Chapter 13

Lin Si’s mind buzzed.

???

“Huh?” He tilted his head up to look at Lu Wei. “You?”

His surprise was full of disbelief and—rejection of Lu Wei.

Lu Wei stared back just as unfriendly, rising from his seat. “Check.”

Lin Si translated in his mind and thought Lu Wei probably meant: If you don’t believe me, go check.

“I take it back,” Lin Si said hastily. “I think the previous plan is unworkable.”

Looking down at him from above, Lu Wei tossed out a curt “Suit yourself” before turning to leave.

The door closed softly, without much noise, giving Lin Si the illusion that Lu Wei wasn’t angry.

But two seconds later, he realized—it was probably just Lu Wei’s habitual politeness.

He messed up his hair in frustration. “Why does it have to be Lu Wei?”

Li Jicheng was equally surprised. “No way it’s that much of a coincidence. I’ll apply for access now.”

While waiting for the results, Lin Si was torn, trying to think of a better way to deal with the problem of “what if the highest compatibility turns out to be Lu Wei.”

Seeing him idle, Liao Ji said, “Lu Shaoming is upstairs. Want to go see him?”

“Can I?” Lin Si asked.

Liao Ji pressed Lin Si’s temple. “Let Duan Yang check with Lu Wei,” he said, patting Lin Si. “Since you’re here, go take a look at him. See if that saying holds true—evil deeds have their retribution.”

Liao Ji squinted slightly. “You never know, the next time you meet might be at his funeral.”

“Then order me a bouquet,” Lin Si said.

“Sure.”

The flower delivery was swift. Liao Ji had chosen white calla lilies—a bouquet so pure it seemed like a silent mockery, sent to Lu Shaoming.

Lin Si, dressed formally in a suit and holding the flowers, looked solemn.

Liao Ji helped tidy up the marks on his face. “Let’s go.”

They obtained Lu Wei’s approval during his medical examination and then took the elevator upstairs.

At the stairway, they saw a thin young man carrying a kettle, humming a tune while tending to the potted plants outside the door.

When Lin Si and Liao Ji appeared, the young man first covered his mouth in shock before exclaiming excitedly, “Lin Si!”

“…” Lin Si found his reaction overly dramatic and simply pointed to the door. “Is Old Lu resting?”

“He’s asleep. He barely wakes up for half an hour a day,” the young man replied. “Are you here to visit Old Lu?”

Liao Ji turned the doorknob. “Yes.”

“I’ll get it, I’ll get it,” the young man said, opening the door and inviting them in. He even brought out a chair. “Lin Si… oh no, I mean Mr. Lin, have a seat!”

The room was bright and clean. Lu Shaoming lay on the bed, sleeping peacefully, though long-term treatment had left him emaciated, his skin dry and cracked like old tree bark—a stark contrast to the serene and pleasant environment.

The smell of disinfectant seemed to have been deliberately masked by a refreshing lemon scent, which was clearly not the taste of the loud and eager young man by their side.

It was likely arranged when Lu Wei first arrived.

Lin Si placed the flowers down but didn’t sit in the chair.

“Are you a caregiver?” Liao Ji asked.

“No, I take care of Old Lu when Mr. Lu isn’t around,” Deng Tian replied with a naive smile. “My name is Deng Tian, one of Mr. Lu’s people.”

Liao Ji narrowed his eyes slightly.

Lin Si stared at Lu Shaoming, whose body was connected to multiple tubes. There wasn’t the slightest trace of vitality on his face; only the steady operation of the machines confirmed that Lu Shaoming was still alive.

Li Jicheng had been right—Xiaoshan Hospital had the best medical team, capable of prolonging Lu Shaoming’s life and keeping him tethered to the world in this state.

“Let’s go,” Lin Si said, turning to leave. Deng Tian quickly opened the door for them, smiling as he remarked, “Mr. Lu was just here earlier. He said he felt that Old Lu’s condition seemed pretty good.”

Lin Si couldn’t fathom how Lu Wei could look at Lu Shaoming’s face and conclude that he was in good condition, but he still replied politely, “I see.”

Deng Tian helpfully pressed the elevator button for them. “Let me escort you on behalf of Mr. Lu.”

As the elevator doors closed, Deng Tian stood outside, still waving and smiling energetically.

“That smile is so fake,” Liao Ji snorted coldly. “Every other word is Mr. Lu, like he’s afraid people won’t know he belongs to Lu Wei.”

Lin Si stretched his neck. “But I feel like Lu Wei doesn’t seem to like this type.”

“What type does he like, then?” Liao Ji asked.

Lin Si thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Forget it. Let’s just say he likes Deng Tian’s type.”

“Deng Tian’s type is so unimpressive,” Liao Ji commented. “Maybe he’s just keeping an Omega around for convenience. Too bad Lu Wei’s taste is awful, clearly inherited from his dad. That Deng Tian—he looks like he can’t wait to run around shouting about his relationship with Lu Wei.”

The elevator doors opened, cutting short their discussion about Lu Wei. Li Jicheng happened to pass by and informed them that the compatibility results wouldn’t be ready so soon; they should head back and wait for the news.

An hour later, in the dance studio, Lin Si heard Li Jicheng’s regretful voice.

The compatibility results were in—Lu Wei and Lin Si had a match rate of 99.48%, making Lu Wei the Alpha with the highest compatibility in the gene pool.

The next closest Alpha only had a match rate of 67.3%, a vast difference.

“So that tool is Lu Wei?” Lin Si asked Liao Ji, his voice full of disbelief. “And he actually agreed to live with me???”

“Don’t ask me,” Liao Ji said, hanging up the phone. “What kind of mess is this…”

Lin Si’s mind was spinning. After a pause, he muttered, “I’m starting to suspect Lu Wei was possessed by a ghost when he agreed.”

Liao Ji sat cross-legged beside him. “What are you thinking?”

“I don’t want to.” Lin Si rejected the idea outright. “I don’t want to live with him.”

“This is so damn unlucky,” Liao Ji said angrily, gripping Lin Si’s hand. “It’s their fault you’re in this mess, and now they’re the ones ‘saving’ you.”

Lin Si stared at his reflection in the mirror. “Yeah… Liao Ji-daddy, I’m so unlucky.”

Liao Ji sighed repeatedly, and Lin Si felt like the echoes in the dance studio were all sighs of frustration.

“So many people use suppressants—why am I the only one like this?” Lin Si lay down, rubbing the back of his neck. “Is it really because my glands didn’t develop properly?”

Liao Ji brushed back a sweat-dampened strand of hair from Lin Si’s forehead. “If you do live with Lu Wei…”

“I won’t,” Lin Si interrupted immediately.

“Then what can we do? We’re out of options. I can’t just stand by and watch you suffer,” Liao Ji said. “You can’t let him mark you temporarily, or your Omega identity will be exposed instantly. And going through heat with him is completely out of the question…”

He let out a string of pitiful sighs before suggesting, “Maybe just live with him for now. Once your condition stabilizes, you can move out.”

Lin Si stared at the ceiling lights, his vision blurring momentarily. He spoke slowly, “If I weren’t a celebrity now, if I were just an ordinary person… would I meet an Alpha who likes me, someone I’d want to… mate with?”

“It’s not mating… only animals mate,” Liao Ji corrected him immediately, unable to resist.

“Fine.”

They both lapsed into silence, lost in their thoughts for a long while.

“At least Lu Wei knows your secret, and you two can’t stand each other. Living together, he wouldn’t do anything to you…” Liao Ji said. “If it were a stranger, I’d be even more worried.”

“Is he my only option?” Lin Si asked.

“Be grateful there’s even someone who can keep you from dropping dead,” Liao Ji said.

Lin Si sat up, propping his chin on his hand, and pondered for a while. “Maybe I should just drop dead after all.”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Liao Ji scolded, pulling him up from the floor. “Go take a shower, and when you’re done, call Lu Wei to discuss the living arrangements.”

Lin Si covered his eyes. “Don’t call it living together!”

“Fine, cohabiting. Happy now? Now hurry up. You’re covered in sweat, and you’ll catch a cold if you don’t.”

As Lin Si trudged off, his silhouette full of dejection, he suddenly turned back. “If he moves in with me, what about Deng Tian? Is he coming too?”

“… Probably not,” Liao Ji replied hesitantly.

“My place is too small for that,” Lin Si muttered, running his hands through his damp hair.

After his shower, Lin Si didn’t feel as energetic as usual. He sat cross-legged on the sofa, looking like a dejected schoolboy who had flunked an exam, and started browsing for advice online.

Question: What are some remedies for nausea and vomiting caused by overuse of suppressants?

Answer 1: Don’t be silly! You’re pregnant!!

Lin Si: [Huh??? Horrified.jpg]

Answer 2: Brother, use a big banana to cure your illness.

Lin Si: [Is this some kind of fruit therapy? I’ll consider it. My ID is wangleai. Add me.]

Answer 3: OP, you’re so outdated. Even my grandpa wouldn’t use that profile picture. It’s an eyesore—I almost threw up my dinner. Get lost!

Lin Si: [I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I really think it’s funny!]

Answer 4: Clearly, OP is just trolling. Don’t bother chatting.

Lin Si: [I don’t own a dog. I’ve never had a pet in my life.]

Answer 5: Get laid twice, and your illness will be cured. Guaranteed results.

Lin Si: […I understand this sentence. Blocked.]

After no one responded further, Lin Si sank back into confusion. He really didn’t want to call Lu Wei, and the idea of living with him was even worse.

99.48% compatibility.

How could it be so high? Even his compatibility with Y was only 94.8%.

Though the two match types were fundamentally different, it was obvious that Y was far more likable.

Lin Si thought Y was steady, competent, and sincere, never one to say harsh things.

The only flaw? Y didn’t want to date him.

He opened the Bubble app and saw the last few lines of their chat history. The most recent message was Y asking if he’d found a suitable Alpha match today.

Lin Si felt a pang of bitterness. If only he had a lover, he wouldn’t have to lower himself to cohabitate with Lu Wei now.

He exited the chat interface and returned to the app’s plaza.

Bubble’s marketing was a huge success. The number of users had grown significantly since Lin Si first registered. The plaza was now teeming with countless little avatars, like a bustling festival.

Many users had purchased the New Year membership package, and their white orbs were dressed in festive outfits, making the plaza look vibrant and cheerful.

Lin Si spent over an hour wandering aimlessly in the plaza. Half of that time was wasted standing next to an Omega, listening to him type out gossip he’d heard about Lin Si.

Lin Si regretfully told the Omega, “Among all the gossip you mentioned, only one is true—Lin Si really doesn’t like cilantro.”

After sending the Omega away amidst their grumbling complaints, Lin Si resumed his matchmaking quest. On the plaza, there were several Alphas with a compatibility score over 90%. Lin Si sent out match requests to them all, but without exception, he was rejected.

Lin Si persisted and eventually matched with a few others. He chatted with each of them briefly but oddly couldn’t find the motivation to keep the conversation going.

Lin Si was oblivious to the fact that his biggest obstacle to online romance was his username, “Forget Love,” and his profile picture, “Cheers to Friendship.”

Finally, another Alpha agreed to match. Excited, Lin Si initiated the conversation, skipping introductions and pleasantries, only to be greeted by:

[Wanna meet up?]

Lin Si: [Meet up where?]

Alpha: [I noticed we’re in the same city. Wanna meet up?]

Surprised, Lin Si replied:
[Isn’t it a bit rushed to meet after just one message?]

Alpha: [179cm, 18cm, lasts 1.5 hours or more. I have no requirements for you—just be good in bed and not clingy.]

Lin Si scratched his temple, feeling like he was too chatty compared to how he talked with Y before. He responded:
[I might be a little clingy.]

Alpha: […Then just be good in bed.]

Lin Si: [I’m doing quite well, actually.]

Alpha: [Are you crazy?]

Lin Si: [Huh? Why did you suddenly insult me?]

[Beep! Unfortunately, the user has blocked you and you can no longer send messages.]

Lin Si froze, took a screenshot of the chat, and decided to show it to Liao Ji the next day to ask how one could meet the “good in bed and not clingy” standard.

After yawning, sleepiness overcame him, but he continued wandering the plaza for a while. Just as his vision blurred, his phone vibrated. Barely able to open his eyes, he made out a message from Y:

Y: [Did you match with an Alpha today?]

Lin Si tucked his blanket tighter and groggily replied:
[Yeah.]

Author’s Note:
Lu Wei: The house has collapsed.

T/n: New chapter is up 🥰! If you want to support me in another way, buy me a Ko-Fi or go to my paypal page. Happy Reading ❤️!