Chapter 29 The Use of an Alpha

Chapter 29 What an Alpha Is Good For

There was no way he could restrain himself.

Emotionally, Zhou Yu was very willing to try to restrain himself—whether he could actually follow through in action was another matter.

He really regretted having called Tan Cong so early that day.

What was confessing? That wasn't the big deal!

Lin Yunshu softening up was the real big deal!

Even if it was just the tiniest crack, Zhou Yu was confident he could turn into a spineless creature and squeeze his way in!

That was the truly huge deal!

Zhou Yu resented his own impatience, having called his buddy to boast too soon, and now it put him at a disadvantage.

“Sigh, more haste, less speed.”

On the afternoon of the third day, Zhou Yu was still replaying it in his mind with a sigh.

“What did you say?” Lin Yunshu walked out of the closet and asked casually.

They were going to pick up Tan Cong today, so they didn’t need to go to the office. Lin Yunshu’s dress was much more casual.

As the weather turned cooler, he wore a light blue hoodie, making him look like a college student.

Zhou Yu walked over, happily took both of his wrists, and handled him like a Barbie doll. “So cute.”

Lin Yunshu’s ears turned red. “What nonsense are you talking now?”

He was already a man in his twenties!

“I'm serious,” Zhou Yu said with sincerity. “Really cute. I remember you used to wear this color in college.”

What did he mean by “used to wear this color in college”? Couldn’t he wear it to work now?

Even if Zhou Yu didn’t mean it that way, Lin Yunshu’s mind conjured the phrase, “Blue is delicate—how old are you now?”

“Stop it,” he said, pulling his wrists free. “I’m going to change into a trench coat.”

Zhou Yu laughed heartily, wrapping his arms around him from behind, his chest shaking with laughter, and couldn’t resist kissing Lin Yunshu on the cheek.

“Alright, alright, you look good in a trench coat too,” he coaxed. “Don’t change today. Looking young and fresh is great—let’s blind Tan Cong, that single guy, at the airport.”

Lin Yunshu: “…”

He sighed helplessly. “Tone it down a bit. Brother Cong has it tough enough.”

“What’s tough about his life? He’s a spoiled rich kid who has everything handed to him. If he wants to get a Ph.D., he just goes for it,” Zhou Yu pinched Lin Yunshu’s cheek. “Save your pity for me instead.”

“You're even less deserving of sympathy,” Lin Yunshu said.

Zhou Yu: “Then he has even less to sympathize with.”

Lin Yunshu: “…”

Now they were competing over this?

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and said slowly, “The fact that he’s managed not to cut ties with you all these years already shows incredible strength.”

Zhou Yu: “…”

·

In the end, Lin Yunshu still went wearing his “delicate” blue.

Airport.

Tan Cong pushed his luggage out, looking every bit the elite, and waved enthusiastically. “Lao Zhou! Junior! I’ve missed you so much—”

Lin Yunshu also smiled and walked closer. “Long time no see, Brother Cong. You must be tired after your trip.”

“Not tired at all. For the sake of seeing my good friends, how could I be tired?” He opened his arms wide. “Come here, junior, give me a hug!”

The next second, he was pushed back three feet along with his suitcase.

Zhou Yu scowled. “Watch it. Hugging your friend's partner in public is also considered impolite.”

Tan Cong: “?”

Tan Cong: “@#?（&#?%）”

“Look at you, so full of yourself!” he roared. “He’s your spouse, but he’s also my junior! What’s wrong with me hugging my junior? You’re so petty, it’s ridiculous!”

Lin Yunshu covered his mouth.

Tan Cong: “See, my junior is laughing at you.”

“Hah,” Zhou Yu pulled Lin Yunshu closer. “The real joke never realizes it’s the joke.”

Tan Cong: “?”

Lin Yunshu sighed. “Both of you, cut it out.”

He turned to Tan Cong. “How long are you planning to stay this time, Brother Cong?”

“I’m not leaving,” Tan Cong said.

“Really?” Lin Yunshu said happily. “Then we can hang out more often from now on.”

“Yeah, I rushed back a few days early precisely to attend your wedding,” Tan Cong raised an eyebrow. “I’m calling dibs on the best man spot.”

Zhou Yu pushed him aside, exposing the truth. “He’s mainly back to inherit the family fortune.”

“That’s just a small part of it,” Tan Cong squeezed in. “The main reason is, of course, your wedding. What’s a family fortune? Your Brother Cong has always treated money like dirt.”

He slung an arm around each of their necks and sighed emotionally. “It’s been a long road, but after all these years, you’ve finally made it. Don’t worry, at the wedding, I’ll definitely give a fat red envelope!”

“That won’t be necessary,” Zhou Yu said.

“Oh?” Tan Cong found it strange. “Since when are you so easygoing?”

Lin Yunshu also looked at him curiously.

Zhou Yu didn’t see anything odd about it.

“Cash is so troublesome, thick and heavy,” he said thoughtfully. “Just put it on a card. Remember to write the password on it.”

Tan Cong: "…………"

Lin Yunshu turned his head away, covering his mouth to stifle a laugh.

·

The two of them had picked out a restaurant to welcome Tan Cong.

The journey was filled with banter and laughter, creating a relaxed atmosphere that reminded Lin Yunshu of their university days going out together.

It had been a long time since he’d experienced something like this.

Tan Cong was talkative, Zhou Yu was also talkative, and even Lao Zhang, the driver who usually focused solely on driving, chuckled a few times along the way.

"Come on, come on! I'm in a great mood today—we’re not leaving until we’re drunk!"

As soon as they arrived at the restaurant, Tan Cong enthusiastically called for drinks.

"Don’t!" Lin Yunshu instinctively blurted out.

Zhou Yu did a double take and looked at Lin Yunshu with amusement, surprised that he had spoken up before him.

"Got it, got it," Tan Cong made an "okay" gesture. "I wasn’t talking about you. You don’t have to drink. I’ll drink with Old Zhou—he can handle his liquor."

"He can’t drink," Lin Yunshu said.

Once he drinks, he gets out of control.

His firm tone left Tan Cong scratching his head.

"Wait, what?" he asked, bewildered. "Old Zhou, did you get sick or get yourself in trouble?"

Zhou Yu was fighting back laughter.

Lin Yunshu’s face flushed red as he realized how abrupt his reaction had been. He coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment.

"Never mind, I was just joking," he said, handing the bottle to Tan Cong. "Go ahead, drink as much as you want. It’s been so long since you two last met—even if you drink until you pass out, it’s understandable. I’ll be your driver when the time comes."

If he gets drunk, then he won’t be able to do anything.

Tan Cong: "?"

If he can’t do anything, that would be a problem!

Tan Cong: "…"

He narrowed his eyes, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Somehow, I feel like you two are teaming up to feed me dog food?" he grumbled unhappily. "Am I just a part of your play?"

"Absolutely not," Lin Yunshu assured him.

All his reactions were genuine and based on reality.

Zhou Yu, on the other hand, might not be so straightforward.

In the end, Zhou Yu didn’t drink much, just a few sips for show.

Tan Cong was due to report to his family company in a few days, so Lin Yunshu arranged some good food and fun plans for him.

Tan Cong reluctantly accepted but still complained about them flaunting their relationship in front of a single person.

To preserve their decade-long friendship, Zhou Yu offered him the position of best man and promised to introduce him to some excellent omegas for blind dates. Only then did Tan Cong grudgingly "forgive" the annoying couple.

·

The meal ended amidst banter.

The two of them dropped Tan Cong off at his place before driving home.

Zhou Yu, who had been drinking, went to take a shower first.

Lin Yunshu, feeling pretty tired, lay on the sofa to rest his eyes.

He lay on his side, head resting on his arm, hand dangling off the sofa. Just as he was about to fall asleep, something wet swiped at his finger.

Lin Yunshu jolted awake and found himself face to face with the kitten.

Yu Shu probably wanted to jump onto the sofa to cuddle with his dad, but his body was too small and his legs too short. He could only bat at it with his paw a few times and lick his dad’s finger to get his attention.

Lin Yunshu’s heart softened, and he quickly sat up to scoop up the kitten.

"Sorry, Yu Shu, Dad almost forgot about you."

It had only been a few days since the kitten arrived, and Lin Yunshu hadn’t fully adjusted yet, still in the nervous new-owner phase.

But Yu Shu was very affectionate, especially fond of cuddling. Whenever he had the chance, he would paw at Lin Yunshu’s ankles, trying to climb into his dad’s arms to knead.

Li Xun said this was a personality you dream of, rare and hard to come by, his words full of envy.

Lin Yunshu cherished the kitten even more, feeling that he needed to return that enthusiasm and not disappoint such an affectionate kitten.

He had looked it up online and learned that kittens could also suffer from depression. If their owner repeatedly ignored their attempts to show affection, they could become sad and, over time, depressed.

Thinking about how both he and Zhou Yu had left early and returned late today, Yu Shu must have felt neglected, kneading anxiously in his arms.

Lin Yunshu grew worried and quickly kissed Yu Shu, playing with her for a while.

The kitten finally cheered up, grew tired from playing, and began to doze off.

Lin Yunshu gently placed the kitten on the sofa, then got up to refill its water and food and clean the litter box. After that, he went to the balcony.

The balcony was a fully windowed enclosure and filled with many plants. Worried that the kitten might chew on them, Lin Yunshu usually kept the glass door locked.

He pushed the door open, closed it tightly behind him, and watered the plants.

Suddenly, the light flickered twice. Lin Yunshu looked up.

Pop!

The light bulb on the balcony ceiling burned out.

Startled, Lin Yunshu quickly shook it off and went to the toolbox to find a replacement bulb.

He turned off the circuit breaker for the balcony from the living room, then climbed a ladder with a flashlight in his mouth, skillfully replacing the bulb.

Zhou Yu, fresh out of the shower, suddenly noticed that the living room had gone dark.

The house was quiet, and there was no sign of Lin Yunshu anywhere.

Fish and Chips lay motionless on the sofa, the tiny cat flattened into a pancake-like shape.

Zhou Yu’s mind went blank with a roar.

Every horror movie he had ever seen instantly replayed in his mind—chainsaw murderers, deranged serial killers…

His spine stiffened instantly, worry and panic coursing through him.

Where was Lin Yunshu?! Where is he?!

He rushed to the sofa, wanting to check if Fish and Chips was still breathing.

Perhaps his movement was too abrupt. As soon as he reached out, the kitten suddenly bolted upright, meowing as it scrambled into its cat bed.

Both man and cat were startled by each other.

Zhou Yu: "..."

So everything was fine?

Then why were the lights off? The bathroom lights were still on.

In his confusion, a light flickered from the balcony.

Zhou Yu stood up and warily approached, his eyes widening in surprise the next second.

Lin Yunshu was actually standing high on a ladder, changing the lightbulb!

The flickering light came from the flashlight in his mouth!

He had taken off his jacket and was wearing only a T-shirt. Under the light from the building across, his slender waist was just visible.

Zhou Yu was sure he’d fall at any moment and swung the door open anxiously:

"Yun Shu!"

Lin Yunshu glanced at him and said softly, "Just a moment, almost done."

"Why are you doing this yourself?" Zhou Yu said urgently, quickly steadying the ladder.

Lin Yunshu finished replacing the bulb, took the flashlight out of his mouth, and handed it to Zhou Yu, who tossed it aside without a second thought, his attention entirely on Lin Yunshu.

As Lin Yunshu started climbing down, Zhou Yu reached out to support his waist and directly lifted him straight down.

Zhou Yu was shirtless, only a towel wrapped around his waist, his upper body still glistening with water droplets.

Lin Yunshu had seen him like this countless times and had gotten used to it, but being suddenly held, with his palm resting on the other’s tense, damp muscles, he felt his face heat up.

"It’s just changing a lightbulb, what could possibly happen..." he murmured, lowering his eyelashes.

Zhou Yu, too anxious, for once didn’t notice Lin Yunshu’s unusual reaction.

"You should’ve let me do it. What if you fell? If there’s an alpha at home who can be put to work, then use him. Why keep him around?"

Lin Yunshu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Who says that about themselves?"

"If I say it, it’s true," Zhou Yu said domineeringly. "From now on, let me take care of this stuff, okay? Don’t move."

Lin Yunshu: "..."

It wasn’t that he insisted on doing the work himself—he was just used to it.

The moment the light went out, it didn’t even occur to him that Zhou Yu was home. He habitually took care of it himself.

Thinking that, he felt a little bad, as if he had neglected Zhou Yu.

"Got it," he said softly.

His tone was gentle and light, and he nodded obediently, even his hair seeming to look compliant.

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, rarely seeing Lin Yunshu so docile and soft.

He gently touched Lin Yunshu’s face, and Lin Yunshu didn’t shy away.

Zhou Yu’s eyes darkened, and he felt that shameless stirring again.

-----------------------

Author’s Note: It’s more than that.