A Little Sweet O Travels to a Normal World - Chapter 2

In this world, women were all “Omegas.”

Given his upbringing, Tang Zhuo’s friends had all been Omegas—each one fragrant and soft, not only beautiful but also possessed of incredibly cute personalities.

Therefore, he felt that if the tenant were a girl, they would surely get along famously.

With such expectations, Tang Zhuo’s mood finally brightened, and the underlying resistance toward renting out the room began to fade.

He wrung out his rag and began scrubbing the stovetop, humming a little tune.

The kitchen was the “disaster zone” that had left him with deep psychological scars; no matter how many times he disinfected it, it never felt like enough. Fortunately, the previous housekeeper had been very responsible—the house was stocked with gloves, disinfectant, and other supplies, saving him a significant amount of money.

By noon, he had finally cleaned every corner of the house until it sparkled.

Tang Zhuo sat down at the pristine dining table. Before him were four steaming buns and a bowl of seaweed and egg drop soup.

The buns and eggs had been bought that morning; they were affordable, nutritious, and filling.

Tang Zhuo first sipped half a bowl of soup, then used his chopsticks to pick up a bun. The plump, white bun radiated waves of heat and looked exceptionally tempting.

He took a big bite.

It was soft, chewy, and slightly sweet—truly delicious!

When he reached the hot, fragrant, and sweet taro paste filling inside, Tang Zhuo couldn’t help but huff out hot air while wearing a blissful smile.

Perhaps because he was hungry, Tang Zhuo ate with immense satisfaction.

However, once he finished the first bun and looked up at the empty seats around the table, his movements faltered, and a touch of loneliness surfaced in his eyes.

Tang Zhuo had just celebrated his eighteenth birthday.

In his world, every Omega was required to accept a national marriage match upon reaching eighteen—the system would screen for the most outstanding Alpha as a partner based on pheromone compatibility.

Tang Zhuo had already undergone the pheromone matching process.

Furthermore, he was lucky enough to encounter a male Alpha with a compatibility rating as high as 99%.

For Tang Zhuo, who preferred masculine aesthetics and held many fantasies about his future marriage, this was a massive surprise. With a compatibility rating that high, theoretically, they were the two people most suited for each other in the entire world.

They had even met once.

Though it was just a meal accompanied by their parents, the faint rose-scented pheromones the man emitted were exactly what Tang Zhuo liked.

Tang Zhuo had been looking forward to their second date with great anticipation.

Yet, on that very night, after falling asleep with dreams of the future, he woke up in this world.

Not only had he lost the ability to bear children, but he had also aged five years out of thin air. Setting aside the disastrous interpersonal relationships, the most direct headache was the financial crisis.

Can I ever go back?

Will I ever see my dear parents, my brother, my friends, and my Mr. Alpha again?

Tang Zhuo blinked rapidly, forcing down the stinging in his eyes, and picked up another bun to nibble on.

I’ll definitely be able to go back.

As his mother always said: No matter the situation, one must never give up hope.

In the afternoon, Tang Zhuo woke up from his nap.

He opened his eyes and checked the clock on the wall; it was just past three. He hugged his pillow and rolled over. After a moment, he rolled back, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He couldn’t sleep anymore.

Tang Zhuo rubbed his eyes and sat up. Several buttons on the front of his pajamas had come loose, and his collar had slipped to one side, but he didn’t care. He simply dragged his injured leg into the bathroom to freshen up.

When he emerged from the bedroom, he was a bit more alert but still looked somewhat listless.

Tang Zhuo went to the kitchen, intending to brew a cup of flower tea and have a piece of sweet cake. A wonderful afternoon tea always brought joy.

However, when he opened the refrigerator and saw it was empty—containing only the eggs from the morning and the remaining buns for dinner—Tang Zhuo remembered his situation and closed the door despondently.

He was no longer in his original home. There were no assorted snacks prepared by his father, and for the time being, he had no money to improve his quality of life.

Ultimately, Tang Zhuo just poured a glass of hot water and added a pinch of salt. He carried the glass to the living room sofa, sat down, and turned on the television.

The films and TV shows in this world were fresh to him; since the worldviews were different, the stories were different as well.

However, he found he couldn’t get into them. Back in the hospital, despite the meager living conditions and sharing a room with two strangers, he had been able to watch with total focus.

Tang Zhuo flipped through several channels before putting the remote down gloomily. He slumped back against the sofa, staring vacantly at the ceiling lamp.

The TV continued to play, the voices of the protagonists and the background music filling the living room. It was clearly noisy, yet he felt the house was so quiet.

After sitting in a daze for a while, Tang Zhuo turned off the TV, finished the remaining salt water, washed the glass, and headed toward his bedroom.

When he came out again, he had changed into outdoor clothes.

His mother in this world ran a clothing company, so the original owner had no shortage of clothes, and anything he put together looked quite good.

Tang Zhuo went to the entryway. Seeing himself in the full-length mirror, a trace of a smile finally appeared. His features hadn’t changed much; aside from being a bit pale, everything else was as it was before.

The biggest change was his height. He had grown from 1.68 meters to 1.75 meters—a full 7 centimeters taller! Even the “altitude” was different now.

Looking at his slender legs in the mirror, Tang Zhuo’s eyes curved slightly. Just for these beautiful proportions, aging five years didn’t seem quite so miserable.

Then, Tang Zhuo put on a mask. Looking at the closed security door, he took a deep breath, picked up a bag of trash, pushed the door open, and stepped out.

Tang Zhuo actually didn’t like going out much. Because he had been lectured by his parents since childhood never to go out alone—and never to meet an Alpha secretly except online, otherwise something “irreparable and tragic” might happen—Omegas more or less suffered from a bit of social anxiety.

Like Tang Zhuo, he preferred staying home; it gave him a full sense of security. However, that didn’t mean he didn’t need social interaction. He disliked being alone; he wanted the house to be lively, with someone always around to chat with.

In that sense… renting out the rooms really did seem like a good choice.

Click—

Tang Zhuo stepped out with his trash bag. Just as he locked the security door, he heard the neighbor’s door across the hall opening.

He grew nervous instantly, but quickly pulled off his mask. A neighbor nearby is better than a relative far away; good neighborly relations would make daily life much more convenient. And for a “first” meeting, first impressions were vital!

Tang Zhuo began trying to recall memories of his neighbors. Before he could find any, a fluffy head poked out from the crack of the opening door across the hall.

It was a dog with black and white fur!

The dog also noticed Tang Zhuo. Its outgoing steps halted; it tilted its head, observing him with large, dark, watery eyes.

So cute!

Tang Zhuo gave a sweet smile, just about to greet it, when the dog suddenly retreated back into the house and disappeared. Then, a paw reached out, hooked the edge of the door—

Thud.

Under Tang Zhuo’s stunned gaze, the neighbor’s door was pulled shut once again.

Tang Zhuo: “…”

Tang Zhuo: “………………”

So… even the dog doesn’t like me?

QAQ

Around three in the afternoon, the summer heat began to fade slightly. The sunlight was still blindingly bright but no longer as fierce as at noon, when it felt like it could melt a person.

The 718 bus traveled slowly along its route. Highly saturated orange-yellow light slanted through the windows into the carriage, flickering as the buildings on both sides of the road rose and fell.

In the middle of the bus, a figure sat alone by the window.

The person looked very young, perhaps eighteen or nineteen. His hair brushed his ears in slight, natural curls, looking fluffy and lazy. His tall, lean frame was clad in trendy athletic wear—an outfit that should have been bursting with youthful energy, yet on him, it felt strangely steady and restrained.

The bus stopped at a station, and a white-haired grandmother stepped on, leading her granddaughter.

“Grandma, here, here!” The little girl, about two or three years old, spoke in a milky voice, bringing a bit of cheer to the dull carriage. “There’s a seat here!”

She rushed to the middle of the bus first. When they had boarded, she had noticed the handsome big brother sitting there and couldn’t help but be drawn to him.

Jun Yanxing, who had been staring out the window, turned his head slightly and looked down at the little girl. His gaze was neutral, and his expression was very calm.

However, upon meeting his eyes, the little girl couldn’t help but shrink back, her smile fading timidly.

At that moment, the grandmother caught up. Just as she was about to sit, her granddaughter grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the back of the bus.

“No… don’t want to sit here…”

“Okay, okay. Slow down, don’t trip.”

There were many seats on the bus, so no conflict occurred. Soon, the 718 bus reached the next stop.

“Now arriving at Sunlight Garden Station.”

“Passengers departing, please exit in an orderly fashion…”

Amidst the announcement, the young man who had been sitting motionless finally picked up the duffel bag at his feet and exited through the rear door.

Sunlight Garden was a residential complex. The west side gate was less than a hundred meters from the bus stop; it was his destination.

As a side gate, it only allowed pedestrians and bicycles. Currently, the gate stood open, and a middle-aged man who looked like a security guard was dozing in a chair by the entrance.

Jun Yanxing checked his watch. Instead of rushing into the complex, he went to a small grocery store at the entrance to buy cigarettes.

“Handsome, we don’t support card payments here.”

The roadside shop wasn’t equipped with a POS terminal, and in this era, mobile QR code payments weren’t yet popular. Jun Yanxing had no choice but to pull out a hundred-yuan bill.

“Keep the change.”

Refusing the coins from the shopkeeper, Jun Yanxing took the cigarettes and lighter. He carried his bag to the curb and expertly shook out a cigarette, lighting it.

A small spark flickered under the bright afternoon sun. The smell of cheap tobacco drifted as it burned, hitting a body that hadn’t yet built up a tolerance to nicotine.

At that moment, the phone in his pocket vibrated.

Jun Yanxing’s brow furrowed slightly. He endured the discomfort and pulled it out to check.

Father.

When he saw the caller ID, the hand holding the cigarette paused slightly. His brow furrowed deeper, and a flash of dark, murderous intent flickered in his pitch-black eyes.

However, the emotion was gone in an instant, returning to cold indifference. He answered the call.

“Jun Yanxing, where are you? Get back here right now!” The man’s irritable voice roared from the other end.

“What are you trying to do? Do you even have any respect for me as your father? Yes, I told you to transfer the current project to your brother, but that’s because I have other arrangements for you!”

“I always thought you were a mature and sensible child, and I placed great hopes in you, but you have truly disappointed me!”

“With this behavior, how can I feel at ease handing the group over to you in the future…”

The man’s scolding was relentless. Jun Yanxing simply listened in silence, his expression becoming increasingly calm and cold.

After a long while, Jun Yanxing spoke indifferently: “Are you finished?”

The single sentence shut the man up, before making him even more furious. “Jun Yanxing, you—”

“I will only say what follows once.” Jun Yanxing’s voice was incredibly flat. “I have no interest in inheriting Fengsheng. I don’t care who you want to give your property to.”

The expression on his face was like the eternal ice on a high mountain. The hazy smoke swirled around him, exuding a sense of distance and coldness that warned others to stay away.

“As of today, we are no longer father and son. If we meet in the future, let’s act as if we are strangers.”

Having finished, Jun Yanxing hung up and blocked the number immediately.

He took a deep drag of the cigarette. Enduring the highly irritating smoke, his eyes gradually filled with a bloodshot tint as memories flooded back like a tide.

Jun Yanfeng—this so-called brother—was actually only two months younger than him. After his mother committed suicide from depression, Jun Yanfeng and his biological mother were brought home by Jun Hua, though that marriage didn’t last long either.

With a “third” woman came a fourth, a fifth, a sixth…

Jun Hua had five children in total, each with a different mother. This arrogant man raised his children almost like he was raising venomous insects—forcing them to fight one another to see who survived. It was impossible to live in the Jun family without fighting and seizing power.

Growing up in such an environment, Jun Yanxing had learned to fight from a young age. He was the eldest son and Jun Hua’s most outstanding child, but…

What of it?

In his past life, he had indeed won the struggle, but he ended up riddled with illness at a young age, finally being struck and killed by Jun Yanfeng’s car at thirty.

Jun Yanxing took another sharp puff. Amidst the swirling smoke, his mind slowly calmed down. His smoking habit had developed during his years of highest stress; he hadn’t expected that in a new life, he would still be unable to leave this thing behind.

He had thought about it all last night and finally decided to leave the Jun family. In his previous life, he had already achieved everything he wanted to do. Even after being killed by Jun Yanfeng, he hadn’t thought about revenge. After all, even without that crash, he wouldn’t have lived long with late-stage liver cancer.

In this life, he wanted to live differently. At the very least, he would no longer be controlled by anyone or anything.

As Jun Yanxing mused, his phone rang again. He was about to hang up when he saw the name displayed on the screen: Xia Chunzheng.

Only then did Jun Yanxing tap to answer, picking up his duffel bag and heading toward the residential gate.

At the same time, in a building not far from the west gate, a figure emerged, limping toward the same direction.