Chapter 57: Ch 57: Shattered Peace
The guests had settled back down into the villa’s spacious living room, soft cushions and comfortable sofas invited them to relax after the grueling morning.
Su Wanyan sat protectively close to Mo Xingxue, one arm draped casually over her lap while she held little Mo Yan securely in the other. The baby cooed softly, content in the alpha’s embrace.
Mo Xingxue, still unaccustomed to such open intimacy in front of others, felt her cheeks warm but made no move to pull away. We’ll get married in the future anyway, she thought, gathering her courage. She leaned gently against Su Wanyan’s shoulder, seeking the warmth and solidity there.
Su Wanyan tensed for a brief second at the added closeness, then adjusted her posture smoothly, tilting her shoulder to make the position more comfortable for Mo Xingxue. The simple, caring gesture was captured clearly by the cameras and seen by everyone in the room.
Qin Yuran grinned mischievously. "Bro, I’m telling you," she said, nudging Zhao Yichen with her elbow before pointing at the trio, "she’ll be the first to get married out of the three of us." She laughed quietly, eyes sparkling with amusement.
Zhao Yichen chuckled along, nodding. "Yeah, that’s ’cause they’re loyal to each other," he replied, shaking his head. He patted Qin Yuran’s shoulder. "Not like you who still has to cut off her canaries." He burst into hysterical laughter at Qin Yuran’s enraged and embarrassed expression.
Su Wanyan joined in the laughter, knowing Zhao Yichen was just teasing. Neither she nor Zhao Yichen truly believed the rumors about Qin Yuran being a scumbag—after all, she was the shyest alpha among them. How could someone so bashful maintain a harem of lovers?
"Don’t tell me you believe that?" Qin Yuran asked, exasperated.
Zhao Yichen stuck out his tongue playfully. "Yeah, and I’ll continue to believe it until you give us an explanation," he teased, a subtle glint in his eyes.
Su Wanyan caught the deeper intention behind the words and felt a surge of respect for her friend. Zhao Yichen was cleverly creating an opening for Qin Yuran to clear her name publicly.
Su Wanyan smiled and gave Zhao Yichen a soft punch on the shoulder. He grinned back and offered his hand for a high-five. She clapped it firmly, and they both turned to the now-blushing Qin Yuran.
"Well?" Zhao Yichen pressed, raising an eyebrow.
Qin Yuran looked at them, opened her mouth, then closed it again. She sighed and repeated the motion several times. "What, are you trying to say to us that you’re a fish? Why are you opening and closing your mouth like a fish?" Zhao Yichen teased, leaning closer.
Qin Yuran playfully punched his arm, causing Su Wanyan and Zhao Yichen to laugh harder. Once the laughter died down, Su Wanyan asked gently, "So, what really is it?" Her tone made it clear she and Zhao Yichen were willing to wait patiently.
Qin Yuran looked down, face burning. "How can I be a scumbag when I hadn’t even touched an omega’s hand?" she mumbled, trying to keep her voice low.
But Zhao Yichen, sitting right beside her, and Su Wanyan with her enhanced hearing both caught every word clearly.
"What? I can’t hear you," Zhao Yichen teased again, leaning in closer to her mouth.
Qin Yuran pushed him away, her face now profusely red. In a much louder, embarrassed voice, she admitted, "How can I have many canaries whom I spend many passionate nights with, if I can’t even muster the courage to hold an omega’s hand?"
Zhao Yichen burst out laughing. Even Song Meiyu and Han Jiho, who had been quietly eavesdropping, couldn’t hold back their laughter. Su Wanyan smiled warmly, hiding her grin by resting her face against the crown of Mo Xingxue’s head. Mo Xingxue, who had been laughing along, felt the intimate gesture and blushed even deeper, hiding her own face against Su Wanyan’s shoulder.
The barrage went wild with teasing—not just for Qin Yuran, but for the two lovebirds as well:
[BRO, THE TRUTH IS OUT!!]
[WE, THE FANS OF QIN YURAN, REJOICE!!]
[Huzzah!!]
[Wait, it’s a relief that she really isn’t a scumbag, but she can’t even hold an omega’s hand? LOLOLOL!!]
[Qin Yuran, you’re not a 13 year old alpha anymore, how can you not have the balls to touch an omega’s hand?]
[I thought I was a miserable loser, but I didn’t think there would be someone who beat me to it.]
[Fr, and what is even more surprising is that the person is Qin Yuran—popular, rich, talented, heck has a godly facecard too!]
[While y’all are focusing on Qin Yuran, I’m focusing on the two lovebirds there.]
[FR, IT’S SO CUTE SEEING SU WANYAN HIDING HER SMILE ON MO XINGXUE’S HEAD.]
[SHE’S GETTING BRAVER, Y’ALL! THE WORLD IS HEALING. THANK YOU, LORD!]
[I didn’t know that this day would come. I’m so proud of you, Su Wanyan.]
[Now, just don’t open your mouth ’cause I know you’ll say something stupid again, Su Wanyan.]
[Lol, the distrust!]
"Hey! I told you guys no laughing!" Qin Yuran protested, hiding her face in a pillow.
Zhao Yichen laughed even harder, leaning his weight onto her shoulder. Song Meiyu, who had been watching with quiet laughter, suddenly stood up and inserted herself between them, creating distance.
Zhao Yichen, who had been resting peacefully, was yanked away in surprise. "Dear sister, I’m an alpha. Why are you jealous of me?" he asked, half fearful and half joking.
Song Meiyu simply smiled at him, but her eyes held no light or warmth. Zhao Yichen scurried off to Han Jiho’s side in genuine fear. "They’re bullying me," he complained dramatically, voice dripping with grievance.
Han Jiho laughed softly and smoothed out Zhao Yichen’s messy hair. For a brief moment, Zhao Yichen looked happy with the tender gesture—until Han Jiho added gently, "You deserve it," still smiling.
Zhao Yichen gasped theatrically, fake-crying and searching for any sign of mercy in Han Jiho’s expression. He found none, only deepening his sense of grievance. Laughter had faded into quiet conversation, the group scattered comfortably across the sofa.
Then Gu Chengze broke the peace with a single, contemptuous sound.
"Hmph. How pathetic."
The three pairs of alphas and omegas paused mid-conversation, turning their heads toward him in unison. Disbelief and confusion flashed across their faces. Even little Mo Yan, awake in her mother’s arms, stared wide-eyed at the man who was technically her father, as if she too sensed the wrongness in his tone.
Seeing he had captured everyone’s attention, Gu Chengze leaned back in his seat with an arrogant smirk. "You’re already old enough to have your own family, but you’re still a virgin?" His voice dripped with contempt, eyes sweeping over the group with clear disdain.
Qin Yuran frowned deeply, her usual bright energy dimming into irritation. Su Wanyan’s gentle expression hardened, a flicker of cold anger crossing her features. "What’s wrong with being a virgin?" Qin Yuran shot back, suppressing the fury burning in her chest. "That just means I haven’t found the right person for me yet."
Gu Chengze scoffed, leaning forward slightly. "There are hardly any virgin omegas out there. All of them probably got rid of it in their teenage years." He ignored the souring faces around him, continuing with cruel nonchalance. "Are you telling me you’re much more babied than omegas? As an alpha, you should take the lead. Grow up."
Qin Yuran felt her fury boiling to the surface, ready to erupt. Song Meiyu’s hand on her arm stopped her, a silent reminder to stay composed. Qin Yuran pursed her lips and glared at Gu Chengze, her fists clenched tightly in her lap.
"Don’t generalize omegas and alphas," Su Wanyan’s cold voice cut in like a blade. Her face had turned ice-cold, all traces of her usual gentle warmth gone. The other guests felt a ripple of fear at the change—Su Wanyan had always been the most easygoing person in the group, laughing off annoyances with endless patience. Seeing her like this, with quiet fury radiating from her usually kind eyes, was intimidating.
Gu Chengze smirked, unfazed. "What, you’re a virgin too?" He leaned in closer. deliberately provoking her. "Whether or not I am is none of your concern. Generalizing omegas and alphas as lust-driven people is inappropriate and shouldn’t be said, especially online," Su Wanyan explained simply, her voice steady but edged with restrained anger.
"If you really aren’t, what are you so pissed off for?" Gu Chengze shot back, his cold smile widening. "Don’t give me that bullshit. If you didn’t get rid of it early, will you still call yourself human?"
Su Wanyan ignored him, turning instead to gently transfer Mo Yan into Mo Xingxue’s arms, shielding the baby from the escalating tension. Seeing her dismiss him so completely, Gu Chengze’s fury grew. He glanced at Mo Xingxue, who was quietly comforting her daughter, and his smile turned mocking. "You’re so close with Teacher Mo—why don’t you ask her? I’m sure she’s slept with multipl—"
Before he could finish the vile sentence, Su Wanyan moved like a blur. She closed the distance in an instant, grabbing the front of his tailored collar with a grip that made the fabric strain. "Don’t you dare bring her into this," she snarled, her eyes burning with fury so intense it seemed she wanted to incinerate him on the spot.
Gu Chengze was shocked by her speed at first—a trace of genuine dread flashing through him—but he quickly suppressed it and maintained his mocking smile. "Why? Did I hit a nerve? Then it must be true. How was it sleeping with so many alphas, Mo Xingx—?!"
He never finished. Su Wanyan’s fist connected solidly with his cheek in a heavy, resounding punch. "Say that again, you bastard!" she shouted, her control finally snapping.
"Su Wanyan!" The other guests cried out in alarm, rushing to pull her away. Qin Yuran grabbed her arm, trying to restrain her. Su Wanyan was enraged beyond reason but aware of the cameras everywhere. She allowed herself to be pulled back, breathing heavily, her knuckles stinging from the impact.
When Gu Chengze finally processed what had happened, he shot to his feet, ready to retaliate. Zhao Yichen held him back firmly. "Fuck! Let go!" Gu Chengze roared. "It’s true, no?! Mo Xingxue is a slut and you should accept it!" His words were fueled by delusional jealousy, the many times he had seen Mo Xingxue’s soft smiles directed at Su Wanyan instead of him burning in his mind.
Su Wanyan saw red again. She started to stride toward him, but Mo Xingxue’s hand gently caught her wrist. When she looked down, the omega shook her head slightly, offering a small, exhausted smile.
Su Wanyan felt a wave of wrongness for Mo Xingxue wash over her—her eyes watered, and she pulled both mother and daughter into a tight, protective hug.
Seeing that, Gu Chengze riled up even more. "Come and fight me, bastard!" he shouted, struggling against Zhao Yichen’s hold. The other guests worked together to pull him down, successfully restraining him, though he continued glaring daggers at Su Wanyan.
Su Wanyan, meanwhile, sniffed pitifully in the hug, her face buried against Mo Xingxue’s shoulder, melting the omega’s heart and momentarily making her forget Gu Chengze’s vile words.
The room fell into a stunned, heavy silence, the earlier playful atmosphere completely shattered by the outburst.
