Delicate, Yet Shamelessly Freeloading [Quick Transmigration] Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Alpha with Pheromone Disorder (23)

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He had no idea where he had put his phone while changing.

 

From experience, the more urgently you needed to find something, the harder it was to locate.

 

It would probably turn up somewhere obvious later when he least expected it.

 

Shui Que scanned the dressing room but couldn’t find his phone. “Did you bring yours? I can look it up now.”

 

“Why didn’t you bring an inhibitor?! Are your rut instincts that messed up?”

 

He was like an ant on a hot pan, speaking without thinking. “Should I… should I go find an Alpha who knows how to do it?”

 

The moment he finished speaking, Qu Jiuchao bit down on the back of his neck—not on the scent gland, but it still hurt, because he clearly hadn’t held back.

 

Even in his muddled state, he was furious. “Do you think marking is some trivial thing?”

 

“Do you see me as an Omega who could just accept anyone?”

 

Realizing how out of line his words had been, Shui Que softened his tone. “I’m sorry…”

 

The other person kissed Shui Que’s lips feverishly, his tongue tracing over them so insistently that they grew hot, swelling slightly into a soft, rounded shape. The slick sweetness trickled down his snow-white neck.

 

As if afraid Shui Que might escape, he pressed a firm hand against the back of his head to deepen the kiss. His other hand tightly twisted the silk ribbon on Shui Que’s back.

 

Perhaps the importance of water conservation had been well ingrained in him—he wasn’t willing to waste a single drop. He followed the sticky trail down from the soft, tender cheeks, licking away every trace of sweetness.

 

“No… stop…” Shui Que pushed against his face, curling his toes in embarrassment. “There will be marks… Other people will see.”

 

“So, it’s fine as long as it’s somewhere others can’t see?” Qu Jiuchao’s fingers, still wrapped around the silk ribbon, trembled slightly with a nervous energy. His voice was rich with persuasion.

 

Shui Que didn’t notice what he was doing behind him, but his face was scrunched up with hesitation. “You haven’t stabilized yet? Then… I suppose it’s okay.”

 

“But you need to hurry. I’m worried we won’t have enough time to prepare.”

 

How strange.

 

Wasn’t a mark supposed to quickly stabilize an Omega’s heat period?

 

Could it be that his Alpha pheromone secretion was too weak?

 

If that was the case, then wouldn’t he be… a pretty useless Alpha? Completely incapable of fulfilling an Omega’s needs?

 

What should he do? This was humiliating.

 

Would Qu Jiuchao think less of him?

 

His cheeks burned with shame. He wanted to cover his face and hide.

 

A real Omega knew how to take initiative. Qu Jiuchao’s glasses had been left in the inner dressing room, saving him the trouble of taking them off.

 

His long, slender fingers were far more nimble than Shui Que’s. With a few deft movements, the deep green silk ribbon loosened, and without its restraint, the fabric of his upper clothing naturally slipped open.

 

Cool air wrapped around him from all sides.

 

“W-Wait…” Shui Que’s eyes widened in alarm. He had just managed to tie the ribbon back properly and had even been about to ask Qu Jiuchao to help secure it with a knot. He hadn’t expected him to do the exact opposite.

 

Qu Jiuchao’s dark eyes lowered, his gaze glued to the sight before him as though stuck with adhesive. He instinctively reached up to adjust his glasses but, realizing too late that his nose bridge was bare, ended up grasping at empty air.

 

He chuckled softly. “So small.”

 

It took Shui Que a moment to process the words. Then he exploded, “What the hell is wrong with you?! Shut up! Don’t say that!”

 

“But it’s beautiful,” Qu Jiuchao added, as if Shui Que wasn’t already mortified. His gaze was almost reverent. “I want to kiss them.”

 

Not only did he dare to think it—he was also a man of action.

 

＊

 

The countdown for the evening gala reached zero. A hundred fireworks and cannon salutes exploded simultaneously, the thunderous sound reverberating through the air, filling the sky with a riot of colors and noise.

 

After indulging himself, Qu Jiuchao was thoroughly satisfied. He patiently re-tied the once-disheveled deep green silk ribbon, his fingers weaving it into a flawless butterfly knot.

 

“All done.”

 

He picked up the fox-fur cloak and carefully draped it over Shui Que’s shoulders, treating him like a treasured doll in need of meticulous care.

 

The cloak wrapped around him snugly, covering both the U-shaped neckline and the back where the green silk ribbon was tied. It shielded him from the wind and concealed everything perfectly. No one else would ever see what he had seen.

 

“No one else will know.”

 

Shui Que’s mind was still hazy, barely registering his words. He was likely still in shock, his eyes tinged red at the corners, his lashes fluttering anxiously as he lowered his gaze.

 

On the surface, he had returned to being the polite, composed Omega from before, his demeanor betraying no hint of his earlier loss of control. He knelt down on one knee, positioning himself so that Shui Que’s foot could rest on his raised leg, carefully helping him put on his white stockings.

 

He looked gentle and accommodating, as though he would indulge any request.

 

Nothing like the depraved lunatic who had refused to let go even when beaten and kicked.

 

A wolf in sheep’s clothing.

 

That was Shui Que’s assessment.

 

If it weren’t for the mission, Qu Jiuchao would probably never find a boyfriend in his lifetime.

 

How could there be—how could there possibly be—such a terrifying Omega in this world?!

 

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Even though he knew it was incredibly rude, he couldn’t resist kicking Qu Jiuchao’s shoulder in frustration.

 

Not even a flinch.

 

Instead, Qu Jiuchao’s large hand caught his ankle and lifted it slightly.

 

The heavy skirt shifted backward, revealing the smooth, delicate curve of his calf, disappearing into the shadows beyond.

 

Shui Que had no idea where the other man’s gaze had landed. He braced himself against the table, twisting his ankle in an attempt to break free, but he couldn’t shake off the grip. “What are you doing?! Let go!”

 

“Weren’t you the one who tried to kick me first?” Qu Jiuchao said indifferently.

 

Shui Que was about to come up with an excuse to argue back, but the next moment, Qu Jiuchao’s actions left him utterly speechless.

 

Realizing what had just happened, he immediately clamped a hand over his mouth. “You’re never allowed to kiss my lips again!”

 

His expression was one of absolute horror, as if the person in front of him was a monstrous beast that had to be avoided at all costs.

 

“But,” Qu Jiuchao stated calmly, “your feet smell just as sweet.”

 

How could someone say something so outrageous with the tone of an academic report?!

 

Even as he sluggishly made his way to the dressing room, Shui Que’s mind was still haunted by the image of Qu Jiuchao turning his face to the side and pressing a kiss to his ankle, separated only by the thin fabric of his white stocking.

 

The knight captain had been waiting outside for quite some time. He brushed the dust off the golden sash on his chest and looked up. “What took you so long to change?”

 

“The outfit is too complicated. It’s hard to put on.” Shui Que wasn’t used to stage costumes. The heavy skirt made it difficult to walk properly. He felt like a little prince who had sneaked into his sister’s closet and now had no idea how to move in her dress.

 

Lively chatter filled the room.

 

“Classmate Song is here? Classmate Song is here?”

 

“Don’t push! The hallway is wide enough. Watch out, you’re stepping on my skirt!”

 

“Stop being dramatic. You should be the one backing off! Has Classmate Song finished changing?”

 

“Let me see! Let me see first!”

 

A group of dark-skinned Alphas, dressed in heavy makeup, lifted their skirts and craned their necks to peek inside.

 

Shui Que couldn’t hold back and let out a chuckle.

 

Initially, he thought that dressing as a female Omega would be ridiculous for a male Alpha like himself, but now, seeing his teammates, he realized they were far more amusing.

 

Yet, as soon as they saw him, the rowdy Alphas suddenly became shy. Their exaggerated, coquettish behavior vanished, replaced by an awkward bashfulness that seemed almost genuine.

 

The reason was clear—the person standing before them was breathtakingly beautiful.

 

Was it because the deep green fabric made his complexion stand out, or was Classmate Song naturally this fair-skinned?

 

His little face was soft and pale, framed by long lashes. His sharp chin nestled against the fluffy collar of his fox-fur cloak, and his cheeks, round with just the right amount of plumpness, had a mesmerizing curve.

 

He wasn’t showing any skin. The cloak wrapped around him, and his skirt was so long it nearly dragged on the ground, yet no one could take their eyes off him.

 

Lu Fengchi, ever perceptive, noticed something unusual—

 

His lower lip looked swollen, as if someone had been sucking on it.

 

“Where is Qu Jiuchao?” he asked, referring to the only one not present.

 

Shui Que explained, “His shirt got wrinkled, so he borrowed an iron to smooth it out.”

 

Wrinkled?

 

Why was it wrinkled?

 

What had they been doing?

 

Dressed in a black and gold knight’s uniform, Lu Fengchi reacted as if his territory had been invaded. Ignoring the gazes of others, he loosely circled Shui Que with his arms, lowered his head, and took a deep sniff—from his cheek down to his neck, then to the collar of the fox-fur cloak.

 

He didn’t detect another Alpha’s scent.

 

But he did smell something.

 

A rich, sweet fragrance rose from Shui Que’s skin, seeping from the softness of his flesh. Lu Fengchi had smelled it before—on that evening after school, when he had kissed Shui Que fiercely. But now, it was even more intense.

 

He bent down further, his face nearly buried in Shui Que’s chest.

 

Though he was cross-dressing, Shui Que hadn’t taken it to the extreme. Unlike the other players whose “wives” relied on muscles to simulate curves, Shui Que’s frame was naturally thin and flat.

 

And incredibly fragrant.

 

What exactly had they done?

 

Lu Fengchi’s hands were neither gentle nor restrained as he tried to undo the warm cloak.

 

Shui Que frowned and slapped his restless hands away. “What are you doing? If you keep this up, I’ll get mad.”

 

“Oh…” Lu Fengchi, sulking, backed off obediently. “Sorry.”

 

Why couldn’t he?

 

So, what exactly had they done?

 

*

 

Calling the performance a success would be an understatement—the applause was deafening when Shui Que and his team took their bows.

 

The first three rows of the audience had been reserved for invited parents and alumni.

 

Wei Qing had accompanied Song Qin under the pretense of being his old college photography club president. In reality, Song Qin held the dual status of an invited parent and alumni, whereas Wei Qing was, at best, an honorary alumnus.

 

He scrolled through the hundreds of photos he had taken, and in every frame, there was only one focal point.

 

“If you hadn’t told me when he came on stage, I wouldn’t have realized it was Shui Que,” Wei Qing said, rubbing his chin. “How did he end up with that role? Did you ask him? Was it voluntary?”

 

Of course, Shui Que hadn’t been honest with him. In fact, when he heard Wei Qing was coming to watch, he had frantically waved his hands, claiming he was just a background tree. He had even tried to persuade his brother not to waste his time, saying he understood how busy he was with work.

 

But Song Qin wouldn’t miss Shui Que’s performance for anything. Even if he were just a background tree, he would be the cutest tree in the world.

 

He was going to have these photos printed.

 

Without hesitation, Song Qin snatched the camera from Wei Qing and said calmly, “He’s not your little brother. Don’t call him that.”

 

Wei Qing’s eye twitched. Silently, he mouthed: “Tch, petty.”

 

The event ended, and as family, Song Qin sent Shui Que a message, telling him he would wait at the backstage exit to take him home.

 

A three-day New Year’s holiday was about to begin.

 

The night was deep, with snowflakes drifting down.

 

Streetlights cast long shadows under the trees.

 

The backstage exit opened onto the campus road. Even from a distance, Song Qin recognized the round, puffy figure bundled up in a down jacket.

 

“Shui Que’s friends?” Wei Qing asked, nodding toward the two taller figures standing beside Shui Que. “Are they waiting with him? What great friends.”

 

As he spoke, the lean, shadowy figure on the left suddenly pulled Shui Que into an embrace.

 

Wei Qing saw Song Qin’s expression darken instantly and hurriedly added, “It’s probably just a friendly hug!”

 

Then the taller figure on the right took advantage of the moment and kissed Shui Que on the cheek.

 

Wei Qing: “Uh… maybe it’s a Western goodbye kiss? Just a polite gesture, right?”

 

The cold wind howled. The trash can nearby was overflowing, and an empty soda can tumbled across the street, its rattling noise exceptionally loud in the silent campus road.

 

Song Qin’s face was thunderous. He strode toward the three of them with furious determination.

 

Wei Qing had never seen Song Qin walk so fast, not even when using a cane all these years.

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Huge shoutout to @candycorns2 on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.

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