It’s So Exhausting Having Top-tier Alpha Twins As Exes - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: How Could You Ever Embarrass Me?

Xiang Shuyu was a bit dazed.

He hadn’t expected that a person could be intimate one moment and heartless the next though perhaps for someone like Duan Yue, such words didn’t really count as being either kind or cruel.

“But… last night you didn’t enter the reproductive cavity, and there was no marking or knotting.”

Contraceptives are, after all, medicine; taking too many is always harmful to the body. Xiang Shuyu hadn’t planned on a long-term future with Duan Yue, but whether or not to get pregnant was his personal right. He didn’t want to deprive himself of the ability to conceive just to avoid having Duan Yue’s child.

“Since the reproductive cavity wasn’t opened, I shouldn’t get pregnant,” Xiang Shuyu said with a hint of resistance in his voice. “I… I don’t really want to take the medicine.”

The dining room fell silent for a moment. Xiang Shuyu’s back went stiff. He thought Duan Yue was angry; a person like him probably didn’t experience being disobeyed very often.

Xiang Shuyu could feel the sense of pressure emanating from the other man. He felt a bit of fear and a bit of regret for saying those words.

But Duan Yue simply took him by the wrist, pulled him onto his lap, and stuffed a piece of fried egg into his mouth. “Just to be safe. If you want to go on shows later, being pregnant would be inconvenient and people would point fingers. That wouldn’t be good.”

But the gossip of outsiders could be solved with just a word from Duan Yue, Xiang Shuyu thought.

He knew Duan Yue was just making up an excuse. He wasn’t the type to step forward and explain things for an Omega he had just casually agreed to be with—one he didn’t even know how long he’d keep before tossing aside.

Duan Yue was still talking to him: “Many people are very mean. You’re not married yet, so it’s best not to give them something to talk about right now. I’m doing this for your own good, baby. You wouldn’t want to have to get an abortion while sporting a belly, right? The stares and the spit of those people could drown you. You’d be very sad.”

Xiang Shuyu remained silent for a while, then obediently swallowed the contraceptive pill.

Duan Yue had to head out after breakfast. Before leaving, he said to Xiang Shuyu: “You can move in. You can bring all your clothes over, or if you don’t want to go back home to get them, just wait for me to get you new ones.”

Xiang Shuyu didn’t say yes or no; he just felt like this was a bit like being a “kept man.”

But saying that out loud would probably make him seem pretentious like someone who couldn’t recognize reality, someone who already had everything but still wasn’t satisfied.

Xiang Shuyu was actually satisfied. He nodded and said, “Go on to your work.”

“No need to tidy up the kitchen; a maid will come by later to clean. Oh, by the way,” Duan Yue stood outside the door, the sunlight falling on his meticulously styled hair, outlining a very beautiful silhouette. He tilted his chin toward the house. “There’s a music room on the second floor. There’s a new guzheng inside.”

“If you like it and want to practice, you can go in there yourself.”

Before leaving, he pinched Xiang Shuyu’s chin and left another parting kiss.

With his face slightly flushed, Xiang Shuyu covered his lips and closed the door.

Duan Yue probably didn’t stay in this villa very often. The basic amenities were all there, but there wasn’t much decoration, leaving it feeling empty.

He went to the second floor and entered the music room Duan Yue had mentioned.

The sunroom windows faced south, providing excellent natural light. Sunlight streamed through the glass panes, falling onto the guzheng.

In an instant, Xiang Shuyu’s heart skipped a beat.

It was indeed a new instrument. Xiang Shuyu carefully stroked the strings; not a speck of dust was to be found, as if it had just been delivered.

Had Duan Yue prepared it for him?

Xiang Shuyu felt a bit lost, but his heart couldn’t help but feel sweet, and the faint displeasure he felt at the breakfast table when Duan Yue made him take the pill was pushed to the back of his mind.

To give a gift, one must hit the recipient’s heart. Duan Yue was a social expert; he naturally understood this principle.

Xiang Shuyu also admitted that Duan Yue indeed handled things properly.

Except for the times when he would, intentionally or unintentionally, remind him to keep his distance and not harbor any other “distorted” thoughts.

Xiang Shuyu wouldn’t harbor any more distractions. Once Jiang Xiayue’s emotions stabilized, he would tell her about his relationship with Duan Yue, and then he would be able to relax.

At that time, he would have the time and energy to handle his own work and arrange his future, extracting himself from his current environment and moving to a place where Jiang Xiayue could no longer control his life.

A small smile appeared on Xiang Shuyu’s face. He went back to the bedroom to change clothes and very carefully applied a pheromone blocker to the back of his neck, covering the residual pheromones from Duan Yue’s temporary mark.

Both Jiang Xiayue and Xiang Han had sent him messages. It was only when Xiang Shuyu got into a taxi that he remembered to take a look. Xiang Han asked who on earth he was dating, while Jiang Xiayue asked why he wasn’t at the Xiang residence and where he had gone instead.

A string of missed calls lined his call log. Xiang Shuyu’s head throbbed. He had no intention of calling back, so he set Jiang Xiayue aside for the moment.

Then, he clicked on the third message.

It was from Auntie Zhang next door, sounding like she was at the end of her rope. She asked, “Xiao Shu, could you lend Auntie Zhang a little money?”

Xiang Shuyu’s fingers froze.

It was likely for her granddaughter’s medical treatment.

Xiang Shuyu was willing to lend money, but he was short on cash himself right now. He still had to raise the issue of terminating his contract with Gu Yi, and the termination fee would be unavoidable.

Xiang Shuyu’s fingers trembled slightly. He first typed “I’m sorry,” then deleted those three words and typed “I’ll try to find a way,” but before he could send it, he felt it wasn’t right and deleted that too.

“We’re here,” the driver said from the front. “Sixty-five.”

The southern district was far from the company nearly a two-hour drive so the fare was indeed expensive.

Xiang Shuyu paid the fare, got out of the car, and sent a message to Auntie Zhang: “I still have tens of thousands on hand. Auntie Zhang, you take that first, and when I get my salary, I’ll add some more.”

Auntie Zhang responded quickly: “Oh, thank you so much, Xiao Shu. Auntie Zhang doesn’t even know how to thank you properly.”

Xiang Shuyu bit his lower lip.

The contract termination could be delayed, but the little girl’s illness could not. Although money was tight, he felt it was worth it.

But having given it all away in one go, he was now penniless.

He hadn’t been able to get a decent contract in a long time; this time, it was all thanks to Duan Yue’s help.

Gu Yi was also a bit excited. She was telling Xiang Shuyu about the details of the contract. Seeing that she was in a good mood, Xiang Shuyu tentatively asked, “Sister Gu Yi, regarding the money from the performance at Ayisay Castle last time, can I have a portion of it first?”

Gu Yi’s words stopped in her throat, and she turned somewhat sarcastic. “What? Short on money?”

“Yes,” Xiang Shuyu didn’t like talking about his difficulties to others, but now that the situation had changed, he told the truth. “My mother owes some money, and my… family member is also in urgent need of money…”

Gu Yi crossed her arms and sized him up from head to toe. “Isn’t your family wealthy? Do wealthy families also lack money?”

Xiang Shuyu’s face instantly became embarrassed. “I’m not.”

“I’ve heard all about it. Didn’t your mother marry into the Xiang family? You’re considered a young master of the Xiang family. Are you feeling lofty and don’t want to use the family’s money?”

“Sister Gu Yi,” Xiang Shuyu clenched his fists at his sides and said with restraint, “I’ve been following you since I was abroad. You know my family situation.”

In the past, Gu Yi would kindly comfort him with a few words, saying it wasn’t easy for him, but now everything had changed, leaving nothing but mockery.

The people around him were so quick to turn their backs; Xiang Shuyu still hadn’t learned how to get used to it.

Sometimes he was angry at his own uselessness. Since returning to the country, he had been constantly insulted, yet he could only endure it. He had the courage to resist, but not the confidence to back it up.

Who told him he was short on money?

Fortunately, Gu Yi didn’t make things too difficult for him today; though her words were harsh, she still transferred the money she had been holding back which she had originally intended to give him at the beginning of next month into his card.

Xiang Shuyu signed the contract.

The contract needed to be mailed, so after signing, he took the initiative to say, “I’ll go mail it myself. Sister Gu Yi, you’re busy, I won’t disturb you.”

He could only feel at ease with the contract in his own hands. Xiang Shuyu could no longer trust Gu Yi; he was even afraid of running into Ming Xiu. Afraid that saying more would lead to more mistakes, he hurried away from the company.

As he came out of the elevator, he saw Ming Xiu and other company employees laughing and chatting as they entered another elevator. From beginning to end, Ming Xiu didn’t even give him a glance.

Xiang Shuyu had been busy socializing these past few years and didn’t have much interaction with the other performers in the company, even less with the staff.

Outsiders saw him as opportunistic, saw him racking his brain to squeeze into upper-class circles, yet failing to gain anything even after all this time. Over time, they began to look down on him.

Just as they looked down on Jiang Xiayue.

But Jiang Xiayue didn’t care about her reputation; she only wanted money and status.

Xiang Shuyu could never become like his mother.

Being looked at with strange eyes only made him feel pain and sadness.

Xiang Shuyu walked down the street feeling depressed. His phone began to vibrate incessantly again. He was irritable, thinking it was Jiang Xiayue calling, but his emotions gradually calmed when he saw Duan Yue’s name on the caller ID.

Duan Yue had just finished a meeting and was sitting in his office.

Whenever he had a free moment, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about Xiang Shuyu.

He didn’t know what kind of spell Xiang Shuyu had cast on him; after touching him once, he became addicted. He would think of the soft and delicate feel of his skin, miss the warm sweetness of their kisses, and be captivated by the way his desire was ignited.

He really wanted to turn Xiang Shuyu into a little doll so he could carry him around all the time.

Duan Yue’s voice over the phone had a hint of acting spoiled as he asked, “Where is my baby? What are you busy with?”

The voice vibrated against his ear, making him feel tingly. Xiang Shuyu’s cheeks were a bit red; he was always unable to resist the other man’s sweet talk.

“I just finished signing a contract,” Xiang Shuyu replied obediently. “Now I’m going to mail the contract.”

“Give me an address,” Duan Yue said. “I’m out of my meeting. There’s a class reunion tonight, and I’ll take you with me.”

Xiang Shuyu was a bit stunned. “Take me?”

“Why, don’t you want to go?”

“I…” Xiang Shuyu hesitated. “I’m afraid I’ll embarrass you.”

The people attending Duan Yue’s class reunion would likely be either wealthy and influential or top talents in their respective industries. He felt out of place following Duan Yue there.

There was no response from Duan Yue for a long time. Xiang Shuyu began to regret saying those words, thinking that perhaps Duan Yue hadn’t really intended to take him.

Before he could speak, the background noise on the other end became more apparent it turned out Duan Yue was laughing.

He said softly, “Our Shuyu is a genius guzheng player from a famous music conservatory and is so beautiful. How could you ever embarrass me? Why are you so lacking in confidence?”

“Let’s not talk more for now. Find a place to sit down, don’t get heatstroke. I’ll come pick you up.”

Duan Yue hung up the phone.

The weather was indeed a bit hot today; there were no clouds, and the sun shone directly onto the ground.

Xiang Shuyu mailed the contract, and his hanging heart settled down a bit.

The project team was in the neighboring city of Nancheng. Once things were settled, he should move to Nancheng for a while.

He could rent an apartment in Nancheng it wouldn’t have to be big, as long as it was quiet and had good lighting. He could put his guzheng in the study and practice or compose when he was free.

At that time, as long as he blocked out all outside news, he could have a period of peace.

Xiang Shuyu was already starting to look forward to it.

He was happy and wanted to thank Duan Yue again, or give him a gift, but he hesitated as he scrolled through their chat log.

With a family background like Duan Yue’s, he didn’t lack gifts, and Xiang Shuyu didn’t know what would be appropriate to give.

While he was thinking, Gu Yi’s call came in.

Xiang Shuyu’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, feeling that it likely wasn’t anything good.

The phone rang for a long time. He avoided it, not answering, and watched as the call automatically disconnected.

A moment later, a message from Gu Yi popped up on the screen: “Ming Xiu saw you today.”

“He asked why you suddenly came to the company today, and I told him about you coming to sign the contract.”

Xiang Shuyu found it difficult to breathe. He could almost guess what the two of them had said afterward and what their plans were.

He futilely typed: “That is my contract.”

“I know it’s your contract, but I see their requirements are quite high. You’d likely be fired if you went. I thought about it and felt Ming Xiu would be more suitable. I’ll find you another job next time.”

“That is my contract.”

Xiang Shuyu stubbornly sent that same sentence, but his eyes were already red.

That was a job Duan Yue had personally helped him secure. How could Gu Yi just give it away like that? “I’ve already mailed the contract.”

Xiang Shuyu’s vision blurred; his heart was racing from anger.

He never expected that Gu Yi and Ming Xiu could be so excessive, even going as far as to snatch something for which a contract had already been signed.

“Once the contract is mailed to Ducheng, it’s finalized,” Xiang Shuyu said. “You can’t—”

Before he could finish typing, Gu Yi replied: “I contacted the planner over there, and they agreed to change the person. It won’t matter even if your contract is mailed.”

Xiang Shuyu’s body went stiff, and he couldn’t make a move for a long time.

After a long while, he lowered his hand and stood blankly by the roadside. Even when a passerby bumped his shoulder, he only staggered slightly, unable to snap out of it.

Tears slid down his cheeks. Xiang Shuyu sobbed, silently wiping his face. He didn’t know why he was always so unlucky, why these things always happened to him.

Maybe it was also because he was too cowardly, always being bullied. If he didn’t fight back, those people would only become more emboldened.

Xiang Shuyu was used to being weak; it was a character trait formed in childhood that he could no longer change.

He crouched by the roadside and cried for a while. When he stood up, he felt dizzy and blurred, and he involuntarily fell backward.

Before losing consciousness, he saw an Alpha get out of a low-profile black sedan by the road and approach him.

Although the man’s expression was very cold, Xiang Shuyu smelled his pheromones and recognized him.

It was Duan Yue.