Chapter 06
Jiang Li walked along the pavement, the morning breeze brushing gently through his light hair as his gaze remained fixed on his phone. His steps were unhurried, almost absentminded, as though the world around him had faded into the background.
He was doing it again.
It was something he had promised himself he would stop—something he had repeated countless times in his mind. He had told himself that the next time he saw Shen Yu, he would approach him properly, speak to him like a normal person, and stop lurking in the shadows like some kind of stranger.
And yet, every single time he found himself close to him, all that resolve crumbled.
His thoughts tangled, his words disappeared, and he was left standing there, awkward and stuttering, unable to do anything but stare.
Still… no matter how much he tried, he couldn't stay away.
It was almost like being drawn toward a flame, knowing full well that getting too close would only burn him, and yet being unable to resist the pull. In the end, Jiang Li had settled for something safer—watching from afar, convincing himself that it was enough.
His thumb hovered over the screen of his phone, lingering over a photo.
Shen Yu stood by a bridge, the wind catching the edges of his coat and sending it fluttering behind him. His hair shifted slightly with the movement, and in one hand, he held a cigarette, the faint curl of smoke barely visible in the image. The other rested casually against the railing, his posture relaxed, his expression distant.
Even through a photograph—
He was beautiful.
And completely out of reach.
Jiang Li's fingers brushed lightly over the image, almost unconsciously, before the sharp chime of a notification broke through his thoughts. He flinched slightly at the sudden sound, blinking as he focused on the screen.
A message from Luo Xin.
[ Let's meet at the café. ]
Jiang Li paused, then lifted his gaze briefly.
He was already close.
Just a few steps more, and he would be there.
After a moment, he typed a quick reply.
[ Sure, I'll see you there, Xinxin ]
Slipping his phone away, he let out a soft breath and continued forward. By the time he reached the café entrance, he had already tucked his thoughts away, or at least attempted to.
Luo Xin was waiting by the door.
She leaned casually against the wall, dressed in black baggy jeans and a fitted leather jacket, boots completing the look in a way that made her stand out effortlessly. Compared to her, Jiang Li's simple black sweater and dark jeans felt almost plain.
A lollipop rested lazily between her lips as she pushed herself off the wall and walked toward him. Her gaze swept the area briefly before she frowned.
"Where's that airheaded fool?" she asked, pulling the lollipop from her mouth as she spoke.
Jiang Li blinked, a small smile forming as he processed her words.
Airheaded fool…
Ah.
"Guo Chen?" he said, the realization settling easily.
He gave a small shrug. "I'm not sure. Maybe he doesn't have a morning class."
Luo Xin hummed in acknowledgment before turning and heading inside, Jiang Li following close behind.
The café was lively, filled with overlapping voices and the mingling scents of coffee and pheromones. Conversations flowed freely, chairs scraped lightly against the floor, and the steady rhythm of a busy morning surrounded them.
For Jiang Li, however, most of it barely registered.
The scents that filled the space did nothing to him—they were just that, scents, indistinct and unimportant.
His attention drifted back to Luo Xin as she spoke animatedly, her eyes lighting up as she launched into a detailed explanation about her motorcycle. There was a certain enthusiasm in her voice that made it impossible not to listen, especially when she spoke about it with such obvious pride.
"You should hear her engine," she said, practically glowing. "It purrs like a dream."
Jiang Li let out a soft chuckle, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he listened.
But just as they moved toward the only empty table—
Everything changed.
A scent.
It wrapped around him suddenly, so familiar and overwhelming that it stole the breath from his lungs.
His steps faltered.
The noise of the café dulled instantly, fading into a distant blur as the world narrowed down to that single sensation. It was rich, intoxicating, unmistakable.
Shen Yu.
It had to be him.
Jiang Li's head turned instinctively, his gaze searching—and then—
He found him.
Those dark eyes were already on him.
For a brief moment, Shen Yu simply stared, his expression unreadable, before he looked away as though Jiang Li were nothing more than a passing distraction.
And yet—
That brief acknowledgment was enough.
Jiang Li's heart began to race, beating so fast it felt as though it might break through his chest.
Before he could gather his thoughts, before he could even decide what to do—
Shen Yu was already moving.
The distance between them closed in seconds, and before Jiang Li could react, a firm hand wrapped around his wrist.
The contact sent a sharp jolt through him, warmth spreading instantly where their skin touched. It felt almost electric, enough to make his breath hitch as a flush crept across his face.
Without a word, Shen Yu pulled him forward.
Jiang Li stumbled slightly, his thoughts scattering completely as he was dragged toward a nearby table. By the time they stopped, he was too disoriented to process what was happening.
Shen Yu released him.
But he didn't look at him.
Instead, his gaze was fixed on the man seated at the table, his posture straight, his presence commanding.
"Him," Shen Yu said.
The single word snapped Jiang Li out of his dazed state.
"Him…?" he repeated faintly, confusion flooding his expression.
Then—
"That's your omega?"
The voice came from the older man at the table, sharp and disbelieving.
Jiang Li froze.
Wait…
What?
"I find that very hard to believe, Shen Yu," the man continued, his tone rising with each word. "In the span of a moment, you suddenly claim to have an omega? And then you drag over a young boy who clearly has no idea what's happening?"
The pressure in the air shifted, heavy with restrained anger.
"Who are you trying to fool?" he demanded. "Or do you think Fen Yun is beneath you? She agreed to marry you despite everything—she comes from a respectable family, she is an omega—and yet you dare act like this?"
His voice dropped slightly at the end, but the sharpness of his words only became more pronounced.
"You are nothing but an incompetent fool."
The words hung in the air.
Jiang Li's expression stilled.
Incompetent fool.
Marrying someone like you.
They echoed in his mind, over and over again, until they drowned out everything else.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze toward Shen Yu.
The man stood there in silence, his jaw clenched tightly, his expression unreadable as he endured the criticism without responding.
And for some reason—
That made something inside Jiang Li snap.
The overwhelming scent that had clouded his senses moments ago cleared completely, replaced by something far sharper.
Anger.
"I'm really Shen Yu's omega, sir."
The words left his mouth before he could stop them.
The older man turned toward him, his gaze sharp—but his tone, when he spoke, was noticeably different. Softer. More measured.
"How are you planning to prove that?"
The shift was obvious.
And it made Jiang Li's stomach twist in disgust.
Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone.
A photo filled the screen.
Shen Yu, asleep.
His upper body exposed, his posture unguarded in a way that made the image feel almost too intimate.
"If we weren't together," Jiang Li said steadily, "how could I take a picture like this?"
For the first time, the man's composure faltered.
"…So you are truly in a relationship with my son," he said slowly, disbelief evident in his voice.
Beside him, Fen Yun's expression twisted, her gaze sharp with barely concealed resentment as she looked at Jiang Li. In response, Jiang Li met her stare without hesitation, a faint, almost smug curve touching his lips.
A moment later, she stood abruptly, tears welling in her eyes.
Shen Yong followed immediately, clearly unwilling to risk offending the Fen family further. Before leaving, however, he cast one last look at Shen Yu—one that was difficult to read.
Then they were gone.
Silence settled over the table.
Shen Yu's gaze dropped briefly to the phone still in Jiang Li's hand, lingering on the image before slowly lifting again.
Their eyes met.
The heat rushed back to Jiang Li's face instantly.
"How did you take this picture?" Shen Yu asked quietly.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Who exactly are you?"
Jiang Li felt his heart drop.
Oh no.