Chapter 74: Reward
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Shen Yao’s gaze swept over Yan Zhixing’s face, and he didn’t bother to respond to Guan Shu and Xu Yibai’s questioning. He looked down on the three Alphas downstairs, his face devoid of any emotional fluctuations.
“I’m just suggesting, and if you don’t want to, I don’t mind,” Shen Yao shrugged lightly, relying on their guilt, nonchalantly saying, “After all, I’m not the only Omega in this world. I don’t mind if you find someone else.”
He knew that the three Alphas couldn’t stand each other, but he also knew that none of them would willingly let go of him. They would fight endlessly, and he didn’t want to be a prey or a pawn. He wanted to remain a bystander and benefit from the chaos.
In this chaotic situation, none of them would allow anyone to take Shen Yao away. Even if they had a chance to hold Shen Yao’s hand and keep him by their side, the other two men would try their best to take him back. It was an unsolvable dilemma.
No one could keep Shen Yao unless he was willing to stay. Otherwise, the outcome would be mutual destruction. He was even willing to stab himself in the stomach to prove it. If they wanted his love without his hatred, the best way was to listen to him obediently.
Xu Yibai’s fingers trembled slightly at his side. He had experienced Shen Yao’s desperation firsthand and would never forget the feeling of panic when life slipped away from his embrace.
Going against his true desires, he broke the ice and agreed first, “….Okay.”
Everyone knew that if they weren’t willing, Shen Yao would abandon them without hesitation. Shen Yao wouldn’t feel sorry for losing them; he would only feel relieved to be free from the trouble and have a quieter life.
Guan Shu lowered his hand that was pointing at Yan Zhixing and seemed unsure how to face Shen Yao. He didn’t speak, but his lowered head seemed like he was tacitly agreeing.
Even though he was unwilling, just like Xu Yibai.
“Guan Shu,” Shen Yao’s voice was lazy, still carrying traces of sleepiness. He didn’t look at Yan Zhixing and Xu Yibai’s expressions, nor did he care. Nonchalantly, he ordered, “Come up.”
Guan Shu’s walking posture became somewhat awkward, as he felt a mix of surprise and unease when called out by name. He even held onto some hope at that moment, wondering if his first love status would be special to Shen Yao, prompting him to call him up now.
If the two piercing gazes on his back could materialize, they would undoubtedly be sharp knives. Guan Shu didn’t even know how he managed to climb the stairs and follow Shen Yao inside.
The real owner was still downstairs, and Yan Zhixing witnessed Shen Yao leading Guan Shu into his room. They might be kissing or making love in there.
Although Yan Zhixing had no intention of participating in this farce, his throat tightened due to some indescribable emotions. He felt uncomfortable.
On the other hand, Xu Yibai’s breathing became heavier, and his fist clenched tighter. He couldn’t understand why he had agreed first, yet Shen Yao still favored Guan Shu.
Guan Shu had always been straightforward in his personality; he did what he wanted and said what he wanted. But now, facing Shen Yao, he couldn’t utter a single word.
When they were dating, he couldn’t bear to spend a day without Shen Yao. After they broke up, every day of the past four years had been a torment for him.
Guan Shu hadn’t seen Shen Yao for a long time. He greedily looked at Shen Yao’s features, as if trying to etch them into his heart. But at a certain moment, Guan Shu’s heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously tried to avoid eye contact.
It was him who had caused Shen Yao harm for the second time… It was him who hadn’t been able to save Shen Yao… and it resulted in a series of consequences.
If only those “ifs” didn’t exist…
“Come here,” Shen Yao’s voice was gentle as he sat on a chair, and he beckoned with his finger.
Guan Shu instinctively walked over and half-squatted in front of Shen Yao, getting used to this posture for easier communication with him. He then looked up at Shen Yao’s face.
He didn’t want to appear pitiful and although there was nothing particularly obvious on his face, his slightly trembling lips looked pitiful.
“How did this happen?” Shen Yao’s finger touched Guan Shu’s forehead, where a scar had appeared that wasn’t there before. His movements were gentle, as if he was caring and concerned, as he asked, “Did your dad do this to you?”
Guan Shu had more than one scar, it looked like he had been hit with some sharp object. He lowered his gaze and denied, “No.”
Then, after a pause, Guan Shu revealed the true cause of the scar, “It was me… I hit the wall myself.”
He regretted everything from the past, but he had no way to change what had happened. He couldn’t go back and alter the past, nor could he change the reality that had already occurred.
After those real nightmares and suffocating fantasies, Guan Shu turned all his regrets into pain. In the midst of dreams and reality, in the midst of painful screams that tore at his heart, he mindlessly slammed his head against the wall, one after another.
It wasn’t until his face was covered in blood, until his vision blurred from the fresh blood, that he could hear his own intensified heartbeat.
“I sent you so many messages… and made so many calls, but you didn’t reply to any of them,” Guan Shu’s throat was dry as he spoke incoherently, without blaming Shen Yao. He continued, “I thought you didn’t want me anymore, I thought you liked Xu Yibai… and just wanted to be with him.”
“I never rejected you,” Shen Yao continued to caress his wounds and explained, “It was Xu Yibai who took my phone.”
Guan Shu’s expression froze for a moment, as if a traveler in the desert had found an oasis. The heart that had been hanging in his throat for so long fell back into place, and his hatred towards Xu Yibai deepened.
Unconsciously, he went from half-squatting to kneeling, uncontrollably bending down and pressing his face against Shen Yao’s leg.
Guan Shu believed that Alphas shouldn’t shed tears; for him, tears were the utmost shame. Every time he cried, it was like a hedgehog retracting all its spikes, exposing all his vulnerable weaknesses to others.
He had cried countless times in front of Shen Yao, and he only cried in front of Shen Yao.
Guan Shu didn’t want Shen Yao to see him as useless, nor did he want Shen Yao to think of him as just a crying, useless Alpha. So, he only let tears flow for a few seconds before quickly stopping them.
“….Yao Yao,” he raised his face again, revealing his determined and sharp features, and said in a low voice, “You once said you hoped I would grow my hair longer, so it would feel more comfortable when you touched it. Now, I’ve grown my hair a bit longer.”
He still remembered the words Shen Yao said back in high school.
But Shen Yao didn’t comfort him like before; he didn’t wipe away his tears, nor did he touch Guan Shu’s hair. His emotions changed faster than a typhoon weather – after giving sweetness, he suddenly struck with coldness and distance, pushing Guan Shu away:
“I need to change clothes, go out.”
Guan Shu didn’t know what he did wrong, and his expression became more disoriented than before, but he still obeyed Shen Yao’s words and left the room.
He didn’t go anywhere else; Guan Shu stayed outside the door, replaying the scene in his mind, trying to figure out what he did wrong.
After a while, the door behind him opened, and Shen Yao walked out of the room. He had changed his pajamas to a sweater and a coat.
The marks on Shen Yao’s neck were still visible, irritating Guan Shu and making him restless, but he knew he had no right to question it.
When Yan Zhixing couldn’t hold back and was about to walk upstairs, Shen Yao and Guan Shu appeared in his line of sight.
Shen Yao didn’t spare him even a glance; as Yan Zhixing passed by, he unconsciously reached out his hand.
But Guan Shu mercilessly slapped his hand away, shielding Shen Yao by his side. Guan Shu reached out and tightly held Shen Yao’s hand.
He wanted one less competitor, glaring coldly at Yan Zhixing as he demanded, “What are you trying to do with your dirty hands?”
Yan Zhixing didn’t answer his question; he was still putting on that cold and indifferent appearance. His gaze swept over Guan Shu and landed directly on Shen Yao.
He didn’t have much emotional experience and couldn’t say anything nice.
“Just follow me,” Yan Zhixing still hadn’t accepted reality, his lips were tightly pressed, and he threw down a huge chip, “The entire Yan family will be at your disposal.”
He admitted that he indeed had some inexplicable feelings for Shen Yao.
Yan Zhixing told himself that if Shen Yao didn’t agree, he would back off. He couldn’t compete with two Alphas for one Omega.
“Love, do you give it or not?” Shen Yao finally glanced at Yan Zhixing, walked away from him, and headed towards the door. “I don’t need that from you.”
Yan Zhixing’s knuckles turned white; he willingly backed off from their playful dispute, but his gaze was fixated on the intertwined hands of Shen Yao and Guan Shu.
Even though he didn’t realize it, his eyes were full of jealousy.
Guan Shu and Shen Yao walked hand in hand towards the door. Shen Yao’s hand was as soft as ever, constantly transmitting warmth to Guan Shu, making his heart beat a bit faster with excitement.
Just when he thought Shen Yao had chosen him and was going to be with him, Shen Yao unexpectedly let go of his tightly held hand.
Guan Shu’s breath stalled at that moment, realizing that he had been abandoned. He watched as Shen Yao extended his hand to Xu Yibai, allowing him to take the initiative to hold it. “Xu Yibai, let’s go back to our country together.”
But as soon as their hands clasped, he noticed Xu Yibai’s extraordinary endurance. His palm was covered in almost blood-red marks from the forceful grip.
Shen Yao confirmed his words as Xu Yibai was the first to speak up and accept the arrangement, so, he rewarded Xu Yibai by flying back home together.
“I’ve already said it,” Shen Yao’s gaze moved from Xu Yibai and Guan Shu’s faces and glanced at Yan Zhixing behind them, not even sparing him a second glance. Calmly and plainly, he repeated, “Who treats me the best, I’ll be with them.”
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
