My Ex-Husband Got Married, and the Bride is Actually Me? - Chapter 5

Shen Yan’s fingers lightly brushed across his phone screen. The number wasn’t saved in his contacts, and it was entirely unfamiliar.

His first thought was that it was a prank, or perhaps a message sent to the wrong person by mistake. But an inexplicable discomfort welled up in Shen Yan’s chest, as if someone was secretly watching him.

As night fell, the campus gradually quieted beneath the deep blue-black sky.

Shen Yan, exhausted after a day of studying, dragged his tired body back to the dormitory building. The moonlight was faint, barely outlining the blurred shapes around him, and his shadow stretched long and distorted beneath his feet.

As he pulled out his student ID to unlock the door, an accidental glance to the side froze him in place.

Under the dim glow of the streetlight, a figure stood silently. That familiar silhouette seemed especially jarring in the darkness.

Shen Yan had always been sharp, but at this moment, he found himself confused—he wanted to know who this person was.

The figure slowly approached.

“Yan Yan, I came to find you.”

Xu Shiyan looked travel-worn, his hair disheveled, appearing somewhat disheveled.

Like a drunkard, his steps were unsteady, his gaze dazed as he stared at Shen Yan. “Yan Yan, for you, I’ve even abandoned my family. Can you be with me now?”

Shen Yan raised an eyebrow, his expression cold as he regarded the alpha before him.

This alpha was his high school classmate, Xu Shiyan, who had fallen for Shen Yan at first sight back then. But after their relationship was discovered by a teacher, Xu Shiyan, pressured by public opinion, chose to shift all the blame onto Shen Yan, claiming it was Shen Yan who had pursued him.

As a powerful and influential alpha, he would never have feelings for a mere beta.

After the incident, Shen Yan faced relentless gossip and had no choice but to transfer schools. He had thought the matter was over,

but who knew Xu Shiyan would be so brazen and relentless? He had harassed Shen Yan multiple times in private, and after being rejected, he clung to him like a stubborn stain. Just a few days ago, Shen Yan, unable to tolerate it any longer, had directly contacted Xu Shiyan’s parents.

Today, after class, Shen Yan had gone for an hour-long run on the field, so his return to the dorm was already late. Now, with no one around, rushing into the dorm might provoke the other man. Shen Yan didn’t dare to move forward rashly, nor did he plan to turn and flee, though his face couldn’t hide his disgust.

Xu Shiyan’s pale face was tinged with a faint flush, and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He muttered to himself, head lowered, “I did it all for you, all for you…”

Shen Yan studied him with a dark expression.

Suddenly, the alpha’s emotions spiraled out of control, bordering on madness. He took several steps forward and grabbed Shen Yan’s arm, shouting, “You were supposed to be with me! Why did you betray me? Why did you lie to me with your parents?!”

Shen Yan felt sickened and instinctively shook off Xu Shiyan’s grip, as if touching something filthy.

But this only drove Xu Shiyan into a deeper frenzy. He pulled Shen Yan into a tight embrace, murmuring incessantly under his breath.

Only now, struggling to breathe in the suffocating hold, did Shen Yan realize—Xu Shiyan, this idiot, might be going through his rut.

The signs and behaviors of an alpha’s rut varied from person to person, but overall, alphas were goal-driven creatures who wouldn’t stop until they got what they wanted.

Xu Shiyan had been fixated on Shen Yan for so long that, unable to control himself during his rut, he had followed his biological instincts and come straight for his beta.

Now that Xu Shiyan was willing to abandon his parents to come find him, he must have truly gone all out. Shen Yan let out a mocking laugh. If he’d had this kind of courage back then, things wouldn’t have ended so ugly between them.

He quickly reined in his thoughts, deciding to first placate the other man before figuring out how to kick him out.

“Back then, I was also pressured by your parents—that’s why I reacted the way I did.” Shen Yan lifted his head, putting on a show of sincerity. “Let’s both calm down now and talk things through properly. You must be exhausted after coming all this way to find me. Do you need to rest?”

However, Xu Shiyan didn’t seem to regain his composure at Shen Yan’s gentle words. Instead, he tightened his embrace, as if pouring all his resentment and longing into that single hug.

Shen Yan felt like his bones were about to be crushed under the force. Suppressing his discomfort, he lightly patted Xu Shiyan’s back in a soothing gesture while secretly drafting a distress message on his phone.

As he slightly lowered his head, his oversized shirt slipped just enough to reveal the delicate curve of his collarbone.

Shen Yan was still intently typing out his message, completely oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere around him.

Suddenly, the breathing near his ear grew heavier without warning. Shen Yan frowned—the rough, heated breaths seemed to scorch his skin.

Then, a sharp pain pierced the back of his neck, as if a needle had been driven straight into him.

The abrupt assault made Shen Yan cry out in alarm. In his panic, his body erupted with an astonishing burst of strength, and he actually managed to shove Xu Shiyan away.

Even if betas couldn’t be marked, Shen Yan wasn’t about to let someone bite his neck—especially not some worthless alpha. Frustrated, he rubbed at the spot where Xu Shiyan had bitten him.

Shen Yan dropped the act entirely, his previously smiling face turning cold in an instant. He raised a warning hand. “Leave now, and I’ll pretend nothing happened. But if you dare make another unreasonable move, I’ll call the police immediately.”

Xu Shiyan staggered, his condition clearly unstable. If it came down to a real fight, Shen Yan might actually be able to take him down.

The alpha lowered his head, as if digesting Shen Yan’s words. Once they fully registered, Xu Shiyan snapped his head up, his face twisted in disbelief. “How could you say that to me?” he shouted. “You’ve never been this harsh with me before!”

Shen Yan took a deep breath. If the situation weren’t so dire, he might have even facepalmed in exasperation.

Alphas really were brainless creatures.

Perhaps the blatant mockery in his eyes struck a nerve, because Xu Shiyan suddenly lunged at him like a leopard pouncing on prey, his fist aimed straight for Shen Yan.

Shen Yan reacted swiftly, sidestepping and twisting to Xu Shiyan’s flank before driving an elbow into his side with pinpoint accuracy.

The strike seemed to ignite Xu Shiyan’s fury and resentment completely. Abandoning all restraint and technique, he grabbed Shen Yan and dragged him into a nearby thicket.

Thorny leaves scraped mercilessly across Shen Yan’s face, leaving fine cuts in their wake. Wincing in pain, he mustered even more strength and kicked Xu Shiyan square in the face.

Xu Shiyan, however, skillfully caught Shen Yan’s leg and forced him down with brute strength.

At the critical moment, a shadowy figure flashed by like a ghost, accompanied by the sound of wind and the rustling of leaves.

Shen Yan suddenly felt the weight on him lift, followed by the heavy thud of something hitting the ground.

Wen Xiuran’s coat, billowing in the wind, slowly settled as he shielded Shen Yan behind him, his gaze fixed on Xu Shiyan lying on the ground.

Xu Shiyan had never been beaten so badly before. He groaned a few times, rolled over twice, and then fell silent.

Shen Yan: “…”

Some exes were just black marks in one’s history.

Wen Xiuran silently turned to look at Shen Yan and asked in a very formal tone, “Do you need me to call the police for you?”

Shen Yan immediately shook his head, signaling that he would handle it himself. He had never intended to escalate the situation.

Slowly, Shen Yan began brushing off the dirt and grass from his clothes, his movements slightly clumsy due to the pain.

Despite his unsteady steps, Shen Yan managed to stagger to his feet from the grass.

As he approached Wen Xiuran, his foot caught on something, and he lost his balance, stumbling uncontrollably toward him.

A firm force steadied his elbow, pulling him back from the brink of falling.

Shen Yan’s heartbeat quickened, and he couldn’t help but look up at Wen Xiuran.

Their eyes met in that instant, and time seemed to freeze. Wen Xiuran’s gaze was deep but devoid of warmth. Once he confirmed Shen Yan was fine, he quickly let go.

“Sorry, my leg’s injured,” Shen Yan said with a hint of resignation. Age really was catching up to him—getting into a fight and ending up with a hurt leg.

Wen Xiuran nodded expressionlessly, maintaining his detached demeanor.

It seemed the guy still had some conscience. The corner of Shen Yan’s lips curled. This man had never been in a relationship, disliked socializing, and yet still took the initiative to help others.

Wen Xiuran might be simpler than he’d imagined.

If he tried to thank Wen Xiuran by inviting him to dinner, there was a ninety percent chance he’d refuse.

Shen Yan’s eyes flickered, and then he spoke with utmost seriousness, “Wen Xiuran, since you were the only witness to this altercation today, if it does come to reporting to the police and this alpha wakes up denying everything, I might need to contact you to help with a statement.”

“Would it be possible to get your contact info? I’d really appreciate it.”

Wen Xiuran remained noncommittal, his expression cool.

Shen Yan pressed his advantage: “You’ve helped others before—could you do the same for me?”

Wen Xiuran paused, then silently took Shen Yan’s phone and carefully entered his contact details.

“Thank you so much. That was really dangerous earlier,” Shen Yan gushed, his sweet words flowing freely. “I never expected Wen Xiuran to be so handsome, top of his class, and so eager to help others.”

Wen Xiuran looked at him as if he wanted to say something, but after hesitating, he simply handed the phone back without a word.

Shen Yan checked on Xu Shiyan and found that he was fine—even lightly snoring.

If Wen Xiuran hadn’t been there, Shen Yan would’ve gladly stomped on Xu Shiyan’s face a few times.

After some thought, he decided to leave Xu Shiyan where he was and contact his parents as soon as possible. The issue would likely be resolved by tomorrow.

Wen Xiuran seemed to have other matters to attend to. After confirming once more that Shen Yan didn’t need the police, he turned and left without another word.

Shen Yan decided not to rush things. After thanking Wen Xiuran once more, he limped his way into the dormitory building.

Only when Wen Xiuran’s figure had completely vanished into the night did Shen Yan pause in his steps. He turned to glance at the empty street, as if confirming something.

Then, in an instant, he shed all his defenses and exhaustion, his entire demeanor relaxing at once. Swaggering as he walked, he even whistled a carefree tune.

The moment Shen Yan opened the dorm door, Xu Chu let out a loud exclamation, “Damn, you reek!”

“What smell?” Shen Yan was baffled. He lowered his head to sniff his sleeve. “Is it my sweat?”

“No, no!” Xu Chu shook his head vigorously. “You’ve got another alpha’s pheromones all over you—probably that peach wine scent. It’s got a really strong, oppressive vibe.”

“Alphas are territorial. We’re repelled by each other’s pheromones. Please, bro, just go take a shower. I feel awful!” Xu Chu buried himself under the blanket, trying to block out the scent.

“I’ll go wash up right away.” Shen Yan stripped off his clothes. He’d worked up a sweat from running and had long felt sticky all over.

As a beta, he couldn’t detect any pheromones at all. Even if someone had deliberately left their scent on him, he’d be none the wiser.

After adjusting the water temperature, Shen Yan shed the rest of his clothes, draping them all on the bathroom rack. Standing under the showerhead, he took a deep breath of the steam-filled air. As the water cascaded over him, he closed his eyes, letting the warm droplets glide down his face, along his neck, across his chest, and finally drip slowly to the floor.

He’d give himself a hundred days. In those hundred days, he’d try every possible way to pursue Wen Xiuran. If they could get together within that timeframe, all the better.

If not, he’d just move on to another target.

His phone on the rack vibrated. Shen Yan wiped his hands and tapped on the WeChat notification with its little red dot.

[……]: When are you going to give your statement?