After Transmigrating as a Beta, I Got Messed Up with an Alpha (BL) - Chapter 44

It wasn’t until Huo Juan had finally left that Pei Yule snapped out of it. He clapped a hand over the corner of his mouth—the spot that had been lightly licked—as his expression shifted through a complex spectrum of emotions.

…It was clearly his birthday, so why was he the one being taken advantage of?

By the time he thought about throwing a punch, the opportunity had passed; the guy had already changed back into his own clothes and left. It was all because the shock had been too great for him to react quickly. Pei Yule turned around and viciously scrubbed the dishes clean before retreating to his bedroom.

A faint trace of cold cypress scent lingered in the air. He waved his hand in a futile gesture, but the pheromones still seemed to coil around him. While they didn’t cause him any physical discomfort, the recent “incident” made him feel utterly restless.

Pei Yule took a deep breath. He opened the wardrobe to change into his outdoor clothes, intending to fulfill his white lie about having plans. But just as his hand caught the sleeve of a sweater, he suddenly buried his face in the pile of clothes and stayed motionless for a long time.

Technically, it wasn’t a kiss, but his cheek could still clearly feel the ultra-close proximity of the other’s breath. Pei Yule had never had such intimate contact with a girl, yet here he was, being so familiar with a man.

No, it was more than that.

The back-hugs, the standard hugs, being pinned to the sofa and having his neck licked and nibbled…

Looking back now, those were all excessively intimate acts, and he had done them all with Huo Juan. Why hadn’t it felt wrong at the time? Even if it was for “contact therapy,” those behaviors were far too close.

Thump, thump, thump. Pei Yule banged his head against the inside of the wardrobe door. Whether it was Huo Juan’s pheromones being bewitching or simply his own thick-headedness was no longer discernable. He had already used the guy as a “side dish” in the bathroom earlier; it was useless to start feeling regret now.

Furthermore, when Huo Juan did that to him just now, aside from shock, he hadn’t felt a single shred of disgust… and that meant he had already lost.

Pei Yule, twenty-one years old, never imagined he would one day turn “bent.”

…I really shouldn’t have read my sister’s collection of BL novels.

Pei Yule snapped his head up, ignoring his belatedly flushing cheeks, and grabbed his phone to call Fei Yisa. Since he’d said he had plans, Fei Yisa was the first person he thought of, being one of his few friends in this world. However, perhaps Fei Yisa was sleeping in; the phone rang over twenty times with no answer.

Usually, Fei Yisa was quick to pick up. Pei Yule felt that since it was a last-minute whim, he shouldn’t bother the guy on his weekend.

Despite being stood up, Pei Yule didn’t cancel his plans. He changed and headed out anyway. It was his birthday and a weekend, so the streets were crowded. People brushed past him, occasionally carrying a faint trace of Alpha or Omega pheromones like perfume. Pei Yule had grown used to this; he no longer felt like a total outsider as he did when he first arrived.

He wandered aimlessly for a while. He had intended to treat himself to a nice birthday meal, but for some reason, the “ordinary” Omurice from breakfast had been so delicious that he didn’t want to overwrite the memory with other food. Instead, he did a massive grocery haul at the supermarket, buying things he usually considered a bit too expensive.

During his shopping, Fei Yisa called back to ask what was up. Learning that Fei Yisa wasn’t currently in City A, Pei Yule didn’t say much and just brushed it off with an excuse.

Then, lugging several heavy bags, he headed home.

As he entered his apartment complex, his phone rang. He freed a hand to pull it out, and seeing the number, his expression shifted. It was the original owner’s mother calling.

The Pei parents didn’t call often, maybe once or twice a week. Since it wasn’t face-to-face, Pei Yule felt less pressure. He was grateful for the original owner’s memories; they allowed him to navigate these conversations without slipping up.

They had visited once before. Though busy, they had squeezed out a day to see their only son. That day had been a whirlwind of acting; Pei Yule had used every ounce of his performance skills to play a version of himself that was different yet believable. Luckily, they seemed a bit “airheaded” in a natural way; seeing his tension, they likely assumed he was just exhausted from school and filled his fridge with cooked food before leaving.

Pei Yule felt relieved when they left, but simultaneously guilty. He felt like an interloper who had robbed them of their precious son. He felt he owed them a great debt. He was grateful for them, so he promised himself that with a little more time, he would become a son they could be proud of. He couldn’t replace their real son, but he would treat them as his true parents.

“Mom.”

As soon as he picked up, he heard her energetic voice: [Le-le, happy birthday!]

Right, today was also the original owner’s birthday. It was only natural they would call. They truly loved their son.

“Thank you, Mom,” Pei Yule said. He’d initially struggled with calling them that, but it came naturally now.

His mother said: [Have you been eating well lately? I wanted to visit with your dad, but a last-minute order came in and we couldn’t get away. I’m so sorry, sweetie.]

Hearing her slightly cautious tone, Pei Yule’s expression softened. “It’s okay, Mom. You’re busy. Come another time when you’re free, or I’ll come home during the holidays.” He paused, thinking of the exquisite Omurice from earlier, and added, “I’ve been eating well.” He’d cleaned the plate, not leaving a single grain of rice. He didn’t mention it was a “spoiled” feeling, though. “You two should take care of yourselves, too. Don’t get sick, and remember to balance work and rest.”

[Yes, yes, of course.] His mother was an emotional person; hearing his concern, she sounded like she was on the verge of tears, wishing she could drive to City A immediately.

Pei Yule spoke with her for a bit longer until a male voice joined in: [He Lian, let me talk to him.] That was his father, a man who loved his wife and son to his core.

“Dad.”

Switching to his father, Pei Yule greeted him similarly. “How have you been? Are you and Mom healthy? The weather is getting cold; make sure to dress warmly.”

Pei Yule’s personality was a bit “old-fashioned”; his sister used to say he spoke like a veteran cadre. This was a stark contrast to the original owner, who was a pampered only child and often acted a bit childishly with his parents. However, his parents simply thought he had matured after two years of living alone, a change they found comforting. [We know, son. You take care of yourself, too.]

“Mm.”

Pei Yule responded as he entered the elevator with a few others. He lived on the twelfth floor, which was relatively high for this building. Each floor only had two units, symmetrically arranged. He’d lived here a while but had only seen his neighbor a few times.

Because it was the weekend, the elevator was busy, stopping frequently. Leaning against the back wall, he waited for the others to exit as his father asked: [Le-le, tell Dad the truth, have you really been eating well?]

Why the sudden question? Pei Yule said, puzzled, “Really. My appetite is quite good.” He’d lost a bit of weight recently, but he figured it was just because he was still growing.

His father said in a deep voice: [But the money we send you… you’ve barely touched it. If there’s anything you want, just buy it. Your mother and I work hard so you can live comfortably and eat well.]

His mother chimed in: [That’s right, Le-le. Mom thinks the same!]

“…”

Hey now, that kind of parenting is how you spoil a kid. It was a good thing the original owner was relatively simple-minded, otherwise, he could have turned out quite badly.

Pei Yule said helplessly, “I buy whatever I need, Dad, don’t worry.” He realized he probably was spending much less than before; the original owner used to burn through tens of thousands a month, whereas he only spent a few thousand on basics. Where on earth did that kid spend all that money…

Ding. The elevator opened. He stepped out, about to give his parents a lecture on proper financial education, when he looked up and saw a tall youth in a hoodie standing in front of his door.

At first glance, he thought it was a suspicious character trying to break in. But seeing the person’s calm demeanor and the backpack on the floor, he thought it might be a neighbor taking out the trash. Then he remembered his neighbor wasn’t that tall, and certainly didn’t dress like that. He looked closer, and his phone nearly slipped from his hand.

Even with the hood up, that unique aura—the kind no one else could imitate—who could it be but Huo Juan?

Pei Yule froze, instinctively wanting to duck back into the elevator, but the chime had already alerted the youth. Huo Juan turned his head, his gaze landing accurately on him. He lowered his hood, confirming his identity.

The guy was back. Who knew how long he’d been waiting there?

Pei Yule’s thoughts shifted again. He’d already decided to keep an eye on him, so why panic? Stay steady. He kept walking, continuing his conversation with his father: “Dad, I’m an adult now. I really can take care of myself. Don’t worry.”

[Are you sure you aren’t pushing yourself too hard?]

Pei Yule promised: “I’m really not.”

Ignoring Huo Juan, he reached down and shook the plastic grocery bags, letting his parents hear the rustle. “I even went on a big shopping spree today. Bought lots of food and supplies, listen.”

His father had indeed seen a notification for a few hundred yuan earlier and thought, Big shopping spree? That’s not even a tenth of what he usually spends. But then he thought perhaps his son was just becoming more sensible. [Alright, Dad won’t nag. Just don’t skimp on yourself; Dad has plenty of money.]

“Mm-hmm, I know.”

Pei Yule stood by his door, chatting a bit longer until his parents were satisfied and hung up. Throughout the call, Huo Juan remained silent. Pei Yule ignored him.

Once the call ended, he beat Huo Juan to the punch by grabbing his bags and unlocking the door. “Come in. What are you standing out there for?”

Setting the bags down in the entryway, Pei Yule poked his head back out at the motionless Alpha. “If you stand there like that, people will think you’re a suspicious character. Careful, or someone will call the police.”

He’d thought the same thing a moment ago. Dressed in all black with a hood over his face, looking for all the world like a criminal. Then he remembered the guy was actually hiding, so he understood the outfit.

Huo Juan met Pei Yule’s eyes, but the boy quickly looked away and pulled his head back inside to start moving the groceries. Huo Juan paused, bent down to pick up his backpack, and followed him inside.

Click. The door closed.