Extra: The Liar 01 (Wolf & Rabbit) – Shen Wenlang × Gao Tu (2nd CP)
“Excuse me, Shen Wenlang, may I bother you for just a minute?”
His polished leather shoes suddenly stopped. Shen Wenlang looked coldly at the petite young woman blocking his path, his brows faintly knitting.
“Gao Tu.”
The Beta who had been following behind him stepped forward, wearing an apologetic smile toward the delicate Omega girl. “I’m sorry, miss. Could you please step aside?”
“But I have something to say to Shen Wenlang.” The Omega, with a faint scent of jasmine, refused to budge. She had mustered every ounce of courage to strike up a conversation with him—how could she just let herself be blocked by this poor Beta who always hovered around Shen Wenlang?
Ignoring Gao Tu, she looked sincerely at Shen Wenlang. “Shen Wenlang, I just need one minute. I’m not asking for anything in return; I just want to push myself to speak up. Is that okay?”
Shen Wenlang didn’t even acknowledge her. He actually stepped back, the disgust on his face unmistakable.
“Gao Tu.” He called his name again.
Helpless, Gao Tu blocked the Omega, still polite. “Sorry, miss. Maybe try pushing yourself with someone else. Shen Wenlang is very busy—”
“So annoying!” The Omega’s pride was hurt, and her expression fell. “Even if he’s going to reject me, let him say it himself! Who do you think you are? The Shen family’s guard dog?”
Gao Tu froze at her sharp words, his upright face slowly flushing with humiliation. “I’m not.”
“Not? Really?” Unable to confess successfully, the Omega vented all her anger on him instead. “You’re just a Beta hanging around an S-class Alpha every day, blocking people like me. Who knows what you’re really after? I bet you’re scheming to monopolize Shen Wenlang’s attention! Disgusting! Shameless!”
“I…”
“Gao Tu.” Shen Wenlang covered his nose. “Why waste so many words with an Omega? Let’s go. Her scent is nauseating. If I stay here any longer, I’ll vomit.”
Scenes like this were common in Gao Tu’s school days ten years ago, and he was used to them.
His life had never been easy. From a young age, he was forced to shoulder life’s burdens on his own.
Gao Tu still remembered the first words Shen Wenlang ever said to him as a student: “How much is the coffee?”
At that time, Gao Tu was working at the campus convenience store.
Shen Wenlang came to buy something, trailed by a group of Omegas. He wore a black mask, his eyes impatient but still captivating.
Gao Tu never expected to see him up close like that. He froze at the register for several seconds until Shen Wenlang rapped impatiently on the counter. “Hey? You deaf?”
Snapping out of it, Gao Tu quickly apologized.
Shen Wenlang clicked his tongue. “Why do they have an idiot working the register?”
“I’m not an idiot,” Gao Tu blushed furiously. “I just—”
“Whatever.” Shen Wenlang cut him off. “I’m thirsty. How much is the coffee?”
Gao Tu scrambled to ring him up.
That night, Gao Tu dreamt a very long dream.
He dreamed of more than just the convenience store. He saw his mother crying endlessly, his sister groaning in pain, his father constantly demanding money, and Shen Wenlang pressing him against a wall, sneering: “Are you really a Beta?”
In the dream, he bit his lip, refusing to admit anything. “I’m not an Omega. Smell for yourself.” He thrust his neck toward Shen Wenlang’s nose, humiliating himself by letting him check.
Shen Wenlang sniffed grimly, then suddenly bit his neck.
Gao Tu woke with a jolt, almost falling out of bed.
His heart was pounding so fast it burned, all the blood rushing to his chest while his hands and feet went cold.
The sky outside was just starting to lighten. Gao Tu lay there, wide-eyed, unable to fall back asleep. Eventually he sat up and reached for his phone.
His pheromone disorder had been worsening lately. To avoid leaking Omega pheromones at work, he requested another seven days off from the company.
Shen Wenlang was clearly displeased with his frequent leaves. Though he said nothing directly, every time Gao Tu came back to work he faced harsher criticism.
“Can’t you at least clean yourself before coming to work?”
“Does that Omega you live with have no shame? Leaving that smell all over the place—trying to kill everyone?”
“You’re like a cat in heat.”
Enduring those humiliating scoldings from his boss took a lot of mental preparation.
This time, he had three hours left before he had to go back to work.
The seven days of irregular heat had drained him completely. Even standing made his legs tremble.
Maybe he should ask for three more days. Wrapping himself in the blanket, he sighed.
He had enough accrued vacation days to lie at home for months. Thinking this, he drafted an email and sent it.
After checking some work emails, fatigue overtook him again, and he drifted off.
He was awakened by the doorbell.
At first, he thought he was imagining it. But the visitor was persistent, ringing over and over, the sharp sound bleeding into his dream of a kitchen fire.
When he opened his eyes, he realized it was real—a visitor at the door and a blanket wrapped too tightly around him.
Standing in the cramped, dim stairwell, Shen Wenlang thought he must have lost his mind.
As the head of HS, Shen Wenlang was the most eligible bachelor in Jianghu City. He never dreamed he’d one day stand in a place like this slum.
And all thanks to his capable secretary, Gao Tu.
“On leave again?”
That morning, the secretary department head had been berated by the boss and nervously explained, “Gao Tu hasn’t taken much leave in years. He’s only recently been calling in sick, and rejecting a sick leave request isn’t really reasonable.”
“Sick leave?” Not seeing Gao Tu in the office put Shen Wenlang in an even fouler mood. “What’s wrong with him? First it’s personal leave, now sick leave? Does he think he owns all the bad luck in the world?”
“His face hasn’t looked good lately,” the department head offered timidly. “He’s lost weight too. Works hard—first to arrive, last to leave.”
Those words lingered with Shen Wenlang. Thinking of Gao Tu’s pale, undernourished face, he felt a strange pang in his chest.
Such a big man, and he couldn’t even take care of himself?
What an idiot.
Standing outside the apartment, Shen Wenlang grew impatient. After five minutes of ringing the bell, no answer.
Maybe he wasn’t home. Maybe he was out with that greedy Omega.
The faint Omega scent on Gao Tu made him inexplicably irritated. Without thinking, he kicked the metal door.
The door rattled. Then it opened, revealing a pale, weak face behind the security grate.
“President Shen?” Gao Tu blinked, stunned, wondering if he was still dreaming.
“Can’t you find somewhere decent to live?” Shen Wenlang’s mood lifted slightly but his expression stayed sour. “Do I pay you so little you have to live in a place not even fit for dogs?”
Gao Tu chuckled faintly. “Not even fit for dogs, huh.”
He wished he could afford better, but between his sister’s medical bills and his father’s constant demands for money, this was all he could manage—even with Shen Wenlang’s generous housing allowance.
He opened the door. “I’m paid well. I just have… a lot of expenses. But why are you here?”
“HR gave me your address,” Shen Wenlang replied. “Couldn’t even park anywhere nearby. Had to walk.”
“This isn’t really a place for you,” Gao Tu said helplessly. “Wait here. I’ll change.”
“Gao Tu.” Shen Wenlang stopped him. “Not going to invite me in?”
Behind Gao Tu was a tiny, neat living room—simple but clean, just like him.
“Sorry,” Gao Tu said firmly. “It’s inconvenient.”
His bedroom was still a mess from his heat, and if Shen Wenlang came close enough, he would surely smell the truth of his Omega state.
Shen Wenlang frowned. “Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why is it inconvenient?”
Gao Tu lowered his eyes, avoiding the Alpha’s piercing gaze. “I’ve been unwell, so it’s messy. And—”
“You live with that Omega?”
“W-what?”
What Omega?
Shen Wenlang’s sudden anger confused him, until he realized Shen Wenlang must mean the “Omega partner” he had made up as an excuse for his leave.
“That Omega lives here too?” Shen Wenlang pressed.
Gao Tu flushed bright red, backing away. “No.”
“No?” Shen Wenlang stepped forward and grabbed his wrist.
Even at the door, Shen Wenlang could smell a faint sage scent from him.
The thought that it came from some Omega made his expression darken. “Then why do you smell like this?”
“Huh?” Gao Tu sniffed his hand, his blush deepening. “Do I?”
Shen Wenlang yanked him out into the hallway, pinning him to the wall, his eyes raking over Gao Tu’s flushed face and the delicate collarbone visible above his loose shirt.
Gao Tu stared at him in confusion and fear, like a startled rabbit.
“Taking ten days off to care for your partner. So thoughtful,” Shen Wenlang sneered. “Next time, make sure you wash properly. How clingy is that filthy Omega, to leave you reeking like this?”
Gao Tu’s heart pounded wildly as he struggled to free himself. “This… this is my personal business. It has nothing to do with you.”
It was the first time he spoke up like that.
Shen Wenlang immediately let go. “You’re right. You and that filthy Omega have nothing to do with me.” He looked down at him coldly, like he was a bug. “You stink. If you dare bring that smell into my office in two days, you can get out.”
—-
Note: Wenlang clearly looks jealous because he thinks Gao Tu is with an Omega. But he himself doesn’t realize his own feelings, which is very different from Hua Yong. That’s why Hua Yong often teases Wenlang (lol) – this two friends ><