TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 2

In this pheromone-filled room, Lin Mingfei, an Alpha, stood calm and unmasked, thanks to his advanced Alpha genes. He was used to suppressing others’ pheromones with his own.

The small-framed Omega in his hand felt fragile, as if he could break at any moment, but he was beautiful, especially his watery eyes that made him look like an innocent little creature. Lin Mingfei felt a bit uneasy.

“Do you need me to call security for you?” he asked.

With the mask’s immediate effect, Xia Tong felt much better and cheerfully replied, “No need, thank you.”

The young Omega’s big, doe-like eyes curved into crescent shapes, his charm lifting anyone’s spirits. Lin Mingfei smiled slightly. “Alright, I’ll go see the doctor. Take care.”

They parted ways, and Xia Tong, holding onto his AI assistant Debon, continued on until he ran into Zheng Linchuan, who had come back looking for him.

“What’s going on with you? Walking so slowly—I’ve been looking for you forever!” Zheng Linchuan said impatiently, grabbing him roughly and marching ahead.

Xia Tong rolled his eyes at the back of Zheng Linchuan’s head.

Zheng Linchuan wasn’t exactly pleasant, but Xia Tong rarely clashed with him. One reason was Debon’s presence, and the other was that he didn’t see the point. It wasn’t fear; he just saw Zheng Linchuan as an angry, clueless gorilla.

After undergoing some scans, Zheng Linchuan eagerly took the results to an OB-GYN for review.

The doctor glanced at the scan but said nothing, studying the quiet, beautiful young man seated nearby. Xia Tong’s soft brown hair was slightly disheveled from rushing around, but his small, delicate face remained blank. The doctor suddenly felt a pang of sympathy and gently patted his head.

“At seventeen, his reproductive cavity hasn’t developed. It’s unlikely it ever will.”

Xia Tong was a bit startled by the doctor’s touch, wondering if he should act sad, as Zheng Linchuan looked like he was about to explode.

Zheng Linchuan slammed the table. “A whole year, and not a single bit of growth! Are these scans accurate?”

The doctor gave him a disdainful look but kept his professionalism. “There may be slight inaccuracies, but they’re negligible. If you want a precise measurement of the cavity’s volume, an invasive procedure is the only way.”

“Then do it,” Zheng Linchuan demanded.

The doctor, who had only meant to provoke him a bit, was stunned. Typically, Alphas would refuse invasive procedures for their partners out of concern. But Zheng Linchuan seemed serious.

“An invasive procedure can be complicated…” The doctor looked at Xia Tong hesitantly. “Young man, may I have your consent?”

Before Xia Tong could answer, Zheng Linchuan cut in, “In our household, I make the decisions. Do it now.”

With no room left for argument, the doctor began preparing the procedure order. “Do you want it with or without anesthesia?”

Zheng Linchuan frowned. “Isn’t anesthesia risky? I heard it can have side effects, making you stupid. No anesthesia.”

The doctor glanced at Xia Tong, bewildered. “Is he really your partner?”

Xia Tong finally began to understand and, frowning, pushed Zheng Linchuan’s arm. “I’m afraid of pain. I want anesthesia—”

“I said no anesthesia.” Zheng Linchuan pushed him away, signing the form impatiently. “Go on, I refuse to believe you’re truly defective.”

Lin Mingfei removed his eyes from the examination equipment, his narrow, fox-like eyes now visible without his sunglasses, exuding a refined yet piercing gaze.

“Recovery looks good. Completely healed,” the elderly specialist said, fumbling with his reading glasses. “Can I include you as a case study in the textbooks?”

“Just don’t use my full name. I don’t want people pitying me when I return to professional esports,” Lin Mingfei shrugged.

“You’re planning to go back? I heard your field moves fast,” the old doctor commented, raising an eyebrow. “Others may have no choice, but you don’t need the money. Don’t risk a relapse.”

“I’ve been resting for two years; that’s enough. Physical problems are better than psychological ones. Worst case, I’ll be back here for another surgery,” Lin Mingfei chuckled. “You’re surprisingly familiar with esports.”

“My grandson is into it. He was talking about something like a triple snipe move created by someone named Zero,” the doctor laughed. “I don’t understand it, but Zero is a person, right?”

Lin Mingfei’s lips pressed into a slight, thoughtful smile.

“Yes, he should be.”

Leaving the examination room, he hooked his sunglasses onto his shirt without putting them back on. The world looked vivid and clear; he hadn’t truly seen it like this in two years.

For a professional gamer, two years was long enough to be forgotten by the entire industry. He opened his phone and scrolled through his contacts, each one bearing a new prefix. Not one still had “Polaris” before their name.

He clicked on a contact with no prefix.

Polaris-Zero sent a message to Timer: “Hey, you’re amazing.”

Lin Mingfei: …

Timer: “Nope, waiting for you to find me a match.”

Polaris-Zero: “What did you call me?”

Timer: “Captain, alright? So fierce.”

Polaris-Zero: “Let’s meet tomorrow.”

Timer: “Of course, I’m clearing my schedule for you right now.”

Lin Mingfei smiled, tossed his phone back into his pocket, and looked up to see a familiar figure standing outside the examination room.

Xia Tong was standing still, hugging his pink AI robot, his head drooping as he radiated a sad energy. The nurse nearby couldn’t bring herself to rush him. In fact, she felt sorry for the poor little Omega after seeing the “no anesthesia” consent form his partner had signed.

Just then, a young Alpha in cargo pants and a casual hoodie walked over, one hand in his pocket, leaning forward to greet Xia Tong. “Hey, fancy seeing you again.”

This Alpha was tall and handsome like a movie star, and the nurse couldn’t help but blush as she watched.

Xia Tong lifted his head at the sound. “Oh, what a coincidence.” He smiled, but his face soon darkened again.

Lin Mingfei glanced at the nurse. “What’s wrong with him?”

The nurse, thinking they were friends, began venting her frustration. “This poor cutie’s partner is a total jerk, forcing him into an invasive procedure and refusing anesthesia. He’s scared of the pain and doesn’t have money to cover it!”

Lin Mingfei took the consent form from the nurse and recalled how this little Omega had been trembling from Alpha pheromones in the ER, with no one to help him. He frowned slightly.

“Here’s an idea: you sign the consent for the anesthesia yourself, and I’ll cover the cost,” he said to Xia Tong after a moment.

“Huh?” Xia Tong looked up in surprise.

His pink lips parted slightly, his eyes brimming with unshed tears, making him seem soft and endearing. Lin Mingfei nodded, his tone gentle. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you an Alpha?” Xia Tong asked, his chocolate-brown eyes gazing at him with warmth and focus.

“Yes,” Lin Mingfei chuckled.

“Then how come you’re so different from Zheng Linchuan?” Xia Tong murmured to himself.

Lin Mingfei wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that, finding the little Omega adorably naive. “People are all different. You’ll get used to it.”

Xia Tong fell silent.

“Don’t worry; I won’t tell anyone about this,” Lin Mingfei reassured him.

“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Xia Tong lowered his gaze, a hint of firmness in his soft voice. “I’m just wondering why I have to do what he says—why I can’t use anesthesia just because he doesn’t allow it. Who does he think he is?”

He tightened his grip on his little robot. “I’m not going through with this procedure. I’m going to confront Zheng Linchuan!”

“Yes! I totally support you!” The nurse, who had already been fuming, clenched her fists excitedly. “If he doesn’t shape up, dump him! There are plenty of good Alphas out there, including this one here!”

“Uh, that won’t be necessary,” Lin Mingfei chuckled, coughing lightly. “Good luck, cutie.”

Encouraged, Xia Tong gave a deep bow. “Thank you, Nurse, and thank you—uh, what should I call you?”

“Lin Mingfei. Lin with two trees.”

“Big Brother Lin!” Xia Tong grinned, showing dimples. “I’m off, then!”

He ran off, but that clear “Big Brother Lin” echoed in Lin Mingfei’s ears, making him touch his chest absentmindedly.

It tickled.

Xia Tong jogged down the hallway and saw Zheng Linchuan on the phone at the end of the corridor. The hallway was quiet, and Xia Tong could hear every word.

“Mom, I’ve told you, there’s no ‘perfect beauty and brains’ here. Xia Tong’s defective, no question about it. Just consider the money we spent a loss.”

“He can’t have kids anyway, so why not let me have some fun? I’ll get rid of him when I’m done. Sound good?”

“What are you worried about? He can’t press charges for abandonment. Even if he tries, Dad knows someone at the Omega Protection Association!”

Xia Tong’s eyes narrowed. He puckered his lips, walked over, and spoke in an even tone.

“Zheng Linchuan, the report won’t be ready for another week.”

Zheng Linchuan hung up, oblivious. “That long? What’s this lousy hospital even good for?”

“Yeah, their efficiency is terrible,” Xia Tong agreed, his expression unreadable.

They left the hospital and headed home. Halfway there, Zheng Linchuan got a call about drinks with friends, so he left Xia Tong at a street corner. Xia Tong jogged back home, pulled a suitcase out from under his bed, and started packing his clothes.

As he packed, he asked his AI robot Debon with a heavy heart, “Why can they treat me like this and feel no guilt?”

Debon spun on the floor and held out a robotic hand, quipping, “Because you’re not fierce and mighty; you can only depend on them.”

“Rubbish!” Xia Tong huffed, his cheeks puffed out. “I’m running away! I won’t depend on them!”

“But you don’t have the means to survive on your own, little canary,” Debon replied flatly.

Xia Tong pouted, a thought suddenly striking him. He dashed into Zheng Linchuan’s room.

Zheng Linchuan loved buying luxury items but quickly lost interest in them, tossing them into a drawer where they collected dust. Xia Tong emptied the drawer of watches and cufflinks into his suitcase. He left a note, pretending to be heartbroken: “No need for you to kick me out; I’ll leave on my own. If you’re happy, I’ll be at peace.”

Knowing Zheng Linchuan’s attitude, he probably wouldn’t even notice the items were missing for months.

“That’s what you get for bullying me,” Xia Tong muttered, completely guilt-free. With his documents and essentials packed, he waltzed out of the Zheng family home, feeling like the air outside was much fresher.

He had a unique knack for bouncing back quickly, already feeling cheerful as he asked Debon, “Do I look like an independent, strong Omega now?”

“Nope,” Debon’s LED light blinked as it replied, “More like a Disney princess on the run.”

“…”

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