Chapter 3: “Discussing the Wedding”
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Shen Shuyi’s lifelong marriage decision had been so casually settled between his father and the man in front of him.
He could not refuse.
In the Shen family, he had never had much say, nor could he insist on his own opinions.
After all, he was just a Beta.
The man before him was nothing like his ideal type. He was far too strong-willed, and Shen Shuyi was certain they would not get along.
By the time the banquet ended that day, Shen Shuyi was already thinking about how to escape the marriage.
Yet early the next morning, as soon as he returned to school, a man in a suit, dressed like a secretary, stopped him at the school gate.
At the top floor of Xie Cheng Group’s headquarters, in the private office suite, Xie Chen Zhou was seated on the sofa in the lounge with his eyes closed, resting.
A knock came at the lounge door.
He rubbed at his tired brow, straightened his posture, smoothed the creases in his suit jacket, and said, “Come in.”
Only his secretary, Zhao Jian, would enter the lounge.
Zhao Jian stepped in, holding a folder, his eyes quickly scanning the room to make sure nothing was out of place before addressing him. “President Xie, the matter you entrusted to me has been handled.”
The constant shadow on Xie Chen Zhou’s face eased a little, the furrow between his brows softening. “What did he say?”
“I explained to Mr. Shen the pros and cons of marrying you, and told him clearly that this would be a contractual marriage. There would be no marital relations between you, and if he wished to divorce, he could initiate it at any time. If he did not bring it up, you would never raise it first. Everything would be according to his wishes. He agreed.”
“And the agreement?” Xie Chen Zhou asked.
“It’s signed.” Zhao Jian opened the folder and laid it before him.
Xie Chen Zhou took it, his gaze sweeping over the bold, determined strokes of the name “Shen Shuyi” at the bottom.
Strange. The man had seemed mild and easy to talk to, yet his handwriting was so stubborn.
Xie Chen Zhou’s fingers slowly brushed over the three characters before he finally said, “Help me organize my schedule for the next month. I need to prepare for the wedding.”
“Understood.” Zhao Jian gathered up the documents and turned to leave, but was stopped by Xie Chen Zhou’s voice.
“Wait.” After a pause, Xie Chen Zhou asked, “How does one… date?”
That afternoon, Shen Shuyi finished his classes and stepped out of the lecture hall.
Several classmates from his major passed by and invited him to join them at the sports field for a game. Shen Shuyi smiled and declined, then walked alone down the tree-lined path toward his dorm.
He was about to begin his senior-year internship but had yet to find a suitable position. He had sent resumes to several hospitals and private clinics he favored, but none had responded. It was as if they had sunk into the ocean.
The school arranged internships for seniors, but they were mostly formalities with little to learn. Society still did not pay enough attention to the psychological issues caused by gender differences. Most cases were treated with medication and suppressants, right up until pheromone disorder spiraled out of control, breaking the patient’s mind. Only then, when it was too late, would families send them to mental hospitals.
The brain damage from pheromone outbursts was irreversible. Medicine could not treat it. Such people would remain mentally broken forever.
Shen Shuyi’s major was social research and gender psychology, a field only Betas could study.
He had seen Omegas and Alphas lose themselves completely to pheromone madness, leaving deep scars on both them and their families. That was why he wanted to do something for them.
Walking under the trees and skirting the edge of the sports field, Shen Shuyi caught sight of a figure on the other side.
The man stood tall, nearly 1.9 meters, with striking features. His aloof, imposing presence and expensive attire made him stand out sharply among the youthful students.
It was Xie Chen Zhou, the man he was supposed to marry.
That very morning, Xie’s secretary had brought him a tempting prenuptial agreement. It seemed Xie Chen Zhou would be the one losing out entirely in this marriage. At noon, Shen Shuyi had even found a lawyer online, sent a redacted copy of the agreement, and confirmed there were no hidden clauses. It was entirely in his favor. There was no mistaking who this man was.
In truth, even without yesterday’s meeting or the marriage arrangement, there was no way Shen Shuyi could forget a face like his after just one encounter.
Whispers rippled across the field.
“Who’s that?”
“Must be an Alpha. So tall, and his presence is unreal.”
“Of course. A Beta could never look like that.”
“Who’s he here for?”
“Looks like he’s watching over there. Who’s over there?”
Shen Shuyi crossed the field with his head lowered, stopping in front of him. “You… you came to see me? Why?”
Xie Chen Zhou’s gaze swept over Shen Shuyi’s face, inch by inch, before settling on his soft, slightly parted lips.
“To discuss the wedding,” he said.
“Oh… oh…” Shen Shuyi did not know what to say. But he had agreed to marry, and the wedding was inevitable. He had attended weddings before and knew how tedious the preparations could be, especially since his father was eager to rush it through.
Looking up at the man before him, Shen Shuyi wondered if this urgency had been pushed along by him as well.
Not that he understood business matters. Perhaps Xie Chen Zhou needed his father’s help.
Shen Shuyi glanced at the time. “It’s almost dinner. The cafeteria will open soon. Would you like to eat with me?”
It was only a little after four, too early for dinner, but he could not think of anywhere else to invite him. If necessary, they could go to the café near the school gate.
Shen Shuyi’s allowance was limited, unlike his younger brother Shen Xingyao who always had more than enough. His older siblings were already working and no longer needed family support. He never asked for extra money even though his father would give it.
He preferred to earn and spend his own money.
“Alright,” the man said with a nod. “Lead the way.”
Shen Shuyi thought he was quieter than anyone he had ever met.
Was that an Alpha trait?
Actually, his eldest brother was also quiet.
But his second sister was the opposite. fiery and outspoken, scolding people with an endless variety of words. People in her research institute were said to fear her.
So perhaps it was not an Alpha thing. Maybe it was a leader’s trait.
His father had been the same when younger, speaking little until nearing retirement.
Perhaps that was what made Xie Chen Zhou more intimidating than most. true power and strength did not need anger to command respect.
Passing the small shop by the field on the way to the cafeteria, Shen Shuyi began to see him differently.
He was stern and silent, but seemed unpicky. Shen Shuyi grabbed a cold drink for himself from the fridge, and when he asked what the man wanted, he got the reply, “Anything.” So he grabbed him a bottle of cola.
The fizzy drink looked oddly out of place in his hand, but he did not mind. Long fingers curled over the can’s tab, and with a soft click, he opened it.
He handed the opened drink to Shen Shuyi, then took the one from him and opened it too, though he did not drink immediately.
He watched as Shen Shuyi took a sip of the cold cola he had opened for him, a contented expression crossing his face before a small burp escaped. Only then did Xie Chen Zhou look away and take his own drink.
It felt strange to Shen Shuyi.
This man, whom he had just met, had somehow already softened his first impression.
What he did not know was that Xie Chen Zhou’s scent was already lingering around him, imperceptible but present.
They reached the cafeteria, which, to Shen Shuyi’s surprise, had opened early.
“What would you like to eat?” Shen Shuyi asked. “Want to try spicy hot pot? It’s a local specialty. Oh, you can handle spice, right? Any dietary restrictions?”
The man did not answer, instead pulling out his phone. “How do I pay?”
“You can’t use money here, only a student card. I’ll order. Just tell me what you want.”
After a moment, he said, “Zecai.”
Shen Shuyi gave him a curious look.
Zecai was a vegetable not popular in the city but favored in rural areas for being easy to grow and cheap. It tasted good in hot pot or spicy stir-fries.
Shen Shuyi ordered two spicy hot pots, but for some reason, the cook made one large pot instead.
That meant sharing.
Shen Shuyi frowned. “Could you make another one, please?” He would have to pay for the mistake himself.
“No need,” came the deep voice right behind him. “If you don’t mind, I can eat like this.”
Turning, Shen Shuyi found himself looking straight at his jawline.
Too close.
He caught a faint, pleasant scent from the man’s suit.
Was it expensive incense? Perfume? Shampoo? Body wash? He could not tell.
Alphas and Omegas rarely wore perfume because it could interfere with the appeal of their pheromones. Even scented body wash was avoided unless custom-made to match their pheromone scent, which was costly and usually only used by the wealthy or those with weaker pheromones.
Betas were the ones who commonly used scented products.
Which made him wonder, why did Xie Chen Zhou smell like this?
And if his pheromone scent was white magnolia, as Shen Shuhan had said, then what Shen Shuyi smelled now was not magnolia at all.
Was he not afraid of losing his charm in front of other Omegas?
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Translator note: 📌
Thank you for reading 💖 see you again in the next chapter, my lovely cherries 😘
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