Chapter 29: What a Coincidence
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The trees rustled in the wind, and the first sound of Xu Yibai’s voice blended with the roaring of the engine, slightly distorted, making Shen Yao mistake it for an auditory illusion.
Instinctively, he turned his head to glance at Guan Shu’s car, but the SUV had already driven far away, disappearing from his sight.
“Yao Yao.”
He had been listening to this familiar voice over the phone for a long time, and now he heard it again so vividly and clearly, the voice sounding clean.
Shen Yao sluggishly turned around and saw Xu Yibai under the moonlight.
He was dressed in clean short sleeves and jeans. Shen Yao had no idea how long he had been traveling, and his face showed a slight fatigue, but his gaze was exceptionally clear.
Shen Yao never expected him to suddenly appear like this, and his heart silently accelerated. After realizing that Guan Shu was no longer present, he revealed a surprised smile in an instant, his eyes shining brighter than the stars. “Why did you come back?”
Xu Yibai inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. He rested his hand on the car door, turned his head, and whispered a few words to Sister Li inside the car.
Sister Li had been curious about Xu Yibai’s young boyfriend for a long time. Unable to resist her desire to peek, she craned her neck and glanced for a while.
Unfortunately, with Shen Yao standing under the streetlight, she couldn’t see him clearly, only perceiving that this omega was very beautiful.
Sister Li withdrew her gaze and bid farewell to Xu Yibai. As she left, she turned her head for a glance and saw Xu Yibai striding towards the omega.
Xu Yibai walked up to Shen Yao, occasionally glancing in the direction where the SUV had just parked. Out of habit, he wanted to take the bag from Shen Yao’s hand and asked, “Yao Yao, where did you go so late? You didn’t reply to my messages.”
“I went to my teacher’s house to pick up some things.” Shen Yao didn’t let Xu Yibai take the bag from his hand. He took out his phone and showed it to Xu Yibai. “My phone ran out of battery, so I didn’t see your messages.”
He noticed the gift box that Xu Yibai was holding and smoothly changed the subject. “Is this the gift you brought for me?”
Xu Yibai murmured a soft “mm-hmm.” If it were any other time, he would already be smiling and telling Shen Yao what gifts he had brought. But now, Xu Yibai seemed a bit absent-minded. He lightly pursed his lips and asked, “Who brought you back, Yao Yao?”
He didn’t want to be suspicious, but at this time, with Shen Yao getting off a strange vehicle, he couldn’t help but want to ask a few more questions.
Xu Yibai couldn’t hide his emotions, and Shen Yao could tell that something was off from the moment he laid eyes on him.
“A friend,” Shen Yao answered with the answer he had prepared in his heart for a long time. After thinking for a moment, he added, “A high school classmate I haven’t seen in a long time.”
Xu Yibai had already caught a whiff of the pheromonal scent emanating from Shen Yao, not the sweet fragrance of apricot blossoms, but the unfamiliar alpha pheromones.
It was faint, but it lingered around Shen Yao like a haunting presence.
Subtly, Xu Yibai released his own blue wind chime scent and held Shen Yao’s hand, asking, “An alpha?”
“Can’t you smell it?” Shen Yao smiled openly, gently scratching the palm of Xu Yibai’s hand. “Don’t think too much of it. He’s just a classmate I used to get along well with. We happened to run into each other while the dance troupe was having dinner outside, and he gave me a ride on his way back.”
Shen Yao didn’t feel like he was lying. Guan Shu was indeed a classmate he had a good relationship with in the past, and the route he took back was indeed on the way, even if Guan Shu left because of giving him a ride.
After hearing the explanation, Xu Yibai remained silent. Shen Yao had never been close to any other alphas while dating him, and he knew he should trust Shen Yao.
If it were in the past, if it were before Shen Yao brought up the idea of breaking up last time, Xu Yibai would have believed him without hesitation.
“Brother?” Shen Yao shook his hand gently and asked softly, “Don’t you believe me?”
He seemed disappointed by Xu Yibai’s suspicion and turned his face, as if wanting to let go of their intertwined hands. Sensing the emptiness in his palm, Xu Yibai instinctively reached out and held on tightly.
“I don’t disbelieve you.”
Xu Yibai was afraid that Shen Yao would let go again, so he held on tightly.
He had missed him so much over the past two months, thinking of him constantly, and even often entertained the idea of booking a flight back. He rushed back all the way to see Shen Yao, intending to surprise him, not to argue with him.
The night breeze came in gusts, and the corners of Xu Yibai’s tightly pressed lips slowly relaxed. His longing turned into reality as he embraced his cherished omega, finally feeling warmth in his embrace.
Feeling the omega’s arms tightly encircling his waist, Xu Yibai bent down. In front of the deserted entrance of the apartment late at night, he gently kissed Shen Yao’s lips.
He missed Shen Yao so much that he couldn’t bear to close his eyes even during their connected kiss.
The sight of the embracing couple sharing kisses formed a beautiful picture, but it didn’t appear that way in Guan Shu’s eyes.
He tightly gripped the steering wheel, the cigarette between his lips unlit. His gaze, filled with a chilling coldness, stared outside the window, observing every movement and sound with keen attention.
Guan Shu didn’t leave; he just parked the car in a blind spot where Shen Yao couldn’t see, wanting to watch him enter the apartment. If he had left, how could he witness such an exciting scene now?
During his journey here, he had casually asked Shen Yao if he had a boyfriend now, and Shen Yao replied without changing his expression, “No.”
He had known long ago that Shen Yao was a liar, and he was lying again this time. Guan Shu almost fell for it once more.
Yan Zhixing was his business partner, while he was his lover. So, who was the person passionately kissing him now?
Was he the second lover? Or a boyfriend?
This scene was too familiar, so familiar that Guan Shu couldn’t suppress his restless emotions.
There was one thing he would never let Shen Yao know in his lifetime.
Once, during their freshman year, Guan Shu escaped from the military academy just to catch a glimpse of Shen Yao. He wanted to know how Shen Yao was doing, whether he had truly removed his marking, and if removing the marking had any impact on his body.
He climbed over the electric fence of the school, changed into inconspicuous attire, and stood beneath the dance teaching building of University A for an entire afternoon.
Guan Shu finally saw Shen Yao as he had wished, but it wasn’t just Shen Yao.
Coincidentally, it was a night like that, with the sound of cicadas chirping. Shen Yao came down the stairs, unaware of the person standing in the hidden corner by the wall. He happily rushed into the arms of an alpha.
The streetlight in front of the teaching building was broken, casting a dim light. Guan Shu could recognize Shen Yao at a glance but couldn’t see the face of that alpha clearly.
He coldly watched Shen Yao and the alpha embrace and kiss. Countless times, he wanted to step forward, pull them apart, and deliver a powerful punch to the alpha’s face, then question Shen Yao, “Is this the same adulterer from last time? You got together with him as soon as I left?”
But even when Shen Yao and the alpha left, Guan Shu couldn’t bring himself to act on his imagination.
He stood in the corner, and every time he tried to take a step, the watch on his wrist emitted numerous electric currents, sharp and rushing towards his temples, restraining all his impulses.
Guan Shu was in pain, his entire body drenched in sweat, soaking his clothes.
Later, before anyone could come looking for him, he voluntarily returned to the military academy that night. In less than twenty-four hours, he earned himself a major disciplinary offense.
Lying in the school’s detention room, covered in bruises, Guan Shu vowed that he wouldn’t love Shen Yao anymore.
The scene overlapped with a similar sultry summer night. He didn’t see the face of that alpha clearly, but his intuition told him that the person kissing Shen Yao now was the same alpha from back then, their figures nearly identical.
Guan Shu lowered his eyelids expressionlessly, then he slammed his fist heavily on the steering wheel, causing the horn to blare loudly.
With a cold face, he forcefully stepped on the gas pedal, and the off-road vehicle roared intensely, charging towards the direction where the two of them were, leaning more towards Xu Yibai’s direction.
Shen Yao and that alpha had been together for four years in total. Why? Shen Yao grew tired of him after three years, but he had been with that alpha for four years. Didn’t they want to break up?
Guan Shu’s foot on the gas pedal grew heavier, and the needles on the dashboard trembled violently.
The pitch-black vehicle broke through the darkness of the night, its bright headlights glaring and fierce as it rushed forward. Xu Yibai instinctively stopped and looked towards the road, seeing the car that brought Shen Yao back.
He saw the military off-road vehicle rushing towards them like a cheetah, its speed undiminished. The roar of the engine grew louder, as if it wanted to burst the eardrums.
Everyone noticed the commotion, and Shen Yao clearly saw it too. He grabbed Xu Yibai’s clothes and opened his mouth to warn him, “Xu—”
It was too late to dodge, and in a split second. Xu Yibai instinctively pulled Shen Yao behind him and tightly embraced him, fully protecting him in his arms.
The distance grew closer, but Guan Shu’s expression remained unchanged, calmly lifting his gaze and staring at the illuminated figures tightly embraced before him.
“Zi—”
When they were just within reach, Guan Shu suddenly turned the steering wheel forcefully, and the tires screeched against the ground, emitting a grating sound. The unmistakable tire marks were left on the ground.
The Grim Reaper swung his scythe over their heads, and Xu Yibai, holding Shen Yao, only heard a muffled “bang.”
When he raised his head again, the off-road vehicle had already crashed into a tree. The well-built vehicle didn’t suffer much damage, with only a slight dent in the front, as if the loss of control had led to this outcome.
Xu Yibai didn’t think so. He still held onto Shen Yao’s arm tightly, refusing to let go. He continued to protect Shen Yao behind him, not daring to loosen his grip. He rarely showed anger, his face turning serious.
He was afraid that Shen Yao would be scared, so he spoke to comfort him, “Don’t be afraid… Yao Yao.”
The off-road vehicle that came to a stop rolled down its window, revealing Guan Shu with a handsome face. He bit his cigarette, showing no hint of apology even though he almost hit someone.
In the light of the street lamp and car headlights, the features of the alpha kissing Shen Yao gradually became clear, and Guan Shu finally saw the face of the alpha kissing Shen Yao.
Veins protruded on Guan Shu’s arm as he held onto the steering wheel, and he stared intently. Suddenly, he couldn’t help but curl his lips and smile. He couldn’t help but marvel at Shen Yao’s taste in men.
“Long time no see, Xu Yibai.” Guan Shu rested his elbow on the car window, “Didn’t expect you to be in a relationship.”
Finally, he lit the cigarette that was in his mouth, and a spark of light emerged in the dark night. Guan Shu raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over Xu Yibai, but his focus remained on Shen Yao, whose expression behind Xu Yibai couldn’t be clearly seen.
Guan Shu’s eyes darkened, and despite his joking tone, there was a hint of confrontation in his words:
“So, you’re dating my ex-boyfriend.”
“You said it yourself, Shen Yao. How coincidental is this?”
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