Chapter 82: “A Liar Must Swallow a Thousand Needles”
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Everyone knew that Shen Yao had a husband named Xu Yibai. Seeing the uncertain expression of the Alpha beside him and noticing the strong scent of Alpha pheromones as Shen Yao approached, it was a scent as thick as a lifelong marking.
Shen Yao paid little attention to the curious gazes. He walked into the makeup room at the very end, where his performance attire was already hanging on a hanger.
“I’ll do it,” Guan Shu stepped forward, saying, “I’ll help you change.”
In the cramped dressing room, with both of them inside, Guan Shu’s taller and more robust figure made it a bit crowded. He stood behind Shen Yao, looking down at Shen Yao’s slender back covered in love marks, yet his eyes showed no desire.
Guan Shu’s eyes were as clean as Shen Yao’s attire, resembling the veil of a bride as he intentionally or unintentionally let the cloth fall onto Shen Yao’s dark hair.
His gaze lingered for a moment before he draped the fabric over Shen Yao’s shoulders, completing the final touch.
“Yao Yao,” Guan Shu turned Shen Yao’s face toward him, trapping him in the corner, then leaned down to passionately kiss him. He whispered softly, praising, “You look stunning.”
Shen Yao’s was breath caught from the kiss. He raised his hand and entwined his little finger with Guan Shu’s, gently shaking it to solidify their next contract.
“Don’t forget, wait for me at the agreed place.”
Guan Shu lowered his gaze, pressing his thumb firmly against Shen Yao’s, their fingerprints touching. Like a pair eloping from home, Guan Shu held him tightly once again, their cheeks and chins brushing against each other.
“Okay.”
Shen Yao’s performance was scheduled for the evening, and it was currently afternoon. Guan Shu sat alone in the car, not feeling bored. He reminisced about memories related to Shen Yao until the sky turned dark and heavy.
He also spotted Xu Yibai and Yan Zhixing arriving, dressed in black and white suits respectively. Guan Shu glanced at his own attire. He was still dressed entirely in black, exuding a commanding presence regardless of what he wore.
With a resounding thud, Guan Shu closed the car door, clutching the ticket as he entered the theater. Following the instructions on the ticket, he found his seat, pausing on the steps.
Amidst the urging voices behind him, he pressed his lips together and continued walking.
Shen Yao had given them three joint tickets. Xu Yibai sat in the middle, while Guan Shu wore a cold expression as he sat on the right side.
He didn’t use a scent barrier; he carried the rich scent of apricots, causing Xu Yibai’s pupils to dilate slightly. He turned his face abruptly, looking at Guan Shu.
Guan Shu asked indifferently, “Why are you staring at me?”
Unable to find any evidence on Guan Shu’s face, Xu Yibai eased his suspicions and slowly turned away.
On the far left was Yan Zhixing, with a mixed-race appearance that seemed distant, like ice. In the middle, Xu Yibai had a refined look, and even without expressions, his demeanor exuded a cold aloofness. On the right, Guan Shu was clearly the most aggressive, his fierce brows and eyes locked forward.
Three Alphas sat together, drawing attention, yet they didn’t exchange a single word, maintaining a clear and defined distance.
It didn’t seem like they were acquainted, but it also appeared as if their relationship was strained.
As the curtain lifted, Shen Yao appeared on stage accompanied by music. The Alphas’ eyes flickered slightly, converging on Shen Yao under the spotlight.
His clothing seemed weightless, the white fabric fluttering lightly in the breeze, and the light cast upon him formed a shimmering golden glow. Like a hundred birds under the morning sun, ready to take flight in the next second.
Yan Zhixing’s gaze was fixed on Shen Yao on the stage, the second time he had watched Shen Yao dance from his seat. However, his state of mind was completely different from the first time.
Shen Yao stood barefoot on the stage, having rehearsed the dance many times. This time, his heartbeat was particularly strong, merging with the intense drumbeats of the music behind him.
Before his eyes appeared a phantom from a videotape, a beautiful and captivating female Omega standing on the stage, her skirt fluttering with every spin.
It was as if someone had taken his hand, and Shen Yao let go of all his thoughts.
He kept most of the dance moves unchanged. Female dancers usually performed with a softer touch, but when performed by Shen Yao, they appeared more clean and precise.
The latter half of the dance that Shen Yao choreographed flowed seamlessly. Seventeen years had passed, and the grown-up Shen Yao completed the dance his mother had left unfinished on the same stage, on the same date.
As the performance ended, his breathing grew heavy. Shen Yao gave a slight bow. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and through the blurred lights, he looked in the direction where he had given the tickets, then decisively turned and exited the stage.
When the performances on the program started, even if the person replacing him wore a mask as required, Xu Yibai and Yan Zhixing would still recognize him instantly.
With an hour to go before the performance began, Shen Yao approached Zhuo Ran and calmly informed her, “Auntie, I twisted my ankle just now. Let the understudy take over for the group dance later. He’s been practicing with me during this time, and there shouldn’t be any issues.”
The substitute Omega’s expression visibly brightened at a remarkable speed. He had long accepted that he wouldn’t perform on stage, yet he was still dragged by Shen Yao to practice late into the night every day, leaving him incredibly exhausted.
“Yao Yao, you…” Zhuo Ran glanced at his ankle, wanting to say something, but ultimately just sighed helplessly, “No need for excuses, you can just tell me directly. If there’s something you must do, go ahead.”
Shen Yao didn’t pretend, his feet firmly planted on the ground. He took his own clothes out of the cabinet, running his hands over every corner of the fabric.
Though it was only fabric, Shen Yao’s gaze was fixed on the Omega. Their body shapes were similar, both tall and slim. He dared to ask, “Can I buy your clothes?”
The Omega was momentarily stunned. He didn’t know why Shen Yao wanted his clothes, but because Shen Yao had granted him such a golden opportunity, he laughed heartily, “No need to give me money, just take them.”
“Thank you.” Shen Yao responded distantly with a thank you, but as he was about to leave, he noticed the Omega’s slightly trembling hand and added, “You dance very well, no need to be nervous.”
In a rare occurrence, Shen Yao wore a wristwatch. He glanced down, fifteen minutes had passed.
Dressed in clothes that didn’t belong to him, Shen Yao walked out. A car was waiting outside. An Omega in a suit leaned against the car, no longer resembling the weak and bullied appearance from the past. With Shen Fulin arrested, Gao Wenwan’s elder brother, was also implicated. He had waited so long for this moment, finally touching real power.
Gao Wenwan’s fingers held a cigarette, quietly burning. His gaze held an unclear meaning, his Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he began, “Shen…”
“Don’t look at me like that.” Shen Yao, however, interrupted his words, emotionless, “You’re an Omega too.”
Ash fell onto his fingers, but Gao Wenwan’s hand was tightly clenched around the car key. He asked, “Shen Yao, will you come back?”
“Perhaps, maybe.”
In the quiet night, Shen Yao extended his hand toward Gao Wenwan, his face beautiful yet aloof. At the moment when Gao Wenwan was about to reach out his hand, Shen Yao said:
“Give me a cigarette.”
Shen Yao disliked the smell of smoke, whether it was secondhand smoke or his own. For him, smoking was a precious opportunity. He put the cigarette into his pocket.
Twenty minutes passed.
He first went to the cemetery, quietly paying his respects. Then, he bought plane tickets for all the upcoming flights using his ID card. The port was very close by, and Shen Yao could even smell the slightly salty sea breeze. After doing everything, Shen Yao stood up from the ground, tossing his phone down.
With fifteen minutes left, plus the time they would spend arguing, leaving Guan Shu behind, the leisure time was more than enough for Shen Yao.
***
Guan Shu sat in his seat, his phone vibrating frantically. His expression showed little emotion, almost too calm, making him look like a volcano on the brink of eruption.
When he saw the red dot on his phone, he suddenly stood up, as if propelled by a spring. In an instant, he blocked the view of the audience behind him. Amid the gentle music, Guan Shu dashed out like a madman toward the exit.
Xu Yibai’s heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, he followed, grabbing Guan Shu’s arm to stop him, “Where are you going?!”
“Get lost!” Guan Shu’s shout was deafening. He didn’t care about the eyes of others, as if he was driven to the edge of anger, he yelled, “Shen Yao is f*cking trying to escape abroad! I’m f*cking going to the airport to find him!!”
A deafening echo of Guan Shu’s scream resonated. Behind them, Yan Zhixing had already picked up his phone, instructing Chen Shuang to intercept all the current flights.
“I’ve marked Shen Yao for life, he can’t escape from me in this lifetime.” Guan Shu forcefully shook off Xu Yibai’s hand. Standing on a higher step, he seemed to suddenly calm down, looking down at him from above, “Let’s make a bet, who can catch Shen Yao first.”
***
In the deep darkness of the night, stars twinkled in the sky, and an observatory tower stood tall. A massive cruise ship sailed on the sea, its lights reflecting on the water’s surface, creating a glittering spectacle.
Shen Yao stood on the deck, slender fingers holding a cigarette, emitting pale smoke that looked somewhat lonely against the night. He took another drag and exhaled a smoke ring, his gaze fixed on the bustling and bright cityscape behind him, though his eyes were veiled by the smoke.
He was gradually leaving the city where he had spent over twenty years, distancing himself from the three Alphas who were connected to him.
Finally, the items his grandfather had left him were being put to use. Shen Yao was accustomed to keeping a backup plan. He had no intention of actually boarding the plane and leaving. He even changed his clothes to ensure he wasn’t carrying any tracking devices.
Shen Yao sniffed his collar; the scent of pheromones was fading gradually. The bond of a lifelong mark on his body would gradually weaken over time.
The passenger cruise ship sailed just for him, equipped with comprehensive entertainment facilities and ample food supplies, allowing him to comfortably reach his destination alone.
In this new and peaceful city, no one recognized him, and no one could find him.
The weather was just starting to warm up, and the night sea breeze still carried a slight chill. At the first sound of splashing water in his ears, he thought it was an illusion. Shen Yao abruptly turned around.
The waves were lapping on the surface of the sea. He saw a figure riding a jet ski, breaking through the waves and rapidly approaching. The speed was recklessly fast, and the figure quickly caught up to the cruise ship.
Amidst the salty sea breeze, Shen Yao seemed to see the dark, deep eyes and the furrowed brow he often encountered during the dead of night.
“Splash!”
The sound of falling into the water resounded heavily within a second. Shen Yao’s backward running speed was already quite fast, but Guan Shu quickly climbed onto the cruise ship. His arm muscles bulged, resembling the most agile cheetah, and not even a second passed before his breath.
His icy yet scorching hand had already grabbed Shen Yao’s ankle.
This time, Shen Yao was truly alarmed, and the indifferent expression on his face shattered. “Guan…!”
Guan Shu appeared like a malevolent spirit emerging from the depths, not uttering a word. He forcefully yanked, pulling Shen Yao into the water.
“Splash!”
From the cruise ship into the sea was quite a distance. When he felt the pain, water had already surged into Shen Yao’s nostrils and mouth, suffocating him as the pressure pressed against his chest.
Different from a swimming pool, this water was salty.
Suddenly, Guan Shu ceased his actions, and the force supporting Shen Yao vanished.
Shen Yao had played the panic card too many times. If he were clear-headed, he could remember every sentence, and weave the lies masterfully.
As his body descended, the bone-chilling cold and boundless darkness engulfed him.
Shen Yao had long forgotten he claimed not to know how to swim. Instinctively, he moved his limbs, propelling himself upward with the moonlight.
Cough, cough!
Shen Yao barely saw his surroundings as Guan Shu grabbed his arm, pulling his frail body onto the jet ski behind him.
Due to the fall, Shen Yao’s face was as pale as paper. Even his thin lips lacked color, resembling a beautiful ghost on the brink of fading away.
“You can’t swim? Eloping?” Guan Shu calmly repeated the words Shen Yao had used earlier. “Meeting in front of the high school?”
“Learn from your mistakes; I won’t fall for your tricks forever. This is your last chance I gave you, and also my last chance for myself.”
“I’ve learned a lot of interrogation techniques in the military academy. If you appear at the high school entrance as agreed, I’ll never use these methods on you.”
“I’ll protect you forever, be your Alpha, and prevent you from getting hurt. I’d even give you the stars in the sky.”
Shen Yao continued to cough incessantly. He still maintained that calm façade, but only Guan Shu could feel the subtle tremors running through his body, possibly due to the cold.
However, Guan Shu didn’t embrace him for warmth. He stared at Shen Yao on the water’s surface, maintaining his composure. His emotions might surge at any moment; he was afraid he would strangle Shen Yao right then and there.
“Shen Yao, there’s another way to talk about pinky promises.”
Guan Shu held an anesthetic in his hand and, turning it around, firmly pressed it against the struggling Shen Yao’s neck and injected it.
“Shen Yao, do you know, a liar must swallow a thousand needles?”
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