Older Brother - Chapter 5

Fu Yu’s casual remark about “developing a taste” left Bai You looking sickly pale; he didn’t sleep well for three days.

Alphas naturally dominate Omegas. The higher the Alpha’s pheromone level, the stronger the sense of oppression and the higher the threat. In the natural world, they were the wolves to the Omega’s white rabbit.

Bai You began to dream of that night frequently, waking up every time with a forehead drenched in cold sweat. He wanted to leave this house and the Central Planet immediately, but he couldn’t go just yet.

He had given Fu Yu a fake name. While Fu Yu hunted for this fictional Omega, he also kept a hawk-like watch on Bai You.

Fortunately, the lie hadn’t been a desperate, spur-of-the-moment blurting. Bai You had prepared for this. Seeing Fu Yu take the bait, he began using his pitifully small—yet undetected network to quietly pave a path for his escape.

After several days of fruitless searching, Fu Yu predictably showed up again with a dark expression.

By now, Bai You had composed himself. Although the gap in power between him and Fu Yu was vast, he held the upper hand in this specific matter. As long as he carefully steered the clues elsewhere, a successful escape was not impossible.

Facing Fu Yu’s interrogation, Bai You remained remarkably poised. “That is the name he gave me. I only know that much.”

Fu Yu narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing him for a long moment.

The last few times he had visited, Bai You had looked panicked at the mere sight of him. Why was he so calm now?

Bai You was prepared for further questioning, having already rehearsed his next set of excuses. However, Fu Yu’s gaze shifted, and his topic changed abruptly. “There’s a gala tonight. People from your mother’s side of the family will be there.”

The calm smile on Bai You’s face stiffened.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen them, hasn’t it?” Fu Yu said with a smirk. He leaned down, bringing his face level with Bai You’s. “Go and see them.”

It was phrased as a suggestion, but the tone made it a command that brooked no refusal.

Bai You opened his mouth to protest but ultimately gave up. Seeing Bai You’s composure shatter, Fu Yu’s mood brightened. He didn’t press further about the non-existent Omega and simply turned to leave.

He didn’t look like the shining star of the military seen on Federation TV; instead, he seemed as malicious as a child playing a cruel prank.

Bai You closed the door and sat in a daze for a while. He pulled out the half-finished gemstone jewelry and touched it gently.

His mother’s family was in the jewelry business. Years ago, when they were on the brink of bankruptcy due to poor management, they had essentially offered their youngest daughter as a “gift” to Bai You’s father to settle the crisis.

To that philandering Alpha, she was merely a novelty. He whispered sweet nothings when the passion was high, then moved on to someone new the moment he grew bored.

His mother’s dream had been to be a designer, a dream that was cut short. More tragically, after being sent away, the influence of pheromones caused her to actually fall in love with that heartless Alpha, leading to a life of misery. Once she lost favor, her family’s attitude turned from enthusiasm to disappointment. During his childhood, Bai You had seen several Alpha uncles who mocked her relentlessly for being “useless.”

Frankly, Bai You was prejudiced against Alphas. He disliked them all. And he certainly didn’t like his mother’s family.

After the massive upheaval two years ago, Bai You was the only survivor left in the main household. His maternal relatives likely assumed he had a good relationship with Fu Yu. After years of silence following his mother’s death, they had recently been contacting him frequently.

He had no desire to see those people again.

Shaking off his thoughts, Bai You carefully put the hair accessory away. This design was something his mother had created during her university years, carrying her original passion and dreams. The sapphire he had lost in Fu Yu’s room was also a relic she had left him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so careless as to walk into a trap for it.

The anniversary of her death was approaching. He wanted to finish polishing the accessory before then so he could take it to her grave.

One more month.

Bai You thought silently: once the anniversary passed, he would leave this place forever.

That evening, Bai You put on formal attire for the first time in ages and set off for the hotel with Fu Yu.

The car was spacious, but sharing a confined space with an Alpha made it feel claustrophobic. Bai You felt uneasy and tried to shift further away toward the side of the seat.

Fu Yu, who appeared to be looking at something else without even raising his eyelids, shifted closer to him.

Bai You: “…”

Frowning inwardly, Bai You moved even further away, his anxiety rising. Predictably, Fu Yu followed again.

Bai You pursed his lips, turned his head, and rolled down the window, refusing to look at the man next to him.

Fu Yu wasn’t following the “script” Bai You had written today. Bai You didn’t know how to naturally bring up the fake Omega to keep leading him astray.

Fu Yu propped his elbow on the armrest, resting his chin in his hand as he glanced at Bai You.

Usually, Bai You’s panicked expressions amused him. Seeing him so calm today made Fu Yu feel a vague, inexplicable annoyance. That was why, knowing Bai You disliked his mother’s side of the family, he had forced him to come.

Bai You wasn’t as tall as a typical Alpha. He had a smaller frame, though he wasn’t frail. He was well-proportioned and looked elegant in a suit.

As the car entered a tunnel, the light and shadows blurred for a moment. Just as Fu Yu was about to look away, his heart gave a sudden, sharp throb.

He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but for a split second before Bai You’s silhouette was swallowed by the darkness, that blurred outline felt hauntingly familiar. It was a familiarity that made his pulse race.

Being a man who acted on impulse, he simply reached out, intending to pull the man closer for a better look.

The hand reaching through the gloom startled Bai You so much he nearly jumped. He shoved the hand away with force, his tone turning icy. “What are you doing?”

The car emerged from the tunnel.

The streetlights flooded back through the window. Bai You’s features looked as if they were carved from ice—pale and cold—a stark departure from his usual self-effacing demeanor.

For a rare moment, Fu Yu was stunned. He pulled his hand back and, after a long silence, laughed. “Brother, you look quite familiar.”

Bai You’s fingertips curled instinctively.

Whether intentional or not, Fu Yu always said things like this—as if he saw through everything, yet also as if it were just a careless, teasing remark.

Having been startled several times already, Bai You calmed down quickly. He replied indifferently, “If I didn’t look familiar to you, you’d need to see a doctor.”

The fleeting sense of familiarity vanished instantly, and Bai You returned to his unremarkable self. Fu Yu withdrew his gaze, deep in thought.

They had grown up together, after all. Even if they had grown distant in their teens, he wasn’t blind; of course Bai You looked familiar.

But just now…

Fu Yu had been on the battlefield. He had brushed past death countless times by relying on his instincts. He didn’t dismiss that feeling as a mere trick of the light.

Both men remained occupied with their own thoughts until the car stopped in front of a hotel. The magnificent hall was already bustling with activity.

Tonight was filled with socialites and elites, and the star of the show was naturally Fu Yu. The moment they entered the ballroom, he was surrounded.

Bai You loathed these occasions. He moved to slip away quietly, planning to find a corner to hide until the gala ended.

But Fu Yu, even in the middle of a crowd, managed to keep an eye on him. Seeing Bai You trying to escape, he smiled and walked over, draping an arm intimately around his shoulders. “By the way, let me introduce everyone. This is my fifth brother.”

The old Senator Bai had lived a scandalous life, fathering dozens of illegitimate children. Only seven children were officially recognized and lived in the ancestral home.

Except for Bai You, Fu Yu had already “dealt” with all the others.

Power dynamics on the Central Planet were complex and heavily reliant on social connections. While family infighting wasn’t uncommon, few were as cold-blooded and ruthless as Fu Yu. At the end of the day, Fu Yu was an outsider; if the old man hadn’t brought him into the family years ago, how could he have reached this position?

People whispered these things in their hearts, though no one dared say them aloud.

Bai You’s presence had always been thin. Now that Fu Yu had introduced him, everyone turned their eyes toward him in surprise.

To have survived Fu Yu’s purge… he must have some hidden talent.

Bai You frowned slightly and looked away. He felt a gaze pinned to him. He knew exactly who it was, but his immediate problem was the hand Fu Yu had on his shoulder.

The Alpha’s fingers were long and clean, pressing down on him with a seemingly warm gesture that actually held immense strength. He couldn’t shake it off.

It reminded him of being pinned to the bed by Fu Yu, held by the waist while he was tormented.

Fu Yu enjoyed watching Bai You’s discomfort. The ballroom lights reflected off Bai You’s pale profile—his thin lips and cold, weary expression. Fu Yu stared at his brother’s face for a few seconds, then leaned down to whisper in his ear. “Brother, you really don’t seem like an Alpha.”

Bai You’s eyelashes trembled. He raised his hand and sharply slapped Fu Yu’s hand away. “Whether I’m an Alpha or not—don’t you know? Stop with these pathetic tests.”

With that, he cut through the crowd toward a secluded area.

Fu Yu simply shrugged.

Rumor had it that the Alpha had a violent temper and that even a small slight could lead to ruin, let alone such a public rejection. The crowd watched Bai You’s retreating back, each person harboring their own schemes.

Bai You walked straight to a corner of the hall, radiating an aura that screamed “stay away.”

However, someone was bound to be foolish.

Bai You raised his eyes to look at the person following him. As expected. It was his eldest uncle—the man who had stood before him years ago, screaming at his mother for being useless.

His uncle held two glasses of wine. He took a slow sip of one and offered the other to Bai You. “You and that little bastard seem to be on very good terms. Why haven’t you replied to my messages?”

Bai You didn’t even look at the glass. He crossed his arms and stared at him coldly.

These people had sold out his mother for their own gain, then discarded her like trash when she was no longer useful. To these Alphas, an Omega was merely a commodity.

His mother had been so desperate when he presented, using all her strength to find disguise agents because she was terrified he would fall into the same cycle of exploitation.

His uncle didn’t seem to care about the cold shoulder. He glanced over at Fu Yu, who was the center of attention. “The family has had some bad press lately. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is sniffing around, and the stock price has plummeted. Have you seen?”

Bai You remained silent.

“But such a small matter could be solved with a snap of your dear brother’s fingers,” his uncle smiled. “Cheers?”

Bai You finally spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “What makes you think I would help you, or that he would even care to?”

“Because you’re so close. Of course he’d help.”

Bai You looked at him blankly.

“I saw that little interaction just now,” his uncle suddenly flashed a strange grin. He leaned in close, lowering his voice. “Nephew, tell me… what happens when a natural predator of an Alpha and an Omega end up together?”

The wall behind Bai You felt suddenly cold. Cold sweat broke out at his temples as he stared at the face he loathed. “What do you mean?”

“You didn’t think your mother could get those drugs on her own, did you?” His uncle shoved the wine glass into Bai You’s hand, emphasizing every word. “Your mother came to me crying, begging me to help find those drugs for you.”

“My dear Omega nephew.”