TMDP CH 33

Chapter 33: Keep Pretending, Lone Alpha and Single Omega…

It had been nearly two and a half years since Xia Ye went abroad. During this time, Han Mingxiu’s life remained largely unchanged: work, home, and taking care of the child. His days were filled with chaos and busyness. He tried to handle as much as possible regarding Xia Li personally. In the mornings, they ate breakfast together before leaving the house—he would drop Xia Li off at kindergarten before heading to work. On days he managed to leave on time, he also made it a point to pick Xia Li up himself. Weekends were packed with activities: swimming, baseball, and even camping on sunny days. Their lives were full and lively.

Xia Li and Xia Ye had a twelve-hour time difference. Xia Ye’s breakfast time coincided with Xia Li’s dinner. Xia Li would quickly finish his meal, eagerly waiting for Han Shu^[1] to help him dial the video call precisely at 7 PM. During these calls, Xia Ye, eating breakfast on his end, would chat with Xia Li. Sometimes, when Xia Ye had stayed up late the previous night and had no early classes, Han Mingxiu would call only to find Xia Ye still groggy in bed, his hair a mess. But no matter how grumpy Xia Ye seemed upon waking, all irritation vanished the moment he saw Xia Li. Rubbing his eyes and running a hand through his hair, he would smile sleepily and greet them.

Watching Xia Ye wrapped in his blanket with that soft and vulnerable expression made Han Mingxiu take deep breaths to suppress the restless emotions stirring inside him.

These nightly video calls became an unbreakable routine. The only thing that changed over time was Han Mingxiu’s subtle appearances on screen. In the beginning, he stayed completely out of sight, then gradually allowed his presence in the background as a mere set piece, occasionally sneaking a glance at the camera. Slowly, he transitioned to sitting beside Xia Li. By the time Xia Ye realized it, their two-person video calls had evolved into three-person interactions, and there were even occasions when the call continued between Han Mingxiu and Xia Ye after Xia Li said goodnight.

Xia Ye had thought about protesting but found himself without valid reasons. Most of the time, Han Mingxiu didn’t say much. Even when he did, the topics always revolved around Xia Li. He would share stories about Xia Li’s day, like how he helped Grandma Juan clear the table, walked the big dog around the garden, or comforted a new classmate at kindergarten. These small progressions made Xia Li happy yet shy, with a faint sense of pride.

However, there were times when their conversations extended beyond Xia Li’s bedtime. In those moments, Han Mingxiu would discreetly confide about Xia Li’s mischief or embarrassing blunders—stories that made Xia Ye laugh out loud. Han Mingxiu clearly understood that these tales were better shared privately, as Xia Li, now over five years old, was starting to care about saving face. Publicly exposing his mishaps would surely earn his resentment for days.

Yet, Han Mingxiu never talked about himself—only Xia Li. He understood that the child was Xia Ye’s only concern. Everything else didn’t matter.

Likewise, Han Mingxiu refrained from prying into Xia Ye’s life. Even when he noticed an unfamiliar platinum ring on Xia Ye’s finger during one call or saw someone in pajamas walking out of a nearby bathroom early in the morning, he held back his questions. He even redirected Xia Li’s curious inquiries.

He didn’t dare to ask.

After their video calls, Han Mingxiu would secretly replay the recording again and again, trying to figure out if the man was more handsome than him. He wondered if that person would treat Xia Ye well. Staring at the ring on Xia Ye’s finger, his chest ached, and he endured many sleepless nights.

Xia Ye knew that Han Mingxiu had seen the person, but he didn’t explain. He felt there was no need to clarify that the man was just his short-tempered Omega classmate, who often fought with his boyfriend and ended up crashing at his place after storming out.

If Han Mingxiu wanted to misunderstand, so be it. It wasn’t the first time Xia Ye had been wrongfully accused.
With a bit of defiance, Xia Ye didn’t bother explaining. He hadn’t even realized that the “irrelevant passerby” role he assigned himself had already crossed the line. Unknowingly, he had begun to care, secretly stewing in frustration.

---

At that moment, it was 4 a.m. in the U.S. Xia Ye had cast Han Mingxiu’s livestream onto his television, watching as little Xia Li hit the first home run of his life.

Xia Ye leaped off the couch, cheering along with the crowd in the livestream. The parents at the game erupted into enthusiastic applause, celebrating the kids’ efforts. Xia Ye could hear the excited shouts of Han Mingxiu’s father and mother, and Han Mingxiu himself seemed to lose his mind, yelling non-stop:

“Run, run, run! Faster, faster! Xia Li, keep going… step on the base, step on the base… YES, SCORE!”

The camera shook wildly, making Xia Ye dizzy, but his excitement didn’t waver. He heard Han Mingxiu shouting, “Xia Ye, did you see that? Did you see that? Our son is amazing! He runs so fast!”

“I saw it, I saw it! He’s incredible!” Xia Ye shouted back on his end, knowing full well that Han Mingxiu couldn’t hear him, which made him bold enough to respond.

---

Xia Ye had been in the U.S. for over two years. When he initially left, it wasn’t the start of the new academic year for graduate school, but he decided to leave early anyway. He spent a few months at a language school to prepare before smoothly transitioning to his courses when the school year began.

Now, he was in the final stretch. As long as he incorporated the oral defense committee’s suggestions and finalized his thesis, he could graduate. His advisor had even asked if he’d consider staying to pursue a doctorate.

To be honest, Xia Ye was tempted. However, every time he leaned towards staying, something would shake his resolve—like now. Important moments in Xia Li’s life that Xia Ye couldn’t witness in person left him feeling a pang of regret.

Fortunately, Han Mingxiu proved reliable in these moments, capturing every highlight of Xia Li’s growth. Even though Xia Ye couldn’t be there, he didn’t completely miss out. For this, Xia Ye was sincerely grateful.

---

After the game ended, Han Mingxiu was still bursting with excitement. He turned the camera on himself and said loudly, “We won! Xia Li won! I’m going over to pick him up now. The team is having a celebration dinner tonight, so we might need to chat later.”

Han Mingxiu’s father and mother joined in to wave goodbye to Xia Ye, their faces brimming with joy. Han Mingxiu’s voice was hoarse from all the shouting, and his eyes squinted from his wide smile. The setting sun bathed his face in warm light, making it shine red with a soft glow.

Xia Ye stared at the screen, now frozen on Han Mingxiu’s slightly sweaty, smiling face. For a brief moment, he was dazed.

That shared cheering and celebration just now—it almost felt like they were a real family.

Xia Ye shook his head, brushing away the ridiculous thought. Who would want to be a family with him?

He got up and turned off the TV. He had a hospital appointment today to check on his glands. It was probably better to grab some more sleep to feel refreshed, but he worried he might oversleep and miss a call from Xia Li.

The livestream video was still saved on his tablet. Unable to resist, Xia Ye opened it again, his eyes fixated on the baseball field on the screen while his ears picked up Han Mingxiu’s endless chatter. During the warm-up, Han Mingxiu had taken the time to explain the makeup of the youth baseball team and the rules of the game to Xia Ye.

Xia Ye knew that since Xia Li was four years old, Han Mingxiu had enrolled him in a youth baseball team. What started as a way to channel Xia Li’s abundant energy into running and jumping around had revealed an unexpected talent. Xia Li had a natural flair for pitching and swinging, and after over a year of practice, he was finally competing in official games.

---

Xia Ye’s thoughts began to drift. Over the past two years, Han Mingxiu’s slow and steady “invasion” had gradually worn down his defenses.

To speed up his thesis progress and avoid the temptation to stay home for good, Xia Ye hadn’t even returned home for the New Year. Instead, Han Mingxiu had visited the U.S. three times.

The first time, Han Mingxiu had come to his door, claiming he was there to deliver a gift for Xia Li. He handed Xia Ye a handmade “I Love Daddy” card drawn by Xia Li himself.

The second time, they met for lunch—Xia Ye treated, as a gesture of gratitude for Han Mingxiu’s dedication to raising their child. Han Mingxiu gave him a bag of snacks, saying Xia Li had picked them out. But when Xia Ye opened it, he found his favorite whiskey-infused chocolates—the ones Han Mingxiu used to line up for hours to buy. Xia Ye rolled his eyes discreetly. As if a kid would choose something with alcohol.

The third time, a heavy snowstorm blanketed the East Coast. Braving the weather, Han Mingxiu came to visit but stayed less than half an hour before the roads were closed. As Han Mingxiu frowned at the thick snowfall outside, he eventually decided to leave.

Xia Ye, less dramatic, calmly slapped a scent-suppressing patch onto his neck in front of Han Mingxiu, then brought out a thick quilt and spread it on the couch, offering him a place to stay the night.

Seeing this, Han Mingxiu asked for a patch too, applying it to his own glands before administering an additional suppressant injection.

“Triple protection,” he declared.

That night, they each sat on their own couch in the heated living room, drinking spiked hot beverages—whiskey-laced coffee for Han Mingxiu and creamy milk liqueur for Xia Ye. They talked all night until the snow stopped at dawn.

They didn’t talk about much, yet they talked about everything. Han Mingxiu shared his struggles negotiating with a stubborn motorcycle client, and Xia Ye opened up about the roadblocks in his thesis.

When Han Mingxiu got excited, he asked Xia Ye to open his laptop. The two huddled together over the small screen, discussing Xia Ye’s thesis in detail. Xia Ye listened intently to Han Mingxiu’s thoughts, which helped him sort out his ideas. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he recorded the sudden sparks of inspiration.

In that moment, their excitement mirrored their dynamic from years ago.

Time seemed to loop back to a familiar place. That night felt just like the countless nights before Han Mingxiu had shouted, “I don’t love you anymore.” Once again, Han Mingxiu was the reliable senior guiding him forward.

But they talked about everything except the most pressing matter—their relationship.

---

In the snowy night, the crackling sound of the electric fireplace and its gentle, flickering glow filled the room. The warmth of the spiked drinks should have ignited a fervent passion, but all of it remained sealed within.

A faint trace of pheromones escaped their suppressed glands, subtly blending into the air. The room was awash in a delicate mixture of scents—alcohol, milk, coffee, cedarwood, and melon—melding into the most tender aroma, intoxicating in its gentleness.

Two slightly tipsy people, caught in the moment, sensibly kept their distance. Neither made a move.

Do not act improperly, restrain yourself and return to propriety. But they both forgot—propriety flows with human emotions.

If they had followed their impulses at the time, it would have been nothing more than a fleeting one-night stand.

Yet, emotions that ran too deep overshadowed the stirrings of instinct, just like during the rainy season when they first met.

Because they wanted too much, they dared not ask for it. Because they cherished it too deeply, they dared not reach out. Instead, the unspoken feelings between them became all the more undeniable.

But both were too busy pretending, so neither noticed the other.

Fine, let them keep pretending. A lonely Alpha and a solitary Omega, both hiding secrets in their hearts.

---

Xia Ye drifted off to sleep amidst his thoughts. When he woke up, it was already close to 11 a.m. His heart sank. Great, I missed Xia Li’s call.

Grabbing his tablet to check, he was surprised to see there were no missed calls. He reached for his phone—still no messages from the Han family.

That’s odd. It was already close to 11 p.m. in China. Could they still be at the celebration banquet? That’s way over the top.

Unable to contain his worry, Xia Ye called Han Mingxiu, but his phone was turned off. The unease in his chest deepened. Could something have happened?

Panicking, Xia Ye decided that no matter how late it was, he had to get in touch with Xia Li. He sent a video call request, and to his surprise, it was answered after just a few rings.

The screen showed Xia Li, safe and sound, sitting in his own room.

“Xia Li,” Xia Ye let out a huge sigh of relief, but he quickly noticed something was off.

Though Xia Li was in his pajamas, it was clear he hadn’t been sleeping. His head was bowed, his expression low and withdrawn—completely unlike the energetic child who had just won a baseball game and been rolling around the field in excitement.

“Xia Li, what’s wrong?” Xia Ye called out softly again, “Look up at Daddy. When you speak, you have to look into the other person’s eyes. If you keep your head down, how can Daddy see your eyes?”

Xia Li slowly lifted his head, and Xia Ye was shocked to see his son’s red, tear-streaked face.

“Why are you crying? Didn’t you win the game? Daddy saw it all!” Xia Ye assumed Xia Li was upset because he hadn’t been there to watch in person. Trying to comfort him, he said, “Xia Li, you were amazing. Your Uncle Han even recorded the whole thing…”

But as soon as Xia Ye mentioned Han Mingxiu, Xia Li’s tightly controlled emotions completely unraveled.

He burst into tears, crying uncontrollably, his sobs loud and heartbreaking.

“Daddy’s going to die!” he wailed.

Who…? Who’s going to die…?

Xia Ye felt as if a full-body binding spell had been cast on him. His entire body froze, his mouth half-open, unable to utter a single word.

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– End of chapter –

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