TAHDO Chapter 74

The comment section quickly became a riot of different opinions.

People who didn’t know the full story were still trying to guess who the person Ji Qiu had been talking about, while others were more concerned with whether what he’d just revealed was actually true.

But within University Town where people already knew about their so-called “Omega x Omega relationship” , the reactions were entirely different.

“If I remember correctly, this was supposed to be an apology and interview about the KB incident.”

“…Though I guess what he just said does count as an apology?”

“And we got fed dog food (public displays of affection) for free.”

“No, seriously. Even though Qiuqiu looked incredibly Alpha today, I still have to ask—why? Even if two Omegas are perfect soulmates, you’re still the same! Sex!”

“Actually… don’t you think Xiao Qiu is kind of pitiful? His older brother turned out like that, and the person he finally fell in love with ended up in the same situation.”

“Maybe that’s exactly why he and Liang Yan got together. Maybe experiencing all of this gave them that chance.”

“But it doesn’t change anything. They’re both Omegas. Qiuqiu can stand up to KB for him and even go to war with the company because of his brother, but when heat comes around… they’ll still just end up lying there like two pancakes.”

“Can you guys stop? I was about to cry, and then someone says ‘two pancakes’!!”

“HAHAHAHAHA I’m dying. You people are so annoying!”

“Ahhhh, I’m feeling sorry for him all over again! My Qiuqiu! What has he gone through to still stay so bright and optimistic? Even if he already has someone, I still love him!”

“So… does nobody remember that old thread on the university forum? The one asking whether there were any Omegas who were intolerant to inhibitors?”

“I remember now!! Could that have been them? I’m so sorry… I even laughed at that post back then.”

“I… I actually thought about reaching out to them before, but I didn’t have the courage. Is it too late now?”

“So Omegas like this really do exist…”

“I owe them an apology too. I was so shallow. I’m sorry.”

“Trash company! I actually trusted them before. I thought there was no way such a huge industry leader would do something like this!”

“+1. What a disappointment. They even tried to smear the victims and shift the blame??”

Unlike the lively discussions raging online, the inside of the car remained silent after Ji Qiu finished speaking.

Yu Zhenghao leaned back against his seat, continuing to watch the livestream.

Lai Qiutong absentmindedly spun a cigarette pack in her hand, lost in thought.

Yin Tongguang wanted to sneak a look at Liang Yan’s expression, but he didn’t dare make it too obvious. He only tilted his head slightly and saw Liang Yan’s profile, so still it looked almost frozen.

If not for the faint tremble of his eyelashes, Yin Tongguang would have thought he had stopped reacting altogether.

At that moment, Yin Tongguang suddenly felt deeply moved.

He had seen this roommate of his suffer countless times before, yet there had never been anything he could do to help.

But now…

There was finally someone who could reach him.

Someone who could protect him.

He realized that person hadn’t arrived too late.

They had arrived at exactly the right time.

The livestream hadn’t ended.

After a brief silence, Ji Qiu smiled.

“This is what I wanted to say,” he said. “And this is why I came here today.”

The reporter hadn’t expected things to take this direction.

She certainly hadn’t expected Ji Qiu to come fully prepared with evidence. He had merely used their high-traffic platform to expose the truth and make his voice heard.

He had never intended to apologize.

As an experienced journalist, she immediately realized she could no longer steer the conversation in KB’s favor, so she simply followed Ji Qiu’s lead with her questions.

But by then, the pace of the interview was entirely in his hands.

At the end, Ji Qiu once again emphasized what he hoped to achieve.

He urged any Omegas suffering from similar symptoms to stop remaining silent, and he provided the public with the contact information for Dazhong Health.

As for the so-called 3.0 inhibitor, no one brought it up again.

Everyone understood that this matter would never end so simply.

The livestream concluded amidst an atmosphere of quiet reflection.

Once the cameras were dismantled, Ji Qiu politely declined the organizers’ request for additional photos and follow-up interviews.

After courteously saying goodbye, he hurried back.

Because someone was waiting for him.

Almost anxiously, Ji Qiu repeatedly pressed the elevator button.

Meanwhile, the moment the livestream ended, Liang Yan had already gotten out of the car and gone to wait at the entrance of the television station.

They had only been apart for a few hours.

Yet when they met again, both of them fell silent.

The Ji Qiu who had spoken so eloquently before the cameras—whose confidence had rivaled anyone’s—now looked like a child clutching a piece of candy, doing nothing more than smiling at Liang Yan.

He wanted to say:

I’m back.

I did it.

I said everything I wanted to say.

This was only the beginning.

There were still countless problems waiting to be dealt with.

But at least…

It was a beginning filled with hope.

In the end, though, he didn’t say a single word.

Because Liang Yan already knew exactly what he was thinking.

No words were necessary.

There were still plenty of people behind Ji Qiu, watching curiously and whispering among themselves, pointing in his direction.

But no one stepped forward to say anything.

Ji Qiu paid them no mind and walked straight out of the building.

Without a word, Liang Yan handed him a bottle of water.

After all, Ji Qiu had spoken for quite a while.

Ji Qiu accepted it and took a couple of drinks.

Liang Yan watched his lips, now moistened and glistening from the water, as he slowly walked toward him, one step at a time.

He took Liang Yan’s hand as he always did, his expression calm and composed, and said softly,

“Let’s go.”

After that, events finally began unfolding the way they had hoped.

Ji Qiu’s words that day exploded like a bomb across the internet.

One person spoke up.

Then another.

Soon, hundreds—then thousands—came forward, saying they had experienced similar symptoms and that every heat cycle had been nothing but suffering for them.

Some even volunteered to join their cause and fight alongside them.

Yu Zhenghao’s phone finally became busy. Every day, he was registering the names and information of new callers.

KB’s public relations team continued trying to explain themselves to the public, but public opinion had already shifted completely in Ji Qiu’s favor. Without real evidence to support their claims, every explanation sounded hollow.

What’s more, higher authorities had officially stepped in to investigate the case from the very beginning.

An even more advanced testing agency also took over the pheromone samples Ji Qiu had previously submitted—those belonging to Xu Yishu and Liang Yan—for further examination.

Ji Yang’s story was finally brought to light as well.

Everything was moving exactly as they had hoped.

Things were getting better and better.

Liang Yan’s early pregnancy symptoms had finally eased.

His morning sickness had improved dramatically, though his personality had changed a little. Sometimes he’d suddenly become quiet and withdrawn, not wanting to talk.

Usually, though, after Ji Qiu inevitably did something reckless to annoy him, Liang Yan would become irritable instead, itching to punch him a few times just to vent his frustration.

Naturally, for someone like Ji Qiu—a self-proclaimed masochist—he much preferred the latter.

Getting hit was nothing.

What truly frightened him was seeing his Omega sink into sadness.

That was something he never knew how to fix.

Fortunately, the pregnancy still wasn’t far enough along for Liang Yan’s belly to be very noticeable. Ji Qiu could feel the subtle changes whenever he held him while they slept, but as long as Liang Yan wore slightly loose clothing, no one could tell.

Still, Ji Qiu had already begun preparing for what was to come.

“How big does a male Omega’s belly usually get during pregnancy? Should I start buying you maternity clothes?”

After they got home that day, Ji Qiu happily lounged around in his pajamas while browsing online shops, enthusiastically stuffing all sorts of strange outfits into his shopping cart.

“…”

Liang Yan couldn’t even be bothered to respond.

Ji Qiu refused to give up and scooted closer.

“Look! Look at this one! A kangaroo outfit!”

The corner of Liang Yan’s mouth twitched.

“You want me to wear a kangaroo suit to school?”

Ji Qiu mumbled sheepishly,

“I mean… it’s not completely impossible…”

Liang Yan simply turned his back on him, refusing to continue such a pointless conversation.

Before Ji Qiu could browse much longer, however, his phone rang.

The caller spoke politely.

“Hello? Is this Mr. Ji?”

Liang Yan quietly listened to the conversation.

The call wasn’t long.

Ji Qiu sounded excited, agreeing enthusiastically to everything the other party said.

“Thank you so much! Sorry for the trouble!” Ji Qiu said before hanging up.

“Not at all,” the caller replied. “The research on inhibitors has never been complete. If you hadn’t been brave enough to speak out, who knows how much longer it would’ve taken before more victims found the courage to come forward.”

“Then we’ll be waiting for you to pick up the results tomorrow, Mr. Ji.”

The call ended.

“It was the higher-level testing agency,” Ji Qiu said, his eyes shining. “They said the additional test results for you and Xu Yishu are ready. I’m supposed to pick them up tomorrow.”

He smiled brightly.

“I think… little by little… everything’s really going to get better.”

“I understand, Mr. Ji.”

Remembering how politely the caller had addressed him, Liang Yan couldn’t resist repeating the title.

Ji Qiu immediately looked embarrassed.

“It’s fine when other people call me that, but when you do it… it just feels weird.”

“Oh? What’s weird about it?”

Ji Qiu was only a few months younger than Liang Yan, but Liang Yan was still technically the older one.

“It just sounds way too formal,” Ji Qiu complained. “Like I’m some mature, dignified adult.”

He paused before adding dramatically,

“When I’m clearly a lively little Ome—”

Before he could finish saying “Omega,” Liang Yan shot him a cold glance.

Ji Qiu instantly corrected himself.

“…Alpha.”

“…Forget it. Call me whatever you want,” he muttered. “It’s kind of a new experience anyway.”

Liang Yan didn’t answer.

The weather had finally grown warmer, and he leaned against one corner of the sofa, feeling drowsy.

“I don’t have classes during third and fourth period tomorrow morning, so I’ll go pick up the report first. After your classes, just come straight home. I’ll bring you something good to eat while I’m out.”

Liang Yan gave a quiet hum of agreement.

“What do you feel like eating? I remember the testing center is on Yongchang Road. I heard the street food there is really good. Want to try some?”

“Sure, Mr. Ji.”

“…Fine, Yanyan. Call me whatever you like. As long as you’re happy.”

The very young “Mr. Ji” grumbled under his breath before continuing to recommend snacks from the area.

Unable to remember all their names, he simply pulled out his phone and searched for the place he was visiting tomorrow.

“Coconut steamed rice cakes… giant candied hawthorn skewers… their signature Tang Bu Shuai…” Ji Qiu began reading menu items aloud from his screen. “They’re all pretty easy to bring home…”

Just as he was scrolling through another page, someone gently wrapped a hand around his fingers.

Ji Qiu blinked.

“Yanyan?”

Lately, he’d never been able to predict the moods of a pregnant Omega.

But no matter how he looked at Liang Yan now, there wasn’t a trace of hostility in him.

His dark eyes were soft, glistening with warmth.

Liang Yan looked at Ji Qiu’s eager, animated expression and couldn’t help recalling the confident figure he’d seen on the livestream—the person who had stood fearlessly before everyone, as though nothing in the world could knock him down.

Everyone addressed him politely as Mr. Ji.

Something stirred deep inside Liang Yan’s heart.

Almost without thinking, he softly called him again.

“Mr. Ji.”

Ji Qiu blinked, selectively ignoring the title itself, assuming Liang Yan had finally decided what snack he wanted.

“Hm? So what does Yanyan want?”

Liang Yan felt as though he had been bewitched.

Yet as he looked at Ji Qiu, he still wanted to do it.

He leaned forward, closing the distance between them.

His dark eyes slowly traveled from Ji Qiu’s forehead down to his lips.

Then, quietly, he said,

“Mr. Ji… I want to kiss you.”

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