Chapter 1- The Young Master Who Left
Su Nian had always believed that he was lucky.
From the moment he could remember, the Su family had given him everything a child could possibly want.
His mother would personally choose his clothes every morning, even when he complained that he could dress himself. His father rarely came home without something for him. His older brothers spoiled him shamelessly, and whenever he wanted something, someone would find a way to get it.
He was the youngest.
The precious Omega of the Su family.
The beloved young master.
At least, that was what Su Nian had always believed.
Until that afternoon.
“Your biological son has been found.”
Those words changed everything.
Su Nian sat quietly on the sofa, his fingers tightly wrapped around the sleeve of his sweater.
Nobody had said anything cruel to him.
That was almost worse.
His parents were crying. His brothers looked stunned. Everyone was talking about the young master who had been separated from the family years ago.
The real young master.
Their biological son.
Su Nian lowered his head.
He knew he should be happy.
After all, someone had finally found their lost child.
But a strange fear had already settled inside his chest.
If the real young master came home…
Where would that leave him?
Would his mother still wake him up every morning?
Would his father still remember to bring him his favorite snacks?
Would his brothers still save him a seat at dinner?
Would they still call him their little brother?
Su Nian swallowed.
He hated himself for thinking this way.
The real young master had done nothing wrong.
Neither had he.
But for the first time in his life, Su Nian felt like he was standing in a place that didn't belong to him.
That night, he barely slept.
The next morning, the house was already busy.
Everyone was preparing for the return of the real young master.
Su Nian stood at the top of the stairs and watched his family move around downstairs.
His mother was giving instructions to the servants.
His father was making phone calls.
His brothers were discussing which room should be prepared.
Nobody noticed him.
Su Nian's heart quietly sank.
He turned around.
He went back to his room.
An hour later, he left the Su residence with only one suitcase.
He didn't take the expensive jewelry.
He didn't take the cards his father had given him.
He didn't even take most of his clothes.
He only packed the things he personally liked.
A few sweaters.
His headphones.
His phone charger.
And a little stuffed rabbit his mother had bought for him when he was young.
Before leaving, Su Nian stood in front of his bedroom door for a long time.
He wanted to cry.
But he didn't.
“It's okay,” he whispered to himself.
“They have their real son now.”
He forced a smile.
“That's a good thing.”
Then he walked away.
By evening, Su Nian had no idea where he was going.
He had taken the first train out of the city.
Now he was sitting alone at a small roadside café, staring at the cup of warm milk in front of him.
He had been so determined to leave.
He hadn't thought about what he would do afterward.
His phone kept lighting up.
Mother.
Brother.
Father.
Brother.
Again.
And again.
Su Nian stared at the screen.
His fingers hovered over the answer button.
He couldn't do it.
If he heard his mother's voice, he knew he would start crying.
So he switched off the phone.
For a few minutes, there was peace.
Then someone sat down across from him.
Su Nian looked up.
The man was tall, dressed simply but elegantly, with dark hair and a calm expression.
There was something intimidating about him.
Not because he was rude.
He simply had the kind of presence that made people instinctively lower their voices around him.
Su Nian quickly looked away.
The stranger placed a cup of coffee on the table.
Then he looked at Su Nian's suitcase.
“You ran away?”
Su Nian froze.
“Excuse me?”
The man's eyes moved from the suitcase to Su Nian's slightly red eyes.
“You look like someone who ran away from home.”
Su Nian's cheeks puffed slightly.
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
“I didn't.”
The man raised an eyebrow.
Su Nian stared at him.
For some reason, the man's expression almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Instead, Su Nian looked down at his milk.
“I just wanted some fresh air.”
“With a suitcase?”
Su Nian went silent.
The man didn't press him.
After a moment, he simply pushed a small plate of pastries toward him.
“Eat.”
Su Nian blinked.
“I didn't ask for this.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you buy it?”
“You've been staring at them for five minutes.”
Su Nian's ears turned pink.
He hadn't realized.
Slowly, he picked up one of the pastries.
“Thank you.”
The man nodded.
“Lu Jingyan.”
Su Nian paused.
The man looked at him.
“My name.”
“Oh.”
Su Nian hesitated.
Then, softly, he replied,
“Su Nian.”
Neither of them knew it yet.
But this ordinary meeting in a small café would change both their lives.
Because the boy sitting nervously across from Lu Jingyan wasn't simply a runaway Omega.
He was the fake young master of the Su family.
And Lu Jingyan wasn't simply a stranger who happened to offer him a pastry.
He was the man Su Nian's family had already chosen as his future marriage
