The Popular/Charismatic Beta Always Thinks They Are Universally Disliked - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Little Wen Bends the Knee for Money and Becomes Involved with His Ex-Husband Again…

“I don’t ever want to see you again in this lifetime.”

Wen Zhiyi repeated the phrase, looking up at the handsome, intense face outside the window. He was completely unfazed as he countered, “Is that why you threw it out of the car?”

Just because it’s your property, you can toss it out and pick it up whenever you want?

“I didn’t throw it!” Wei Xingjiang suddenly raised his voice. A visible wave of annoyance and anger surfaced on his ice-cold handsome face. He instinctively wanted to roar but forcefully suppressed his rage after seeing the frightened kitten in Wen Zhiyi’s arms.

Wen Zhijie opened the car door, frowned, and walked up to Wei Xingjiang, attempting to appeal to his reason: “We can certainly return the cat to you, as it is your personal property. But can you guarantee that the person who threw this cat out won’t do it a second time?”

“…What does that have to do with you?” Wei Xingjiang wasn’t swayed. He forcefully reached into the car, determined to take the kitten back.

The Maybach, which had sped off earlier, returned at that moment. A gracefully poised female Omega stepped out. Though middle-aged, she was still well-maintained, with a beautiful and elegant face.

The more Wen Zhiyi looked, the more familiar she seemed; he felt he had seen this Omega somewhere before.

As soon as Mrs. Wei stepped out, she patted her son’s shoulder and scolded him with knitted brows, “How are you talking to people? Did you take all those etiquette lessons for nothing?”

After lecturing Wei Xingjiang, her gaze fell upon Wen Zhiyi and Wen Zhijie. When she saw Wen Zhiyi, her beautiful phoenix eyes noticeably brightened, revealing unconcealed admiration and fondness for the young junior.

Wei Xingjiang noticed her reaction and scoffed sarcastically, showing no respect for his mother.

“I’m so sorry, I hope you weren’t injured?” Mrs. Wei held onto her son’s arm. Sensing his resistance, she looked up at him, a fleeting coldness in her eyes.

“It’s fine, Sister,” Wen Zhiyi had already climbed out of the car. He sweetly replied, “Is Zhuang Zhuang your cat?”

Upon being called “Sister,” Mrs. Wei couldn’t help but smile. She adjusted her hair, saying with a poised smile, “…Yes. The boy accidentally let go, and the cat ran out by itself.”

A vein popped on Wei Xingjiang’s forehead. Just as he was about to object, he felt his mother’s cold, long fingernails dig deeply into the muscle of his forearm, signaling him not to act out in front of outsiders.

His tightly clenched fist revealed his unsettled emotions. Wei Xingjiang suppressed the sudden surge of irritability and struggled to maintain self-control, slowly curling his lips into a smile for Wen Zhiyi. He softly said, “So, can I have my cat back now?”

Wen Zhiyi frowned, meeting his gaze. He instinctively felt that the boy’s mental state was concerning, so he hugged Zhuang Zhuang even tighter.

Just as the two were in a standoff, Wen Zhijie suddenly slapped his forehead dramatically and said to Mrs. Wei with an excited tone: “Are you Ms. Wang Han, who starred in the old Dream of the Red Chamber?!”

Wang Han, who had retired from acting many years ago, was surprised that a young person could still recognize her. She happily admitted, “Yes, I am. Have you watched the old Dream of the Red Chamber?”

“More than just watched it,” Wen Zhijie wore the expression of a fan meeting an idol, practically itching to pull out his phone for a photo with the elegant woman. “Your character was my absolute favorite!”

While the two were engaged in a warm conversation, Wen Zhiyi seized the opportunity to pose his question: “Sister Wang, about Zhuang Zhuang…”

Wang Han calmly glanced at her son, then immediately turned back to Wen Zhiyi with a radiant, gentle smile, saying, “Little Wen, would you be willing to temporarily foster him for Xingjiang? He’s in his final year of high school now, busy with studies, and doesn’t have much energy to look after a kitten.”

Given Wei Xingjiang’s family background, he certainly wouldn’t need to personally care for a pet. Wang Han’s implicit message was that she did not want the cat to stay with Wei Xingjiang.

“Aren’t you going to ask me?” Wei Xingjiang showed a strange smile.

Wang Han calmly replied, “Don’t forget what your father said.”

And don’t forget your father personally threw the cat out.

She knew that whenever Wei Xingjiang showed that expression, he was close to having an episode, so she chose to invoke Mr. Wei, warning Wei Xingjiang to stop while he was ahead.

When Wang Han mentioned “your father,” Wei Xingjiang indeed calmed down silently.

Just as Wen Zhiyi thought the custody of Zhuang Zhuang was settled, the previously silent Wei Xingjiang suddenly said faintly, “Mom, didn’t you and Dad say you were looking for a tutor for me?”

That strange, suppressed smile reappeared on Wei Xingjiang’s face. He pointed at Wen Zhiyi and said casually, “I think he’s quite good.”

“You have to ask if others agree, don’t you?” Wang Han was losing patience, a hint of frost creeping onto her beautiful cheeks. “Your dad is still waiting for us in the car. Don’t waste time here.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a young male Beta in a suit walked over from the extended Maybach. Although young, he possessed a calm and reserved demeanor.

Upon arriving, he first apologized to the Wen brothers, then relayed Mr. Wei’s words to Wei Xingjiang verbatim:

“Stop making a scene.”

Wen Zhiyi noticed Wang Han’s composure crack for a moment. She subtly glanced at the Maybach parked not far away, her expression hinting at urgency as she said to Wei Xingjiang, “Your dad has spoken. Let’s go back, okay?”

Wei Xingjiang scoffed, “I’m not as afraid of the old man as you are.”

Assistant Fang subtly frowned, knowing that this young master would be hard to settle without achieving his goal. He politely turned to Wen Zhiyi and asked if he could bring Zhuang Zhuang to meet Mr. Wei.

It’s just a tutor position. Money solves everything, the employee thought.

Wen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, looked at the various expressions of the people around him, and finally nodded in agreement.

Although he didn’t want to get involved with this clearly abnormal family, he decided to see what was going on to ensure he could take Zhuang Zhuang.

He didn’t believe the so-called Mr. Wei would sell him to a scam syndicate in broad daylight.

Walking beside him, Wei Xingjiang was only a high school student but well-developed, standing nearly 190 cm tall, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs—a typical Alpha build.

Wen Zhiyi, being a Beta, was half a head shorter but appeared very tall due to his well-proportioned figure. He held Zhuang Zhuang expressionlessly, his beautiful, gentle face appearing somewhat aloof.

In fact, the kind-hearted youth was just too lazy to make expressions. At this moment, he actively tried to strike up a conversation with Assistant Fang: “May I ask what Mr. Wei specifically wants?”

Assistant Fang, who looked steady and reliable, was only a few years older than Wen Zhiyi. He spoke gently to the young man of the same gender: “Young Master Wei actively proposed hiring you. Mr. Wei just wants to learn more about you. Don’t worry.”

Wen Zhiyi nodded and quickly arrived at the Maybach. He was invited into the car. Even without much knowledge of car brands, he could tell this car was incredibly expensive.

Mr. Wei, sitting in the back VIP seat, was lost in thought, looking out the window. After Wen Zhiyi entered, he quietly took in every expression and gesture of the young man.

From Wen Zhiyi’s perspective, Wei Xingjiang looked very much like Mr. Wei. The only trait he could see from Wang Han was the full lips; otherwise, his incredibly stern and sharp features were carved from the same mold as Mr. Wei’s.

Mr. Wei, who looked indifferently at Wen Zhiyi, had the deep, natural aura of a superior. He casually asked, “Mr. Little Wen must be in his second year of grad school now?”

In just half an hour, through Wen Zhijie’s license plate, he had already gathered most of the information about the Wen brothers.

Under such unequal information suppression, most people would feel immense pressure. However, having spent two years with Wei Yuzhi, Wen Zhiyi was thoroughly immune to the so-called sense of pressure.

So, he replied easily, “Mr. Wei, feel free to get straight to the point.”

“A scholarly family, Bachelor’s and Master’s from Jing University.” Mr. Wei gave a slight smile of satisfaction. “If you are willing to become Xingjiang’s tutor, name your price for the other conditions.”

“Mr. Wei trusts me that much?” Wen Zhiyi even found time to joke. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll lead Young Master Wei astray?”

He used Assistant Fang’s term to deliberately tease Wei Xingjiang next to him.

The tall Alpha teenager noticed the jab and impatiently clicked his tongue, but he restrained himself from speaking harshly out of respect for Mr. Wei.

He looked at the tutor he had selected, his eyes cold, already faintly sensing that this young man might not be easy to deal with.

The reason Wei Xingjiang willfully demanded this Beta as his tutor, aside from wanting to keep Zhuang Zhuang—no, why was he calling it that common name too?—Jack by another means, was also out of a deliberate intention to let Wen Zhiyi witness the wickedness of society.

Don’t just pick up cats on the roadside.

Mr. Wei chuckled and repeated “lead astray.” He pointed at Wei Xingjiang and told Wen Zhiyi, “If he could be led astray to become like Mr. Little Wen, I would be more than happy.”

Wen Zhiyi, being the one complimented in the comparison, naturally wasn’t unhappy. He nodded seriously upon hearing this: “It is indeed not easy to become like me.”

Wei Xingjiang, being the one disparaged in the comparison, was naturally quite displeased. He snorted coldly and flashed a mischievous smile at Wen Zhiyi: “Then, is Little Wen Brother willing to help me become like you?”

Wen Zhiyi instantly got goosebumps. He wondered, “Are Alphas your age all this overly familiar?”

Wei Xingjiang’s smile vanished as quickly as it appeared, and he scoffed expressionlessly, “Are Betas your age all this narcissistic?”

According to national public security regulations, Alphas and Omegas must wear a gland protection patch when going out. This thumb-sized patch must be affixed to the gland at the back of the neck. Its main functions are to prevent the leakage of pheromones and to protect the gland.

Based on the different needs of the sexes, the Alpha patch focuses more on anti-leakage, while the Omega patch focuses more on anti-detachment protection.

Wen Zhiyi’s smooth nape clearly indicated his sex.

Just as he was about to retort, he saw Wei Xingjiang’s canine tooth exposed past his lips. The young Alpha was so focused on stopping his smile that he forgot to retract his canine tooth, resulting in his full upper lip hanging over the sharp little tooth. His aggressively handsome appearance thus became slightly comical.

Wen Zhiyi inexplicably thought of a male cat that had been neutered, was still under anesthesia, and had its tongue hanging out and forgotten to retract. He laughed out loud very ungraciously.

“?” Wei Xingjiang instantly realized what he was laughing at and threatened in angry embarrassment, “Stop laughing!”

All of this was observed by Mr. Wei sitting nearby. He looked at Wen Zhiyi meaningfully. When the latter noticed his gaze and looked back, he said calmly, “What are your thoughts, Mr. Little Wen?”

Wen Zhiyi looked at Mr. Wei with great astonishment. He was shocked to discover that a gray progress bar was also displayed next to Mr. Wei.

Although it had only increased slightly, that little bit was enough to make Wen Zhiyi doubt his life.

Oh no! Wen Zhiyi internally lamented. What did I do wrong this time? This Mr. Wei looks so amiable on the surface, but he’s already secretly building up malice!

He decided to turn his sadness and indignation into wealth, extending five fingers fiercely: “I want this amount.”

“Fifty thousand per hour?” Assistant Fang quickly interjected, understanding his boss’s intent. “Would you like to ask for more? Mr. Wei will not underpay you.”

Wen Zhiyi, who silently swallowed the thought of five hundred per hour, forced a calm demeanor: “…It depends on your sincerity.”

Mr. Wei slowly made a gesture with his hand. Wen Zhiyi’s almond eyes widened immediately, and even his aloof expression was touched with a smile. He instantly tossed Mr. Wei’s insignificant Malice Value to the back of his mind.

“No backbone.” Under the pretext of giving Wen Zhiyi a ride, Wei Xingjiang also got out of the car. He walked beside Wen Zhiyi, sneering at his performance.

Wen Zhiyi couldn’t be bothered with the brat. Hugging the now-sleeping Zhuang Zhuang, he looked up at Wei Xingjiang with deep meaning: “Young Master Wei is quite backbone-y, though.”

He had a faint suspicion about the truth behind Zhuang Zhuang being thrown out of the car and felt a touch of pity for Wei Xingjiang. Poor kid can’t even decide on keeping a pet.

They share the same surname Wei, but why is the difference so huge? At Wei Yuzhi’s age, let alone keeping a cat, no one would have dared to oppose him if he wanted to keep a tiger. He treated over a dozen cousins like dogs.

They share the same surname Wei.

Wen Zhiyi suddenly stood rigidly in place, like a Little Bittern stiffening after being startled.

“What’s the matter?” Wei Xingjiang, who was walking behind him in a daze, walked straight into his back. He subconsciously lowered his head and asked angrily, but due to the height difference, Wei Xingjiang’s downward look landed exactly on Wen Zhiyi’s nape.

When the Alpha’s prominent nose unintentionally brushed against Wen Zhiyi’s nape, the crisp scent lingering in the air made him realize with utmost clarity that this was indeed a Beta—there was no obvious gland, and the pheromones were so sparse as to be virtually nonexistent.

If he were an Omega, even with a protection patch, this distance would be enough to smell the escaping pheromones.

Wen Zhiyi had none of the typical AO sensitivity in his nape. He didn’t even notice Wei Xingjiang’s overstepping action. His mind was racing with thoughts like I’m doomed, what do I do? How many people in Jing City are surnamed Wei and are powerful? Why hadn’t he considered this possibility?

He asked tremblingly, “Do you… know Wei Yuzhi?”

“You know my cousin?” Wei Xingjiang abruptly pulled away after realizing. He turned his head away to hide his expression, only leaving Wen Zhiyi with an unyielding profile. Then he suspiciously turned back to stare at Wen Zhiyi. “What’s your relationship?”

Soon-to-be-divorced relationship.

Wen Zhiyi stiffly pulled out a smile: “Don’t know him, no relationship.”

Bullshit.

If Wei Yuzhi were present, he would probably have pressured Wei Xingjiang into calling Wen Zhiyi “Sister-in-law” long ago.

No wonder he was called Little Young Master Wei; turns out there was a Big Young Master Wei.