Thirty Third Day of Pretending to Be an Alpha

Before coming over, Chen Songxie made sure to dress up a bit. He put on the plainest clothes he had, just a simple T-shirt, a baseball jacket, and jeans. He left behind his earrings, necklace, and even his e-cigarette. His hair was a bit short, styled in the “American front spike” that’s popular among alphas. 

Chen Songxie thought to himself, “I should look like an omega now, right?”

“How does he look like an omega?!” Chi Cheng felt like Chu Mo was just messing with him by finding a random alpha. He kept scrutinizing the guy at the door with a critical eye. “Chu Mo, are you kidding me?”

Chi Cheng stood up and realized this “omega” was about the same height as him. He immediately felt unsettled. “Isn’t he like two omegas tall?!”

In truth, there are omegas who look like alphas. For example, there’s Chu Yun. But Chi Cheng had never seen an omega who was so tall, had such an alpha-like aura, and looked so dangerous.

Chu Mo realized he had been duped by the agency. He was about to tell the person at the door that they had the wrong place. But then, the “omega” spoke up, “Sorry to keep you waiting, la…”

Chen Songxie almost blurted out “boss.” He swallowed the word halfway through. All eyes in the room were on him. He had to perform perfectly, or he might get his pay docked. Chen Songxie’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. He thought to himself, “Here goes nothing.”

The next second, Chen Songxie tightened his fingers and, with a blank expression, called out affectionately, “Hubby.”

Chu Mo: “…”

Chi Cheng: “…………”

Xie Songchen: “………………”

Silence. A deathly silence. As soon as those words were spoken, the entire office felt like a giant tomb. The three of them were collectively dumbfounded. Chu Mo was shocked by the sight of this cool guy with an American front spike calling him “hubby.” His eyes widened, almost making him think there was something wrong with his ears. Or maybe he was dreaming?

Seeing Chu Mo not react, Chen Songxie thought he was dissatisfied. So, he cleared his throat to make his husky, magnetic voice sound more “pure.” Looking at Chu Mo, he cautiously and tentatively repeated, “Hubby?”

Chi Cheng hadn’t recovered from the first “hubby” and was struck again. Xie Songchen, usually an iceberg, showed a rare expression of shock and disbelief. At this point, Chu Mo silently stood up, looked at this “partner,” and with a heavy heart, said, “You’re finally here, Xiao Chen.”

Chu Mo’s voice had a slight tremor. He really doubted the gender of the guy in front of him. But he couldn’t just say it out loud. At this moment, Chi Cheng snapped back to reality. He gritted his teeth and said, “Chu Mo, don’t think you can fool me by putting on a show here.”

He walked up to the guy who called Chu Mo “hubby” and said coldly, “From head to toe, he doesn’t look like an omega at all!”

At this point, Chen Songxie pulled out a gender report from his pocket. He handed it to Chi Cheng, speaking calmly, “I just don’t look like an omega.”

Chi Cheng took the report and opened it. It indeed showed that he was an omega. The agency had anticipated that Chen Songxie’s gender would be questioned and had prepared a gender test report for him. Chi Cheng frowned, his expression skeptical. At this moment, Xie Songchen casually spoke up, “So, was that box of strong inhibitors yours?”

Chen Songxie was taken aback, “What…”

Upon hearing this, Chu Mo immediately felt very nervous. If Chen Songxie didn’t catch on and accidentally said the wrong thing, all his efforts would be in vain. Chen Songxie noticed Chu Mo’s pleading look. It was like a cry for help. He immediately understood.

“Are you talking about the inhibitors found on my hubby?” Chen Songxie said with a straight face, “Of course, he was keeping them for me, what else?”

Chu Mo ignored the “my hubby” part and finally felt relieved. Chi Cheng was momentarily stunned. Chen Songxie, fearing the report might give him away, reached out to take it back. He didn’t know what the relationship was between these two alphas and his “hubby.” But it seemed like they inexplicably had a bit of… hostility towards him? Why would these alphas be hostile to him, an omega?

Chen Songxie kept calling “hubby” affectionately. Chi Cheng’s fingers tightened, veins popping on the back of his hand. His heart was filled with jealousy. Chi Cheng gritted his teeth and sarcastically said, “What, you don’t have hands or feet to keep your own inhibitors?”

The sudden sarcasm made Chen Songxie frown. He glanced at Chi Cheng, then at Xie Songchen, who was coldly staring at him, and seemed to understand something. At this point, seeing Chen Songxie cooperating so well, Chu Mo spoke up to defend him, “Xiao Chen is usually busy with classes. I’m worried he doesn’t have time to take his inhibitors, so I keep them for him.”

Saying this, Chu Mo looked at Chi Cheng, his tone very stern, “Chi Cheng, show some respect to Xiao Chen from now on, got it?” He needed to protect Xiao Chen well to make their couple relationship more believable. Chu Mo originally wanted to call Xiao Chen by a more affectionate name. But he really couldn’t bring himself to say “wifey.” It was just too much for him.

Chi Cheng looked at Chu Mo in disbelief, “You’re actually scolding me for him?”

“What else,” Chu Mo said, puzzled by Chi Cheng’s reaction, “Xiao Chen is my partner. If I don’t unconditionally speak up for him, should I speak up for you?”

Chen Songxie was slightly taken aback by this. He didn’t expect Chu Mo to get into character so quickly. From childhood to now, Chen Songxie had never been in a relationship. No one had ever defended him unconditionally like this. Every time he got into a fight at school, the teachers never asked who was at fault. They always assumed it was Chen Songxie causing trouble. Chen Songxie didn’t look like someone to mess with.

Hearing “hubby” say this, Chen Songxie felt he needed to perform even better. He glanced at the two alphas nearby and could roughly guess that they liked his “hubby.” It seemed Chu Mo, as an alpha, was troubled by them and had found him to act, to cut off their thoughts. Chen Songxie decided to help his “hubby.”

He looked at Chi Cheng. “I always forget about my heat period, so he often keeps the inhibitors for me.” Chen Songxie said, seemingly unintentionally, but with a hint of pride in his tone, “I’ve told him not to keep them for me, but he doesn’t listen… Maybe I’m just too irresponsible.”

Saying this, Chen Songxie glanced at Chu Mo, the corners of his thin lips slightly raised. His long, cold single-eyelid eyes carried a hint of smugness. Chu Mo was momentarily stunned, surprise flashing in his eyes. He didn’t expect Chen Songxie’s acting to be so good!

Chi Cheng, hearing this, was almost consumed by jealousy, his teeth nearly grinding to dust. His gaze was practically shooting daggers at Chen Songxie. After a while, Chi Cheng gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words from his throat, “Good to know.” These four words of retort seemed weak and powerless.

Beside him, Xie Songchen’s face showed no expression. Yet, Chen Songxie still keenly noticed that his fingers were stiffly gripping an A4 paper. The paper was almost being crushed by Xie Songchen. “Is this your secretary?” Chen Songxie asked Chu Mo. After dealing with Chi Cheng, he targeted Xie Songchen.

Chu Mo nodded. He was a bit puzzled as to why Chen Songxie would ask this. Chen Songxie took two steps forward, standing in front of Xie Songchen. Xie Songchen paused. “Then I must thank you,” Chen Songxie said calmly, looking at him, “for taking care of my, hubby.”

“Rip.” The soft sound of paper tearing was heard. Xie Songchen tore the A4 paper with his bare hands. He paused for a moment, trying to regain his composure. “I’ll go print another copy,” Xie Songchen said, pursing his lips, and walked out of the office.

Chu Mo noticed that Xie Songchen’s face didn’t look too good. He didn’t understand why Xie Songchen was upset over this. Chi Cheng took a deep breath, looking at the smug guy with both anger and jealousy, yet feeling helpless. After all, Chi Cheng was an alpha, and this person was an omega. Otherwise, Chi Cheng really couldn’t see what made this guy better than him. Chu Mo actually found such a green tea as a partner. And he didn’t even look like an omega.

Before leaving, Chi Cheng resentfully mocked Chu Mo, “Is this your taste?” Tasteless guy! Chu Mo was baffled—why was Chi Cheng mocking his taste in partners? What did it have to do with Chi Cheng?

After leaving the Chu Group, Chi Cheng kept cursing Chu Mo’s lack of taste in his mind. What’s so good about that omega? He looked like an alpha! Did Chu Mo like those tall, muscular, alpha-like omegas? The more Chi Cheng thought about it, the angrier he got. He was tall, he had muscles, and he was a genuine alpha. Chu Mo must be blind to scold him for that guy. Tasteless!

In the printing room, after leaving the office, Xie Songchen reprinted the documents. He still looked as emotionless as usual. However, his gaze could almost burn a hole through the newly printed documents. Xie Songchen pursed his lips tightly, his jawline tense, remaining silent. After a while, he couldn’t help but frown, muttering to himself softly, “What exactly do you see in him?” His tone was full of confusion, with a strong hint of jealousy.

In the office, Chu Mo was very satisfied with Chen Songxie’s performance. He looked at Chen Songxie and said, “What’s your name? I’ll transfer the money to you.” Online transfers required real name verification. Chen Songxie was silent for a moment and said, “How about you give me cash instead?” The agency had advised him not to reveal his name. No one could guarantee that after the role-play ended, the other party wouldn’t harass him. However, Chen Songxie felt that Chu Mo probably wouldn’t do that.

Chu Mo understood and said, “Then come downstairs with me. I’ll withdraw cash for you from the bank downstairs.” Chen Songxie nodded. Ten minutes later, Chu Mo, with his card, and Chen Songxie arrived at the ATM downstairs. Chen Songxie wore a mask, waiting outside the ATM booth. Neither of them noticed a figure not far away.

Zhou Jingyan came to the group headquarters for a meeting today. The thought of seeing President Chu again put him in a good mood. Zhou Jingyan always thought of Chu Mo when practicing dance. Every time he thought of Chu Mo, he practiced with more motivation. Today, when his manager told him to come to the group for a meeting, he rushed over without delay.

As Zhou Jingyan walked downstairs, he suddenly saw Chu Mo walking with a tall guy. Zhou Jingyan was taken aback. That guy looked… like an alpha. And he was someone Zhou Jingyan didn’t know. Zhou Jingyan was about to go over and say hi, but then he saw Chu Mo taking the guy to the ATM. Zhou Jingyan felt a bit puzzled—what were these two doing?

With confusion and curiosity, Zhou Jingyan hid around the corner, observing their every move. Before long, President Chu finished withdrawing money and came out of the ATM booth. “This is your payment,” Chu Mo handed a thick stack of cash to Xiao Chen, saying, “Take it.”

Chen Songxie was a bit surprised, “So much?” When not acting, Xiao Chen seemed a bit introverted. He seemed to have never seen so much money, and his actions in taking the money were very cautious. “I said if you performed well, I’d give you a bonus,” Chu Mo said, looking at Xiao Chen.

Zhou Jingyan watched from the side, utterly confused. What kind of job pays this much? Chen Songxie didn’t hesitate to accept the cash because he really needed the money. After taking the cash, Chen Songxie looked at Chu Mo and seriously asked, “I called you hubby today without your permission. Do you mind?”

Chu Mo didn’t mind this at all. He just wanted to dispel Chi Cheng and Xie Songchen’s suspicions about him. So he shook his head, “I don’t mind.” Seeing his “hubby” being so easygoing and generous, Chen Songxie said, “If you need me again, I’ll give you a discount.”

Zhou Jingyan, hiding in the corner, widened his eyes. What’s going on?! He looked at the tall guy and thought, this person is actually an omega? And he called Chu Mo “hubby”? Zhou Jingyan’s gaze swept over the thick stack of cash in the guy’s hand, and combined with their earlier conversation, a not-so-good guess surfaced in his mind—could it be that President Chu… is keeping an omega?

Zhou Jingyan gasped. So that omega wasn’t President Chu’s partner! Zhou Jingyan had encountered many chaotic situations in the entertainment industry. Keeping a lover was something he was used to seeing. However, at this moment, Zhou Jingyan was still shocked. He didn’t expect the usually abstinent and aloof Chu Mo to keep an omega.

Zhou Jingyan’s good mood instantly vanished. He didn’t even know why he was unhappy. A voice in Zhou Jingyan’s head said: President Chu shouldn’t be doing this. That’s something playboys do. Zhou Jingyan frowned, carefully observing the “omega” being kept. This person didn’t look like an omega and seemed like trouble. And he took so much money at once. Zhou Jingyan was really worried that Chu Mo was being scammed.

Zhou Jingyan looked again at the guy’s tall figure, the muscle lines under his T-shirt, the scar on his forehead… What was President Chu after? As an alpha, could he really be happy keeping such an omega? The more Zhou Jingyan thought about it, the more he felt it wasn’t worth it for Chu Mo. He thought to himself, this guy isn’t worth that price, right?

After sending Xiao Chen off, Chu Mo returned to the company and ran into Zhou Jingyan on the first floor. Chu Mo looked at him expressionlessly and said indifferently, “You’ve been coming quite often lately. With how hard you’re working, don’t end up flopping when you debut.” Zhou Jingyan couldn’t hear what Chu Mo was saying. He frowned, hesitating to speak. After a while, Zhou Jingyan mustered up the courage. He said to Chu Mo, “President Chu, I know you’re very kind…”

Chu Mo was taken aback, “Huh?” Kind? Why would Zhou Jingyan think he was kind? He was always humiliating Zhou Jingyan. Chu Mo hadn’t figured it out yet. Zhou Jingyan said seriously, “But don’t just do charity randomly.” Charity? What charity? Zhou Jingyan looked at Chu Mo with a serious and solemn expression, “Be careful not to get scammed.”

Scammed by who? Chu Mo stared blankly at Zhou Jingyan, not understanding what the kid was talking about. After saying this, Zhou Jingyan left with a heavy heart. He hoped President Chu would wake up soon and stop keeping an omega. At least not one that didn’t match up to him. After Zhou Jingyan left, Chu Mo muttered to himself in confusion, “Are all these people’s thought processes not quite right…” He could never figure out what these guys were thinking.

In the evening, at C University, Chen Songxie, having earned money today, transferred some to his family after returning to school. He thought for a moment, then opened the chat with the contact labeled “boss” and typed a serious thank you message: “President Chu, thank you.” Chu Mo replied, “I should be thanking you today. You did very well.”

Chen Songxie typed, wanting to continue thanking Chu Mo. Somehow, he suddenly remembered calling Chu Mo “hubby” today. His hand shook, and he mistyped. After a moment, he deleted all the text in the chat box and exited the chat. Chen Songxie had thought that calling an alpha “hubby” would be something that would give him goosebumps. But after saying it today, he didn’t feel as repulsed as he had imagined. Chen Songxie didn’t know why. Was it because Chu Mo was fair and good-looking, with a charm that transcended the three ABO genders? Chen Songxie couldn’t explain it.

His roommate, Xiao Wang, hearing that Chen Songxie had made money, exclaimed, “Wow, Xie Ge, did you really sell your looks to an alpha? Didn’t he find out you’re an alpha?” Chen Songxie shook his head, “No.” “And he didn’t take advantage of you or harass you?” Xiao Wang asked curiously. Chen Songxie pursed his lips and said, “Not all alphas are like that.” Xiao Wang was taken aback. What’s up with this guy today? Usually so carefree, not even respecting teachers. Today he’s actually speaking up for an alpha?

“You must have made a lot of money,” Xiao Wang said, hooking an arm around Chen Songxie’s neck. “You have to treat us to drinks tonight, or we won’t let you off!” Chen Songxie had a good relationship with his roommates. He showed a helpless expression, “Alright, alright, can’t escape being skinned by you guys, can I?”

At night, in a bar near H University, this bar was lavishly decorated, frequented by students from the nearby university town. Especially students from C University and H University often came here. In one of the booths, Xie Songchen sat in the corner, barely touching the drink in front of him. He kept staring at his phone. Xie Songchen opened a chat box, typed a few words, then immediately deleted them. He opened the other person’s Moments to check, found no updates, and exited again. He repeated this action over and over.

The people sitting next to him were all classmates of Xie Songchen. It was rare for Xie Songchen to come to a bar, and everyone was surprised. Xie Songchen was in a bad mood, and the music in the bar felt noisy to him. He usually didn’t like such an atmosphere. But at this moment, it seemed only the noise could slightly pull him away from his emotions.

Next to him, an alpha leaned over, raising his phone to take a picture with Xie Songchen. “Our Xie Ge is a rare guest,” the alpha said, leaning next to Xie Songchen while taking the picture. “I heard you’ve been interning at a big company, must be busy, right?” Xie Songchen lifted his eyelids, took a sip of his drink, and replied indifferently, “It’s alright.”

After taking the picture, the alpha sent it to Xie Songchen on WeChat, “It’s rare for you to come, gotta take a picture to commemorate.” Xie Songchen didn’t comment. He wasn’t in the mood for pictures or to talk to anyone. Xie Songchen picked up his phone, idly scrolling through Moments. Chu Mo hadn’t updated today either. Nor had he sent any messages. Not even work-related ones.

While waiting for a message, Xie Songchen casually opened the photo his friend had sent him. Under the dim lights, Xie Songchen’s features were still exceptionally striking. His cold appearance, under the bar’s lighting, even had a bit more intensity. However, Xie Songchen didn’t like taking photos and had no intention of saving the picture. Just as he was about to exit the chat, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a figure in the top left corner.

Xie Songchen frowned, using his long fingers to zoom in on the photo. As he did, his frown deepened. In the photo, Xie Songchen saw a tall, single-eyelid alpha, with another alpha’s arm around his shoulder. The image wasn’t very clear. But Xie Songchen could still recognize that the single-eyelid alpha was Chu Mo’s partner—Xiao Chen.

Xie Songchen glanced back at the direction behind him. Sure enough, he saw the figure of the omega with a scar on his forehead. He was mingling with a group of alphas. Wasn’t this guy an omega? Why was he here?! And why was he so chummy with those alphas…?

Xie Songchen’s fingers tightened, his earlier disappointment turning into anger. He felt angry on behalf of Chu Mo. This omega named “Xiao Chen,” despite having such an outstanding partner like Chu Mo, was still doing this kind of thing?! Suddenly, Xie Songchen felt it was really not worth it for Chu Mo. This omega wasn’t worth Chu Mo’s affection at all!

Xie Songchen pursed his lips tightly, very displeased with “Xiao Chen’s” actions. Meanwhile, Chu Mo had just finished showering and was in his study, administering an inhibitor to himself. His phone vibrated. Chu Mo dried his hands and picked up his phone to see a message from Xie Songchen.

[Xie Songchen: [Image]]

Chu Mo opened the chat, and a photo appeared. In the photo, Xie Songchen’s handsome face was breathtaking. Chu Mo was momentarily stunned—when did this kid become so narcissistic? Just then, Chu Mo noticed that Xie Songchen had circled something in the top right corner of the photo. Chu Mo zoomed in on the red circle and was immediately dumbfounded—it was Xiao Chen?!

The next second, Chu Mo’s phone vibrated several times. A string of messages from Xie Songchen popped up.

[Xie Songchen: What a coincidence.]

[Xie Songchen: My first time at a bar, and I run into your boyfriend.]

[Xie Songchen: There are a lot of alphas around him.]

[Xie Songchen: He seems… quite familiar with this place.]