Chapter 11

The“Pearl” drank his milk and continued to chat, his phone constantly ringingwith new messages, not only from Zou Jing Yu, but also from the new classmates hemet today.

The new class Tong Yan was added to had atotal of three omegas that needed to carry the “Sensitive Person” sign.They were arranged to sit in three rows near the window by the homeroom teacher.Their desk-mates were all beta.

The other two omegas had been in this class since their freshman year.They had never taken a leave from school. Tong Yan’s case was more serious thantheirs, but the homeroom teacher didn’t say anything, so no one paid him anyspecial attention.

Everyone knew him, mostly because of the summer vacation’s hot topic thatstayed in the social software’s top searches for three days. It could be saidthat the wedding attracted national attention.

However, his classmates were not paparazzi. This was the first day ofschool, and none of them were familiar with Tong Yan. During the day, besideshis neighbors, no one asked Tong Yan about that gossip.

TongYan’s new desk-mate was also a girl. She was called Chai ManMan, but her own pronunciationof her name were two extremes. After class, she stood up and shouted goodbye tothe teacher, faster than everyone else by half a beat. The pavilionclosest to the water enjoys moonlight first, in one day, Tong Yan becamemost familiar with her.

At this time, they should be eating a good dinner, then they would getready to go to their extracurricular activities. Chai ManMan sent a message to TongYan on OUKM: Has your husband come to pick you up?

Tong Yan:

Muscular-Hermit-Boy: We’re almost home, are you going to class?

CM:Yup

CM: Monday is study group, don’t know if they’llhold it tonight, I’ll go take a look

Muscular-Hermit-Boy:‘Kay

CM: Bringing up the previous topic, your alpha is really handsome [image] [image]

CM:I haven’t felt this way seeing a suit in a long time. Maybe this is thelegendary ‘CEO of someone else’s house’? [Thirsty.jpg]

She’d posted two photos of Zhuo Xiang Ming. Not sure for what occasion, but Zhuo Xiang Ming was dressed very formally, he even wore a bow tie. He had a glass of champagne in his hand and wasn’t looking at the camera. He was talking to someone at his side, because of the height gap and lowered heads, the camera only captured his smooth jaw line and the gentle smile tugging the corners of his mouth. The prominent color in the picture was black and gray, a little bit empty, but, to Tong Yan, his handsomeness still overflowed from the screen.

Afteropening and closing the big picture several times, Chai ManMan sent anotherone: But you’re also very handsome, you guys match well

Thistime, Tong Yan replied very quickly: Obviously!

CM:[Knock]

Zhuo Xiang Ming was already parking.

Tong Yan seized the moment to reply: Home,bye

He turned off the screen and prepared to get out, but, when he reached for the seat belt his hand touched Zhuo Xiang Ming’s, only then did he notice that Zhuo Xiang Ming was leaning back into his seat. Tong Yan froze for a moment, not sure how much of the conversation Zhuo Xiang Ming had seen. Zhuo Xiang Ming had already withdrawn, he unfastened his own seat belt, and the two of them got out of the car.

Before ringing the doorbell, Tong Yan suddenly felt timid, grabbing thecorner of Zhuo Xiang Ming’s jacket: “We didn’t bring anything.”

ZhuoXiang Ming comforted him: “It’s just coming back for dinner, don’t benervous.”

TongYan: “But when you went to my house last time …”

“That’s different.” Zhuo Xiang Ming saidgently.

But, how exactly was it different? Zhuo Xiang Ming didn’t say, and TongYan also forgot to ask. He was completely pacified, and when the door abruptlyopened, he didn’t have time to hesitate.

Theone who came to open the door was Zhuo Jia Shuo. The omega brother who was onlya year younger than Zhuo Xiang Ming. First, he dutifully called out ‘Big brother’,then he grinned at Tong Yan and said, “Sister-in-law.”

TongYan was dumbstruck by this address. He couldn’t even properly reply, his faceflushing deep red. If some of his rationality hadn’t remained, he would’vereally wanted to hide behind Zhuo Xiang Ming.

Hetruly thought both households knew that it was a fake marriage, how could he bementally prepared to be teased this way? Tong Yan could handle banter, butputting him and Zhuo Xiang Ming together had a kind of indescribable outrageousfeeling. He had no words to fight back, simply defeated.

Zhuo Xiang Ming hugged Tong Yan’s shoulderscomfortingly and pulled him to his side. Zhuo Jia Shuo was still grinning. ZhuoXiang Ming glanced at him, tactfully telling him to step aside, but Tong Yandidn’t get two seconds to relax before he heard Zhuo Jia Shuo shout from inside:“Dad! Mom! My brother and sister-in-law are here.”

“Why are you shouting?”

Lin Yue Hua smiled and came out to welcome them, Tong Yan greeted her:“Auntie, how are you?”

“Good, good.” Lin Yue Hua pulled himfrom Zhuo Xiang Ming’s side and led him to the dining room, asking, “Areyou just out of school? Are you tired? How about you sleep here after dinner tonightand chat with Auntie?”

TongYan said: “Yes, I just left school. I didn’t do anything today, so I’m nottired. At night …”

Helooked back at Zhuo Xiang Ming, who said: “He still has homework to do, hewon’t be able to relax here.”

Lin Yue Hua still hadn’t spoken when Zhuo Jia Shuo let out a dramatic disappointedsigh, but even though everyone ignored him, he was still upbeat: “Thencome on the weekend, you don’t have to worry about homework on theweekend.”

ZhuoXiang Ming: “He returns to the Tong family on the weekends.”

Lin Yue Hua hurriedly said: “It’s veryimportant to return home.”

Therewere five people at the dining table, four Zhuo family members, and Tong Yan.The other three sat separately on the three other ends of the table, and TongYan sat next to Zhuo Xiang Ming.

He was already more familiar with Zhuo Xiang Ming, but he didn’t knowhow to talk to the others. Fortunately, he was joining them for dinner, so he justhad to focus on eating. Moreover, while he ate, Zhuo Xiang Ming consistently passeddishes for him to eat, so he could whittle away some time without even liftinghis head.

Butdespite this, Zhuo Jia Shuo had to make his existence known.

Aftera few minutes, the shrimp were ready. Zhuo Xiang Ming peeled a few and put themin a small bowl for Tong Yan. It was just like this at home, so Tong Yan wasused to it. However, Zhuo Jia Shuo would always either sigh meaningfully, or cough.The pestered Tong Yan was soon too embarrassed to sit and enjoy Zhuo Xiang Ming’slabor. He pushed the bowl back and said in a low voice: “Brother, I’ll do itmyself.”

Zhuo Xiang Ming also spoke in a low voice, coaxing him: “Just ignorehim and he’ll get bored. The more you pay attention to him, the more excited hegets.”

But Tong Yan shook his head, thinking that this way of eating really wasn’tgood. In short, he didn’t touch the bowl of shrimp again, so Zhuo Xiang Mingate it.

After Lin Yue Hua lowered her chopsticks, everyone left the table together. Tong Yan naturally followed Zhuo Xiang Ming, but Zhuo Xiang Ming was called for a talk in the study by Zhuo ZhengDe. Tong Yan could only stay in the living room with Lin Yue Hua and Zhuo Jia Shuo.

Before going upstairs, Zhuo Xiang Ming gave Zhuo Jia Shuo a warningglance, and Zhuo Jia Shuo made a zipper movement across his mouth. Then ZhuoXiang Ming touched Tong Yan’s head and said, “Stay with my mother for a bit,we’ll leave as soon as I come back down.”

TongYan nodded obediently and let him go.

Lin Yue Hua really liked Tong Yan. Not to mention the fact that there wereso few omegas nowadays, people from her generation still considered alphas thebest match for omegas. There were very few households that could be counted asequal to the Lin family, Tong Yan was the most suitable, and his personality wasreally good. Before the marriage, both parties naturally investigated eachother, it was impossible for her to arbitrarily give Zhuo Xiang Ming away forbusiness.

Plus,Tong Yan was indeed young, without this cooperation, if the two wanted to marryfor love, the Tong family might be very unwilling.

Lin Yue Hua watched Tong Yan, the more she looked, the more satisfied shefelt.

Originally, in this type of household, there was no shortage of childrenmarrying late. She was already worried when Zhou Xiang Ming mentioned that hehad no plans to marry.

Whatdid he call it? Celibacy? Lin Yue Hua didn’t understand, but she originally wasn’tthe kind of parent who would force her child. Plus, Zhuo Xiang Ming wasn’t tooold, so she just let him be the last few years.

Then,she chanced upon a good child like Tong Yan and successfully married him into herfamily. Since the wedding day, she had no plans to let Zhuo Xiang Ming divorce TongYan.

For things like feelings, extended contactwas all that was needed for it to develop. Who’s to say? Maybe when the timecame, they’ll be unwilling to divorce.

After chatting with Tong Yan for a while, she left to answer the phone. ZhuoXiang Ming still hadn’t come down, so just Zhuo Jia Shuo was left. Tong Yanfelt that he was very indecent, so, deciding to ignore him, he sat fartheraway.

Zhuo Jia Shuo was much more well-behaved than at the dining table, he justsat askew on the sofa. Tong Yan suspected that he had eaten himself into a coma,then that made him recall the bowl of shrimp he’d missed, and his dislike for thisperson grew a bit more.

But this person was Zhuo Xiang Ming’s younger brother, he was also hissenior. If he was only a year younger than Zhuo Xiang Ming, he should betwenty-six, thinking this way about him seemed a little rude.

Thenjust ignore him, don’t hate him, Tong Yan thought, it was unlikely that they wouldsee each other often anyway.

“I saw you guys kissing.” Zhuo Jia Shuo suddenly said.

Tong Yan turned back in alarm, and saw a smirkon his face.

“We didn’t!” Tong Yan said, “What are you talkingabout?”

“Didn’t you do it before you got out of the car?”

TongYan thought back: “That was just brother helping me unfasten my seatbelt!”

“Wow.” Zhuo Jia Shuo laughed. He’d just happened to see Zhuo XiangMing’s car pulling in from the second-floor window. After the car turned off,they didn’t get out immediately, rather, they stayed there for a while beforecoming out. Of course, he knew that it wasn’t a kiss, but he’d suddenly recalledit, and wanted to tease Tong Yan. “He’s that good to you? Why has he never unfastenedmy seatbelt?”

TongYan said: “How would I know? Just ask him yourself.”

Zhuo Jia Shuo moved closer, Tong Yan pretended to be calm and didn’tescape.

“So, you guys in love?”

TongYan said: “No!”

“I’m eighteen years old, what are youthinking?”

Zhuo Jia Shuo: “Eighteen-year-olds can go to bed. Is it yourthinking that has a problem, or mine?”

TongYan’s face turned red again at the words “go to bed “. He felt irritated,why was he constantly blushing today?

“Anyway, we don’t have that kind of relationship.” Tong Yan alsodidn’t bother with politeness, saying fiercely, “Why are you so much more despicablethan your older brother?”

Zhuo Jia Shuo cheerfully reclined back on the sofa and said, “Maybeit’s because my brother has never unfastened my seat belt, or walked around withhis arm on my shoulders, or pass dishes to me, and he definitely has neverpealed my shrimp! I’m too miserable!”

TongYan speechlessly got up and walked to the other end of the living room, faraway from Zhuo Jia Shuo. While fuming, he thought of how he used to think that ZhuoXiang Ming’s younger brother was good-looking. Now it seems that, unlike Zhuo XiangMing, his head was just full of senseless thoughts. What use was it to look good?

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T/N:

The pavilion closest to the water enjoysmoonlight first – to benefit from intimacy with aninfluential person

CEO of someone else’s house seems to be thename of another BL novel.

If you’re wondering why some first names arecontracted, like Chai ManMan, it’s cause word processor’s grammar-check hatesthem

Rip delicious shrimp

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes a small bowl of peeled shrimp rejected reveals how much this young wife is starving for love and is in denial about it. I only hope that TY’s hatred for his brother in law breaking through denial is just a Chinese way to exaggerate emotions in storytelling or a sign of TY’s stunted emotional growth and not a sign of how truly damaged our Omega is. Zhuo family is helping him to grow up into a fine young man.

It’s a juggernaut of a chapter. Huge. Satisfying… 😋

To me, TY doesn’t seem stunted in emotional growth and I don’t think ZXM’s brother is breaking through denial. At this point, TY and ZXM have good feelings but aren’t in love yet. Rather the brother seems childish for his age antagonizing TY into an awkward situation while knowing the circumstances and when he’s like near double TY’s age. Idk, it’s just that he doesn’t give off a great first impression

Aria, they are not even human. It’s an ABO universe. I try to remind myself about it from time to time. What’s normal for us, for our maturation schedule, might not be so for them. Otherwise it’s too weird. Tong Yan is 18 and married, having reached reproductive maturity, his first estrus, his capacity to give birth and care for the young, yet he takes care of no one, weaves no family into unity and feels spontaneous hatred towards a family member which is an opposite of love. H e acts a human three old. Or as a person so damaged, so ill, that anything and everything makes him hurt like hell.

But even so the story emphasizes his teenage/child mentality and maturation into adulthood and juxtaposes it to ZXM’s maturity and awkwardness. In contrast, ZXM’s brother is about the same age as ZXM. TY is a youngest child and omega, which means he’s cared for; however, his family is often busy and neglectful, so I can understand his familial disunity and frustration because he wants them to care. Not to mention, he’s hit an obstacle due to that familial neglect which is why he puts up with the Zhuo family in his awkward spot, which I think is still a sign of his emotional maturity.

You are definitely gifted. You EQ must be sky high. I enjoy your take on this, Aria.I mostly enjoy the storytelling, the language, the brushstrokes with which characters are painted so to speak. The word hate in the text triggered my comment. It’s a sudden, extreme and undifferentiated emotion in this context. Hate is also an attitude of separation, dominance and destruction. Going from zero to six hundred miles per hour. Such emotion or attitude makes one unable to experience empathy or compassion which are fundamental for love and belonging at any age. Hate over a bowl of shrimp, hmmm. 🤔