After a Real Person Plays the Protagonist of an Anguish Novel [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Housewife

A bizarre atmosphere permeated the private room. The area around Tang Yiqing and Shen Mingzheng was receiving an extraordinary amount of attention; every move they made tugged at the heartstrings of the onlookers.

Originally, the drama between the legal wife and the childhood sweetheart was enough of a spectacle, but now with a senior added to the mix, such an exciting “live broadcast” was truly rare.

Because of Zhuo Mingyuan’s arrival, Tang Yiqing no longer felt awkward or helpless. The man’s way of speaking was just as he remembered—like a stream in a mountain valley, capable of soothing the unease in one’s heart.

They chatted about their lives over the past few years, learning about what had happened to each other. Zhuo Mingyuan belonged to a family business; he was the most outstanding of his generation in the Zhuo family and had already taken over part of the family industry.

Back then, Zhuo Mingyuan had taken great care of him, being meticulous to a fault. He was a naturally attentive Alpha; simply being near him made one feel comfortable.

In truth, he wasn’t the only pursuer back then, yet he was the only one who made Tang Yiqing feel a sense of regret. Looking back now, out of so many pursuers, Yiqing had precisely chosen the absolute worst one for himself, and he had even begged and pleaded to get him.

“Yiqing, have you really been happy these past few years?” Zhuo Mingyuan’s gaze was full of concern and heartache.

Tang Yiqing couldn’t bear to meet his eyes. His rejection back then had been decisive, and the current result was already painfully obvious.

Zhuo Mingyuan surely knew of his current situation, but for now, Tang Yiqing could only swallow everything down. “I’m… alright.”

Zhuo Mingyuan was so agitated he almost grabbed his hand, but his movement stalled. “Yiqing, it’s not too late to regret. You’re still young…”

Before he could finish, Shen Mingzheng—who had been pretending to be indifferent while listening to every single word—finally couldn’t sit still. He slammed his wine glass onto the table with a thud. “I say, Zhuo Mingyuan, what are you saying to my wife? Are you trying to move in as a third party?”

Zhuo Mingyuan looked at him, his previously gentle gaze turning to one of loathing and sarcasm. “Yiqing is your wife? My apologies, I thought you and the one next to you were a family. This really is quite misleading.”

Shen Mingzheng’s expression froze. He looked at Tang Yiqing, only to see him looking troubled, unable to utter a single word. He was so spineless it made one’s heart stifle; he hadn’t even offered a denial, nor had he even acknowledged that they were a married couple!

Just then, Zhuo Mingyuan spoke again, “You think other people don’t want to move in? There are plenty of people waiting. As long as Yiqing is willing, never mind a third or fourth party—he’s worthy of ten or eight. As for you, you’re destined to be discarded sooner or later!”

Shen Mingzheng stood up abruptly. Zhuo Mingyuan was not to be outdone, and the two were on the verge of an explosion. Tang Yiqing stood up helplessly to block the middle, for a moment not knowing what to say. He Chenguang’s expression wasn’t much better than Shen Mingzheng’s as he held the latter back.

At this moment, someone else stepped in to smooth things over. “Everyone, cool down. It’s inevitable to mention the past at a school reunion; don’t take it to heart.”

As he spoke, the person brought over four glasses of wine. “Just drink these, and let’s clear the air with a smile.”

The atmosphere relaxed slightly. After Zhuo Mingyuan calmed down, he took the glass. If a fight broke out here, it would become the laughingstock of the circle tomorrow, and bad rumors would swirl around Tang Yiqing. After all, he was now a married man; a fight might be a satisfying vent for Zhuo Mingyuan, but he still had to consider Tang Yiqing.

“Apologies, I got a bit emotional just now.” Zhuo Mingyuan tilted his head back and downed the wine.

Shen Mingzheng swept a cold glance over him. They were in the same circle and had business dealings; he needed to take this “way out” offered to him. He also took a glass. The last two glasses were brought over by He Chenguang, one of which was shoved into Tang Yiqing’s hand.

“Let’s drink together. Everyone is a friend; there aren’t that many grudges,” He Chenguang said.

Tang Yiqing looked at the wine in his hand, feeling a sense of dread. He could feel his body heating up and his glands swelling, giving him a bad premonition.

Zhuo Mingyuan noticed his hesitation. “Unwell? How about not drinking it?”

Tang Yiqing looked at Shen Mingzheng. A sneer flashed in the other man’s eyes. “Is the Senior here, so you’re starting to act frail? Weren’t you able to drink just now?”

Tang Yiqing’s face went stiff. He didn’t understand why Shen Mingzheng wouldn’t let him drink when he first arrived, yet was forcing him to now.

Then he realized. Right now, he was caught between Shen Mingzheng and Zhuo Mingyuan—one was his husband, the other his senior. Shen Mingzheng wanted to prove to everyone that as a wife, he still listened to his husband.

Tang Yiqing didn’t hesitate further and gave Shen Mingzheng the answer he wanted. He downed the glass in one go.

The people nearby cheered and clapped. This made Tang Yiqing think of Shen Zeqi’s remark—”Your whole family is a bunch of actors”—it really fit the current scene.

After sitting down, Tang Yiqing felt increasingly unwell. He even began to see double. Zhuo Mingyuan looked at him with concern and handed him a soft drink. “Are you physically uncomfortable?”

Tang Yiqing slowly shook his head and looked at Shen Mingzheng. The man had a gloomy face and was clinking glasses with He Chenguang, looking incredibly intimate.

“Mingzheng, let’s go home,” Tang Yiqing said.

Shen Mingzheng let out a scoff and mocked, “Go home with me? I thought you were going to leave with your Senior.”

Tang Yiqing felt truly bad. He had made full preparations before coming—he wore a suppressant patch and took medicine to lower his sensitivity to pheromones. He shouldn’t have been affected, yet now all those suppressions were failing.

To avoid even greater trouble, Tang Yiqing stood up directly. “Then I’ll be heading back first.”

With those words, he didn’t wait for Shen Mingzheng’s reaction and walked straight out.

Shen Mingzheng was stunned, believing Tang Yiqing was throwing a tantrum. “Quite the temper you’ve grown, thinking you have someone to back you up now, eh?”

Watching Tang Yiqing exit the door, Shen Mingzheng gripped his wine glass tightly. It was like a competition; if he chased after him, he lost. Besides, what right did Tang Yiqing have? After being given a few days of a “good face,” he’d forgotten who he was.

Zhuo Mingyuan stood up, worried about Tang Yiqing; he had come here for him, after all. However, he was quickly stopped by He Chenguang.

Shen Mingzheng also spoke at this point. “Mingyuan, that’s my wife. If you follow him out the moment he leaves, people might really think the two of you have some secret.”

Zhuo Mingyuan hesitated for a moment and sat back down. “Shen Mingzheng, you have nothing to be smug about. Yiqing will leave you sooner or later.”

Shen Mingzheng snorted. “It’s been years, and I don’t know how many times I’ve heard that line. Yet he is still my wife, not yours.”

Having just stepped out, Tang Yiqing felt like he could finally breathe a bit of fresh air, though it was still murky and chaotic. This place was full of twists and turns, with one private room lining up after another.

The eerie lights gave Tang Yiqing the illusion of being in the underworld. His body swayed, but he didn’t dare touch the walls of the rooms, as if he had returned to that day—the reason he and Shen Mingzheng married was that he had walked into the wrong room.

Right now, both the environment and his physical sensations were identical to that day.

He glanced back; in his daze, he felt a figure was following him ever since he left the room.

Tang Yiqing’s pace quickened. He held the railing as he went down the stairs, then took out his phone to call Shen Mingzheng, silently praying he would answer quickly.

In the room, Shen Mingzheng did indeed hear his phone ring. He took another sip of wine before unhurriedly taking out his phone. Seeing the caller ID, a smirk played on his lips. But before he could click answer, a soft body pressed against his side, emitting waves of milk-candy fragrance. Then, a snowy-white hand reached over and swiped the “decline” button. The ringing stopped instantly.

Shen Mingzheng froze and looked irritably at He Chenguang. The other man’s smile was enchanting, and he tilted his glass toward him. “Tonight, being happy is the most important thing.”

The milk-candy pheromones enveloped Shen Mingzheng, quickly making his gaze soften.

Tang Yiqing was drenched in sweat. Passersby looked at him with ill intent. At this moment, he was filled with despair; seeing the declined call, he could only quicken his pace.

Just then, the progress bar in his mind—which had been 5% short—filled up completely. 456 came online accompanied by fireworks: “Congratulations to the host for opening the next stage of the plot! Current mission: Divorce.”

Tang Yiqing’s heart suddenly felt a wave of relief; he finally saw some results. However, his current situation was truly dire. “Are there any items to solve my current condition?”

456 said immediately, “There is an item to maintain clarity, but it only lasts five minutes.”

Tang Yiqing used it instantly. His vision cleared up, and his head was no longer muddled. However, his body was still miserable; the feeling of the heat arriving was even more distinct now that he was soberly experiencing it all.

At this moment, a sweaty hand grabbed his arm. He didn’t even look back as he forcefully shook it off. He was finally nearing the exit, and the footsteps behind him grew urgent.

But then, a thud sounded behind him. Immediately after, he caught a faint scent of pheromones—the smell of grass mixed with dew.

Those Alpha pheromones formed a shield for him. He could sense an Alpha-to-Alpha confrontation happening behind him, preventing him from retreating; that was not a battlefield he could join.

He stepped out of the bar. The cars on the street were a flowing stream. It had just rained lightly, and the air was mixed with the smell of damp earth. His burning body felt a touch of coolness.

Next, his wrist was grabbed. Zhuo Mingyuan looked at him anxiously. “How are you? Is it…?”

As he spoke, he leaned closer and said in a daze, “You smell so good right now.”

Tang Yiqing’s body recoiled. He wrenched his wrist free. “I… I’m very uncomfortable right now.”

In his panic, Tang Yiqing saw a black sedan parked at the corner of the street. The car looked very familiar. The window was halfway down, and a hand holding a cigarette rested on the frame, flicking ash.

As if sensing something, the person inside looked out. Then, Tang Yiqing met a pair of deep eyes. He saw the car door open, and a tall figure stepped out.

Neon lights spilled onto the damp pavement. As the figure approached, Tang Yiqing’s heart finally settled.

Support