Thirty Second Day of Pretending to Be an Alpha

Seeing the shock, surprise, and disbelief on Xie Songchen’s face, Chu Mo smirked. His tone was calm, with a hint of mockery: “What, are you so jealous because you’re single that you can’t believe it?”

Xie Songchen pressed his lips into a tight line, his jaw tense. He stared hard at Chu Mo, trying to find any trace of a lie in his expression—but it was all in vain. Deep in his eyes was a complex emotion. After a long pause, he asked in a hoarse voice, “Is what you said… true?”

“Of course.” Chu Mo raised an eyebrow, the curve of his lips unmistakable. “Do I have any reason to lie to you?”

Xie Songchen’s fingers clenched. The line-drawn puppy keychain dug into his palm.

“When did this happen?” he asked stiffly.

“Just recently,” Chu Mo replied with a calm expression.

Xie Songchen fell silent. He wanted to ask who the person was—but in the end, he didn’t speak. He was suddenly afraid that everything Chu Mo said might really be true.

Seeing his silence, Chu Mo assumed he still didn’t believe him, so he added, “My partner is a student at C University. A very good-looking omega.”

Xie Songchen’s body stiffened. His throat felt dry, and even breathing became difficult.

“He’s 1.75 meters tall, very fair and handsome, and a top student,” Chu Mo continued in a boastful tone. “Smart, sweet-talking, great personality—just perfect.”

He had to speak this way—proud, almost smug—because only that kind of tone would suit the persona of a high-and-mighty alpha. But each word he said landed like a needle, piercing deep into Xie Songchen’s heart.

Xie Songchen had never thought this omega really existed. All this time, he had clung to a small hope—that Chu Mo was just making him up. Chu Mo was cold, restrained, and proud; someone like that wouldn’t have an omega beside him.

But now, with just a few words, Chu Mo had painted a vivid picture of that omega. The hope in Xie Songchen’s heart was extinguished completely. What hurt more than the words themselves was the expression on Chu Mo’s face. He looked genuinely proud. People only introduce someone like that in such a tone when they truly like them.

Xie Songchen pressed his lips tighter, until they lost all color.

Seeing his reaction, Chu Mo misunderstood—he thought Xie Songchen was simply jealous.

“As long as you don’t go coveting my brother,” Chu Mo said lightly, “you’ll find someone too. Got it?”

Xie Songchen didn’t answer. He stood there as if he hadn’t heard a word. The keychain in his palm felt like solid iron, and he gripped it so tightly it nearly cut into his skin. Xie Songchen had always been sensitive to pain. Yet now, with cold sweat gathering in his palm, he didn’t even seem to notice. He held the keychain tighter.

Chu Mo was a little surprised. He hadn’t expected the revelation about having a partner to hit Xie Songchen so hard. It seemed like the argument between the two main characters really affected him deeply, Chu Mo thought.

He glanced at the time—the mall was about to close.

“Even though you can’t be with my brother,” Chu Mo said casually as he walked away, “don’t be too upset. After all, not all fish live in the same ocean.”

Xie Songchen watched Chu Mo leave, motionless. The light in his narrow eyes dimmed, little by little, until it finally went out. It wasn’t until the staff came by to clear out the mall that he silently turned and left.

⸻

Chu Mo sat in the car by the roadside. Watching Xie Songchen’s lost expression, he felt a twinge of guilt. This was the first time he had seen Xie Songchen looking so dejected. Chu Mo really wanted to tell him that he and Chu Yun would end up together. That’s how it was written in the novel. But because he couldn’t interfere with the plot, he held back.

The main characters’ relationship was destined to face ups and downs. Chu Mo couldn’t do anything about it.

After returning home, Chu Mo finally let out a breath. Today, he’d nearly been caught by Xie Songchen. That partner lie had been far too close for comfort. He had to admit, Xie Songchen’s powers of observation were frightening. He was nearly forced to become a counter-surveillance expert on the spot.

That night, while showering, Chu Mo took the keychain out of his jacket pocket. As he looked at the line-drawn puppy, he couldn’t help but recall the scene at the claw machine.

Xie Songchen had just been standing quietly to the side, watching him play. He hadn’t said anything, just watched silently. If it had been Chi Cheng, he would’ve been shouting and making a fuss the entire time.

When Chu Mo had caught the first keychain, he couldn’t hold back his excitement and had turned to show it off: “See? I caught it.”

At the time, Xie Songchen had been leaning slightly forward, watching him from the side. When Chu Mo turned, the distance between them suddenly shrank. Their eyes met. For a brief moment, Xie Songchen looked startled and instinctively stepped back. His gaze lingered on Chu Mo’s face before shifting away. Then he mumbled, a little awkwardly, “…Didn’t see.”

Chu Mo had been annoyed. “Then what were you looking at just now?”

Xie Songchen’s eyes wandered before finally settling on the pink claw machine. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “Looking at cute things,” he said in a low voice.

At the time, Chu Mo had thought he meant the keychains behind the glass. But now, thinking back—maybe he wasn’t looking at the keychains at all.

Then what was he looking at?

Chu Mo couldn’t figure it out.

In the end, Xie Songchen even gave him the keychain he’d caught. That wasn’t like him at all.

What’s up with this guy lately?

Just as Chu Mo was feeling puzzled, his phone buzzed. He opened it to see a message from the omega who was supposed to act as his fake partner.

“Hello, boss.”

The other party only sent four words. Chu Mo politely replied with two: “Hello.”

After a short pause, the other person replied again:

“Mm.”

It seemed like he didn’t know what to say but felt the need to respond—so he just sent a “Mm.” Chu Mo frowned slightly. Hadn’t the agency said this omega was sweet-talking and good with words? Why did it feel like… he was a bit aloof?

Could it be this omega didn’t actually want to talk to him?

Just then, the other person sent another message:

“Do you need a partner, boss?”

Realizing his mistake, the message was quickly retracted. A moment later, it was resent—this time corrected:

“Do you need a fake partner, boss?”

Chu Mo pretended not to notice the retracted message.

“Yes. The agency told me to contact you,” he replied.

The response came instantly:

“Eight hundred a day.”

Chu Mo was a little surprised. From what he’d seen, most fake partner arrangements charged at least two thousand a day. This price was practically a bargain.

Why was someone this good-looking charging so little? Hadn’t the agency said he was in high demand?

Chu Mo continued chatting with him for a bit. Throughout the conversation, he found that this omega really didn’t talk much. Maybe he just didn’t like texting? Perhaps he’d be better in person. Still, Chu Mo saw the quietness as a plus—someone who didn’t talk much was less likely to slip up or expose Chu Mo’s real gender.

After some thought, Chu Mo told the agency he was willing to sign the contract.

The agency was delighted and immediately sent over an electronic version. Once he signed it, they informed him that the omega’s name was Xiao Chen.

“Whenever you need, Xiao Chen is ready,” the agency told him.

Chu Mo carefully noted the name. Soon after, Xiao Chen messaged again, asking:

“When should I start working?”

It seemed this omega really needed the money, Chu Mo thought.

“I’ll call you when I need you—probably soon,” Chu Mo replied. “Think about how you’ll act like my partner when the time comes.”

Xiao Chen replied quickly:

“Got it, boss.”

Chu Mo felt like he was talking to an employee. He reminded Xiao Chen:

“You can’t call me ‘boss’ then.”

⸻

On the other end, Chen Songxie was stunned.

“Then what should I call you?” he asked.

Chu Mo blinked at the question. Why was this omega asking something so basic? Shouldn’t he know how to play this role already? Still, Chu Mo didn’t press the issue.

“I’m not sure either,” he replied. “Just figure it out when the time comes.”

Lying on his bed, Chen Songxie stared at his phone with a growing headache.

At C University, he had a nickname: omega’s dream. A handsome sports student with a strong physique and intense pheromones—he was a top-tier alpha. But very few people knew that Chen Songxie had never even been in a relationship.

He had no idea what people called their partners in private. And now he had to pretend to be an omega on top of that.

He sat up and knocked on the bed railing above.

“Xiao Wang,” he called to his roommate, who was gaming below, “how do omegas usually address their partners?”

“How would I know? I’ve never dated anyone,” Xiao Wang replied while clicking his mouse. “I guess… hubby?”

“Get lost!” Chen Songxie reflexively snapped. That word was too much. There was no way he could say that.

But Xiao Wang was unfazed. “Then what? Darling hubby? Dear hubby? Sweet hubby? Or maybe—”

“Stop, stop, stop!” Chen Songxie hurriedly cut him off. “Shut up.”

Just hearing those made his skin crawl. As an alpha with a scar on his forehead who often got into fights, Chen Songxie suddenly felt like a dark cloud had settled over him.

He regretted taking this job. Was he really going to go from “boss” to “hubby”?

Suddenly, waiting tables didn’t seem so bad.

Right then, a message popped up in his chat with “Boss”:

“If you perform well, there could be a lot of bonuses.”

Chen Songxie’s grip on his phone tightened.

He couldn’t help thinking: How long has this alpha gone without a partner? Must be desperate. Still, the mention of bonuses gave him pause.

Maybe… some sacrifices were worth making. Even if it meant pretending to be the partner of a desperate alpha.

There was a hint of tragic determination in Chen Songxie’s eyes.

⸻

The next day, at the Chu Group building.

Ever since Chu Mo decided to invest in Chi Cheng’s project, Chi Cheng had plenty of reasons to visit the company. Today was one of the regular investment meetings, and as the investor, Chu Mo naturally had to attend.

As usual, Xie Songchen sat beside him, taking notes as the meeting progressed—as if nothing had happened the night before.

Chu Mo felt puzzled. Had the main characters reconciled already? It didn’t seem like it.

Xie Songchen was still cold, like a thousand-year-old glacier. Apart from the dark circles under his eyes, he looked no different from usual.

Compared to the icy Xie Songchen, Chi Cheng seemed much livelier. Throughout the meeting, he kept glancing at Chu Mo, watching his expressions closely. Whenever their eyes met, Chi Cheng would quickly look away, his ears slightly red.

Chu Mo frowned, wondering what Chi Cheng was up to.

Ever since that night in the underground parking lot, when Chi Cheng had gotten drunk, he’d been acting strangely. Every time they met, Chi Cheng would either be absentmindedly staring at him, blushing, or looking guilty—hands awkwardly fidgeting as if he didn’t know what to do with them.

Chu Mo couldn’t make sense of it.

Then, it hit him.

Chi Cheng had said in the parking lot that he was going to change. So maybe… he was trying to win over Chu Yun with a new “reformed bad boy” persona.

Chu Mo connected the dots—the recent argument between Xie Songchen and Chu Yun, Chi Cheng’s sudden guilt, and his strange behavior.

So that’s it.

He pieced together the original plot in his head: Chi Cheng, having “reformed,” got closer to Chu Yun, which sparked jealousy in Xie Songchen, leading to the main characters’ argument. That explained everything.

No wonder Chi Cheng had been acting so guilty around him lately. Turns out this kid was trying to woo his brother.

Chu Mo sneered inwardly. Putting on quite a show, aren’t you?

After the meeting ended, Chi Cheng approached him. “I want to talk to you alone.”

“If it’s work-related, just say it here,” Chu Mo replied coldly.

“It’s about you.”

Xie Songchen, standing off to the side, paused slightly but continued taking notes as if he hadn’t heard anything.

“About me?” Chu Mo raised a brow, confused.

Once inside Chu Mo’s office, Chi Cheng sat on the sofa across from him, observing his every move. During this time, he’d been not only working but also investigating Chu Mo’s so-called partner. He couldn’t picture the cold and abstinent Chu Mo actually being in a relationship.

After days of poking around and piecing things together, Chi Cheng had reached a conclusion: Chu Mo was lying. There was no omega around him at all.

Chu Mo leaned back in his chair. “Go ahead. What is it?”

“It’s nothing much,” Chi Cheng said slowly. “I just wanted to tell you—you don’t have to do that.”

Chu Mo raised an eyebrow, puzzled. “Do what?”

Chi Cheng had thought about it for a while. If the “partner” didn’t exist, why lie? But then it clicked. Chu Mo was strong. He had always been the best alpha since they were young. Now a company president, five years older than Chi Cheng, and still single—not even a matched omega. Maybe… Chu Mo couldn’t accept that, so he made one up.

Chi Cheng actually felt a bit sorry for him.

“Even if you’re single, it’s okay,” Chi Cheng said seriously. “You don’t have to pretend to have a partner.”

Chu Mo stared at him, surprised. Wait… does Chi Cheng know about me hiring someone to pretend? But that couldn’t be—it hadn’t even started. He hadn’t even met Xiao Chen yet.

Chu Mo narrowed his eyes. “When did I pretend?”

Just then, the door opened. Xie Songchen walked in, handed a few documents to Chu Mo, and passed by Chi Cheng without acknowledging him. After placing the documents on the desk, he turned to leave.

But right before the door shut behind him, he heard Chi Cheng’s voice:

“Isn’t it? I investigated. There’s not even a shadow of an omega around you.”

Xie Songchen froze in place. The door closed with a quiet click behind him. He stood there, unmoving, back against the door, his Adam’s apple shifting.

Last night, after Chu Mo described his partner, he hadn’t slept a wink. Before coming into the office, he’d told himself—keep your distance. Chu Mo had a partner. Crushing on an alpha was already painful enough. Crushing on one who was taken? That was just pathetic.

He thought he’d mentally prepared. But hearing Chi Cheng say it so plainly—that Chu Mo might not have a partner at all—his calm cracked.

His fingers curled, then slowly released.

⸻

Inside the office, Chu Mo was stunned.

“Young Master Chi,” he said with a cold smile, “your business must be thriving if you have the free time to investigate whether I have an omega.”

Chi Cheng, emboldened by Chu Mo’s reaction, believed he was right. He smirked. “Thanks to you, President Chu, our collaboration has been going very well—much better than expected.”

“Then I hope you continue to rise,” Chu Mo said sharply, “and stop drinking yourself stupid in nightclubs, only to end up passed out in parking lots.”

Chi Cheng’s smile faltered. His ears reddened with embarrassment. Something flashed in his mind, and his face flushed even more. He coughed awkwardly, clearing his throat.

“I-I didn’t do that on purpose.”

Chu Mo frowned. Not on purpose? What was this guy nervous about?

Chi Cheng remembered that night clearly—the underground parking lot, pressing Chu Mo against the car. The memory made his throat dry. In an effort to recover, he quickly changed the subject.

“President Chu, seriously. You don’t have to lie. Not having a partner isn’t shameful.”

Chu Mo paused mid-email. Chi Cheng’s certainty was almost impressive.

Chu Mo smiled faintly. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Chi Cheng said earnestly. “You’ve sacrificed so much to become the heir—you shouldn’t have to bow to society’s expectations.”

Chu Mo raised a brow. “Why are you so sure I don’t have one?”

Chi Cheng replied confidently, “If you did, as your partner, they would’ve appeared by now, right?”

As H City’s most eligible alpha bachelor, any omega with ties to Chu Mo would gain enormous exposure. There was no way someone would stay hidden.

Just then, Chu Mo’s phone buzzed.

Xiao Chen: “Do you need me to work today?”

Chu Mo smiled.

Perfect timing.

He typed back: “Come now.” Then sent the company location. He also contacted the front desk: “A young man named Chen will be arriving. Send him up.”

⸻

Chen Songxie was stunned when he saw the address. Chu Group?

He hadn’t expected his fake alpha “boss” to work in one of the most prestigious companies in the city. Rumor had it that even cleaning staff at Chu Group were paid more than mid-level employees elsewhere.

He suddenly felt nervous. Should I dress up more? If he performed well, he might get paid more. He treated it like an interview with a corporate elite.

He carefully chose his outfit, even sprayed on a bit of perfume.

Before he left, his roommate Xiao Wang shouted from behind:

“Ready to call that alpha ‘hubby’?”

Chen Songxie froze. His face turned red.

“I would NEVER say that!” he snapped, slamming the door behind him.

C University wasn’t far from Chu Group. On a good day, you could see the building from the track field. The tower glimmered in the sun, a symbol of power. Countless C University students dreamed of entering it.

Sitting in the taxi, Chen Songxie stared at it through the window. He never thought he’d be stepping into that place.

⸻

About twenty minutes later, Xie Songchen walked into Chu Mo’s office with a latte in hand. He placed it on the table.

Chi Cheng, lounging on the couch, smirked. “Didn’t you say your partner was coming? What, did he get lost?”

Xie Songchen paused slightly while setting the cup down.

“He’ll be here soon,” Chu Mo said, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the desk. A new message had come in—Chen Songxie was downstairs.

Chi Cheng raised an eyebrow, still convinced Chu Mo was bluffing.

Xie Songchen quietly began organizing the documents on the desk, not leaving.

A knock came at the door.

Chu Mo glanced at Chi Cheng and smiled faintly. “He’s here.”

Chi Cheng straightened up, eyes wide. “What?!”

He wasn’t lying?!

Xie Songchen stopped stacking papers. His gaze drifted to the door.

“Come in,” Chu Mo said.

The door opened.

A tall, lean figure stepped inside—and for a moment, the room fell into utter silence.

Chu Mo stared, completely dumbfounded.

⸻

Chen Songxie had arrived with a racing heart. At the front desk, he mentioned Mr. Chu—and was asked if he meant President Chu.

President? He’s the heir?!

He had heard the name Chu Mo before but never imagined that his client was that Chu Mo.

Already nervous, he followed the receptionist’s instructions to the president’s office. But when he opened the door, there were three alphas in the room.

Chen Songxie froze. Which one is it?!

But almost immediately, he could tell.

The two on the couch were glaring at him with poorly concealed hostility. Only the one behind the desk remained calm.

Chen Songxie looked at the man behind the desk—and was stunned.

Noble. Handsome. Elegant. Calm. He could apply every flattering adjective to that alpha.

The office was deathly quiet.

Everyone stared at the tall, scarred, fierce-looking, single-eyelid young man standing in the doorway.

The documents in Xie Songchen’s hand slipped and hit the desk with a soft thud.

After five or six seconds of silence, Chi Cheng’s face twisted from surprise to disbelief to outright confusion. He stared at the scar on the newcomer’s forehead, then at Chu Mo.

His voice cracked with disbelief.

“Chu Mo, don’t tell me this guy is your partner?!”

Chu Mo sat frozen.

Where was the sweet-talking, gentle omega?

Who was this cool, silent, sharp-eyed street-fighter-looking guy standing at the door?!