Chapter 28 The Bathroom for Two "Once upon a time, there was an Alpha..."

"Guess Who I Am? The new member of the cabin has finished guessing my identity. The winner of this game is—"

The loud broadcast echoed around, and the crowd began to look at each other. Some people showed smug expressions, thinking they had the victory in their grasp, while others still had a faint, squinting smile.

Yan Ceyan's gaze swept only across Yan Quan's face, then he raised an eyebrow at Yan Quan very lightly: "You get full marks."

Yan Quan smiled, a deliberately feigned smile that looked harmless: "I knew it all along."

Holy crap, that's a perfect score!

"Didn't everyone else manage to copy the information from the data cards?"

Finding answers also requires a foundation of knowledge. It's like bringing cheat sheets to an exam; you still can't beat those test-taking geniuses who spend all their time in the library.

I always said AI can't replace the human brain (proudly)

[Our precious baby is clearly awesome!!]

Even when framed, he can turn the tables—that's the power of our awesome male protagonist!

After the game segment, Yan Quan's answer sheet was displayed on the large central screen in the rest area. Accompanied by a VCR video explanation, the information that had been deliberately blurred was finally fully revealed.

"Name: Yan Ceyan, male, 24 years old, secondary sexual characteristics: Alpha, heir to the Yan Group, currently serving in the First Squadron of the Northwest Theater Army..."

"Hey buddy, are you that strict?"

[Damn, I knew something was off when Yan Quan was writing and reading it aloud... This is seriously insane!]

"That makes sense, right? Yan Quan's ex-boyfriends... they were all rich people exchanging favors."

[Production team, you've really struck it rich! The sons of two of the wealthiest families in the capital are on your low-budget, lousy variety show.]

Sisters, I checked this Yan hahaha and couldn't find anything. Yan Quan's answer sheet might be the source of all the information.

[That's normal. The Yan family, backed by the government and military, now monopolizes the business of military and police auxiliary firearms and military-civilian facilities; they have a military background...]

One of the ten founding marshals of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Yan, was initially stationed in the Northwest Theater Command. This Mr. A4 might even be a third-generation Red.

But if you're this strict... then I understand why they broke up.

[Sisters, please elaborate?]

[Not sisters, haha, it's an uncle. This is old internet stuff, you kids probably wouldn't understand, so I'll keep it short.]

Back in the 1980s, both the Yan and Yan families were involved in real estate when they first entered the business world. The Yan family was initially more established than the Yan family. It seems that the Yan family sabotaged a major project later on.

In the real estate industry, cash flow is extremely tight. Because of this incident, the Yan family's land in the Bund area of ​​the East District is now completely unusable... its market value has evaporated by tens of billions.

My brother invests in stocks, and the year he bought shares in Yan's company, he lost everything, down to his last penny.

[The fact that three generations of the Yan family went to the military is probably related to this. Originally, because of the sensitive political position of the patriarch, the second generation of the Yan family went into business and stopped getting involved in politics.]

[Holy crap... So Yan Quan and her ex-husband were actually holding the Romeo and Juliet script all along! (Shocked)]

A sworn enemy is a sworn enemy; you can't turn a sworn enemy into a wife!

No wonder my ex-husband hates me so much; he cheated me out of both money and sex... Yan Haiwang, you're truly a scoundrel!

"Congratulations to Yan Quan on winning the 'Guess Who I Am?' game! Actually, our new Alpha member has prepared a small gift for the highest scorer!"

As soon as the broadcast ended, Yan Quan took a step forward and suddenly appeared in front of Yan Ceyan.

This looks a bit like a malicious provocation.

Yan Ceyan was stunned for a moment, and only after realizing what was happening did he belatedly take a step forward as well—his gaze fixed intently on Yan Quan.

The two were suddenly very close. Their breaths mingled, and even the warmth of the air seemed to stretch out, becoming thick and sticky.

"My gift?" Yan Quan lowered his voice, his fox-like eyes gleaming as he held out his palm. "Hmm?"

As the face drew closer and magnified, Yan Ceyan unconsciously clenched his knuckles.

Yan Quan's lips are born with perfect curves. If he wanted to, he could easily fake such a seductive smile.

Just as his father had said, the Yan family were all a line of liars, and Yan Quan was the most outstanding fox spirit of this generation.

"..." Yan Ceyan glanced away and threw the square box from his pocket into the open, white, jade-like palms that were tinged with pink.

"It's useless now, do with it as you please."

Upon seeing the square box, Yan Quan's eyelashes twitched almost imperceptibly, and the calm smile on her face stiffened slightly.

But the stiffness was fleeting, quickly replaced by an impeccable smile: "Okay."

What is this? Let me see it.

What could possibly fit in such a small box?

Something seems off between them... Could it be something from their past relationship?

"It's no use... Am I the only one who thinks this sentence is a bit harsh, like denying everything that's happened in the past?"

[Tsk, this has a faint sense of a tragic ending, so what exactly is in the box?]

The square box that the viewers in the live chat were scratching their heads in curiosity was gently tucked into Yan Quan's pocket and hidden away.

As night fell, a calm atmosphere concealed the undercurrents of unspoken thoughts...

"Is everything alright downstairs? I'm sleepy, I'm going to bed." Yan Quan yawned as she turned and went upstairs. "Good night."

"Oh, it's quite late," Ji Yao chimed in, striding after Yan Quan upstairs. "After all, you're more used to the time difference in Federation A."

The mention of "A Federation" caused Yan Ceyan, who was about to enter his room with his suitcase, to pause for 0.1 seconds.

"Indeed, someone has been hiding in Federation A for seven years."

"I almost got a green card from Federal Republic A."

This sudden turn of events... made me chuckle unexpectedly.

I think my ex-husband's words were definitely implying something.

Why do I smell a sour smell?

Honestly, ex-husband, you're counting down the days, aren't you?

"What? Are you implying that Yan Quan didn't get his green card because of you?"

"Yeah, Yan Quan stayed in Federation A for so long, why did he suddenly come back to China...?"

[I checked the official website, and it seems Yan Quan's PhD program is still ongoing. Why did she suddenly return to China to participate in a dating reality show?]

Don't ask, it's just my daily gap with my child.

[That's how it seems to be with the rich kids; they're basically just enrolled in universities without really showing up, and they can come back to China whenever they want.]

After the chaotic group activity, daily life at the Love & Romance House continued, and everyone returned to their usual routines.

As a newcomer to the A4 group, Yan Ceyan's room was arranged by the production team to be next to the rest area on the first floor. This was likely due to his backing from investors and the relatively spacious room.

But since it was a new place to stay, and unfortunately Yan Ceyan was a bit of a clean freak and had a compulsive need for tidying up, it took him until 10 p.m. to pack his luggage.

After Yan Ceyan had thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny of the new room, where dirt and grime might lurk, the clock had already struck twelve.

As the stillness of the night descended, most of the guests settled into a peaceful rest. After successfully completing his task, Yan Ceyan quickly went to the communal shower room on the second floor and took a shower.

Feeling refreshed, Yan Ceyan walked out of the long, narrow stairwell, holding a dry towel in one hand to dry his wet hair and scrolling through his phone in the other.

S-class Alphas have more developed senses than ordinary people, and their military combat experience makes Yan Ceyan even more sensitive to the slightest movement around him.

So when Yan Ceyan walked down the long, narrow, and secluded corridor, he clearly sensed that there was someone at the end of the stairwell.

Yan Ceyan subtly shifted his thumb, which was resting on the phone's lock screen button, a few inches... He sensed a familiar scent at the tip of his nose.

Sure enough... when Yan Ceyan looked up, it was Yan Quan.

Yan Quan, who had just said she was going to sleep, was now leaning casually against the wall at the end of the corridor.

Her fair skin was faintly shrouded in a silvery glow in the dimly lit stairwell, and her slightly turned face revealed her delicate and handsome jawline.

Yan Ceyan's gaze traveled down that beautiful neck, lingering on the slender waistline accentuated by the silk pajamas... and then on a pair of white and straight legs.

Scattered and overlapping, they peeked out from the white silk pajama bottoms, as white as a delicate, luminous lotus root.

The water droplets remaining on his skin after the shower began to feel hot and scalding, almost evaporating in the next second. Yan Ceyan's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

Why are you here?

The words, forced out from his throat, were even hoarser than his usual deep voice.

"Me..." Yan Quan smiled. The corners of her lips shimmered faintly in the desolate moonlight, like some kind of alluring vortex.

"I’m waiting for you."

[Insane, utterly insane!! I'm just screaming... crawling in the shadows]

Holy crap... what's the difference between this and seduction?

[My dear, I remember you were wearing long sleeves and pants on the first night you went to sleep... how come you're suddenly wearing shorts?]

I will save this video and study it frame by frame, showing how top-tier seducers of bottoms execute their methods.

[Damn...who can handle this? Even the beta version wouldn't be enough!]

"Ex-husband, you should go with Yan Quan. I don't blame you. In front of such a top-tier succubus, personal willpower is too weak."

Yan Ceyan clenched his fingers tightly, forcing himself to shift his gaze slightly away from Yan Quan. "Why?"

Yan Quan didn't reply, but instead stood up with her boneless upper body and walked to the other side of the stairwell—that was the restroom at the other end of the corridor, and importantly, there were no security cameras there.

The hazy moonlight propelled her tall, graceful figure outwards, her silhouette indistinct like a butterfly about to take flight.

Yan Quan didn't speak, but Yan Ceyan understood what he meant: "Come with me."

"..." Yan Ceyan put away his phone and finally followed after him.

A light drizzle drifted in through the window, and Yan Ceyan's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile: he laughed at himself, realizing that after all these years, he was still attracted to the exact same methods.

………

"Click—" The bathroom door was slammed shut by a hand, and then Yan Ceyan turned around to face Yan Quan in a somber silence.

Even in the not-so-spacious space, their breathing sounded drawn out, heavy, and hot. "What is it?"

"What do you think?" Yan Quan suddenly took a few steps closer to Yan Ceyan, and the warm mist followed the airflow onto Yan Ceyan's eyelashes, making them itch a little.

“This thing.” Yan Quan calmly raised his fingers, his long, slender fingers gleaming like white jade, except for the ring finger…

A silver ring gleamed brightly in the darkness.

"Are you sure you want to give it back to me?" Yan Quan's voice was calm, carrying a hint of condescending sarcasm.

"An Alpha once said he wanted to marry me."

"Even if I am an Alpha, and being with me would be met with strange looks from the world, they still want to marry me despite their families' objections."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Quan saw Yan Ceyan's expression suddenly change, and the veins on his forehead bulged: "How dare you still wear it?"

Yan Ceyan's deep voice was filled with barely suppressed rage as he grabbed Yan Quan by the collar and shoved him against the wall. "Yan Quan, do you deserve it?"

A muffled thud exploded in his ears, but Yan Quan didn't feel the expected impact on the back of his head. Instead... he felt a warm body temperature.

The Alpha's taut muscles slammed against the wall with a dull, grinding sound, and a large, steady hand supported the back of Yan Quan's head—it was Yan Ceyan's hand.

Yan Quan was taken aback for a moment, but after recovering, she turned her head and chuckled provocatively in Yan Ceyan's ear: "Whether I am worthy or not, haven't you already made your choice?"

"See, ex-boyfriend, even when you're angry, your muscle memory instincts still make you choose to protect me."

"It's just a gesture." Yan Ceyan suppressed his emotions, gritting his teeth as he leaned against the wall. "Yan Quan, what do you think you can prove?"

“It doesn’t prove anything.” Yan Quan raised his head slightly and looked directly at Yan Ceyan: “But, little dog, what are you trying to prove by participating in this program?”

Yan Quan gently rubbed Yan Ceyan's rough hair with his knuckles. The sand in the Northwest seemed to have worn the guy's already stiff hair down to the consistency of iron.

Yan Quan clicked his tongue inwardly. It wasn't very nice to pet to begin with... and now the feel was even worse.

"You arranged that answer sheet, didn't you? You created every single question, and you deliberately gave everyone else their answers."

"Little dog, what are you expecting?" Yan Quan tilted his head slightly, bringing his lips close to Yan Ceyan's chin. So close, their breaths almost mingling... Usually, the next step after this position is a kiss.

Just like they had done countless times before in the cramped, humid bathrooms of South Central.

"If I don't answer all the questions correctly, I'll lose, right? And if I lose, I'll be punished."

"What is the punishment, you little dog?" Yan Quan's lips parted slightly, and a warm current trickled into Yan Ceyan's lungs, sending shivers down Yan Ceyan's spine.

Will you put me in solitary confinement?

“You know what a solitary confinement cell looks like, right?” Yan Quan’s voice trembled for a moment as she said this: “You know perfectly well that I’m afraid of it.”

"Little dog, is this how you get revenge on me?"

For a moment, Yan Ceyan felt that Yan Quan was crying. And Yan Ceyan's heart clenched and throbbed.

It's a ridiculous contradiction; he hated Yan Quan to the core.

However, he didn't want to see Yan Quan sad.

“But…you got a perfect score.” Yan Ceyan’s hand, which was pressing against Yan Quan’s shoulder, tensed instantly, his voice deep and restrained:

As if some emotion had slipped out of control, her voice carried a hint of surprise: "It's... a perfect score."

-----------------------

Author's Note: This chapter has 4000 words! I received your nutrient solution, so happy! [Sprinkling flowers] I'll write 5000 words tomorrow!