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"You're serious about this huh?" A melodic silky voice noted from behind. Even without trying there was a hint of coquettishness in their tone.
Jiang Cheng huffed, aggressively shoving the few articles of clothing he had left inside his bag. The omega yanked the zipper up all the way and shrugged it on angrily.
"Have I ever not been serious about anything in my life?" He snapped, large azure eyes glaring down furiously at the woman now sitting splayed over his couch.
Wang Lingjiao let out a low whistle. If he glared a little harder she'd probably catch on fire.
The noise just made Jiang Cheng's glare darken. Clearly he wasn't Mr. Little Sunshine today.
Wang Lingjiao relaxed, leaned back, and snorted. "I don't know, why don't you ask that little silly alpha you dated for two weeks before leaving them on read."
She reached inside her designer hand purse and took out a cigarette followed by a fancy gold lighter (which probably had real diamonds engraved on it somewhere the spoiled bitch) and lit it up.
"Oy! No smoking in the room!" Jiang Cheng quickly shut it down. Was she crazy?
He turned around and placed his hands on his hips. "And that's not fair," he protested, always quick to defend himself.
Seriously you ghost a nasty arrogant alpha once and you never hear the end of it.
"You saw the man, those pants he always wore were appalling," the omega added, wrinkling his nose cutely. "The fact that we lasted that long was a fucking miracle."
"We all have our flaws darling," Wang Lingjiao drawled, inspecting the long manicured nails she had on one of her hands. "You clearly forgot the most important detail. He was—"
"—loaded. Yeah yeah I've heard it a million times," Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes.
Seriously, did she forget the fact that she quickly got it on with the alpha the second Jiang Cheng dumped him before proceeding to whine about how small his dick was and how short he lasted in bed?
It didn't stop her from dating the man for a whole six months and robbing him of as much money as she possibly could.
"I didn't need his money," Jiang Cheng sniffed delicately, pointing his nose in the air and staring judgmentally at her.
Who did she think Jiang Cheng was to mooch off of someone else's money? Jiang Cheng had far too much pride to do something as shameless as that.
"Well you will soon," Wan Lingjiao said with a smirk, "seriously a pretty little pampered omega like you won't survive out there in the wild you know? They'll gobble you up."
"Not you too," Jiang Cheng groaned, "it's all my sister's been saying this whole week. Don't do this A-Cheng. Talk it over with A-Niang and A-Die, A-Cheng,"
Jiang Cheng mocked angrily, his milky white skin flushing a bright shade of red.
"As if I need anyone's approval to do anything! I'm of legal age now and I'm tired of being constantly berated for just...just doing my best!" The omega let out a small angry sniff, wiping away the tears beginning to form from the bright red corners of his eyes.
His scent had turned sour as he continued rummaging through his dorm to see if he had missed anything.
Wang Lingjiao sighed, quickly giving up. She rested her hand against her forehead. Trying to be the voice of reason was draining. She'd gone too hard too early.
"Do you have a plan at least? You could have waited until you graduated to pull this shitshow you know?"
"I don't want to wait!" Jiang Cheng said, aggravated, "I don't need to wait to get some stupid business degree and marry some shitty asshole rich alpha man to be happy with myself." He broke down, these past few days had been the worst days of his life.
Angry frustrated tears began to fall. He hated the way his parents made him feel. As if no matter what he did he'd never be enough. They'd never love him as simply Jiang Cheng .
He threw his bag on the floor and sank down on the couch beside Wang Lingjiao.
The woman sighed and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. She had never been the best at comforting but for Jiang Cheng, her only true friend, she'd try.
"Aiya, always so quick to cry, stop crying already," she teased softly, poking his forehead. "Anyone walking in would think I made you cry on purpose."
"Good," Jiang Cheng sniffed accusingly. "You'd deserve it."
Wang Lingjiao laughed loudly. "As if that's anything new," she said flippantly, "I already made the new transfer student, that girl rumored to be our new campus flower, cry just two days ago."
The omega groaned, burying his face in his hands. "What did you do?!"
"Stole her boyfriend," Wang Lingjiao responded smugly.
She was quite proud of her achievement, the man was quite the catch, tall, handsome, and most importantly loaded in both of the departments that mattered the most.
"Of course you did," Jiang Cheng sneered, scrunching up his nose adorably in disgust. "One of these days one of those poor girls is going to just sock you in the face and land you in the hospital," he lectured halfheartedly.
He'd never approve of what she did but just like she didn't completely understand him, he'd do his best to respect her choices. And when it all went to shit...he'd be there for her just like she is right now.
Wang Lingjiao grinned. "Bring it on."
They both sat there in silence for a while. Until finally Jiang Cheng hesitated, before saying:
"I want to be a teacher," the omega confessed almost shyly, "I want to work with kids...that week I spent babysitting Jin Ling made me the happiest I've felt in...a long time."
He curled up tightly, wrapping both arms around his legs and hiding his flushed face on his thighs. His long black hair draped delicately over his shoulders and splayed around him in a circle on the couch.
Really he made quite the breathtaking beauty. Wang Lingjiao wasn't lying when she said they'd gobble him up outside the influence of his family.
Jiang Cheng had grown up spoiled and somewhat sheltered which led to him being somewhat...oblivious to certain looks a lot of alphas and betas shot toward him.
Wang Lingjiao sighed. She felt like she was doing that far too often today to be healthy. It'd take some strings and Jiang Cheng was definitely going to owe her big time for this but...
"You know that new guy I've been seeing recently?" She asked the omega.
"The transfer student’s boyfriend?" Jiang Cheng replied, confused. He cocked his head to the side cutely, a silent 'I'm listening' gesture he often did.
Wang Lingjiao burst out laughing. "That man? No way." She laughed. "I meant the one I met a few weeks ago."
"Right..." Jiang Cheng nodded, raising an eyebrow.
What the hell was she two-timing?! He recalled the dude she had hooked up with a few days ago at that sketchy bar she frequented. Three-timing?! He didn't understand where the fuck she was going with this. Was she bragging?!
"I can practically hear your thoughts," Wang Lingjiao interrupted dryly, "if I wanted to brag, I'd have don't it a long time ago," she said rolling her eyes. "What I was going to say is that he knows someone looking for a full-time babysitter right now."
Jiang Cheng's eyes lit up. "Really?" He asked hopefully.
Wang Lingjiao slowly nodded.
She hesitated, before saying, "I don't think he can guarantee you the job but he'll definitely grant you an interview and put in a good word for you if I asked. It's not a sure thing but—"
Jiang Cheng interrupted her by throwing himself at her. "I'll take it! Thank you!" He beamed at her, his whole face radiating with pure happiness and hope.
If Wang Lingjiao had been an alpha she'd have eaten him up herself right then and there. Seriously Wang Lingjiao considered herself quite a pretty little omega vixen herself and even she paled in comparison to Jiang Cheng when he smiled like this.
In another place a certain Lan was currently arguing over the phone.
"I'm not going to accept one of your...one of your little birdie's ," he spat the words out in pure disgust, feeling a familiar nauseating pit in his stomach beginning to form. One that often appeared when he dealt with Wen Ruohan. He carried on, "friend's as a babysitter for my nephews, are you even hearing yourself?!"
On the phone, a rich and deep voice chuckled. "You seriously need to get laid already Qiren. I promise you you'll feel so much better afterwards. You're way too tense for a handsome strapping young twenty-eight year old like yourself."
Lan Qiren snorted. "Did you say the last few words to yourself in the mirror?" The sweet saccharine tone in which he said the last bit gave him goosebumps.
He wouldn't put it past the narcissistic alpha. If anyone was shameless enough to give have a little pep-talk with themselves through the mirror it'd be Wen Ruohan .
Wen Ruohan laughed shamelessly, neither confirming or denying that statement. "I already told you, you don't have to accept him just...give him a try. It's not like you have better options lying around right now do you?" He said smugly, stabbing Lan Qiren right where it hurt.
Lan Qiren sighed, rubbing his aching temples.
Lan Qiren's brother had dropped off the boys at his house on a short notice, giving him some vague excuse of "going out on a short business trip" before driving off somewhere unknown as he had always done ever since his wife died, leaving him behind to raise the kids by himself.
Lan Qiren hadn't questioned him at the time, being far too used to it. It was only until two whole weeks past that he began to feel something was wrong.
Sure enough a brief call to the police later had confirmed his worst fears. His brother had died. A car had hit him on an otherwise abandoned road (which was why it had taken them days to identify the body).
Quickly, Lan Qiren's whole world had shifted. He had snatched custody of his two four and seven year old nephews before moving his whole life around in order to adjust to his new reality.
The flat he lived in was far too small for the three of them, so he had moved to a nearby house located on Lan property. clothes, toys, shoes, school supplies, everything had to be moved from his brother's house to his own.
He had taken a break off of work for as long as he could, but nothing lasts forever. Which is why now he found himself urgently looking last minute into full time nannies.
All they'd have to do was take care of the house and take care of his nephews, everything else Lan Qiren would accommodate (he had made sure to clean one of the guest rooms in case they wanted to move in)
Everything would remain strictly professional no matter what Wen Ruohan said.
If he were any less of an alpha Lan Qiren would have cursed him out and hung up out of pride. Wen Ruohan's smug voice was enough to make an alpha lose his calm. However, Lan Qiren was also a Lan. And Lans did not hang up on people out of sheer annoyance.
Lan Qiren pinched the bridge of his nose and took in a deep breath. "Fine," he agreed gruffly, "but they're on thin ice," he warned, "I'm only giving them one chance and that's all they have."
"Knew you'd see things my way." Wen Ruohan said smugly, his tone brimming with self-assurance and confidence that only came from being an arrogant piece of—
Fuck it.
Lan Qiren hung up.
From the other side of the phone Wen Ruohan chuckled, setting his phone down.
Really his little birdie would owe him big time for this favor. He could feel himself getting a little heated just thinking about all the possibilities he could choose to make come true.
He heard a small buzzing and scowled down at his phone. There on his phone Wang Lingjiao's location could be seen on screen, heading over to one of the usual clubs she frequented (lurked) in, silently waiting for her next prey.
Oh no she wouldn't.
It had been far too much work to get rid of that irritating alpha from her class just for another rival to suddenly appear out of nowhere.
Seriously, did this woman ever rest?
Ah, but she would have never caught Wen Ruohan's attention otherwise.
He swiftly canceled all of his appointments for the day and grabbed his coat, heading out the door.
He had a little birdie to catch.
Lan Qiren hung up; proprieties be damned. He moved to place the folded laundry he had placed nearby upstairs only to feel a small hand tug at the legs of his pants.
A small voice was heard. "Shushu up," the soft monotonous voice demanded. And really who was Lan Qiren to say no?
He picked him up.
"What is it A-Zhan?" He asked the small boy, bouncing him a bit on his lap.
Lan Zhan wrinkled his cute little nose at the act and gave a small pout, making his chubby cheeks squish out. "Shushu no," he ordered calmly, splaying a hand on Lan Qiren's chest as though to stop him.
Lan Qiren chuckled, "I thought you wanted me to carry you?" He teased, making a move as though to put him back down.
Lan Zhan's frown deepened. "No." He demanded, small fists reaching up to clench tightly on Lan Qiren's jacket.
"Then should I do it again?" Lan Qiren gave him a small jostle.
"No." The soft voice said, still as firm as before.
"Then what does A-Zhan want?"
"No."
"No?" Lan Qiren repeated, feeling somewhat bemused.
"No." Lan Zhan agreed, before turning his gaze toward the kitchen.
"Oh? Lan Qiren raised an eyebrow. He moved to check the time and was surprised to see how long he had lasted on the call with Wen Ruohan. "Is it this late already? Are you hungry?"
"No." Lan Zhan replied, however the loud rumble his tummy let out was the only reply Lan Qiren really needed.
He walked over to the kitchen and sat Lan Zhan down on the counter. He turned to ask Lan Xichen, who had gotten up from the couch and was heading toward the kitchen as well. "Are you hungry too Xichen?"
Lan Xichen gave his shushu a shy smile. "A little," he confessed.
Lan Xichen had taken a little while longer to accustom to the fact that he was no longer living with his father than Lan Zhan had. However Lan Qiren was slowly working on getting him out of his shell.
"Next time you or your brother get hungry let me know okay?" He said gently, patting Lan Xichen's small head and picking him up to set him on the counter next to Lan Zhan.
"Shushu," Lan Xichen protested, his cheeks flushing red, "I'm too old to sit here. I'm seven already."
Lan Qiren opened his mouth to reply when Lan Zhan blinked his large golden eyes up to Xichen before saying:
"No."
Lan Qiren couldn't help himself. He laughed.
"No indeed," he agreed, "couldn't have said it better myself A-Zhan," he praised proudly.
He gave Xichen and A-Zhan both a final pat on the head before opening the fridge to get started on dinner.
Lan Qiren wasn't sure how interviews for a nanny were supposed to go.
Was he supposed to look at their credentials? Threaten then to take care of his nephews or else? Bribe them with money?
Lan Qiren supposed the first option was the only one he could really do (even if he strongly supported the second).
All he had to go off was that he was a single, recently graduated, eighteen-year old omega named Jiang Cheng.
Oh. And that he was a friend of Wang Lingjiao apparently.
Something that set off all sorts of bright red warning lights in Lan Qiren's head. Frankly, Lan Qiren was surprised that woman even had a friend at all.
He took a deep breath and glanced up at the clock. 8:59 One more minute left.
If there was something Lan Qiren valued it was punctuality. This was the first test he had for the nanny.
Forty more seconds...
Suddenly his doorbell rang.
It appeared as though they were punctual. Lan Qiren shoved down the small pang of disappointment he felt in his heart. He reached out and opened the door.
And right then and there...his heart stopped. He dropped to the floor, dead, and an angel had arrived to take him away.
Or so he imagined anyway.
Was this really the nanny Wen Ruohan had recommended to him? Wang Lingjiao's friend?
As if hearing his thoughts the beautiful omega, Jiang Cheng, a voice whispered in his head, smiled nervously up at him, pretty azure eyes peeking up at him through thick lashes.
"Hello, I'm Jiang Cheng...I'm here for the interview?" Everything about him was absolutely breathtaking. From his gorgeous shoulder length black hair and small, tender face, to his small waist and endlessly long, slender legs.
Lan Qiren could hear Wen Ruohan's evil cackling echoing through his head; however, he couldn't bring himself to care.
Not when Jiang Cheng was looking at him like that.
He was, as the youngsters these days put it, fucked .
"Uhm..." Jiang Cheng's gorgeous voice interrupted his thoughts, "am I in the right place?" The omega asked somewhat sheepishly, "Wang Lingjiao said this was it..." Seriously, how was it possible for someone to be this lovely?
"You're in the perfect place," Lan Qiren breathed out, his heart practically beating out of his chest with how fast it was racing. He moved out of the way and gestured for Jiang Cheng to enter.
"Please, come in."