met Ying Mingxi's gaze near the dining table. "Brother Mingxi, have you seen it? It's not in the bathroom or the living room."

Ying Mingxi: "I think I saw it in the cabinet. Wait a moment."

Bao Jin, who had just returned from the balcony, asked warily, "What are you doing making eyes at Ying Mingxi?"

"Making eyes?" Yuan Shiyuan said exasperatedly, "This is just normal eye contact and conversation between Brother Mingxi and me."

Brother Mingxi.

Bao Jin tugged at the corner of his mouth irritably and let out another ambiguous cold laugh. So corny, calling him "brother."

Yuan Shiyuan never called him that.

Bao Jin sat down coldly beside Yuan Shiyuan, observing his expression. Lately, Yuan Shiyuan had been getting along better and better with the other members, but he’d grown increasingly cold toward him.

Yet it was Yuan Shiyuan who first suggested they be friends. They were supposed to be friends, but Yuan Shiyuan was getting so close to other Alphas.

He’d been sitting here for so long, and Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t even acknowledged him.

Whatever. He didn’t care. Whether Yuan Shiyuan was cold to him, ignored him, or got along better with others—none of it mattered to him.

Bao Jin didn’t care.

Yuan Shiyuan, seemingly looking for something, was about to stand up when his wrist was seized.

Bao Jin pressed him back onto the sofa, making it impossible for him to break free or move.

Actually, he could have broken free, but Yuan Shiyuan chose not to. He looked slender, but his strength and explosive power were in no way inferior to other Alphas.

He asked, "What's wrong?"

Why are you getting so close to others?

Why do you leave as soon as I arrive?

Didn’t you say you wanted to be friends with me? Are we still friends now? If so, why are you so cold to me?

So many questions—all forgotten the moment his palm touched that softness and he met Yuan Shiyuan’s damp, upturned gaze.

Yuan Shiyuan sat obediently on the sofa, next to the Alpha. His wet hair clung irregularly to his temples, and the pink strands in front were casually swept back, revealing a smooth, dewy forehead.

From this distance, Bao Jin could catch his scent clearly.

Bao Jin didn’t speak. Yuan Shiyuan stretched out his leg and nudged Bao Jin’s calf.

Only then did he say, "You’re soaked. Stop fidgeting."

"The water dripping from you will mess up the floor."

"The floor is covered with your water."

Yuan Shiyuan hadn’t noticed earlier. He glanced at the floor and saw that parts of the carpet and floor were indeed damp from the water droplets from his hair.

"Oh," he muttered, displeased. "Now you think I’m messy? I rushed through my shower so you could all come in earlier—that’s why I came out wet."

"If I were selfish, I could’ve showered for 59 minutes and left the last minute for the six of you to share."

As Yuan Shiyuan spoke, his lips parted and closed. Bao Jin watched, slightly mesmerized.

"If you really stayed in there that long, I might’ve just gone in," he said. "Showering with you would save even more time."

Ying Mingche, legs crossed, chimed in: "You going in? Then I’m going in too."

As if eager to stir up trouble, he turned and called out to Ying Mingxi, "Brother, let’s all go together."

"With more people, we could save even more time. Though I wonder if it’s too small to fit all of us."

Yuan Shiyuan: "It definitely won’t fit. The bathroom has separate wet and dry areas—it’s hard enough for two people. And don’t you realize how much space you all take up?"

"If I’m showering, you’re lucky if one of you can fit in, let alone two or three?" he said. "No way."

"It's too small, we can't all fit in."

It had naturally occurred to Yuan Shiyuan that showering together would save more time. But the key issue was that the setup just wouldn't allow it.

The shower space was too small, and the rest of the S-class Alphas weren’t as slender as him. Put it this way, the shower could barely fit him and one other S-class Alpha.

Throw in one more person, and it would be impossible.

As for showering together, Yuan Shiyuan didn’t really mind. He’d experienced public baths before, and besides, they were all Alphas—it's not like he was losing anything.

"Shi Yuan, I found the hairdryer."

The hairdryer had been stashed deep inside a cabinet. If Ying Mingxi hadn’t remembered seeing it there, it would’ve been hard to find. He plugged it in and walked over to Yuan Shiyuan.

"I’ll do it," Bao Jin said, reaching out. Ying Mingxi glanced at him and just handed it over.

Ten seconds later, Yuan Shiyuan shot up from the sofa and darted behind Ying Mingxi.

"This was an accident." Bao Jin said, holding the hairdryer. "It’s my first time drying someone else’s hair. I'm kinda new at this."

Yuan Shiyuan: "So I'm your guinea pig? Have mercy on my fragile hair!"

"Put the hairdryer down. I’ll do it myself."

Ying Mingche had originally wanted to take over, but he was smart enough to know that his own lack of skill would definitely hurt Yuan Shiyuan. Rather than risk annoying Yuan Shiyuan later, he decided to let someone else take the fall.

Bao Jin proved to be the perfect example.

Jiang Hang, who had been watching everything from the sidelines, was about to walk over when he heard Ying Mingxi say softly, "Let me do it."

Bao Jin handed it over, though reluctantly.

"Where’s the money? Let me do one final count." Just as Yuan Shiyuan was about to sit on the carpet, Bao Jin caught him by the waist.

"Wait." Bao Jin snagged a jacket from nearby and spread it on the floor. "The carpet is dirty. You can sit on my jacket."

Yuan Shiyuan plopped down without a second thought.

His pale legs pressed against another Alpha’s black jacket—the sight was incredibly sensual.

Yuan Shiyuan, however, was totally oblivious.

He sat casually, sitting cross-legged, not bothered that his bathrobe had fallen open and rolled up to his thighs. Behind him, Ying Mingxi dried his hair while he focused on counting money. His makeup-free face was flawless, his eyelashes fluttering as he counted, his eyes glistening with moisture.

He looked happy, with a touch of smugness.

Bao Jin stared at Yuan Shiyuan’s legs, turned his head, and took a swig of water. "Ying Mingxi is really good at drying hair. So skilled—must’ve done it for a partner plenty of times, huh?"

Gossip? Yuan Shiyuan immediately perked up.

Ying Mingxi explained with a sigh, "If a little animal gets wet, I dry them off."

He added, "I’ve never dated anyone."

Yuan Shiyuan’s face fell disappointedly—looked like there was no gossip to hear.

"I can vouch for that. My brother has never been in a relationship," Ying Mingche said. "My brother can vouch for me too—I’ve never been in one either. I'm a virgin!"

"What's wrong with you?" Jiang Hang said. "No one asked you."

Yuan Shiyuan: "..."

He almost laughed, thinking, as expected, places filled with Alphas were just absurd, with talk that had no filter. Especially now that the camera plugs had been pulled, the chatting got even wilder.

Ying Mingche: "How come we're the only ones talking? Why aren’t you saying anything? What about you?"

He looked at Yuan Shiyuan. "Have you ever been in a relationship?"

Ying Mingxi's fingers, busy drying Yuan Shiyuan's hair, stilled. Bao Jin and Jiang Hang also silently turned to look.

The dryer was on a medium setting, the temperature just right, and the sound was soft. The warm air lifted strands of pink hair, and his fingers ghosted over his scalp.

Yuan Shiyuan squinched his eyes shut contentedly, instinctively tried to squeeze his knees together, but his cross-legged position made it inconvenient, so he gave up.

He shot him a lazy look. "You guess."

"Guess?" Ying Mingche snapped, unable to hide his irritation. He couldn’t help but sneer, "Then you definitely have, haven't you? Who was it? An Omega or a Beta? Must’ve been an Omega, right?"

Bao Jin drank angrily. Jiang Hang leaned against the wall, lost in thought. Then, they heard Yuan Shiyuan say, "You guess."

Ying Mingche fired off a bunch of questions, but Yuan Shiyuan just told him to guess! He was left hanging, unable to stop himself from imagining Yuan Shiyuan in a relationship.

"You're so gorgeous—whoever you dated must’ve been good-looking too..." He suddenly paused, conflicted. "But that’s impossible."

"No one could be better-looking than you."

"How could you do that? How could you start dating so young?" Ying Mingche didn’t know where his anger came from. "You’re only a freshman—so young and you’ve already been in a relationship? Did you date a lot? Probably had plenty of relationships back in high school, right?"

With Yuan Shiyuan’s looks, admirers and pursuers must’ve covered all genders.

"Did you change partners every day? Went on dates with different people? Held hands with one Omega today, had dinner with a Beta tomorrow, watched a movie with someone new the day after?"

"How could you do that?" The more Ying Mingche thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. "You’re such a player!"

Yuan Shiyuan couldn’t help but laugh. He didn’t respond to the remark, tacitly admitting that he had been in relationships—and many of them.

In truth, he’d never been in one.

When Yuan Shiyuan was in school, his parents actually supported early dating. They believed it was part of life experience—how many chances does one get to experience young love? As long as he kept boundaries and didn’t hurt or play with anyone’s feelings, it was fine.

His younger brother, however, was against it and listed all the dangers of early dating. Yuan Shiyuan found it convincing. Later, when his mother suddenly fell ill, he was busy with various part-time jobs and had no time for relationships.

Ying Mingxi twirled a strand of pink hair around his finger and asked softly, "Is it true, Shi Yuan?"

Yuan Shiyuan: "Not telling you."

Jiang Hang: "Then it must be true."

Though he felt a bit disappointed, he wasn’t surprised at all.

With so many people liking Yuan Shiyuan, it was only natural that he’d been in relationships—and many of them.

Bao Jin poured Yuan Shiyuan a glass of water with a cold expression. "You’re something else—so young and already playing the field."

"Thanks, thanks," Yuan Shiyuan said, taking a sip. Under the complex, intense gazes of the S-class Alphas, he suddenly laughed. "Actually, I’ve never been in a relationship."

"As you said, I’m still young, and my life isn’t just about romance."

A hint of joy flickered in the Alphas’ eyes.

Even the stern-faced Bao Jin wore a barely perceptible smile.

"And I haven't met an Omega [secondary gender designation] I like yet," Yuan Shiyuan said. "Even if I wanted to date—I couldn't."

Wait?

Omega??

The S-class Alphas went dead quiet. An awkward hush settled around them, and their previously cheerful expressions froze.

Suddenly, they couldn't muster a smile.