So handing the phone over to Xia Tong was a mistake from the very beginning.
Lin Mingfei took the phone back from Xia Tong with a hopeless look on her face, and accepted the stormy educational baptism from the screaming boy's mother He Youjin.
"Have you figured out the situation?! What's the critical moment now?! The official competition is in less than half a month! What are you thinking of doing now? Taking Xia Xiaotong to the prenatal checkup on the day of the competition?! Do you have any sense of responsibility?! Do you have any professionalism?! I misjudged you, Lin Mingfei!"
Lin Mingfei: "...I just fucking kissed you, how could you think so far——"
"How dare you say you didn't think about anything other than 'kissing'?" He Youjin demanded. "Do you think I don't know anything about pheromones and sex? I got a perfect score in biophysiology when I was in school!"
Lin Mingfei: “…”
He raised his hand, tremblingly supporting his forehead with his knuckles. Wu Yuzi held on for a long moment, then suddenly realized something was wrong. He spoke with difficulty, "Are you using the hands-free mode, He Youjin? Why can I hear Fang Haoyang's voice so clearly?"
"I'm on hands-free mode, so what?" He Youjin said shamelessly, "I just want to expose all of your alphas' ugly behavior, create a deterrent, and then—hiss!"
"Compared to this, am I much more reliable than him?" Fang Haoyang interrupted with a half-smile on the other end of the phone, his breathing unexpectedly heavy.
Lin Mingfei: “…?”
Something had happened on the other end of the line. A few muffled whispers could be heard, and no one could make out He Youjin's words. Mixed in with his chaotic breathing, Lin Mingfei suddenly felt a chill and asked in shock, "He Youjin, don't you have any hands to hold the phone?"
"Do you even need to ask? You Jin is busy." This time, it was Fang Haoyang who answered in He Youjin's place. He must have been quite pleased with how busy He Youjin was, his smug expression practically overflowing through the phone. "I'm here to teach you a lesson today, to make you mind your limits. Living under the same roof as you two is prone to problems. Don't let people use you as a topic of conversation. Losing fans is a small matter, but the damage to your personal image and reputation is the most serious matter. I'll see you crying so hard that you won't know where to go."
Lin Mingfei: “…”
He was already completely worn out by the two guys' ill-timed, back-and-forth lectures. He wasn't an idiot; how could he not know what the fucking couple across from him were doing? The thought of them enjoying a night of passionate lovemaking while he was stuck in the bitter cold of winter made him furious.
"Fang Haoyang." He gritted his teeth and shouted word by word.
Fang Haoyang said lazily, "Hmm?"
Lin Mingfei: "You are the worst alpha I have ever seen in my life."
Fang Haoyang: “???”
Lin Mingfei said viciously: "I hope you will always have a phone call when you are about to score. Hang up!"
Throwing down this most vicious curse in the history of men's sexual life, Lin Mingfei hung up the phone angrily, bent her knees and slumped down on the sofa, burying her head in her arms in melancholy.
Although he was annoyed, he knew in his heart that what He Youjin said was right and he should not have any special relationship with Xia Tong now.
The relationship between alphas and omegas is the most sensitive and unique, and one that is subject to the strictest legal constraints. This is ultimately because omegas are a vulnerable group. They are controlled by alphas through pheromone induction and suppression. Once they have sex, the alpha can walk away, but the omega will be forever constrained and hurt, not to mention the possibility of pregnancy...
Ordinary AO relationships require caution, not to mention that they are now shouldering another difficult mission... Nothing is more important than playing the game right now, how can he be distracted to do these things?
Lin Mingfei let out a long breath and cursed herself as a bastard several times in her heart.
At this moment, someone gently pulled the corner of his clothes.
Lin Mingfei raised her head and met Xia Tong's worried eyes.
"We made a big mistake, didn't we?" the little omega trembled and said, "Did Manager He scold you?"
Lin Mingfei swallowed.
At times like this, every move and even a glance of the little omega seemed to dance in his heart, making him intoxicated - this was the power of pheromones.
He still wanted...
No, this can't go on any longer. This damn passive estrus must be stopped. Lin Mingfei gritted her teeth and stood up from the sofa with her knees.
"Do you drink milk tea?" He changed the subject in the most abrupt tone of his life, saying, "I just saw a popular milk tea shop."
"Do you want to order takeout?..." Xia Tong was also confused by his ability to change the subject, and said with a bewildered look on her face.
"They don't deliver food." Lin Mingfei said with a straight face, "I'll buy it for you."
Xia Tong didn't think about it, and said "Oh" softly, obediently and sweetly: "Then let me see the menu..."
Lin Mingfei: “Yeah.”
He casually flipped through his phone and found the menu of a milk tea shop that he often passed by on the way. He had also taken a photo of it on a whim.
Oh, by the way, that time, because of the unsatisfactory results in the group stage, the five of them had to play in the knockout stage. The fat guy Zhou Yanjun burst into tears as soon as he got out of the nanny car, and people on the whole street were watching them. They looked so unpresentable... In order to save Zhou Yanjun's broken heart, he went to the milk tea shop to take a picture of the menu, and brought it back specifically for the fat guy to place an order and binge eat to relieve stress.
As expected, to put it bluntly, for a team, there is nothing more sad than failing to achieve ideal results in official competitions. Therefore, he cannot let these bad experiences befall his teammates again. He must restrain himself and stay focused.
"Well...then I'll order the Taro Bobo Soy Milk Tea!" Xia Tong said after reading the menu.
"Okay, what about the temperature and sweetness?" Lin Mingfei asked.
"I want it hot! As for sweetness...let's go with all sugar!" Xia Tong said.
"All sugar?" Lin Mingfeng was stunned.
In this era of rampant milk tea and desserts, young people are also suffering from the pressure of obesity. Ordering milk tea without sugar has become the last stubbornness and struggle of modern office workers. Ordering milk tea with full sugar... is rare.
"Is there a problem?" Xia Tong tilted her head in confusion.
"No, it's just... aren't you afraid of getting fat?" Lin Mingfei asked hesitantly.
After asking, he felt that his question was in vain. This little omega was as thin and light as a leaf. In the arena, a Paladin's roar could blow people away. There was no flesh on him when he was held in his arms or squeezed in his hands. It was not comfortable at all.
For the sake of her own future touch, Lin Mingfei immediately asked and answered before Xia Tong: "It's better if you are a little fatter. Just pretend I didn't ask."
Xia Tong blinked, but still answered the question seriously: "Sweet ones are delicious."
Lin Mingfei: "But they all say it's full of sugar."
"Choking? I don't think so." Xia Tong said. He took out a roll of Zhou Yanjun's private collection of imported milk chocolate from the drawer of the coffee table with familiarity and said proudly, "I can eat two of these in one go! Without drinking water!"
Lin Mingfei: “…”
He still remembered Zhou Yanjun's expression after he took his first bite of the chocolate of this brand that he had purchased from an overseas station with great difficulty. If he had to describe it in four words, it would be - a mask of pain.
"Fuck, I finally understand why there are so many fat people abroad." Zhou Yanjun, after drinking two cups of boiling water, shouted hoarsely, "My throat is about to choke."
Lin Mingfei finished her recollection and looked back at Xia Tong with lowered eyes. The little omega seemed to be afraid that he would not believe it, so he immediately broke off a piece from the chocolate bar and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed it and swallowed it, then broke off another piece and ate it, looking like he was getting more and more drunk with each bite. Xia Tong himself didn't think anything of it, but Lin Mingfei started to feel a toothache when she saw it. She hurriedly stopped him, saying, "Alright, stop eating. Zhou Yanjun only has this much stock. If you finish today, there will be nothing left for you later."
"You're right." Xia Tong agreed deeply, and folded the tin foil packaging of the chocolate again, wrapped it neatly, and put it back in the drawer.
"Okay, that's it. I'll go out and buy it. You stay in the base and don't run around or touch the appliances in the kitchen." Lin Mingfei took her coat from the hanger and put it on. She hurried to the door while giving instructions.
"I know. Then please come back soon. I'll be waiting for you." Xia Tong waved at him with a smile.
That smile was really lethal. Lin Mingfei's heart skipped a beat and she even tripped herself when she went out. Her back looked like she was fleeing in panic.
Shi Ya originally had certain expectations for his nightlife, so he let He Youjin and Fang Haoyang drop him off at the bustling pedestrian street in the city center. However, after he got off the car, he looked through his address book and couldn't make an appointment with even one omega. Oh no, let alone an omega, he couldn't even make an appointment with an alpha who was his drinking buddy.
On such a short and beautiful night, everyone would have an appointment in advance. Who would care about him, an empty-nest old man who came out temporarily? Master Shi felt frustrated. He stood in the cold wind on the street for a long time. He was sure that he had been abandoned by the social circle long ago. He was no longer the socialite who was admired by thousands of people. In desperation, he had to come up with a bad plan - go home.
Shi Ya was born into a wealthy family with a small fortune. As the youngest, he had two ambitious older brothers, one in politics, the other in medicine, so his parents didn't particularly care about his future. He was handsome, and from a young age, he'd only known the pleasures of courting women and the high life. His parents initially thought his life was doomed, dismissing him as just another useless child who was just hanging around. But then, Shi Ya stumbled into gaming, proving incredibly talented. He eventually broke into the professional world, and even achieved financial self-sufficiency, a welcome surprise for his parents.
Shi Yalang had been outside for thousands of years with no one asking about him. He often wondered if he had been expelled from the family tree long ago. He had no idea what situation he would encounter after returning home. He struggled for several times and even wanted to return to the base the same way, but he felt it was not appropriate. Going back so dirty and humiliated would make him look like a stray dog, which was inconsistent with his image of being a dashing and popular person.
So Shi Ya still went home with gritted teeth.
Unexpectedly, after he returned home, he did not receive any scolding or encounter any tearful parent-child reunion scene. There was not even anyone at home. The living room was dim, and only some TV sounds leaked from upstairs through the door.
Shi Ya was at a loss. After a while, Mrs. Shi, who had been lying in bed, ready to go to bed, put on her pajamas, got out of bed, and walked downstairs to greet him.
The mother and son said nothing. Mrs. Shi went to the kitchen and made him a bowl of scallion noodles. Then she watched him eat it bit by bit with red eyes.
"Your father didn't know you were back. If he had known, he would have changed his shift..." Only then did Mrs. Shi whisper, "And your eldest brother and second brother..."
"They haven't come back yet?" Shi Ya's throat felt inexplicably dry, and she spoke vaguely.
"Well, everyone is busy. You're busy too. I know that." Mrs. Shi shook her head and said, "Give me the dishes. I'll wash them. You can go do your thing."
Shi Ya lowered her head, quickly finished the noodle soup, and whispered, "I'm not busy. I'll stay at home tonight and won't go anywhere."
"Okay, okay." Madam Shi's eyes lit up, and her hands trembled with excitement. "Then I'll go get you a bed sheet right now. Just wait."
Looking at the back of Mrs. Shi who was so excited that she could hardly control herself, Shi Ya felt a rare pang of sadness in his heart. He had not expected that his little unintentional decision would make his mother so happy. After so many years, maybe he should become more mature.
Shi Ya curled up obediently on the sofa and decided to ask He Youjin and Lin Mingfei for a day off tomorrow to spend some time with his mother at home.
After tidying up the room, Shi Ya deliberately chatted with Mrs. Shi for a while. He found that he had not been home for a long time. No matter what topic he talked about, Mrs. Shi seemed very interested. The two of them chatted lively until almost twelve o'clock.
"I used to think that you video game players were bad kids who didn't learn your lesson," Mrs. Shi said with a smile. "Now it seems that you are all heroic young men in everyone's eyes."
"My teammates are all very nice people. I'll bring them home for you to meet them someday." Shi Ya said with a smile.
"Oh yeah, speaking of your teammates." Madam Shi seemed to remember something, patted her head, and stood up. "Today, one of your teammates called our house and asked for your cell phone number. I said you have too many phones and I don't know which one you use most often, so I wrote his number down and promised him to call him back when you're free. But I don't know when you'll be back, hahaha, and he promised it as if it were real."
Shi Ya was confused by this description.
"My teammates? Are you sure they're my teammates?" He said, "My teammates all have my landline number, right?"
"Even if they're not your teammates, they can't know our home phone number." Mrs. Shi said with a smile, "You haven't even given our home phone number to your friends."
Shi Ya was dazed for a while, and he vaguely remembered some old things from a few years ago. At that time, their Polaris had just been established and they were a group of naive teenagers who didn't admit defeat to each other. They played games with many difficulties and had no achievements. A team without a record would naturally have no one interested in it. They had no sponsors, no money, and no villas or mansions to live in. So that day, although Shi Ya had a big quarrel with Lin Mingfei, he still generously vacated his big house for four teammates to stay for a while, and even moved the five people's "cocoons" to the attic room on the top floor of his house, which served as a free training room.
His home landline number was given to every teammate during that period.
But that was only during that period of time. Later, Polaris prospered like a god, winning battles one after another. They soon had a proper training base and each of them had a mobile phone. Shi Ya thought that this landline number had been forgotten long ago. After all, using a landline is a very old-fashioned way of communication in modern times.
So who on earth would have the audacity to call their home phone? Zhou Yanjun? A prank in the middle of the night?
Mrs. Shi meticulously copied the phone number into a small notebook and handed it to Shi Ya. Shi Ya initially didn't intend to take it seriously, but after a quick glance, he realized it wasn't Zhou Yanjun's number. He frowned, feeling that this matter wasn't that simple.
"I see. I'll call him back later." He said to Mrs. Shi, "You go back to your room and get some sleep."
After Mrs. Shi left, Shi Ya dialed the phone number.
The busy tone on the other end of the phone rang briefly, and then the call was quickly connected. A voice that was slightly unfamiliar but should have been familiar spoke up.
"Brother Shi, you finally called me."
It was as if someone was unexpectedly splashed with shit in front of her. After a slight pause, Shi Ya's lips slowly turned down, and her expression gradually changed from a momentary confusion to a kind of contempt and ridicule.
"Ping Shuai..." He sneered meaningfully and said slowly, "If I had known it was you, I wouldn't have called you."
Ping Shuai on the other end of the phone was so embarrassed by Shi Ya's blunt response that he was speechless.
Shi Ya thought he would hang up directly, but Ping Shuai didn't. There was silence on the other end for about five or six seconds, and then Ping Shuai whispered, "Brother Shi, are you still angry about me not returning to the team?"
This question hit Shi Ya's funny spot.
"Angry? You're overthinking it." Master Shi chuckled and said nonchalantly, "Who do you think you are? Why would I, Master Shi, be angry about you?"
"...Brother Shi." Even with his ridicule, Ping Shuai remained extremely humble, without a trace of rebellion or anger. He simply said submissively, "I know I was wrong. I was blinded by money and forgot the original intention of Polaris. I shouldn't have been so stubborn and fought with you and the captain. I shouldn't have said those things about Zhou Yanjun and Bo Yu... I regret it now. I regret it so much."
Shi Ya remained silent. His gaze shifted slightly, his furrowed brows relaxed slightly. Late at night, emotions were often unstable, and Ping Shuai's actions inevitably brought back memories of their old team-mates fighting side by side.
"Brother Shi, I want to apologize to you, but I don't have your contact number, so I can only take the liberty to call your house. I'm sorry, Brother Shi, for disturbing you and aunt... I just miss you guys so much..." Ping Shuai murmured, and Shi Ya could even hear some tears in his voice.
"Alright." Shi Ya lowered her eyes calmly, "I received your apology, and I forgive you."
"Brother Shi!" Ping Shuai's voice suddenly rose, as if he was extremely excited. "So...so do I still have a chance to come back to Polaris?! I really miss you all! I want to fight side by side with you all and return to our former glory!"
"Ah?" Shi Ya drawled, "But aren't you with Sabretooth? Your signing fee is so high, we don't have the money to redeem you from Sabretooth. You know, we're the Withering Team now, and we can barely afford to eat—"
"No, you don't have to redeem me!" Ping Shuai said anxiously, "As long as you're willing to accept me back, I'll immediately terminate my contract with Sabretooth! I don't want their money! I only want you!! My teammates!!"
"Ah...Is that so?" Shi Ya was very surprised, and then she said slowly: "Then I suggest you ask Zero's opinion first. It's not appropriate to ask me about this matter. After all, I'm just a little nanny with no name, no surname, and no status in the team. Don't you think so?"
Ping Shuai stammered, "Brother Shi, don't say that. You're still very important in the team... I've always respected you, but I don't dare tell Zero about this. The captain can't tolerate any sand in his eyes. You know his temper—"
"Ah... even though that's the case, he's still the captain of our Polaris." Shi Ya's expression was half-smile, but her tone sounded extremely embarrassed. "Of course, he has the final say on personnel changes like these. If he agrees for you to come back, then come back. Anyway, I... don't really want you to come back."
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