Chapter 100: The First Mad Dog Found it
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The island’s weather was like perpetual spring, with gentle winds and warm sun when it didn’t rain. Ivy vines entwined the outer walls of the dance studio, thriving and slowly spreading toward the windows.
Shen Yao wore loose and soft clothes, fluttering in the wind. He squatted down, clapping hands with a little girl who had been waiting for him.
“Wow!”
The little girl immediately let out a happy cheer and ran back to her mother, hugging her mother’s leg and shyly hiding her face.
The mother smiled helplessly, patting her daughter’s head. “Say goodbye to your teacher.”
Shen Yao leaned against the window, turned around, and smiled. “It’s okay, we’ll see each other tomorrow.”
Two years had passed, and he hadn’t changed a bit. He had bought the building, transformed it into a dance studio, and taught children how to dance.
Shen Yao didn’t particularly like kids. The children who were allowed to stay and learn in his dance studio were well-behaved, sweet, and attractive, adding a touch of fun to his otherwise calm and monotonous life.
After tidying up, Shen Yao locked the door with his key and headed downstairs. At first glance, he saw the Alpha teenager sitting on the steps, waiting for him.
Dong Dong had just come of age, and his tall Alpha stature was gradually becoming more apparent. He sat with his legs spread out on the steps, his broad and reliable back against the railing.
He had rushed over right after school, still dressed in his school uniform, a backpack slung diagonally over his shoulder, and he was playing with a dog he had somehow found. He mumbled incessantly, but his voice was too soft to make out.
Shen Yao stopped on the steps one level above him. “What are you doing?”
“Ah!”
Dong Dong was startled, leaping up from the steps and almost dropping his backpack. He exclaimed, “Brother Shen Min…”
Since Shen Yao had first encountered him, this Alpha had stuck to him like glue. He followed him everywhere, and after learning his age, he kept calling Shen Yao “older brother”.
Shen Yao pocketed his keys. “Why didn’t you go home directly after school?”
“Because I wanted to come and pick you up…”
“You wanted to pick me up?” Shen Yao looked at his school uniform and chuckled, not making much of it. “If you wanted to pick me up, why didn’t you come upstairs? Why are you sitting on the stairs?”
“Because, because…”
Dong Dong stuttered even more.
He didn’t come upstairs because every time he saw Shen Yao dancing, he would blush. Last time, he even had a nosebleed, and Shen Yao personally handed him a tissue. He didn’t want to embarrass himself again.
After hesitating for a while, he finally had a bright idea. “Because I just ran over, and I’m all sweaty. I might smell bad.”
The scent of the teenager’s pheromones was refreshing, like the smell of oranges, filling the air with a summery vibe.
Shen Yao gave a gentle sniff and casually remarked, “It’s not unpleasant.”
“Is that so?”
Dong Dong didn’t care if Shen Yao was just being polite. He was thrilled to receive a compliment. His eyes sparkled like stars. He stuck close to Shen Yao, his invisible tail wagging vigorously behind him.
Colorful houses of various heights were built alongside the steps, and descending along the winding path was the only way to reach home.
Shen Yao noticed the additional people along the way. He asked, “Do people come here to take photos too?”
“Very few people from outside the island come here, but occasionally, some people do come to take photos,” Dong Dong replied. “I remember seeing it happen once when I was a kid.”
“Click—”
There was no flash, but Shen Yao’s sensitive ears caught the sound of a camera shutter. He followed the direction of the sound, only to see a pricey lens.
Shen Yao halted in his steps and lowered the brim of his cap, covering a significant portion of his face even more discreetly. He moved behind Dong Dong, as if relying on him, and furrowed his brows as he whispered softly:
“I don’t really like it when others take pictures of me.”
Dong Dong instantly understood his meaning. He jumped down from the steps and strode purposefully towards the person who had been holding the camera just a moment ago. He grabbed the photographer’s arm and glared down at him menacingly, “Taking sneaky photos is very impolite. Delete the picture, or I’ll smash your camera.”
“Ah, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
The young photographer, though not that old, realized he had messed with the wrong person. He apologized quickly, “I’m sorry. I just thought the two of you looked great together, so I wanted to take a shot. I’ll delete it now.”
In the photo, they were walking side by side, hands in pockets, with his gaze always fixed on the person in front of him. A small dog with a constantly wagging tail trotted by their feet.
Even the sunlight was perfect.
“Wait.”
Dong Dong changed his focus and clutched the photographer’s wrist, “How much for your photo? Give it to me first, then you can delete it.”
It didn’t take long to resolve the situation. Shen Yao looked at Dong Dong when he returned and asked, “Did he delete the photo?”
“Yes.”
Dong Dong held his phone tightly in his slightly warm palm. On it were the photos he had just bought.
Shen Yao and Dong Dong said their usual farewells at the doorstep. As Shen Yao was about to open the door, a voice suddenly called out from behind.
“Shen Min!”
This time, the Alpha didn’t address him as “older brother.” He stood by the railing, clutching the straps of his backpack tightly. The smile on his face still carried a hint of youthful innocence. He asked earnestly:
“Can I invite you to the Fisherman’s Festival tomorrow night?”
***
In the dark night sky, fireworks bloomed in a dazzling display. Many people held torches in their hands, cheering and laughing on every corner of the beach.
This was the most important festival on the island, and everyone participating was forbidden to wear shoes.
Dong Dong was wearing his most handsome outfit today. He stood with his hands behind his back, receiving a flower passed to him by a friend. His gaze never left Shen Yao’s fair profile. It burned more intensely than the midday sun.
“…Shen Min.”
They were in the quietest corner. Shen Yao stood barefoot on the soft sand, the gentle waves of the sea washing over the beach. The cool seawater flowed over his bare feet. Since childhood, he had always loved the sea. Facing the vast expanse of water always brought him an unusual sense of relaxation.
He instinctively turned his head. “Hmm?”
“Gudong.”
Dong Dong’s eyes met his, and he saw the pronounced movement of his Adam’s apple as it bobbed up and down. He also heard the pounding of his own heart, as if a small deer was about to burst out of his chest.
He knew, Shen Yao was different from everyone else on the island. He had a unique quality that fascinated him.
He also knew that Shen Yao was a Beta, but so what?
He liked Shen Yao. He only wanted to be Shen Yao’s Alpha.
Dong Dong held the bouquet in both hands, his voice trembling with nervousness, “This is the most beautiful flower I found on the island. I want to give it to you.”
He had more to say, but he suddenly stopped.
Because he saw an Alpha approaching them, and what caught his attention was that the Alpha was wearing shoes. That wasn’t allowed during the festival.
Dong Dong decided to ignore the Alpha for now and redirected his attention back to Shen Yao, asking nervously, “So, can I be your Alpha?”
The bouquet was indeed beautiful, emitting a faint fluorescent glow in the night, exuding a vibrant aura.
Shen Yao, however, didn’t extend his hand to take it. He just lowered his gaze and looked at the bouquet. Just as he was about to say something, a chill ran down his spine. Suddenly, the nerves in his temple began to throb intensely.
A familiar cold breath approached him, the most unlikely person to be there. For a brief moment, his legs froze, rendering him momentarily immobile.
Before he could turn around, or even think about escaping, an Alpha stood behind him. One hand was firmly gripping Shen Yao’s shoulder, effectively restraining him. The other hand reached out from the side, taking hold of the bouquet.
Guan Shu seized the bouquet and slammed it onto the ground. The carefully selected flowers instantly shattered, with tender petals scattering all over the place.
“Bang!”
In that instant when the fireworks exploded overhead, Guan Shu forcefully pulled Shen Yao into his arms. Right in front of Dong Dong’s bewildered eyes, Guan Shu held Shen Yao’s chin, his gaze unflinching as he decisively pressed his lips against Shen Yao’s.
“Mm…”
The kiss was like a devouring tide, lips and teeth colliding, fiercer and more intense than any previous bite. Shen Yao could taste the overpowering and lingering taste of blood, a mixture of saltiness and bitterness on his lips, as if all love and hatred were being swallowed through this fervent exchange.
Dong Dong’s mind blanked out momentarily. When he abruptly regained his senses, his protective instincts for the person he liked surged forth.
He lunged forward without hesitation, aiming to pull Shen Yao within his protective reach, shouting, “Who the h*ll are you?! Let go of Shen Min!”
However, the Alpha seemed to have sensed something. He abruptly halted, his lips stained with fresh blood. He extended his tongue, calmly licking it away. His eyes, dark and intense, glinted like a hawk in the night, tinged with a reddish hue around the edges.
It was as if he was struggling to suppress his turbulent emotions. Even the arm around Shen Yao’s waist trembled slightly.
Dong Dong noticed that this Alpha had many scars on his body, particularly a deep scar on his prominent Adam’s apple. It appeared to be a mark left by a deeply inflicted wound, as if cut with a knife.
“Shen Min?” Guan Shu lowered his head to glance at Shen Yao, then chuckled and kissed the top of his head. He smiled softly, his eyes radiating amusement, “Darling, I’m so delighted. You can’t even bring yourself to tell him your real name. So, in your heart, he doesn’t even count, does he?”
Even within the two years of Shen Yao’s disappearance, during which Guan Shu’s obsession verged on madness, even when he saw the picture and dropped everything to rush over overnight, even when he saw Shen Yao again and wished to bind him to the bed.
He also didn’t want to show any emotions.
Because Shen Yao could handle it later.
His current task was to get the immature Alpha in front of him to back off, to make him understand that he had no room for interference, and to make him realize who Shen Yao belonged to.
Guan Shu looked at the widening pupils before him, releasing his top-tier Alpha pheromones, the overwhelming scent of Marjoram engulfing the surroundings like a mountain, imposing itself upon Dong Dong.
Still coughing from the previous kiss, Shen Yao was trying to recover. He had endured two years of suppressing his instincts as a Beta, and theoretically, he shouldn’t have any reaction to an Alpha’s pheromones.
However, the scent of Guan Shu’s pheromones caused his legs to go weak. A blush crept up his cheeks, and he almost stumbled forward, only to be pulled back into Guan Shu’s embrace, his head knocking against Guan Shu’s chin.
Taller than Shen Yao by a considerable margin, Guan Shu bent down, resting his chin on Shen Yao’s shoulder. He appeared like a beast guarding its partner, coldly assessing the Alpha named Dong Dong before him.
“Who am I?”
He sneered, “By the time I was your age, I had already slept with Shen Yao.”
“For the umpteenth time.”
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