Why Is This Omega Stalking Me…?

Chapter 48

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Jiang Li noticed it almost immediately.

Even as he sat there, quietly eating his blue bubblegum ice cream, his attention wasn’t truly on the sweet taste melting on his tongue. Instead, it lingered on Shen Yu.

The Alpha had gone distant again.

Shen Yu sat beside him, silent, his gaze lowered as if lost in thoughts too heavy to voice. The faint glow of the park lights brushed against his sharp features, but his expression remained unreadable, closed off in a way that made Jiang Li uneasy.

Jiang Li paused mid-bite, the spoon hovering near his lips as his cheeks puffed slightly, giving him the appearance of a small chipmunk. His eyes stayed fixed on Shen Yu, searching, trying to understand what was going on behind that quiet exterior.

At the same moment, Shen Yu lifted his head.

Their eyes met.

For a brief second, Shen Yu simply stared—and then, unexpectedly, he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head lightly.

Jiang Li blinked, confused.

The sudden reaction caught him off guard, and it took him a moment to realize he was still holding the spoon in his mouth. Embarrassed, he quickly swallowed the ice cream, his cheeks flushing a soft red as Shen Yu’s faint smile lingered.

"Are you really okay... with this?" Jiang Li asked, his voice quieter now, hesitant.

Shen Yu hummed in response, his gaze drifting upward toward the night sky. The moon hung above them, pale and distant, casting a calm light over the quiet park.

They had ended up here after leaving the store, carrying with them the pizza Jiang Li insisted on and the overly sweet blue bubblegum ice cream he refused to give up. It should have felt simple.

Normal.

But it didn’t.

Shen Yu eventually looked back at him.

"Mn... I’m okay," he said.

Jiang Li’s eyes widened slightly at the answer, as if he hadn’t expected it. He nodded slowly, but his gaze dropped back to his bowl, his fingers tightening faintly around the plastic cup before he looked at Shen Yu again.

"It’s not that simple," he said softly. "Shen Yu... you’re going to be a father."

The last words came out almost like a whisper.

Shen Yu’s brow lifted slightly.

Of course he knew that.

He wasn’t denying it. He wasn’t ignoring it either.

Yes, he was afraid.

Anyone would be.

This wasn’t some small change that could be brushed aside. It was something that would alter everything—his life, Jiang Li’s life, and the life of the child that now existed between them.

But what unsettled him more was the way Jiang Li looked at him.

As if he expected a different answer.

As if he wanted Shen Yu to admit he wasn’t okay.

"And if I say I’m not okay," Shen Yu asked, his voice calm but edged with something probing, "what are you going to do?"

Before Jiang Li could respond, Shen Yu reached out and pinched his cheek lightly.

It was something he had been tempted to do the moment he saw that puffed-up, chipmunk-like expression earlier.

Jiang Li froze.

"Just finish your ice cream," Shen Yu added, releasing him. "It’s melting."

Jiang Li’s face flushed deeper.

The spot where Shen Yu had touched felt strangely warm—not painful, not uncomfortable, but... something else. Something that made his thoughts spiral in a direction he wasn’t prepared for.

His eyes widened slightly as he realized it.

Quickly, he lowered his head and focused on eating, forcing himself to finish the ice cream in silence.

Shen Yu watched him from the corner of his eye.

When Jiang Li finally finished, Shen Yu stood up without a word. He took the empty pizza box and the plastic cup from Jiang Li’s hands and walked a short distance to throw them into a nearby bin before returning.

Then, he extended his hand.

Jiang Li hesitated for only a second before taking it.

With Shen Yu’s help, he stood up, and the two of them began walking side by side toward the parking lot where Shen Yu’s car was parked.

The silence between them wasn’t entirely uncomfortable—but it wasn’t easy either.

After a few steps, Shen Yu spoke.

"If you feel any pain or need anything..." he said, his tone quieter now, more deliberate, "tell me. Okay?"

Jiang Li froze mid-step.

Slowly, he looked up.

Shen Yu was already looking at him.

Their eyes met, and Jiang Li felt his heart stutter.

The Alpha’s dark gaze was steady, focused entirely on him, and the faint scent of whiskey and rosewood wrapped around him like warmth, grounding and overwhelming at the same time.

Jiang Li’s breathing grew uneven.

His pupils dilated without him realizing, his body reacting instinctively to the presence so close to him.

Shen Yu noticed.

Of course he did.

A low chuckle slipped from his lips as he reached out and covered Jiang Li’s eyes with his hand.

"You’re too easy to read," he murmured.

Jiang Li’s lips parted slightly, his thoughts turning hazy as he stood there, frozen in place. When Shen Yu removed his hand, Jiang Li found himself still staring—his gaze drifting unconsciously downward.

To Shen Yu’s lips.

The realization didn’t come immediately.

But Shen Yu saw it clearly.

The shift.

The want.

And for a brief moment, amusement flickered in his eyes.

"Can I kiss you...?"

The words slipped out before Jiang Li even realized what he was saying.

The moment they registered, his entire body went rigid.

Shen Yu’s brow lifted slightly.

"...Excuse me?"

Jiang Li’s eyes widened in horror.

Without another word, he turned and hurried toward the car, his steps quick and uneven, as if he could outrun what had just happened.

What the hell is wrong with me?

The thought repeated over and over in his mind as he stared at the car window, refusing to look back. His face burned with embarrassment, and he wished—desperately—that the ground would open up and swallow him whole.

When the car door opened, he braced himself.

He expected teasing.

Mockery.

Something.

But nothing came.

Shen Yu simply got into the driver’s seat and asked for directions to Jiang Li’s apartment.

Jiang Li answered quietly, his voice still shaky.

The drive passed in near silence.

When they finally arrived, Jiang Li wasted no time. He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car quickly, eager to escape before his embarrassment consumed him entirely.

But just as he started to walk away—

"Jiang Li."

Shen Yu’s voice stopped him.

Jiang Li’s eyes squeezed shut.

"...Y-Yes?" he replied, not turning around at first.

Shen Yu exhaled softly.

"I meant what I said," he told him. "If you need anything—or if you feel pain—call me."

Jiang Li turned slowly.

Their eyes met again.

His heart raced.

For a moment, he wanted to run back—to close the distance, to hold onto something that felt unexpectedly steady.

But the memory of what had just happened stopped him.

Instead, he turned and ran.

He didn’t stop until he reached his apartment.

His heart was still pounding when he reached the door, his fingers fumbling slightly as he pushed it open—

And then he paused.

The door wasn’t locked.

A frown formed on his face.

At first, he assumed it might be Guo Chen or Luo Xin. But as he stepped inside, a scent reached him—sharp, unfamiliar, and unmistakably Alpha.

Jiang Li stilled.

It was familiar.

But he couldn’t place it.

Slowly, he moved further inside, his eyes scanning the apartment.

Nothing seemed out of place.

Nothing was missing.

Confusion settled in.

If nothing was taken... then why—

His steps slowed as he moved toward his bedroom, unease creeping up his spine. He entered cautiously before heading toward the bathroom, intending to wash his face and calm himself down.

But then—

He stopped.

His gaze fell on the laundry basket.

Empty.

Completely empty.

His breath caught.

The clothes he had left there—

Were gone.

Jiang Li stumbled back slightly, his shoulders trembling as realization began to sink in.

No valuables were taken.

No signs of forced entry.

Just—

His clothes.

A cold chill ran through him.

Was...

Someone watching him?

Was he—

Being stalked?