Jiang Lin’an glanced at him: “Since that’s your attitude, I’ll ask you one last time—are you going to apologize to Feng Yuan and Gong Ze? If you don’t want to and want to avoid it, that’s fine too. Then are we still brothers after this or not?”
Gao Chun was silent.
After a long time, Jiang Lin’an received no answer. He tapped his finger at Gao Chun and sneered: “Fine. No contact from now on. A relationship from childhood to adulthood, and this is how you play it. Whatever happens to you from now on has nothing to do with us. And don’t think about causing more trouble for Feng Yuan and Gong Ze. I’ll be watching you. If you dare stir things up, I’ll dare to deal with you! No sentiment!”
“…”
The cold-hearted Jiang Lin’an turned and left.
And Gao Chun, who had once been on very good terms with him, turned and followed. Ji Huai did not like to talk. Among the four of them, only Ji Huai rarely expressed himself, but this time Gao Chun was in the wrong, and he listened to Jiang Lin’an.
Suddenly a drifting sentence came from behind:
“Ji Huai, say—back then during the second differentiation, if I could have differentiated into an Omega, would that have been better?”
Ji Huai’s steps paused. He turned around and frowned, gazing at Gao Chun’s back in the sea breeze, clothes and hair flying.
Before he could speak, Gao Chun suddenly said very faintly, “No, that’s wrong.”
“Even if I differentiated into an Omega, it wouldn’t work. It would have been better if Feng Yuan had differentiated into an Alpha. Even if I were still a Beta, as long as he could be an A… heh…”
But so what?
If Feng Yuan were an A, even if you were a Beta, could you always contend for him?
Unfortunately, AB still had hope, because an A without pheromones could still endure. At worst, they could go for pheromone soothing and would not go mad.
But O could not.
O had heat periods. Inhibitors could not be used for a lifetime.
If an O reached their thirties or forties without an Alpha to get through normal heat periods, it would be very painful.
So OB was the most impossible combination.
Suddenly realizing something, Ji Huai widened his eyes, his pupils reflecting Gao Chun’s seemingly inextinguishable, gloomy color. He opened his mouth and said blankly: “Gao Chun, you…”
…
…
Jiang Lin’an stood at the dock smoking. After Ji Huai came down, he said in a muffled voice: “I can’t figure it out. For no reason, how did Gao Chun suddenly go crazy and target Gong Ze and Feng Yuan?”
“Maybe…”
Ji Huai was silent for a moment, then said softly: “It’s more than ten years of stagnation tied into a dead knot. Things he couldn’t get past for over ten years, always turning them over in his mind, until finally he couldn’t think it through.”
But people had no “but,” and no “if.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Jiang Lin’an froze and looked at Ji Huai.
Ji Huai sighed and told him what Gao Chun had said earlier. Jiang Lin’an understood instantly, his pupils trembling.
Time returned to the present.
Jiang Lin’an’s gaze swept past Gong Ze and finally landed on the silent Feng Yuan. He only felt his throat go dry.
“Gao Chun has always had that kind of feeling for A-Yuan inside, and I actually didn’t know. After all, A-Yuan is an O and he’s a Beta. OB can’t be together, so I never thought about it.”
“I also forgot that at the very beginning, when none of us had undergone second differentiation, maybe the Gao Chun of that time treated Feng Yuan, who accepted him, as his savior. Everyone thought Feng Yuan would differentiate into an Alpha, including us.”
“He probably thought that after Feng Yuan differentiated into an A, if he was lucky enough to differentiate into an O with the help of medication, or even if he remained a Beta, he would dare to confess his inner feelings to Feng Yuan.”
“Unfortunately…”
Feng Yuan’s second differentiation was O.
All of Gao Chun’s hopes were shattered along with it.
At that time, Gao Chun was no longer on the best terms with Feng Yuan. Perhaps it was the inner pain and depression that caused it.
So many years had passed. Now that Jiang Lin’an and Ji Huai learned the truth, they could not help but lament how regretful it was…
“No wonder when Feng Yuan was single before, he only seemed too quiet. After Feng Yuan got together with Gong Ze, he suddenly started causing trouble for you two.”
Jiang Lin’an said.
“A-Yuan.”
Ji Huai suddenly spoke: “Can you not pursue Gao Chun’s responsibility? Consider it my personal request. For my sake, let this matter pass. Although Gao Chun’s inner suffering can’t be an excuse for his mistake, he really hasn’t had it easy either…”
Feng Yuan was considerably shaken inside upon learning the truth.
Thinking that Gao Chun had once clung to and secretly loved him as if he were an A, he felt both awkward and unable to express it. Anyway, it was utterly fucked up.
Hearing this, Feng Yuan came back to his senses and said coldly: “Did he harm me? He harmed Gong Ze. Just to make himself feel better, I almost strangled Gong Ze to death at the time.”
Ji Huai lowered his head guiltily. After a moment, he raised his head, looked at Gong Ze, and showed an imploring expression.
“Gong Ze, saying let Gao Chun off is unfair to you. You are A-Yuan’s A. Making you hear Gao Chun’s thoughts about A-Yuan must be very uncomfortable.”
“But I still want to try…”
“See if there’s anything you want. I’ll compensate you as much as I can. Please.”
After Ji Huai discovered Gao Chun’s true feelings, he could not describe what he felt inside.
Shock, sudden realization, profound shock.
And thick self-blame.
For so many years he had not noticed Gao Chun’s feelings. Ji Huai felt very guilty.
Jiang Lin’an smoked, his expression equally downcast.
Ji Huai said quietly to Gong Ze: “From now on I promise I’ll keep an eye on him and won’t let him come bother you two, alright?”
“…” Gong Ze was silent.
He knew the four of them had been close childhood friends.
With Gao Chun’s feelings exposed, the four of them definitely could not go back to how they were before. Feng Yuan would certainly avoid Gao Chun.
Wasn’t that better than any punishment?
The key point was!
Gao Chun was dreaming!
Feng Yuan had not chosen Gao Chun because he himself was an O.
It was because Gao Chun was a bottom! Feng Yuan was also naturally a lower position—a bottom!
How could two zeroes meet and fall in love, old friend?!
No wonder Feng Yuan’s expression looked like he had eaten shit-flavored chocolate.
Anyway, after Gao Chun’s matter was exposed, when Feng Yuan saw Gao Chun he would be disgusted and avoid him eight hundred meters away. Not to mention Gao Chun had schemed against Feng Yuan. The four people’s relationship could not return to the past.
The outcome would be the same whether or not he forgave.
But not forgiving would do Gong Ze no good. Instead, it would make people feel their relationship was bad because of Gong Ze.
You, a latecomer, just got together with our brother Feng Yuan, and you ruined our years of childhood friendship. No matter how you say it, it doesn’t sound good.
As if Gong Ze were the culprit, a beautiful troublemaker.
If he forgave, at least it would look better on the surface, and Ji Huai and Jiang Lin’an would remember Gong Ze’s goodness.
After a moment of silence, under Ji Huai’s gaze, Gong Ze nodded.
“Let’s just consider this matter settled.”
Ji Huai: “…”
Ji Huai’s eyes instantly lit up!
He thanked Gong Ze gratefully: “Thank you, Gong Ze. You’ve really been wronged.”
“A-Yuan being with you is right. Don’t overthink because of Gao Chun. A-Yuan loves you very much. When I get back this time I’ll immediately keep an eye on Gao Chun, and I’ll prepare an apology gift for you.”
Jiang Lin’an nodded along from the side: “Count me in for the apology gift. We four have been brothers since childhood, and in the end we almost dragged you in and harmed you. Gong Ze, you’re innocent. The fault is all his, and also ours. We actually noticed nothing.”
Gong Ze smiled: “No need for an apology gift.”
“No, no, no, this is a must. See, do you and A-Yuan have time tonight? Bring Panpan. Let’s go eat. Ji Huai and I will apologize to you on Gao Chun’s behalf.”
“That’s right, it’s only proper.”
Gong Ze being willing to loosen up made Jiang Lin’an and Ji Huai greatly relieved. Even the stuffy air circulated more easily and lightly.
The two were full of gratitude toward Gong Ze!
Gong Ze was a gentle, uncompetitive, peaceful person. They thought such an A was far too rare! For A-Yuan to meet him was three lifetimes of luck.
As Gong Ze thought, the four were at least like close brothers. Jiang Lin’an and Ji Huai working so hard—wasn’t it also so their four good brothers would not scatter?
“We can eat, but I’ll go change Panpan’s clothes first.”
“Does the child still need clothes? How about later we go to the mall and buy him a few of those little animal outfits? I keep seeing videos of them. They’re so cute.”
“What’s there to buy? I have a children’s clothing store under my name, right there in XX Mall. I’m giving the store to our Panpan! A meeting gift from his uncles.”
“Tsk, Ji Huai, you’re generous enough. Your Uncle Jiang can’t lose face either.”
Jiang Lin’an scratched his hair, laughing while thinking about what under his name would be suitable to give a child.
Ji Huai laughed and said that on ordinary days he was too flashy—under his name, besides cars, alcohol, and branded shops, it was all adult products. Jiang Lin’an cursed with a laugh and the two started tussling.
The living room was lively and noisy.
The matter was resolved.
Everything was a happy ending for all.
Gong Ze went into the bedroom, rubbed Panpan’s head, and when he opened the wardrobe to find clothes for the cub, a scorching hot body hugged him from behind, carrying the scent of nicotine pheromones, chin resting on his shoulder, lips buried in his neck.
Gong Ze paused, tilted his head so his cheek pressed against Feng Yuan’s forehead, and asked quietly: “What’s wrong?”
“You’ve been wronged.”
Gong Ze: “…”
Feng Yuan’s arms wrapped around the Alpha’s waist like iron chains. His face, buried in Gong Ze’s neck, had brows tightly furrowed, not the slightest bit happy.
“I know it’s all for me. For me and Jiang Lin’an and the others—our brotherhood. You don’t want us to fall out and grow stiff and separate. Gong Ze… you’re really, really good to me… so good I don’t know how to repay you…”
“I clearly just said I’d make you happy, but I’m still making you suffer.”
“I don’t want to say I love you at this moment, because then it would seem like I love you because you sacrificed for me.”
Feng Yuan could not say too delicate words. He only felt his chest hurt, a heart pressed against Gong Ze, sour and bitter as if sliced by a thousand blades. “But I love you so much…”
A warm color surfaced in the depths of Gong Ze’s eyes.
His voice was gentle and slow:
“Feng Yuan, as long as you remember my goodness, I’m content.”
He had come for him in the first place.
Out of the corner of his eye he caught his curious good eldest son. Gong Ze quietly reminded Feng Yuan that the child was still there.
But Feng Yuan, sticky and clingy like a big lion, rubbed his head against Gong Ze’s neck, hugged him around the back, and nuzzled the tip of his nose against the gland on the back of Gong Ze’s neck.
Gong Ze heard him mutter:
“I really want you to mark me forever. Like this now, I always feel that no matter how I say I love you or kiss you, my heart still can’t be filled—something’s missing, tsk.”
“Gong Ze, I love you so miserably much. I almost don’t recognize myself anymore. I fucking want to give birth to a child for you, do you know that? Too terrifying. I’m a man. I don’t want to have a child.”
Gong Ze was amused by his words and turned his head aside.
Feng Yuan immediately understood. Then, with the wardrobe blocking his good eldest son’s view, he fiercely and swiftly kissed Gong Ze’s lips.
The two’s breaths intertwined. Hot, soft, comforting lips and tongues clung together, pressing close at a mere inch’s distance, separating, deep then shallow.
After it ended quickly, Feng Yuan’s eye rims were red, loyalty hard against Gong Ze’s thigh.
Gong Ze touched his stubbornly expressive face.
His voice was a little hoarse too.
“We’ll talk after we get back from dinner.”
“Oh…”
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