“Did you fail to pull anything good in a gacha game, or did the teacher call on you over and over in class?” How was this unlucky? The principal and teachers at school loved the Grade 12 uniforms. They said the outfits especially brought out the youthful energy of young people.
A photo of Xiao Yan wearing his new uniform had even appeared on the school’s official WeChat account. It had been taken during the opening ceremony. Luo Zhiyu and Xiao Yan were sitting on the stage, discussing where to go on a date that weekend and trying to figure out the most efficient route. They had even started drawing a map on a sheet of scratch paper. A teacher from the Student Affairs Office had snapped a photo of them from below the stage, and it was used to illustrate that day’s news article.
When the news article about the opening ceremony was published, the parents had praised the school to no end. They said No. 1 High School had excellent students who were good-looking, too. Even during the opening ceremony, the students were busy working out problems and drafting things on paper. They were practically perfect: passionate about learning, united, and friendly. They embodied the school motto. Director Wu and Director Xu had been riding high on those compliments for quite some time.
In short, there was absolutely no question of Xiao Yan looking bad in his new uniform.
But now, he refused to wear it and insisted that it was unlucky.
What was going on? Had he become superstitious now that he was in Grade 12?
“Then should I forward you a picture of a lucky koi fish or a white peacock or something?” Luo Zhiyu asked.
“No koi fish.” Xiao Yan shook his head. “No white peacocks, either. And no rainbow-colored clouds or pink clouds.”
“Then what do you want?” Grade 12 students really were difficult to please. “Fine, fine. As long as it isn’t a star in the sky that I can’t reach, I’ll find you anything else.”
That was about as humanely reasonable as Luo Zhiyu could manage to be.
“I want a star.” Xiao Yan seemed to think that even being in contact with the green uniform was bad luck, so he switched to carrying it in his hand. “Nothing else.”
Luo Zhiyu: “???”
“Are you in rut or something? Why are you so damn difficult?” Luo Zhiyu was about ready to hit him. “How about I give you a punch? Would you like that?”
Taking advantage of the empty stairwell, Xiao Yan seized the opportunity to pin Luo Zhiyu down and score a few more affection points.
With the uniform in one hand and Luo Zhiyu in the other, Xiao Yan headed downstairs with him. They were planning to go to the cafeteria together when they ran into Teacher Song, the same teacher who had been on duty before. They hadn’t had time to separate their clasped hands when Teacher Song nervously reminded them, “They’re doing construction work over by the woods.”
Xiao Yan: “……”
“The back gate is under construction, too,” Teacher Song added. “And there are surveillance cameras!”
“Teacher,” Luo Zhiyu said politely, “we’re not going to the woods. We’re going to the small cafeteria. We really haven’t fought in ages.”
The new students were still in their military training week. At mealtimes, the cafeteria was full of first-year students wearing dark blue training uniforms. September was hot, and the students, drenched in sweat, moved back and forth through the cafeteria. A faint trace of pheromones lingered in the air.
From the moment Luo Zhiyu entered the cafeteria, three or four first-year students who had just finished military training greeted him one after another. Two of them were alphas.
Xiao Yan was beginning to understand just how popular Luo Zhiyu was among the students from No. 19 High School—and just how terrible the school’s atmosphere had been. These people didn’t even treat Luo Zhiyu like an omega. They had even sent several former omega classmates from No. 19 to drag him into going out with them that weekend, insisting that they had gone to great lengths to arrange a gathering with some tough alphas.
“Are you coming, Brother Luo? They specifically asked for you. It’s that guy you beat the crap out of back then.”
“They say they want to bury the hatchet. Apparently, he got emotionally attached after you beat him up. Nothing else going on—he just said it’s been a year since you last saw each other, and he wants to meet up for a meal to celebrate that we’re all high school students now.”
“Come on, come on! It won’t take long. They’ve booked the whole place.”
Before summer vacation, the school had registered them for a middle school English competition. Luo Zhiyu remembered that it was probably scheduled for that very week. He was just about to decline when Xiao Yan spoke on his behalf first—
“He’s not going.”
Xiao Yan didn’t offer any specific reason. He simply said, “He doesn’t want to go.”
“Fine. I don’t want to go,” Luo Zhiyu said. “You can keep your tough alphas for yourselves. I have plans with Yan-ge this weekend.”
The first-year students were a little disappointed that they hadn’t managed to persuade the former big shot from No. 19 High School. Chattering away in their supposedly “quiet” conversation, they left.
“Does Brother Luo have a boyfriend? That Grade 12 alpha is seriously handsome. But why does he look kind of familiar?”
“How could that be? That’s Xiao Yan! Have you guys forgotten? Luo Zhiyu’s childhood nemesis. They’ve been fighting since they were kids, and their terrible relationship was famous throughout their entire residential neighborhood. Last year, they even went to the hospital together when they presented as alpha and omega. I heard from the Grade 11 students that their pheromone compatibility is zero.”
“Have you forgotten that short video of Luo Zhiyu beating someone with a broom last year? It got forty thousand likes. Everyone said it was a showdown between two local big shots. Apparently, they fight whenever they see each other. Their relationship is so bad that the teachers get nervous whenever they see the two of them together.”
“Hahaha, so that’s what it is! I thought Brother Luo had started dating already. I knew it. Luo Zhiyu has no heart!”
Xiao Yan: “……”
Luo Zhiyu: “???”
They were free to discuss whatever they wanted, but why were they insulting people?
A crumpled paper ball flew straight toward the alpha boy who had said that, hitting him squarely in the back of the head before rolling down into his collar. The boy was so uncomfortable with the paper ball digging into him that he jumped up and down on the spot.
“Fuck! Since when did you get so good at throwing things at people, Luo Zhiyu?”
“Get lost!” Luo Zhiyu threw another paper ball at him. “Why the hell can’t I date someone while I’m still in school? Who are you looking down on?!”
The group burst into laughter and hurried away.
“A bunch of little brats.” Luo Zhiyu had finally chased off the troublemakers.
“Mm.” Xiao Yan responded without much expression, helping Luo Zhiyu gather up their trays before turning to return them.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Xiao Yan smelled different today. He was like an unripe green tangerine, sour from the inside out.
Luo Zhiyu’s gaze settled on the chair opposite him. Xiao Yan had draped his green uniform over it instead of wearing it.
Was it because of the green uniform? Had his delicious orange turned into an unripe green tangerine, all sour and astringent?
Ever since Xiao Yan had exploited a loophole in the rules to successfully trick the little hooligan into being his, the two of them generally no longer returned to their dorms at noon. Luo Zhiyu would usually go to Xiao Yan’s classroom, occupy his seat, and lie down for a nap. Xiao Yan would sit in Fan Yue’s seat beside him and keep him company.
Today was no different. The green tangerine led him back to his own classroom. Grade 12 students had a heavy academic workload, and most of them prioritized studying efficiently. They returned to their dorms for a midday nap, so only one student remained in the classroom, half closing his eyes as he stubbornly continued reading. Two others had already put their heads down and fallen asleep.
Luo Zhiyu quietly sat down in Xiao Yan’s seat and picked two of Xiao Yan’s workbooks to use as a pillow. The classroom was too quiet in the afternoon, so the two of them switched to chatting on WeChat.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: I’m sleepy. Yawning.jpg
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: Go to sleep. I’ll wake you up later.
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: Fairy frowning.jpg
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: Wait, when did you change my contact name?
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: You were peeking at my phone screen.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: I changed it while we were eating. Take a good look at yourself in that new uniform and tell me you don’t look like an unripe green tangerine.
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: ……
Luo Zhiyu rested his head on his arms and stared at the neat, attractive handwriting in Xiao Yan’s workbook in front of him. Just as he was starting to feel drowsy, a large uniform jacket suddenly fell over his head, covering both his head and shoulders.
Luo Zhiyu: “?”
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: Take it away, take it away! I don’t want to turn green.
The next moment, Xiao Yan ducked into the space beneath the uniform jacket with his phone in hand. The jacket wasn’t particularly thick, but it blocked out much of the light around them. In the suddenly darkened, cramped space, their bodies were pressed close together.
The temporary mark from last time had completely disappeared. Now, Luo Zhiyu smelled only of clean, sweet peach, with no other scent on him at all.
The previous winter, by the lake, Xiao Yan had used his down jacket in exactly the same way to create a tiny world just for the two of them.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: What are you doing? Wearing this uniform over our heads is what’s really unlucky.
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: Does Zhiyu like his big brother?
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: Of course I do.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: My pheromones might not like you, but Luo Zhiyu definitely likes you.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: No matter what color your orange peel is, you’re still Xiao Yan. So stop hating your uniform.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: Anyway, what’s with all this sudden affection? What are you after?
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: I want to score a few more affection points. Smile upside down.jpg
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: ……
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: Didn’t you already score some today? Will you only be satisfied when you’ve scored enough to make me unable to walk?
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: Yep.
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: Is that okay?
Luo Zhiyu: “……”
He realized that this guy was becoming increasingly open about expressing his possessiveness.
What else could he do? Xiao Yan hadn’t even gone into rut, yet his orange had already turned green. It was rather pitiful. And it wasn’t an unreasonable request, either.
He might as well indulge him.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: Okay, okay, you win. Score as many as you want. Your boyfriend is lying down and surrendering. Do whatever you like.
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: I’m going to cover your mouth for a bit. Don’t make a sound, okay?
Luo Zhiyu: “?”
Was there something special about the pheromones of an unripe green tangerine?
True to his word, Xiao Yan really did raise his hand to cover Luo Zhiyu’s mouth, as if he was absolutely certain Luo Zhiyu would make a sound.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: ?!
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: ??? What the hell! Is this something a decent human being would do?!
The green tangerine opened his mouth and bit the gland at the back of Luo Zhiyu’s neck. The alpha’s sharp canine teeth pierced the skin there in an instant, and orange-scented pheromones flooded into Luo Zhiyu’s body, sending a shudder through him. His breathing quickened slightly, and his whole body leaned backward. Xiao Yan held him firmly in place.
But the classroom was too quiet, and Luo Zhiyu’s mouth was still covered. He tried his best to control the force of his struggling, and Xiao Yan restrained even his slight shudders. Not a single sound escaped him.
The uncomfortable, weak, tingling sensation in his body couldn’t be released through words. Unable to control himself, tears fell onto the back of Xiao Yan’s hand.
Luo Zhiyu wasn’t in heat, yet Xiao Yan had given him a temporary mark.
This was their first temporary mark since getting together. Once again, Luo Zhiyu’s body carried the orange scent he loved.
Luo Zhiyu’s eyelashes were still damp from his tears. He turned his head in disbelief and saw a trace of red at the corner of Xiao Yan’s lips. Xiao Yan avoided the gland at the back of his neck, drew him into his arms, and kissed him gently, as if trying to comfort him for what had just happened.
The little hooligan glared at Xiao Yan and bit his lower lip, taking away the reddish stain at the corner of his mouth.
He tasted the scent of his own pheromones: sweet peach. No wonder someone couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Luo Zhiyu quietly let Xiao Yan put a fresh pheromone-blocking patch on him. He quietly waited for the green tangerine’s pheromones to gradually settle in his body. Then, without a word, he grabbed Xiao Yan’s uniform and used it to wipe his damp eyelashes.
After finishing all that, Luo Zhiyu gave a mirthless little snort, patted Yan-ge hard on the shoulder, braced himself against the windowsill, and leaped over it. He landed silently on the other side and climbed out through the window.
Xiao Yan: “……”
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: There’s still plenty of time before class. Want to come back and take a nap?
GreenTangerineGreen Tangerine: I have a little blanket. Want it?
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: Biting me is fine, but you hurt me, and then you wouldn’t even let me make a sound.
ZhiliaˇoZhiliǎo: We’re officially giving each other the silent treatment now. Conflict.jpg
Luo Zhiyu was angry.
The green tangerine was stunned.