The Marked Alpha Is Extremely Hard to Coax - Chapter 14

As Wen Yue went to wash the dishes, Jiang Yunbian felt increasingly out of place.

 

On a family reunion holiday weekend, while couples were cozying up and enjoying sweet moments at their mothers’ homes, he, an awkward outsider, seemed entirely out of place.

 

Especially seeing Xu Zhaoruo’s cautious demeanor made him inexplicably irritated, with an unusual tingling and slight pain in his neck.

 

“Um, I heard from Wei Chu that he’s quite confident about this mock exam. Are you guys okay?” Xu Zhaoruo asked with a forced smile.

 

Jiang Yunbian leaned back on the sofa, thinking it would be better if Xu Zhaoruo worried about her boyfriend rather than him—Wei Chu was a daredevil who took the exam cold.

 

His gaze shifted, and Zhou Die suddenly got up from the opposite corner of the sofa.

 

Jiang Yunbian flinched and instinctively leaned back. “…What are you doing?”

 

Zhou Die reached over to grab a game controller from the small table beside him. “Wanna play?”

 

Play what… Didn’t you hear your girlfriend asking you a question!

 

Zhou Die sat back down and tossed another controller to Xu Zhaoruo. “Is it okay?”

 

When Wen Yue finished tidying up and came out, Zhou Die had just won a game. Xu Zhaoruo complained, “I lost focus. Let’s play again.”

 

“By the way, you two boys go buy some snacks. We’re out of stock,” Wen Yue said, patting Zhou Die on the top of his head. “Your friends came over; we can’t let them go hungry.”

 

“No need, I was just…”

 

Zhou Die grabbed his phone and keys, interrupting Jiang Yunbian’s words. “Shall we go?”

 

Jiang Yunbian felt provoked by Zhou Die’s nonchalant attitude. If the host wasn’t embarrassed, why should he, as a guest, be anxious to make things comfortable?

 

Let’s go then.

 

“Be careful on the road.”

 

Jiang Yunbian and Zhou Die went to a nearby mall.

 

“What did Auntie ask us to buy?”

 

Zhou Die tapped the screen of his phone. “Potato chips, cotton candy, crispy snacks…”

 

All sweet and sugary snacks that girls like. Jiang Yunbian listened absently.

 

“That’s it?” he asked.

 

“And some candy for Xiao Yunbian,” Zhou Die said slowly.

 

“……” Jiang Yunbian wanted to knock him out.

 

Zhou Die pushed the cart while Jiang Yunbian glanced at the variety of sweets and couldn’t resist saying, “Isn’t it bad for an Omega to consume too much sugar?”

 

Zhou Die turned around slowly. “Who told you these are for Omegas?”

 

Jiang Yunbian: “?”

 

Zhou Die gestured at the pile in the cart. “This lot is mine.”

 

“……You’re so annoying.” After a pause, he sarcastically added, “If you want, you can ask the president to bring a couple of packs of snacks to please Wei Chu and get him to lay off you.”

 

Zhou Die thought Jiang Yunbian was really petty.

 

He picked up a new flavor of candy from the shelf and waved it in front of Jiang Yunbian. “Do you need me to please you?”

 

Jiang Yunbian, who had been checking the date on a wafer, felt a strange satisfaction from Zhou Die’s low, teasing voice and chuckled. “Do you think we need to settle the score this way?”

 

“Otherwise, do you want to fight me?”

 

Jiang Yunbian finally realized that Zhou Die’s questions were laced with subtle mockery and felt deceived by his voice.

 

Is this guy playing games with him all the way?

 

“I think we should pick a sunny day, sign a death contract, and have a proper fight.”

 

As Zhou Die was about to pay, he was kicked in the back of his foot.

 

Jiang Yunbian pointed at discounted eggs. “Do we need these? For mooncakes.”

 

Zhou Die and Jiang Yunbian stood in front of a row of eggs. “Any tips on choosing eggs?”

 

Jiang Yunbian: “Big and full.”

 

Zhou Die found the answer ridiculous and casually picked a box. After paying, he handed the bag to Jiang Yunbian.

 

Jiang Yunbian looked at the other large bag Zhou Die was carrying. “Is this all?”

 

“Big and full. I’m carrying it. It’s heavy.”

 

Jiang Yunbian restrained himself from smashing the eggs over his head.

 

Just as they walked out of the small supermarket, a cheeky whistle stopped their path.

 

“Hey, familiar faces,” the person said, approaching them.

 

Jiang Yunbian’s expression hardened as he recognized the troublemaker from that night at the restaurant.

 

Zhou Die scrutinized him for a moment. “Your friend?”

 

“Go donate those drugs quickly.” Jiang Yunbian’s face darkened as he addressed the thug. “Who are you to me?”

 

The thug pointed at his own face. “You splashed tea on me and sent my brother to jail. Now you say we’re not familiar?”

 

Zhou Die suddenly remembered. “The one who injured people with a knife?”

 

“You’re quite forgetful, huh,” the thug grinned, but clearly had no intention of a direct confrontation. As he brushed past Jiang Yunbian, he said, “Don’t be too forgetful, kid. Watch out.”

 

The threat was blatant.

 

If any student were threatened like this by a gangster, they’d probably be too scared to leave their home for days.

 

Zhou Die absently scrolled on his phone screen. While such brazen, arrogant evil should be removed, he was curious if Jiang Yunbian would lower his noble head.

 

Jiang Yunbian suddenly turned into another alley.

 

Zhou Die’s expression darkened. “Where are you going?”

 

Jiang Yunbian, with a calm expression, pointed to a billiard hall two streets over. “That guy was looking for a fight with me. Didn’t you hear?”

 

He raised an eyebrow and stood still.

 

Jiang Yunbian acted quickly, pulling a damp paper bag from a pile of trash at the end of the alley.

 

He had a unique knack for knowing the exact movements of street lowlifes, even predicting when they would smoke.

 

As the thug grinned and fumbled with his cigarette, Jiang Yunbian threw the stinking paper bag over his face before he could even light it.

 

“Damn!”

 

The thug was then kicked around by Jiang Yunbian.

 

Covered in paper, the thug could only gag as the foul odor invaded his mouth. His breathing became unbearable, and he had to hold back his cries while being beaten.

 

“Who the hell! You…” The thug tried to curse but was silenced when Jiang Yunbian stuffed a wad of paper into his mouth.

 

Jiang Yunbian, feeling satisfied, crouched down. “I always play the villain in games, so you better watch out.”

 

He quickly tied the thug to a water pipe with plastic rope, then swiftly carried the eggs away, ignoring the commotion behind him.

 

Zhou Die stood across the street, watching Jiang Yunbian’s actions with a sudden urge to laugh.

 

How long had he been holding this in?

 

When Jiang Yunbian returned, Zhou Die couldn’t help but tease him. “Quite skilled, aren’t you?”

 

Jiang Yunbian, still basking in his earlier triumph, slipped on a banana peel and ended up kneeling in front of Zhou Die.

 

“Damn it.” Zhou Die couldn’t hold back his laughter as Jiang Yunbian clumsily tried to stand, wincing in pain.

 

Seriously?

 

He was so agile while beating the thug, but now he twisted his foot on a banana peel!

 

Just a banana peel!

 

The plastic bag rustled, and Jiang Yunbian realized his eggs had turned into a mushy mess.

 

He had been so careful with the bag earlier.

 

Before he could lament further, Zhou Die took his arm and the faint scent of cedar reached him.

 

Zhou Die’s profile was strikingly clear, especially his eyes, which were deeply comforting. His long lashes and light-colored irises were clean and gentle.

 

“Let’s go to the hospital,” Zhou Die said. “I’ll tell the doctor you injured yourself while fighting.”

 

Jiang Yunbian snapped out of his daze and realized Zhou Die was being sarcastic. He was eventually stuffed into a taxi after some more scolding.

 

With the eggs turned into soup, Zhou Die gently brushed his fingertips along Jiang Yunbian’s, lightly hooking his fingertip.

 

Even though it was just his fingers, Jiang Yunbian felt his ears tingle and watched as Zhou Die took the bag away.

 

“Wait, hold on!” He tried to pull Zhou Die back but couldn’t move because of the pain.

 

Zhou Die sighed, soothingly, “The eggs won’t hatch, just give up.”

 

“Forget you!” Jiang Yunbian took the remaining two eggs, wrapped them in his school uniform, and said, “Fine, let’s go throw them away.”

 

Zhou Die, either surprised by his frugality or his unwillingness to be dirty and tired, watched him for a while before taking out the trash.

 

After explaining the situation to Auntie Wen and assuring her it was just a minor injury, they were called by the doctor.

 

“Your ankle—has it been sprained before?” the doctor asked, rubbing the swollen area.

 

Jiang Yunbian nearly cried out in pain and gritted his teeth as he nodded.

 

Zhou Die asked, “When did it happen?”

 

“When you hit me with the car. Ouch!” Jiang Yunbian couldn’t avoid the doctor’s sudden examination.

 

Feeling Zhou Die’s weight next to him, Jiang Yunbian gripped his coat zipper tightly.

 

Zhou Die sighed, switching to his other hand to carry things, and gently lifted Jiang Yunbian’s wrist. “Doctor, be gentle. He’s afraid of pain.”

 

When Xu Zhaoruo and Wen Yue arrived at the hospital, Jiang Yunbian’s foot had just been bandaged.

 

Wen Yue, seeing him hopping around, called out to Zhou Die, “He’s like this, and you’re still making him hop on one leg!”

 

Zhou Die was silent. He wanted to help but didn’t know what to say to avoid further provoking Jiang Yunbian. After the bandaging, Jiang Yunbian seemed ready to jump three feet high.

 

Jiang Yunbian was surprised to see Wen Yue had come. Thinking quickly, he came up with an excuse.

 

“Oh, I need to see another doctor. It’s getting late, so you should go back first.” He quickly took another number, avoiding Wen Yue’s concern.

 

“No way, I can’t leave him like this. I’ll go and see for myself.”

 

Zhou Die, seeing Jiang Yunbian had already entered the examination room, sighed and reassured Wen Yue.

 

After persuading her, Wen Yue agreed to leave, saying, “I don’t care. If you don’t bring him home for me to see tonight, don’t come back.”

 

Xu Zhaoruo got the hint and quickly gathered their things. “Alright, Auntie, we’ll go back and wait.”

 

After they left, Zhou Die sat in the waiting chair outside the room, making sure Jiang Yunbian was genuinely seeing a doctor and not just avoiding the situation.

 

Was he really unwell?

 

Inside the room, Jiang Yunbian was also restless.

 

“Can you be more specific about your neck discomfort?” the doctor asked.

 

“It’s… well, after an A bit me, my neck has been tingling and numb,” Jiang Yunbian explained, trying not to admit he was an Omega.

 

The doctor assumed he was embarrassed and explained, “It’s common for some Omegas to have this reaction after being marked by a high-level A. A will have a strong possessiveness towards an O, and the O will feel a dependency. This temporary marking is likely what’s causing your reaction.”

 

Jiang Yunbian nodded.

 

“That’s not surprising. You’ve developed a dependency on the A who marked you. If you’ve seen him with other Os recently, it’s a normal physiological response. Let him comfort you more, and it should pass.”

 

“Uh, how do I get comforted?”

 

“Pheromones, physical contact, and if you…” The doctor hesitated. “A kiss can also help.”