Chapter 34: New Record

Chapter 34: A New Record

A profound silence descended.

The production team of "Struggle for Survival" was adept at manufacturing drama, their seasoned crew intimately familiar with audience psychology. Yet, at this moment, despite their extensive experience, they were collectively speechless, utterly stunned by the unexpected and overwhelming scene before them.

The Alphas in the room reacted with lightning speed, instantly forming a protective wall around Yuan Shiyuan. Bo Jin deftly wrapped a jacket around him, but it was too late; the camera had already captured Yuan Shiyuan in his white shirt, broadcasting it live.

The overly long shirt still revealed a sliver of porcelain-white calf, peeking out tantalizingly between the legs of several S-class Alphas, inadvertently adding a suggestive allure.

Pei Yanbing stepped forward, blocking the camera. "What do you want?"

His calm tone somehow instilled in the entire director's team the unsettling sensation that they were trespassers.

"We..." The cameraman instinctively glanced into the room but saw nothing. He reluctantly withdrew his gaze, finally recalling their primary objective. "The live broadcast equipment suddenly cut out. We're here to check it."

The Alphas remained unmoving.

Yuan Shiyuan attempted to peek out but was gently pulled back by the nape of his neck. He raised an eyebrow at Jiang Heng, joking to ease the tension, "No camera time for me?"

Jiang Heng froze, a flicker of rare panic crossing his usually stern face. "No."

As a newcomer, Yuan Shiyuan deserved more exposure to help the audience get to know him better. But...

Jiang Heng's gaze involuntarily drifted downwards. Yuan Shiyuan, now draped in a jacket, had his legs appear even fairer against the dark fabric.

"Wait a moment."

Ying Mingxi knelt on one knee, wrapping a towel around Yuan Shiyuan's thighs. "All set now."

"Thank you, Brother Mingxi." Yuan Shiyuan stepped in front of the camera, his disheveled pink hair framing eyes that shone with striking brightness. "So, where's the food we ordered?"

"The restaurant said they already sent someone to deliver it. Did you run into them on the way?"

"Yes, yes!" A staff member eagerly raised a food container. "We brought it with us!"

"Come in, then."

Staff members streamed into the room to inspect the equipment while Bo Jin gently guided Yuan Shiyuan onto a soft cushion behind the coffee table. Not only was Yuan Shiyuan seated on a jacket, but another was also carefully draped over his legs.

Yuan Shiyuan was uncomfortably warm. The moment his fingertips lifted the edge of the jacket slightly, Bo Jin pressed it back down.

His palm covered the back of Yuan Shiyuan's hand, pressing gently but firmly on his leg through the fabric.

"Don't expose your legs."

Yuan Shiyuan suddenly understood: Bo Jin disliked seeing other men's legs.

On their very first meeting, Bo Jin had openly expressed his aversion.

"But it's so hot," Yuan Shiyuan protested, then suggested, "How about turning the air conditioner lower?"

Jiang Heng: "It's already at its lowest setting."

The mingled S-class pheromones in the suite left everyone feeling an inexplicable heat.

Pei Yanbing, a meticulous germaphobe, immediately cleaned and disinfected the tabletop. Bo Jin unpacked the food bags, while the twins wordlessly arranged the utensils. Jiang Heng adjusted the dishes, placing Yuan Shiyuan's favorites directly in front of him.

Yuan Shiyuan could only sit cross-legged, eagerly awaiting the meal. His eyes darted around, but he found nothing to do.

Finally, he simply gave up, deciding to be a hands-off manager.

"Eat." Bo Jin unwrapped a pair of disposable chopsticks and placed them in his hand.

Yuan Shiyuan had been busy all day and only felt truly alive after the warmth of the food filled him.

"By the way," he turned to the staff, "once we pay off our debt, can we move freely?"

"Yes. However, many activities on the cruise require additional fees," the staff member reminded him.

"No problem."

Earning money was Yuan Shiyuan's forte.

He was very interested in many of the cruise activities. His parents had taken him on a cruise when he was a child, but he had suffered from seasickness back then, spending most of his time in a drowsy sleep.

In front of Yuan Shiyuan was an exquisite blue-and-white porcelain bowl, specifically for desserts to prevent their flavors from mingling with the main dishes. He scooped up an osmanthus and bird's nest glutinous rice ball. With one bite, it was soft yet chewy, sweet but not cloying, carrying the delicate aroma of osmanthus and lotus root.

He counted them—exactly six.

One for each of the six people, just enough to share.

Suddenly, Jiang Heng placed an osmanthus and bird's nest glutinous rice ball into his bowl.

"Wait..."

Just as Yuan Shiyuan realized the misunderstanding and was about to decline, he heard Ying Mingxi say, "Do you like eating glutinous rice balls?"

Ying Mingxi also placed an osmanthus and bird's nest glutinous rice ball into his bowl.

It seemed to trigger a chain reaction—Bo Jin, Ying Mingche, Pei Yanbing, and the others followed suit. In the blink of an eye, Yuan Shiyuan's small bowl was piled high with glutinous rice balls, leaving no room for other desserts.

Yuan Shiyuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had only been checking if there were enough to share, not because he was particularly craving them.

But faced with his teammates' affection, he meekly picked up the bowl and began to eat.

"Finish your main meal first," Bo Jin interjected, placing a sizzling lamb chop on his plate. "Save the desserts for last."

—Woo! Finally connected. Let me see what's going on here.

—Oh my, the livestream just reconnected, and I see Xiao Yuan being fed? This feels like an old married couple. Seems like they were up to something earlier. [Laughs]

—What about the production team? The new voting results are out—hurry up and show us! So anxious!!

The production team looked troubled.

"Struggle for Survival" highly valued audience experience and centered around viewer interaction. Unlike traditional shows, livestream variety programs couldn't edit out the most interesting and essential clips.

To enhance engagement, the program team had set up real-time voting sessions, allowing the audience to decide what happened next.

The outfit prepared for Yuan Shiyuan earlier was also a top-voted option by the audience.

The current top-voted option was: "Hurry up and ask them what they were doing earlier! Were they having an impromptu party? They must have been, right!! [Angry][Hot]"

The likes had already surpassed 100,000!

The Production Director pretended to adjust the equipment while subtly moving closer and casually asking, "We didn’t disturb you, did we?"

"Oh, by the way, you all looked pretty busy when we opened the door earlier?"

"What were you all doing?"

—I can't with this director, do you even know how to ask proper questions? [facepalm]

—Super casual questioning, huh? [deadpan]

Yuan Shiyuan reached for a drink in front of him, but Bo Jin beat him to it, bringing the beverage to his lips and even removing the plastic seal and inserting a straw. His slender, well-defined fingers held the straw, gently pressing it against Yuan Shiyuan’s lips, creating a slight indentation.

"We were taking a shower."

Yuan Shiyuan took the straw in his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. He complained, "Director, you're going too far—even controlling our bathroom access time!"

The PD laughed awkwardly and pressed further, "Just taking a shower?"

As if he'd believe that!

Not only did the PD not believe it, but the livestream audience didn’t either.

The PD turned to Pei Yanbing: "I remember at the time, Captain, you were holding Shi Yuan’s clothes, right?"

Pei Yanbing: "I was about to do laundry and saw his clothes in the hamper, so I just put them in the washing machine."

—Don’t believe it.

—Trying to fool ghosts? Captain, have you forgotten you have severe germophobia? You’d touch someone else’s dirty clothes?

—Ohhh~ Our Xiao Yuan is his dear wife, not just "someone else." [dog head]

The PD turned to Jiang Heng: "Didn’t you already shower? Why did you suddenly take your clothes off again?"

Jiang Heng didn’t understand why this was even a question: "It’s hot in the room."

"18°C (64°F) and you’re still hot?!"

"Hot."

Jiang Heng answered expressionlessly. He really was hot—he’d felt hot while showering. The lingering Alpha pheromones in the shower stall had irritated him, and with limited time, he couldn’t ventilate the room.

Only Yuan Shiyuan’s pheromones could slightly ease the discomfort, but they also brought a new kind of "unease," like the restlessness before a rut.

"What about you?" The PD fixed his gaze on Ying Mingxi. "Don’t tell me you were also hot and just took off your pants to cool down."

The PD’s repeated questions finally made the Alphas vaguely realize something was off.

Ying Mingxi sighed helplessly: "If I said I was just adjusting my belt, would you believe me?"

"Not really," the PD answered honestly, echoing the audience’s thoughts. "You wear a belt after showering?"

"My pajama pants are too loose, so I had to make do with a belt. Later, I felt uncomfortable, probably because the belt was too tight, so I was adjusting it." Ying Mingxi emphasized, "I really wasn’t planning to take my pants off."

Every member of Scepter maintained a strict fitness regimen year-round, each boasting the broad shoulders, narrow waist, and imposing physique often described online (except for Yuan Shiyuan).

Their waists certainly weren’t particularly thick.

"What about you, Ming Che? What did you mean by 'it’s my turn'?"

Ying Mingche was baffled: "It’s my turn to shower, of course."

"Are you sure you didn’t misspeak?"

"What else could it mean? We agreed to take turns. They’ve all finished, so it’s my turn now."

As he spoke, Ying Mingche turned and grabbed Yuan Shiyuan’s hand, saying seriously, "When it’s my turn to shower later, I want to smell your pheromones too."

"You won’t refuse me, will you? That wouldn’t be fair."

"You gave it to them, so I want it too."

—Such questionable dialogue!

—I’m really done with you, ymc. The other Alphas are trying to steer things toward innocence, and you just undo all their efforts. [facepalm]

—"Taking turns," "gave," "smell pheromones"—this is too risqué! Is there any fanfiction I can read? [shy]

—Whether it’s taking turns showering or… I’ve already made up my mind. [smirk]

Releasing pheromones was no big deal. Yuan Shiyuan said, "Fine, fine, I’ll release them. Now let go of me—I’m eating."

Ying Mingche finally seemed satisfied. Noticing some soup residue at the corner of Yuan Shiyuan’s mouth, he naturally wiped it away with his thumb.

The motion was smooth and practiced, as if he’d done it countless times before.

Seeing this, Bo Jin frowned and handed over a tissue, pointing to the corner of his own mouth. "You’ve got something there."

Ying Mingche glanced at him, and a subtle tension filled the air.

—Brother Huo is fired up! His possessiveness is rising!

—ymc, I forbid you to touch my wife’s mouth!!

The atmosphere was undeniably strange. The PD stared blankly, still eager to ask more, but Ying Mingxi smiled and cut him off: "Director, what answer are you actually hoping to hear?"

The PD waved his hands guiltily. "Nothing, just asking casually."

The stares from around the room grew increasingly odd.

Yuan Shiyuan found it weird but couldn’t pinpoint why. Suddenly, he raised his hand. "Wait, Director, I have a question."

"We still have twelve minutes of bathroom access time left, but you came in suddenly to adjust the livestream equipment… It feels unfair to count that time."

"Can we get a little compensation?" Yuan Shiyuan looked up with damp, pleading eyes. "Could the bathroom time be free?"

The PD felt his heart melt and blurted out, "Of course, no problem!"

Yuan Shiyuan, afraid he might change his mind, quickly thanked him: "Thank you, Director! You’re so kind."

The planning team shot the PD a withering look.

Only then did the PD realize what he’d agreed to, but he didn’t regret it. Even if he had to do it again, he couldn’t say no to Yuan Shiyuan’s hopeful expression.

"One last question—we really didn’t interrupt anything, did we?" the director asked, unwilling to let it go.

Yuan Shiyuan: "No."

"Really?"

"Really, no."

The staff had practically turned the room upside down but found nothing. They left in disappointment, though their eyes still lingered on the pink-haired Alpha surrounded by the group.

Their eyes were filled with disappointment, curiosity, and a hint of barely-concealed excitement.

Yuan Shiyuan blinked, and it suddenly dawned on him: "Did they misunderstand something?"

——My baby, why did it take you so long to figure it out?!

——LOL, he just realized how suggestive it looked?

——OMG, he's so innocent... But then again, he's still young!

"Of course they misunderstood."

Ying Mingche smiled with meaningful implication, "Judging by their shocked and hesitant expressions, they probably thought we were having a group activity."

"Who wouldn’t get dirty ideas seeing us like this?"

Yuan Shiyuan tilted his head in confusion, "Us? With whom?"

He scanned the room and said, "There’s no one else here?"

All eyes fell on Yuan Shiyuan at the same time.

A tense silence fell for a few seconds.

Yuan Shiyuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly widened his eyes and pointed at himself in disbelief, "Me? All of you... doing me??"

——WTF, that's so direct??

——Xiao Yuan, you just blurted that out so innocently?

——Oh no, oh no, the Alphas' expressions shifted.

——It’s fine, the livestream is on now, you can go for it, I'm totally here for this. [holding a rose]

—Mom, Dad, I've arrived!

His teammates remained silent.

Yuan Shiyuan could understand—to straight Alphas, this topic was indeed inappropriate. But recalling the staff’s expressions earlier, he finally put the pieces together.

No wonder everyone was looking at him so strangely.

Especially the Betas hiding in the corner—their eyes were practically shining, similar to the way Xiao Huang looks when reading fanfics and fangirling over ships.

"Well, that’s a big misunderstanding." Yuan Shiyuan shot a subtle glance at Jiang Heng.

Jiang Heng: "I genuinely felt hot before."

Yuan Shiyuan looked meaningfully at Ying Mingxi.

Ying Mingxi replied with a helpless shrug, "My sleep pants really are loose."

Their excuses were flawless.

Perfectly normal actions, but when pieced together, they seemed weirdly suggestive.

Yuan Shiyuan was a straight Alpha, and being misunderstood as being involved with other men naturally made him uncomfortable. But since nothing actually happened, he brushed it off casually, "Whatever, innocence speaks for itself."

"We’re all straight Alphas, what could possibly happen? We were just taking showers."

"Besides, we didn’t shower together. And even if we did, what of it? We’re all Alphas anyway."

As long as the other person wasn’t an Alpha-on-Alpha, they could even share a bed.

Ying Mingche was left speechless.

Jiang Heng’s gaze darkened: "You're awfully trusting."

"Why wouldn't I?" Yuan Shiyuan asked, puzzled. "We’re all S-class Alphas."

In Yuan Shiyuan’s understanding, S-class Alphas have strong pheromone aversion.

The reason he was so sure there were no Alpha-on-Alphas in the group was precisely because they were all S-class Alphas.

Generally, Alpha-on-Alphas were more common among lower-rank Alphas. First, due to pheromone suppression, lower-rank Alphas tended to develop a mix of admiration, fear, and fixation toward higher-class Alphas. Second, among lower-rank Alphas, pheromone rejection wasn’t as severe.

The higher the class of Alpha, the stronger the pheromone rejection. They could barely tolerate each other's scents, let alone consider being together.

The likelihood of an S-class Alpha being an Alpha-on-Alpha was slim to none.

An S-class Alpha boy group—all straight, no worries.

This trusting attitude, however, irked Ying Mingche: "Do you really trust us that much?"

Even if they did try something, Yuan Shiyuan could handle himself. He wasn’t some defenseless doll who couldn’t fight back if caught.

Yuan Shiyuan shot him a sidelong glance: "What could you possibly do?"

"Could you guys somehow knock me up with eight kids?" he joked with a laugh. "I am an Alpha, you know."

——Even though you’re an Alpha, baby, please don't be so naive, I’m begging you. [sobbing]

——Alright, I'm drafting this fic now! Right now! Immediately!

The living room fell into a deafening silence.

After a while, he heard a sigh close by.

Ying Mingxi suddenly came up behind him, his arm sliding around Yuan Shiyuan’s lower back, his warm hand pressing insistently against Yuan Shiyuan’s abdomen.

"Shi Yuan."

"An Alpha’s reproductive cavity is only vestigial, not nonexistent."

Ying Mingxi’s fingers pressed against Yuan Shiyuan’s abdomen, moving upward to just below the stomach, and pressed down gently.

He could clearly feel Yuan Shiyuan’s abdomen tense and twitch before he let go, saying softly, "If it’s stimulated frequently and forcefully enough... it’s possible to force it open."

"So please don’t be so trusting, Shi Yuan."

Yuan Shiyuan stood frozen.

The other S-class Alphas looked at him calmly. The overly quiet atmosphere made him inexplicably alert.

Yuan Shiyuan stayed cautious for about two seconds before shrugging it off again.

Even if they were Alpha-on-Alphas, so what?

Would they really dare to do anything to him live on camera, in front of the entire internet?

"......"

After the meal, Ying Mingxi and Jiang Heng cleaned up the table.

It was only then that Yuan Shiyuan noticed everyone had pajamas.

"I know Brother Mingxi has pajamas—he bought them yesterday... but why does everyone else have them too?"

Ying Mingche coughed awkwardly. "Maybe the production team had a change of heart and gave them to us."

"Are you sure?"

"Alright, I bought them secretly."

Ying Mingche said, "What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t sleep in a bathrobe—it’s too uncomfortable. And I bought one for you too."

Yuan Shiyuan: "Then why didn’t you say anything earlier when I was suffering with just a bathrobe and no pajama pants?"

Ying Mingche: "Because I didn’t want to see you wearing pants."

——Good, honest enough. [Thumbs up]

——This guy's really shameless, taking liberties without even pretending. [Facepalm]

——The other posers might want to see Xiao Yuan’s legs too, but at least they pretend a little.

Ying Mingche was so straightforward that Yuan Shiyuan didn’t know how to respond. But the pajamas weren’t expensive and wouldn't affect his ability to repay debts, so he didn’t say much.

He quickly changed into the new pajamas—soft, pure white cotton with sweet rice ball prints. After taking a few steps, the pants kept slipping down.

The waist was indeed a bit too big... but he didn’t have a belt to adjust it like Ying Mingxi.

Yuan Shiyuan had to tie it in a knot on the side.

Just then, Bo Jin pushed the door open. Getting an eyeful of Yuan Shiyuan’s waist, he said awkwardly, "The staff mentioned there’s a music activity on the deck tonight. Want to check it out?"

"Sure." Yuan Shiyuan took a few steps, and the pants finally stayed up. "Let’s go. It’s too early to sleep anyway, and we’re bored."

The white tables and chairs on the deck were scattered haphazardly, and the parasols swelled with the sea breeze. Below the steps, instruments were set up and ready.

Pei Yanbing, who had arrived earlier, was already playing a tune, busking to earn extra income for the team.

"Did the production team provide the piano and violin?" Yuan Shiyuan looked around the well-equipped performance area.

"Yes."

"Captain, I'll take the piano then."

If they were going to busk, why let Pei Yanbing do it alone?

The night breeze was gentle, and a melodious violin flowed from Pei Yanbing’s hands. Yuan Shiyuan sat upright at the piano, his fingers dancing across the black and white keys, the music blending perfectly with the sound of the ocean waves.

Suddenly, Pei Yanbing’s tempo unexpectedly quickened. He glanced sideways, meeting Yuan Shiyuan’s gaze under the bright moonlight.

With just one look, Yuan Shiyuan understood, quickly matching the accelerated rhythm. His slender fingers flew nimbly across the keys, producing rapid, powerful notes like a sudden downpour.

The cruise ship gradually quieted down, leaving only the two instruments woven together in harmony.

They seemed completely isolated from the outside world, lost in their performance over the sea.

The crowd of onlookers grew.

"When did the cruise book such professional musicians?"

"Is there a performance here? They’re professional artists, right?"

"Wait, aren’t they the guests filming *Struggle for Survival*? That group, what’s it called again..."

The tempo grew faster and faster. Just as the audience held their breath, the music softened, easing like a receding tide.

The moment Pei Yanbing lowered his violin, Yuan Shiyuan struck a heavy chord.

With the first note, a storm of dazzling technique followed!

Yuan Shiyuan’s fingers leaped across the keys as if trying to stir up towering waves.

Pei Yanbing’s pupils contracted, his gaze fixed intently on the figure lost in the music.

This piece...

——Holy shit, isn’t this piece widely known as extremely difficult? It’s famous for being a showpiece, a professional-level performance piece, one of the hardest in the world... Why does it look so easy in ○’s hands?!

——Ysy can play piano too?!

——Not just play, but at this level... Damn, those finger techniques are insane, so impressive! This is professional-level skill!

——Who is this artist? Name please! I’m totally stanning—he looks so cool playing the piano!!

——Oh my god, ○ never shows off his talents and stays low-key, yet he’s this amazing! Mom is so proud of you!! [Smug]

——Magazine sales broke platform records, topped multiple e-commerce charts, easily crushed the competition, gorgeous and talented... Being a fan of Yuan is just too satisfying, I’m over the moon!

——Is that finger speed even humanly possible?!

The sea breeze ruffled the strands of hair on Yuan Shiyuan’s forehead, revealing his focused, serene expression. Bathed in moonlight, he seemed entirely immersed in his own world.

His agile fingers and dazzling technique pushed this difficult piece to its limits.

The production crew sneaked onto the deck to watch. The director stared intently at the monitor, unable to hide his astonishment.

How old was Yuan Shiyuan? And he was already at this level...

He was only eighteen!

A sudden phone call interrupted the director’s thoughts. Seeing the caller ID, he answered, "We're filming, talk later—"

He kept his eyes glued to the screen, afraid of missing a single note. Just as he was about to hang up, a voice stopped him.

"Don’t hang up! I’m so annoyed. Just got off another show... I can’t stand these people who can’t play piano but still show off. Even after editing, it sounds terrible, and their fans still praise them. Hah, it’s ridiculous..."

The caller suddenly fell silent, then exclaimed, "Holy shit! Who’s this master?! Are you at another concert?!"

"He’s a guest on our show, a rookie idol... Keep it down, don’t disturb me!"

"An idol?" The voice cracked in disbelief. "An idol with this level of skill? If my grandfather heard this, he’d definitely take him as his last disciple..."

The tempo in the background grew even faster. She couldn’t hold back: "What is this? His speed was already insane, and now he’s going even faster? I hate these born talents!"

"Does he even want me to live?"

"Quiet down! I'm hanging up!"

"Hey, hey, don't hang up! My grandfather might actually like him! What's this idol's name?"

"Yuan Shiyuan!"

"That's amazing!"

The deck was packed with people, erupting in thunderous applause and cheers. The live comments were already flooded with wild screams and rewards, with people from all over the world immersed in this auditory feast, only beginning to cheer wildly after the performance ended!

The final note was carried away by the sea breeze, and only then did Yuan Shiyuan fully emerge from his own world. His face was slightly flushed, still carrying the passion from his performance, his pink hair damp with sweat, the ends trembling lightly with each breath.

Faced with the gasps and applause around him, Yuan Shiyuan gave a shy smile, slightly out of breath as he stood up to take a bow. Though he stood on the deck of a cruise ship, it felt as if he were under the spotlight of a world-class concert hall, making it impossible to look away.

Pei Yanbing's fingers, holding the bow, trembled uncontrollably as he stood just a step away, looking up at Yuan Shiyuan from close range. The other Alphas' gazes were equally intense.

Soon, more good news arrived: "Scepter's *Daystar* magazine sold two million copies in just ten minutes, with total sales soaring to fifty million! It set a new record for magazine sales, beating second place by over thirty million copies!"

"They're now firmly in first place, truly deserving of the title of TOP1 in magazine sales!"

"Scepter, you've really made it big!"