CH 1

There are encounters in life that are truly unexpected. For example, Shen Dai never imagined that one day, he would be invited into this house. After all, he had once been thrown out like garbage.

In his childhood impression, it was a splendid “palace”. It was so big, so bright, and came with a curved spiral staircase that didn’t care at all about wasting living space. For the first time, he knew that the staircase could be placed inside the house. He had stood in such a house. Raising his head, he would be worried that the huge crystal chandelier might fall from the top of his head. And lowering his head, he would be afraid of soiling the bright floor.

20 years later, he came here again. It is still located in the quiet center of the land with astonishing prices. However, the community has been here for quite some time, thus the style and design concept of this villa are outdated. Its exterior wall has been refurbished and changed to the French-style stone that has been fashionable in recent years. The flowers and plants are also meticulously taken care of in order to maintain their state. But the dried-up fish pond, the stone steps, and flower beds in the courtyard all have mottled traces from the wind and rain. Although it is still expensive and stylish at first glance, it already could no longer bear the weight of details.

Those rumors circulating on the Internet aren’t groundless and the depressing stock price cannot deceive people, the You family might really be finished.

He came here twice, both times involuntarily. Today, he was half “invited” inside the car by the bodyguard.

Since he was so impressed with this house back then, his memories about his biological father are blurry. But he was definitely not as old as he is now. This man used to be a high-profile heir of a large business conglomerate, an Alpha with A-level pheromone. He graduated from a prestigious school, was young and handsome, and married a well-matched wife.

Frustrations are melted into a person’s spirit and then engraved within the textures on the face, unable to be hidden.

Shen Dai stood in front of You Xinghai and silently seized him up in response to You Xinghai seizing him up.

You Xinghai had a sullen expression on his face. As an alpha and with the dignity of the patriarch, Shen Dai’s calm gaze made him feel uncomfortable. He was already prepared. He imagined that Shen Dai would denounce him, tell him all his misfortunes, or at least express obvious hatred. But the young man in front of him was too calm.

Not long after he was forced to make that decision, all of this child’s information appeared on the office desk – Shen Dai, 27 years old, omega male, single, Master in Materials Engineering at HKUST(1), working at Xingzhou Group’s Rare Earth-Elements Research Institute, family members includes his omega father and his grandmother.

The shy and fearful little boy twenty years ago has become a calm adult. Thinking of his background and the demands he might make, You Xinghai couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

Shen Dai looked around, found a chair, and sat down. Then he took out his mobile phone and replied to a few work messages.

You Xinghai frowned and cleared his throat.

Shen Dai raised his head and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, “President You, what are you looking for from me?”

“…You have grown up.” You Xinghai had many experiences through thick and thin, he has been through the ups and downs of a business, but at this time, he can only use small-talk to ease the awkwardness.

Shen Dai wanted to laugh a little, “President You, if you don’t have something to beg from me, it’s impossible for you to take the initiative to come find me, just say it.” Usually, this kind of drama plot where a scumbag father actively seeks out an illegitimate child he avoided after many years, it’s because he doesn’t have any other offspring. However, that’s not the case with the You family. If something happened to the young master of the You family, it’s impossible for it to not get onto the news.

You Xinghai almost couldn’t hold his expression together, “Beg isn’t really necessary, I want to make a deal with you.”

“Say it.” The reason why Shen Dai got into the car was mainly out of curiosity. In this society ruled by law and it’s not like they’re filming a movie, if he screamed out loud on the street, the bodyguards wouldn’t dare to do anything to him. He came here simply because he wanted to know what You Xinghai wanted from him. Maybe he could reap some thrill of getting revenge.

You Xinghai tapped on the folder in front of him, “You have a debt, seven million. This isn’t a small amount.”

“Yeah, does President You want to help me pay it?” Shen Dai revealed a sarcastic smile.

“I can help you pay it.”

Shen Dai’s pupils shrank fiercely, “What do you mean?”

“My son originally had a very important engagement, but now he can’t fulfill it. I need you to return to the You family register and get married for him.”

This sentence was too much like the plot of a drama, it was beyond absurdity and too nonsensical. Shen Dai took five seconds to react, “Are you serious?”

“What’s my status? Why would I joke around with you.”

“Why can’t he get married?”

You Xinghai’s expression became hazy in an instant. It seemed difficult for him to force out, “He was marked by someone else.”

Shen Dai became silent. He did debate in his heart, marrying a stranger sounded shitty, but could it be worse than carrying a huge debt? His life and the years of his grandmother’s old age were oppressed by this debt to the point of no hope. If he could climb out of the quagmire by paying some price, why not take a gamble.

Shen Dai took a deep breath, “Marriage, what are the requirements?”

“What the requirements are depends on your future husband. Whatever he asks of you, you will do so.”

Shen Dai’s slender eyelashes trembled in fast motion. It seemed that he didn’t have too much hesitation, he slowly raised his eyes and looked at You Xinghai, “I want ten million.”

You Xinghai narrowed his eyes, not surprised, but also obviously displeased.

If what You Xinghai said is the truth, then his increased price will definitely be accepted. The so-called very important marriage contract must be related to the fate of the company and the rise and fall of the family. Only so, would he bring out his only precious omega son. However, You Baiyue was marked by someone else in the end. This is a great shame for both the You family and the party of the marriage. Marks can be removed, but the bite marks left on the glands cannot be erased by the current medical science. Which rich family can accept such humiliation? This marriage had to be called off.

Shen Dai thought of You Baiyue’s delicate and beautiful face that is active on social media. He clearly looked very smart, so how did he tumble down like this? One of the most absurd mistakes an omega can make at a young age is being marked before getting married. However, thinking of it in another way, what if You Baiyue deliberately uses this method to resist marriage? Such as if the other party is old, ugly, disabled, has weird quirks, or has violent tendencies? These risks are all entirely possible.

He was brought here to save the show, even if the You family’s stock price has been cut in half, it’s not to the extent that they’re unable to bring out 10 million.

Sure enough, You Xinghai simply said, “Fine.”

Shen Dai regretted it very much, he regretted that he asked for too little. He’s still lacking some courage and insight. Although he still doubts the credibility of this matter, he hopes it’s true. Repaying his debt is his current most urgent desire.

He stood up, “Then it’s settled. You can arrange whatever comes next. I have to go back to work, I’m leaving first.”

You Xinghai looked at him in surprise, “You have no other questions?”

“No, as long as you really give me the money.”

“…Aren’t you gonna ask who your future alpha husband is?”

Shen Dai lowered his head and glanced at his phone. It was only a short while, yet there were already a bunch of messages. He didn’t look back and said, “It doesn’t matter.”

He is burdened with debt at such a young age. His future is uncertain and has long lost any expectations and fantasies towards marriage and love in this lifetime. Therefore, even if the other party may be so bad that You Baiyue had to resist marriage in the most extreme way, as long as he can get his house back and let his grandma live well in old age, it’s just selling himself, he’ll concede to it.

It doesn’t matter who it is.

After leaving the You house, Shen Dai went straight to the research institute. Although they have more freedom in regards to time and don’t need to punch in, it’s not exactly good to be absent from work in the morning for no reason.

Right after graduating from university, he joined the Xingzhou Group through the Talent Plan program. Because his mentor is the person in charge of one of the projects of the Rare Earth-Elements Research Institute, his graduate courses are all basically completed in the laboratory. Actually, his salary is high among his peers, but he only feels far and hopeless facing his debt of seven million.

He had seriously thought about it before. If he wants to turn his life around, it can only happen if, one, money falls from the sky, or two, he obtains a patent. As a gender who is neither superior in the workplace nor at scientific research, nor does he have a top-notch genius brain, he had already preset a decade or two of struggles for the second option. But he did not expect that the effortless former option had become a reality instead. Thinking of how he believed in “education changes fate” since childhood, it really is too ironic.

“Shixiong(2).”

“Shixiong, morning.”

“Morning.”

As soon as he entered the research institute, his shidis(3) and shimeis(4) greeted him one after another.

“Morning my ass, you can go straight to lunch after some tidying.” A mocking voice sounded from behind, “Shen Dai, it’s rare for you to be late.”

This is his university classmate Cheng Zimei, a female beta. The two have been friends for many years and are comrades-in-arms who share many common academic ideals.

“I have something last-minute to do, is laoshi(5) here today?” Shen Dai put on his lab coat and poured himself a glass of water.

“No, do you want to look at the batch of materials just sent by Wansheng Mine?”

Shen Dai looked at his watch, “I’ll look at it in the afternoon, let’s go eat first.”

The Rare Earth-Elements Research Institute has its own canteen, but they took a few more steps today to eat in the large canteen of the company’s headquarters. The food from both sides are purchased together and it tastes great at both places, but there is naturally more selection in the larger canteen. They frequently switch places to eat.

The two got their meal and then ate while chatting.

At this moment, he heard a small commotion at the entrance. Shen Dai looked back and saw a group of people in suits and leather shoes filed in, walking in a hurry. The lunch break is usually a time when social animals are more relaxed, so they don’t look like they came here to eat, they look like they’re here for an inspection.

The cafeteria was very large, and from Shen Dai’s distance, he could hardly see their faces. But he still accurately captured one superior height and beautiful silhouette at a glance.

“Why did the Crown Prince come to eat at the staff cafeteria today?” Cheng Zimei held her chopsticks in her mouth and stretched her neck over to look.

Shen Dai’s eyes silently followed the tall man who was surrounded by a group of people. He worked hard to get a few complete but unclear faces from the moving heads until the other passed through the cafeteria and entered the private room. He couldn’t smell his pheromones at such a distance, but Shen Dai still felt a bit restless.

Cheng Zimei answered herself, “Maybe he’s busy and invited the client to a work meal.”

Shen Dai has strong observation skills. He noticed that mostly omegas paid special attention to those people just now. It can’t be helped. Omegas are creatures that engrave yearning into their genetic instincts, even Shen Dai himself can’t be exempt from the custom. An S-class Alpha walked by with the wind, leaving a faint trace of pheromones in the air, making people fall into reveries.

What’s more, as the first heir of Xingzhou Group, Qu Moyu is an alpha with halos all over his body.

snaggletooth: Hello! Since this novel still ongoing(raws), I will be releasing translations slowly. I will wait for Shui Qian Cheng to finish before I commit to a weekly schedule. At the moment, these chapters are all free on her Weibo. Take a look if you want~ Thank you.