Married To My Childhood Friend: An Alpha Business Contract - Chapter 13

Inside the bustling Hong Kong-style tea restaurant, even the aisles and corridors were packed with diners. The servers had to strain their voices and stand on their tiptoes, shouting out queue numbers just to achieve a meager sense of order.

The main hall was a sea of people. In the transparent open kitchen, steam swirled in the air. Baskets of milk-scented steamed cakes, rich and savory fish and shrimp congee, and golden, crispy fried spring rolls were brought to the tables one after another. With a vast variety of dishes that appealed to all ages, the sight and smell were enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

“Teacher Lu, be careful.”

The junior student, nearly 1.9 meters tall, spread his arms wide in a gentlemanly gesture to shield Lu Siyan’s shoulders as they squeezed through the crowd to take their seats.

Since it was peak dining hours and the place was overflowing with business, the server coordinated for them to share a four-person table with another couple of university students. The young people hit it off quickly. After some discussion, they decided to order several signature dishes to share; it was a way to make friends and save on the bill at the same time.

Though the junior wasn’t wealthy, he still sought Lu Siyan’s opinion first. Only after receiving a nod of approval did he enthusiastically agree to the arrangement.

“Which school are you guys from?” “Are you two a couple as well?”

Lu Siyan was so distracted that he didn’t even think to deny it. From the moment he had brushed past Xiao Yanxiu and been met with that cold, indifferent gaze, his brain had completely shut down. He had lost all capacity for thought. His mind was filled entirely with the image of that man’s sideways glance. The more he thought about it, the more flustered he became. His chest felt tight and stifling, as if something were wedged there.

The junior was innocent and inexperienced. Faced with the question, the tips of his ears turned slightly red. He stole a glance at Lu Siyan, who was sitting right next to him, and explained hurriedly, “We… we aren’t a couple yet.”

But we might be in the future. Because I am still working hard to pursue him.

The couple at the table understood instantly. They teased him a bit more, quietly encouraging him to keep trying. The tall lad showed off his sturdy arms, cautiously and “accidentally” letting them brush against Lu Siyan’s arm, his face flushing crimson from nerves.

Meanwhile, Lu Siyan had shrunk himself into a small ball in the corner. He wasn’t affected by the physical proximity at all. On the contrary, he was very grateful for these two strangers; because of them, he could completely immerse himself in his own feelings of loss. He didn’t have to force himself to socialize with the junior, nor did he have to worry about a sudden confession.

It took him half an hour to finish a single shrimp dumpling. The other three chatted heatedly, which luckily provided him with the quiet space he needed to process his emotions.

When it came time to pay, Lu Siyan insisted on paying his share. Upon stepping outside, they ran into the junior’s classmates—about six or seven Alpha university students. They stared at the pair, whistling and hooting, putting them through another round of teasing.

Lu Siyan was the type whose emotions showed easily on his face. Even a slightly provocative or ambiguous comment could usually make him turn red from head to toe. But today, even as he was surrounded by jokes, his face remained expressionless and unmoved. His heart was a flatline of calm.

It wasn’t until the junior, face burning, drove away his rowdy friends that he gathered the courage to offer to walk Lu Siyan home. According to Lu Siyan’s usual habits, since there was no possibility of a future together, he should have refused decisively. But he agreed.

The path to the Lu family villa passed through a long forest of plane trees—lengthy, quiet, and dappled with shifting light and shadows. The Omega walked very slowly. As they neared the end of the path, he suddenly stopped. The Alpha, unable to stop in time, bumped his chest into Lu Siyan’s thin shoulder blade. He quickly sprang back, taking a step away.

“I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry.”

Both spoke at the same time. But the junior understood Lu Siyan’s meaning instantly. The boy scratched his head sheepishly. “Actually, I noticed while we were eating… you were distracted the whole time. You’re going to reject me, aren’t you?”

The Omega lowered his eyes and tightened his grip on his backpack straps. “I’m sorry. It’s because… I suddenly realized…”

“I think I already have someone I like.”

But he wasn’t sure yet. He didn’t understand what “love at first sight” was. He had never experienced it.

The junior was equally green. Fearing an awkward atmosphere, he gave a dry laugh. “It’s… it’s okay. I just hope this doesn’t affect you. I have a VIP annual pass at the swimming pool; if it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll find time to go and refund it.”

Lu Siyan waved his hands hurriedly. “No, no need. You’re a client; whether you come to train or not is your right. If someone has to leave, it should be me.”

The two of them hurriedly explained themselves to each other. Plane tree leaves drifted down in the wind, and both faces eventually settled into expressions of honesty. The cold, heavy mood Lu Siyan had carried all day finally brightened into a smile as they prepared to part. The tips of his ears returned to a normal pale pink.

As the Omega waved goodbye, he didn’t notice that in a lit room on the second floor of his home, Lu Shiyuan was staring fixedly in his direction. Lu Shiyuan silently let go of the curtain he had been peeking through, a malicious glint flashing in his eyes.

“Yanyan, where did you go? Why are you back so late?”

As soon as Lu Siyan entered the house, he was stopped by his parents, their voices carrying a hint of reproach.

For the past few days, the family had been busy arranging blind dates for him. He had carefully looked at all the photos they sent. Most were sons of his Alpha father’s business associates. Their family backgrounds weren’t exceptionally prestigious, but they were social equals.

Lu Siyan had met a few of them. The fact that he was allergic to suppressants seemed to be no longer a secret; everyone around him knew. They knew that the younger son the Lu family had brought back from the orphanage desperately needed an Alpha with matching pheromones to alleviate his heat cycle.

With that premise, every meeting that followed felt tainted with ulterior motives. Furthermore, Lu Siyan had the kind of appearance that Omegas were prized for—delicate, cute, and gentle. He was exactly the type that shiftless second-generation rich kids preferred for a wife. He was someone who could be brought out to save face, but who wouldn’t cause trouble at home or interfere with their private lives. His soft demeanor was exceptionally likable.

Lu Siyan hadn’t held out much hope for these blind dates to begin with, and he had rejected every invitation that clearly intended for him to stay the night. The spoiled heirs, having been rebuffed, went back to complain. His Alpha father believed Lu Siyan was being hypocritical and disobedient.

“Your heat is coming up next month. The marriage must be settled quickly. Otherwise, if your glands are damaged, your pheromones will be affected.”

If he dropped from A-rank to B-rank, it would be harder to find a husband with good qualities in the future.

“The family has used every connection to pick out the best Alphas for you. Good character, high education. Their parents are our close friends. What, you can’t look at a single one of them? Out of twenty people, not one could get you to go out? Is your ego really that big?”

Lu Siyan said unhappily, “They either invited me to go rafting or diving.”

Those were activities that required getting wet or stripping down. He didn’t even know how to do them, so the men would have to press close to “teach” him. After a whole day of playing and exhaustion, they’d go to a club for BBQ and not even come home that night. Who does that on a first meeting?

Lu Siyan hadn’t been slapped, but his face felt like it stung.

To his surprise, his Alpha father said, “That’s how blind dating is. If you like what you see, you get married. Ideally, you can catch your next heat and solve the suppressant allergy problem once and for all.”

Lu Siyan tried to resist. “But marriage is a huge deal, it’s not a joke. If I marry a bad person, I won’t be happy. If it’s just to soothe my heat, I’d rather drop from A-rank to B-rank.”

It was just a pheromone rank. It wasn’t something he couldn’t give up.

However, there was an unwritten rule in the second-generation circles: everyone wanted a partner with a higher rank than their own, or at the very least, an equal. The lower the pheromone rank, the fewer choices one had.

His Alpha father was furious. “Your parents are worrying themselves sick over you, fearing for your health! Now you’re acting all noble? When you were shamelessly clinging to Xiao Yanxiu, where was this self-respect then?”

Lu Siyan tried desperately to clarify: “I am perfectly clean with Xiao Yanxiu.”

He had never done anything out of line. Even when he had fainted and been sent into the man’s arms while semi-conscious, the man had remained disciplined and respectful, never crossing a single line.

Seeing the argument flare up again, his Omega father hurried over. “Alright, alright, fighting again. Yanyan, you have to be obedient. How could your parents ever want to hurt you?”

“Forget about Xiao Yanxiu. Your father looked into it—over the years, the number of Omegas trying to throw themselves at him whose families are better than ours is a mile long. Even Jiang Shuyao from the Jiang family can’t get a look in, so where would you rank?”

Regardless of whether the man was engaged or not, the elders of the Xiao family would never give the Lu family a second look. Why bother degrading oneself?

His Omega father spoke kindly, nudging Lu Siyan toward his room and handing him a few more photos to choose from. He pointed out one who was a returning PhD student, another who was a rising star in finance, plus others in real estate, catering, jewelry design, and even a wealthy divorced man with a child from a family that owned mines.

His Omega father said, “Older men are more mature and sensible; they know how to take care of people. Besides, this is your first marriage, so he will definitely cherish you. Plus, the child is young and won’t remember much. If you raise him, he’ll be close to you.”

Lu Siyan was only 18. He hadn’t expected his parents to arrange for him to jump straight into being a step-father…

His lips were pressed tight, his fingernails digging into his palms.

The next day, the appointment arrived. The divorced man looked older than his photos, but he was relatively warm and easygoing. He was clearly very satisfied with Lu Siyan. After insisting on presenting the menu and ordering several dishes Lu Siyan liked, he opened up and talked about everything under the sun.

Lu Siyan wasn’t in the mood to talk much, but he responded politely. He had to admit that despite being divorced, this Alpha gentleman was the most considerate and decent man he had met during this period. He didn’t make inappropriate suggestions for the night, nor did he use Lu Siyan’s upcoming heat as an excuse for suggestive comments.

After the meal, Lu Siyan lowered his guard and went to the restroom.

Unbeknownst to him, a small pinch of white powder was quietly dropped into the half-glass of lemon water sitting on the table.

When he returned, the man stood up with a smile, raising his red wine glass. “I’m very happy to have met you today.”

Lu Siyan blinked and picked up his own glass. “I am happy too.”

He tilted his head back, the sweet drink about to touch his lips. Suddenly, his raised arm was violently forced down. The water splashed out, soaking the Rolex on the other man’s wrist.

The Omega gasped in shock. Once he recognized the tense jawline of the person standing there, the name escaped his lips.

“Xiao Yanxiu?”

The Alpha was exploding with rage. He snatched the glass of water and threw its contents right into the face of the divorced man across from them.

The “water-slap” hit the scum right in the face—clear, loud, and deafening.