This Alpha Is So Devoted to His Wife - Chapter 37

The wall clock had already reached 2:00 AM.

Duan Yuluo was propped up against the headboard, his expression serious. A tablet rested on his lap, where he was drawing a mind map. An outsider would assume he was studying, but the mind map was actually a Love Strategy Guide. The split screen on the other side of the browser displayed:

【How to get the Man You Like to Confess Actively—A true hunter appears in the form of the prey. Remember to act on instinct, and avoid initiating the pursuit early on.】

Create opportunities for physical touch to test their reaction.

Flirt subtly and turn the active pursuit into a passive one.

Precisely target their interests and cater to them.

Don’t seek them out every day. Don’t reply to messages instantly. Maintain distance and mystery.

Occasionally show weakness to spark their protective instinct.

Make them feel a sense of crisis.

The last point is very important: stay rational; give up if you don’t get a response.

He organized these key points into a mind map, clearly marking corresponding actions he could take. His thoughts were perfectly clear, and he showed none of the dejection he’d felt after the setback at school.

For him, failure was never a reason to be downcast. Since he had decided he wanted something, what was one failure? So what if Lu Xinghe said he didn’t like him? Compared to others, his close proximity gave him a greater chance than anyone else to capture his “star.”

Just then, a message popped up. It was from that very star.

【Xing: I can’t sleep. Cub, are you asleep?】

Duan Yuluo looked at the message and immediately recalled the strategy guide: Maintain distance and don’t reply instantly. He pretended not to see it and continued working on his mind map.

A few seconds later, another message popped up:

【Okay, you must be asleep at this hour. I just can’t figure out why you’re angry and ignoring me.】 This was followed by a crying-on-the-floor emoji.

Duan Yuluo lowered his gaze and softly huffed.

If he can’t figure it out, he can take his time.

Just then, he heard a knock on his door and a sweet voice from outside: “Second Brother, are you asleep?”

Hearing his sister Duan Yikui’s voice, Duan Yuluo put down his tablet, threw back the covers, and got out of bed. He opened the door to find his sister, eleven-year-old Kui Kui, standing barefoot, hugging a plush bear, and looking up at him pleadingly.

“What is it, Kui Kui?” Duan Yuluo saw his sister’s little face scrunched up. He reached out and rubbed her head. “Why are you still awake so late?”

“I can’t sleep after coming back to Great Grandpa’s house. I’m scared to sleep alone. I just want to stay with Second Brother for a little bit.” Compared to her peers, Duan Yikui was small and delicate, like a little doll. When she sweetly pouted, her brothers naturally gave her whatever she asked for.

Duan Yuluo was no exception. He stepped aside to let his sister in. “Then stay for a while and go back to your room to sleep. You’re too old to sleep with your brothers now.”

Duan Yikui immediately hugged Duan Yuluo’s arm, her pretty little face turned up. “Brothers are Omegas, so I can cling to you!”

A little later, the two siblings were nestled on the bed.

Duan Yikui hugged her plush bear and leaned over to her brother’s tablet, seeing him write something. “Brother, what is this?” She focused on the large title and realized it was a Stalking/Crush Strategy Guide, looking surprised. “Brother, who are you crushing on?”

Duan Yuluo continued writing. “Guess.”

“Huh? Brother, do you even have time for a crush? How come I don’t know which celebrity you like?”

Listening to his sister’s curiosity, Duan Yuluo suddenly had an idea. He turned his face to his sister. “Kui Kui, can you do your brother a favor?”

“Oh? What favor?”

“Help me write a love letter.”

On the other side.

At his desk, Lu Xinghe was clutching his head and searching online:

【How to Coax the Person You Like.】

He lay awake all night.

Every holiday included a family gathering, usually an outdoor barbecue. The family’s Alphas would wear aprons and hustle back and forth; the kitchen was their battleground, absolutely forbidden to their loved ones. The spouses and children would gather around the elderly, keeping them company and chatting about recent events.

Jiang Nianqiao, as the eldest sister, was having a great time playing with the younger children in the garden.

“Jiang Yi, how is Mu Mu’s health recently? Is he still getting fevers?”

“Not this month, so that’s good. He’s just like that; his body is delicate. He gets fevers easily when the weather is hot, and also when the seasons change and it cools down. Last time I took him and Xixi out for a run, he came home that night and immediately had a fever.”

…

The sound of rain pattered outside, hitting the large glass wall like a painted scene.

Inside, the adults were chatting nearby, while Duan Yuluo sat quietly on a sofa, yawning. He was desperately tired but still staring at the mind map on his tablet, afraid he might forget any step of his “stalking” strategy.

After all, he was set to put it into action once the holiday was over, so he had to commit it to memory to ensure victory.

Perhaps due to his intense concentration, he was muttering to himself. The adults noticed and exchanged looks, finally turning their attention to Duan Yuluo’s father.

“Ran Ran, are you putting too much pressure on your son? He’s still scrambling to memorize things even on holiday. Can’t you let the boy rest?”

Duan Yuluo heard Great Grandpa Chu’s voice. Feeling guilty, he calmly closed the tablet, hid it behind his back, and smiled at Great Grandpa Chu. “I’m not looking at it anymore. It has nothing to do with Dad.”

He felt his father’s hurt and innocent gaze and gave him an awkward smile.

“Cub, did you stay up all night studying again? Look at those dark circles.” Great Grandpa Chu’s heart ached for his great-grandson. “Child, don’t put so much pressure on yourself. You are already very outstanding, and we are all so proud of you. Sometimes you can’t keep the string too tight; you need to relax.”

Duan Yuluo thought for a moment, then asked seriously, “Great Grandpa, if I want to relax, can I date?”

“What?!!”

“What?!!”

The Alphas busy in the kitchen instantly turned around, all of them on high alert.

Duan Yuluo: “…” Did his uncles and his Big Dad have to be so dramatic? He only asked casually.

“Do you have someone you like?” Great Grandpa Chu wasn’t as startled as the Alphas in the family. As the family’s senior Omega, he was emotionally stable. “It’s actually quite normal to have those feelings during adolescence.”

Duan Yuluo leaned against the sofa, feeling the tablet pressing into his lower back. He thought about his night of deep contemplation.

He was uncomfortable that someone had confessed to Lu Xinghe, and he was a little angry that Lu Xinghe had said he didn’t like him.

He wondered why Lu Xinghe wouldn’t like him, then why he should like him. After much thought, he concluded that he simply hadn’t tried hard enough.

“Yes,” he said, nodding and answering the question seriously. He was only sad now because he hadn’t made an effort yet. Once he put in the effort, he might succeed.

This answer caused his Big Dad, wearing an apron and holding barbecue skewers, to walk out of the kitchen, looking anxious. “Who is it?”

Duan Yuluo smiled at his Big Dad. “Guess.”

Big Dad: “…” He didn’t want to guess. He sternly handed the skewers to his Alpha in-laws and sat down next to his son. “Cub, you aren’t actually dating them, are you?”

“No,” Duan Yuluo said honestly. “They don’t like me.”

This sentence instantly made the whole family’s eyes widen. They exchanged glances, all wondering who it could be. They had implicitly guessed it was Lu Xinghe, but if it were Lu Xinghe, that boy would absolutely not dislike him. That guy would probably marry their Cub if he could.

How could the boy who had chased after Cub to put on his socks since childhood not like him?

So, who was it?

Who could have possibly made their Cub heartbroken?!

Duan Yuluo sensed the concerned and worried gazes of his family. He wasn’t upset, though. In fact, he felt relieved after finalizing his strategy. He smiled. “Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. I’ve already made a plan. I’ll work hard on this for the next two years until graduation. If I haven’t succeeded by then, I’ll give up.”

His father’s mood suddenly became subtle and bittersweet upon hearing this. He suddenly felt that his little boy had grown up. The child who was once like sunshine and candy was now controlling his emotions and even planning his future without the adults knowing.

He suddenly wished it was Lu Xinghe. At least that boy wouldn’t make their Cub sad.

The entire family didn’t dare press him further, afraid of upsetting Duan Yuluo. They all agreed that Duan Yuluo had been rejected after a confession. Throughout the meal, they generously piled the best dishes onto his plate, ensuring he had no time to grieve.

Just then, Auntie came in from outside.

“Cub, Xinghe is here at the house. He asked if you could meet him.” The Auntie walked up to Duan Yuluo. She was puzzled by Lu Xinghe, who was soaked outside. “He’s completely drenched but won’t come inside. Did you two have a fight?”

Duan Yuluo’s hand holding the pen paused, leaving a few small black dots on the tablet. He looked up at the Auntie. “What?”

Lu Xinghe came looking for him?

He suddenly remembered the message he hadn’t replied to. He frowned, feeling instant regret. He had completely forgotten it while making his strategy guide.

“What’s going on? You two are usually inseparable. What are you fighting about?” His father patted Duan Yuluo’s arm. Thinking of the person who had supposedly broken his son’s heart, he still preferred Lu Xinghe more. “Hurry up and let him in, so he doesn’t catch a cold. Aunt Fang, please let Xinghe come inside.”

Duan Yuluo immediately put down his tablet. “I’ll go bring him in.”

At the doorway, the tall youth in a black tracksuit had his hair and shoulders dampened by the light rain. He wasn’t as comically “drenched like a drowned chicken” as the Auntie had said, but her description was colored by a lot of affection.

Duan Yuluo stepped out of the house. As he walked onto the outdoor stone path under an umbrella, he saw Lu Xinghe walking toward him.

Lu Xinghe’s hair was soaked and plastered to his forehead. Several patches of his clothes on his shoulders were wet. His deep blue eyes seemed moist, and he looked slightly wronged, his shoulders slumped. Despite being such a tall person, he looked like a wet, dejected big dog.

Lu Xinghe saw Duan Yuluo too, and stared at him without blinking.

Duan Yuluo quickened his steps, walking right up to Lu Xinghe. He looked up, slightly raising the umbrella in his hand to shelter the other from the gentle rain. “Xingxing, why did you come here?”

Inadvertently, he saw the dark circles under Lu Xinghe’s eyes; he looked like he hadn’t slept well.

He thought, “I didn’t sleep well either.”

“…You lousy Duan Yuluo, you actually ignored me last night.”

Under the umbrella, the close distance made the aggrieved voice crystal clear.

Duan Yuluo looked at Lu Xinghe in surprise. Seeing Lu Xinghe’s eyes red, looking like he might cry at any moment, Duan Yuluo suddenly realized that the intentional distance felt like…

A crime.