Chapter 121: Ch 121: Calculated Tears and Natural Claims

The warm atmosphere turned cold in an instant. The soft golden light filtering through the leaves, the quiet rustle of the canopy, and the lingering warmth of playful roughhousing all seemed to retreat the moment the pair stepped fully into the shaded circle. The pair’s appearance was not welcome at all.

When Su Wanyan heard Lin Xuanyu click his tongue, she raised an eyebrow at him but chose not to pursue the matter. I’ll just be wasting my saliva if I do that, she decided, shaking the thought away. The soft forest air still carried the faint scent of earth and sun-warmed bark, but the earlier ease had already thinned.

She stood up fully, remaining positioned slightly behind Mo Xingxue, and completely ignored the two newcomers. The protective placement was quiet but deliberate. She turned instead toward the familiar faces of the group.

"How did you guys know this location?" she asked the others, a small smile touching her lips when she heard an angry huff and puff coming from Gu Chengze’s direction. The sound was almost satisfying in its predictability.

Qin Yuran chuckled. The earlier discomfort on her face eased a little as she focused on the question. "Oh, that? We just asked the villagers if they had seen two beautiful women. They pointed us this way, and here we are." She laughed lightly at how unbelievable yet completely true the story was. The simplicity of it still amused her.

Su Wanyan blinked rapidly. "Just that?" disbelief colored her voice. The idea that something so straightforward had led them straight to their quiet refuge felt almost unfair.

Beside Qin Yuran, Zhao Yichen nodded and popped the "p." "Yup. Just like that." He chuckled at Su Wanyan’s exasperated expression, the sound warm and familiar.

Damn, Su Wanyan thought, still a little shocked by the simplicity of it. The quiet forest that had felt so private only moments before suddenly seemed far less hidden.

She was pulled from her thoughts by Lin Xuanyu’s energetic voice.

"And we found this place by following the four of them!" he announced proudly, as though the statement wasn’t unsettling in the slightest. The words hung in the soft air under the trees, bright and completely unbothered by the implications.

Han Jiho’s usual sarcasm vanished, replaced by clear disbelief and annoyance. The dry edge in his expression sharpened into something colder. "You followed us?"

Lin Xuanyu’s eyes immediately watered. The transformation was seamless, practiced, and almost too quick. "Why are you acting like that?" his voice trembled as if he were about to cry. "Are you telling me we are not welcomed here?"

He was ready to launch into a full tear-jerking performance when Han Jiho cut him off without mercy.

"Yes. You’re not welcomed here."

The words were straightforward, direct, and delivered as though he were simply stating the most obvious fact in the world. There was no hesitation, no softening, no attempt to soften the blow for the cameras.

Lin Xuanyu’s teary expression froze for half a second. Rage flickered behind his eyes, sharp and brief. Why is this extra not following his role?! He should try to explain his side and it would glorify and highlight my existence! He thought, teeth nearly grinding. The careful script in his head had been disrupted by simple, unadorned honesty.

Then he remembered the cameras were still rolling, and a brilliant idea formed.

"How disappointing, Teacher Han!" he cried, throat tightening on cue as tears began to fall. The sudden melodrama left the rest of the guests stunned. The soft forest light continued to filter through the leaves, but the atmosphere under the canopy had turned thick and awkward.

What kind of over-the-top drama is this? They all thought, thoroughly exasperated by the desperate act. The contrast between the earlier easy laughter and this sudden performance felt jarring.

Meanwhile, Lin Xuanyu’s die-hard fans and a number of recent passersby who had just joined the live stream felt genuine pity for him and began scolding the other guests.

[Poor baby of mine...]

[Why are they so rude to him? OML.]

[And y’all like this type of people?]

[This is not humor, this is bullying.]

[Just because my baby Yuyu doesn’t fight y’all doesn’t mean we won’t fight y’all.]

[That’s right. We may not be the biggest fandom, but we’re all loyal.]

[I just joined this show expecting to see romance between them, but wow. The guests here really remind me of those mean popular omegas in my school.]

While the barrage continued pouring comfort toward the crying omega, Lin Xuanyu buried his face in his hands and sobbed as though trying to hide his tears. Taking advantage of the group’s stunned silence, he deliberately leaned to his left and pressed his face against Su Wanyan’s side.

The sudden contact snapped Su Wanyan out of her daze. The soft fabric of her sleeve shifted under the unexpected weight. She stepped back at once, hoping to create distance, but Lin Xuanyu caught her sleeve and buried his face against the fabric instead. The grip was light yet persistent, the kind of cling that looked fragile and wronged under the cameras.

Su Wanyan frowned, ready to speak, then noticed the camera still pointed at them. The lens remained steady, capturing every angle of the performance. She paused and looked down at the omega clinging to her.

I see how it is, she thought. Perhaps she could use the World’s Will against them again.

She cleared her mind and deliberately glanced toward Gu Chengze. The male lead stood a short distance away, expression tight and unreadable. Wouldn’t their relationship develop faster if Lin Xuanyu was crying in Gu Chengze’s arms instead? She wondered, hoping the World’s Will would intervene the way it had before.

Seconds passed. Then a full minute. Nothing happened. Lin Xuanyu remained pressed against her, the soft sound of his carefully measured sobs continuing without interruption.

Su Wanyan’s frown deepened. Is the World’s Will deciding that this is a faster route for them to grow closer? The thought tasted bitter. Well.. that’s a shame.

Just then Lin Xuanyu whimpered and lifted his tear-stained face. The movement was slow and deliberate, designed to catch the light. "You’re the only one who’s nice to me, Teacher Su," he said. His eyes were still wet, his expression carefully vulnerable, the slight quiver at the corner of his lips perfectly calibrated to trigger protective instincts in anyone watching.

Inwardly he smirked at the dazed look that crossed Su Wanyan’s face. I know what you alphas like, he thought. I knew she wouldn’t be different from the others.

Su Wanyan, however, was dazed for an entirely different reason. This expression.... Something churned unpleasantly in her chest. It’s too.. practiced. It’s disgusting. She focused every bit of self-control on keeping the revulsion from showing on her face. The soft forest air around them suddenly felt heavier.

She didn’t particularly mind picking fights with Gu Chengze—he was only the male lead. Lin Xuanyu was different. He was the main character of this world. Of course the World’s Will would favor him.

Su Wanyan clicked her tongue inwardly and slowly raised her right hand, intending to pat his back. Then she hesitated. Should I go along with his scheme, or should I do nothing at all?

Before she could decide, Mo Xingxue’s cold voice cut through the air.

"That’s enough now, Teacher Lin."

The words were quiet but absolute, carrying a chill that settled over the shaded circle. She turned her sharp gaze on Gu Chengze. "Also, isn’t Teacher Gu nice to you too?"

Then she looked back at Lin Xuanyu, whose tears were still falling on cue. "Yanyan is my partner, so I would appreciate it if you could distance yourself from her." The words were ice-cold and left no room for argument. The claim sat in the soft air under the trees, clear and unyielding.

Lin Xuanyu’s teeth clenched. This bitch again! Fury burned through him at the way Mo Xingxue continually ruined his plans. He masked it cleanly, however, and put on an even more pitiful expression. The tears continued to fall with perfect timing.

"Oh... I see," he said softly, stepping back from Su Wanyan’s arms—yet he still kept his fingers tightly wrapped around her sleeve. His hand trembled just enough to look wronged and heartbroken. Surely this will get her, he thought, already tasting victory. Alphas loved feeling needed. They loved the idea of an omega depending on them.

He looked up expectantly.

Against every expectation, Su Wanyan simply shrugged his hand off her sleeve as though it were nothing more than a stray leaf. The motion was casual, almost dismissive, and completely free of the hesitation he had been counting on. She squatted behind Mo Xingxue, a goofy, bright grin spreading across her face.

"I’m your partner?" she asked, voice clear and cheerful. "Wow. First time being claimed." A teasing note entered her tone. "Kinda nervous."

Mo Xingxue only shook her head fondly and leaned back against her. Su Wanyan immediately opened her arms so the omega could settle comfortably into them. The movement was completely natural, as though this was simply where they both belonged. The soft snow-lotus scent mixed with the forest air between them, quiet and steady.

In contrast to Lin Xuanyu’s calculated, deliberate seduction, there was nothing forced about the way the two of them fit together. It felt as if they had done this millions of times before—the easy lean, the open arms, the quiet acceptance that needed no performance and no audience.

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How y’all doin’...? So, I WAS trying to update earlier. And like, I stayed up until 5 AM to write this effing Chapter so I can fulfill my promise, but like, as I was on the last paragraph I was like, "I’ll just rest my eyes for a lil’ bit..." and when opened my eyes... it was already 7-ish AM... and I was like, "Did I update already? I think I did." and went back to sleep... THEN! MY BODY JOLTED AND I WAS LIKE, "YOU IDIOT! YOU HAVEN’T UPDATED YET!" and when I looked back at the time... it was already 9:37 AM..... HUHUHUHUHU I’M SORRY Y’ALL! I DON’T KNOW WHAT TOOK OVER!