The next few days brought equally fine weather. At Luo Qin’s request, Yu Xi went to the hospital again for a gland check-up and, while he was at it, a full-body examination. The differentiation had gone smoothly, and Luo Qin had scheduled a Pheromone Matching Degree test for him.
Luo Qin explained, “The Pheromone Matching Degree test is for emergencies. For example, if you suddenly need urgent surgery and the situation is critical, an Alpha with a matching degree above 75% can provide help. Remember to come on time—right after your next Heat Period ends. Don’t delay, or the results won’t be accurate.”
His physical exam results were also perfectly healthy.
It was during the ENT examination that the doctor’s expression turned puzzled. “Huh, have your ears been injured before?”
Yu Xi fell silent for a moment. “…Yes, a long time ago. Will it affect anything?”
“No impact.” The doctor frowned slightly and asked, “What happened back then?”
Yu Xi didn’t answer.
This was the patient’s privacy, after all. Without a response, the doctor didn’t press further and simply discussed daily precautions with Yu Xi.
Before he left, though, the doctor couldn’t help reminding him, “That injury was a ruptured eardrum caused by intense blunt force trauma. If needed, contact a protection organization promptly. There are now comprehensive protection laws for Omegas.”
“Got it.”
Yu Xi pushed open the door and walked out. Yi Chen stood up. “How’d it go?”
—Ever since that Heat Period, Yi Chen had accompanied Yu Xi to all non-work appointments.
Some things went unsaid between them, and for now, they didn’t need to say them. The two tacitly maintained a certain ambiguous relationship.
They had worked together these past few days too, shooting late into the night. Since the location was close to Yi Chen’s home, Yu Xi simply stayed over one night. Nothing happened. Yi Chen had an almost obsessive sense of ritual in certain matters—they just covered up with the blanket, chatted purely, and slept purely. It was so pure that Luo Qin would’ve rolled his eyes straight to the heavens if he’d seen it.
At that moment, Yu Xi tucked away the medical report and answered Yi Chen, “Very healthy. Luo Qin said we need to do a Pheromone Matching Degree test, so I’ll have to come back again.”
“It’s necessary,” Yi Chen nodded.
On the way back, Xiao Chen picked them up.
That evening, Yu Xi had an event to attend and needed to get his makeup and styling done in advance. Yi Chen had other work, so they parted ways.
The car merged into traffic, the street scenes sliding backward. Xiao Chen focused on driving, while Yu Xi sat in the back seat with the medical report spread out before him.
ENT examination section.
Ears: History of ruptured eardrum with temporary deafness; now recovered.
Recommendations: Protect the ears, regular check-ups, avoid heavy impacts to prevent secondary injury.
Yu Xi stared quietly at those words, flashes of images flickering through his mind.
Before him was a woman crying hysterically. She should have been beautiful and vibrant, but back then her hair was disheveled as she roared and bellowed, surrounded by shredded grade report cards—the second-place ones.
“Why can’t you do anything right?”
“Because of you, I lost my life! I wasted so much time on you! Why do you still disappoint me?”
Sobbing, she raised her hand and struck again and again, hard, desperately, in the same spot.
Yu Xi didn’t bother struggling or dodging.
He’d struggled before, and his mother would only respond with even more terrifying, spine-chilling actions.
He didn’t even know what he’d done wrong.
Second place? Was second place not excellent enough?
He often couldn’t understand his mother’s obsession with “first place,” but he didn’t need to understand it.
Yu Xi just watched the woman quietly, without dodging, arguing, or making a fuss—watching his mother.
It hurt, but it didn’t hurt that much. He’d grown accustomed and numb to it.
The woman kept hitting.
Resisting made her go berserk.
Not resisting only made her angrier, more irritable.
No solution.
Then, in an instant, it was like a needle pierced his ear. After a long, piercing buzz, his world went silent.
He couldn’t hear anything, only see the woman’s mouth opening and closing.
How nice.
He closed his eyes. Unable to hear, now unable to see either.
Yu Xi felt a bit happy.
—Those were the happiest days of that period for him.
“Brother Yu, Brother Yu!” Xiao Chen’s voice snapped Yu Xi out of his thoughts.
“What’s up?” Yu Xi came back to himself.
“Your phone’s been vibrating nonstop. Messages?”
Yu Xi’s phone had been buzzing for a while, but he hadn’t reacted, so Xiao Chen reminded him.
Yu Xi unlocked his phone.
Sure enough, there were messages. The director had posted in the Weekend Go Where guest group chat.
[Director: Episode 5 live stream starts this weekend.]
[Director: Need to record edited footage beforehand.]
[Director: [Location]]
[Director: Everyone gather here one day early.]
Wu Zhiqi was very invested in Weekend Go Where. She’d only signed for four episodes, and the director hadn’t revealed later content to her. In their small group with just her, Yu Xi, and Yi Chen, she asked:
[Wu Zhiqi: How’s everyone?]
[Wu Zhiqi: What’s next episode? How’s prep?]
[Wu Zhiqi: Getting along with new guests?]
[Wu Zhiqi: My classmates are actually watching the live stream! Some are doing real-time translations in the chat!]
[Yu Xi: Just arrived, haven’t met Liang Shuo yet.]
[Yi Chen: Need to record some footage first. Won’t be quick.]
[Yu Xi: Still energetic? Should be early morning there, right?]
[Yu Xi: How’ve you been?]
[Wu Zhiqi: A bit tired, but so happy!]
[Wu Zhiqi: No acting! No pretending!! I’m doing amazing!! I really wanna share with you guys right now, but don’t wanna spam and disturb!! Chat when you’re free!!]
Wu Zhiqi seemed more vibrant than before.
Yu Xi had seen her Moments posts. Abroad wasn’t without its discomforts, but she was adapting, her studies going well, getting along with people around her—living a colorful life every day.
Yu Xi felt relieved.
He set down his phone.
At that moment, they were recording the footage needed for the edited version.
Episodes 5 and 6 were both home visits. Episode 5 went to Fang Peng, Wen Yimeng, and Liang Shuo’s homes.
The live version was limited by conditions—mostly casual eating, drinking, strolling, and chatting for a relaxed, personality-showing slow live stream.
The edited version supplemented what the live couldn’t show: shots inside each guest’s home, reactions upon entering others’ homes, and exclusive edited games.
The director’s team chose a central gathering spot, not too far from Fang Peng, Wen Yimeng, or Liang Shuo’s places. They’d prepared a bus to record the guests’ behavior en route.
Today was Yu Xi’s first time meeting Liang Shuo in person.
Liang Shuo was strikingly handsome, but his vibe wasn’t effeminate. Tall and slender, he had the perfect proportions for dancing.
Upon first sight, Liang Shuo stood with hands in pockets like a cool guy, flanking the bus entrance one on each side with Wen Yimeng—door gods who said nothing. Fang Peng, Yu Xi, and Yi Chen, arriving together, weren’t sure who to greet first.
In that stunned moment, Wen Yimeng moved first.
He walked toward Yu Xi and Yi Chen, expression serious. “Be careful of Liang Shuo.”
Fang Peng: “?”
Yu Xi: “?”
Yi Chen: “?”
No sooner had he spoken than Liang Shuo charged over. “Aaaah, real people! Real people!!”
“Hello, Teacher Fang Peng, Teacher Yu Xi, Teacher Yi Chen!”
“I’ve admired you all so much! You have no idea how thrilled I am to record with you! Oh my god! My Chinese isn’t great, not many adjectives, but I’m just so wowed right now!”
“Seriously, you might not believe it, but I planned a hundred ways to greet you! None worked! Seeing you made me too excited and forget everything! Had to improvise! So happy to meet you!!”
Fang Peng, Yu Xi, Yi Chen: “O.O”
No wonder Wen Yimeng had warned them about Liang Shuo.
How could such a pretty face come with a machine-gun mouth?
Wen Yimeng pressed a fist to his lips and coughed lightly.
When he’d first met Liang Shuo, Wen Yimeng had been similarly overwhelmed by the nonstop chatter. Already not talkative after getting pregnant, he couldn’t utter a word. After a brief self-intro, he clammed up.
But Liang Shuo could monologue solo—from Omega pregnancy hormone changes, to hormones affecting the brain, to physiological and psychological shifts during pregnancy, mixed with foreign words, pecking away like a woodpecker.
Wen Yimeng went fully autistic.
Only when Liang Shuo finally tired did he pause for breath.
The first home to film was Fang Peng’s.
Episode 5’s live format: Two days, visiting Fang Peng, then Wen Yimeng, then Liang Shuo’s homes—about two hours live per home. The rest was local food and sightseeing.
All the way, Liang Shuo’s mouth never stopped.
“Why don’t you guys talk?”
“Talking builds rapport and bonds.”
“Teacher Yu Xi, Teacher Yi Chen, didn’t you two reconcile through more interaction?”
“I’ve binged everything about you two! From mortal enemies, irreconcilable, fire and water, to ‘best rival is best lover.’ You got to know each other through constant bickering, heading toward love. Of course, you’re still deep in the closet, just ambiguous, hinting with eyes—no saying it outright. Tacit love, right? That’s what the internet says.”
“This is recording phase, yeah? This part won’t air, right?”
Yu Xi: “…”
Yi Chen: “…”
Liang Shuo, eyes sparkling, finished chattering at Yu Xi and Yi Chen, then turned to Fang Peng.
Fang Peng, anticipating it, pretended to sleep first. Wen Yimeng had his eye mask on, feigning sleep—the duo slumped in the back row. Turning, Yu Xi and Yi Chen—one donned headphones and started a hushed fake call, gesturing for Liang Shuo to quiet down; the other suddenly had an “urgent meeting” and hastily joined an online conference.
Deprived of targets, Liang Shuo turned to the camera.
“Dear viewers, I’m so bored. Half an hour to Teacher Fang Peng’s. Wanna talk to someone.”
“They’re busy, so I’ll tell you about me? Who knows what you’ll see, but talking feels good!”
“Hmm… where to start?”
Liang Shuo spoke to the lens with relish, starting from age five, his first dance exposure.
Truth be told, Liang Shuo’s stories were engaging—as long as he wasn’t yapping at them until they went numb, he was a solid storyteller.
Yu Xi wore headphones, pretending to call (screen blank). Yi Chen’s meeting was real but brief, already ended.
Through their earphones, they listened to Liang Shuo’s tales while idly WeChatting.
[Yi Chen: Didn’t expect this personality from him.]
[Yu Xi: Yeah. Thought he’d be strict with himself and others, hard to get along with.]
[Yu Xi: I was wrong.]
[Yu Xi: He’s great to get along with. Too great.]
[Yi Chen: Agreed.]
Yi Chen sneakily tried slipping Yu Xi a milk candy.
Yu Xi didn’t take it. They exchanged a look.
Yi Chen got it, peeled the wrapper considerately. Yu Xi leaned down, bit the candy from Yi Chen’s hand, then lifted his head and raised a brow at Yi Chen.
Liang Shuo had moved from himself to his teacher.
“My teacher! Gotta introduce her!”
“She’s super nice!! So gentle, patient, great to me!”
“First time I met her, I didn’t recognize her—thought she was just a regular overseas dance student.”
“Then I saw her dance and realized she was the dancer I idolized as a kid! Her clips inspired me to love dance. She’s my enlightenment teacher.”
“—Though by the video time, she’d retired, supposedly to have a kid.”
“But I didn’t expect that more than a decade later, I would see her again! She even became my teacher!! Do you know how happy I was back then!”
“Oh, right, I got carried away talking and haven’t introduced my teacher yet.”
“My teacher, her name is Yu Wan!”
As soon as the words fell, there came a “bang.”
Yu Xi failed to hold onto his phone, and it smashed heavily onto the ground.
Fang Peng and Wen Yimeng, who had their eyes closed in feigned sleep, looked toward Yu Xi. Liang Shuo also turned his head.
Yu Xi looked utterly strange.
He seemed stunned, his entire body shooting straight up as he stared at Liang Shuo in shock and disbelief.
