Chu Tao hadn’t expected Jiang She’s mind to go in that direction, so he was momentarily stunned.

The concept of mental glands was something he understood, but Jiang She didn’t, so he had unconsciously taken it as a given when he spoke.

Chu Tao swallowed nervously and then, feigning indifference, looked away. “Then let’s see who’s more dominant.”

In reality, though, he still couldn’t beat Jiang She.

Chu Tao’s movements were methodical, all taekwondo moves committed to muscle memory. This gave him trouble when he had to improvise.

Jiang She, on the other hand, had been toughened up in various street fights since childhood. His mother was a police officer, and she’d even brought him to train with the police as a kid. His fighting style was more unpredictable and fluid.

On top of that, Chu Tao didn’t really have the height advantage, so his comment was as good as conceding that he didn’t plan to be in control.

Jiang She raised an eyebrow thoughtfully but didn’t press the issue, instead joining Chu Tao in carrying their water buckets back to class.

Class Three was already bustling. The sound of desks scraping against the floor filled the room, setting everyone’s nerves on edge, with even the concrete floor vibrating slightly.

The classroom’s windows were wide open, with papers fluttering in the wind, and a freshly watered potted plant by the window added a hint of fresh, damp scent to the breeze.

The classroom was much brighter, with scattered discarded worksheets and tissues on the floor.

Jiang She carried his bucket into the classroom and set it on the podium. “For washing rags only. Mops, don’t use this here.”

Xu Yuan came over with a rag and dropped it into the bucket. The towel immediately soaked up water, sinking slowly to the bottom.

“Hey, Ah She, why’s your shirt wet?”

Xu Yuan had just noticed in passing and didn’t expect a real answer. After all, carrying a big bucket of water could easily splash some on you.

Jiang She smirked, looking both helpless and a little proud. “Someone was being too playful.”

Xu Yuan shivered. “I swear I just got goosebumps.”

He couldn’t imagine linking their responsible class rep with anything playful.

Jiang She’s smile deepened. “Believe it. I just don’t get it—did a dog eat your brain? Only now you’re noticing something’s going on between us?”

Xu Yuan retorted, unwilling to back down. “You and Fang Sheng were both in on it together, and you’ve got the nerve to say that? If it weren’t for my sharp instincts, how long did you plan to keep me in the dark?”

Jiang She snorted. “Nonsense. Who’d even care to hide it from you? I’m stuck studying all day like a dog—you think I have time for that? No, worse than a dog. These days, even pet dogs don’t have to worry about college entrance exams.”

Xu Yuan was about to retort, but he lowered his voice, afraid others might hear. “Who’d have thought you’d start liking an alpha? That’s wild, man.”

Jiang She scoffed. “Do you even know what love at first sight is?”

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes, silently pulled a soaking rag out of the bucket, splattering water everywhere, even on his shoes. He didn’t care and kept swinging the dripping rag.

“Goodbye.”

The student on duty, who was sweeping the floor, yelled, “Xu Yuan! How are we supposed to sweep with all that water everywhere?”

A few sheets of paper had gotten soaked and stuck firmly to the floor, the writing on them showing through clearly.

Xu Yuan bolted.

Chu Tao was crouched down, wiping the wall, when he saw Xu Yuan dash out of the classroom, still holding the dripping rag. Just as he was about to call out, Jiang She strolled out after him.

Chu Tao looked up and asked, “Did you rile him up again?”

Jiang She shrugged, feigning innocence. “How’s this my fault? Am I really that untrustworthy?”

Chu Tao didn’t bother arguing. He put his used rag in the water bucket, rubbing it carefully with his hands. The dirt from the wall mixed into the water, turning it murky.

Despite the hot weather, the school’s water was pumped from underground and stayed cold. With his hands submerged, Chu Tao’s palms quickly turned red from the chill.

Jiang She watched him wring the rag with his slender fingers, his palms red against the wall, and felt a bit concerned.

Chu Tao’s hands were clean and fair, with only a slight callus on the inside of his right middle finger from years of writing. Other than that, they showed no sign of manual labor.

Jiang She often held Chu Tao’s hands, feeling how soft his palms were, with more lines than his own.

“Let me do it.”

Jiang She crouched next to Chu Tao, covering Chu Tao’s hand with his own. His hand was a bit bigger, fitting over Chu Tao’s perfectly. His palm was warm, making Chu Tao’s hand feel especially cold in comparison.

Chu Tao looked at him with a smile. “No need. You wipe that side, I’ll do this side; we’ll finish faster.”

“I’ll have this cleaned in a bit. Just go grab me a drink.” Jiang She pulled the rag from Chu Tao’s hand, holding it casually and frowning as he wiped the muddy wall.

He’d never done such a dirty job before. Looking at the dark marks on the wall, he couldn’t even tell what some of the grime was.

Although Shen Qing and Jiang Qifeng never paid him much attention, they hadn’t neglected him materially. They always had a housekeeper, and with his own slight germaphobia, Jiang She’s hands had rarely touched anything dirty.

After wiping a couple of times, Jiang She tossed the rag back into the bucket, making the water even murkier.

He glanced at his palm, seeing bits of wall debris stuck to it.

Grimacing, he suppressed his disgust and rinsed his hands in the bucket.

Chu Tao watched with some amusement, stopping Jiang She. “Don’t—let me do it instead. I know you have a bit of a germaphobia. I don’t mind doing this. You just wipe the top; I’ll handle the bottom.”

Jiang She paused, feeling reluctant. “I just don’t want you to have to. Your hands are so soft.”

Chu Tao felt a small tug at his heart.

Even though he knew how much Jiang She liked and cared for him—had known it for some time now—he couldn’t help but be touched by words like these.

He treasured this attention because it was something he hadn’t experienced much before. He saved each moment and every little bit in his heart, always remembering how good Jiang She was to him.

In the past, he’d been more used to hearing things like:

“Don’t let your brother clean—he’ll catch a cold again.”

“Go take an umbrella to your dad. I’ll take your brother to wash up since he’s got a cough.”

“Tao Tao, you stay and help Grandma peel corn. Your brother can’t do it; he cut his hand, so I’ll take him to the clinic to get it cleaned.”

So he had learned to be stronger, to endure more, and to be less particular.

But now, Jiang She was helping him form new habits.

Chu Tao stood up, shook the water off his hands, and didn’t insist. “Alright, I’ll go buy us two bottles of juice. You keep wiping.”

Jiang She looked up, rubbing Chu Tao’s cool fingers. “Get orange flavor.”

“Alright.”

Chu Tao’s eyelashes fluttered as he released Jiang She’s hand.

He grabbed some money from his bag in the classroom and headed quickly down the stairs.

Jiang She watched him leave, suddenly finding the dirty rag in his hand less unpleasant.

He’d already started, and there was no point in worrying about a bit of dirt; he could just wash up thoroughly later.

He wasn’t particularly meticulous, but the wall was so dirty that just one wipe made a noticeable difference. For once, he felt a sense of accomplishment from cleaning.

The once-clear bucket of water had become murky, and Jiang She didn’t want to dip his hands in it again, so he went to refill it.

Just as he returned with the bucket, he noticed Su Jingtong standing at Class Three’s doorway, holding a cake box and looking around.

Though each class was busy with cleaning, there were always a few people slacking off and wandering around.

Jiang She frowned, eyeing Su Jingtong.

Su Jingtong still wore heavy makeup, his face caked with powder, and the smell of his perfume filled the hallway. Several alphas in Class Three glanced his way as they cleaned.

After all, Su Jingtong was an omega, and his pheromones naturally attracted attention.

But they all knew that Su Jingtong used to be someone Jiang She protected. Although they’d broken up, Su Jingtong had tried several times to reconcile.

It seemed he was back at it again. He’d stayed away for a few months, but after Liang Yitian moved on to someone else, Su Jingtong had come running back to cry to Jiang She.

Amused by the drama, people couldn’t help but smile as they caught whiffs of Su Jingtong’s perfume.

Jiang She felt his patience slipping, his discomfort growing with the overpowering scent of the perfume.

He had already made it clear to Su Jingtong: he’d never liked him and didn’t plan to. So why was he still hanging around, unable to let go?

Jiang She set the bucket down heavily, causing the water inside to slosh and spill over.

Finally noticing Jiang She, Su Jingtong looked a bit nervous. “Jiang She.”

“Oh, wow, he really is here to find Brother She!”

“Look at Brother She’s face. He’s so annoyed; Su Jingtong has no sense.”

“Tsk, but isn’t Su Jingtong one of the school’s top looks? If he was after me, I’d be all for it. Brother She’s standards are just way too high.”

“Well, I don’t think he’s that top-tier. I think even our class president is better looking.”

“Hey, you can’t compare him to the class president. The president’s Chu Xingning’s little brother, after all. It’s in the genes.”

“Wake up. The main thing is that the class president is an alpha, right?”

Jiang She glanced down at Su Jingtong briefly, then shifted his gaze to a large banner in the hallway. His tone was flat as he said, “Busy working. No time.”

With that, he rinsed his cloth in the bucket and crouched down to keep scrubbing the wall.

Su Jingtong licked his bright red lips, showing less of the usual urgency and hurt. He fiddled with his fingers, saying softly, “I turned eighteen yesterday. I looked up our pheromone compatibility score.”

Jiang She’s hand paused for a split second, then he resumed wiping without a care. “Oh, not my concern.”

He didn’t care about any compatibility score. He knew it wouldn’t matter to him anyway—he liked an alpha.

Su Jingtong’s expression wavered, and he sighed lightly. “I think I finally understand why I liked you so much before, and why you let me stick around. Do you know our compatibility score is 99%?”

Pheromones can unconsciously affect someone. Maybe Jiang She truly didn’t like him, but the mutual attraction of their pheromones had still allowed him to let Su Jingtong follow him around.

“Don’t give me that. I was just bored.” Jiang She hated hearing that kind of thing. He had strong willpower and didn’t want pheromones to control him, nor had he ever planned to seek out a high-compatibility omega.

Even though Jiang Qifeng had resources to help him check his compatibility early, he’d never considered it.

An alpha looking for a high-compatibility omega was just another way of exerting control, expecting the omega to be unable to leave them, wanting to reach a peak of body and soul connection.

But in reality, ever since the pheromone compatibility engine was created, people did prefer high-compatibility partners, yet the divorce rate kept rising.

There were many factors that impacted relationships, and it wasn’t like a person only met one high-compatibility partner in their life.

What mattered was the person, not some hormone secretion.

Seeing Jiang She’s firm stance, Su Jingtong couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

But he quickly adjusted his mood, straightening his back. “Anyway, I don’t like you anymore, and I’ve found that there are other alphas with high compatibility scores with me—ones who aren’t any worse than you.”

“Oh, well, good luck with that.” Jiang She chuckled lightly, wiping a large section of the wall clean.

Comparisons like that didn’t bother him at all. Su Jingtong’s idea of “not any worse” was likely some class tough guy.

“He treats me well. He helped me when I was at my lowest, even taught me how to write an excuse note. I’m ready to pursue him, so don’t regret it.” Su Jingtong declared confidently.

The person in Su Jingtong’s heart now isn’t any less impressive than Jiang She; instead, he’s even gentler and makes him feel more secure.

He’s matured a lot and no longer just chases after the tough, silent types. Someone studious has more depth, is more refined, and can treat him with more care.

Jiang She thought to himself, ‘Regret? Not at all. I’d be thrilled if you moved on to someone else, whoever that may be.’

“Whatever,” he replied.

Su Jingtong pouted, thinking, ‘Hmph, that other person really is better. At least he wouldn’t talk to me like this.’

Outside the school building, the sunlight was intense, the air stifling, with the temperature soaring to 39 degrees. Even the ground radiated the hot smell of asphalt.

Chu Tao waited in line for a bit outside the small store before he could buy two bottles of orange juice with pulp.

During the campus cleanup, the little store was packed, with some students just sitting at the entrance eating sausages, their brooms propped up nearby, completely unused.

The orange juice was ice-cold, freshly taken from the cooler, with a thin layer of condensation forming on the bottles.

The heat had him sweating just from the short walk, let alone Jiang She, who was working upstairs.

Skipping the plastic bag, Chu Tao carried the drinks up the stairs without even taking a sip.

When he reached the door of Class Three, he noticed the students working lazily, sneaking glances at each other with stifled laughter.

And then he spotted Su Jingtong, in his tight school uniform pants, with his shirt collar open, exposing a stretch of neck.

Raising his eyebrow, Chu Tao thought, ‘Jiang She really does have an impact; Su Jingtong even chased him all the way to the classroom door.’

By now, Chu Tao was fairly familiar with Su Jingtong, having encountered him a few times and even personally escorted him to the infirmary.

He didn’t feel particularly jealous; he had a decent understanding of Su Jingtong’s personality. He planned to wait quietly until Su Jingtong finished pouring out his heart before showing up, avoiding any awkwardness.

But someone spotted him and called out in surprise, “Hey, Class President! That’s not fair—you went out to buy orange juice!”

The shout echoed down the hallway, and everyone nearby heard it.

Everyone was sweating and thirsty from cleaning, so the mention of juice caught everyone’s attention.

Chu Tao couldn’t hide any longer and simply walked forward calmly.

Su Jingtong’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Chu Tao.

Just as Jiang She was about to wave Chu Tao over, Su Jingtong ran over to him.

Chu Tao was momentarily taken aback but not too surprised. He’d helped Su Jingtong once, so it made sense for him to show a bit of gratitude.

“You—”

“Chu Tao, I came here especially to see you!”

Chu Tao looked confused. “Huh?”

Holding the two chilled orange drinks, he watched the condensation bead up and drip from his fingers onto the floor.

Su Jingtong bit his lower lip, lifted the cake box in his hand, and handed it to Chu Tao. “This is for you. Thanks for helping me to the infirmary last time.”

Chu Tao’s throat tightened as he looked down at the little cherry cake in the transparent box.

He didn’t even have a free hand to take it.

“It’s not like I actually carried you…” Chu Tao said, emphasizing with a complicated expression.

Su Jingtong didn’t mind the correction at all. He eagerly added, “I made this cake myself! I’ve gotten way better than six months ago. You’re definitely going to like it.”

Half a year ago, Chu Tao had witnessed Su Jingtong bringing a DIY cherry cake to Jiang She. This time, he’d brought the same cake here specifically for him. Was this his way of saying that this gesture meant more than the last?

Feeling a bit lost, Chu Tao replied, “I didn’t expect you to thank me. It was nothing.”

Su Jingtong nodded with a knowing look. “I know you’re not that kind of person—you’re just kind and always willing to help.”

Chu Tao thought, ‘Huh? You seem to know me pretty well.’

Su Jingtong’s eyes trembled slightly, and his heart raced; his fingertips tingled with nerves. It had been a long time since he felt this way.

Since Chu Tao had just run out in the heat, his suppressant had started to fade, and a hint of his scent began to drift out. Su Jingtong caught the scent and felt a bit giddy.

“Anyway, just take it. I’ll come find you again later.” He shoved the cake box into Chu Tao’s arms, waved, and squeezed through the crowd, hurrying back toward the Omega class.

As he ran, he cursed himself, ‘How pathetic! It’s not like this is my first time liking an Alpha. Why am I so flustered this time?’

It had to be because Chu Tao was so different from his past crushes—so genuine, so upright—that he felt like he was experiencing his first love all over again.

Chu Tao held the cake box, watching Su Jingtong’s retreating figure, utterly bewildered. After a moment, he looked back at Jiang She.

He lifted the box and frowned slightly. “What’s this all about?”

Jiang She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. His tongue ran lightly over his teeth as he narrowed his eyes, studying Chu Tao.

When did Chu Tao carry Su Jingtong to the infirmary?

Why hadn’t he heard anything about this?

Chu Tao tilted his head, looking at him with a confused expression.

Jiang She’s gaze drifted down, from Chu Tao’s perplexed eyes to his heaving neck, then to his partially open collar.

A sudden thought hit him as he remembered the faint scent of perfume on Chu Tao that day.

It was the SINO7 Omega Allure scent.

‘So that’s why it felt so familiar—it was the same perfume Su Jingtong was wearing.’

Jiang She thought to himself, ‘Damn, maybe I actually should regret this!’

A few people nearby started cheering, “Whoa! Su Jingtong gave a cake to the class president!”

Xu Bo Xue chimed in, “The class president’s got some serious charm!”

Dai Wenjian added with a chuckle, “Tsk, tsk. Su Jingtong’s making a move on the class president, huh? Isn’t that going to mess with the relationship between him and Jiang She?”

Xu Bo Xue replied, “But Jiang She doesn’t even like Su Jingtong, so there’s nothing to mess up.”

Dai Wenjian, a bit defiant, added, “Jiang She can like the class president, though!”

At that, the entire hallway fell silent.

Everyone exchanged looks, slightly stunned; they’d never even considered that possibility.

Chu Tao stood there, frozen in place.

In the end, Xu Bo Xue gave Dai Wenjian a smack. “Do you even have any boundaries? Watch out, or Brother She will take you down!”

The others burst into laughter; they joked around like this all the time, and no one took it seriously.

Jiang She took a deep breath, threw the rag he’d been holding aside, stood up, and walked over to Chu Tao.

“The Omega with the sprained ankle you mentioned last time—is it Su Jingtong?”

Chu Tao furrowed his brows, handing a bottle of orange juice to Jiang She. “Yeah, I just happened to run into him and helped him out. But he’s being way too polite about it.”

Jiang She felt a slight headache coming on. “He’s developed feelings for you.”

Chu Tao replied firmly, “Impossible. Isn’t he into you?”

He didn’t see himself as the same type as Jiang She, so it didn’t make sense that Su Jingtong would like him if he liked Jiang She.

Jiang She’s gaze fell on the cherry cake, and he felt a twinge of jealousy.

Even though Chu Tao hadn’t accepted it on purpose, just the fact that he’d kept it made it hard to ignore.

“Su Jingtong just came over and told me he checked his pheromone compatibility. He’s 99% compatible with me.”

“Well, then you two are a perfect match.” Chu Tao’s smile faded slightly as he snatched the bottle back from Jiang She, clearly annoyed.

He wasn’t truly angry or jealous.

He’d always known that as a typical alpha, Jiang She would inevitably find an Omega with a high compatibility.

It just felt a bit too coincidental that this Omega turned out to be Su Jingtong—maybe a sign of fate, in a way.

As Jiang She’s hand was left empty, he clenched his fingers, feeling a pang as he saw Chu Tao’s tense expression.

“But he said he doesn’t like me anymore. He found someone else he’s 99% compatible with too. That person has been good to him, even taught him how to write excuse letter. Now he’s set on pursuing this ‘nice guy.’”

Chu Tao: “…”

Jiang She took the bottle back, unscrewed the cap, and drank a big gulp.