Why Is This Omega Stalking Me…?

Chapter 72

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After realizing his feelings, Shen Yu had believed that everything would become simple. In his mind, there had been a clear and almost cinematic sequence of events. He would walk to Jiang Li’s apartment, knock on the door without hesitation, and when it opened, he would pull the omega into his arms before he had time to retreat. He would kiss him—not gently, but with certainty—and finally say the words that had been buried in his chest for far too long.

He had truly thought it would be that easy.

Reality, however, proved far more complicated than imagination.

He did go to Jiang Li’s apartment. More than once. Each time, he stood outside the familiar door, his tall figure casting a quiet, unmoving shadow across the dim hallway. His hand would lift slowly, hovering inches away from the wood, close enough to touch, yet never quite making contact. The closer he came to knocking, the louder his thoughts became—overlapping, contradicting, tangling together until they formed nothing but noise.

What should he say?

How could he explain something he himself had only just begun to understand?

Every answer he came up with felt insufficient.

And so, in the end, he would always lower his hand.

Then he would turn and walk away, his footsteps echoing faintly behind him.

This continued for days, each failed attempt leaving behind a quiet, persistent frustration that settled deep in his chest.

Two days passed without them seeing each other.

For Jiang Li, those two days stretched endlessly, each hour dragging heavily into the next. The silence between them wasn’t peaceful; it was suffocating, pressing down on him until even breathing felt difficult. He found himself replaying that moment over and over again—the question he had asked, the way Shen Yu’s expression had shifted, the hesitation, and the silence that followed.

It looped in his mind without pause.

He had ruined it.

That was the only conclusion he could reach.

It was the 27th of December. The apartment felt unusually large, the emptiness more noticeable than ever as Jiang Li sat alone on the couch. The television played quietly in front of him, its shifting lights casting soft flickers across the walls, but he wasn’t truly watching. His attention drifted constantly, unable to settle, his thoughts too loud to ignore.

Luo Xin and Guo Chen had both returned to their families for the holidays.

He hadn’t.

He could have gone. There was nothing physically stopping him, no real obstacle in his way. But the thought alone made his chest tighten painfully. Facing his family meant answering questions he didn’t want to answer, pretending everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t, forcing a smile he didn’t have the strength to hold.

He didn’t have the courage for that.

He lifted the carton of strawberry milk in his hand and took a small sip. The familiar sweetness spread across his tongue, soft and comforting in a way that felt almost nostalgic.

Shen Yu had bought it for him before.

Something so small.

Something so intentional.

That only made it hurt more.

Just then, his phone rang.

The sudden sound startled him, pulling him out of his spiraling thoughts. He glanced down, expecting something unimportant, but the moment he saw the name on the screen, his breath caught sharply in his throat.

Shen Yu.

His fingers tightened instinctively around the phone before he answered, his hands trembling ever so slightly.

"Hello..." he said softly, his voice cautious, almost fragile.

There was silence at first, long enough for his heart to begin pounding loudly in his ears. Then came a quiet exhale—familiar and unmistakably Shen Yu’s.

"Can we meet?" he asked.

Jiang Li nodded immediately before realizing the other couldn’t see him. "Where...?" he asked instead, his voice barely steady.

Shen Yu hesitated again.

That hesitation didn’t go unnoticed.

The small spark of hope that had begun to form inside Jiang Li flickered uncertainly, dimming as doubt slowly crept in. Maybe this wasn’t something Shen Yu wanted. Maybe this meeting wasn’t about feelings at all.

Maybe it was just responsibility.

Because of the child.

The thought settled heavily in his chest, dulling whatever warmth had been there before. He listened quietly as Shen Yu gave him the address, his mind no longer fully present.

Jade Lantern Café.

Jiang Li agreed softly and ended the call, his hand lingering around the phone even after the screen went dark.

It hurt.

Just hearing Shen Yu’s voice had been enough to make his heart race uncontrollably. His scent alone could weaken him, and every touch they had shared lingered in his memory with painful clarity, refusing to fade.

That was what made it so unbearable.

He stood up slowly and began to change his clothes. As he adjusted his shirt, his gaze drifted downward to his lower abdomen, and he paused.

Doctor Norman had said it had been twelve weeks.

Three months.

Because of his slim frame, the change was subtle, almost easy to miss, but it was there—a small, gentle curve that hadn’t existed before.

Beanie.

A soft, fragile smile formed on his lips as his eyes grew misty. He placed his hand over his stomach, his palm resting lightly against the warmth beneath the fabric. It felt real in a way nothing else did, grounding him for a brief, fleeting moment.

For just a second, the chaos in his heart quieted.

Then reality returned.

He inhaled slowly and finished getting dressed.

Before leaving, he pulled on a loose hoodie, the fabric draping over his body and hiding the slight curve completely. The cold air outside bit against his skin as he walked toward the café, his breath faintly visible in the winter air, disappearing just as quickly as it formed.

When he pushed open the door, the soft chime of the bell echoed gently through the space.

Shen Yu was already there.

He sat near the window, his posture straight yet relaxed, his gaze lowered as though lost in thought. Even when the bell rang, he didn’t look up immediately. He wore a fitted black sweater beneath a dark coat, his appearance neat and composed in a way that felt effortless.

Jiang Li paused for a moment, glancing down at his oversized hoodie before looking back at Shen Yu.

Why did he always look so put together... while Jiang Li felt like he was barely holding himself together?

The thought lingered briefly before he forced himself to move forward.

Shen Yu seemed to notice him through scent alone. He lifted his head, his dark eyes meeting Jiang Li’s instantly.

"I’m sorry for making you come out in this cold," he said quietly.

He slid a cup toward him.

Jiang Li looked down, his eyes widening slightly.

Vanilla coffee.

That small gesture made something in his chest tighten painfully. Shen Yu was being careful again, attentive in ways that felt almost gentle, almost instinctive.

It gave him hope.

And hope always hurt.

He sat down slowly, his fingers resting against the warm cup, absorbing the heat as if it might steady him.

"Is this your usual coffee?" Jiang Li asked.

Shen Yu nodded faintly, a small smile appearing on his lips. "Yes."

Jiang Li froze slightly at the sight of it.

The smile grew just a little. "I thought you liked it."

Jiang Li nodded, though his expression wavered. "Try it," Shen Yu added softly.

Jiang Li lifted the cup with both hands, holding it tightly as if grounding himself. He hesitated before taking a sip, bracing for the bitterness he remembered.

But it wasn’t bitter.

It was warm, smooth, and lightly sweet.

His eyes widened as he looked up in surprise.

"You knew... I didn’t like it?" he asked.

Shen Yu nodded. "You said you did," he replied quietly, "but that doesn’t mean I should keep letting you drink something you don’t enjoy."

He paused briefly before adding, "I know you prefer sweeter things."

The simplicity of those words broke through Jiang Li’s restraint completely.

Tears slipped down his face before he could stop them.

Why did he have to be like this?

Why did he make it impossible to let go?

Shen Yu noticed immediately, the shift in Jiang Li’s pheromones making everything obvious. He reached out without hesitation, gently wiping away the tears with a tissue, his movements careful, almost hesitant in their softness.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

Jiang Li didn’t answer right away. He stared down at the table, his breathing uneven, his thoughts tangled beyond easy explanation. Slowly, he lifted his gaze, his honey-brown eyes meeting Shen Yu’s.

"Shen Yu... I like you," he said.

The words were soft, almost fragile, but they carried everything he had been holding back.

Shen Yu stilled.

His mind went blank.

It wasn’t because he didn’t know the answer anymore.

It was because, for the first time in years...

He didn’t know how to put his feelings into words.

The silence stretched between them, thick and unmoving.

He exhaled slowly, then leaned forward, resting his forehead gently against Jiang Li’s. The closeness made Jiang Li’s breath catch, his fingers tightening slightly around the cup in his hands.

"I know," Shen Yu murmured.

Jiang Li blinked, confusion flickering through his tearful gaze. "You... knew?"

Shen Yu didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he shifted closer, resting his head lightly against Jiang Li’s shoulder. His eyes closed briefly as he inhaled the familiar, comforting scent, as if grounding himself in it.

"You’ve been following me for months," he said quietly. "It would’ve been embarrassing if I didn’t notice."