The Honest Man Was Targeted by His Ex-Boyfriend's Alpha Brother - Chapter 7

The moment Hua Yunlian stepped out, Mentuojia scrambled up and chased after him. He had intended to crawl into Hua Yunlian’s bed tonight, after all.

What met his eyes was the frantic silhouette of the usually arrogant Alpha. He saw Hua Yunlian sweeping Chen Wang up into a horizontal carry, leaning down to ask a few low, anxious questions.

There was no response.

In his arms, the Beta looked as thin as a sheet of paper. He was the only person Mentuojia had ever seen who could remain oblivious and unresponsive while being held by the young master. Any other Omega would have forced themselves awake just to fawn over him.

Two of Hua Yunlian’s close friends also caught up. “Do not worry, Director Hua. I will drive you to the hospital.”

Mentuojia felt the world go dark. These elite young masters were treating a plain Beta like a precious treasure? He pressed a hand to his forehead, feeling faint. His mint pheromones fluctuated wildly with his distress, making him sniffle. “What on earth is going on?” he wailed.

Meanwhile, a swarm of Omegas who had heard about Hua Yunlian’s party were dressed to the nines, waiting with full makeup. No matter how many messages they sent, the young master did not reply. They all cried out in unison, “What is going on?”

“This is a chronic gastric ulcer caused by long-term irregular eating habits and excessive mental stress.”

The night shift doctor glanced at the distracted Hua Yunlian, wondering if he was even listening. “The patient is in poor health. How could you let him drink?”

The doctor did not recognize the second young master. He frowned at the young man dressed in flashy designer brands, feeling that the polite, scholarly man on the IV drip inside the ward was far more pitiful. He sharpened his tone. “What is his relationship to you?”

Hua Yunlian’s expression darkened. He let one side of his mouth curl into a smirk. “He is my friend with benefits. Why?” He idly flicked his lighter. “Who knew my sister-in-law was so fragile? A little alcohol and he faints.”

The old-fashioned doctor turned red with rage, rendered speechless by the audacity. He stomped away in a huff.

Hua Yunlian turned back and gazed through the glass at the thin man on the bed. He forgot to light the cigarette dangling from his lips. The sensation of holding Chen Wang still lingered in his arms. He was too thin; he was so light he did not even feel like a grown man.

Betas had no pheromones, yet Chen Wang smelled incredibly good. It made Hua Yunlian’s body stir with an ill-timed restlessness. He ground his teeth, accidentally biting through the cigarette and letting half of it fall to the floor.

Hua Jingchen had enjoyed this for three months and three days.

The door creaked open as Hua Yunlian’s thin-soled leather shoes stepped silently onto the floor. He remembered every detail of their past.

“Dr. Chen usually works very hard. He started paying off his father’s gambling debts before he even graduated. His father is a chronic gambler, and the debt has only grown lately.”

The day before the contract was drafted, the debt collectors had been tied up in a row, kneeling in his office.

“Even though he likes luxury brands, our observations show he rarely buys them. Food and housing are a struggle for him. He works two jobs to support his family, his sister, and himself. Dr. Chen’s life is actually quite difficult.”

Hua Yunlian stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the sleeping man. His brow furrowed slightly. What did his hardships have to do with him? A faint sneer appeared on his handsome face as he murmured, “A gastric ulcer? He brought it on himself.”

With that, he turned and left. Assistant Lu followed immediately. Mary lingered for a moment, smiling as she began to order a meal for the patient.

When Chen Wang finally woke up, the stinging pain in his stomach was gone. The bed was soft, and his strength had returned. A man who often forgot to eat, he actually felt hungry now. The aroma of food from the bedside table enveloped him: light porridge, small side dishes, and egg custard, along with some exquisite pastries he could not name.

Such simple things made Chen Wang feel as if he were in a dream. Usually, he was the one preparing breakfast for his family; no one had ever done it for him.

As he ate, Shen An, dressed in a white lab coat, knocked and entered. “Senior, do you get sick often?” He checked the vitals. “No matter how busy work is, you must take care of yourself.”

This junior was quite polite. Even though he knew Chen Wang’s relationship with Hua Yunlian was unusual, he did not pry. Instead, he chatted about idle things. Shen An was Chen Wang’s junior and likely the same age as Hua Yunlian, but he felt sunny and refreshing, unlike the person who caused Chen Wang so many headaches.

Shen An’s tanned skin flushed slightly. Chen Wang assumed he was just tired from the morning rush. “Senior, you might not know this, but I have looked up to you for a long time. I admired you, studied you.”

“What is there to admire?” Chen Wang asked, not out of self-deprecation, but genuine confusion.

Shen An’s eyes lit up as he prepared to confess his youthful feelings, only for Chen Wang to ask, “What time is it?”

“Ten in the morning.”

“What!?”

Chen Wang lost all interest in chatting. He scrambled to check his phone, expecting a barrage of messages from his department head. However, the list was empty. No one was urging him to come to work. He looked dazed. Had he been fired?

A notification popped up. It was a message from the young master.

“Waiting for you downstairs. You have two minutes.”

Shen An never got to finish his sentence. Chen Wang was a whirlwind of movement, washing up and dressing before bolting out the door with a quick goodbye. He reached the car at the very last second.

Grasping the car door and panting, he met the young master’s annoyed face. Chen Wang, ever the blunt man, asked, “What happened? Do you want to drink this early in the morning?”

Hua Yunlian took a sharp breath, his chest heaving with irritation. “Take me to where you live.”

“Why?”

“Can I not visit?”

“Fine.”

Shortly after, Hua Yunlian stood before the entrance of a hostel smaller than a fried chicken stall. He raised an eyebrow coldly. “Is this a haunted house or an escape room?”

Chen Wang coughed awkwardly and led him inside. At the door of the room, Hua Yunlian stopped like a cat avoiding a bathtub, refusing to take another step. His eyes were full of disdain. “No wonder your health is poor. Are you being oppressed by ghosts every night?”

“Soon, not even ghosts will bother me,” Chen Wang replied, not one to coddle anyone. He went inside to pack. “The room rental has expired.”

Hua Yunlian started to speak, stopped, and let out a soft huff.

Twenty minutes later, Chen Wang walked through a magnificent lobby and entered a spacious elevator. “A hotel? Or a high-end club?” he asked, feeling curious. He wanted to take a photo, but his hands were full of luggage.

His expression pleased Hua Yunlian. Without explaining, the Alpha turned and pressed him into the corner. The suffocating presence of a top-tier Alpha washed over him. Hua Yunlian curled his thumb and forefinger to his lips and made a licking motion with his red tongue.

“Our battlefield, Brother.”

The amber eyes were full of mischief. Chen Wang’s body jolted, and his face turned a bright red. Holding his bags, he looked like a helpless, honest man.

They reached the twenty-third floor, a massive, single-unit apartment that showed no signs of being lived in. Seeing Chen Wang’s flushed face and silence, Hua Yunlian laughed. “I told you that you cannot handle a joke.”

Relieved that they would not be acting immediately, Chen Wang let out a quiet sigh.

“You will live here from now on. I have plenty of properties. Stop staying in that moldy shack; it is embarrassing.”

Chen Wang touched the brand-new marble island, speechless. He had dreamed of living in a bright, clean place like this since he was a child. The slums were forever decaying, like a forgotten world. Now that he was finally staying in luxury, it was not through his own hard work. The joy vanished, replaced by a lack of belonging.

He had a stubborn streak. Usually, he would never agree to stay for free. He looked up and said softly, “Thank you. I will be bothering you for a while then.”

Hua Yunlian disliked his politeness. Politeness felt too much like rejection. The lovers who flocked to him usually begged for things without a hint of courtesy. He was like a God of Wealth, scattering currency everywhere.

The Alpha sat on the sofa like a lord, crossing his legs. Watching Chen Wang busily organize luggage, dust surfaces, and adjust curtains gave him a strange, fleeting illusion of married life.

“Oh?” Chen Wang touched the back of a single sofa. “This is broken.”

Hua Yunlian frowned and looked. There were three deep gashes, delivered with a frantic, violent force that no human could achieve.

“It does not look like a knife mark. Could a thief have broken in?”

Chen Wang laughed at his own suggestion. How could a thief get into a high-security luxury building? As he puzzled over it, Hua Yunlian looked down and said quietly, “If it is broken, throw it away.”

“How can we do that?” Chen Wang became serious. “This sofa must be expensive!”

Hua Yunlian casually mentioned a price. Chen Wang gasped but tried to stay calm. “Do not be so wasteful. I will just buy a sofa cover for it.”

“A sofa cover? What is that?” Hua Yunlian suppressed a smile. “Do as you wish.”

A video call interrupted them. It was Mentuojia. Hua Yunlian had almost forgotten him. The Omega smiled obsequiously. “Director Hua, good morning. I sent a hundred messages but got no reply. I wanted to apologize to Mr. Chen Wang in person.”

Chen Wang thought to himself that being rich and powerful was truly something. Even after being treated so mercilessly, people still came back to suck up the next day.

“Is Mr. Chen with you? I am truly sorry. I am just a social butterfly and lose my head when I drink. I was disrespectful to Mr. Chen. I am sorry!”

Hua Yunlian tilted the camera slightly so Chen Wang could not hide. The Omega, now dressed conservatively, gave a formal bow. He then stepped back and dropped to his knees in a full kowtow.

Chen Wang had read about Mentuojia’s background; he had supposedly trained in Korea. He could not stand this kind of behavior, especially since the apology was just to please Hua Yunlian. Chen Wang waved his hand. “It is only human nature.”

Hua Yunlian looked suspicious. “You are that forgiving?”

“What else should I do?”

“He bullied you. Do you not want to gouge out his glands so he can never sing again?”

The sounds of Mentuojia’s gratitude stopped abruptly. Both the person on the screen and the person in the room turned pale. Chen Wang shook his head stiffly.

Hua Yunlian hung up the phone and sneered. He threw himself back into the sofa. “I never easily forgive anyone who treats me poorly.”

The warm sunlight hit him, casting a golden glow around the rebellious young master. His superior, handsome features looked like a classical European oil painting. Chen Wang stared for a moment. He suddenly remembered that Hua Yunlian was only slightly older than his sister. He was still just a kid.

At that thought, his heart softened slightly. “Who would dare treat you poorly?” He smiled as he continued tidying. “You sound like a little princess.”

Hua Yunlian’s throat moved. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of comfort and did not argue.

After Hua Yunlian left, Chen Wang went to the hospital. Fortunately, his colleagues did not complain. Being a man who could not stay idle, he went to the taxi company afterward and worked until late at night before returning to his temporary home.

He tried the whirlpool tub for the first time, soaking until his bones felt soft and his mind grew foggy. It was ironic. A man buried in debt, working two jobs, driving a taxi, and having no permanent home was now living in such luxury.

He did not have time for sentimentality. He cleaned up and went to bed. Exhaustion pulled him into a deep sleep.

In his dream, Chen Wang was a middle school student. He had been happy then. Despite living in the slums, he was the top student in his school. Since classes ended early, he found a part-time job that did not have age restrictions: taking care of animal cubs at a failing zoo.

It was an unregulated zoo that kept chickens and ducks in the predator enclosures, yet somehow it had a leopard cub. The manager was a drunkard who bullied the young boy, leaving most of the work to him. Taking care of the difficult leopard cub naturally fell to Chen Wang.

He had never had a pet and had no training. At first, he was at a loss with the fierce little leopard. It had round ears and amber eyes, looking like a grumpy kitten. It seemed to have been abandoned because of health issues, spending its days listless and weak. It was wary of humans, and Chen Wang was often scratched.

However, Chen Wang was patient. He cared for and soothed the cub during every shift. Gradually, the little leopard began to rely on him. It was a pitiful creature. Chen Wang could read the sadness in those citrine eyes. They were both children with origins but no homes, like lonely stars flickering in a dark sky.

Back then, Chen Wang’s parents fought and broke things every day. He was often hungry. When he held the cub to sleep, he felt the little creature was like a large cup of pearl milk tea: spotted, soft, and very cute. It was one of the few moments he felt warmth and solace.

Later, he noticed the cub was growing fast, but the zoo’s food was limited. The hungry teenager began using his earnings and money from recycling to buy subsidized milk from his school. If a classmate did not want their milk, he would buy it at a low price.

He would bite the bag open, take a tiny sip himself, and feed the rest to the cub. “Come, drink your milk.”

The beast’s appetite was huge. The sweet liquid was just a small taste for it, gone in two gulps. The cub would sniff and rub its furry head against Chen Wang’s face. Its tongue would eagerly lick the sweet residue from the corner of his mouth. It tickled, and Chen Wang would laugh, unable to push the cub away.

“It is all gone! No more licking! Next time, I will give you more milk next time!”

A wet, hot, itchy sensation continued. In his sleep, Chen Wang let out a muffled, hoarse groan. It felt as if something really were licking the corner of his mouth and moving downward.

Something felt wrong.

He opened his eyes groefully. Faint moonlight filtered through the curtains. His brain could not yet process what was happening, but a feverish, eerie sensation alerted him.

His pajamas had been pushed up to his chest.

Who was it? What was he doing?!