At the other end of the city, a commercial office building was brightly lit as a business meeting was underway.
The Xiao family and the Luo family were fighting tooth and nail over a platform cooperation project, but in the end, they still failed to reach an agreement.
The two families were competitors in the same industry, both running entertainment media companies in the same city. From the very first day they entered the industry, they had been as incompatible as fire and water. They had been fighting like this for twenty years. Both families were famous locally, yet their relationship remained as bad as ever.
President Luo, Luo Zhiyu’s father, said, “Just you wait.”
President Xiao said, “Fine. Just you wait.”
“Zhiyu is coming home next week, right?” Luo Yi asked Luo Zhiyu’s older sister after getting into the car. “He’s been in school for almost a month already without us realizing it, hasn’t he?”
“I think so.” Luo Sixue removed her makeup while looking into the mirror. “The first-years have their monthly exam this weekend, so he’ll come home next weekend.”
“By the way, isn’t Xiaoyu at the same school as Xiao Yan now?” Luo Yi remembered. “That kid from the Xiao family.”
“Yeah. They’ve gotten into quite a few fights. Whenever they see each other, they’re like fighting roosters.” Luo Sixue said, “They’ve been fighting since they were little. They weren’t even in the same grade or class, and before this they didn’t even attend the same school. I have no idea how they managed to get into fights.”
“A few days ago, Xiaoyu said their pheromone compatibility is close to zero. I suppose that explains it.”
“Technically, we can argue about business while they have nothing to do with it. But since the two of them like picking fights, let them fight.” Dad Luo was completely at ease. “Besides, after all these years, Xiaoyu has never once had his parents called to school because of Xiao Yan.”
“You’re not worried about my little brother getting the short end of the stick?” Luo Sixue raised an eyebrow. “Why do I vaguely remember that the reason they started tearing into each other was because of Luo Zhiyu?”
“Oh, please. With your little brother’s personality, you and your brother spoiled him rotten. He only knows how to make other people suffer.”
At the doorway of Senior Two Class Three, Luo Zhiyu took another step toward the window, widening the area where he could be seen and doing his best to make his presence known.
“Come out and play.” He knocked on the glass window beside Xiao Yan again, trying to let Xiao Yan experience the envy of seeing someone else having fun during class.
Xiao Yan had just written down the “B” option on his test paper when the tip of his pen stopped on the paper.
Xiao Yan’s deskmate, the student in front of him, and the student beside that student were engaged in a silent exchange of glances and brain waves.
Fan Yue: “It’s already late?”
Tang Yuan: “Unmarked omega?”
Zhang Shu: “Inviting you out to play?”
Newly joined Lu Minggui: “Ooh, I know what this is. I’m going to see how he handles it.”
Then they watched as Xiao Yan calmly put down his pen, pressed his test paper down with his pencil case, stood up, and leisurely walked out through the back door of the classroom.
The four of them: “……”
A huge wave of noisy conversation immediately broke out inside Class Three. Zhang Shu whistled in the direction Xiao Yan had left, and the few of them looked at one another, their smiles full of meaning.
The person responsible for maintaining classroom discipline had slipped away, and Class Three instantly descended into chaos. Whispering, comparing answers, and all sorts of other things were happening.
Student 1: “What’s the answer to Question Five on the omega version?”
Student 2: “AAA, were you even listening in class? Come compare answers with me. What did you put for Question Two?”
Student 3: “? What happened? What are you laughing about? What kind of question is on the alpha version? Is it really that funny?”
Student 4: “Hahahahaha, Teacher Xu is probably crying in the bathroom.”
“The test is the test, and reality is reality.” Fan Yue helped Xiao Yan maintain order for once. “Everyone, hurry up and write. Fill everything out properly. We’re collecting them at the end of the first evening self-study period.”
In the corridor, Xiao Yan, who had followed Luo Zhiyu out, leaned against the wall, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite bring himself to.
“Oh? You really came out.” Luo Zhiyu had originally planned to tease him and run away, so he was quite surprised when he discovered that Xiao Yan had actually followed him out—and even grabbed him by the wrist. “Then I guess I should feel honored?”
“What did you just call me?” Xiao Yan blocked his way.
Luo Zhiyu froze for a moment. Then he remembered how he had just been deliberately making his presence known. His eyes flickered with slyness and mischief.
“Overwhelmed by your favor, Brother Yan?”
“Luo Zhiyu.” Xiao Yan took two steps forward and cornered him at the turn of the staircase. When he lowered his head, he noticed the brand-new name tag on Luo Zhiyu’s school uniform. He raised his hand and tapped the name tag with his fingertip. “You really know how to pick your timing. You know you’re shameless, right?”
“You were eating ice cream outside my classroom this morning and telling me to come out and play.” Luo Zhiyu’s bizarre logic made another appearance. “I was just copying your behavior. So tell me, are you saying you’re shameless?”
“……”
Xiao Yan flexed his fingers and threatened him. “You’d better have something to say. Otherwise……”
Xiao Yan’s school uniform was neat and tidy, and his orange-scented pheromones were well hidden. Even so, because Luo Zhiyu was familiar with his pheromones, when the alpha got too close, Luo Zhiyu still instinctively felt a little pressured.
“Come to think of it, I really do have something. This is actually perfect timing to tell you.” Luo Zhiyu pulled a document out of his pocket. He unfolded the document, which had been folded more than a dozen times and was now crumpled, and handed it to Xiao Yan. “Look. The autumn sports meet.”
“You want to participate?” Xiao Yan asked.
“I’m not doing it. Why would I go home during the three-day sports meet holiday?” Luo Zhiyu said. “We’re a city-run school, and the citywide middle and high school multi-sport competitions are also being held here, so we have to cooperate with the new media department to design promotional posters.”
“Got it. Fan Yue mentioned it to me. Once this event is finished on the arts and culture side, there won’t be any other work this semester.” Xiao Yan took the document. “You have your monthly exam this weekend?”
“Yeah.” Luo Zhiyu nodded. “I’m going home next week, so I won’t have time to work on this. I’m very busy.”
“How about you don’t go home?” Xiao Yan suggested.
Luo Zhiyu: “?”
When Xiao Yan returned to class, the classroom was completely silent. Everyone had their heads down, working on their tests. Even Fan Yue and the others were writing furiously, as if nothing had happened just now and they hadn’t seen anything either.
Xiao Yan walked around Fan Yue and returned to his desk, lowering his head and continuing to write his test.
His phone vibrated.
Luo Zhiyu had gone back downstairs and sent him another message.
[Zhizhi]: Done.
[Zhizhi]: I’m not going home next weekend.
[Gunpowder Everywhere]: You decided that quickly?
[Zhizhi]: There’s nothing much for me to do at home anyway. I just need to tell my dad and my sister.
[Zhizhi]: Considering your family and mine are fighting over another contract, I didn’t tell them I’m staying at school with you.
[Zhizhi]: I told them I have something to do with an alpha classmate who doesn’t wish to leave his name, so I won’t be going home this week.
[Gunpowder Everywhere]: Fairy Frowning.jpg
[Zhizhi]: Hope we can have a pleasant weekend.
[Zhizhi]: Want to go out and play after we finish the posters?
[Zhizhi]: I haven’t explored the area around here since I came to this part of the city.
[Zhizhi]: Wanna play, gege? Evil Grin.jpg
“Hurry up and write. Who are you chatting with?” Fan Yue caught sight of Xiao Yan’s phone screen from the corner of his eye.
Xiao Yan: “Do the questions. Do the questions.”
The next evening, Teacher Xu angrily walked into the classroom carrying a stack of test papers.
“I’ve taught you all for nothing.” Teacher Xu slammed the papers onto the podium. “All the alpha students in the class, go stand in the corner at the front. Xiao Yan, you stay seated. This has nothing to do with you.”
Around the classroom, a few alpha students reluctantly stood up one by one and walked over to the corner by the blackboard, standing against the wall.
“The first question was a general-knowledge question. Do you know what a general-knowledge question is?” Teacher Xu took a sip of tea to calm himself down. “A general-knowledge question means that even if I never taught you, you should still know how to answer it.”
“That was a free point! What is wrong with all of you? Every alpha student in the entire class except Xiao Yan chose A.” Teacher Xu was furious. “Your class was the only one in the entire grade with such a high error rate. You are the worst class I’ve ever taught.”
Xiao Yan: “……”
Xiao Yan: “？？？”
“Look at the question! Take out your pens!” Teacher Xu said. “Follow me and underline the keywords. ‘It is already late in the evening’—what does that tell you? It tells you the timing is inappropriate. ‘Unmarked.’ ‘Only invited you.’ What do you choose? Looking at your test papers, where are you all looking?”
“Don’t tell me you don’t know the correct answer. Put those little thoughts of yours away. Is Xiao Yan the only upright alpha in the entire class?”
A dozen or so alpha students shot Xiao Yan resentful looks.
“‘Happily go out with him’?” Teacher Xu slapped the podium. “Have you ever seen anyone do that? Of all the students I’ve ever taught, I don’t think there’s a single one who would do that.”
The dozen or so punished alpha students continued shooting resentful looks at Xiao Yan.
The upright Xiao Yan: “……”
One minute later, Xiao Yan silently stood up and joined the line of students being punished at the doorway.
Teacher Xu: “?”