Chapter 42: High and Mighty Alpha Young Master

After sniffing for a while, Shen Yanzhi found himself surprisingly immersed. He looked up, only to find Zhou Wu lost in a daze.

He frowned.

“What are you thinking about?”

Zhou Wu blinked. “Huh?”

“Did those guys earlier smell good?”

Shen Yanzhi pinched his cheek, suddenly turning aggressive.

Zhou Wu froze for a moment, not quite understanding. He hesitated, then nodded.

For some reason, Shen Yanzhi’s expression darkened, as if he were angry.

He let go and started eating.

Zhou Wu stared at him in bewilderment for a moment.

“Not smelling anymore?”

Shen Yanzhi grumbled, “There’s nothing good to smell.”

Zhou Wu nodded in half-understanding, then began eating as well.

Shen Yanzhi felt utterly helpless.

What was he doing, picking a fight with an idiot?

“I’m heading off to prepare my speech in a bit.”

In the end, he still took the initiative to speak to Zhou Wu.

“You head back to the classroom by yourself.”

The Noble Academy had a long-standing tradition of hosting the International Youth Equestrian League. The event boasted a rich history and was deeply tied to family honor, with invitations extended only to top prestigious schools and scions of noble families.

As the heir to one of the primary sponsors and the academy’s student representative, Shen Yanzhi had naturally been invited to deliver the opening address.

Zhou Wu was hearing about this for the first time.

“Are you going to compete in the riding?”

“I’ve already won the championship ages ago. I’m not competing, but I do have an opening equestrian archery performance.”

Hearing that Shen Yanzhi would be riding, Zhou Wu instinctively glanced at his stomach, a flicker of worry in his eyes.

He set down his chopsticks and leaned in close.

Shen Yanzhi blinked in surprise. “What are you doing?”

He had no idea why Zhou Wu was suddenly pressing close again, insisting on kissing him.

Shen Yanzhi pushed back lightly a few times before giving in. The irritation from seeing Zhou Wu eyeing other alphas earlier melted away.

But Zhou Wu was especially clingy today, holding on tight and refusing to let go.

For once, Shen Yanzhi actually wanted him to stop—only for Zhou Wu to grab his wrist and pin him against the wall.

Shen Yanzhi’s ears flushed red. “Not here…”

He was in a private booth in the restaurant, and there were people right next door.

Yet Zhou Wu still groped his chest.

This damn guy had zero sense of occasion…

Shen Yanzhi struggled feebly, but the sensation hit him all at once, sending goosebumps racing across his skin.

The more outrageous Zhou Wu got—like he couldn’t get enough—the tighter Shen Yanzhi’s pants felt, his mind on the verge of melting.

Zhou Wu kissed him fiercely for a while, then suddenly leaned in close to his ear. His breath sent Shen Yanzhi’s heart racing.

They were at school, after all—his parents couldn’t exactly force him to wear the monitoring bracelet here. Could it be…?

Then Zhou Wu asked, “Can you skip the horse riding?”

Shen Yanzhi stared at him. “?”

An inexplicable surge of dissatisfaction rose in his chest.

“Of course not.”

Couldn’t he say something that wasn’t such a mood-killer?

Zhou Wu pursed his lips. “Do you have to ride this afternoon?”

“No, I already told you—it’s for the speech prep.” He wasn’t even listening properly.

“Oh…”

Maybe kiss again tonight? Or eat first.

Zhou Wu pondered, finally releasing him and returning to his french fries.

? Shen Yanzhi couldn’t believe it.

What the hell did that mean?

Was he just toying with him?

“Mmph?” Zhou Wu suddenly found his mouth pinched shut, his french fry tumbling out.

Shen Yanzhi gritted his teeth. “You—you keep going.”

“…??”

In the end, though, they were interrupted. The chef was bringing out their final dessert.

What dessert could possibly be sweeter than a passionfruit-flavored kiss?

Shen Yanzhi was annoyed. No matter how annoyed he was, however, he could only suppress the ridiculous impulse to do this sort of thing in public.

In the afternoon, Shen Yanzhi first escorted Zhou Wu back to the classroom before heading to the competition grounds, which were already partially set up.

The Noble Academy sprawled across vast grounds, featuring not only several standard sports fields but also a wide expanse of lush green turf.

That area had been meticulously transformed into a temporary equestrian arena. Numerous purebred steeds from various families had arrived one after another, now under the watchful care of professional trainers.

Rehearsing the performance routine took longer than expected. Gradually, Shen Yanzhi began to feel an inexplicable restlessness.

Was Zhou Wu behaving himself?

Perhaps because he’d grown accustomed to Zhou Wu sticking by his side every waking moment these past few days, being apart for just one afternoon—coupled with the exposure to the blazing sun—left Shen Yanzhi with a budding headache and a wave of nausea.

Even so, in front of the others, he maintained his usual mild and composed demeanor, communicating smoothly with everyone involved until every detail was finalized.

Finally done. Shen Yanzhi wanted nothing more than to leave.

Just then, a staff member led over a massive black stallion.

This was a champion bloodline descendant newly acquired by the Shen Family Ranch.

“Young Master Shen,” the person in charge asked respectfully, his tone cautious, “for tomorrow’s opening mobile target archery display, shall we settle on using Hei Yao here?”

“It has an exceptional pedigree and explosive power, but it’s got a fiery temperament. Not many can handle it reliably yet…”

Flattering murmurs rose immediately from the onlookers: “A wild stallion is the only match for Young Master Shen.” “Everyone knows Young Master Shen has a gift for taming the fiercest horses.”

Shen Yanzhi’s gaze swept over the horse. He didn’t refuse.

Such a challenge was routine for him— even enjoyable. With a fluid motion, he vaulted into the saddle, took the reins, and prepared to take it for a test lap to gauge its temperament.

Hei Yao lived up to its reputation. From the first few steps, it radiated restless agitation.

Shen Yanzhi squeezed his legs against its flanks, urging it into a gallop. The wind whipped past his ears, bringing a fleeting thrill. At a small rise, Hei Yao leaped forward.

The familiar weightlessness and the slight jolt of landing should have filled Shen Yanzhi with a sense of mastery and pleasure.

But this time, the instant they touched down, a strange twinge shot through his lower abdomen.

It wasn’t a muscle strain—more like an unfamiliar, alarming ache and heaviness, as if something terribly fragile had been tugged.

Shen Yanzhi’s face paled. Almost on instinct, he moved to protect himself, yanking hard on the reins to force the horse beneath him to slow.

Hei Yao seemed to sense his dominance and gradually calmed.

A sheen of cold sweat beaded on Shen Yanzhi’s forehead and back.

What the hell was that?

It was far more than mere “discomfort.” It felt like a distinct “warning” from some utterly unknown depths within his body.

An ominous premonition killed his mood entirely. He turned the horse around and trotted Hei Yao back to the starting point at a walk.

Dismounting, he made another completely instinctive, protective gesture.

His hand pressed to his lower abdomen. Even he froze at the motion.

Cheers and applause erupted around him, marveling at how effortlessly he handled even a wild stallion.

Shen Yanzhi forced a smile, nodding slightly before heading to the nearby rest tent.

He made himself remove his hand from his stomach.

A attentive staff member finally noticed his ghastly complexion and stepped forward, asking softly, “Young Master Shen, do you need anything? Are you feeling unwell from the heat?”

Shen Yanzhi merely waved him off. “I’m fine.”

It wasn’t until the man had left and no one was paying attention that the poised smile faded from his face.

What was he even thinking? Impossible. He was an Alpha. What happened with Zhou Wu had been an accident—just… uh…

A lot of times?

Shen Yanzhi’s expression darkened even further.

He bit his lip hard before finally pulling out his phone. Typing furtively into the search bar like a thief, he entered a single line:

【Can an Alpha get pregnant?】

…

Meanwhile, Zhou Wu sat in Shen Yanzhi’s private classroom, waiting around and growing bored.

He flipped through a book for a while before simply laying his head on the desk to nap in the sunlight.

He suddenly sensed someone entering the room. Lifting his head, Zhou Wu saw that it wasn’t Shen Yanzhi.

It was Hua Jing.

Not a major player, Zhou Wu returned to his book.

But Hua Jing kept staring at him.

He remembered Qiu Ye mentioning that Zhou Wu was an Alpha.

Looking at him now, it did seem plausible.

Zhou Wu had pale skin and refined features that glowed translucently like jade in the sunlight, giving him an exquisite air. He looked more like an Omega.

Yet his frame was tall and lean, with broad shoulders. The hand resting on the page had prominent knuckles. Plenty of masculine appeal.

Damn it, just standing there quietly—who could tell he was a fool…

Hua Jing lingered without leaving, eyeing him from head to toe before scanning back up again.

Zhou Wu: “…?”

He finally looked up.

With no one else around, Hua Jing dropped the delicate flower act. He strode in and pulled a small pink perfume bottle from his pocket.

He spritzed a bit toward Zhou Wu’s nose.

It was concentrated pheromone perfume—like a novelty toy from an adult shop. You could buy it, though the pheromones were synthetic and varied in quality. His wasn’t cheap.

“Does this smell nice?”

Zhou Wu frowned visibly and pinched his nose. The initial blast was too intense, a little choking.

Once that passed, though, he picked up on the scent: sweet strawberry.

Zhou Wu hesitated for a moment before nodding.

He couldn’t very well say it stank.

Seizing the moment, Hua Jing leaned in closer. Amid the flat strawberry haze, he finally caught a faint whiff of something different—a pheromone.

It was like dropping a real granule of fruit sugar into a glass of bland tap water…

He jolted in shock.

This—this really was an Alpha pheromone?

Clutching his nose, he stumbled back in a panic.

So Shen Yanzhi was into AA pairings! This was… this was too much!

All those years of painstakingly mimicking gentle, coquettish poise—forcing himself into the “virtuous wife, good little O” mold that Alphas supposedly craved…

What had it all been for?

The realization hit Hua Jing like a truck. With a wail, he burst into tears and fled the room.

Zhou Wu: “??”

Even as dusk fell, Shen Yanzhi still didn’t come to pick him up. When the classroom door finally opened, it was the driver who entered.

Strange.

Zhou Wu rode back alone, a frown creasing his brow.

Had something gone wrong?

The moment he returned to the villa, Zhou Wu made a beeline for Shen Yanzhi’s room.

Servants tried to block him, but he pretended not to understand.

Jogging the last few steps, he shoved the door open.

It wasn’t locked. Stepping inside, he spotted Shen Yanzhi’s lanky form sprawled dejectedly on the bed—one hand clutching his phone, the other pressed to his forehead.

He had just called the private doctor. The doctor admitted he didn’t know the odds but said a blood draw would settle it.

Shen Yanzhi recoiled at the idea for no reason he could name.

That wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He wanted the doctor to tell him it was impossible—just flat-out impossible…!

How could an Alpha…

The whole world would find out he’d been thoroughly railed—and not just any railing, but enough to activate his pregnancy sac…

%@#!! Utterly humiliating. He couldn’t accept it!

“Shen Yanzhi.”

Shen Yanzhi lowered his hand. His eyes were red. Spotting Zhou Wu, he scowled viciously.

“Who let you in here!”

Zhou Wu reeled from the sudden shift in attitude.

The little dog looked aggrieved but still approached, reaching out to hug him.

Shen Yanzhi turned his head away, though his body stayed put. He muttered under his breath.

“Don’t… I’m not in the mood right now…”

Wait.

Shen Yanzhi bolted upright and seized Zhou Wu’s collar.

“What’s that smell on you?”

Zhou Wu blinked at him blankly.

“I’m asking what that smell is! Whose is it!”

Shen Yanzhi’s voice dropped dangerously. A nameless fire had been smoldering in his chest all afternoon, leaving him restless and suffocated.

Now it detonated.

“I leave you alone for one goddamn afternoon, and what the hell do you do!”

Zhou Wu flinched as Shen Yanzhi grabbed him by the throat and slammed him onto the bed. Ugly memories came flooding back.

“It’s… flower-something perfume.”

“Hua Jing? What did you do with him?”

“Nothing!”

Zhou Wu’s neck throbbed, his face turning red. He grew angry too.

“Let me go!”

Zhou Wu thrashed to break free, which only fueled Shen Yanzhi’s rage.

“Let go?” Shen Yanzhi sneered. “So you can go fuck someone else?”

He’d always known it deep down, but now Shen Yanzhi faced it head-on once more.

Zhou Wu only clung to him for the pleasure.

If he hadn’t held on back then, Zhou Wu would have marked Qiu Ye.

He’d trail after Qiu Ye like a dog, eyes sparkling as he begged for more.

The thought alone made Shen Yanzhi’s head throb. He’d never been this furious in his life.

Here he was, scared out of his mind. Whose fault was that? And what was Zhou Wu doing?

Oblivious. No sense of responsibility. Reeking of someone else’s pheromones from God-knows-where!

“You’re just a fool anyway…”

A tangle of emotions churned in Shen Yanzhi’s eyes, but the words spilling from his lips grew colder, more venomous.

“Since you can’t hold a normal conversation or control yourself like a normal person.”

He yanked Zhou Wu up by the wrist and hauled him roughly from the room. Dragging him through the living room, he ignored Zhou Wu’s stumbling steps and flung him into the guest room bedroom.

“Then you deserve to be chained up like a dog.”

Zhou Wu hit the bed’s edge hard. At those words, he snapped his head up, eyes brimming with disbelief. He looked truly wounded.

Shen Yanzhi really did find a thin chain. The metal clasp clinked with a cold sound as it collided. He bent down, trying to fasten it around Zhou Wu’s neck.

“Stay in the room for the rest of your life!”

Zhou Wu still hadn’t recovered from the sudden shift in his attitude. “Why?”

Shen Yanzhi ignored him.

Tears suddenly spilled from Zhou Wu’s eyes.

Such a big commotion naturally alerted the servants outside. And also Su Bai from the next room over.

The door was flung open again, and Su Bai rushed in.

“Shen Yanzhi? What the hell are you doing!” He reached out to snatch the chain away.

“05 isn’t a dog!”

“What’s the difference between him and a dog?” Shen Yanzhi jerked his head up.

“Same as not understanding human speech, eats meat from anyone who offers it!”

Su Bai froze, staring at him with the gaze one might reserve for a madman.

“What are you even saying?”

The disturbance finally drew Mother Shen. Shen Yanzhi also realized his words and actions had gone too far.

His face darkened, and he twisted away, striding back to his own room in a huff.

Su Bai immediately stepped forward, working to unfasten the chain with forceful tugs while murmuring words of comfort.

Amid his mother’s shocked and furious glare and the servants’ hushed whispers, the farce came to a swift end.

The next morning, as Shen Yanzhi headed out, Zhou Wu trailed right alongside him.

“Go back.” Shen Yanzhi clearly hadn’t slept well the night before. He didn’t turn his head, his voice stiff and unyielding.

Zhou Wu halted, hesitating for a moment before continuing to follow.

“I said go back! Do you not understand words?” Shen Yanzhi whirled around abruptly.

Zhou Wu pressed his lips together.

But they had always gone to school together before.

His expression was one of bewilderment and grievance. “I want… to go with Shen Yanzhi.”

Shen Yanzhi was still out of sorts. “Do you want to go with me? Or do you want to go find that person from yesterday who left you reeking?”

At that moment, Su Bai came hurrying over. Seeing the scene, he immediately pulled Zhou Wu behind him protectively.

“Young Master Shen doesn’t need to lose his temper like this. If you’re not taking him, then I’ll take him.”

“No!” Shen Yanzhi refused without a second thought, his voice sharp.

“Then what exactly do you want? Why are you always so harsh with him?” Su Bai’s temper flared as well.

Just as the two seemed poised to argue, Zhou Wu, caught in the middle, bowed his head and tugged at Su Bai’s arm.

“It’s Zhou Wu who messed up again.”

“But Zhou Wu doesn’t know what it was.”

By this point, Zhou Wu’s eyes had reddened. He quickly ducked his head to wipe at them.

“Zhou Wu is too stupid.”

“So everyone hates…”

“No!” Su Bai pulled him into a tight hug, his gaze shooting daggers at Shen Yanzhi.

Shen Yanzhi watched Zhou Wu’s tears fall, his own lips pressing into a thin line as his attitude finally softened a fraction.

Zhou Wu didn’t want things to be like this either. With his brain damaged from the fever, he must have endured plenty of bullying. It had taken so much effort for him to finally start trusting Shen Yanzhi…

In the end, Shen Yanzhi tugged the boy back from Su Bai and took Zhou Wu to school.

“Don’t cry anymore.”

Zhou Wu stopped crying once he was in the car. He sat there quietly.

Shen Yanzhi didn’t say another word either. When they arrived at school, he told Zhou Wu to go wait in his classroom by himself. He had to handle matters for the equestrian competition today.

Before leaving, he gave strict instructions.

“Just stay in the classroom. Don’t come out. I’ll take you to lunch at noon.”

Zhou Wu nodded glumly.

In truth, after Shen Yanzhi left, Zhou Wu quietly slipped outside as well.

He had cried for half the day, but he had come to make sure Shen Yanzhi was all right while riding.