They had once eloped.
—At least, that’s what Yu Xi thought.
Yi Chen probably didn’t consider that trip of several days an elopement.
Without telling anyone, they turned off their phones, ignored all calls, skipped exams, disregarded grades, and paid no heed to others’ opinions. They hid away for five days, holding hands as they ran through the snow, strolled in the wilderness, and kissed in a small room that belonged only to them at night.
He escaped everything, finding a brief respite in the midst of his repressed, painful daily life—a momentary gap that allowed him to breathe.
Then, when he returned home, he saw his mother once more, screaming herself hoarse.
His mother wildly accused him, smashed everything in the living room, cursed him, beat him, flung open the window, and pressed him against the frame without safety bars.
He lived on the twenty-first floor. His mother pushed his entire body outward, leaving half of him dangling in the air. She cried as she desperately shoved him downward.
“Why won’t you obey me!” His mother screamed hysterically, her gaze filled with anger, regret, and hatred.
“I lost my job because I gave birth to you! I suffered sequelae because I gave birth to you! I can no longer dance!
“I gave up looking for work to raise you, abandoned my dreams, endured mockery and bullying, placed all my hopes on you—and what about you!
“Why aren’t you outstanding enough? Do you live up to my sacrifices? Why do you have to be my son? Why couldn’t my son be someone else?
“It would be better if you didn’t exist…”
Yu Xi didn’t resist or talk back. He numbly let her throttle his neck until he could barely breathe, nearly passing out.
The wind outside the window howled fiercely, whipping across his face.
For a fleeting moment, Yu Xi thought, Why not just jump? It would be better for everyone.
But…
“A-Yu! A-Yu!” Yi Chen’s voice rang in his ears, intertwining with the flashbacks in his mind. Time flowed forward again. In every moment when he had been driven to the brink of madness, this voice had appeared, passionately calling his name and pulling him back to the lively, clamorous world of the living.
Someone pushed him away, someone desperately pulled him back.
Yi Chen’s face appeared before him. “What are you spacing out for?”
Yu Xi snapped back to reality. “Where are we?”
Yi Chen had brought Yu Xi to a warehouse, where an off-road vehicle was parked.
Not far away, a convoy was neatly lined up. A person leaned out from the driver’s seat of the lead car. “You’re here! We’ve been waiting for you! Get ready—we’re heading out!”
Yi Chen led Yu Xi onto the car. In a daze, Yu Xi sat in the passenger seat and found himself trailing in the middle of the convoy.
The vehicles left the city behind, the horizon ablaze with a magnificent sunset.
Yu Xi: “?”
“What event is this?”
“A weekend photography convoy,” Yi Chen said.
Most of the convoy members were office workers, too exhausted from their jobs to seek poetry and distant horizons except on weekends. The group organized trips every other weekend, driving together to nearby spots for fun.
“Don’t think about anything,” Yi Chen said, ruffling Yu Xi’s hair. “Just look at the scenery outside the window, A-Yu.”
The evening breeze was refreshingly cool and comfortable. Turning off their phones felt like a ritual, freeing them from their wage-slave roles. Only then could they fully savor the evening wind and sunset.
The convoy’s destination was the beach. The leader had already coordinated with the campsite owner; tents were set up, and essential supplies were prepared for everyone. The sea breeze was cool, and the beach lights glowed brightly.
The convoy members got along well. No matter their professions, they were all ordinary people out to enjoy the scenery and relax. Yu Xi and Yi Chen’s celebrity status drew a bit more attention, but everyone maintained a respectful social distance and avoided prying into personal matters.
They barbecued on the beach, chatted, and someone brought a guitar to sing for the group. As night deepened, the sea wind grew stronger, and the bonfire crackled in the gusts.
A sudden scream erupted from the crowd.
Someone was confessing.
A man knelt on one knee before another man, holding a bouquet of roses.
“They’re both Betas,” the others explained to Yu Xi and Yi Chen.
“Unlike Alphas and Omegas, Betas can’t mark each other. Everyone says they should just find an opposite-sex partner, marry, and have kids. For two guys, it’s a tough road.”
“They’ve been flirting for ages. They’ve finally taken this step.”
“Hope they last forever.”
“They’re so sweet,” Yu Xi said.
He and Yi Chen sat inside a tent, the wind making it chilly. Yi Chen draped a blanket over Yu Xi. They leaned together, quietly watching the two men embrace and share a brief kiss. One seemed shy, brushing lips lightly before burying himself in the other’s arms. The mood-setters nearby scattered petals and ribbons, the guitarist strummed a love song at the perfect moment, and the crowd joined in singing. The beach was filled with a relaxed, carefree vibe.
“What are you thinking about?” Yi Chen asked.
“About how Guan Ge will probably chew us out when we get back tomorrow,” Yu Xi replied.
“It’s an elopement. Can’t worry about everything.”
“True.”
Yu Xi agreed naturally, but Yi Chen was surprised. “You’re not snapping back at me today?”
“Don’t you want to be snapped at?” Yu Xi shot back, equally surprised.
Yi Chen sighed. “Habits are hard to break.”
Yu Xi: “Then change it up today.”
Yi Chen: “?”
Yu Xi: “I’m suddenly feeling nostalgic for the past today.”
Yu Xi pulled Yi Chen deeper into the tent and zipped it shut. Voices and music buzzed outside. Suddenly, Yu Xi grabbed Yi Chen’s collar and, without warning, tilted his head up for a kiss.
The beach, the tent, the lights, the music—it was the perfect setting for a kiss.
They restrained themselves from making noise or too much movement, but it was still too intense. Their pheromones slipped control, nearly triggering Yi Chen’s Susceptible Period, and one hand crossed the line, wandering in dangerously tempting territory.
Someone shouted from outside the tent, “I’ve got Pheromone Scent Blockers and Suppressants. Come find me if you need any.”
Only then did they gradually calm down.
The sleeping bags lay nearby. They turned back-to-back, sorting their things.
Yu Xi struggled to steady his breathing. The more he thought about it, retreating a step only fueled his anger. Once everything was packed, he swept a leg out and kicked Yi Chen.
Yi Chen: “?”
Yi Chen: “What’s wrong?”
Yu Xi took a deep breath. He’d meant to let it go, but couldn’t hold back. “My pants! You broke the zipper on my pants!!”
Yi Chen: “?”
Yi Chen: “!”
Yi Chen: “Ahem.”
Yi Chen: “D-Did I…? Really…?”
He had been a bit hasty earlier, yanking at it a few times—probably forced it open. Now the zipper gaped slightly, revealing gray fabric underneath. The reaction that should have been hidden was now quite obvious.
Yi Chen’s throat bobbed.
Yu Xi sneered coldly, planting a foot on little Yi Chen and grinding maliciously before turning away viciously and crawling into his sleeping bag.
Yi Chen followed suit. They lay back-to-back, each scrolling on their phones.
Yu Xi’s phone vibrated—a V Blog notification.
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: Sis.]
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: I think I’m losing it.]
Yi Chen: “!”
He double-checked he was on his alt account, then glanced at Yu Xi to ensure he wasn’t noticed.
[Geng Shanglou: What happened, sis?]
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: I don’t even know how to say it.]
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: I was impulsive today.]
[Geng Shanglou: Honestly… I’m losing it too.]
[Geng Shanglou: Almost couldn’t hold back and hooked up with my ex today.]
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: ?]
[Geng Shanglou: Alpha.]
As everyone knew, Alpha sisters had the necessary equipment—they could definitely get it done.
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: Fair enough.]
[Geng Shanglou: I really, really, really, really want to get back together waaahhh]
Yi Chen probed tentatively.
[Geng Shanglou: Have you thought about getting back together?]
Yu Xi didn’t reply right away.
Getting back together…
Yu Xi lifted a hand unconsciously to the back of his neck, stroking the mark on his gland.
It was Yi Chen’s mark—his bite marks, his pheromones. A Temporary Mark still lingered in the gland.
[Zhen Bu Chi Yumi: I…]
Yu Xi was typing when his phone buzzed again. Wu Zhiqi messaged at that moment.
[Wu Zhiqi: At the airport transferring flights. Finally escaped.]
[Wu Zhiqi: My parents blew up my phone. I got scared and pulled the SIM, swapped to a new one.]
[Wu Zhiqi: Oh right, I’ve been taking pics this whole show. Some I didn’t post.]
[Wu Zhiqi: Teacher Yu Xi, you asleep? Got a pic I wanna sneak to you.]
[Wu Zhiqi: No reply in two seconds means yes~]
[Wu Zhiqi: [Image]]
The image was blurry, likely snapped accidentally while adjusting focus.
On the left was Yu Xi, during post-filming interviews for the editing cut after the live stream. Yi Chen waited on the right.
At night, under the lights, their shadows stretched long.
In the photo, Yi Chen shifted slightly, their shadows drawing closer, closer.
The exact moment the shutter clicked, Yi Chen kissed him with his shadow.
