The atmosphere at the dinner table was beyond bizarre.
Even stranger was the fact that Mrs. Tang was the source of this eccentricity.
"Here, son, eat more of this. You’ve been working so hard at school lately; you need to keep your strength up." Mrs. Tang placed another large piece of fish into Tang Zihe’s bowl.
Staring at the mountain of food piled high in his bowl, Tang Zihe fell into a deep state of contemplation regarding the current situation.
The last person to receive such enthusiastic treatment had been Jiang Wei, back when he visited the Tang household for the first time in two years.
So, what was going on now?
Alarm bells were ringing in Tang Zihe’s head, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't make sense of it.
As for Jiang Wei, since he already didn't know how to act normal, he was more than happy to simply keep his head down and eat. He didn't offer a single unnecessary word or glance, leaving Tang Zihe to flounder beside him. It was only when the dark lines of frustration on Tang Zihe’s face became so prominent they were practically falling off—and yet still failed to deter Mrs. Tang’s sudden burst of maternal fervor—that Jiang Wei couldn't help but let out a soft, muffled snort of laughter.
Tang Zihe naturally shot a sharp glare his way. As their eyes met, the scene from the bathroom earlier flashed through Jiang Wei’s mind. His smile instantly vanished, and he turned his head away awkwardly.
"Mom... eat some yourself. Stop worrying about me," Tang Zihe said, his movements stiff as he returned the favor by placing two helpings of green vegetables into Mrs. Tang’s bowl. He looked genuinely spooked by her abnormal behavior. "...If you keep adding more, I really won't be able to finish it all."
Mrs. Tang couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. She had unknowingly neglected her wonderful, precious son for so long, and now that she was trying to make amends, he was actually showing concern for her instead. She felt she had truly failed as a mother.
Thinking this, her expression grew even more sorrowful.
Tang Zihe: ???
He really couldn't handle the situation anymore, so he turned his gaze toward Mr. Tang, who was sitting next to her, silently pleading for help.
Mr. Tang, however, gave him a look full of complex emotions before picking up his chopsticks and focusing solely on the dish in front of him. He completely ignored the unfolding drama, effectively becoming Mrs. Tang’s primary accomplice.
Left with no choice, Tang Zihe kicked Jiang Wei’s foot under the table.
Jiang Wei, who had been completely detached from the incident, was suddenly forced into a silent ocular exchange with the "victim" at the center of the storm.
*Tang Zihe: What is going on?*
*Jiang Wei squeezed his eyes shut: I should be asking you.*
*Tang Zihe: If I knew, why would I be asking you?*
*Jiang Wei was silent for a moment: Did something happen to you recently that you didn't tell me about?*
*Tang Zihe: ...We’re together every hour of the day except for when we’re sleeping. If something happened to me, wouldn't you know?*
Jiang Wei found this logic sound. *Then something must have happened to your mom.*
*Tang Zihe: ?*
*Jiang Wei: Look at that expression. At least one of you definitely has a problem—a big one. If it’s not you, it has to be her.*
"Jiang Wei," Mrs. Tang called out softly, startling him. "I noticed you haven't moved your chopsticks in a while. Is the food not to your liking?"
Crap. He had been so focused on "flirting with his eyes" with Tang Zihe that he had completely forgotten about eating.
"No, no, not at all. I'm just full," Jiang Wei said. Terrified of being dragged into the vortex, he patted Tang Zihe on the shoulder and made a hasty retreat. "I’m going upstairs to do my homework now."
Jiang Wei returned to his room, shutting the "bloody storm" behind him. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and start organizing the things in his schoolbag.
"Jiang Wei, are you in there?"
A knock sounded at the door, followed by Mr. Tang’s voice.
*Mr. Tang? Shouldn't he still be downstairs eating?*
"I'm here, I'm here." Jiang Wei hurried to pull the door open, only to find Mr. Tang standing there somewhat awkwardly, holding a small, well-presented bowl of fruit.
"I brought you some fruit. I happened to pass by the market when I got off work this afternoon." Mr. Tang handed over the bowl. "Half for you and half for Zihe. Try it and see how it is. If it’s good, I’ll buy more next week."
"Thank you, Uncle."
"Also... Zihe has always received a lot of care from you, but I never expected *this* to happen," Mr. Tang said. He was clearly not used to this kind of conversation; his words were hesitant and stumbling, a far cry from his usual calm and composed self. "In the future... I’ll have to ask you to look after him even more."
Jiang Wei’s confusion gradually shifted into pure shock.
What did he mean by "this to happen"?
Could it be... that Mr. Tang had overheard what Tang Zihe said to him earlier?
Mr. Tang’s next sentence practically exploded in Jiang Wei’s brain.
"But I still hope you can help keep the secret of Zihe turning into an Omega for the time being."
*What??*
Who turned into an Omega? Tang Zihe?
Jiang Wei’s lip twitched. "Um... Uncle, I think there might be some kind of misunderstanding here..."
To his surprise, Mr. Tang nodded and said earnestly, "I know. I was even more shocked than you when I first found out. But since the facts are as they are, we have to accept it..."
***
"Mom," Tang Zihe said, putting down his chopsticks and taking the initiative to seize control of the conversation. "Are you hiding something from me?"
Mrs. Tang countered, "What about you? Are you hiding something from me?"
Tang Zihe replied with total confidence, "No."
Seeing her son still being as stubborn as a mule, Mrs. Tang decided to get straight to the point. "Then what was that thing stuck on the back of your neck, over your gland, earlier?"
Tang Zihe: "A scent-blocking patch. I wore it to keep Jiang Wei company."
"To keep Jiang Wei company? Tang Zihe, I’m not so old that my eyes are failing me. I can tell the difference—that was a patch specifically for Omegas. Jiang Wei is a top-tier Alpha; don't think I haven't seen your medical reports from before."
"It’s a bit complicated... I haven't fully figured it out myself..." Tang Zihe told Mrs. Tang not to get so worked up; if her voice got any louder, they’d be able to hear her in the rooms upstairs.
"What do you mean?"
Tang Zihe thought about it. Since things had reached this point, he probably had no choice but to reveal that Jiang Wei was an Omega. Otherwise, he’d never be able to explain the situation even if he tried until he was blue in the face.
"Is it not that you turned into an Omega?"
"It’s Jiang Wei who turned into an Omega."
Mrs. Tang and Tang Zihe spoke at the same time. After the words left their mouths, the atmosphere fell into an endless silence.
Tang Zihe, who had been worrying about how to fabricate the details if his mother asked for the whole story, was now struck by a much more important question: "Why... would you think *I* turned into an Omega?"
Mrs. Tang hesitated, looking a bit sheepish. "...I thought the academic pressure of senior year was too much, and your father and I have been so busy with work lately, so..."
"So you thought I would turn from an Alpha into an Omega because of that?" Tang Zihe found the logic utterly preposterous, his tone reflecting his shock.
"Don't they say... that when subjected to a major shock or stimulus, someone whose development hasn't fully stabilized can have their second gender changed..." Mrs. Tang explained, her voice lacking conviction.
"Personally, I don't think excessive pressure counts as a 'major shock,'" Tang Zihe explained patiently. "Furthermore, I don't feel like I'm under any particular pressure."
"Oh."
"Go and make sure you explain it clearly to Dad later," Tang Zihe added after a moment of thought. "Don't let him do anything weird because he’s following your lead."
*Too late.* Mrs. Tang couldn't help but cover her face and let out a sigh. He had probably already done it...
