Chapter 30: The Beta Who Hates Alphas Part 1

He Baiyan pushed open the door, his gaze landing on the clasped hands of Yu Sui and Shen Anliu. He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Is the matter settled?”

He gave a brief rundown of the outcome. “When we get back, Yu Sui, we need to talk.”

Yu Sui’s body went rigid. He kept his head down and said nothing.

The manager didn’t come himself but sent someone to tell them to head back to the company.

Far more people were leaving now than had arrived.

Yu Sui donned his mask and cap. Shen Anliu stuck to his side like a shadow he couldn’t shake, sending a chill down his scalp.

Nearby passersby and fans waved and called out greetings.

Yu Sui waved back along with the others.

“Sui Sui, don’t sleep facing away from your roommate tonight!”

Someone dropped that bombshell, instantly derailing the crowd around them.

“Sui Sui, take care of yourself!”

“Beware fire, theft, and teammates!”

The team members all stiffened, their eyes darting guiltily.

Yu Sui clapped his hands over his ears, unable to take it anymore. “Stop it, all of you!”

He meant to snap at them, but his voice emerged soft and raspy, sounding more like flustered embarrassment.

Yu Sui heard laughter.

Shen Anliu slung an arm around his shoulders and glanced at the crowd. “Lay off my bro. Bro’s got pride to protect.”

At those words, Yu Sui drove an elbow into him.

Shen Anliu didn’t even flinch, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “My bad.”

The pair had already stolen the show that day, and this little act only fueled the onlookers’ cheers.

The teammates up ahead inwardly kicked themselves. Why hadn’t they thought of that?

Someone captured the whole exchange on video, while camera flashes popped nonstop.

Posts started flooding in from eyewitnesses.

Yu Sui and Shen Anliu shot straight back onto the hot search lists.

Once inside the car, Yu Sui claimed the window seat, turned his head away, tugged his hat brim low, and ignored the man beside him.

Shen Anliu cleared his throat softly. With the driver present, he held his tongue.

[Host, I’m back.] The System sighed.

“You okay?” Yu Sui asked, concerned. “What now?”

His mission might fail. Would that mean…

[The mission hasn’t failed. The AI perspective is all mosaic, so it only verifies events through character positions—whether they triggered and completed.] The System explained. [Put simply, if the characters and locations line up, then…]

“Where did the characters line up?” Yu Sui cut in.

[Jiang Nianxing showed up later, and that instant counted as success. Someone did stir trouble in the bathroom, and you got suspected. It matches the original plot.]

“But they all think about me…”

[Likely because this world’s full of men.] The System analyzed. [And you’re so exceptional—hard not to draw affection.]

Yu Sui coughed lightly at that. “Sure, but…”

He fretted over his own moral compass.

[Shen Anliu’s a bottom. Even if he likes you, it’s only aimed at your…]

Yu Sui jumped in before the System could drop its bombshell. “Stop!”

[I spent my salary to pull strings upstairs. For the next mission, Host, name your terms.] The System returned to business. [It was my oversight that led here, after all.]

Yu Sui blinked. “Your salary?”

[Completing missions with you earns me energy for upgrades and body redemption.] The System said. [There’s this shiny chassis I want, but as a rookie System, it’ll take ages to save.]

Something tugged at Yu Sui’s heart. “You…”

[Host, will you stick with me?]

“I…” He recalled suspecting the System when he’d clocked Shen Anliu’s odd behavior, guilt washing over him. “Yeah.”

The System was green, just like he’d been clumsy on his first missions—no point being too hard on it.

[Wonderful!] The System sounded touched. [They called me hopeless, said I’d never upgrade.]

Yu Sui scowled. “Who’s calling you hopeless? You’re the best System there is!”

He sighed to himself. No wonder it showered him with praise after binding, terrified he’d bail. So that’s how it was…

Host and System patched things up.

[I consulted a senior—it said differing worlds mean incompatible experience. This is restricted lit.] The System added. [My energy…]

Yu Sui caught that mutter at the end and knew the System had been had. His mood grew even more tangled.

He forced himself to relax and assess the situation.

Shen Anliu…

Yu Sui itched to ditch the dorm.

Jiang Nianxing seemed to have gotten the wrong idea too…

Ugh.

At least the other two teammates acted normal—that was some small comfort.

Back at the company, everyone headed to the dorms to freshen up first.

Shen Anliu showered, changed, and went for a medical checkup.

Yu Sui lingered in the bathroom far longer.

[Host, one thing…] The System sounded hesitant.

“What?” Yu Sui shifted uncomfortably. “You can’t see, right?”

[Relax, full mosaic.] The System assured him. [You weren’t put off by kissing him?]

Yu Sui froze. He’d sidestepped that question on purpose; having it dragged into the open left him squirming. “I…”

He had no clue why he rolled with it so easily. He was straight, damn it!

[I suspect the role’s assimilated you.] The System said. [World full of guys—assimilation subtly shifts your preferences.]

“Oh, so that’s it?” Yu Sui got it now. No wonder…

[But no worries—for your mental health, it won’t fully take over and erase who you are.] The System continued.

Yu Sui exhaled in relief. He sure as hell wasn’t turning into a bottom.

He emerged trailing steam.

Toweling his hair dry, he quizzed the System on the next mission.

[The next one’s geared for maximum mosaic coverage.] The System answered straight.

Yu Sui’s motions halted. “How many target Shen Anliu?”

[Tons.]

He kind of wanted to die.

Ding-a-ling—

His phone chimed.

Yu Sui glanced—it was Jiang Nianxing.

[WeChat] x: Sui Sui, can I watch you shower?

The guy’s motives screamed shady. No way Yu Sui would agree.

“This storyline’s gone off the rails too. Can I delete him?”

[From our analysis, he’s snagged all the dirt he needs on you, so delete away.] The System replied matter-of-factly.

Yu Sui didn’t hesitate a second.

Jiang Nianxing waited in agony, clutching his phone so tight his palms slicked with sweat.

No reply.

He fired off another message—then a glaring red exclamation mark appeared.

“Skreech—”

Jiang Nianxing shot to his feet, disbelieving. “He… he deleted me?!”

Lu Jinxia, scribbling at the desk, paused mid-stroke. “Who?”

“Yu Sui.”

Jiang Nianxing tore out the door.

His stomach churned. Was it from today’s thing between those two? Had Shen Anliu whispered poison?

Else, why cut him loose so suddenly?

Yu Sui blow-dried his hair and applied salve in the mirror.

His expression was grim.

Knock knock knock.

A rap at the door.

Puzzled, Yu Sui straightened his clothes and opened up—to find Jiang Nianxing heaving for breath.

He’d clearly sprinted here, hair tousled.

“Sui Sui, why?”

“Why what?” Yu Sui asked blankly.

“Why don’t you want me anymore?” Jiang Nianxing demanded, voice booming.

Yu Sui’s eyelid twitched—especially with doors creaking open across the hall, heads peeking out.

“Don’t spout nonsense.”

He yanked Jiang Nianxing inside and slammed the door.

Jiang Nianxing stared at the hand on him. “Why delete me?”

“Bored now.”

Shen Anliu’s case loomed large—he couldn’t risk spinning some tale about luring him to frame himself, only for Jiang Nianxing to call the bluff.

Instead, Yu Sui feigned utter tedium.

Jiang Nianxing went still, his face draining of color. “What… what about me dissatisfied you?”

“You don’t even get it.” Yu Sui shook his head in disappointment. “Go. I need rest.”

The blow crushed Jiang Nianxing. He shuffled out, dazed, racking his brain for his failings.

Yu Sui let out a breath.

[Host, you’re incredible—nixed the problem like that!] The System gushed admiringly. [Lucky me, finding you.]

“Ahem, nothing special.” Yu Sui’s mouth quirked upward.

Jiang Nianxing rode the elevator up.

The doors parted to reveal Shen Anliu. Jealousy flared hot. “You badmouthed me to Sui Sui, didn’t you?”

“What?” Shen Anliu arched a brow.

“You must’ve! That’s why he dumped me!” His feigned innocence only convinced Jiang Nianxing more.

“He dumped you?” Shen Anliu blinked in surprise, then grinned. “Lovely weather today.”

He shed every scrap of junior deference.

He stepped out whistling, steps buoyant.

Jiang Nianxing eyed that sincere smile and sank inside.

So Yu Sui had compared them—and found him lacking fun, huh…

Yu Sui hopped on his alt account to trash-talk Alphas anew.

This round of explosive comments shattered his defenses worse.

[You got Alpha-kissed!]

[You got fingered!]

[Shut your traps!]

His counters rang so pathetically feeble, it only egged the netizens on.

[OP’s super triggered this time—definitely got up to no-good with an Alpha.]

[OP’s a total user. Hits it and quits, then flames.]

[What? The blogger hooks up and doesn’t take responsibility?]

The comments section quickly veered completely off-topic.

Yu Sui gritted his teeth and slammed his phone shut. “Damn it!”

He’d skimmed too quickly and stumbled on some steamy scenes written about him—using his online handle, no less.

Talk about terrifying.

When Shen Anliu returned, he saw Yu Sui scowling. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

He took a step forward, his voice laced with concern.

Yu Sui looked guarded. “Don’t come any closer.”

Shen Anliu froze in place, suddenly remembering just how badly their relationship had soured.

“Bro, about what happened…”

“What do you want?” Yu Sui eyed him warily.

“You think I’m using this to threaten you?” Shen Anliu saw right through him, his voice trembling.

Yu Sui stayed silent.

A bitter taste filled Shen Anliu’s heart. He licked his dry lips. “I never planned to use this against you, whether you believe me or not.”

With that, he headed to the bathroom.

Yu Sui watched his retreating back, his emotions a tangled mess.

Perhaps because of those strangers’ comments, Yu Sui didn’t dare sleep facing away from the young man that night. Lying flat didn’t work either—he couldn’t fall asleep. In the end, he turned toward Shen Anliu, hugging a doll to block him and burying his face in its plush body.

Shen Anliu couldn’t drift off easily. Everything that had happened today felt like a beautiful dream.

Especially compared to those heartless words from Yu Sui earlier—his heart had shattered into pieces.

Yet his thoughts spiraled out of control. He didn’t hate him. Far from it—he actually liked him a lot…

His breathing grew tighter, and he swallowed hard.

Yu Sui hadn’t been asleep to begin with, and now he was even more irritated. “Can you not act like some wild animal in heat, getting all worked up wherever you please?”

Shen Anliu’s body went rigid at the harsh words, his excitement only growing.

He quickly reined in his thoughts, then remembered something.

“Bro, why didn’t you hit me with your Pheromones?” Shen Anliu hadn’t released any during his drugged haze because he was a modified alpha. But why hadn’t Yu Sui?