The Tuesday evening study session was unusually quiet. Fresh snow had fallen outside, and the soft snowflakes absorbed much of the noise.

Chu Tao set down his pen, sat up straight, and rubbed his sore neck. Just as he was about to stretch, Dai Wenjian turned his head and said to Chu Tao, “Class monitor, someone’s looking for you outside.”

Chu Tao blinked. “Who?”

Dai Wenjian cupped his hand around his cheek and whispered teasingly, “A sweet Omega.”

Chu Tao frowned slightly. “Su Jingtong?”

As soon as Su Jingtong’s name was mentioned, Jiang She immediately raised his head, his attention caught.

However, Dai Wenjian shook his head. “Not Su Jingtong, the other one.”

Chu Tao stood up. “I’ll go check.”

After all, he was the class monitor and had several duties to attend to, including coordinating with students from other classes. Perhaps the grade office needed something from him.

Chu Tao stepped out the door and, under the dim lights in the corridor, saw Mo Xi, who had not appeared for some time. He froze for a moment, unsure of how to react.

It was Mo Xi who spoke first. “Senior.”

Chu Tao nodded and, trying his best to sound calm, asked, “What’s the matter? Why are you looking for me?”

Mo Xi bit his lip, clearly agitated, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“Senior, you’ve been deceived.”

Chu Tao tilted his head slightly, unable to hold back a smile. In a gentle tone, he replied, “What have I been deceived about?”

He didn’t remember borrowing money from anyone, and for quite a while, he hadn’t helped anyone with anything. He didn’t even know who could possibly deceive him.

Mo Xi took a deep breath and gathered his courage. “You’ve been deceived by Jiang She! During the break in the evening study session, I went to the small supermarket to buy something, and I saw Jiang She and Chu Xingning being all affectionate in the little grove! Senior, I don’t mean to stir things up between you two, but after thinking it over, I felt I had to tell you. Even if… even if you don’t like me, I don’t want you wasting time on him before the college entrance exams! You should think about it—he’s an alpha. How could he possibly be sincere to another alpha? Can he resist the attraction of the pheromones? Perhaps from the very beginning, he was only trying to get close to Chu Xingning!”

Mo Xi finished in one breath, his face flushed with anger. He bit his lip tightly, anxiously watching Chu Tao’s expression.

Although this information was difficult to accept, he felt that it was better to get it over with quickly. Chu Tao had the right to know. As for Jiang She, he simply wasn’t worthy of being with such a good and excellent senior!

Ever since he had witnessed Chu Tao and Jiang She admit their relationship, Mo Xi had decided to let go. He quit the broadcasting station, stopped seeing Chu Tao, and deleted all the chat records, Weibo, and private circle posts related to Chu Tao. His life was once again filled with studying.

He thought he had completely gotten over Chu Tao.

But when he saw that familiar figure in the grove, embracing Chu Xingning, Mo Xi realized how furious and jealous he had become.

If Senior could be happy without being with him, Mo Xi would have accepted it.

But that wasn’t the case.

He quickly came up with a carefully crafted deception.

Chu Xingning was aloof and never associated with ordinary alphas, acting as if he looked down on everyone. The alphas who tried to pursue him wracked their brains but couldn’t even get a smile from Chu Xingning.

For someone like Jiang She, a school bully and academic failure, to pursue someone like Chu Xingning, a high-achieving and proud student, was simply impossible.

So, Jiang She had tried to get close to Chu Tao, using his identity to understand Chu Xingning, trying to win him over, and then get entangled with Chu Xingning. The whole time, Senior was being deceived and had no idea that Jiang She’s real target was actually his brother!

The more Mo Xi thought about it, the more anxious and angry he became. He couldn’t hold back for even a second and mustered up the courage to rush to find Chu Tao. How could he allow himself to be defeated by someone as despicable as Jiang She?

Chu Tao calmly listened to him speak the entire time. His eyes remained calm, not even a ripple of emotion showing, and even the frown that had appeared earlier had relaxed.

Mo Xi was stunned and nervously asked, “Senior, you must already… know, right?”

Could it be that Senior had already broken up with Jiang She? Was he about to hit a sore spot by exposing the truth now?

Mo Xi’s mind was a mess, full of chaotic thoughts, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his palms. He anxiously waited for Chu Tao to speak.

Chu Tao sighed and spoke in a soft tone, “Jiang She didn’t go out during tonight’s study session.”

Mo Xi immediately waved his hand and incoherently explained, “No, not tonight, it was yesterday. I didn’t explain it clearly before.”

Chu Tao lowered his eyes, paused for a moment, and then said quietly, “Mo Xi, thank you for caring about me. I appreciate it. But Jiang She and I have a very good relationship, and we won’t be swayed by rumors. Also, I understand my brother’s character.”

Mo Xi urgently said, “But I really saw it, Senior! I have no reason to lie to you, and I couldn’t possibly make up such a story just to be with you!”

In the cold corridor, Mo Xi was sweating with anxiety. He had no solid proof, didn’t bring his phone when he left, and hadn’t even taken a picture.

He couldn’t get too close to Jiang She, nor dare to disturb them. He only watched for a while, and when the two were about to embrace, he ran away.

He could only hope that Chu Tao trusted him. He wouldn’t lie, especially not to Chu Tao.

Chu Tao, feeling a headache coming on, pressed his temple and said, “Mo Xi, Jiang She didn’t go out during the study session last night either. It was too cold yesterday.”

Mo Xi blurted out, “Impossible!”

Chu Tao continued, “And you don’t know, my brother doesn’t like alphas. He doesn’t like how he feels when he’s affected by an alpha’s pheromones. He would never be with an alpha.”

Mo Xi froze. “Chu Xingning… doesn’t like alphas?”

For all these years, it had been rumored that Chu Xingning was the dream of every alpha in the school, but no one had heard of Chu Xingning showing any interest in anyone.

The outside world only talked about Chu Xingning being cold and distant, but no one had ever considered that he might not actually like alphas.

How could an Omega not like alphas?

Could it be that Chu Xingning only accepted Betas?

Chu Tao shattered his fantasy: “You must have seen it wrong.”

Mo Xi fell silent.

He indeed hadn’t seen Jiang She’s face, only his back.

But the back was so familiar; he would never forget it.

And he had seen Chu Xingning’s face. Chu Xingning was indeed in a relationship, with someone else.

Chu Tao then added, “My brother does have someone he likes. You might have mistaken that person for Jiang She.”

Mo Xi deflated like a balloon, all his courage vanishing in an instant, leaving only a lost and despondent expression.

Chu Tao said, “Thank you for caring about me. I’ll be graduating soon, and I’ll be leaving Huai City. I hope everything goes well for you.”

He subtly reminded Mo Xi not to waste any more effort on him, as he would be leaving soon.

Mo Xi swallowed hard, his voice trembling: “Senior, you won’t hate me, right?”

Chu Tao shook his head. “No.” After a brief pause, he added, “I’ve never hated anyone.”

Mo Xi felt disappointed.

So, in Senior’s eyes, he wasn’t even a little bit special. He was just another passerby who made no waves.

After sending Mo Xi off, Chu Tao felt uneasy.

Although he hadn’t met his brother’s “friend,” he knew that person attended a nearby prestigious high school.

He had asked Chu Xingning before about how they would handle the situation when both of them would be in different places—his brother facing the college entrance exams, and the other person taking the high school entrance exams.

But his brother had said that the person would attend a high school near his university.

Chu Tao had always been suspicious. Though Chu Xingning was likely to get into a top-tier university, those high schools were zoned by districts. It would be impossible for an out-of-province student to just go there easily, right?

If it was possible, it meant the friend’s family had significant connections.

But even with a powerful background, did the parents just not care?

Would they agree if their child suddenly decided to go study in the capital?

“What are you thinking about?”

Jiang She, waiting by Chu Tao’s desk, naturally grabbed his arm as he approached.

Chu Tao smiled and said, “Someone told me they saw you and my brother in the woods, talking about love.”

Jiang She’s expression immediately darkened, and he stood up, ready to leave. “I’ll deal with him.”

Chu Tao quickly grabbed him, coaxing, “Stop it, I already sent him away.”

Jiang She gritted his teeth, his voice cold. “And that’s it? Just sent him away?”

Chu Tao became serious. “I’m serious. He said the person’s back looked a lot like yours.”

Jiang She rolled up his sleeves, exposing his arms. “I have to deal with him today.”

Chu Tao continued, “I’m kind of curious about who my brother is dating.”

Jiang She froze in his tracks and looked at Chu Tao.

Chu Tao appeared sincere, his brows furrowed slightly, his expression serious.

Jiang She finally decided not to pursue the rumors. He leaned on two desks, almost trapping Chu Tao beneath him, and said, “If you want to know, just ask your brother.”

Chu Tao hesitated for a moment, then replied, “It seems like my brother doesn’t want to tell me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have never seen him. Maybe the other person is young, the relationship is unstable, and they don’t want to get too deeply involved in each other’s lives.”

Jiang She shrugged. “Then it probably means he doesn’t like him enough. Look at me, I can’t wait to put you in our family tree.”

Chu Tao’s eyelids fluttered twice, and he gently pushed Jiang She away, saying helplessly, “We’re in the classroom, be mindful.”

Jiang She reached up and brushed Chu Tao’s chin. “How many people in class do you think don’t know? Especially with Bo Xue’s big mouth.”

Dai Wenjian turned his head, grinning. “Class president, did that Omega come to confess to you? Recently, you’ve been surrounded by peach blossoms. First, there was Su Jingtong, and now there’s a little cutie. Getting out of the single zone is just around the corner!”

Jiang She: “……”

Chu Tao looked at Jiang She: “……”

Jiang She slapped Dai Wenjian’s head. “The class president is mine.”

Dai Wenjian rubbed his head, looking at Chu Tao with a wronged expression. “Class president, you can put up with this? She Ge is taking advantage of everything, he’s got no boundaries.”

Chu Tao shrugged innocently. “What advantage?”

Dai Wenjian: “No, She Ge is teasing you.”

Chu Tao nonchalantly replied, “Ah, not really.”

Dai Wenjian couldn’t believe it. “Really?”

Jiang She suddenly yanked Chu Tao into his arms, playfully pinching his right earlobe. Annoyed, he turned to Dai Wenjian. “If I say he’s mine, he’s mine.”

Chu Tao squirmed slightly, but still smiled good-naturedly, placing his hand on Jiang She’s waist.

Dai Wenjian was shocked. “Class president, you really just surrendered to She Ge’s authority?”

Chu Tao pushed him away. “Alright, go ahead and do your homework.”

Dai Wenjian turned back to his desk, whispering to his deskmate, “What’s going on? What’s going on? She Ge seems to be teasing him a bit. The class president isn’t even trying to avoid it? You don’t have to be this clingy even if the relationship is good, right?”

The deskmate calmly replied, “Sweetheart, if you just dig a little deeper into the grassroots and get closer to the people, you wouldn’t be so foolish.”