Chapter 23: Good News and Bad News

Previously, Ji Laili thought his companions were foolish for being tricked by Instructor Aige.

Now, if anyone dared call them stupid, he would fight them to the end.

The inhibitor Ji Laili had was actually contributed by Zhai Yifei’s lackey. He hadn’t used it himself but had given it to Shen Yu instead.

A silver-white needle pierced the skin, leaving behind a bright red puncture mark.

Shen Yu tossed the empty inhibitor onto the ground.

His gaze unconsciously fell on Ji Laili, watching him intently.

Ji Laili… had grown used to being looked at by him.

From the initial discomfort and unease, he had now learned to face Shen Yu’s gaze calmly.

It was nothing—just a few glances, that’s all.

Five minutes later, Ji Laili took back his words.

Shen Yu’s gaze was something most people couldn’t endure. Ji Laili always felt that when Shen Yu stared at him for too long, his soft butterfly-like presence transformed into something more sinister—like a spider.

He was the prey caught in the web, unable to escape.

To avoid Shen Yu’s gaze, Ji Laili took the initiative to start a conversation.

“Senior Shen, how did you end up in the confinement room?”

He paused, recalling the flash of silver on the device that released the pheromones.

“Were you always here? In the monitoring room?”

Shen Yu seemed slightly surprised but nodded lightly. “Yes.”

“I’m an assistant instructor for this freshman training.”

“Oh, oh,” Ji Laili scratched his head. Then… did that mean Shen Yu had seen him pretending to be a Beta?

Like a dejected little puppy, he drooped his head, feeling a bit sulky.

The emotions in Shen Yu’s eyes softened slightly. “You don’t want to see me?”

He asked bluntly and indifferently, lips pressed tightly together. Then he dismissed his own question. “Forget it, you don’t have to answer.”

“It’s not that,” Ji Laili looked up, his fluffy curls bouncing slightly in the air, making them even more disheveled.

After running like the wind earlier, his curly hair was already in chaos. Then, unconscious of his actions, he scratched his head again, making it even fluffier.

If Ji Laili weren’t so handsome, he might have looked like an old lady with a trendy perm.

Shen Yu’s fingertips twitched slightly.

Realizing his small movement, he froze a little.

…The fever period was really not to be underestimated. His brain hadn’t been clear from the moment he saw Ji Laili.

It was like he was under some kind of spell, perhaps triggered by the Alpha inhibitor stimulating his Alpha genes.

As his body temperature gradually dropped, Shen Yu clearly remembered what he had said.

“Want to try?”

“Now… mark me.”

“Ji Laili, come here…”

“I want to smell your pheromones.”

As the memories resurfaced, a wave of secondhand embarrassment hit him.

To be honest, Shen Yu rarely experienced this kind of emotion.

When he was an Alpha, no one dared make the proud son of heaven feel this way.

After becoming an Omega, his mind had been filled with murderous intent and hatred for Alphas, leaving no room for such embarrassment.

Now, Shen Yu forced himself to endure the shame of his past self for a full seven seconds.

Finally, he withdrew his gaze and stopped staring at Ji Laili.

Ji Laili thought it was thanks to his conversation skills. Smiling, he continued the previous topic.

“I didn’t not want to see you,” he clarified.

“I was just surprised.”

“When I noticed someone watching me earlier, I thought it seemed like you, Senior Shen.”

“I didn’t expect it to really be you.”

He grinned, his bright eyes curving into crescent moons, dazzling and radiant.

Shen Yu looked up, and the last bit of embarrassment in his mind dissipated.

The Alpha inhibitor was indeed effective.

Even in a clear-headed state, Shen Yu found himself thinking—this Alpha in front of him was a little… cute.

Or maybe it wasn’t the inhibitor at all.

Maybe Ji Laili himself was just… very cute.

Ji Laili kept chatting enthusiastically with Shen Yu, though in reality, most of the talking was done by him alone.

Talking to oneself could be exhausting, and although Ji Laili was energetic, he didn’t enjoy talking to an unresponsive person.

That wasn’t his hobby.

Yet every time he finished speaking, Shen Yu would give a light “hmm,” responding just enough to not be cold.

He seemed indifferent, but he never ignored a single sentence.

Unconsciously, when Ji Laili got excited and glanced at Shen Yu, he would always find the other staring at him with unwavering attention.

A beautiful yet distant figure, with a pale face and an almost obsessive focus.

No matter when he looked, consciously or unconsciously, Shen Yu’s attention was always on him.

Whenever Ji Laili tested him by bringing up certain topics, Shen Yu would always give an accurate response, never once dismissing him.

That kind of unwavering attention… felt a little excessive.

But in this situation, Ji Laili became even more enthusiastic.

Shen Yu was truly the perfect listener.

Ji Laili couldn’t help but comment, “Senior Shen, has anyone ever told you that you’re actually a really nice person?”

Shen Yu paused, then curled his lips into a slight, mocking smirk.

In most cases, he was usually considered the opposite of that description.

“Because I didn’t interrupt you?” He was curious about Ji Laili’s standards.

Ji Laili shook his head. “No, because you’re patient and gentle.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Shen Yu’s dark eyes.

Gentle?

He stared at Ji Laili—was he talking about him?

If word of this got out, every Alpha who had ever suffered under Shen Yu would protest.

“People who listen to others patiently are very gentle,” Ji Laili reasoned.

He smiled, revealing his sharp little canine teeth, giving off a warm and comforting vibe.

“It’s a good habit, you should keep it up, Senior Shen.”

Future Officer Ji praised the “well-behaved child” with a smile.

But after speaking so naturally, he suddenly realized what he had just done.

He coughed awkwardly. “I mean… it’s nice. Don’t change.”

Damn. Why did that sound like an order?

Trying to shift the topic again, Ji Laili remarked, “Your face isn’t as flushed anymore. Are you feeling better?”

Shen Yu, of course, chose not to expose the truth.

He carefully assessed himself, a flash of surprise appearing in his eyes.

After a long silence, he finally responded.

“The fever period seems to be ending.”

Ji Laili’s eyes brightened. “Good news!”

But then Shen Yu continued in a solemn tone.

“It seems like the susceptibility period is about to begin.”

Ji Laili: “?”

What did he just say?

It took him thirty seconds to fully process the information. Then, he muttered to himself, “Bad news.”

This was like a period that wouldn’t end.

Just when you thought it was over—bam, it was still there.

And it was coming back for round two.

That was… tragic. Ji Laili gave him a moment of silent sympathy.

Then, quickly realizing the key issue, he asked, “Is it because of that inhibitor?”

Shen Yu let out a quiet “mm.”

His differentiation period had been halted due to the inhibitor’s effects, but his long-suppressed Alpha genes had instead been… stimulated.

Now, his instincts were raging again.

And so, unexpectedly, the susceptibility period arrived.

Its arrival meant that he was still an Alpha.

For a moment, Shen Yu wasn’t sure—was this good news or bad news?