The Suspicious Photo and the Awakening of Desire

Shi Ji’s fingertips trembled instinctively.

His gaze flickered between the two small children in the photo, while he repeatedly scanned the only text available. The line representing the year remained a blur, making it impossible for him to judge exactly how long ago this photo was taken.

He attempted to trace the sender’s original address to demand their identity, but a warning prompt immediately flashed on his screen: This user address does not exist.

The other party had taken extensive precautions; they clearly didn’t want Shi Ji to know who they were.

So, what is their purpose?

Shi Ji felt a chill run down his spine. It felt as though someone was lurking in the shadows, watching his every move like a hunter eyeing its prey—tossing a piece of delicious meat in front of a trap and waiting for him to fall in.

After a moment of thought, Shi Ji dialed a number. After thirty seconds of ringing, a voice answered.

“Mr. Shi?” Yan Guangsheng’s voice was thick with exhaustion.

“Check your email,” Shi Ji said curtly. “Can this photo be restored?”

Yan Guangsheng fell silent for a few seconds, likely examining the file. Then, he hissed through his teeth. “Sss—how old is this photo? If you want to restore it, I’m afraid…”

“I only want one word from you,” Shi Ji lowered his lashes. “Can you, or can’t you?”

Yan Guangsheng’s tone shifted instantly. “I can! I definitely can! Anything you entrust to me, I’ll get it done!”

“When do you need it?” he asked cautiously.

Shi Ji looked out at the pitch-black sky. “As fast as possible.”

If his suspicions were correct and Li Chen was indeed an experimental subject, it would prove he was an artificially cultivated Top-tier Omega. Combined with what Ji Shichu said about these Omegas being prone to losing emotional control, everything started to click.

That news report… the photo of Li Chen’s parents… did it prove that the tragedy back then was really caused by Li Chen?!

Even the original Shi Ji’s warning to “stay away from Li Chen” seemed to be finding its justification in the dark.

A strong sense of unease filled his chest. After hanging up, the only sound in the silent room was his own thunderous heartbeat. He was losing his composure. If his theories were right, Li Chen wasn’t just an unstable time bomb—he was a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Just then, the bedroom door was pushed open. Li Chen walked in with a dry towel draped over his head. He had just showered, and his damp hair clung to his cheeks in wet strands. His pale skin was flushed a faint pink from the steam.

Li Chen blinked in the darkness, seemingly not expecting the lights to be off. He reached back and flipped the switch. The sudden burst of light pierced the room, causing Shi Ji to wince.

Shi Ji shielded his eyes with his hand, his brow furrowed. “Turn it off,” he muttered.

His tone was harsh. Li Chen froze, then obediently turned off the main light. As Shi Ji reached for the bedside lamp, the youth spoke. “Do you not want to see me?”

Li Chen was always blunt, his words striking like arrows to the heart. Shi Ji didn’t know how to respond. He deliberately looked away, opening his laptop to pretend to review documents. Li Chen walked over and, without a word, snapped the laptop shut.

Li Chen leaned down. The warm yellow glow of the bedside lamp reflected in his eyes, making his misty-blue pupils look like pale glass spheres. He stared intensely at Shi Ji, searching for something in the man’s expression.

But Shi Ji had suddenly reverted to his cold, distant self. The man who had given him a birthday cake in the car hours ago was gone. The sharp thorns surrounding him made Li Chen wonder if the “original” Shi Ji had returned.

Li Chen hated the way Shi Ji was looking at him—as if he were something loathsome. He leaned in, wanting to kiss Shi Ji’s eyes, his lingering body heat brushing against the man’s face. In the next second, Shi Ji pushed him away with a sharp shove.

“Don’t come near me,” he said. The frost in his eyes seemed to lower the temperature of the entire room.

Li Chen was forced to stand upright. He looked at Shi Ji with pure confusion. “Did I make you angry?”

He asked cautiously. If he had a tail, it would be tucked between his legs right now.

Shi Ji’s lashes fluttered. Seeing Li Chen standing there, lost and confused, made his heart ache slightly. His theories weren’t confirmed yet, and his harsh rejection felt… wrong. However, he couldn’t drop his guard. He swallowed his words, reopened his laptop, and ignored the boy. After a long while, Li Chen finally gave up and stepped back.

Feeling dejected, Li Chen sat on the sofa, staring at Shi Ji’s cold profile. The man still wouldn’t look at him. Finally, Li Chen took out his phone and opened a group chat, hesitantly sending a message.

[LC]: What should I do if someone is angry with me?

The message acted like a bomb, blowing the other members out of hiding.

[AAA Assignment Writing Service – Mr. Lin]: Holy crap! You’ve been in this group for so long and you’re finally speaking? [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: Taking a screenshot for history! [f*ck Your Tomatoes]: Let me see what year it is today?! [Mo]: @LC, what happened?

[LC]: I think I made my brother angry. [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: I bet he’s only here because he can’t fix it himself. [AAA Assignment Writing Service – Mr. Lin]: Famous “Brother-obsessed” guy. Every sentence is “Brother this, Brother that.” [f*ck Your Tomatoes]: @LC, if you don’t know what “Brother-obsessed” means, search for “Mommy’s boy” and replace every instance of “Mommy” with “Brother.”

Li Chen actually searched for the term. His eyes widened when he saw the definition.

[LC]: I am not! [f*ck Your Tomatoes]: Okay, okay, you’re not. [Mo]: Do you want to think carefully about what exactly you did to upset him?

[LC]: …I kissed him while eating cake.

The chat went silent for a few seconds. Then, a screen full of exclamation marks exploded.

[AAA Assignment Writing Service – Mr. Lin]: My god… is this something I’m allowed to read? [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: Damn! That is absolutely explosive! [f*ck Your Tomatoes]: Kid… nice work. [Mo]: … [Mo]: Do you like him?

Li Chen stared at Jiang Mo’s message and went silent.

[f*ck Your Tomatoes]: Little treasure… this is a twisted love… [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: They aren’t blood-related. [f*ck Your Tomatoes]: I’m shipping it! [AAA Assignment Writing Service – Mr. Lin]: Li Chen, you need to be clear. The “like” we’re talking about isn’t just a brotherly like. It’s… romantic love. If you kiss someone without liking them, that’s just being a creep. [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: I agree! Lin Yi, you finally said something sensible! [f*ck Your Tomatoes]: If you aren’t sure what “like” feels like, it’s usually thinking they’re beautiful, feeling your heart race when you see them, being happy when they’re happy, and sad when they’re sad. [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: Also, feeling desire (slurp slurp).

As the chat devolved into a heated discussion, Li Chen watched his friends provide their opinions. Surprisingly, his agitated heart began to calm.

He switched off his phone and looked at Shi Ji. The man had finished his work and was resting. His oversized collar had slipped slightly, revealing his prominent collarbone. Further down was the embrace that Li Chen so desperately craved.

Li Chen instinctively stood up. He wanted to sneak into the bed like before and watch Shi Ji’s flustered reaction the next morning. He reached out to pull back the corner of the quilt, but his hand froze.

He hesitated. Shi Ji really seemed like he didn’t want to deal with him this time. He was afraid that if he were too reckless, Shi Ji would throw him out without hesitation.

Dejected, he returned to the cramped sofa. It was so small that turning over was a challenge. He felt a bit pitiful.

Suddenly, his phone lit up again.

[Don’t Eat Cilantro]: Student Li Chen, let me teach you the simplest way to judge if you have desire for the person you like—watch a p*rn!

Li Chen stared at the unfamiliar term, tilting his head.

[LC]: ? [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: [Sent you a file] [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: These are from my private collection. Don’t worry, they aren’t too graphic. It’s just like a biology lesson! [Don’t Eat Cilantro]: Hope you figure out your heart soon! Bye!!

The user went offline immediately. Li Chen blinked blankly, then clicked the file.

The screen went black for a second, then two naked men appeared, entwined in an embrace. Dim lighting, a small bed, ear-reddening gasps, and suggestive sounds… Li Chen was hit with an absolute shock. He slammed the phone off and threw it away as if it were trash.

His eyes were wide, his breath ragged, and his face was burning. He paced around the room in a panic, trying to cool the heat in his cheeks.

Perhaps his movements were too loud; Shi Ji turned over in his sleep with a muffled groan. Li Chen froze instantly, like he had been hit with a pause button. He turned his head and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Shi Ji hadn’t woken up.

Cold sweat dripped from his temple. As the room fell silent again, the images he had just seen flooded back without warning. Only this time, the two naked men were replaced by himself and Shi Ji.

Shi Ji’s reddened eyes… Shi Ji’s suppressed gasps… Shi Ji clutching his wrist and softly pleading for mercy.

These thoughts shattered Li Chen’s rational defenses. He bolted out of the room like a fugitive and locked himself in the bathroom.

He turned on the faucet and splashed water onto his face, but the freezing temperature couldn’t mask the heat in his body. He covered his face with his hands, took a deep breath, and looked into the mirror at his disheveled reflection.

The scent of iris exploding in the small space seemed to tell him the truth.

He really did… like Shi Ji.