Axolotl Translations

It was as if a giant, solid question mark had popped up above Ruan Ci’s head. For a moment, his face went completely blank.

Ever since they were kids, he’d been fiercely guarding his younger brother against any Alpha with even the slightest hint of ulterior motives. He never let those people get anywhere near Ruan Zhao—not even a casual stroll past him was allowed. But it had never occurred to him…

Never.

Not once.

To guard against an Omega.

The exhaustion he’d been suppressing these past few days came crashing down all at once. Ruan Ci felt dizzy, like shadows were flickering before his eyes, his whole world tilting off-balance. For a split second, it felt like the sky itself was collapsing.

A long silence followed. Only then did he force out a sentence through gritted teeth: “…Are you serious?”

Ruan Zhao hesitated. He suddenly remembered his earlier conversation with Qi Xingchen—talks about being a stand-in, about being kept… A relationship with those kinds of dynamics hardly seemed serious. So his answer was vague. “I… I guess it’s okay.”

Ruan Ci clearly wasn’t satisfied with that. He wasn’t letting this slide without a proper answer. “What do you mean ‘okay’?”

Ruan Zhao fumbled for an explanation. “I mean… we haven’t been together that long, so it still needs some time. But so far, things have been… fine. There’s nothing really wrong.”

Ruan Ci took a deep, deep breath.

He had always assumed Ruan Zhao was just being rebellious. After all, he’d kept such a tight leash on him, never allowing any Alpha to get close. It made sense that Ruan Zhao might push back—seeking novelty, maybe even choosing to date an Omega just to go against him.

But now… it seemed like this absurd relationship might actually have a trace of real emotion in it. This wasn’t just some game.

Noticing the darkening expression on his brother’s face, Ruan Zhao cautiously asked, “Brother, are you mad?”

Ruan Ci shot him a glance but didn’t answer. The deep, stormy look in his eyes was anything but cheerful.

Trying to ease the mood, Ruan Zhao began listing off Qi Xingchen’s good qualities, hoping to shift his brother’s opinion. “He’s not like other Omegas. He’s tall, really good-looking, he treats me well, and he listens to me. Most importantly…” His words trailed off.

Most importantly… he reminds me of my ex. Not just his eyes, but in so many other ways. Sometimes, I even confuse the two of them in my mind. That’s probably why I couldn’t help but get close to him.

Ruan Ci’s voice was flat. “Most importantly what? Why’d you stop? What other ‘charming qualities’ does he have that make him so irresistible?”

Ruan Zhao’s gaze flickered. “M-Mostly that he’s good-looking… great body, slim waist, long legs, curly lashes…”

Ruan Ci cut him off coldly. “Shallow. Being good-looking doesn’t put food on the table.”

“He’s an Omega—he can’t produce a pheromone that matches yours. How is he supposed to soothe you during your heat? What, you’ll just sit there crying together, competing to see who sobs harder?”

Ruan Ci’s words were as sharp as ever, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. Qi Xingchen might be an Omega, but in terms of resilience, he was far stronger than Ruan Zhao. The man never cried.

Ruan Zhao recalled how, just from a simple kiss, his own legs had gone weak, leaving him completely undone. All Qi Xingchen had done was press his lips against his gland, just a light lick—and yet, his entire body had trembled, drenched in sweat, his eyes brimming with tears.

But Qi Xingchen? Aside from his breathing growing heavier, his voice turning husky and low, he hadn’t even looked fazed. Not once had his eyes turned red. Even most Alphas wouldn’t be able to handle it as well as he had.

Besides, it wasn’t as if only Alphas could help an Omega through their heat. Ruan Zhao never needed their pheromones to soothe him—if anything, he feared their teeth, the thought of them piercing his skin sent a phantom pain crawling up his nape.

If he really had to choose between the two, he’d rather pick Qi Xingchen. At least with him, it was just gentle kisses, soft licks. Even if he used his teeth, he’d never bite down hard—he’d never actually hurt him.

But Ruan Ci wasn’t finished. He kept talking, determined to make Ruan Zhao see that having an Omega as a boyfriend was a terrible idea.

“You two aren’t compatible in any way. A relationship between two Omegas is doomed from the start. Rather than waiting for things to turn ugly later, it’s better to end it now—while the feelings are still shallow.”

Ruan Zhao snapped out of his thoughts. “No.”

Ruan Ci stilled. He hadn’t expected his usually obedient little brother to oppose him so directly. “…Hm?”

Even a single syllable carried an undeniable weight. Ruan Zhao steadied himself, then repeated his words with unwavering resolve. “I said, no.”

Ruan Ci knew his little brother all too well. He used to spend hours chatting with Alpha streamers online, tipping them with whatever spare cash he had—sometimes to the point where he barely had enough left for his own meals.

And yet, he never grew tired of it. He liked them, but it was a shallow kind of affection, fleeting and weightless. Just as he had once described it—his heart was split into a dozen different pieces, and losing one wouldn’t make a difference.

Take that Qin family brat, for example. Because the guy fit Ruan Zhao’s aesthetic, he had followed him around since childhood, hovering at his heels like a devoted puppy. Even if he was ignored one day, the moment he caught sight of that handsome face again, he’d be right back, eager as ever.

But in the end, when Ruan Zhao decided to cut him off, he did so without hesitation. No matter how many alternate accounts the guy created, no matter how many times he apologized, humbled himself, begged—Ruan Zhao never replied. Not even once. The break was clean, absolute.

Even when it came to his favorite Alpha streamer, all it took was one sentence from Ruan Ci—”I don’t like him. Don’t watch him anymore.” And Ruan Zhao would listen without question. He’d block the streamer, blacklist his channel, and move on to the next one without a second thought.

No attachment, no regret. His affections were like the wind—drifting, aimless, never lingering long enough to take root. And until now, he had never once gone against Ruan Ci for the sake of anyone.

……

But this time, Ruan Zhao didn’t listen to him. For the sake of someone he hadn’t even known for long, he had defied him—twice. Was this some kind of delayed rebellious phase? Or had he actually, genuinely fallen in love? Ruan Ci didn’t know whether to be furious or find it amusing.

The fresh, tender little cabbage he had so carefully raised had just waltzed right into the arms of a pig. And worst of all, the cabbage was practically throwing itself at the pig, begging to be eaten.

Suppressing his frustration, Ruan Ci forced himself to calm down and asked, “You’re refusing to break up with him because you really like him?”

He deliberately emphasized the word “like”—making it clear that he meant something different from the shallow crushes Ruan Zhao used to have on those Alphas.

Ruan Zhao blinked, dodging the question. “Who breaks up right after they start dating?”

Ruan Ci narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t you always like strong, muscular Alphas? When exactly did you change your type behind my back?”

Ruan Zhao hesitated, then muttered, “…Because he’s good-looking.”

It wasn’t a lie. Qi Xingchen was genuinely, undeniably handsome. So much so that whenever they ate together, just looking at his face made Ruan Zhao feel like he could finish an extra bowl of rice.

So, in a way, being good-looking really could put food on the table.

“Alright, alright, alright.” Ruan Ci let out a sharp, humorless laugh, repeating the word three times as if he had been truly provoked. “Then call him over. I want to see for myself just how good-looking he is—good enough to have my dear little brother completely bewitched, to the point where he’s willing to defy me over and over again.”

Ruan Zhao scrunched up his face, clearly unwilling. “Let’s not. He’s in class right now. It wouldn’t be right to disturb him.”

“My little brother has already skipped school for three days because of him. He can’t even skip one class for you?” Ruan Ci’s voice carried a hint of mockery.

Ruan Zhao stretched out his words, emphasizing, “I didn’t skip because of him. I was actually sick.”

Ruan Ci’s cold gaze locked onto him, sharp and skeptical. His expression practically screamed: Sure. Keep making things up. Let’s see how far you can take this story.

Ruan Zhao’s fingers curled slightly, clenching involuntarily. He had never expected to be caught in such an impossible situation.

He had ignored multiple calls from Qi Xingchen today, left all his messages unread… And now, if he suddenly reached out, what was he even supposed to say? Should he just come right out with it and say, “My brother wants to meet you”?

No way…

That would make it seem like Qi Xingchen was someone incredibly important to him. And if the guy misunderstood and thought this was some kind of formal meet-the-family situation, then what? Wouldn’t that only give him more confidence to push his limits? He was already far from obedient as it was.

……

Seeing that Ruan Zhao remained rooted to the spot, making no move to contact the other party, Ruan Ci urged him impatiently, “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and call him.”

Ruan Zhao’s fingers pressed against the soft skin of his palm. “I have pictures of him in my quantum brain. I can show you.”

“No.” Ruan Ci rejected him outright. “I want to see him in person. Today.” He needed to see for himself just how bewitching this guy was—enough to make his little brother turn away from perfectly good Alphas, enough to make him raise his voice at his own brother over some Omega.

Ruan Zhao: “……”

Dragging his feet, he slowly opened his quantum brain. Lazily, he pulled up Qi Xingchen’s contact.

His plan was simple—let the phone ring twice, then hang up. He’d turn the situation around and claim that Qi Xingchen was too busy with class to answer. If that was the case, then there’d be nothing he could do. He’d just have to reschedule for another day. Ruan Zhao was quite pleased with his little scheme.

Just as he was about to press the call button—ding-dong. The crisp sound of the doorbell echoed through the room. He froze.

He didn’t have any close friends at school, hadn’t ordered any deliveries, and the only people who knew his address were his brother and…

Ruan Zhao’s vision darkened. Of all times, Qi Xingchen had to show up right now?!

Ruan Ci also heard the doorbell. His pupils narrowed slightly as he took in every trace of nervousness on Ruan Zhao’s face. The Alpha’s lips curled—not into a smile, but into something cold and unreadable.

“Oh? Your little boyfriend has come for a secret rendezvous? Well, I guess that means we don’t need to call him anymore.” Ruan Ci stepped past Ruan Zhao, heading for the door.

But Ruan Zhao quickly squeezed in front of him, reaching for the doorknob first. He was so flustered that he blurted out nonsense. “I’ll open it! I’ll open it! I’m the best at opening doors!” No one was taking this from him—not even his own brother!

Ruan Ci didn’t bother fighting over it. Instead, he crossed his arms, leaning back with an amused expression, standing just close enough that the moment the door opened, he’d have a clear view of this so-called enchanting little fox.

Ruan Zhao hesitated for a moment, then slowly turned the doorknob. He only cracked the door open—a tiny, barely-there sliver. How small? Small enough that only his wide, round eyes peeked through.

Standing outside was, unsurprisingly, Qi Xingchen. He looked like he had just come from the supermarket, both hands carrying overstuffed bags. Ruan Zhao glanced at the contents—vegetables and meat, packed to the brim. Carrying all that from the store to his apartment must have been exhausting.

But… Ruan Ci was still standing right behind him.

“I don’t want to see you at all. Just leave.” After dropping those cold words, Ruan Zhao moved to shut the door.

But before he could, a hand caught his wrist—not too hard, not too light—just enough to press on a sensitive nerve. A tingling numbness shot through his arm, leaving it weak and powerless.

A low voice murmured at his ear, meant for him alone. “Don’t close the door. Keep talking to him. Isn’t this your precious little boyfriend? The one you’re willing to argue with your own brother over?”

“Wait, Zhaozhao. Don’t close it yet.” Two voices overlapped almost at the same time.

“You haven’t eaten lunch yet, have you?” Qi Xingchen lifted the bags in his hands. “I already bought everything. Whatever you like, I’ll cook it for you.” His voice was deep and cool, like the clear chime of jade striking jade. Far from the soft, gentle tones of an Omega.

Ruan Ci frowned. “Are you lying to me? His voice doesn’t sound like an Omega at all.”

Ruan Zhao muttered under his breath, “…I’m not lying.”

Qi Xingchen seemed to pick up on the strange atmosphere. He glanced through the narrow crack in the door, but Ruan Zhao’s body was blocking the view completely. He couldn’t see anything inside.

Then, out of nowhere, he asked, “Zhaozhao, who are you talking to?”

Ruan Zhao cleared his throat, trying to brush it off. “No one. You misheard. I’m not hungry, and I don’t want to eat. Just go.”

Qi Xingchen: “…”

“Can you open the door?” His voice softened. “I want to see you.”

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