After a Real Person Plays the Protagonist of an Anguish Novel [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Housewife 

 

After three days, Tang Yiqing finally felt the pheromones in his body stabilize, and he finally stepped out of his room.

 

Upon heading downstairs, he happened to run into Father and Mother Shen. Seeing their troubled faces, Tang Yiqing couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong, Mom and Dad? Did something happen?”

 

He hadn’t been downstairs for the past few days, so he naturally hadn’t crossed paths with them and was out of the loop regarding recent events.

 

Father Shen let out a heavy sigh, and Mother Shen said with a pained voice, “Shuowen’s pheromones have spiraled out of control…”

 

Tang Yiqing froze. He had never heard of Shen Shuowen having issues with pheromone instability before. In truth, this problem had always loomed like a dark cloud over families of “Peak Alphas.” From the moment an S-class Alpha is born, such anxieties begin. The Shen family already had one case with Shen Zeqi; now that Shen Shuowen was facing the same issue, it was indeed enough to drown the family in worry.

 

“He seemed fine before… how could it happen so suddenly?” Tang Yiqing murmured.

 

“It was a sudden onset three days ago, without any warning,” Mother Shen said. Seeing Tang Yiqing’s worried expression, she shifted to comfort him instead. “It’s been brought under control now, so don’t worry. Yiqing, you’ve just recovered yourself; you should focus on your own health.”

 

Mother Shen’s words echoed in Tang Yiqing’s mind. Three days ago…

 

The scene of Shen Shuowen carrying him back to his room flashed before his eyes. It couldn’t be because of me, could it?

 

“Ah? Oh… Don’t worry, Mom, I will,” Tang Yiqing said.

 

As they walked toward the dining table, Shen Mingzheng happened to come down. Currently, he was the healthiest of the younger generation in the Shen family. He was married and had someone to soothe him; aside from his dissatisfaction with the marriage, he was the least of their worries.

 

“Mingzheng, does your elder brother have any… Omegas he’s in contact with?” Mother Shen asked.

 

Shen Mingzheng adjusted his tie as he descended the stairs, looking like he was in a hurry to leave. He answered bluntly, “No. All his secretaries are Betas. You know my brother—he’s an Omega insulator.”

 

Hearing this, the faces of Father and Mother Shen darkened. Shen Shuowen was indeed like that—always cold and detached, even cruel in his professional conduct. He seemed utterly uninterested in romance. Despite the many people who threw themselves at him and the well-matched matches introduced by parents and friends, he remained indifferent. Sharing a private meal with someone was a rarity, let alone dating.

 

The parents sighed in unison. An S-class Alpha with a stable partner significantly reduced the probability of pheromone loss-of-control. This was why they were so desperate for their children to settle down.

 

They decided that once Shen Shuowen recovered, they would arrange blind dates for him. This time, he would have to go regardless of his feelings. Perhaps with more exposure, he would find someone he liked.

 

They only dared to mention blind dates to Shen Mingzheng. Shen Zeqi’s manic energy was sometimes enough to scare even his own parents. Moreover, when Zeqi was in a foul mood, he wouldn’t just ruin the date; he might offend the entire family of the other party. There had been a previous instance where he claimed to be “allergic to Omegas,” saying he broke out in rashes upon contact. During a date, he had offended the other person so badly he got slapped—it became a laughingstock in their social circle, though he himself felt no shame.

 

“Dad, Mom, I’m leaving. I won’t stay for breakfast,” Shen Mingzheng said, heading out the door before anyone could respond.

 

“What is he in such a hurry for…” Mother Shen muttered.

 

Before Father Shen could answer, loud, pitter-patter footsteps sounded on the stairs. Without looking, they knew it was Shen Shanyu.

 

His chubby little face was full of joy. “Daddy went to see Uncle He! I heard him on the phone. He said he’s taking me out to play tomorrow!”

 

At those words, the atmosphere turned awkward. Mother Shen stole a glance at Tang Yiqing’s expression, but the name was now like an immune trigger to him. He kept his eyes down and ate silently; even if there was sadness, it was well hidden.

 

The silence at the table was eerie. Shen Shanyu took his seat next to Tang Yiqing. Seeing that his mother didn’t even look at him, he lifted his chin and gave a heavy “Hmph!”

 

As if trying to spite Tang Yiqing on purpose, Shen Shanyu was so happy he could barely sit still, constantly telling his grandparents about the places they were going tomorrow.

 

Eventually, Tang Yiqing finished his meal and returned upstairs. Once again, it was the driver who took Shen Shanyu to kindergarten.

 

In the afternoon, Tang Yiqing started his live stream again. Looking at the screen full of comments calling him “Mommy,” “Wife,” and “Baby,” he could only smile shyly at the camera, still not quite used to the online nicknames.

 

He had made some nourishing soups and dishes for Omegas. Just as he was about to eat, a chirpy, energetic voice rang out. Tang Yiqing looked over to see Shen Shanyu bouncing into the room. The boy stopped abruptly the moment he saw Tang Yiqing, his face falling as if remembering he was still supposed to be mad.

 

Tang Yiqing hadn’t picked him up or dropped him off for the past few days. In the boy’s mind, his mother had been very negligent. Even though Tang Yiqing had come down for breakfast today, he still hadn’t taken him to school. Shen Shanyu let out a “Hmph” and went to sit on the sofa.

 

He fiddled with his children’s smartwatch while stealing glances at Tang Yiqing. Seeing that his mother was ignoring him even after he returned, he slammed his water cup onto the coffee table and flipped through his picture book loudly. When he realized he still couldn’t get Tang Yiqing’s attention, he became furious. After a while, he noticed that Tang Yiqing seemed to be… live streaming.

 

He was eating in front of the phone camera, smiling occasionally and talking to the screen. Shen Shanyu’s clever little brain immediately came to a conclusion: His mommy was imitating Uncle He.

 

Tang Yiqing was immersed in his stream, eating and watching the screen, when his leg was suddenly hugged. He looked down to see Shen Shanyu looking up with a pouting face. “Mommy, why didn’t you pick me up? You haven’t picked me up in days!”

 

Tang Yiqing was stunned. He thought Shen Shanyu would throw a tantrum for at least a few more days; he didn’t expect him to be so clingy so soon. He instinctively glanced at the live stream. The comments were moving fast, everyone shocked that he really was a “Mommy.”

 

Shen Shanyu was relentless: “You don’t wake me up anymore, and you don’t coax me to sleep!”

 

Tang Yiqing felt a headache coming on. Looking at the viewers’ reactions, he feared they would think he was an irresponsible, bad mother. Surprisingly, the netizens took a completely different stance:

 

“Go away, brat! Don’t you see Mommy is busy!”

 

“We don’t want such an annoying kid!”

 

“So annoying, your mommy works hard too!”

 

“Kids are just a nuisance. Streamer, tell me your address, I’ll come over and babysit for you!”

 

Relieved that there were no accusatory comments, Tang Yiqing took a moment to lean down and say softly to Shen Shanyu, “Be good, Shanyu. Go play by yourself for a bit, and I’ll read you a bedtime story tonight, okay?”

 

Shen Shanyu immediately shouted, “No!”

 

Then, Shen Shanyu burst into tears. The speed of his emotional shift caught Tang Yiqing off guard, and he wondered why the boy was being so abnormal.

 

While he was staring at the boy in a daze, he noticed the little one buried his face in Tang Yiqing’s leg but peeked up to steal a look. Tang Yiqing immediately understood: the kid was causing trouble on purpose. Although only four, he was smarter and sharper than most children. This sight left Tang Yiqing feeling both stifled and helpless.

 

Just then, a dark figure appeared in the living room, caught in the corner of Tang Yiqing’s eye. He looked over to see Shen Mingzheng glancing at him before sitting on the sofa, radiating a low-pressure aura.

 

Tang Yiqing, already headache-stricken by the child, hadn’t realized his husband was back until he heard Shen Mingzheng’s deep voice: “Can you make him stop crying?”

 

Tang Yiqing snapped out of it and hurriedly ended the stream. Seeing his successful disruption, Shen Shanyu showed a cunning smile. He didn’t like Tang Yiqing focusing on a phone instead of him. If his mother really became a streamer, there would definitely be less time for him. Furthermore, he didn’t like Tang Yiqing imitating Uncle He. He couldn’t quite explain why; he just found it loathsome.

 

Shen Shanyu skipped away, but Tang Yiqing remained rooted to the spot, at a loss. Facing Shen Mingzheng’s cold, authoritative gaze, he lowered his head slightly.

 

“Come here,” Shen Mingzheng said.

 

Tang Yiqing looked at him, hesitated, and then walked slowly toward him, stopping about a meter away. He realized Shen Mingzheng was releasing a pheromone pressure—a powerful force that made him afraid to step closer.

 

This was a tactic used by violent Alphas to control Omegas. In a household, if an Alpha used such means against his Omega wife, it was a very serious matter. However, at this moment, Shen Mingzheng seemed more like he was simply trying to intimidate him—to show he was angry—rather than actually using force.

 

Shen Mingzheng looked at him coldly. “Is the Shen family lacking food or drink for you?”

 

Tang Yiqing finally understood. The reason for the angry warning was that in Shen Mingzheng’s eyes, he was neglecting the child for the sake of live streaming.

 

“I’m asking you a question,” Shen Mingzheng said.

 

Though he was sitting, Shen Mingzheng didn’t appear weak at all. On the contrary, his aura was a thousand times stronger than Tang Yiqing’s.

 

“No…” Tang Yiqing murmured.

 

“Then have you ever lacked money?” Shen Mingzheng asked again.

 

“No…” Tang Yiqing said. He wasn’t lacking money now, but he feared that after the divorce, all his cards would be frozen and his financial source cut off.

 

“Then why do you insist on doing that stupid live stream? How much money can that even make?” Shen Mingzheng was aggressive.

 

Tang Yiqing met Shen Mingzheng’s forceful gaze, his own eyes misty and the corners of his eyelids red. He whispered, “It’s not about the money. I just wanted something to do…”

 

“You want something to do, so you can just ignore the child? Is the Shen family so small that you’re bored?” Shen Mingzheng said. “Or do you just like showing off in front of a camera, flirting with those creeps online?”

 

Tang Yiqing froze. He hadn’t expected Shen Mingzheng to say something so harsh. They are both streaming; would he say this to He Chenguang? Has he even watched my content? How could he say I’m flirting?

 

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words felt stuck in his chest. He could only stare at Shen Mingzheng in a daze.

 

Shen Mingzheng’s chest heaved with agitation. “All you were asked to do was look after a child. What else are you expected to do? If you can’t be a good mother, there are plenty of people who can!”

 

Tang Yiqing was stunned, his grief and indignation finally sparked. Shen Mingzheng was also taken aback by his expression. That usually gentle and submissive face was now deathly pale, with a streak of red at the eyes, making him look both strikingly beautiful and tragically desolate. It made Shen Mingzheng’s heart tighten, and he even began to doubt his own words—perhaps he had been too harsh.

 

Tang Yiqing took a deep breath and spoke with a strained, trembling voice. “Are you talking about He Chenguang? You want him to be the child’s mother?”

 

Tang Yiqing looked both tense and fragile. Shen Mingzheng stared at him, frowning deeply. Tang Yiqing had never mentioned He Chenguang before. This sudden mention felt like he had been pushed to the edge, as if he were ready to lay everything out and let it all go.

 

That thought crossed Shen Mingzheng’s mind, making him feel stifled and incredibly restless. “Why are you bringing him up out of nowhere?”

 

Tang Yiqing looked him in the eye, his eyes rimmed with red, like a cornered rabbit ready to bite. “Can’t I mention him? Isn’t that what you’re thinking?”

 

Just as Shen Mingzheng was about to respond, his expression suddenly changed as he looked behind Tang Yiqing. Still immersed in his sadness, Tang Yiqing didn’t notice anything until he felt a weight on his shoulder. He instinctively looked to the side, smelling alcohol before seeing Shen Zeqi’s profile. The man’s cheeks were slightly flushed, and he wore a half-smile full of reckless malice.

 

Mother Shen had mentioned this morning that Zeqi hadn’t come home last night. It seemed he had been out drinking all night. He looked unsteady and drunk, carrying a hint of madness.

 

“Stop arguing. What’s there to fight about every single day?” Shen Zeqi spoke. “If you ask me… he’s not a good mother, and you’re not a good husband… How about this, Mingzheng? I’m willing to compete for the position. I’ll be his husband instead. I’ll marry my brother’s wife.”

 

Tang Yiqing looked at him in shock. Shen Zeqi truly had a way of saying the most outrageous things. He stared straight at Shen Mingzheng with a defiant look, as if determined to provoke him to death.

 

The veins on the back of Shen Mingzheng’s hands bulged as he struggled to restrain himself, his eyes scanning the arm draped over Tang Yiqing’s shoulder and the provocative face.

 

“It’s a win-win situation, don’t you think?” Shen Zeqi said.

 

Tang Yiqing didn’t know how to react to such an insane statement. At that moment, Shen Zeqi seemed to sense his gaze and turned his face. His long, narrow eyes were slightly out of focus, naturally sparkling. His body swayed, and for a moment he leaned in close, his warm breath brushing past. He murmured airily, “So fragrant…”

 

The next second, an explosive Shen Mingzheng landed a punch squarely on Shen Zeqi’s face.

 

Tang Yiqing cried out in surprise, having completely failed to predict this turn of events. Shen Zeqi’s head snapped to the side from the blow, and he let go of Tang Yiqing. He wiped the corner of his mouth, and when he looked back at Shen Mingzheng, his face was full of vicious darkness. “You dared to hit me? You actually dared to hit me?”

 

The next second, Shen Zeqi lunged like a mad dog, pinning Shen Mingzheng to the sofa as they began to brawl recklessly. Tang Yiqing tried to pull them apart but couldn’t get between them. Eventually, it took the intervention of Father and Mother Shen to separate the two.

 

Thus, the mysterious storm was calmed. It also made Tang Yiqing realize that the Shen brothers were not close at all—when they fought, they aimed to kill.

 

Night fell.

 

The villa grew silent and the lights were turned off. Shen Zeqi’s room was pitch black.

 

He lay unconscious on his large bed, fine sweat on his cheeks. His sleep was restless, his chest heaving violently.

 

In the blur of his dream, he seemed to see a soft figure sitting on the bed in the room, looking obedient. He wanted to go in, but the walk was so difficult. The figure grew more ethereal as he approached, as if it would vanish at any moment.

 

The figure stood up, looked at him, and said gently, “You’re here.”

 

“You must be tired. Lie down and rest.”

 

The figure helped him take off his clothes. He looked at the blurred person before him—their skin was snow-white, and from this close, he could smell the fragrance.

 

The scent of daisies.

 

Suddenly, his mind jolted. The blurred face became clear. The moment he saw that face, Shen Zeqi woke up with a start.

 

He sat up, his heavy breathing filling the room. The sweat on his body was turning cold.

 

He had dreamed of him again.

 

Shen Zeqi’s face was dark. He pulled off his sweat-soaked shirt, then his wet trousers, and finally his sticky underwear.

 

“F*ck.”