Chapter 20: He Kept Feeling Someone Was Watching Him from the Shadows

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Tan Yu told Shen Shuyi that although they had booked a private room, everyone was currently sitting in the public bar listening to music. He said Shen Shuyi could head straight there.

Following the staff’s guidance, Shen Shuyi arrived at the bar.

The lighting was dim. In the center was a public dance floor, where a live band was performing.

It didn’t look much different from the bars Shen Shuyi had seen before, except the air carried a faint scent of pheromone dispersal spray.

In one of the corner booths, someone raised a hand toward him.

“Shuyi? Are you Shen Shuyi?”

Recognizing the familiar face, Shen Shuyi quickened his pace.

Tan Yu was seated in the middle of the booth sofa, surrounded by people.

Compared to high school, he hadn’t changed much.

Still handsome.

Shen Shuyi nodded politely and greeted him briefly.

Someone nearby chuckled while sizing him up.

“Shen Shuyi? That’s you? You look better than before.”

Shen Shuyi turned toward the speaker.

His deep blue eyes reflected the bar’s hazy lights.

His skin was pale as snow. Maybe it was the natural dimness of the setting, but when he looked over, the person speaking felt momentarily stunned by how striking he was.

“Don’t you remember?” someone else in the booth chimed in. “Shen Shuyi’s older brother is Shen Shuhan, a top-tier celebrity. With a face like that in the family, Shuyi’s looks couldn’t be too far off.”

“True…” the first person scratched his head. “But it’s weird. Back in school…”

He trailed off, mumbling the rest under his breath.

The group welcomed Shen Shuyi and urged him to sit.

They chatted about their current lives. Most were dealing with internships and job stress, just like Shen Shuyi. Someone asked Tan Yu, “Did you finish your studies abroad? If your family dragged you back so suddenly, does that mean you only have a high school diploma?”

A guy who knew the details laughed.

“Tan Yu went to a three-year university. He already graduated. He was supposed to expand the family business overseas, but things got unstable. Wars everywhere. His parents got worried and forced him to come back.”

“You were in Country A, right?” someone asked. “Even that’s unsafe?”

“Let’s be honest. With a family like his, they don’t need the young master to expand anything. They just want him to settle down and get married so he can inherit the business.”

The group erupted in teasing.

“What a shame,” someone sighed. “Tan Yu had such good grades, and now he’s being pushed into marriage so young.”

“He’s a premium Alpha. That’s different,” someone disagreed. “Once he finds an Omega with high pheromone compatibility and marries, he’ll basically inherit most of the family’s assets. I think Tan Yu has a Beta older brother, right? Betas don’t count. It has to be an Alpha like Tan Yu to carry the family legacy.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Shen Shuyi quietly sipped his orange juice, not joining the conversation.

Tan Yu cleared his throat in the center of the sofa. Only then did the others realize that most of the attendees were Alphas and Omegas. A Beta had just left for the restroom, and now only Shen Shuyi remained, sitting silently and almost invisible.

To smooth things over, someone quickly added, “Shuyi, we weren’t talking about you. Uh… I heard from Hengye that your family arranged a marriage for you recently?”

Tan Yu, holding a wine glass, looked up at Shen Shuyi.

Feeling the attention, Shen Shuyi grew uncomfortable. He had wanted to avoid Tan Yu to prevent any unnecessary entanglement. He smiled and said, “Yes, I got married. Just last week.”

“Why didn’t we get an invite? Not even a notice?” someone joked.

A classmate close to Sheng Hengye added, “I heard it was forced?”

The group fell silent. All eyes turned to Shen Shuyi.

“No,” Shen Shuyi’s expression turned serious. “My partner is a good person.”

Another moment of silence.

Tan Yu finally spoke.

“He’s an Alpha? I heard your family arranged a business marriage, and he specifically asked for you.”

Again, everyone looked at Shen Shuyi.

“Yes,” Shen Shuyi nodded, then emphasized, “But he treats me very well.”

“Very well?” Tan Yu asked. “You mean Xie Chenzhou?”

“Yes,” Shen Shuyi nodded again, clearly.

Tan Yu’s gaze shifted to Shen Shuyi’s left hand.

“I see,” he said, withdrawing his gaze. “Congratulations.”

He raised his glass and gestured toward Shen Shuyi.

Shen Shuyi politely lifted his orange juice and took a sip.

He had come more out of concern for Tan Yu’s Omega cousin, who reportedly suffered from pheromone dependency. But Tan Yu said she was shy and introverted. When she heard she’d be attending a class reunion, she backed out at the last minute. Still, he hoped Shen Shuyi could recommend a doctor.

Shen Shuyi asked for her contact information and added her. Then he excused himself to use the restroom.

From the moment he sat down in the booth, he had felt uneasy.

It was as if someone was watching him from the shadows.

That gaze felt tangible, lingering on him the entire time.

He couldn’t identify the source. Maybe it was just his imagination.

Either way, it made him restless. He kept wanting something to calm himself.

He stood up.

After apologizing to the group, he headed toward the restroom.

As he left the booth, he overheard Tan Yu answering a call from home. Something had happened, and his mother was urging him to return quickly.

Shen Shuyi thought he should find an excuse to leave too. This kind of gathering wasn’t for him. It made him uncomfortable.

He had come hoping to meet Tan Yu’s cousin and offer help.

Pheromone dependency had a high risk of depression. If the family didn’t take it seriously, it could lead to irreversible tragedy.

Since he hadn’t met her today, he would remind Tan Yu another time to keep an eye on her mental health.

Of course, that was assuming everything Tan Yu said was true.

At the restroom entrance, a staff member stood waiting. Seeing Shen Shuyi approach, he stepped forward.

“Sir, the lights in this restroom are broken. We’re arranging repairs. If it’s not urgent, we recommend using the one across the bar.”

Shen Shuyi looked in the direction he pointed, estimated the distance, and shook his head.

“I’m not afraid of the dark. I’ll use this one.”

“In that case, please take this. Be careful, the floor might be slippery.”

The staff handed him a flashlight.

So that was why he had been standing there.

Shen Shuyi appreciated the service. Holding the small flashlight, he entered the restroom.

The air conditioning was strong. The faint scent of pheromone dispersal spray lingered.

After finishing, he walked to the sink near the door and pumped some soap.

While washing his hands, he heard a thud.

The flashlight he had placed on the sink had rolled off and hit the floor.

The light went out.

The restroom was fully enclosed, with no windows. The only light came from the flashlight and the hallway outside. With the flashlight off, Shen Shuyi was plunged into darkness.

He quickly bent down, feeling around under the sink for the flashlight.

Suddenly, the door creaked.

It had been blown shut by the wind.

Now it was completely dark.

Unable to see, his hearing sharpened.

He heard footsteps.

Soft, deliberate.

They weren’t his.

Was someone else in the restroom?

Why hadn’t he noticed earlier?

Just as he was about to speak, a hand reached from behind and clamped tightly over his mouth.

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**Note: sorry guys for the late update. I have an exam on Wednesday and its really stressing me out . I might not upload tomorrow 😓😓

Translator note: 📌

I will be posting 2 chapters everyday at 9:30 PM ~ Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) zone.

Thank you for reading 💖 see you again in the next chapter~ cherries 😘