Be Good. Go Ahead and Mark Me. - Chapter 2

Yu Siyuan stood by the trash can, staring blankly ahead. He didn’t move for a very long time.

It was early March in City H, a time when the temperature loved to play on a roller coaster. After the rain that night, the temperature plummeted by more than ten degrees.

The wind blew with a piercing chill. With every gust, the roadside trees rustled, sending a flurry of swirling leaves cascading down onto the pavement.

He was staring absentmindedly at the distant neon lights buried in the fog when his phone suddenly buzzed and vibrated.

It was a text from his childhood best friend, Fu Bao:

Yuanyuan, are you guys done? Are you still with Professor Xiao?

How did the talk go? What’s the situation?

Seeing the messages, the Alpha’s fingertips hovered hesitantly over the screen for a few moments before he clutched the phone and typed back:

It’s already over.

He said he doesn’t like Alphas. He has no interest in Alphas.

Almost immediately after sending the two messages, the phrase “typing…” flashed repeatedly under his friend’s name. Then, Fu Bao simply gave up on texting and called him via voice chat.

Yu Siyuan scrambled in a flurry to fish out his earphones. The phone rang for a long time before he finally connected the call.

“He— Hello.”

“Yuanyuan, what happened? It’s barely eight o’clock and it’s already over? It’s only been an hour and a half. Didn’t you guys talk more? You have to talk more to get to know each other!”

The boy bit his lower lip.

After a long pause, he sniffled and said sluggishly, “Fu Bao, I think I messed it up.”

The voice on the other end stopped short, immediately shifting into comfort mode:

“What do you mean messed up? Our Yuanyuan is the best Alpha I’ve ever seen! If he doesn’t like you, it’s his loss!”

“I only set you two up on a blind date because I saw how handsome he is, with those long legs, and he’s a professor at a prestigious university. I figured we shouldn’t let such a catch go to outsiders! Who would’ve thought. Oh, don’t be sad.

That Xiao Shuqing has such great qualities, yet he hasn’t matched with an Alpha at his age. There’s definitely something wrong with him, it has nothing to do with you!”

“Oh, don’t overthink it.”

As his best friend rambled on over the phone, Yu Siyuan listened half-heartedly, his fingertips unconsciously scrolling up through their chat history.

Before he knew it, he had scrolled back to the photo Fu Bao had sent him a few days ago.

A man with a tall stature and long legs. His long hair cascaded all the way down to his waist. He sat with his legs elegantly crossed, resting his chin on one hand as he leaned back against a sofa bathed in sunlight.

Gold-rimmed glasses, silk loungewear, and a casual glance toward the camera—those eyes, deep as the ocean, seemed to look right through a person with a single gaze.

He was like the high, distant moon hanging in the sky.

“Yuanyuan, are you listening?”

“Hello? Strange, why is the signal so bad.”

His friend’s voice came through the earphones, followed by the sound of someone frantically tapping on their phone screen.

Yu Siyuan hastily closed the photo and spoke up, “Fu Bao, I’m listening.”

“Oh, oh, you’re there. Like I said, don’t be sad. Do you have time this weekend? Want to come over to my place for hotpot?”

“Ah, this weekend won’t work. I have plans with Uncle Chen. Back when our family lacked the funds to keep the business running, Uncle Chen helped us out a lot. Now that we’ve finally paid off the debt, Dad said we have to treat him to a meal.”

“Uncle Chen. Alright then, let’s catch up when you’re free?”

“Mm, okay.”

“Then, I’m hanging up?” his friend said.

Yu Siyuan blinked and lightly rubbed his eyes with his hand.

Clutching his phone, he called out, “Um, Fu Bao.”

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

He bit his lip again, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just, thank you.”

“Don’t be so polite with me! Come over to my place when you’re free later!”

“Mm, okay.”

“Hehe.”

The night of the blind date was like a minor interlude in countless ordinary days, quickly cast to the back of their minds.

It was nothing more than a simple dinner with a stranger, after which life continued its routine step-by-step.

At least, that was how it was for Xiao Shuqing.

On March 18th, Saturday.

Xiao Shuqing drove alone to the City H Hospital.

They had originally called him on Wednesday to ask him to come over, but due to work commitments, he hadn’t found the time and could only make the trip over the weekend.

The nurse who notified him at the time had sounded incredibly solemn: “Please make sure to come to the hospital. Dr. Ning needs to discuss your condition with you.”

Thus, the appointment was set for this morning.

The hospital was crowded with patients, most of whom were there for common ailments like colds and gastroenteritis, but the floor for the gland department was quite sparse.

Turning right after exiting the elevator brought him to the Omega Gland Department.

There were five examination rooms in total. His doctor was in the innermost room, Room 905—an elderly specialist recommended by a friend.

Holding his lab results, he walked down the corridor. As he passed one of the examination rooms, he unexpectedly caught a familiar, soft voice asking anxiously, “Dr. Chen, how is my dad doing this time?”

Turning his head, he indeed spotted Yu Siyuan sitting sideways at the consultation desk inside the clinic.

The young Alpha sat perfectly upright with both hands resting flat on his thighs.

His feet were hooked tightly around the rungs of the stool legs, his toes tensing unconsciously.

“Your father’s recovery is excellent. He’s completely cured, and there won’t be any issues in the future,” the doctor said patiently with a smile.

Hearing this, the boy froze entirely, remaining utterly still like a statue.

Only his hands resting on his thighs gripped his trousers tightly. Tears fell, drop by drop, plunging downward.

Then, a thin, pale hand reached around from his side, gently patting his shoulder.

The young Alpha turned sideways and tightly hugged the person’s waist, burying his entire head into the man’s embrace.

The man lowered his head, gently smoothing down the boy’s cowlick, and said, “Thank you, Doctor. You’ve worked hard all these years.”

It appeared to be Yu Siyuan’s father—an Omega who had suffered from Mate Loss Syndrome for seven years after his husband passed away.

Seeing this, Xiao Shuqing slowly averted his gaze. Having no intention of prying into others’ privacy, he turned and walked toward the clinic further down.

The corridor was quiet, allowing the clear dialogue between the two older men to drift over:

“As a doctor, treating patients is just my duty. It hasn’t been hard on me; Xiao Yuan is the one who has had it hard all these years.”

“Yes, I’ve been sick for so many years unable to lift anything or carry any burdens. I’ve broken Yuanyuan’s back with hardships.”

“This child looks small and soft, but he has a real resilience buried deep within his core.”

“Mm, our Yuanyuan is a very responsible Alpha.”

Clinic No. 905.

There were no other patients in the room. The white-haired elderly doctor sat at the desk, adjusting his glasses while reading a book.

Seeing this, Xiao Shuqing knocked lightly on the open door and said, “Hello, I’m Xiao Shuqing. I have an appointment for a follow-up consultation today.”

Upon hearing his name, the old doctor instantly shed his peaceful demeanor. His eyes widened, and he slammed his book down onto the desk with a sharp thwack: “So you finally remembered to show up? I told that kid Xiao Song on Wednesday to have you come in for a follow-up. The nurses practically begged you three or four times, yet you dragged it out until today. Why didn’t you just drag it out for a month, or a year, let your gland atrophy entirely, and then just come to me to have it surgically removed?”

Xiao Shuqing fell silent.

He silently closed the clinic door behind him.

“I’m sorry. This week was too busy, and I couldn’t spare the time to come over.”

It would have been better if he hadn’t explained; hearing this defense, the old doctor’s beard practically bristled with rage. “Busy? Do you have any idea how important an Omega’s gland is? In a few days, when you can’t sleep, when your head hurts, your back hurts, and your whole body aches, let’s see how busy you are then! Is your work more important or your health? You youngsters just won’t shed a tear until you see the coffin.”

Words failed Xiao Shuqing.

He quickly shifted the topic rather stiffly: “I have been having some trouble sleeping lately. Please take a look for me.”

With that, he placed the lab results in front of the doctor.

To his surprise, the doctor became even more exasperated.

“Look at this gland of yours! There are seven or eight needle marks visible to the naked eye alone. An Omega only goes into heat once a month, and a single shot of suppressants is supposed to last through the entire cycle. Look at yours!

Here, here, and here! These three shots were all injected just this month! And here, here—were these two injected last month? Let alone an Omega, even an Alpha with their thick skin couldn’t withstand their glands being battered like this!”

Helpless, Xiao Shuqing pressed his fingertips against his throbbing temple. “It couldn’t be controlled without three shots.”

The doctor snorted. “That’s true. But you probably won’t have to worry about that kind of trouble anymore. With the state of your gland, it’s going to be difficult for you to even enter heat in the future.”

Xiao Shuqing: “?”

Well, fixing the problem once and for all isn’t a bad thing either.

Perhaps his “couldn’t care less” attitude was a bit too obvious, earning him yet another earful from the old doctor, whose beard bristled with rage all over again.

It wasn’t until he finally left the hospital and took a deep, heavy drag of a cigarette inside his car that he felt a sense of peace return to him.

His phone chimed with a succession of crisp notification pings. His childhood friends knew he was going to the hospital for his follow-up today and were already asking for updates in their group chat.

Yin Yu: @Xiao Shuqing how did the hospital checkup go? Song Qingyun said your situation doesn’t look too good?

Song Qingyun: He had barely set foot in the hospital when Dr. Ning called right after to chew me out. Said his gland is about to go down the drain and told me to comfort him properly, otherwise he might actually have to get it surgically removed. What does his gland removal have to do with me? Talk about catching stray bullets.

Yin Yu: Well, you were the one who connected him with the doctor, so they probably assumed Ah Qing was your Omega. @Xiao Shuqing Ah Qing? Where are you? Get out here and talk to us.

The messages in the chat popped up one after another.

The man’s brow furrowed slightly. He flicked his ash into the car’s ashtray and typed:

Overused suppressants, causing glandular atrophy. Said it’s best if I find an Alpha within a month, otherwise the gland has to come out.

Yin Yu’s reply shot back instantly:

Pff, and here I thought it was some life-or-death tragedy. Haven’t you always found your own gland an eyesore anyway? Look at that, wishes do come true.

Didn’t you tell the doctor that this is exactly what you’ve been hoping for?

Xiao Shuqing: I did. Got reamed out until just now.

Yin Yu: Hahahahaha! But wait, I heard Omegas live shorter lives if they get their glands removed? Maybe you should just listen to the doctor and find an Alpha?

Song Qingyun: Find an Alpha? When he turned twenty, he was already calculating what age would be the most ideal to get his gland removed. Take a guess at what he chose.

Yin Yu: Pfft, classic him.

Yin Yu: So, what age actually is the most ideal? [Curious Dog.jpg]

Xiao Shuqing bit open the flavor capsule in his cigarette filter. He brushed his long hair back over his shoulder, leaning lazily against the steering wheel as he typed: Thirty-two.

Unsurprisingly, this was met with a string of “hahahas” from his friends.

Yin Yu: Then, why don’t you get it treated for two years first?

Yin Yu: Or, how about you just find an Alpha to make do with for a couple of years? Honestly, I think it’s doable. Live a little, young man, don’t be so rigid. I think Song Qingyun fits the bill quite nicely.

Song Qingyun: @Yin Yu Screw off.

Xiao Shuqing: @Yin Yu @Song Qingyun Both of you, screw off.