Chapter 1

“Chi Xun, have you ever thought about breaking free from your brother’s protection to see the world outside?”

That person's words still echoed in her ears, but Chi Xun's train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a sudden sensation of weightlessness.

The pilot in the cockpit was accelerating sharply, as if eager to escape the filthy, chaotic city below as quickly as possible.

Dust and sand whirled outside the window, and the ramshackle tenements of the slums seemed ready to collapse under the helicopter’s powerful downdraft. Betas hurrying to work stopped in their tracks, raising their heads to watch.

Day after day of intense labor had left nothing but numbness and exhaustion in their eyes, but when they caught sight of the red letters on the aircraft, their expressions changed to shock.

“Isaro?!”

“It’s that boy group about to debut!”

“You must be mistaken. Why would they come to the lower city? All six members are descendants of the Federation’s elite—top-tier Alphas... Wait, it really is Isaro’s helicopter!”

“Can someone lend me their holo-device? I want to snap a picture! Please, please!”

Even without reading their lips, Chi Xun could guess what they were saying.

She never deluded herself into thinking their admiration had anything to do with her. After all, she was neither a sought-after Alpha nor a rare, noble Omega—just one of the countless, ordinary Betas on this blue star.

No glands, unable to sense pheromones.

For most Betas, survival was the highest principle, not grand ambitions.

Chi Xun was no exception.

For example, right now, she quietly tightened her seatbelt as much as possible.

The smog-shrouded lower city quickly faded into a blurred speck outside her window.

Skyscrapers and floating railways gradually appeared in her field of vision, the air growing fresher, the scenery more beautiful.

The view finally settled above a vast helipad.

“We’ve arrived.”

The pilot jumped out of the cockpit, hauled out Chi Xun’s two large suitcases from the luggage compartment, and placed a step at the door. “Your manager, Mr. Zhuang Qu, is waiting for you at the entrance.”

He clearly had no desire to converse further with a civilian like her; once his task was done, he immediately returned to the cockpit. Still, Chi Xun maintained her habit of thanking him before turning around with her suitcases.

Despite all her mental preparation, the sheer luxury of this villa stunned her for a few seconds.

The four-story structure rose above the pool like a twisted black Rubik’s Cube, with only the first-floor dance studio enclosed in transparent glass, easily spanning nearly five hundred square meters.

For a moment, Chi Xun didn’t know whether to feel envious or anxious.

After all, she was about to live here with six unfamiliar boys of varying personalities, sharing meals and quarters every day, all while hiding her true gender from them...

If her secret were exposed, her name would echo across the entire blue star—

—in the form of a wanted notice.

Chi Xun clutched the handle of her suitcase, weighing the possibility of hailing a cab back home.

But the endless stream of zeroes behind the breach penalty soon made her accept her fate, and she stepped forward a few more paces.

Truly... choosing between two evils.

“Chi Xun?”

A hesitant male voice called from not far away.

The ending was rising, not flat—Chi Xun realized he was calling her brother’s name.

Leaning against the doorframe, the man calling her was Isaro’s manager, Zhuang Qu. His tie hung loosely at his chest, looking as if he’d just returned from some gathering; his white shirt bore lipstick stains and the scent of perfume, and between his long fingers he idly twirled a lipstick of unknown origin.

Even so, when his cold, predatory gaze fixed on her, Chi Xun felt as if she were being watched by a snake or lizard.

She kept her composure, bowing politely.

“It’s me. Hello.”

---

Zhuang Qu scrutinized him in return.

It had only been a brief glance half a month ago, and the other had worn a mask, so Zhuang Qu hadn’t gotten a clear look. Chi Xun seemed even slighter than he remembered—just over 1.7 meters tall, barely reaching 1.8 with shoe lifts, a stark contrast to his teammates, most of whom were around 1.9 meters.

His frame was small, lacking any boyfriend appeal.

And he was a civilian Alpha.

Looking at him, Zhuang Qu could only associate him with the word “back-row.” Catching the faint scent of pheromones from the glands at the nape of his neck, Zhuang Qu’s eyes grew more mocking.

...An Alpha whose pheromones couldn’t even be fully suppressed.

C-class? Or F-class?

“I heard you injured your waist recently. Is it completely healed now?”

As he turned to open the door, Chi Xun followed with her two suitcases.

“Yes, it’s almost fully recovered. Thank you for your concern.”

Zhuang Qu glanced back, seeing the boy whose head barely reached his chin offer a shy smile. The gently curled, light golden-brown hair swept back, revealing innocent, youthful brows and eyes.

His eyes were round, pupils large and dark, reminding Zhuang Qu of a miniature dog called a Yorkshire Terrier.

Recalling his first impression of Chi Xun, he thought of someone gentle and quiet—a presence easily overlooked even in a crowd.

Now, Chi Xun clearly seemed more lively.

Not without appeal, after all.

His harmless appearance paired with his weak Alpha status might evoke sympathy from a niche group.

For instance, the military market, full of people reliant on inhibitors, whose tastes were always peculiar.

“Three of your teammates are filming on Lim Star, two are at the company and will return tonight, but there’s one recording music inside now. I’ll take you to say hello,” Zhuang Qu said, changing his shoes.

Chi Xun nodded and sat at the shoe cabinet.

It was crammed with men’s shoes of all styles—boots, dress shoes, most of them new, slippers relegated to the lowest tier.

She grabbed a random pair and slipped them on, only to find they were so large her heel barely filled half the space.

Zhuang Qu walked too fast for her to worry about it. She curled her toes into the slippers and hurried after him.

They stopped outside the recording studio.

Zhuang Qu pressed a spot on the wall, activating some mechanism, and the glass before them turned transparent. The boy inside was facing away, sporting striking, spiky blue hair and a studded choker at his throat. His tight tank top and loose jeans outlined lean muscle and a narrow waist.

He wore a blue bass across his chest, fingers covered in rings as he gripped the microphone.

Like a flamboyant peacock, Chi Xun thought.

“Xie Si Sheng, the group’s rapper,” Zhuang Qu introduced, knocking on the glass, each tap heavier than the last.

The boy inside finally took off his headphones.

From his lips, Chi Xun could tell he was muttering impatiently, turning to see Zhuang Qu and taming his expression. “What?”

Zhuang Qu raised his chin, signaling him to notice Chi Xun.

Chi Xun waved in greeting, but upon seeing her, Xie Si Sheng paused, his face turning cold before he put his headphones back on and ignored her.

“...”

No wonder he was the explosive-tempered “firecracker” in the novel.

Recalling the story’s plot, Chi Xun could hardly believe her brother’s favorite was someone like this.

Three days ago, the day before she received the contract, she had a strange dream.

---

She dreamt that the world she lived in was actually a BL novel called "Scandalous Boy Group," in which the two male leads were Xie Si Sheng and the group’s captain, Si Heng.

Their personalities clashed; they had been rivals since childhood, both differentiating as Alphas at age thirteen, then, by various coincidences, entering the same Federation university and later joining the same group.

During their time living together, they became entangled in a love-hate relationship, gradually developing a stubborn mutual crush.

As for her brother, Chi Xun, he was the tragic supporting Alpha who loved the protagonist in vain.

He fell for Xie Si Sheng at first sight, tried every means to join Isaro, and pursued him fiercely—only causing Xie Si Sheng to see his own feelings more clearly.

In essence, Chi Xun was the greatest catalyst between the top and bottom leads.

Of course, Chi Xun herself was even more of a minor character; in the book, her existence was summed up in a single sentence, as if the author only mentioned her to flesh out the obsessive side of her brother’s character.

—Chi Xun had a burden of a sister living in the slums, whom he sent money to every month for dance lessons.

At first, Chi Xun thought it was just a ridiculous dream.

Her brother had indeed been coming and going mysteriously for the past month, but the Chi Xun she knew was anything but obsessive—he was the opposite. Gentle, never angry, always smiling at her, doing all the housework, his fingers thick with calluses from chores, unusual for his age.

Whenever she saw his tranquil, lake-like eyes, she couldn't help but confide everything about her dance class to him.

How could such a brother love someone to the point of losing his reason?

But the day after the dream, Chi Xun received an anonymous package containing a debut contract between Chi Xun and a star-making company.

The contract’s breach penalty was astronomical, and the signature at the end was unmistakably her brother’s handwriting.

His only condition: debut as a member of Isaro.

Chi Xun immediately searched for the group Isaro on her holo-device.

The top post read: “Isaro’s First Confirmed Member: Zero Construct Group Heir Xie Si Sheng”

Below was his profile: graduated from Federation University, height 189cm, differentiated at 13...

All the information matched the dream.

Then Chi Xun searched the star-making company her brother had signed with; its predecessor turned out to be the largest loan shark syndicate in the lower city, responsible for several beta disappearance cases.

With the debut date approaching, Chi Xun had no choice but to accept reality, sneaking into the bathroom late at night to cut off the hair she’d grown for eighteen years.

She reached behind her head, still unused to the soft, tousled texture.

“The first floor is the common area—dance studio, recording studio, kitchen, dining room. The basement is the entertainment zone, directly accessible to the pool. Second and third floors are for resting; your room is on the third floor.”

After exiting the elevator, Zhuang Qu led the way ahead, speaking indifferently, “This way.”

Chi Xun followed, memorizing the route. At the door to her room, she noticed the names posted: Xie Si Sheng, Si Heng.

Both rooms were directly opposite hers.

The protagonist top and bottom lived next to her brother—no wonder it led to a tangled triangle.

“That’s all for today. Get familiar with your surroundings. I have to return to the company. For anything you need, contact the team assistant, Xiao Xu.”

Zhuang Qu sent her the assistant’s electronic card via holo-device, preparing to leave.

But seeing Chi Xun still eyeing the adjacent room, with her gland intermittently releasing a faint scent, he returned after barely half a minute downstairs, tossing a box into her arms.

Chi Xun blinked in confusion. “What’s this?”

“Inhibitors. Remember to inject them for a week straight.”

Zhuang Qu’s gaze narrowed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of warning and distrust for her rank. “No heat allowed in the group. So whether it’s estrus or the urge to mark someone, absolutely forbidden.”