The alpha’s face loomed closer, his breaths hot and heavy, yet the actual touch was light—so fleeting it was over before it began.

Jiang Zhan straightened, lowering his head with his lashes cast down, looking as though Wei Xiaochi had done something to him. In a hesitant tone, Jiang Zhan mumbled, “It’s… it’s gone.”

Realizing the implication of those words, Wei Xiaochi’s mind went blank, a loud buzz filling his head. He glanced dazedly at Jiang Zhan, who was also looking at him. Their gazes met, only for both to quickly dart away in flustered silence.

Wei Xiaochi’s heart pounded like a drum, and his ears burned—why did Jiang Zhan keep kissing him?

Half-turning away, Jiang Zhan tucked one arm behind his back, slowly reaching out until his hand brushed against Wei Xiaochi’s. The moment their hands touched, Jiang Zhan gripped tightly, capturing not just Wei Xiaochi’s hand but seemingly his entire ability to think. Wei Xiaochi’s mind was exploding like fireworks, his body swaying as though he’d lost his footing.

Jiang Zhan gave his hand a gentle tug. “Why aren’t you eating?”

Wei Xiaochi glanced stiffly at their clasped hands and croaked, “I’ll eat, but… could you let go first? I can’t eat with just one hand.”

At this, Jiang Zhan raised his free hand, awkwardly holding the porcelain lunchbox for him. “Here. Eat.”

Mortified, Wei Xiaochi felt his ears heat up even more. Left with no choice, he picked up the fork with his left hand.

He speared a piece of apple and asked, “Do you want some?”

Jiang Zhan shook his head, but every time Wei Xiaochi paused, Jiang Zhan would lift the lunchbox closer to his mouth and insist, “Eat.”

Under the alpha’s watchful gaze, Wei Xiaochi had no choice but to transform into an emotionless eating machine.

As the minutes ticked down before class, Wei Xiaochi finally stopped eating. Jiang Zhan pulled him along out of the grove.

Once they were outside, Jiang Zhan released his hand and reminded him, “Wait for me at the school gate after the morning dismissal.”

Wei Xiaochi hesitated. Food outside the school was far pricier than the cafeteria, and he wanted to eat in the cafeteria.

But then Jiang Zhan added, “Let’s go have cold noodles together.”

“…Okay.”

It seemed the young master had developed a deep infatuation with cold noodles.

After making plans to eat together, Wei Xiaochi dashed back to the classroom, with Jiang Zhan trailing a modest distance behind him.

Just before the bell rang, Wei Xiaochi slid into his seat, gasping for breath. Zhang Mingyang shot him a peculiar glance, but when Wei Xiaochi noticed and looked his way, Zhang Mingyang turned his head haughtily.

Finding Zhang Mingyang’s behavior baffling, Wei Xiaochi ignored him, propped his arm on the desk, and obediently waited for the physics teacher to hand out the test papers.

The previous day’s physics test had ended with Wei Xiaochi narrowly defeating Zhang Mingyang by a single point.

Clearly dissatisfied, Zhang Mingyang grumbled under his breath as he fiddled with his test paper.

Even though it was just one point, in a clash of top students, that single point was a victory Wei Xiaochi cherished. As he opened his test paper, he smugly blew on the corner and carefully smoothed out any creases.

Zhang Mingyang couldn’t stand his cocky behavior and rolled his eyes.

However, when the teacher handed the test paper to Li Suilin, both Wei Xiaochi and Zhang Mingyang deflated like withered radishes, lying listlessly on their desks as the reality hit them.

Li Suilin had scored five points higher than Wei Xiaochi and six points higher than Zhang Mingyang. Although the gap wasn’t enormous, it highlighted the undeniable chasm of talent separating them.

Wei Xiaochi sulked over his test paper in silence.

Zhang Mingyang sneered, “What happened to blowing on your paper? Weren’t you all smug just now?”

Used to being overshadowed by Li Suilin, Wei Xiaochi quickly recovered. Hearing Zhang Mingyang’s mocking tone, he slammed his paper in front of him and blew exaggeratedly on it instead.

Zhang Mingyang glared, his face darkening. “Your breath smells terrible. Stop blowing it over here.”

Wei Xiaochi wasn’t fazed and shot back confidently, “You’re the one with bad breath!”

Normally, he might’ve second-guessed himself and worried about having bad breath, but not today. After all, Jiang Zhan had just kissed him and hadn’t mentioned a thing. And Jiang Zhan was notoriously picky!

When Zhang Mingyang opened his mouth to retaliate, Wei Xiaochi dramatically pinched his nose. “Don’t talk. You’re suffocating me.”

Grinding his teeth, Zhang Mingyang retaliated by leaning over and huffing his breath toward Wei Xiaochi. “Take that! Huff, huff, huff!”

“If you huff, I huff too!” Wei Xiaochi countered, and soon the two of them were engaging in a childish breath-blowing war.

Unsurprisingly, the two “lung capacity-challenged” teenagers quickly ran out of steam, collapsing onto their desks, gasping for air like dying fish.

Their little “battle” left them drained for the rest of the morning. Wei Xiaochi slumped at his desk, listless, while Zhang Mingyang fared no better, lying motionless between classes.

Both of them lacked physical stamina, their low lung capacities evident from their abysmal middle school physical education scores.

During a break, Wei Xiaochi reached into his desk for some chocolate but accidentally touched the milk tea Xu Yang had given him.

The once-iced drink was now lukewarm, with the ice fully melted and even the condensation on the cup evaporated. Xu Yang hadn’t come back for it, clearly viewing it as fair trade for copying homework.

While Wei Xiaochi hadn’t thought much about it before, Zhang Mingyang’s earlier comment about Xu Yang’s civility lingered in his mind. Other students only offered a simple “thanks” for homework help, but Xu Yang always reciprocated with tangible items.

Lost in thought, Wei Xiaochi nudged the milk tea forward before quickly tucking it deeper into his desk.

At the school gate, a crowd swarmed as students poured out. Jiang Zhan stood by the retractable gate, tall and striking with his sharp features and broad shoulders, a standout figure even in a bustling crowd.

Spotting Wei Xiaochi, Jiang Zhan signaled him with a glance. Wei Xiaochi instantly understood and followed Jiang Zhan out of the school, walking a few steps behind.

Once they were away from the crowd, Jiang Zhan walked over and grabbed Wei Xiaochi’s hand, pulling him across the street. His grip remained firm as they headed toward the cold noodle shop, the silence between them as awkward as the day before.

Trying to break the tension, Wei Xiaochi asked, “Do you like regular milk tea?”

Jiang Zhan’s dark eyes flickered. “Yeah, I drink it.”

Wei Xiaochi hesitated. “Do you drink it at room temperature? Someone gave me a cup of milk tea this morning, but it’s no longer cold.”

Jiang Zhan’s head snapped up. “Who gave it to you?”

The alpha’s gaze turned razor-sharp, his entire body tensing like a taut bowstring. He radiated an air of aggression, ready to pounce at any moment.

Startled, Wei Xiaochi quickly recalled Jiang Zhan’s obsessive questioning about the chocolate Xu Yang had given him before. At the time, Jiang Zhan had been in a volatile mood, treating Xu Yang as a rival due to his heightened possessiveness during his sensitivity period.

Not wanting a repeat interrogation, Wei Xiaochi stammered, “It’s not the chocolate guy. Just… someone I’m on okay terms with in class.”

Jiang Zhan’s eyes narrowed as he studied Wei Xiaochi, making him squirm under the intense scrutiny.

Leaning closer, Jiang Zhan sniffed around Wei Xiaochi’s hair, ears, and neck like a vigilant guard dog. The gesture left Wei Xiaochi stiff and uncomfortable, like a prisoner on trial.

After confirming there was no trace of another alpha’s scent, Jiang Zhan finally relaxed. Face-to-face with Wei Xiaochi, their noses almost touched. Jiang Zhan commanded sternly, “Don’t drink milk tea from anyone else. If you want it, I’ll buy it for you.”

The close proximity was too much. Wei Xiaochi’s gaze darted around nervously, and he nodded.

Seeing Wei Xiaochi’s long lashes fluttering like tiny fans, Jiang Zhan’s heart stirred. He removed Wei Xiaochi’s glasses and planted a kiss on his eyelids.

Wei Xiaochi froze, his breath quickening as he squeezed his eyes shut. After a moment of stillness, he cautiously opened them again.

Jiang Zhan hadn’t moved, his dark eyes gleaming with a soft intensity. He leaned in for another brief kiss on Wei Xiaochi’s lips before putting the glasses back on and pulling him forward.

Wei Xiaochi stumbled, his steps unsteady as though walking on clouds, dazedly following Jiang Zhan.

When Jiang Zhan walked past the cold noodle shop from the day before, Wei Xiaochi softly reminded him, “Weren’t we getting cold noodles?”

Jiang Zhan replied, “We’re getting milk tea first.”

“…”

If Wei Xiaochi had wanted milk tea, he could’ve just drunk the one from Xu Yang. But knowing Jiang Zhan, that wouldn’t fly. For him, even a simple gesture from someone else could trigger his fierce possessiveness.

What puzzled Wei Xiaochi the most was—how had Jiang Zhan known about the chocolate Xu Yang gave him in the first place?

—

Jiang Zhan Insists on Milk Tea

Wei Xiaochi couldn’t stop Jiang Zhan from buying milk tea, no matter how hard he tried. He was forced to accept a cup of milk-flavored herbal jelly drink before they returned to the cold noodle shop.

The order was exactly the same as yesterday: two servings of cold noodles, one large and one small, with an extra pork-stuffed flatbread. Once again, Wei Xiaochi paid. It stung a little—he’d be lying if he said it didn’t. He silently vowed to eat at the school cafeteria tomorrow, even if he had to treat Jiang Zhan there. It’d still be cheaper.

Having eaten a lot of fruit during the mid-morning break, Wei Xiaochi wasn’t very hungry. But he didn’t want to waste food, so he forced himself to finish everything, even though it left him uncomfortably full.

Because of how bloated he felt, Wei Xiaochi was even more averse to walking around aimlessly today. He just wanted to stay in one place and digest. The only improvement from yesterday was that Jiang Zhan had brought water this time.

After walking under the scorching sun for over half an hour, Wei Xiaochi returned to the classroom, completely drained. He slumped over his desk, hiccupping repeatedly.

Resting his head on his arm, he used his other hand to rub his stomach in slow, clockwise circles, hoping to stimulate digestion. His jerky movements drew mocking remarks from Zhang Mingyang. “You look like a wriggling grub.”

Wei Xiaochi didn’t have the energy to argue with him. He turned his face toward the aisle, ignoring the comment entirely.

One by one, his classmates trickled into the room. Meanwhile, Wei Xiaochi’s hiccups showed no signs of stopping. Though the sound was soft, the vibrations made his throat feel uncomfortable.

Left with no choice, Wei Xiaochi sat up and took a big gulp of water, holding his breath. Unfortunately, it didn’t help much, and he ended up draining his cup. Resigned, he got up to refill it.

At the stairwell, Wei Xiaochi bumped into Xu Yang. The alpha glanced at him, rubbed his nose lightly, and then walked upstairs without so much as a greeting, brushing past Wei Xiaochi.

Wei Xiaochi didn’t think much of it. After all, the two of them weren’t close. Even though they were in the same class, their interactions had always been minimal.

In the past, Wei Xiaochi had hoped Xu Yang wouldn’t even notice his existence. Today, he suddenly realized Xu Yang wasn’t as much of a bully as he’d imagined. This small shift in perception didn’t change much—Wei Xiaochi still planned to keep his distance.

As Wei Xiaochi was filling his cup, a teasing voice sounded behind him. “Went on a date with Jiang Zhan at lunch?”

Startled, his hand jerked, nearly spilling boiling water on himself. His heart skipped a beat as he quickly shut off the faucet and turned around, only to see Li Suilin leaning lazily against the doorframe.

Though his posture was casual to the point of being improper, he somehow made it look elegant and appealing.

Seeing the smile on Li Suilin’s face, a chill ran down Wei Xiaochi’s back. He had a bad feeling about this.

It was true that Li Suilin and Jiang Zhan were friends, but Li Suilin was also a student council member—one responsible for enforcing discipline.

If he admitted to the “date,” it would be trouble. If he denied it, it might be even worse. Stiffly holding his freshly filled water cup, Wei Xiaochi stood rooted to the spot, uneasy and unsure how to respond.

Li Suilin chuckled, his mischievous gaze unwavering. “So, how many streets did you two wander?”

“…”

Quite a few.

Wei Xiaochi didn’t dare answer. He lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.

The smile in Li Suilin’s eyes deepened. “Hmm, not bad.”

With that, he strolled away, his departure more like a leisurely retreat than a crackdown on a budding romance. It felt as though he’d come specifically to tease Wei Xiaochi.

Peeking around the doorframe to make sure Li Suilin was gone, Wei Xiaochi finally let out a sigh of relief.

That evening, Wei Xiaochi once again tagged along to Jiang Zhan’s basketball practice, playing the role of an honorary family member.

However, today’s training wasn’t as quiet as yesterday’s. Several omega and beta admirers of the basketball team had shown up to watch.

Unaware the team had moved indoors to escape the mosquitoes and enjoy the air conditioning, these spectators now seized the opportunity to ogle the players in comfort.

The practice session itself wasn’t particularly exciting—just laps around the court. There were no impressive shots or intense physical confrontations. Still, the onlookers didn’t seem bored, chattering, snacking, and turning the gym into a lively social gathering.

Han Ziyang, ever the hothead, was fuming. “Damn it, I’m not some free monkey performing for their amusement!”

Even the usually mild-mannered Zhao Zifeng sighed. “We can’t exactly kick them out, can we?”

Cracking his knuckles menacingly, Han Ziyang retorted, “Why not? Just watch me.”

Jiang Rui, jogging behind him, smirked. “You’re all talk. If you manage to kick them out, I’ll cover your internet café expenses for a whole month.”

Han Ziyang’s eyes lit up at the chance to exploit this promise. He turned back to Jiang Rui, grinning. “You said it. If you don’t pay up, you’re a grandson.”

Jiang Rui nodded firmly. “I said it.”

Buoyed by the prospect of a free month of gaming, Han Ziyang strode toward the group of spectators. However, Jiang Rui couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Among the entire basketball team, only two people had the clout to handle situations like this: Jiang Zhan and Li Suilin.

With Li Suilin delayed by student council duties, Jiang Rui glanced toward Jiang Zhan at the back of the group. Predictably, the alpha’s gaze was glued to the corner of the gym, where a certain omega was quietly doing homework.

Jiang Rui sighed inwardly. So this is what love looks like. Damn, it’s terrifying.

Jiang Zhan’s handsome face darkened as he stared at Wei Xiaochi, who hadn’t spared him a single glance since arriving. The alpha was sulking, even jealous.

What’s the point of coming if you’re just going to do homework? Is that stupid homework more important than me?

When the coach blew the whistle for a break, Han Ziyang cracked his neck and flexed his fingers. “Watch me.”

Jiang Rui made a gentlemanly gesture of encouragement.

Han Ziyang, full of bravado, approached the group of onlookers. Most were too engrossed in their conversations to notice the team had finished their laps. Only when Han Ziyang stopped in front of them did a few look up.

“This is a closed practice session,” Han Ziyang announced gruffly. “If you’re not on the team, you can’t be here.”

The others turned to look at him, some with indifference, others with mild curiosity.

Impatient, Han Ziyang added harshly, “Did you not hear me? Get out!”

An omega with sharp features and beautiful eyes stood up. “And why should we?”

Han Ziyang was notoriously blunt and had no patience for delicacy, even when dealing with an omega. “Are you deaf? This isn’t a place for your little tea party. If you want to chat, go home and do it there.”

The omega wasn’t intimidated. “This is a school, not your personal court. Show me the rule that says we can’t be here after school hours.”

Their companions chimed in agreement.

The omega continued, his voice cutting and precise, “How exactly are we disturbing your practice? Is our talking too noisy for you? Why not practice at home under your blanket, where it’s quiet?

“And speaking of noise, are we louder than the spectators at a real game? Aren’t you playing against Yiyang this Saturday? Their fans will be cheering their heads off. Maybe you should invite them to play at your house under your blanket, too.”

Laughter erupted from the group, leaving Han Ziyang speechless. Pointing at the omega, he sputtered, “You…!”

“What? You want to hit me?” The omega stepped closer with a smirk. “Go ahead, if you’ve got the guts.”

Though Han Ziyang wasn’t one to hit omegas, this one was testing his limits.

Seeing his stunned expression, the omega yawned. “Boring. People say the basketball team’s full of hotties, but honestly, I don’t see it. Except… maybe that guy.” He pointed toward Jiang Zhan.

Han Ziyang froze, then barked a laugh. “You’ve got nerve. That’s our captain you’re calling ‘not bad.’”

The omega raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so that’s Jiang Zhan? Heard about him before. Decent, I guess. Is that his omega?”

Turning to look, Han Ziyang spotted Jiang Zhan and Wei Xiaochi—holding hands.

The omega smirked lazily. “Interesting. Let’s go.”

One of the girls called after him, “Xie Chi, wait for me!”

“Xie Chi?” Han Ziyang muttered. “Another ‘Chi’?”

Hearing this, the omega turned back, his sharp smile brimming with mischief. “I’m ‘Chi’ as in gallop. Why don’t you ask him what kind of ‘Chi’ he is?”

With that, he walked off, leaving Han Ziyang speechless.

Watching the omega leave, Han Ziyang could only mutter, “What a fiery omega.”

Jiang Rui, smirking at Han Ziyang’s defeat, teased, “Told you they’d be too much for you. Starting to like him, are you?”

“Shut up!” Han Ziyang snapped, his face clouded with frustration. But after a moment, he grumbled, “I’m going to find out what kind of ‘Chi’ he is.”

And with that, he marched toward Wei Xiaochi.

As soon as basketball practice ended, Jiang Zhan approached with a dark cloud over his head. His movements were rough and exaggerated, his temper inexplicably flaring as he threw things around.

“What’s wrong?” Wei Xiaochi asked tentatively.

Jiang Zhan didn’t respond, keeping his head down with an unmistakably sullen expression.

Words didn’t seem to work, so Wei Xiaochi tried a different approach. “Do you… want to smell my pheromones?”

Nothing could soothe an irritable alpha better than the calming presence of omega pheromones.

It was an intimate offer, akin to asking, Do you want to kiss me? But Wei Xiaochi wasn’t hung up on such delicate notions. All he wanted was to stabilize Jiang Zhan’s mood and make him happy again.

If anything, he felt more like a pet rolling over to show its belly, offering itself up for its grumpy owner to stroke and relieve stress. In a way, Jiang Zhan was like his caretaker, always feeding and looking after him.

“No,” Jiang Zhan rejected flatly but then added after a pause, “There are too many people around.”

Wei Xiaochi immediately understood—no pheromone release with a crowd present, but it would be fine in private later.

The improvement in Jiang Zhan’s mood was visible. His fingers crept over and hooked around Wei Xiaochi’s pinky, a subtle yet deliberate touch.

Wei Xiaochi’s pale fingers instinctively curled, and the tips of his ears twitched uncomfortably.

Jiang Zhan nudged him again until Wei Xiaochi moved his hand closer. Their hands eventually clasped, but neither of them looked at the other.

They stayed like that until Han Ziyang came storming over.

As soon as Wei Xiaochi saw him, he quickly pulled his hand back and sat up straight, his posture unnaturally stiff.

Jiang Zhan’s face darkened as he shot a sharp glare at Han Ziyang, but the latter didn’t notice. His mind was singularly focused on one burning question: What kind of “Chi” is Wei Xiaochi?

Marching over, Han Ziyang demanded urgently, “Tell me! What ‘Chi’ is in your name?”

Still flustered from trying to hide their hand-holding, Wei Xiaochi’s mind scrambled. For some inexplicable reason, a Tang Dynasty poem he’d once read popped into his head. Without thinking, he blurted, “Chi jing na neng jiu, fang fei bu ji xin.” (The beauty of dusk cannot linger; new blossoms are even more fleeting.)

Han Ziyang stopped in his tracks, confused. “What?”

Wei Xiaochi blinked, unsure himself of what he’d just said.

Han Ziyang persisted. “What did you just say? Something about Chi Jing and something new?”

It took a moment for Wei Xiaochi to recall. “Oh, ‘Chi jing na neng jiu, fang fei bu ji xin.’ It’s from a poem by Zhang Jiuling.”

“What does it mean?” Han Ziyang looked completely lost but waved his hands before Wei Xiaochi could explain. “Never mind, I wouldn’t remember it anyway. Either way, you win. You’ve got more culture than that other guy.”

For the first time, Han Ziyang felt genuine respect for an academic. While he still couldn’t quite understand why Jiang Zhan liked Wei Xiaochi, in comparison to that sharp-tongued omega from earlier, Wei Xiaochi was undeniably… likable.

“Good luck, scholar. Keep up the studying,” Han Ziyang said as he turned to leave, leaving Wei Xiaochi utterly baffled.

After Han Ziyang left, Jiang Zhan’s expression remained sour. “What ‘Chi’? What ‘Jing’?”

Wei Xiaochi: “…”

Helplessly, he repeated, “Chi jing na neng jiu, fang fei bu ji xin.”

Jiang Zhan frowned. “That’s where your name comes from?”

Wei Xiaochi shook his head. “Probably not.”

The line was from Zhang Jiuling’s Zhe Yang Liu, but Wei Xiaochi had no idea if his parents had even read it.

In the distance, the coach called everyone to gather. Jiang Zhan had to leave but turned back at the last moment, his tone serious. “Stop doing homework all the time.”

“Huh?” Wei Xiaochi was stunned. Not even homework? What’s he worried about—my eyesight getting worse?

That thought struck a chord. His current glasses cost over six thousand yuan. If his prescription increased, replacing them would cost a fortune.

With that in mind, Wei Xiaochi quickly performed two rounds of eye exercises, not wanting to risk it.