The Mushroom Effect - ZhanYi

Chapter 20

Xiao Zhan couldn't see himself, but he could see Wang Yibo's eyes welling up with tears. He seemed on the verge of crying. Xiao Zhan hadn't expected Wang Yibo to pour out his heart like this, he had come without any preparations, thinking he would just advise him and console him, after all, he still had to continue working in three hours. So, he didn't know what to do when faced with this side of Wang Yibo.

"Yibo" Xiao Zhan gently stroked Wang Yibo's face. He looked at him, seeming lost in thought, and called his name again, "Yibo, listen to me."

Wang Yibo's gaze refocused as Xiao Zhan's hand caressed his face. He couldn't understand the complexity of Xiao Zhan's expression and eyes-it was too intricate.

"You can't say that about yourself, you know?" Xiao Zhan's voice was warm, his tone gentle as he smiled and continued, "Wang Yibo, you're not detestable. I've spent the most time with you, so I have the right to speak. I've never detested you, so you can't detest yourself."

"You're still the same as you were back then, you have never changed" Xiao Zhan said as he let go of Wang Yibo and suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace.

Wang Yibo leaned against Xiao Zhan's chest, and Xiao Zhan rested his chin on top of his head. The air witnessed a single tear slowly falling.

Xiao Zhan closed his eyes and said, "You're still as cute as when you were a child. How could I ever dislike you?" Tears fell from his jaw and landed in Wang Yibo's hair, disappearing without a trace.

Wang Yibo didn't notice the tear, but his brows furrowed. He could hear his own heartbeat clearly, one beat after another, growing faster. If he had ever loved someone, he would know that it was the feeling of a pounding heart.

He wanted to look up at Xiao Zhan, but the impulse came suddenly and inexplicably, quickly retreating. The same inexplicable timidity perplexed him. But his heart seemed unable to stay silent, bypassing his brain's control, making him speak up "Do you like me?"

"Mm." Xiao Zhan tilted his head and rubbed away the trace of the tear on Wang Yibo's head. Hidden within a brilliant excuse, he smiled and said, "Of course I do. I mean, how can I not like you? You are my family"

That smile was like the snow on Mount Gongga, the sunshine on the streets of Lhasa, and the dust on the steps of the Potala Palace. Wang Yibo, who had never known that smile could be cool yet warm, heavy yet liberating, could only hear Xiao Zhan's heartbeat remaining steady, while his own felt chaotic like drumbeats.

He seemed to suddenly realize something, then felt a chill down his spine, contemplating for a while before speaking "Because I became an Omega and lost so much, it's natural for me to hate this status, right?"

Xiao Zhan still smiled but couldn't easily answer "yes" only giving a shallow "mm."

"I can't fall in love with an Alpha like an Omega does with an Alpha. Otherwise, I would betray myself, and these years would be meaningless, just a joke" Wang Yibo asked, "That's impossible for me, right?"

Half a minute passed, then a minute, but he didn't hear Xiao Zhan's reply. Actually, he didn't need Xiao Zhan to confirm anything. If it weren't for the feeling of a pounding heart, how could he ask such a question, and why would he be so eager to find out?

He suddenly became clear-minded, but along with it came a cold feeling in his chest, confusion intensified. Even a sense of unease emerged. To live under the same roof as a pretend couple, both parties needed to be honest with each other, to be intimate without any ulterior motives. If the emotions soured, the relationship should change, if only one person changed, the relationship should come to an end.

He realized that he "liked", but he felt at a loss, even more confused, and a hint of fear surfaced, afraid that everything he had now was about to slip away.