In the quiet classroom, each student sat at their desk, heads down, the scratching of pens on paper filling the air.
Sitting in the back row, a handsome young man put down his pen, glanced over his exam paper and answer sheet, and then walked straight to the front to submit his test. The proctor, unsurprised, smiled warmly at him, clearly pleased.
Lin Xiaoran left the classroom, leaving behind a slew of classmates who couldn’t help but look at his retreating figure with admiration in their eyes. Despite the challenging exam, this top student had finished early once again. There was just no comparison.
Exiting the exam room, Lin Xiaoran walked down the corridor towards the stairs. At this hour, everyone was busy with their tests, and he was the only one who had finished early. The hallways were silent, save for a few proctors who glanced at him occasionally, some even greeting him with smiles, drawing the attention of other students.
As he reached the classroom near the stairwell, he paused and peeked inside. Gu Yang was seated at the far end by the window, looking down at his paper, spinning a plain pen in his hand with deft skill.
Coincidentally, Zhang Zhihe was in the same exam room. However, Lin Xiaoran was more curious about Gu Yang’s actual scores than whether he could surpass Zhang Zhihe this time.
After this monthly test, Gu Yang’s hidden talents would finally be revealed.
Lin Xiaoran’s lips curved slightly. Just as he was about to leave, Gu Yang seemed to sense his gaze and looked up, his amber eyes meeting Lin Xiaoran’s.
Startled, Lin Xiaoran waved at him and then walked away.
Gu Yang watched him through the window, seeing him exit the school building and head towards the gate.
Hmm?
Gu Yang frowned. Why was Lin Xiaoran so eager today? He usually wasn’t in a rush to go home recently.
Lin Xiaoran stepped out of the school gate, pulled out his phone to make a call, when he heard someone call out, “Senior, over here.”
He turned to see Jiang Chen on a motorcycle parked by the curb, taking off his helmet with a smile.
Lin Xiaoran nodded and walked over. Jiang Chen handed him another helmet, signaling for him to get on. Once Lin Xiaoran was securely seated, Jiang Chen sped away on the motorcycle.
Gu Yang waited until the exam time ended before submitting his paper. He packed his things leisurely and left the classroom, only to run into Chen Hongqiang and Jiang Tao who immediately pulled him towards the basketball court.
It was a good time to unwind after the exams, especially since the seniors didn’t have evening self-study sessions for now. Gu Yang agreed and joined them for a game of basketball.
They played until dusk, stopping only when it became too dark to see the hoop clearly.
“I’m starving. Let’s grab something to eat,” someone suggested, and the group headed towards the school gate.
This routine was familiar to Gu Yang, but today he felt oddly uninterested. Just as he was about to tell his friends to go on without him, Chen Hongqiang exclaimed, “Isn’t that Lin Xiaoran?”
Gu Yang’s spirits lifted as he looked up. At the school gate, Lin Xiaoran was getting off a motorcycle, removing his helmet, and adjusting his hair while talking to the rider, Jiang Chen.
They were too far to hear the conversation, but Gu Yang noticed Jiang Chen’s increasing smile, his eyes glued to Lin Xiaoran’s face.
“Are Lin Xiaoran and Jiang Chen dating?” someone speculated, sparking a round of gossip.
“I think so. Last time I saw Jiang Chen defending Lin Xiaoran from Guan Jun’s bullying like a knight in shining armor.”
“Honestly, does Jiang Chen even compare to our Yang? Lin Xiaoran needs to check his eyes.”
“You say that like Gu Yang likes Lin Xiaoran? He doesn’t…”
Halfway through, Chen Hongqiang faltered, realizing that Gu Yang’s expression didn’t look right. That glare at Jiang Chen was downright chilling. He shivered and cautiously called out, “Yang?”
“You guys go ahead.” Gu Yang didn’t spare him a glance, striding directly towards Lin Xiaoran.
“What’s going on? Something seems off with Yang,” Jiang Tao muttered, nudging Chen Hongqiang.
I’d be blind not to notice! Chen Hongqiang thought but kept it to himself, rallying the group, “Come on, let’s go eat,” though he couldn’t help but glance back at Gu Yang, perplexed.
By then, Gu Yang had reached Lin Xiaoran and Jiang Chen. Ignoring Lin Xiaoran, he stared straight at Jiang Chen, his gaze void of emotion but laced with hostility, sending a chill down Jiang Chen’s spine.
Jiang Chen composed himself, pretending not to notice, and waved at Lin Xiaoran. “Senior, I’ll get going. Let’s keep in touch.”
Lin Xiaoran, surprised to see Gu Yang still at school, nodded to Jiang Chen. “Sure.”
As Jiang Chen rode off, Lin Xiaoran turned towards the nearby bike shed, casually asking Gu Yang, “Why aren’t you home yet?”
Gu Yang, feeling choked up, pressed his lips into a thin line, saying nothing.
Lin Xiaoran glanced back at him but couldn’t decipher anything from his expression, so he bent down to unlock his bike.
Leaning against the shed, Gu Yang’s gaze fell on the soft nape of Lin Xiaoran’s neck, where a hint of pink stood out, making his heart clench tighter. Unable to hold back, he finally asked, “What’s going on between you and Jiang Chen? Where did you go?”
Standing up after unlocking his bike, Lin Xiaoran looked at Gu Yang, confused. Was he angry?
What was there to be angry about?
Before he could answer, his phone rang with a video call from Grandma Gu.
Glancing at the caller ID, he sighed inwardly and answered. Grandma Gu’s gentle, concerned voice came through immediately, “Xiaoran, why aren’t you home yet?”
“I got held up, heading back now,” he replied obediently.
“Oh, are you alone? Is Yang with you? It’s dark; you shouldn’t walk alone. If Yang isn’t there, I’ll send a driver to pick you up.”
Lin Xiaoran glanced at Gu Yang, feeling slightly exasperated but still answering dutifully, “Gu Yang is here.”
“Good, let me talk to him.”
In the quiet classroom, each student sat at their own desk, heads down, with the sound of their pens scratching against their exam papers.
At this moment, a handsome boy sitting in the back row put down his pen, briefly reviewed his exam paper and answer sheet, then stood up and walked straight to the podium to hand in his paper.
The proctor was not surprised, instead, he smiled and nodded at him, seemingly pleased.
Lin Xiaoran then left the classroom.
The remaining students couldn’t help but look back at his departing figure, many with admiration in their eyes.
Despite the difficulty of this science paper being exceptionally high, the “study god” finished early again.
It’s just incomparable!
After leaving the exam hall, Lin Xiaoran walked along the corridor towards the stairs. Since everyone else was still taking the exam, the school was quiet, with only a few proctors occasionally glancing out of the classroom doors. When they saw Lin Xiaoran, they weren’t surprised; some even smiled and chatted with him, drawing the attention of other students.
As he passed a classroom near the stairwell, he paused by the window and glanced inside. Gu Yang was sitting by the window, focused on his paper, twirling an ordinary pen in his hand.
Coincidentally, Zhang Zhihe was also in this exam room.
But more than whether Gu Yang could surpass Zhang Zhihe’s rank, Lin Xiaoran was more interested in Gu Yang’s true capabilities.
This monthly exam should reveal the truth.
Lin Xiaoran’s lips curved slightly as he was about to leave when Gu Yang seemed to sense his gaze and looked up, his amber eyes meeting Lin Xiaoran’s.
Startled, Lin Xiaoran waved at him and turned to leave.
Gu Yang watched him walk out of the school building and head towards the gate.
Hmm?
Gu Yang frowned. Why was Lin Xiaoran in such a hurry today? Lately, he didn’t seem too eager to go home early.
Lin Xiaoran walked out of the school gate, took out his phone, and was about to make a call when he heard someone calling him, “Senior, over here.”
He looked over to see Jiang Chen parked by the roadside on a motorcycle, helmet in hand, smiling at him.
Lin Xiaoran nodded and walked over. Jiang Chen handed him another helmet, motioning for him to get on.
Once Lin Xiaoran put on the helmet and got on the motorcycle, Jiang Chen sped off.
Gu Yang waited until the end of the exam to hand in his paper. After packing his things, he slowly left the classroom and ran into Chen Hongqiang and Jiang Tao, who immediately dragged him to play basketball.
With exams going on, only the senior students were in school, and there were no evening classes. After finishing several exams, it was a good time to relax. Gu Yang didn’t refuse and went to the basketball court with them.
They played until it was almost dark, stopping only when they could no longer see the hoop clearly.
“I’m starving, let’s go eat.”
Someone called out, and they all headed out of the school together.
Gu Yang used to spend every evening like this after school, but today he felt uninterested. Just as he was about to tell Chen Hongqiang and the others to go ahead without him, Chen Hongqiang suddenly exclaimed, “Lin Xiaoshen?”
Gu Yang felt a strange joy in his heart and looked up to see Lin Xiaoran getting off the back of a motorcycle at the school gate, taking off his helmet and running a hand through his tousled hair, talking to the rider—Jiang Chen.
Though they were too far to hear the conversation, Gu Yang saw Jiang Chen smiling brightly, his eyes fixed on Lin Xiaoran’s face.
“Is Lin Xiaoshen really with Jiang Chen?”
Someone asked, immediately sparking gossip.
“Seems like it. Last time when Guan Jun caused trouble for Lin Xiaoshen, Jiang Chen was there acting like a protector.”
“Seriously, can Jiang Chen even compare to our Yang? What’s Lin Xiaoshen thinking?”
“That sounds like you’re saying our Yang likes Lin Xiaoshen. But Yang doesn’t like Lin…”
Halfway through, Chen Hongqiang paused, sensing something off about their Yang.
The way Gu Yang was looking at Jiang Chen gave him chills. He couldn’t help but shiver and call out softly, “Yang?”
“You guys go ahead.” Gu Yang didn’t even look at him, leaving that remark as he walked towards Lin Xiaoran.
“What’s going on? Yang seems off.” Jiang Tao nudged Chen Hongqiang. “Didn’t you notice?”
I’d be blind not to!
Chen Hongqiang thought, pulling Jiang Tao and the others away. “Let’s go eat.” He couldn’t help but look back, confused about Gu Yang’s behavior.
Gu Yang approached Lin Xiaoran and Jiang Chen, his eyes fixated on Jiang Chen, devoid of any excess emotion, but Jiang Chen felt a chill from the hostility.
Jiang Chen steadied himself, ignored Gu Yang, and waved at Lin Xiaoran. “Senior, I’ll go first. Keep in touch.”
Lin Xiaoran was curious why Gu Yang was still at school but didn’t ask much. He nodded at Jiang Chen. “Okay.” Watching Jiang Chen leave, he turned towards the bike shed, asking Gu Yang, “Why haven’t you gone home?”
Gu Yang: “…”
He felt stifled, his lips pressed into a thin line, remaining silent.
Lin Xiaoran glanced back at him but couldn’t discern anything, so he didn’t press further. He unlocked his bike.
Gu Yang leaned against the shed, his eyes falling on the pink maple leaf mark on Lin Xiaoran’s neck, feeling even more stifled. Finally, he couldn’t hold back, “What’s going on with you and Jiang Chen? Where did you go?”
Unlocking the bike, Lin Xiaoran stood up, looking at Gu Yang. He felt Gu Yang seemed angry but couldn’t understand why.
Gu Yang’s phone rang, a video call from Grandma Gu. Lin Xiaoran answered, “Grandma, I’m on my way home.”
“Are you alone? Is Yang with you? It’s dark, don’t walk alone.”
Lin Xiaoran glanced at Gu Yang, feeling helpless but had to respond, “Yang’s here.”
“Good, let Yang walk with you.”
Lin Xiaoran handed the phone to Gu Yang, and Grandma Gu immediately instructed, “Yang, it’s dark. It’s not safe for Xiaoran to be alone. Take care of him, okay?”
Gu Yang, distracted by what Lin Xiaoran hadn’t said earlier, absently replied, “I know.”
After hanging up, Gu Yang wanted to continue questioning Lin Xiaoran, but Lin Xiaoran, displeased, complained, “Does your family have some misconception about Omegas?”
Ever since Gu Yang’s family knew Lin Xiaoran was an Omega, they were overly cautious.
At home, they wanted Gu Yang to avoid him, but outside, they feared Gu Yang wouldn’t be with him, as if he would inevitably encounter danger alone.
Before knowing he was an Omega, he often returned home alone after evening self-study, but now, it was like they couldn’t rest easy if he went out alone.
At home, any slight movement he made would be met with concern that he was tired, and missing a bite of food would prompt worries about his health.
Lin Xiaoran understood their concern, but it was too much.
So he didn’t want to go home early recently; the atmosphere was too bizarre.
Gu Yang, amused by Lin Xiaoran’s displeased expression, chuckled. Their family’s concern wasn’t entirely exaggerated, given the rarity of male Omegas.
“Omegas receive a lot of privileges, but Lin Xiaoran was different,” Gu Yang thought. Lin Xiaoran never felt different from others, so he was naturally uncomfortable with the sudden overprotectiveness.
“How about we have dinner outside?” Gu Yang suggested, changing the subject.
Lin Xiaoran’s eyes lit up. “Let’s have hotpot!”
He didn’t want to go home early, knowing he’d be surrounded by overly concerned family members.
Gu Yang knew he didn’t want to go home, smiled, and got on his bike. “Hop on.”
Once Lin Xiaoran was seated, Gu Yang pedaled off. But the image of Lin Xiaoran getting off Jiang Chen’s motorcycle kept replaying in his mind, reigniting his suppressed anger. He wanted to ask about Jiang Chen but held back.
Lin Xiaoran seemed to have forgotten the earlier interruption, and Gu Yang didn’t want to appear too concerned.
Why should he care?
What Lin Xiaoran did, where he went, or who he was with shouldn’t matter. He had been playing basketball with Chen Hongqiang, and Lin Xiaoran hadn’t asked him anything.
Gu Yang kept telling himself this, pushing the matter aside, and took Lin Xiaoran to eat hotpot.
Due to the monthly exams, the senior teachers had to mark papers, so they got two days off.
On this rare break, Lin Xiaoran indulged in a lazy morning, sleeping until eleven.
When he went downstairs for lunch, he found Gu Yang and Grandpa Gu were not home.
Grandma Gu explained while serving him food, “Grandpa went hiking and took Gu Yang with him. Gu Yang wanted to invite you, but I didn’t let him. You high school seniors study so hard; you need to rest on your days off. Hiking is too tiring.”
Lin Xiaoran obediently nodded, focusing on his meal.
“Guess I can’t even hike because I’m an Omega,” he thought.
With nothing to do in the afternoon, he turned on his computer to play Seventh World but quickly got bored without a strong opponent and ended up watching a movie.
Time flew by, and it was already five o’clock.
His phone rang—it was Jiang Chen. After a brief conversation, Lin Xiaoran’s eyes lit up, and he quickly said, “I’m coming.”
After informing Grandma Gu and Aunt Wu, he left.
Walking along the shaded path by East Lake to the end, he turned out to see Jiang Chen on his motorcycle at the corner, walking over quickly.
Meanwhile, Gu Yang and Grandpa Gu were returning home after hiking all day, their black Bentley speeding past the corner where Jiang Chen handed Lin Xiaoran a box.
“Stop the car!” Gu Yang almost shouted but was interrupted by Grandpa Gu.
“I have a friend inviting Grandma and me for dinner tonight, so it’ll just be you and Xiaoran at home for dinner.”
“Oh,” Gu Yang replied softly as the car turned towards East Lake, and Lin Xiaoran disappeared from sight.
Even if he hadn’t, what could he do?
Gu Yang wanted to rush out, pull Lin Xiaoran to his side, and punch Jiang Chen.
He didn’t ponder why; his mind was filled with the image of Lin Xiaoran and Jiang Chen together.
Jiang Chen came here to find him and gave him a gift. Could Lin Xiaoran really be with Jiang Chen?
He was frustrated.
Returning home, Grandpa and Grandma Gu left for their dinner, leaving Gu Yang waiting on the couch, eyes fixed on the door.
But instead, he got a call from Lin Xiaoran, who told Aunt Wu he was having dinner with a friend and wouldn’t be home.
Gu Yang jumped up, rushed to the door, and then stopped, throwing a “I’m not eating” to Aunt Wu and heading upstairs.
In his room, he went to the bathroom, turned the shower on full blast, and stood under the water, trying to calm down.
Why was he so angry?
Lin Xiaoran was just having dinner with another Alpha. Why did it drive him mad?
Even if Lin Xiaoran was with Jiang Chen, why did it matter?
People said they were dating, but they weren’t. So what if Lin Xiaoran dated Jiang Chen?
It must be because he had marked Lin Xiaoran too many times, confusing their relationship.
Yes, that must be it.
Trying to convince himself, he lay down, wet hair still dripping, trying to sleep.
But the attempt failed. Closing his eyes, he saw Lin Xiaoran’s face, with Jiang Chen beside him, wondering where they were dining and what they were eating. Would Lin Xiaoran take Jiang Chen to his favorite places?
Unable to sleep, he got up to do some practice problems but heard movement downstairs—Lin Xiaoran was back.
He stood up, hand on the door handle, but forced himself back, focusing on the problems.
But he couldn’t concentrate. He had to know: what was Lin Xiaoran’s relationship with Jiang Chen?
Unable to write a single word, Gu Yang’s attention was suddenly drawn to a box on the bookshelf. He reached out, took the box down, and opened it. Inside lay a silver maple leaf necklace, identical to the one he had given to Lin Xiaoran.
What did Jiang Chen give Lin Xiaoran? Could it also be a couple’s necklace?
This thought flashed through his mind as he dropped the box and grabbed his test paper, heading downstairs to the second floor.
Lin Xiaoran’s door was slightly ajar, with no sound coming from inside.
Standing outside, Gu Yang tightened his grip on the paper, feeling a bit nervous. He gently knocked on the door before pushing it open.
Lin Xiaoran wasn’t there, but the faint sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Showering?
Gu Yang suddenly felt a sense of relief. He closed the door behind him, placed the test paper on the desk, and prepared to wait for Lin Xiaoran to come out. A black box on the corner of the desk caught his eye—it was the same box Jiang Chen had given Lin Xiaoran that evening.
You shouldn’t touch other people’s things!
He reminded himself, but his hand moved involuntarily to pick up the box. Instantly, he froze, his amber eyes fixed on the obvious label on the box—”Alpha Pheromone Extract. Instructions: Inject into the gland during pheromone imbalance or heat period. Suitable for: Omegas who are not fully marked.”
Just then, Lin Xiaoran opened the bathroom door, toweling his hair dry. The cedar scent of pheromones filled the room, causing him to instinctively grab the door frame, looking at the Alpha by the desk in surprise. “What’s… wrong with you?”
As he spoke, Lin Xiaoran’s body began to lose control, his ice pear scent leaking out and intertwining with the cedar scent.
Gu Yang turned to look at him, his amber eyes devoid of any humor, raising the box in his hand. “What is this?”
At that moment, Gu Yang appeared completely different from his usual self. The intense pheromones surrounded him, and despite his lack of significant movement or serious tone, his presence exuded an undeniable authority.
Omegas are naturally submissive to powerful Alphas. This Gu Yang made it difficult for Lin Xiaoran to even stand.
His breathing became uneven, his voice tinged with moisture. “Alpha pheromones… Ah!”
Before he could finish, Gu Yang grabbed his wrist and pulled him over, interrupting him with a clenched jaw. “Jiang Chen’s?”
Lin Xiaoran, weak and powerless, stumbled into Gu Yang’s arms. His mind went blank as he looked up at Gu Yang in confusion. “What Jiang Chen? It’s from someone I don’t know; I just picked it randomly.”
“Someone you don’t know!” Gu Yang seemed to be provoked by something, his pheromones surging out uncontrollably.
Lin Xiaoran’s legs gave out, and he slid down weakly. In the next second, his waist was firmly held by the Alpha, his chin resting on Gu Yang’s shoulder. Before he could react, he heard Gu Yang’s unfamiliar and frantic voice in his ear. “Don’t use it!”
“Hmm? Ah… it hurts…”
Before Lin Xiaoran could understand what Gu Yang meant, his neck gland was suddenly bitten by Gu Yang. A flood of cedar-scented pheromones poured into his body, stirring up his own pheromones violently.
Being marked outside of the heat period was more overwhelming for an Omega than during it. Gu Yang seemed to have lost control, injecting his pheromones into Lin Xiaoran continuously for ten whole minutes before stopping.
Lin Xiaoran, completely limp, lay on Gu Yang’s shoulder, gasping for breath, his mind filled with anger. He looked up at Gu Yang, glaring. “Gu Yang, you jerk! What the hell is wrong with you? Are you addicted to biting?”
But just being marked, his entire body felt soft and weak, his beautiful eyes watery, and even his angry voice carried a nasal tone. His lips, red and moist, moved close to Gu Yang’s face, his body filled with Gu Yang’s scent.
Gu Yang looked at him, not hearing a word, only finding his lips too tempting. His body moved faster than his mind, and he leaned in for a kiss.
Lin Xiaoran’s pupils dilated, his thick eyelashes trembling violently. His hands, resting on Gu Yang’s shoulders, instinctively tried to push away but lacked strength. Besides, his body enjoyed Gu Yang’s scent and proximity, giving him a warm, protected feeling.
Gradually, he closed his eyes, his hands sliding down to encircle Gu Yang’s neck, pulling him closer.
Leave a Reply