In a brightly lit, spacious, and warm bedroom, a handsome young man with delicate features but a somewhat vacant expression is sitting on a soft, large bed.
He is wrapped in a fluffy and soft goose down comforter, which envelops the young man entirely, revealing only a fair and tender little face.
He looks like a cute, newly built snowman.
However, only the young man, Bo Xiyun, knows that he's bundled up so tightly not to make a fashion statement but because he is genuinely cold.
The central air conditioning's noiseless fan blades are working quietly in the room, and the displayed temperature and humidity on the screen are quite comfortable.
But Bo Xiyun still needs to tightly wrap himself in the goose down comforter to slightly suppress the cold creeping from his bones.
He can feel that his physical condition is indeed not very good.
It seems more severe than the last time.
The last time refers to when Bo Xiyun had just turned eighteen, in a world where he attended a prestigious university, and the world's technological development had just created the prototype of a quantum computer.
And now, Bo Xiyun can be certain that he is no longer in that world.
Human memory relies on memory synapses in the brain's nervous system, and due to differences in the body, the feeling of past memories can also vary.
For example, a person's experience of something they lived through and watching a movie will undoubtedly feel different.
Although the previous experiences still retained memories, for Bo Xiyun, it had become more like "a movie."
Probably, it was just memories projected as energy, while life in that original world continued.
Upon regaining consciousness, Bo Xiyun realized that he was in another world's body. Because he had already speculated about this, he wasn't too surprised.
However, Bo Xiyun had initially thought that the "treatment" in different parallel worlds would happen simultaneously, but it turned out that entering the previous world was indeed the first time.
Perhaps there wasn't enough total energy, or for other reasons, the energy couldn't simultaneously disperse into multiple parallel worlds, so the "treatment" had to proceed one by one.
So, this time, when Bo Xiyun woke up, he found that he still carried the memories of the first world.
...and.
"Hiss."
The young man took in a sharp breath as a subtle electric-like pain crawled up his spine.
It felt like the lower back and further down still had remnants of what had happened before.
In reality, there were no visible marks on this body, and there was no real back pain.
But Bo Xiyun still couldn't shake the lingering fear.
The young man couldn't help but extend his slightly pale fingers, covering his eyes.
As for the matter that truly carried the weight of adulthood, that entire night, or what felt like an eternity, was an experience Bo Xiyun would rather not remember.
...Bo Xiyun couldn't bear to recall it.
To the point where the young man was somewhat relieved that there weren't too many nights in his memories. The spasms that felt like a near-death experience, the nearly catastrophic outpouring of tears, even if it happened only once, left a profound shadow on Bo Xiyun.
Moreover, it wasn't just once throughout that entire night.
For the sake of his own well-being, Bo Xiyun had to push those difficult memories aside and restrain himself, pulling his thoughts back.
Since the previous world was still continuing, Bo Xiyun didn't dwell too much on the idea of crossing over or external energies. Instead, he focused on his current situation.
Familiar with the feeling by now, Bo Xiyun woke up with a sense of impending physical weakness. Fortunately, there were no external injuries, and the heaviness and exhaustion were manageable.
Upon closer examination, Bo Xiyun realized that the room he was currently in had quite luxurious furnishings. Although he wasn't familiar with various high-end brands here, just by looking at the materials of the beddings and furniture, it was evident that these items were expensive.
However, based on his previous experiences, if he needed treatment, he should currently be facing significant trouble.
After waking up, Bo Xiyun also paid attention to the voices in his mind, but the conversation still hadn't appeared.
The young man didn't pay it too much mind; he wasn't someone who relied too heavily on others.
Once his shivering body had eased a bit, Bo Xiyun began his exploration.
Since his personal device had run out of battery and was turned off, Bo Xiyun charged it and then found a computer in the room.
The computer appeared to be a new model, running at a fast speed. However, it seemed a bit too new, with no signs of prior usage.
Through this computer, Bo Xiyun confirmed that his name had not changed.
Since he couldn't find much on the computer, he decided to search for his own name.
Bo Xiyun hadn't expected much, but to his surprise, he found quite a few results.
Especially in the news section, there were numerous articles.
However, Bo Xiyun quickly realized that none of them seemed to be positive.
He glanced at the news headlines on the screen.
"Youngest heir of the Bo family splurges lavishly! 'Wealthy Young Master' stands tall."
"Bo Yingcheng back in the hospital, not looking good; Third son provides bedside care, youngest son conspicuously absent."
"Father's in peril, while the son enjoys himself, driving luxury cars with a radiant smile."
Through these news articles, Bo Xiyun gained a preliminary understanding of his situation.
Bo Xiyun is the youngest son of the Bo family in Hong Kong, and his father, Bo Yingcheng, is a legendary figure widely recognized in Hong Kong.
Bo Yingcheng has four children, and now in his old age, his health has deteriorated significantly. Two weeks ago, he fell into a coma and was hospitalized, and his condition was not looking good.
However, Bo Xiyun, the son his father doted on the most, had not visited the hospital after his father fell seriously ill. Instead, he was frequently reported to be spending money on leisure activities, appearing to be a wasteful and wayward playboy.
Bo Xiyun didn't need to put much effort into deciphering the essence of those flashy reports. These reports may seem elaborate, but they all had their biases, and anyone paying close attention could discern the underlying agenda.
To be honest, the intrigues of wealthy families usually revolved around a single theme, which was rather easy to guess: when the patriarch was in dire straits, someone was already building momentum.
Inheritance disputes.
After reading the part about "the youngest son not visiting the hospital" in the news, Bo Xiyun got out of bed and walked towards the room's door.
His body was still somewhat weak, and leaving the warm covers was uncomfortable. As soon as he left the warmth of the blankets, a chill ran through his body.
Even when he gripped the door handle, Bo Xiyun felt a shiver.
But what truly concerned him was the speculation that had just been confirmed.
Could he open the door?
Bo Xiyun tried the door again, confirming that it was indeed locked. Frustrated, he pounded on the door a few times.
The door produced a muffled, heavy sound, but after the noise ceased, there was still no response from the other side.
Bo Xiyun furrowed his brow.
Who had locked him in here?
His weakened body and jumbled memories left Bo Xiyun temporarily without an answer. Given his current physical condition, he couldn't forcefully break down the door either.
The young man returned to the living room and attempted to search for more clues.
Upon closer inspection, Bo Xiyun noticed that many things in the room seemed to have been recently replaced. For example, the coffee table appeared brand new, and the cups on the table were clearly not from the same set.
Furthermore, Bo Xiyun observed that there didn't seem to be any ceramics or glass products in the room. The furnishings appeared to be made of durable, shatter-resistant materials. However, there were tiny, uncleaned glass shards on the floor near one corner of the coffee table.
Upon closer examination, it became apparent that there were slight signs of movement on the floor, as well as subtle radiating cracks, as if something had struck it forcefully.
Had something been smashed here?
Bo Xiyun pondered.
It seemed like he hadn't been locked in here for just one day, and this incident had garnered attention.
Bo Xiyun thoroughly inspected the room, and most of his discoveries were speculative. He hadn't been able to recall any concrete memories yet.
However, the young man wasn't in a hurry. He had experienced a similar state of confusion when he first woke up in the previous world. Memory confusion was a normal response of the brain after receiving an overwhelming amount of information. Bo Xiyun's subsequent experiences had shown that his own memories would gradually return.
In reality, the young man even felt that, in a certain sense, this state of memory confusion might be a way of protecting him.
It allowed him to maintain a calm mindset and distance himself from the situation.
Just then, there was a faint glimmer not far away.
Bo Xiyun looked over and saw that the device he had just charged had lit up.
Bo Xiyun picked up the device and went to look for social media apps. He tried the most commonly used instant messaging app, and it reminded him to log in.
Bo Xiyun unlocked the device with his face and entered the password saved in the device. However, when he clicked on login, the app displayed a message.
"Your account or password is incorrect."
The young man furrowed his brow, tried again, but got the same result.
He closed that app and tried another social media app. Once again, the account required him to log in.
Even after the device autofilled the saved account and password, the message remained the same.
"Password incorrect!"
Bo Xiyun had a vague sense of what was happening.
Was someone trying to completely cut off his contact with the outside world?
However, the indoor network wasn't disrupted. Even if he couldn't use his old accounts, he could create new ones.
Bo Xiyun immediately attempted to create a new account, but as he began to fill in the registration, he sensed something was amiss.
"..."
The young man lightly licked the tip of his teeth.
He didn't have a phone number.
After opening the device's SIM card slot, Bo Xiyun discovered that it was empty.
Bo Xiyun was considering how to acquire a new account when suddenly there was movement at the door.
The young man looked up.
Had someone heard him banging on the door earlier?
The door was pushed open from the outside, and several tall men dressed in black suits entered. They gestured toward the door, indicating that Bo Xiyun should follow them.
Their movements were synchronized, and their actions were uniform, creating an overwhelming presence that left no room for refusal.
"Fourth Young Master, please."
Fourth Young Master.
Since they called him that, which one of his brothers was behind this?
Bo Xiyun followed them out of the room and got into a car.
These well-trained men in black suits were clearly professionals, and after observing for a while, Bo Xiyun gave up any thoughts of resisting.
Even in his normal state, he wouldn't stand a chance, let alone now.
Bo Xiyun entered a spacious camper, and the bodyguards seemed to have received specific instructions. Instead of crowding around him, they allowed the young master to sit alone in a spacious row of seats.
However, there were guards at both sides of the camper's doors, and the windows were tinted, giving an impression of thorough preparation.
Bo Xiyun couldn't bear to look for long because he soon found himself overwhelmed by a nauseating sensation.
This feeling was different from mere motion sickness. The young man felt exceptionally queasy, and the presence of the people around him made him feel extremely uncomfortable. He wanted to be as far away from them as possible.
Fortunately, the car ride wasn't too long, and the camper quickly arrived at its destination.
After getting out of the car, Bo Xiyun's nausea finally subsided a bit.
However, he still strongly resisted the close proximity of the towering bodyguards and felt like he might vomit if anyone got any closer.
The men in black suits seemed to understand this and consciously kept their distance from the young master.
But they still formed a tight protective circle around the outer perimeter, guiding Bo Xiyun inside.
It wasn't until they entered a clean and well-lit room, and Bo Xiyun confirmed that he was sitting on the sofa, that the men in black suits finally retreated and stood guard at the door.
With no one else around, Bo Xiyun's condition improved slightly.
He was quite puzzled.
What was going on?
First, motion sickness, and now he was feeling nauseous around people?
Bo Xiyun hadn't been sitting for long when the person he had to face arrived.
He had expected it to be one of his brothers from the Bo family or perhaps a representative of some young master. However, when he actually saw the person's face, Bo Xiyun was taken aback.
The man who entered the room was exceptionally handsome, with deep-set eyebrows and a well-defined nose. The warm sunlight streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling window bathed him in a gentle glow, but it couldn't diminish the icy aura that seemed to emanate from him.
It was a striking and captivating handsomeness that ensured he would never go unnoticed.
However, what stunned Bo Xiyun wasn't just how striking the man was. It was that this man—
Bore an uncanny resemblance to Yi Zhongshen.
The man's appearance wasn't identical to Yi Zhongshen's, in fact, not even Bo Xiyun himself looked exactly like he did in the previous world. But it's difficult to change how one perceives a person, and—
Bo Xiyun stared at the man in shock.
The man's eyes were exactly the same as Yi Zhongshen's.
It was as if a faint electric current had crawled up his spine, and Bo Xiyun even felt a twinge of pain in his lower back.
It wasn't until the man lowered his gaze and looked in his direction that Bo Xiyun hastily averted his eyes.
Seeing this face, he also figured out the man's identity.
Bo Xiyun's memories were gradually returning, and now he recognized this person—
Wen Xiusen.
An inland-born actor with excellent reputation, his works were critically acclaimed and commercially successful. He was the youngest recipient of the Best Actor award at the Golden Bear Awards.
But Bo Xiyun couldn't fathom why Wen Xiusen was here.
Wasn't this about a family inheritance dispute? Why did it involve the entertainment industry?
However, the news articles he had read before gave Bo Xiyun some clues.
The young master of the Bo family had no interest in academics, didn't want to manage the family business seriously, and his only hobby seemed to be mingling with celebrities in the entertainment industry.
Recently, the young master had spent lavishly, seemingly trying to win the favor of some young starlet.
Bo Xiyun couldn't recall the specifics of what had happened, but he watched as Wen Xiusen sat down across from him.
There was a low coffee table between them, and it was quite short, barely able to hide the man's figure.
Bo Xiyun's gaze lingered on him for a moment before quickly retracting.
However, Bo Xiyun was clearly aware of one thing about this movie star, Wen Xiusen...
He had good legs.
Wen Xiusen wasn't the only one who entered; there seemed to be his assistant and several others accompanying him.
Those people stood a bit farther away, maintaining a cautious distance.
Bo Xiyun then noticed something peculiar.
He seemed to have no aversion to Wen Xiusen's proximity alone.
"Mr. Bo, are you feeling better?" the person who looked like Wen Xiusen's assistant asked some questions.
Bo Xiyun casually answered a few questions and noticed that the several accompanying individuals standing not far away seemed odd.
Their expressions clearly indicated extreme caution. Even though he didn't directly stare at them, their attention was consistently focused on Bo Xiyun.
Any slight movement he made attracted the attention of more than one person.
Why were they so nervous?
Bo Xiyun wondered.
Were they afraid he might harm their employer?
He glanced down at his slender fingers that showed signs of poor health.
But in his current condition, he didn't look like someone who could pose a threat to Wen Xiusen, did he?
Just as Bo Xiyun lowered his head, he inadvertently glanced at the coffee table and suddenly realized that there were no glass items on it.
Bo Xiyun's movements paused for a moment.
So, these people were being so cautious because they were afraid he might harm himself?
"This is a newly drafted contract," a cold voice spoke just as Bo Xiyun was distracted.
Bo Xiyun raised his head and locked eyes with Wen Xiusen.
Although the man's appearance was different, his eyes were identical to Yi Zhongshen's. His iris color leaned towards a pale hue, with a hint of reddish tint faintly showing within the dark brown.
However, that red color was likely just Bo Xiyun's illusion because Wen Xiusen's expression was quite calm. He pushed the contract forward with a single finger.
Bo Xiyun glanced at the contract and then looked back up, once again taken aback.
Guardianship?
When Bo Xiyun heard the word "contract," he had expected it to be related to finances or inheritance, but he didn't expect the content to be like this.
Moreover, in bold letters at the top, two names were explicitly written:
Intended Guardian: Wen Xiusen.
Ward: Bo Xiyun.
Bo Xiyun quickly scanned the contract and then set it aside.
This was clearly not a financial contract, and it even included financial support for the ward's daily expenses. What was this?
Bo Xiyun was puzzled. Was this some sort of sponsorship contract? In this world, he had already reached the age of majority, having recently turned nineteen. Legally and in other aspects, he didn't require a guardian. Furthermore, this contract was written in an overly ambiguous manner, mentioning "meeting needs" and "ensuring expenses."
Was Wen Xiusen trying to sponsor him?
"No way," Bo Xiyun muttered.
He didn't take long to decide and pushed the contract back. Regardless of what his true identity might be, he couldn't agree to such a thing. Bo Xiyun didn't like the feeling of having someone intrude into his life. Additionally, due to Wen Xiusen's striking resemblance to Yi Zhongshen, Bo Xiyun didn't want anyone else to get entangled in the quagmire of the wealthy family.
Bo Xiyun had a feeling that the days ahead for the young master of the Bo family wouldn't be easy, especially with the serious illness of Bo Yingcheng. This was quite obvious.
As Bo Xiyun refused, he noticed the surprised expressions on the faces of the accompanying individuals.
Even the rather composed assistant refrained from giving Bo Xiyun more than a few glances. However, Bo Xiyun noticed that their surprise wasn't necessarily directed at his refusal. The assistant held another contract and was about to use it, but Bo Xiyun pushed it back as well.
The assistant hesitated for a moment, took back the one Bo Xiyun had examined, and received the previously refused contract again. It was as if they had thought that this contract was doomed to be rejected.
Bo Xiyun found this increasingly strange. Did they expect him to tear up the contract? At this point, he inadvertently glanced at the nearby individuals and saw that some of them had just collected concealed cleaning tools from behind their backs. It seemed like they had indeed anticipated such a reaction.
The only person who didn't react to Bo Xiyun's behavior with surprise was Wen Xiusen. He didn't utter a word in response to the rejection, as if he had already expected it and had grown accustomed to it.
He simply asked, "Which part isn't suitable?"
Bo Xiyun looked at him with a puzzled expression and replied, "None of it is suitable. I don't need a guardian."
Wen Xiusen didn't say anything more. He glanced at his assistant, who immediately asked, "Should we proceed with the examination?"
It seemed like everyone already knew that Bo Xiyun wouldn't agree. Wen Xiusen nodded slightly, and his assistant immediately went to proceed.
Bo Xiyun didn't pay much attention to the people around him. This Wen Xiusen was indeed a man of few words. However, he soon found that he didn't have much time to think about it.
He realized that this place was, in fact, a hospital. Doctors in lab coats soon entered and conducted a series of examinations on Bo Xiyun. They were dressed in protective gear, and perhaps because of this, Bo Xiyun didn't have a strong aversion to their proximity.
The examination process was quite complex, and Bo Xiyun quickly lost track of what they were doing. However, on one of the medical instruments used for sampling, he caught a glimpse of a label with some hastily written words.
"9th Examination."
Ninth time?
This number made Bo Xiyun recall the contract he had just seen. The contract had a number, followed by a branch. The branch displayed was "009."
Bo Xiyun remembered Wen Xiusen's words, "This is a newly drafted contract."
So, this contract had already been amended nine times? While it was just speculation, Bo Xiyun couldn't help but feel that Wen Xiusen was capable of such a thing.
Perhaps today wasn't the first time Wen Xiusen had presented the contract. Maybe he asked every time during the examinations. After all, Wen Xiusen's calmness after being rejected wasn't a sign of giving up; it was more like he was convinced he would keep asking until Bo Xiyun agreed.
Bo Xiyun felt somewhat helpless towards Wen Xiusen. His impression of the man wasn't bad. At least he was the only one who didn't make Bo Xiyun feel nauseous when getting closer.
However, Bo Xiyun couldn't understand why Wen Xiusen had these thoughts. Given his current situation, he wasn't in a great position. Since his previous attempts at resisting had proven ineffective, he decided to cooperate quietly with all the examinations. After all, Bo Xiyun needed to recover his health as soon as possible.
During the examination, everyone unrelated to the situation had left, leaving only the medical staff in protective gear in the room. After the examination was over, the smell of disinfectant on Bo Xiyun's body became unbearable. He decided to leave the room to find a place to freshen up.
When the teenager stepped out, someone silently followed him. Bo Xiyun turned to look and saw that it was the same man in black attire from earlier. He didn't object, but when he found the restroom, he said a few words.
"Don't come in."
The man in black paused, standing outside the entrance of the corridor.
This private hospital seemed to have excellent facilities, and the restroom had separate cubicles. Bo Xiyun pulled out a few soft towels, moistened them, and gently wiped his forearms and wrists to remove the brownish stains.
At that moment, he heard voices coming from outside the cubicle.
Bo Xiyun initially thought it might be one of his bodyguards who had followed him. However, after listening for a moment, he realized it wasn't.
The people conversing outside seemed to be two doctors.
"The young master from the Bo family came for another checkup?"
"Yeah, considering he just presented as an omega. It's quite risky, isn't it? He's nearly nineteen years old now, right?"
"I haven't heard of such a case before. Normally, people present as omegas by the age of fourteen or fifteen at the latest, right? At most, it should be by eighteen."
"So, you mean it's risky? He'll need some time to adjust."
"His emotions have been quite unstable. Maybe he can't accept the fact that he's an omega."
"What's wrong with being an omega? With their low numbers, they're usually well taken care of."
"I'm afraid he's too used to being a young master and won't adapt well to the idea of being cared for."
The conversation outside the cubicle didn't last long, and the two doctors left relatively quickly. Bo Xiyun stood in front of the washbasin, lost in thought for a while.
No wonder he had felt something was off earlier, and why he had been so severely affected. So, this was a world with multiple genders?
Bo Xiyun tried to search his memory but realized that he hadn't paid much attention to this aspect before. He probably didn't know much about it.
He recalled some basic information – that humans, apart from males, could be categorized into three genders: alpha, beta, and omega. Beta was the most common, while alpha and omega were less frequent, making up roughly one-tenth of the population each.
He was in the middle of this reflection when he heard a cold, low magnetic voice from outside the cubicle again. This time, someone was calling his name.
"Bo Xiyun."
It was Wen Xiusen.
"What's wrong?"
Bo Xiyun instinctively responded but then heard the voice from outside.
"Nothing."
Soon after, he heard the footsteps of the man leaving the washroom.
It was only then that Bo Xiyun fully realized what had happened.
Had he come personally because he thought Bo Xiyun was taking too much time inside? Bo Xiyun furrowed his brow, quickly tidied up, and tossed the used cotton pads into the trash bin before leaving the washroom.
Wen Xiusen was indeed waiting outside. The hallway was now empty, seemingly cleared out. Even in the dim lighting, the silent man remained strikingly handsome, as if silently attesting to his status as a top celebrity.
Bo Xiyun looked at Wen Xiusen and suddenly spoke, "Mr. Wen."
While recalling the knowledge about genders, Bo Xiyun remembered one important detail – Wen Xiusen's gender wasn't a secret. He was a beta. And this fact turned out to be the perfect reason for Bo Xiyun's refusal.
"There's no need to continue changing the contract. I decline," Bo Xiyun said calmly, his voice steady.
"Since I've already undergone differentiation, being an omega, I won't be able to satisfy your needs as a beta."
According to the common knowledge in this world, betas couldn't be satisfied by omegas. In fact, when omegas went through their heat cycles, their pheromones could make betas uncomfortable and restless.
Bo Xiyun knew that his past self might have been struggling to accept the sudden differentiation into an omega, avoiding it rather than confronting it head-on. But now, he felt that he could gradually come to terms with it on his own, without needing everyone else to be on edge for him.
Instead of being restless and evasive, it was better to openly discuss it with Wen Xiusen. It was better for both of them to avoid unnecessary stress and worries.
Bo Xiyun spoke earnestly, but as soon as his words fell, he suddenly felt a shadow over his vision. Before he could react, his lower jaw was gently clamped by Wen Xiusen's warm and slightly rough fingers.
Bo Xiyun's eyes widened in surprise. While Wen Xiusen hadn't kept his distance like the bodyguards, he had always maintained a certain distance from Bo Xiyun. Now, for the first time, he was getting remarkably close, close enough to reach out and...
As if silently allowing it for a long time, Wen Xiusen finally captured his prey, and his fingers gripped what they had long sought to possess.
His grip wasn't forceful, but it compelled Bo Xiyun to tilt his head up, locking their eyes in a firm gaze. Wen Xiusen's voice was low, steady, and magnetic as he said, "Young Master."
Those familiar eyes, which Bo Xiyun knew all too well, were now locked onto him, their depths enigmatic and inscrutable.
Wen Xiusen stated, "I am an alpha."