CHAPTER 10: ACTUALLY, IT WAS NOT THAT ENJOYABLE…

The Alpha sat silently beside him, feeling frustrated, and did not say a word while looking out of the window.

Streetlights passed by one by one, the light flickering on the man’s body, revealing a subtle redness on his neck.

“Officer Yu?” Nie Zihang leaned over and called out to him, “Are you angry?”

Yu Jingxuan ignored him.

He continued to call out, “Officer Yu.”

“Officer Yu, Big Yu, Little Yu?”

“Officer Xiaoyu?”

“Yu Yu?”

With the final nickname, it successfully irritated the Alpha, causing the redness on his neck to flare up again.

“Do not call me that randomly.”

Nie Zihang smiled and opened his palm towards him, saying, “Officer Yu, you have not returned my voice recorder yet.”

The Alpha immediately flung the pen back to him as if avoiding a plague.

Then, like a snail, he retreated.

Nie Zihang calmly put the pen back into his pocket, feeling as if there was still a lingering scent of Alpha’s pheromones on his fingertips.

┈

Arriving at Fenghua Residence, the two got out of the car. The driver, before leaving, rolled down the car window and advised Yu Jingxuan, “If you are an Alpha, go for it. Do not wait until the wife runs away and regrets it!”

And then he left in a cloud of dust¹figurative expression that means someone or something is moving or leaving very quickly, often leaving behind a trail of dust or debris. It implies a swift and dramatic departure..

Yu Jingxuan opened the payment app and asked, “How much is the taxi fare? I will transfer it to you via Feixin.”

Nie Zihang waved his hand dismissively and said, “It is just a few bucks; don’t worry about it. I was already going this way, so it is not like I am paying extra for you. Let us go home; I am heading back too.”

After speaking, he opened the food delivery app and started browsing nearby options for takeout.

Spicy hot pot, too spicy.

Sichuan cuisine? Hunan cuisine? Even spicier…

How about eating Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine.

He clicked into a Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine restaurant, but seeing the pictures on top, he did not feel like eating anymore.

As he scrolled through the options in the food delivery app, unable to make a decision among the twenty or so restaurants, the person next to him suddenly spoke up, “Why don’t you come to my place and have a meal? The food delivered can be quite bland. I cooked lotus root and pork rib soup for lunch, and I will stir-fry a couple of dishes when I get back. It is perfect for us to eat together.”

Nie Zihang’s finger paused as it slid across the screen.

He remembered it. That night, when Yu Jingxuan’s friend got drunk, he mentioned that Yu Yu in their family could handle household chores and cooking—a good daughter-in-law that one could not find even with a lantern.

As a man who had three wives, all of whom were charming Omegas, and a rough man who had never had homely meals, Nie Zihang was deeply moved.

He did not even make a symbolic rejection and immediately accepted the phone, smiling as he responded, “Sure, why not.”

┈

The Fenghua Residence, where Yu Jingxuan lived, was an old residential area with 5- to 6-story old-style apartment buildings. The side walls were covered with dense, climbing ivy.

Just keep walking along the main road of the residential area, and you will reach the third building.

Yu Jingxuan opened the door with the key, and a strong aroma of meat wafted out. The sound of boiling water could be heard from the kitchen.

“The soup I am cooking might take a bit longer, probably around ten more minutes. There is warm water on the table, and the cups that are upside down have just been washed. Feel free to use them,” he said.

Nie Zihang looked at the spotless marble floor beneath his feet and hesitated. “Do I need to change my shoes?”

Yu Jingxuan had cleaned the room so thoroughly that Nie Zihang did not even dare to sit on the chair. He felt like the bacteria on his body would dirty the place.

Nie Zihang thought to himself, “I have never seen an Alpha so clean before.”

In his impression, Alphas were usually the type who did not pay much attention to details. The room would be filled with pheromones and the smell of dirty socks, making people feel overwhelmed.

But in Yu Jingxuan’s place, there was not only the aroma of meat but also the fresh scent of newly washed soap nuts, mixed with a faint fragrance of orchids. It was even more comfortable than his own house, which a housekeeping service had cleaned.

It also had a hint of a fireworks scent.

The Alpha did not seem to mind and shook his head nonchalantly when he heard the question. “No need; I do not have any spare slippers at home, so just come in directly. Besides, I clean the floor before I go to bed, so it does not matter if it gets dirty.”

Then he quickly said, “I will go cook now; it will not take long.”

He plunged into the kitchen.

Nie Zihang sat at the dining table and listened to the sound of rushing water in the kitchen, as well as the busy clattering and clanging noises.

Just as he was about to roll up his sleeves and go help, he suddenly heard a “ding” sound from the corner and realised it was Yu Jingxuan’s phone, placed on the other end of the dining table.

Someone sent a message, displayed on the lock screen:

[Xiao Yu, how have you been during this time? Hey, Alphas are just like that. If this one does not work out, just find another one. Don’t make yourself suffer. It is not worth it.]

[I have an Alpha comrade here who is also into AA relationships. He has been on missions recently, but he will be on leave next week. How about you meet him and see if there is a connection? Who knows, you might feel something. Plus, he is from the military, so he is absolutely loyal and not easily influenced by pheromones.]

Nie Zihang looked at those few lines of messages and fell into deep thought.

Even though they both experienced heartbreak and infidelity in their relationships, Yu Jingxuan’s friend suggested introducing him to a more reliable Alpha.

Looking at his²Nie Zihang’s own situation… his friends suggested going out for a night of clubbing and casual encounters and advised him not to get into another relationship as it might not lead to anything substantial, and it would be more practical to just have a physical relationship.

Was it his problem, or was it his friend’s problem?

┈

The sound of the rice cooker’s beeping buttons could be heard from the kitchen, indicating that the Alpha had started cooking rice.

Then there was the sound of rushing water, mixed with the sound of chopping vegetables and the scraping sound of cutting boards.

Nie Zihang got up and walked to the entrance of the kitchen.

The Alpha, who had changed into casual home clothes, was cutting a loofah³Type of vegetable that is commonly used as a natural exfoliating sponge. It is also known as a sponge gourd or a dishcloth gourd. When mature, the fibrous interior of the loofah can be dried and used as a scrubbing tool for the skin. with precision.

With swift and skillful movements, the knife came down, making a rhythmic da da da da sound. The cutting was fast and precise.

As Nie Zihang watched the busy figure in front of the stove, an untimely thought popped into his head: If only he was not into an AA relationship.

It would be fine if he was not in an AA relationship.

Even if Yu Jingxuan were a Beta, Nie Zihang would still be willing to give it a try… but unfortunately, he is an Alpha.

Nie Zihang instinctively reached for the cigarettes in his pocket, but when he saw the person in front of the stove, he resisted the urge.

He probably would not like it.

Yu Jingxuan was pouring oil into the pan, preparing to stir-fry the vegetables. He caught a glimpse of Nie Zihang approaching and turned to ask him, “Why did you come over?”

The man concealed his emotions and casually leaned against the doorway, saying, “Let me see if there is anything I can help with.”

Yu Jingxuan waved his hand and said, “No, my kitchen is small; there is no space for you to come in. I am about to stir-fry the vegetables, and there will be a lot of smoke. Can you help me close the kitchen door so that the smoke does not spread to the living room?”

Nie Zihang obediently closed the door.

Behind him, the sound of the range hood humming could be heard, along with the sizzling sound of the vegetables being poured into the hot oil pan.

The aroma of stir-fried scallions, ginger, and garlic wafted out through the crack in the door, and Nie Zihang could not help but take a deep breath.

It had been a long time since he had smelled this aroma.

┈

Nie Zihang felt that it would be impolite to just wait for the host to finish cooking, so he decided to take He Cheng’s case file and read it instead.

However, after only reading a couple of pages, the kitchen door opened.

The Alpha came out with a plate of stir-fried loofah and said, “Go wash your hands and let us eat.”

Nie Zihang quickly closed the file and went to the bathroom to wash his hands.

When he returned, Yu Jingxuan had already finished cleaning up.

On the dining table, there were two stir-fried dishes and a small pot of pork rib soup. The freshly cooked rice was still steaming hot.

In the cosy little apartment, the air was filled with the comforting aroma of home-cooked food.

“Thanks to Officer Yu’s generosity, I will enjoy a decent meal.”

Nie Zihang smiled and served him a bowl of soup, pushing it over to him attentively.

Yu Jingxuan said, “Thank you,” and then went to check his phone.

Then, he drank the soup while typing and replying to messages.

Nie Zihang picked up a large portion of the dish and piled it into his bowl, knowingly asking, “Friend?”

Yu Jingxuan put down his phone and chewed slowly for a while before saying, “Hmm. The situation with He Cheng has caused quite a stir, and all my friends know about it. They have been talking about introducing someone to me. Mr. Nie, I assume you are in a similar situation?”

Nie Zihang thought about his unreliable group of friends and coldly snorted, “No, it is far from that. They all told me not to bother looking anymore and to give up. If I cannot find someone, then there is no hope.”

Yu Jingxuan’s expression faltered, and he said, “No, that is not true. There will always be someone suitable.”

Nie Zihang pushed his phone directly in front of Alpha and said, “Take a look for yourself. They are advising me to be more open-minded and stop looking. They are inviting me to go to bars to hook up for one-night stands. It is all there.”

He usually chats with his friends in a very unrestrained manner, talking about anything and everything, and his language can be quite explicit.

As the Alpha across from him looked at it, his face turned red.

After a while, the Alpha finally managed to say, “Do not listen to them; that is not good…”

Nie Zihang raised an eyebrow and said, “Hmm? Why is it not good? Respected police officer, enlighten me as a member of the public.”

Yu Jingxuan replied, “It is easy… um, it is easy to get sick…”

The Alpha said it with a serious expression, and Nie Zihang had to hold back his laughter.

He asked with a helpless tone, “So what should I do then? I think my friends are right. Omegas are really unreliable. Just a little pheromone from any Alpha, and they are gone. I am not a monk, but I still have basic needs to fulfill. I cannot rely on my right hand every day.”

Yu Jingxuan thought for a moment and made a serious suggestion: “I think you have a friend who shares the same orientation as you. Why do you not give it a try with them?”

Nie Zihang replied, “Him? He is even rougher than me, and I cannot bring myself to do it with him. If I am willing to let an Omega do it, I might as well just lie under an Alpha; it would be even more enjoyable than with an Omega.”

Yu Jingxuan fell silent.

Nie Zihang thought that he had probably reached the limit of teasing the Alpha. If he continued, he might face backlash.

Just as he was thinking about it, he decided to make amends by offering to serve some food.

Suddenly, a small voice came from the buried bowl: “Actually… it was not that enjoyable…”

Nie Zihang almost sprayed the food out of his mouth.

I-am-done-with-life!

Why was he answering even this kind of question so seriously…”

Nie Zihang felt that if he were a man, he should ask further: Are you sure it is not more enjoyable than with an Omega?

It was better to forget about it. He might end up getting beaten up by an Alpha who is too embarrassed.

The author has something to say:

Present Nie Ge: If only he was not aromantic and asexual… Alphas are too intense; I definitely cannot handle it…

Future Nie Ge: Darling, I still want to…

Yu Yu: …Wu… I cannot… I cannot do it. QAQ

• 1
  figurative expression that means someone or something is moving or leaving very quickly, often leaving behind a trail of dust or debris. It implies a swift and dramatic departure.
• 2
  Nie Zihang’s
• 3
  Type of vegetable that is commonly used as a natural exfoliating sponge. It is also known as a sponge gourd or a dishcloth gourd. When mature, the fibrous interior of the loofah can be dried and used as a scrubbing tool for the skin.