Chapter 23: The Beta Who Hates Alphas

“You’re right, Captain,” Jiang Nianxing said. He hadn’t expected Yu Sui to forgive him so readily, but he couldn’t bring himself to act like nothing had happened.

Watching them chime in with each other like that, Yu Sui suppressed the urge to spit blood and forcibly interrupted them. “Let’s talk.”

He Baiyan frowned. He couldn’t quite figure out what Yu Sui was thinking, but he respected his decision and turned to leave.

Jiang Nianxing stared at him. A red mark bloomed on the young man’s cheek, and his white shirt hid the traces on his neck—but in Jiang Nianxing’s mind, those strawberry marks from his own sucking lips appeared vividly.

“I…”

“Are you trying to burn bridges?” Yu Sui walked to the bedside and looked down at him imperiously. “The company would never let go of a cash cow like you. Everything you’re saying is just empty talk.”

Those words yanked Jiang Nianxing back to reality. He gazed at Yu Sui with utter sincerity. “I really don’t have those thoughts. If you don’t believe me, I’ll post on Weibo right now.”

He pulled out his phone and was about to tap the app.

Yu Sui jumped in alarm and reached out to stop him. “If something happens to you, the company loses its money-making tool. They might come after me instead.”

He was making excuses for his own behavior, after all. Yu Sui was here to pull aggro.

The corners of his mouth curved up, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Besides, you think you can piss me off and just run away? As if it’d be that easy.”

Jiang Nianxing looked at his hand, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Up close, he could see the red marks on the shirt sleeve that hadn’t been covered—marks from his own grip.

Remembering the feel of pinning the man against his chest back then, he felt an itch in his throat that spread all the way to his heart.

“You… what do you want?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but you’re not getting away.” Yu Sui lowered his voice, trying to sound menacing and ominous.

But for Jiang Nianxing, those words only made his heart race.

That was way too domineering, just like in the dramas.

“I understand.” His eyelashes trembled, and for some reason, he felt embarrassed.

Seeing the protagonist gong’s face turn ashen, Yu Sui snorted coldly. His mood improved a bit.

As expected, a cannon fodder’s happiness was built on the protagonist’s suffering.

Out in the living room, He Baiyan sat on the sofa, straining to eavesdrop on their conversation. But their voices were too low.

Just then, Lu Jinxia and Shen Anliu arrived.

They rushed in and glanced around the room.

“Is bro okay?” Shen Anliu asked, his face full of worry.

He Baiyan shook his head. “They’re talking inside.”

Lu Jinxia frowned. “Why are you letting them be alone together?”

“Yu Sui insisted,” He Baiyan said, growing depressed again. “Right, is the matter settled?”

“Yeah.” A cold glint flickered in Lu Jinxia’s eyes.

He didn’t even want to imagine what would have happened if Yu Sui really were an alpha—two out-of-control alphas in the same room. The consequences didn’t bear thinking about.

At that moment, he felt relieved that Yu Sui was a beta.

Hearing this, Shen Anliu clenched his fists and waited for Yu Sui to come out.

He and Lu Jinxia had received He Baiyan’s message, a quick rundown of the situation, instructing them to find the manager and keep an eye on how it was handled.

After all, that alpha had some backing. Even if the company didn’t step in, it could get messy.

That’s why they had come over now.

Yu Sui arrogantly lectured him a few more times, roughly saying that low-tier alphas like him acted that way, while someone as advanced as himself wouldn’t lose control like that.

It perfectly explained why he hadn’t released any pheromones to counterattack.

Jiang Nianxing didn’t take in a word of it. His eyes were fixed on Yu Sui’s lips.

In his daze earlier, he’d wanted to kiss them—but Yu Sui had dodged.

Yu Sui’s cheeks were so soft, his back so smooth. What would his lips taste like?

Jiang Nianxing couldn’t help fantasizing.

Yu Sui talked himself hoarse. “Anyway, I want you staring at my face every single day, never able to forget what happened today.”

For the protagonist, that was a total nightmare. And the best way to escape a nightmare was, of course, into the protagonist shou’s warm embrace.

[Not bad. You kept the protagonist gong here logically and pulled all the aggro too,] the System gave him a thumbs-up. [But on our track, soothing words aren’t about warm embraces. It’s more like…]

“Stop!” Yu Sui cut off the System. He really didn’t want to hear about guys with guys.

Jiang Nianxing’s cheeks flushed at his words. “I will…”

Hearing his own voice come out hoarse with anger, Yu Sui felt great and decided to leave.

“Your phone.” Jiang Nianxing called after him.

Yu Sui glanced at the bedside table, walked over, and pocketed it.

Watching his back, Jiang Nianxing patted his own cheeks. He couldn’t figure out why Yu Sui was saying all this.

If the young man truly hated him, shouldn’t he tell him never to bring it up again and kick him out?

Unless…

Remembering how Yu Sui had added him on an alt account, maybe the youth didn’t actually hate him. Maybe he even had other ideas.

After all, he’d let a fellow alpha get that physically close. If he hated it, why speak up for him?

Jiang Nianxing swallowed hard, gripping his phone. An idea took shape in his mind.

As soon as Yu Sui stepped out, he saw the three of them staring at him.

Meeting Shen Anliu’s gaze, Yu Sui felt a bit awkward. After all, the protagonist gong had mistaken him for someone else.

Shen Anliu stepped forward and took his hand. “Bro, are you okay?”

Yu Sui tugged at the corner of his mouth and pulled his hand back. “Why are you all here?”

Lu Jinxia explained how the matter had been handled. “What are you planning to do about Jiang Nianxing?”

“It’s not really his fault.” Since it was Lu Jinxia asking, Yu Sui figured it was a veiled threat to let it go—but that suited his intentions perfectly, so he kept his tone light. “Blame it on alpha instincts.”

But after he spoke, the three of them reacted strangely.

Yu Sui couldn’t understand why the captain and the others looked so dark-faced, and Shen Anliu was probably just jealous.

He was exhausted and didn’t dwell on it. “I feel unwell. I’m heading back to rest.”

“The ointment.” He Baiyan handed him the prescribed ointment.

Lu Jinxia and Shen Anliu froze for a second. “Where are you hurt?”

They spoke almost in unison.

Yu Sui was mortified. He snatched the ointment and hurried away.

Shen Anliu realized what was going on and chased after him.

“Why?” Lu Jinxia turned to He Baiyan with his doubts.

“I don’t get it either.” Yu Sui had been so repulsed and hateful before. How had things changed so suddenly…?

Shen Anliu stuck close behind the youth, his face full of concern. Only once they were back in the dorm did he speak up. “Bro, how bad is the injury? Let me help you apply the medicine.”

“No need.” Yu Sui refused.

He took the ointment to the bathroom, unbuttoned his shirt, and looked at the marks on his body. His face twisted again.

Shen Anliu fretted outside. He messaged Lu Jinxia to ask about the situation.

Lu Jinxia had just heard about Yu Sui’s odd words from He Baiyan and filled him in.

After reading it, Shen Anliu’s heart sank.

Yu Sui didn’t seem to reject Jiang Nianxing at all. And to think, the guy had even bought tools to take his place as Yu Sui’s dog.

He clenched his fingers, feeling his position slip away.

No, he had to do something.

Yu Sui couldn’t reach his own back, so he gave up.

In a foul mood, he opened the door—and met Shen Anliu’s burning gaze. Yu Sui’s scalp tingled. “Why are you standing right at the door?”

“Bro, you can’t reach your back. Let me help.” Shen Anliu snatched the ointment from his hand, utterly earnest.

“No need.” Yu Sui was developing a trauma now.

Hearing the rejection stung Shen Anliu’s heart. He’d massaged him before without issue, but now it felt so distant. Had he moved on to someone else?

Biting his lip, ignoring Yu Sui’s resistance, Shen Anliu grabbed his arm. “Rehearsals for the group dance are coming up soon. Training will double for a while—you won’t hold up without this.”

Yu Sui realized he couldn’t break free. He was pressed down onto the bed.

The youth looked worried as he reached to unbutton his shirt, doing it in just a couple of moves.

Yu Sui was stunned. How was he so practiced at this?

He grabbed Shen Anliu’s hand. “Let go of me.”

This was too weird. And if the protagonist shou saw him like this, wouldn’t he get jealous enough to lose control and beat him up?

“Why?” Seeing Yu Sui still reject him, Shen Anliu’s suspicions were confirmed. He looked at the youth with grievance. “Bro, are you ditching me to keep another dog instead?”