Chapter 98 (^^)
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“If I’m not bombing it; the people from ‘Eden’ would have done it themselves.”
When Gu Yunli and Xiao Chen reached the ship’s side and descended down the rope ladder, they heard explosions coming from inside the cruise ship.
“You see, what did I say? They bombed the engine. This ship will sink soon. If we don’t want to get sucked in, we need to leave immediately.”
The two of them quickly jumped onto a speedboat not far away.
By this time, the special police had confiscated the core data of “Eden” and were in the process of escorting the members out.
“Move quickly!”
“Stubborn resistors will sink with this broken ship!” Captain Hong shouted loudly.
Lin Huaien was being rushed out by two special police officers. As they passed a turn, he suddenly broke free, pushed away one of the officers, and even grabbed the officer’s gun, running back.
Another explosion echoed, and the entire cruise ship seemed to want to be lifted into the sky.
Captain Hong pulled the two subordinates back. “Don’t chase! If he wants to die, we won’t stop him!”
All the special police officers returned to the deck, and a helicopter came to pick them up.
They watched as the sea fortress slowly disintegrated.
Lin Huaien rushed into the armory, casually grabbed a rifle, and said, “Gu Yunli… I will make you wish you were dead! Do you really think you’ve won? Do you really think you’ve won?”
His face showed a crazy expression.
As he left the armory, the red warning lights flashed over his head, and as he passed the research lab, he glimpsed that all the doors of the lab were open, and various chemicals were under a temperature alarm.
Lin Huaien paused for a moment, and a slow smile appeared on his lips.
“Perhaps letting you experience the transition from alpha to omega… will be more interesting!”
After saying that, Lin Huaien rushed in, fired two shots at the glass door containing the chemicals, and then took the chemicals.
Carrying the gun on his back, he quickly ran. The ship was tilting, but he successfully reached the deck, set up the gun, loaded the chemicals into the magazine, and a look of excitement appeared on his face.
The ship broke in the middle, emitting a low groan, and a whirlpool formed on the sea. All speedboats and helicopters were rapidly moving away.
Looking through the scope, Lin Huaien saw Gu Yunli leaving with Xiao Chen. Occasionally, he looked back at the sinking cruise ship.
“A good opportunity…”
Lin Huaien pulled the trigger, and the bullets, carrying the chemicals, rapidly traversed the air.
Gu Yunli was hit and fell backward.
Xiao Chen, who was beside him, was dumbfounded and rushed over. “Uncle Gu! What happened to you?”
Gu Yunli pressed down Xiao Chen’s head with one hand. “What are you screaming for? He hit my bulletproof vest!”
As Xiao Chen was about to raise his head, Gu Yunli firmly pressed him down, handing him a walkie-talkie. “Quickly inform others. There’s a sniper on the cruise ship… tell them not to expose their heads!”
Taking advantage of Xiao Chen’s cover, Gu Yunli removed the medicine from his body, broke off the needle, and held it between his fingers, covering his neck.
When Xiao Chen moved aside, Lin Huaien saw a group of people surrounding Gu Yunli, helping him cover his neck. Lin Huaien’s mouth lifted high.
He hit it! He hit it!
This must be the most glorious moment of his life!
Gu Yunli, you’re a high-quality alpha, right? Experience the “joy” of becoming an omega!
Many people will want to mark you!
Lin Huaien was about to retract the scope when he saw a speedboat in the distance.
Song Kelan on the speedboat happened to turn around. At that moment, Lin Huaien understood. Not only was the entire island orchestrated by Gu Yunli, but the couple also played a game with him.
Anger surged from his heart.
Proud to have a son like Gu Liyu, aren’t you?
Now taste the feeling of all expectations falling apart!
Lin Huaien’s position was almost perpendicular to the sea surface. Everything on the deck was pouring into the sea. Lin Huaien adjusted his position, aimed at the direction of Gu Liyu, and at this moment, Song Kelan’s walkie-talkie rang. Xiao Chen’s voice came through.
“Everyone, be careful—a sniper is still on the cruise ship! Everyone, be careful—a sniper is still on the cruise ship!”
Just then, An Lan heard a special sound in the air. His nerves tensed up, and instinctively, when Gu Liyu tackled him down, he raised his hands. While Gu Liyu was pinning him down, An Lan tightly hugged Gu Liyu’s head.
“Ugh…”
As he fell to the ground, An Lan felt a sharp pain in his arm. Song Kelan, acting on maternal instinct, quickly moved to Gu Liyu’s side.
At this moment, the deck had completely sunk, and Lin Huaien was finally swallowed by the sea.
Gu Liyu climbed up, and seeing the empty needle on An Lan’s arm, he realized that the entire dose had been injected into his body. Without a word, Gu Liyu took off the needle.
If you have any more, please let me know!
“An Lan! An Lan, how are you?”
An Lan looked at his arm, and his once crystal-clear vision became blurry.
His heart felt like it was inflated, on the verge of bursting, followed by a heavy and breath-taking heartbeat.
He couldn’t speak; no matter how hard he tried to breathe, it was futile. It felt like his lungs had been closed off.
His body was heating up, and every cell seemed to gain extra energy, struggling to break free from the constraints of his body.
“An Lan! An Lan!” Gu Liyu saw that An Lan’s eyes had lost focus. In just a short half-minute, he had sweated profusely. Gu Liyu leaned over An Lan’s chest, hearing his rapid and intense heartbeat, all reminiscent of the symptoms in the restroom at the KTV.
When Gu Liyu leaned over, the scent from his neck brought a hint of coolness to An Lan. With that fresh and expansive scent, An Lan’s lungs seemed to regain some function. The instinct for survival made An Lan grab Gu Liyu’s neck and vigorously sniff around it.
“An Lan! What’s happening?”
Song Kelan picked up the syringe from the ground, noticing that there were still some light pink liquid remnants inside. Slightly changing the angle, the liquid emitted a faint golden glow.
“We need to go back immediately! Notify the ambulance to meet us onshore! An Lan has been shot! This is definitely some kind of ‘Eden’ substance causing differentiation!” Song Kelan informed Captain Hong through the radio.
“No time! We have to get him to the hospital right away!”
A helicopter arrived above them, picking up An Lan, Gu Liyu, and Song Kelan. The helicopter swiftly passed over the sea, heading towards the hospital.
At the art exhibition, Gu Qingchuan received a phone call. Through the phone, he could hear the sound of helicopter rotor blades turning, along with the waves and Gu Liyu’s short breaths.
“Big brother! Something happened to An Lan! He was injected with ‘Eden’s’ substance…”
Gu Qingchuan glanced at Gu Yunyi not far away, signaled a security guard at the art exhibition, and quickly walked into a quiet meeting room, closing the door.
“Little Yu, don’t panic. Now tell me, what symptoms has An Lan shown?”
“High fever, sweating, unfocused eyes, blurred consciousness…rapid heartbeat!”
Gu Liyu wanted to fasten An Lan’s seatbelt, but An Lan only knew how to tightly embrace Gu Liyu, forcefully sniffing his neck as if craving nutrients, greedily biting down hard. This fierceness frightened everyone on board.
Song Kelan wanted to come over and force An Lan to release his teeth, but Gu Liyu supported the back of An Lan’s head, not allowing anyone to touch him. As long as An Lan desired it, Gu Liyu wouldn’t mind if he bit his neck off.
“He keeps biting me…” Gu Liyu gritted his teeth.
Gu Qingchuan decisively said, “Little Yu, release your pheromones immediately! He needs your pheromones!”
Instantly, a strong smell of pheromones filled the entire helicopter cabin.
Profound and lingering, it carried a kind of preciousness that surged from the depths of the ocean.
An Lan released his teeth, inhaling Gu Liyu’s pheromones, holding him tightly without letting go.
“Little Yu, how long will it take for you to return from the sea?”
“Over three hours,” Gu Liyu replied.
“What kind of medicine is it?” Gu Qingchuan asked.
“My father has a complete sample.”
In less than half a minute, Gu Qingchuan received a photo from Gu Yunli. It was a light pink medicine.
Gu Qingchuan took a deep breath and walked out of the room, approaching Gu Yunyi.
Today, Gu Yunyi was dressed in a retro custom suit, exuding a classical and elegant aura. A white rose was pinned to his chest, attracting the attention of many prestigious omegas.
“Little Uncle, your phone rang a lot just now. Someone must be looking for you,” Gu Qingchuan said.
“My phone rang?” Gu Yunyi turned around, subconsciously touched his pocket, only to find that his phone had been missing.
“Yes,” Gu Qingchuan said.
“Where’s my phone?” Gu Yunyi asked with a smile.
“There.” Gu Qingchuan pointed to the reception room.
Gu Yunyi looked at him suspiciously, then walked over.
Gu Qingchuan just followed behind him. When he opened the door, he saw a man sitting in the guest room — that man was Xu Zhongshuang.
At the moment he saw him, a hint of surprise appeared on Gu Yunyi’s face, followed by a smile.
“Big Brother Xu, you rarely come to my art exhibition. Why are you here today?”
Gu Yunyi walked over, sat in front of the table where Xu Zhongshuang was, and ran his fingers through the strands of white hair on Xu Zhongshuang’s temples. “Big Brother Xu, you’ve aged.”
“Because life is too tiring.” Xu Zhongshuang looked at Gu Yunyi, took out his phone, and the screen displayed a photo of a syringe. “What is this?”
Gu Yunyi’s gaze paused slightly, and he calmly replied, “Medicine.”
“What kind of medicine?” Xu Zhongshuang asked again.
“You really know how to joke. How would I know what kind of mediine this is?” Gu Yunyi looked at Gu Qingchuan, who was standing at the door. “Where’s my phone? Did you steal it?”
Gu Qingchuan didn’t speak, just stood at the door.
“Blue Pearl has sunk,” Xu Zhongshuang said.
“Oh? Is someone from our family on vacation on that cruise ship, or is it your precious son up there?”
“We’ve obtained the core data inside. Your goal is to enhance your pheromone concentration, so there are plenty of samples in the lab that belong to you.” Xu Zhongshuang said.
“How would I know if my pheromone sample would be there?” Gu Yunyi replied.
“Lin Huaien has also been arrested.”
At the mention of that name, Gu Yunyi’s eyes paused for a moment, but then he smiled again. “Lin Huaien? Isn’t he the shooting coach for Little Yu and your son? What did he do to get arrested?”
“Do you know Liang Hao? He has betrayed you and wants to kill you. Lin Huaien tried to warn you and made numerous calls to you today. He even had the captain of the Blue Pearl try to contact you, but unfortunately, your phone wasn’t in your hands.”
Gu Yunyi took the phone handed over by Gu Qingchuan, and his expression remained calm.
“You may think the evidence is insufficient, but let me remind you again, Dr. Cheng worked so hard on research for you. He thought one day all ordinary alphas would have a way out, but in reality, you only care about yourself. How do you think it will turn out?”
“The ship has sunk. Whoever used this substance, it’s too late now.” Gu Yunyi shrugged and then showed an excited expression. His eyes and brows were filled with a malicious smirk. “Big Brother Xu, is it my brother who used this substance?”
“What is the effect of this substance?” Xu Zhongshuang asked again.
Gu Yunyi leaned close to Xu Zhongshuang’s ear and whispered, “You grew up playing with my brother Yunli. Have you ever thought about marking him? Even for a moment?”
Xu Zhongshuang looked at Gu Yunyi in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
“Tsk, I can tell from your expression that you never thought about it. Unlike you, when I was a kid, you always came to our house to find my brother. Every time my brother wanted to get rid of me, finding me troublesome, you were patient enough to bring me along.”
“Then tell me, what is the effect of this medicine?” Xu Zhongshuang lowered his voice.
“Well this medicine… if used on Big Brother Xu, you will beg me to mark you.” Gu Yunyi’s brows raised.
In fact, he doesn’t look much like Gu Yunli. Gu Yunli has a more rugged facial contour, while Gu Yunyi appears gentle and elegant. However, if you look closely, the corners of his eyes are slightly lifted, carrying a hint of playful mischief.
“Then who would you ask to mark you?” As Xu Zhongshuang spoke, he abruptly pressed Gu Yunyi onto the table, and some substance was injected into Gu Yunyi’s neck.
“What did you inject me with?” Gu Yunyi covered his neck, and Xu Zhongshuang casually tossed the vial toward him.
There were no instructions on it, only the faint pink hue of the residual liquid inside.
“You will soon experience blurred vision, fever, profuse sweating, and an accelerated heart rate. If you don’t tell me the location of the neutralizing agent, you will die suddenly,” Xu Zhongshuang replied in a cold, indifferent tone.
Gu Yunyi swayed a bit, but he wasn’t as easily deceived as Lin Huaien. “Where did you get this? I won’t fall for anything you inject into me, especially not a casual shot of vitamin.”
Xu Zhongshuang calmly responded, “Didn’t I tell you? Blue Pearl has already sunk. This is a sample found before it sank.”
In reality, the injected substance was indeed not the same as what An Lan was shot with. However, it was indeed a three times concentrated red apple, capable of transforming an ordinary beta into an omega. Used on Gu Yunyi, he would only display symptoms, but the high-quality alpha pheromones in his body would metabolize this differentiating agent.
But as long as it made him panic.
“You’re not like this… You wouldn’t do this…” Gu Yunyi remained vigilant, but the symptoms did start to manifest in his body.
“Of course, I would. When you were a kid, you liked following me so much. You should know that I would do whatever it takes for the people I care about.” Xu Zhongshuang said.
Gu Yunyi became hotter and hotter. He kept tearing off his clothes, and Xu Zhongshuang’s voice seemed to come from another world. Even Xu Zhongshuang’s face became blurred.
The sound of his heartbeat was like thunder, and Gu Yunyi trembled violently. He wanted to grab Xu Zhongshuang, but he fell to the ground.
“Where is the neutralizer?” Xu Zhongshuang remained motionless, just looking down at him.
Gu Yunyi was in extreme distress. The whole guest room was filled with the scent of the Gu family, but it was different from the alpha dominance of Gu Yunli or Gu Liyu. Gu Yunyi’s scent was light, even somewhat charming.
Gu Qingchuan, who stood at the door, wanted to approach, but Xu Zhongshuang raised his hand to signal him to stay still.
Gu Yunyi curled up, grabbing Xu Zhongshuang’s trouser leg, twisting his fingers. The entire trouser leg was pulled into his palm.
“Save me… save me…”
Xu Zhongshuang still didn’t move. “Where is the neutralizer?”
“There is no… no neutralizer…” Gu Yunyi was in great agony. His face pressed against Xu Zhongshuang’s ankle, trying to smell his pheromones. But Xu Zhongshuang was extremely stingy, not releasing a bit of wooden amber scent.
“What if there is no neutralizer?” Xu Zhongshuang asked again.
“Mark me… mark me…”
Heart rate getting faster and faster, Gu Yunyi’s entire head of hair was soaked.
“What if I don’t mark you? And why do I have to mark you specifically? There are so many alphas outside, not just me, right?”
Xu Zhongshuang was about to get up but was grabbed by Gu Yunyi’s ankle.
“They can’t… they’re not high-quality alphas… their A-plus concentration is not enough…”
At this moment, Xu Zhongshuang’s phone rang, it was his son Xu Xingran calling.
“Xingran, how is it on your end?”
Xu Xingran walked heavily in a cold corridor, his back was Cheng Huan, who had been taken back to the cell.
“I showed Cheng Huan the photo of that substance. According to his experience, this is likely a high-risk drug that ‘Eden’ has been developing. It can transform high-quality alphas into omegas. But before Cheng Huan was arrested, this drug had never been successful. So if it has been developed now… there may not be a corresponding neutralizer. The biggest side effect is that, due to its strong effect, similar to the three times concentration of Red Apple used on An Lan, it can cause rapid heartbeat.”
Xu Zhongshuang’s fingers holding the phone trembled involuntarily.
“How do we administer first aid?” Xu Zhongshuang asked.
“When the transformation reaction has started, it’s like an ordinary omega’s heat… you need other high-quality alpha pheromones as a soothing agent. The most effective way is the marking behavior.” Xu Xingran stood there, trembling fingers holding the phone.
“They need at least three hours to fly back. Even if we send a medical team with purified alpha pheromones to assist, it will take an hour and a half. In that case… An Lan might already…” Xu Zhongshuang didn’t continue.
“I know. There’s no need to go to great lengths. Gu Liyu is right by his side, isn’t he?” Xu Xingran said.
“I’ll call and inform them.”
“No, let me do it.”
After Xu Xingran finished speaking, he dialed the helicopter’s number.
“Gu Liyu, listen carefully. If you want to save An Lan, you must mark him right now.”
Gu Liyu held An Lan, and the scent of bamboo had already merged with the ambergris. The fragrance spread in the cabin, intense and strong. ambergris attempted to cover the scent of bamboo, making its possessiveness and alpha dominance even more apparent.
Most of those on this mission were alphas, and the pheromones were making the helicopter pilots almost suffocate.
Song Kelan quickly opened the doors on both sides, letting the sea breeze sweep in, taking away the pheromones. However, there was a continuous release of pheromones.
“It’s Xu Xingran’s call.” Song Kelan handed over the phone.
Gu Liyu clenched his teeth, his brows furrowed tightly. This was not just An Lan suffering; he knew that at this moment, An Lan’s unrestrained pheromones were attracting and pulling him, trying to push him into the abyss of obsession.
He desperately wanted to crush the person in his arms, stuff him into his own flesh and blood. The emptiness couldn’t be filled by any means.
“Gu Liyu, listen carefully. If you want to save An Lan, you must mark him as soon as possible.”
Xu Xingran’s voice penetrated all the noise and reached Gu Liyu’s ears.
“If my A-plus enters his body again, it will nullify his previous differentiation…” Gu Liyu bit his teeth.
“Listen, this drug not only turns beta into omega but might also transform high-quality alphas into omega. The side effect of this drug is that, without a high concentration of A-plus as a soothing agent during differentiation, it will cause a rapid heartbeat leading to death. Gu Liyu, listen to me. You must believe in An Lan. Whether he becomes an alpha or an omega, he will always be the An Lan we know. Promise me, you must keep him alive! Only if he’s alive can he have a chance to choose his own life.”
Xu Xingran’s voice was forceful.
Gu Liyu was about to lower his head to ask An Lan something, but An Lan, who had lost control, kissed him without hesitation.
It was an unrestrained kiss. An Lan desperately absorbed the A-plus from Gu Liyu’s mouth. He forcefully made Gu Liyu lean forward, even holding onto Gu Liyu’s back with both hands; otherwise, An Lan, without a seatbelt, might fly out.
Gu Liyu finally managed to pull away from An Lan and pressed him against his shoulder. Tears flowed down, and with all his strength, he said, “An Lan… I’m sorry… really sorry… I didn’t protect you well… We don’t have time to go to the hospital. You might not be able to become an alpha in the future…”
He thought An Lan was already unconscious, but An Lan, who originally held onto Gu Liyu’s hand, patted Gu Liyu’s shoulder lightly.
As if comforting Gu Liyu.
Gu Liyu froze, and tears surged even more in his eyes.
He turned his head and devoutly kissed An Lan’s nape, then opened his mouth and bit down.
The blood, heated as if it could ignite the veins, experienced waves of refreshing coolness surging through. These strands, finer than silk yet irresistibly penetrating, entered An Lan’s body. His thoughts, like vapor, seemed to welcome a burst of clear and icy wind. Finally, he could indulge himself, no longer ascending but freely falling.
Gu Liyu hugged An Lan tightly, tears falling down his cheeks onto An Lan’s nape.
Don’t be afraid; I will protect you.
Even if you regret one day, I will still protect you.
An Lan’s hand, holding Gu Liyu’s, slowly fell down. His body seemed to suddenly lose strength, relying entirely on Gu Liyu’s arm to hold him close. When he was embraced by Gu Liyu again, he saw Gu Liyu’s eyes, as if he had committed some great mistake.
At the moment when Gu Liyu embraced An Lan, An Lan finally breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed Gu Liyu’s collar, and buried himself in his arms without any guard or resentment.
When they landed on the hospital rooftop, the medical staff had been waiting for a long time.
Gu Yunli handed the pink sample to Gu Qingchuan. “This is the only one. If it’s lost, there will be no sample.”
“I know! I’ll take it back to the lab for analysis… Hopefully, it can help An Lan!” Gu Qingchuan immediately rushed back to the lab with the sample.
In the reception room of the art exhibition, Xu Zhongshuang sat watching the agonized Gu Yunyi, tears streaming down his eyes.
“You used to care about me a lot… save me…” Gu Yunyi’s strength was almost crushing Xu Zhongshuang’s ankle.
“Then tell me… Back then, when Xiaoran was originally transformed into a beta, her gland cancer could be alleviated. Did you manipulate the drug, causing the delay in development?” Xu Zhongshuang’s gaze became extremely stern, shaking Gu Yunyi to his core.
“Speak!” Xu Zhongshuang roared.
Gu Yunyi looked at Xu Zhongshuang in disbelief, then suddenly burst into laughter.
“Jiang Xiaoran… Jiang Xiaoran… You act like you care so much about her now… You two are just a political marriage… She may not even know you as well as I do… Haha… Just because she’s an omega? Huh?”
Xu Zhongshuang closed his eyes, Gu Yunyi had given him the answer he wanted.
Without hesitation, Xu Zhongshuang kicked away Gu Yunyi’s hand and walked towards the door with long strides.
“Xu Zhongshuang… you can’t leave like this… you can’t leave like this…”
Standing at the doorway, Xu Zhongshuang didn’t look back. “Rest assured, what’s in your body is just three times the concentration of Red Apple. You’re still an alpha, and you should be able to metabolize it in a few hours.”
After saying that, Xu Zhongshuang walked out.
Outside the door were police officers who had come to arrest Gu Yunyi.
As Xu Zhongshuang walked forward, his eyes turned red. Just as he was about to pocket his phone, his son’s name flashed on the screen.
“Dad, An Lan has been taken to the hospital. How is everything on your end?”
Listening to his son’s voice, it took a while for Xu Zhongshuang to speak, “I miss you so much.”
“Dad? You miss me?” Xu Xingran seemed a bit puzzled.
“I really miss you… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Xu Zhongshuang walked into the bathroom, closed the door of the cubicle, and tears rolled down.
Xu Xingran stopped in his tracks, hearing the suppressed voice on the other end. Suddenly, he understood that when Xu Zhongshuang said, “I really miss you,” he was referring to Xu Xingran’s mother, Jiang Xiaoran.
Exhaling a breath, Xu Xingran said, “My mom once said that marrying you wasn’t her choice, and you marrying her wasn’t your intention. She thought she would divorce you in a few years. She even had the lines ready. But unexpectedly, the time after marrying you became the sum of all her happiness. I think she must miss you a lot… wanting to start over and marry you again. Otherwise… there wouldn’t be me.”
Leaning against the cubicle door, Xu Zhongshuang cried while smiling.
The news of the complete dismantling of the “Eden” organization hit the headlines on social media. It went from trending to exploding, and people were eagerly searching for updates.
While people around the world were immersed in reading related news, in a special care ward, An Lan lay on the bed, and Gu Liyu sat beside him, holding his hand, waiting for him to wake up.
In the corridor outside, Gu Yunli was reading a book, and Song Kelan, standing next to him, looked worriedly at the door of the ward.
“When will An Lan wake up?”
Gu Yunli, as if carefree, turned the page of the book. “There are no outsiders here; you don’t have to pretend to be gentle. I don’t mind your bold and imaginative brain.”
“Do you find that amusing? Is it amusing to expose me like this? I’m worried that our son will be upset. What if An Lan wakes up and has a cold war with Little Yu? Originally, he was going to differentiate into a handsome and charming alpha, but because of our family, he might end up differentiating into an omega again! Who wouldn’t feel awkward? Who could continue dating under such circumstances?” Song Kelan’s eyebrows furrowed, and she seemed to be getting ready to explode.
“And how do you know that if An Lan really differentiates into an omega, he won’t be a handsome, charming omega?” Gu Yunli said, leisurely smoothing Song Kelan’s hair.
“What?”
“Nobody understands one’s son better than his father, our son is handsome and impressive, with a demeanor like a jade tree.” Gu Yunli said.
“… Have you ever held him? Have you talked to him? Do you know if he likes McDonald’s or KFC? You…”
“He likes KFC.” Gu Yunli said decisively.
“How do you know?”
“Because An Lan likes KFC. I saw in his profile that he eats KFC at least three times a week,” Gu Yunli explained.
Gu Yunli’s reply left Song Kelan momentarily speechless.
On the hospital bed, An Lan furrowed his brows, and his fingers moved slightly. Gu Liyu, who was sitting by his side, woke up immediately and rushed to call the doctor.
Then came a bunch of attending physicians, checking this and looking at that. An Lan saw his blood being drawn again, and with so many people bustling around, his head began to buzz again.
An Lan’s parents and sister, An Yuan, arrived. Xu Xingran had informed them on the way, explaining An Lan’s recent experiences. Hearing this, An Lan’s parents were trembling with fear. They had seen the news, and the “Eden” organization was such a terrifying group. Their son had been captured by “Eden” for such a long time! Thinking of this, when An Lan’s parents saw their son, they trembled violently, and tears flowed down in abundance.
When An Lan’s mother rushed over, An Lan truly felt like he had a terminal illness and was about to die.
His sister, An Yuan, stood on the side, watching An Lan and wiping her tears.
“Sis… Sis, save me… I haven’t died yet…”
“You haven’t died, but you’re suffering! Are you trying to scare the whole family to death!”
When An Lan’s family arrived, Gu Liyu, who had been holding An Lan’s hand, immediately let go. An Lan instinctively reached out, but Gu Liyu withdrew too quickly, leaving An Lan empty-hearted, even though his family had arrived.
The head physician wanted to explain An Lan’s current condition to his family. Gu Yunli, sitting in the corridor, put down the book he had been reading for a long time and patted Song Kelan’s back. “Let’s go. Accompany them. They’ve raised the child for more than ten years. With such a big incident, our responsibility is significant.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Ten thousand apologies won’t be enough…” Song Kelan showed a melancholy expression.
Gu Yunli and Song Kelan approached An Lan’s parents like old friends. They accompanied them to meet the medical team, apologized for not protecting An Lan well, and reassured An Lan’s parents, who were already at a loss about how to handle this situation.
An Lan turned his head and looked towards the bed. The place where Gu Liyu had been sitting all the time was now occupied by An Yuan, who was peeling an apple for An Lan.
“Sis… Why are you here?”
An Yuan chuckled, “What? Were you expecting someone else to sit here? Am I not handsome and charming enough for you?”
An Lan looked at An Yuan for a long time, her eyes seemed swollen from crying.
“Yeah.”
An Lan’s answer stunned An Yuan, and she immediately got irritated.
“What did you say?”
“You aren’t as handsome as Gu Liyu originally anyway.”
“Do you even realize that you’re about to become an omega? Do you still find him handsome? If it weren’t for the ‘Eden’ incident involving the Gu family, do you think you would be an alpha? Your whole life…”
“I’m done with my life? Just because I’ve become an omega, does that mean I can’t go to college? Or participate in shooting competitions? Or ride a bicycle? Or am I no longer a person?” An Lan asked leisurely.
“You… you… alphas and omegas are different! You’ll be bullied, and if you’re prettier, bad people will have bad intentions towards you!”
An Lan’s neck still hurt, but his body had recovered. He raised his legs under the blanket, shook his ankles, and said with a melancholic expression, “Even when I was an alpha, bad people had bad intentions towards me. Being targeted by bad people isn’t limited to alphas or omegas.”
“Do you really… really not care? You’ve been an alpha, and suddenly becoming an omega is such a big drop. Can you handle it?” An Yuan was originally going to feed An Lan an apple, but seeing his nonchalant and carefree look, her anger surged, so she started munching on the apple herself.
“Whether as an alpha or an omega, it’s just a gender issue. In any case, the same person will bite either gender. Let it be.”
“Are you giving up on yourself?” An Yuan widened her eyes at him.
“I am wallowing in self-pity~” An Lan hugged himself, showing a mournful expression. “Because my sister peeled the apple and didn’t give me a single bite~”
“Eat, eat, eat! I’ll choke you!” An Yuan pressed the apple into An Lan’s mouth.
“Sis, can you do me a favor?” An Lan tugged at his sister’s sleeve. “Fetch my school bag for me, please?”
“Oh, so you still remember you’re a student! I thought you were a superhero, fighting evil forces every day to defend the Earth!”
“Fetch my school bag for me, please.” An Lan tugged again.
An Yuan reluctantly pulled her clothes back. “Do you think acting cute works on me?”
“Rest assured, even if I really become an omega, if my future brother-in-law bullies you, I’ll still beat him up until he’s looking for his teeth all over the floor.” An Lan patted An Yuan’s arm with a “rest assured” expression.
“Hmph!”
“But where did everyone else go? Why is it just you and me now?”
“Do you want to ask our parents? Or do you want to ask Gu Liyu’s parents?”
“Yeah, where are our parents?” An Lan asked curiously. He had just encountered an incident, and if his mom wasn’t crying by his side, An Lan would feel uncomfortable.
“They’re discussing the dowry with Gu Liyu’s parents.”
“What?” An Lan was choked by the apple and kicked An Yuan.
“I heard that someone in their family works at the research institute and is currently analyzing that pheromone differentiation inducer. If they can research an antidote before you complete your differentiation… at least, you can still be a beta and return to your previous life. But if they don’t figure it out…”
“Then I’ll be an omega choked to death by my sister’s apple.” An Lan turned sorrowfully away.
An Yuan was about to knock him, but seeing the bandage on the back of his neck, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
When An Lan’s parents returned from the doctor, the entire ward suddenly became lively. There were all kinds of inquiries about whether it hurt here or if it was cold there. An Lan’s mother had teary eyes, and his father awkwardly tried to comfort him.
“An Lan… Dad knows you’re feeling uncomfortable, but don’t lose hope. With technology so advanced nowadays, maybe that antidote will be researched by next week.”
“I’m not hopeless.”
True despair was being forced by Lin Huaien on that island, standing in the pouring rain at night, thinking he would fall into the abyss.
Apart from life and death, nothing was a big deal.
“As long as you’re not hopeless… we’ll face the sea in springtime! Besides, even if you become an omega, you can still live a splendid life!”
An Lan tilted his head in confusion. “Dad, do you have some misunderstanding about omegas? I see Xiao Qiao, that omega, living quite a splendid life every day.”
“Ah, no misunderstanding, no misunderstanding.”
“Dad, remember to sign me up for next quarter’s shooting competition.”
“Okay, okay, Dad will fill out the form for you.”
“Mom, I want to eat scallion-stir-fried shrimp.”
“You have a wound on your neck; you can’t eat scallion-stir-fried shrimp. It’s too heating…”
“Then squid and fish cake soup.”
“Alright, squid and fish cake soup! I’ll soak the squid for you tonight.”
An Yuan accompanied her mom to prepare dinner. Before leaving, An Lan reminded once again, “Sis, bring my school bag for me.”
“I got it, got it, got it. Do you have treasures in your school bag?”
“In books, there’s a house full of gold. Of course, there are treasures.”
When the room quieted down, An Lan’s dad also felt a bit awkward. It was only An Lan lying on the bed, and his phone had been confiscated, claiming that holding a phone and playing with it would hinder the recovery of his neck wound.
“Hey, Dad, can we talk about trivial things worth fifty cents?” An Lan turned around.
“You want to chat about fifty cents with your dad? Shouldn’t it be at least fifty bucks?”
“Okay, let’s talk about fifty bucks. Dad, will I die young?” An Lan asked.
“Spit, spit, spit, don’t talk nonsense. How could you die young! Besides this pheromone mess… there are no other problems… really! Um, that, Gu Liyu’s dad also guaranteed that even if the antidote from that research institute doesn’t come out in time, and you really differentiate into an omega, the Gu family’s research institute will continue to study drugs that can turn you back into an alpha.”
“Uh… all this differentiation and stuff is not good for mental health.” An Lan tugged at his dad again and asked in a low voice, “And where’s Gu Liyu? Why haven’t I seen him since you guys came?”
An Lan’s dad hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and whispered to his son, “That kid has been standing outside the door all this time. Your sister has been giving him the cold shoulder. How could he enter?”
Knowing that Gu Liyu was standing outside the ward, An Lan suddenly didn’t feel so sad anymore. He leaned over the bed and sniffed with force.
“What are you smelling? Like a little dog.”
“Ambergris, super high-grade.”
“I don’t smell it.”
“It’s normal you can’t smell it.” An Lan leaned back again. Gu Liyu had concealed the scent of his pheromones tightly, and An Lan didn’t catch a whiff. It made him feel resentful.
“Son… although you appear calm in front of me and your mom, and we know you’re optimistic, you think it’s okay to become an omega because you’re currently in a relationship with little Gu. But you’re still young, as you grow older and experience different things, your perspective on the world will change. Perhaps, at that time, you might find that you don’t like him as much anymore… you may regret, or even imagine how things would be if you were an alpha. Dad isn’t worried about you becoming an omega; Dad just doesn’t want you to live in regret one day, hurting yourself and those around you.”
An Lan’s dad, who usually obeyed An Lan’s mom in a cowardly manner, said such words for the first time, leaving An Lan surprised.
“Dad, maybe one day I won’t like Gu Liyu anymore. As you said, growing up is a process of self-change. Nothing stays the same forever. But at least there’s one thing I’m sure of—Gu Liyu won’t let me harbor resentment. So, Mom and Dad, don’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet.”
“Well…” An Lan’s dad rubbed his son’s head. “The Gu family seems pretty good. Little Gu’s dad seems reliable, and his mom is gentle and kind. They’ve been through these things, and in their hearts, they treat you like their own child. Your dad has lived for so long, and can tell what is genuine and what is polite.”
“Oh.” An Lan lowered his eyes, thinking, Dad, how come your keen eyes didn’t see through Auntie Song’s “gentle and dignified” goddess style, which is even more fake than a boat made of toilet paper?
Not long after, An Lan’s mom and An Yuan came to deliver dinner. An Yuan stopped for a moment at the door, giving a fierce stare to Gu Liyu outside.
An Lan’s mom quickly pulled her daughter and asked in a low voice, “Does Little Gu want to come in and have dinner together?”
Gu Liyu probably shook his head, and An Yuan dragged her mom in, throwing An Lan’s school bag at him.
“Here, see if you can find a golden house in it.”
After dinner, An Lan’s parents left, leaving An Yuan to accompany him.
“Sis, I want to eat egg tarts. I saw a KFC outside the hospital.”
An Yuan sneered, “Sure, I’ll order takeout for you.”
“No, why are you so lazy? You’ve been sitting here after dinner. Going out for a walk can help you lose a pound or two!”
“I’d rather gain weight. Are you waiting for me to leave so you can bring in some wild man from outside?”
An Lan’s face instantly turned red. “Who… who’s a wild man?”
“Gu Liyu!” An Yuan deliberately raised her voice.
“He’s not a wild man; he’s my legitimate boyfriend, publicly acknowledged throughout the school.” An Lan said seriously. “And you now look like a character from a fairy tale…”
Before An Lan finished, An Yuan glared at him fiercely.
“Sis, I’ll give you a hundred! Don’t you like that brand of facial cleanser? The one that costs a hundred bucks?” An Lan fawningly pulled out a hundred-yuan bill from his school bag.
“A hundred is not enough.”
“Two hundred?” An Lan fished out another one.
“Hmph, give you ten minutes. No weakness, no compromise, no…”
“No loss.” An Lan made a solemn expression.
Only then did An Yuan, like a proud peacock, walk out of the ward. She looked at Gu Liyu outside and raised her chin, “I have something to do. Watch him for me.”
An Lan leaned against the bed waiting for quite a while before Gu Liyu finally came in.
Still in a white T-shirt and casual pants, An Lan suspected whether this guy’s wardrobe consisted only of school uniforms and white T-shirts.
Gu Liyu sat down on the chair beside An Lan, lowered his head, and waited for a long time before managing to say, “I’m sorry.”
“I’ve waited so long that the yellow flowers are almost cold, and you tell me this?”
Gu Liyu’s throat moved, but he didn’t say anything. He looked like a Labrador with a drooping head left in a cardboard box in the rain.
“No… there should be some promises, like you’ll be good to me for a lifetime? Like you swear you’ll never cheat in the future? And maybe something about your family’s wealth being half yours and half mine?” An Lan searched for a while before recalling some cliché lines from a melodramatic TV show. He just wanted to tease Gu Liyu.
“Okay,” Gu Liyu replied.
An Lan paused, and the excitement of teasing him diminished by half.
“Hey, Gu Liyu, can you at least look at me? It’s the most basic courtesy.”
An Lan climbed off the bed, sat cross-legged, reached out to hook Gu Liyu’s chin, and as their eyes met, An Lan noticed that Gu Liyu’s eyes were very red, like he had stayed up for many days or cried a lot.
“What are you feeling guilty about?” An Lan asked softly, even with a hint of comforting intent.
“Your dad was right. Now you’re with me, so you think it’s okay to become an omega. But one day, you will grow up, and you will meet other people. They may look down on you because you’re an omega, thinking you can’t handle certain things. You will… as you face more and more unfair judgments, you may regret why…”
“Why did I block that bullet? I will never regret that because you are the person I like, and it’s my instinct. Repeat it a thousand or ten thousand times. As long as I liked you at that moment, I would do it without a doubt.”
An Lan’s fingers gently touched Gu Liyu’s forehead. He didn’t know how long this big fool had been standing outside. Gu Liyu always valued An Lan’s independence because he didn’t want An Lan to think of himself as a subordinate. He was afraid that An Lan wouldn’t feel his independent personality in front of Gu Liyu. Gu Liyu pursued pure admiration, not compromises based on strength and weakness.
“Hey, do you still remember the king’s lot you gave me before? You said that as long as I wrote down my requests on it, you would fulfill them for me.” An Lan brought his backpack over, reached into the inner layer of the backpack, and pulled out that piece of the king’s lot.
An Lan took Gu Liyu’s hand and pressed it into Gu Liyu’s palm.
“Promises must be kept,” An Lan said very seriously.
Gu Liyu opened the king’s lot, and the words An Lan wrote were on it: “I really like you.”
At the bottom was Gu Liyu’s own signature.
“Is this your request?” Gu Liyu looked up and asked.
“Yes, this is my request, to make me always feel ‘really like you.'”
Gu Liyu’s eyes were moist, shimmering with tears. “Is this even considered a request?”
“Isn’t this the most difficult request? I can’t ‘really like’ just anyone. If growth is a process of self-change, then you have to become better. In the vast world outside, you need to excel to keep me liking you. And you also have to give me enough trust, believe that whether I am an alpha or an omega, I will be outstanding like you, able to fulfill my own value. Otherwise, with you feeling guilty every day, I won’t like it either.”
Gu Liyu slowly closed his fingers, holding the king’s lot.
“Gu Liyu, although we haven’t been eaten as much salt as our parents eating rice…”
“It should be that we haven’t eaten as much rice as our parents have eaten salt,” Gu Liyu suddenly corrected.
An Lan paused for a moment, waved his hand, and said, “That’s what I meant. I just want to say that if I successfully differentiate into an alpha, and in the future, I see those omegas around you emitting pheromones to attract you, I might get jealous. They talk every day in the group about how much they want to be marked by you, but I can never really be marked by you. Jealousy will lead to a separation, and then we’ll quarrel every day, blaming you for not letting me differentiate into an omega at the beginning.”
Gu Liyu hesitated for a moment, perhaps imagining the scene of An Lan separating due to jealousy in his mind.
“If I continue to be a beta, listening to others talk about how good, rare, luxurious, and expensive your pheromones smell, but I can never smell them in my life. I might not only be jealous of omegas but even envy other alphas. If I hear that high-quality alphas can use pheromones to attract other omegas, but I can’t smell the pheromones, wouldn’t I suspect that you’re wearing a face of abstinence outside but being unrestrained? Maybe you’ve even attracted a whole football team, and I wouldn’t even feel it.”
“I won’t,” Gu Liyu said firmly.
“I mean, whether as an alpha or beta, there will always be regrets. Our lives will be troubled by this matter, and it may take a lifetime to overcome and adapt. So, if I really differentiate into an omega, what’s the big difference from being an alpha or beta?”
Gu Liyu hugged An Lan tightly.
“If you don’t care, then I won’t care about others’ opinions.”
“That’s right.” An Lan smiled and patted Gu Liyu’s back.
“If you care about others’ opinions, then I’ll work hard to change the world.”
An Lan smiled, turned his head, and kissed Gu Liyu’s ear. “I really like this Gu Liyu.”
Epilogue
National Shooting Club Winter League Finals
An Lan and Gu Liyu walked towards the registration, followed by Xiao Chen, Xu Xingran, and Ye Yun.
“We agreed, right? The winner treats everyone to hot pot,” Xiao Chen said.
“If I win, I’ll treat you to a month of hot pot, plus free hemorrhoid cream!” An Lan turned around, leaning on Xiao Chen’s shoulder.
After no more than a few steps, he was pulled back by Gu Liyu.
“Although winning the league championship can get extra points for the college entrance exam, we won’t let you off,” Ye Yun said with a smile.
“Who asked you to let us off? I can get into a good university by myself.”
“How come I remember you dropped more than ten places in last week’s monthly exam? The class teacher even said he would give you extra lessons,” Xu Xingran said with a smile.
“I’ll get it back in the next monthly exam,” An Lan said.
“An Lan, what’s this?” Xu Xingran squatted down, picking up a heart-shaped letter from the ground.
“Ah? What is this?”
“Dropped from your pocket. Don’t you know?” Xu Xingran handed it to him, teasingly saying, “Is it a repentance letter written by Gu Liyu in advance, afraid that he would have to kneel and scrub the washboard if he won?”
“This wasn’t written by Gu Liyu. He doesn’t know how to fold hearts.”
Xiao Chen leaned over to take a look, patted An Lan’s back and said, “I think it’s not Gu Liyu who needs to kneel and scrub the washboard, but probably you.”
“Huh?”
“You comforted a player who lost in the last finals, right? And treated him to candy. Let me tell you, those little boys are most easily deceived by this trick.” Xiao Chen was saying, and An Lan hurriedly covered his mouth.
“Who did you treat to candy?” Gu Liyu, who was walking in front, stopped.
An Lan choked a bit, “No…no one… I don’t even remember who it was…”
Ye Yun walked over with a smile, “If there’s something, let’s talk after the competition. Don’t affect the atmosphere on the field.”
Xu Xingran also nodded, passing behind An Lan, “Yeah, just a piece of candy. After the monthly exam, An Lan will treat us each to a big rainbow lollipop.”
Xiao Chen was also very serious, “I still have that big rainbow lollipop reserved. I plan to savor it slowly after the finals.”
An Lan lowered his head and tried to slip past Xiao Chen, but Gu Liyu’s arm stretched out and stopped him.
“What big rainbow? I don’t have one?” Gu Liyu asked.
“I blow rainbows for you every day. Do you still need a big rainbow?” An Lan laughed mischievously, his peripheral vision cutting fiercely at those three jerks.
“Suddenly feel a bit unkind. Will An Lan be punished on the spot?” Ye Yun said a bit worriedly in the registration area.
“Who cares if he’s in great shape lately? If he’s not psychologically prepared for a heavy blow, he probably won’t hold onto the top three in the finals,” Xiao Chen said without remorse.
“That’s life. Yesterday’s rainbow candy may be today’s death warrant,” Xu Xingran laughed.
No matter who you are, there will always be someone who makes your life chaotic and still thinks you’re living beautifully.
Author’s Note:
The main text ends here. Actually, whether An Lan becomes an omega or an alpha doesn’t matter much to him. What matters is what he wants to do, what kind of person he wants to become.
Whether omega or alpha, there will inevitably be regrets in the end.
The epilogue and the endings of other characters will be written in the extra chapters.
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