When they left the hospital, the wind blew and Chu Tao still felt weak.

After all, his fever had just subsided, and he had just gone through that intense, soul-stirring moment. He felt a bit light-headed as he walked.

Jiang She supported him, walking to the hospital’s main entrance and waving for a taxi.

Chu Tao lifted his eyes and secretly glanced at Jiang She’s neck, which looked quite pitiful. For at least the next week, Jiang She would have to wear high-necked clothes.

Luckily, the weather was gradually getting cooler, so it wouldn’t seem too out of place.

Chu Tao shifted his gaze, sniffing the scent of boiled corn drifting from the hospital entrance, and whispered, “I’ll take responsibility for you.”

Jiang She had just flagged down a taxi, and hearing this, he paused for a moment, then smirked: “You’d better.”

Jiang She helped Chu Tao into the car. Chu Tao still found the smell inside the taxi unbearable—it was sharp and uncomfortable.

He frowned and rested his head on Jiang She’s shoulder.

“Open a window,” he murmured. The taxi wasn’t exactly the cleanest environment. There was the smell of gasoline, smoke, and other mixed odors fermenting in the small space.

“You just got over your fever, so keep the window only slightly open,” Jiang She said, cracking open his side of the window a little and blocking the wind from reaching Chu Tao with his body.

“Where to?” The driver turned around and asked Jiang She. At first glance, it looked like an Alpha was escorting his Omega.

But this Alpha seemed pretty rough—his neck marks were still visible. The high school kids sure knew how to cause trouble.

Jiang She gave the address to his apartment complex.

Chu Tao opened his eyes slightly and muttered, “Aren’t we going back to school?”

Jiang She wrapped his arm around his shoulder, speaking softly: “You need to rest, and I need to change clothes.”

The school uniform was wrinkled from Chu Tao’s tugging, and it wouldn’t even cover the marks on his neck. If they went back to school now, the class would definitely blow up.

On the way back to the apartment, Fang Sheng couldn’t wait anymore and texted Jiang She:

“Bro, is it over yet? The class monitor’s really sick?”

Of course, Jiang She couldn’t admit that he couldn’t face anyone at the moment, so he typed a quick “Hmm.”

Fang Sheng asked again: “When are you coming back? Yang Laoshi is really mad you slipped away.”

Jiang She didn’t care: “She’s not mad for the first time. Besides, does she really not know where I’ve gone?”

Jiang She didn’t believe that Yang Liu hadn’t noticed the change between him and Chu Tao. Although Yang Liu had only been the class teacher for a short time, she was very perceptive. However, she hadn’t cared much for the class before, which was why she had been a bit lazy.

The taxi suddenly braked hard at a red light, causing Jiang She to lurch forward, then crash into the seat cushion.

The rough fabric rubbed against the glands at the back of his neck, making him grit his teeth.

He raised his hand to touch it. It felt a little warm, and the coldness of his fingertips eased the pain a bit.

Chu Tao straightened up and asked worriedly, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang She shook his head. “Go back to sleep, it’s nothing.”

He pulled Chu Tao back to his shoulder and rubbed his chin against Chu Tao’s head.

Chu Tao, lying against Jiang She’s shoulder, shifted to a more comfortable position and instinctively wrapped his arm around Jiang She’s waist.

The wind blew through the crack in the window, replacing the stale air inside the car, making Chu Tao breathe easier and feeling more tired.

Fortunately, this episode didn’t happen at home. If his mother had seen it, she would have definitely questioned him about his spiritual glands. If she found out it was because of Jiang She’s influence, it would cause major trouble.

Although he had already warned Song Mian in advance, he still wasn’t sure if she would agree to him being with Jiang She.

Song Mian was a civil servant, and her parents were among the first group of builders of the Chinese power grid. Back then, state-owned enterprises were stable, with good benefits, and they were given an apartment in the city center of Huai City. This area had become the residential area for the employees of the power system and their families.

Later, as Huai City developed and various emerging industries arose, state-owned enterprises were no longer the best choice. However, the location of this community still had a unique advantage, and now the property prices there had increased tenfold.

To make it more convenient for Chu Tao and Chu Xingning to go to school, Song Mian’s parents moved to a new commercial area and left the old house for them to live in.

The advantage of the new place was its convenient transportation and proximity to various school districts. The downside, however, was that the older generation was mostly from the same system, so everyone knew each other well.

Song Mian’s social circle was narrow to begin with. Whatever happened among the neighbors would be spread all over the community in less than a day. As a result, her ideas and beliefs were also quite rigid.

Song Mian was particularly sensitive to the influence of her environment, especially when it came to gossip about the younger generation.

When the children in the community started dating early, getting pregnant before marriage, having their husbands cheat, or having divorces, these issues became the talk of the neighbors during meals and tea breaks.

Those who were living miserable lives, or had unique and wild personalities, were often the subjects of various sighs and regrets.

“That kid used to be so good, how did they end up like this?”

The parents of these children could hardly hold their heads up in front of their peers and elders. When asked about their children, they would endure the pain and criticize them, then quickly find an excuse to leave.

When they were younger, Chu Tao and Chu Xingning were often compared with their peers. If they did well in their studies, they were praised by all the uncles and aunts around them; if they didn’t, the treatment would change drastically.

They had even argued with Song Mian about why they cared so much about others’ opinions, since they weren’t that close to those people.

But Song Mian said their thinking was selfish, that children’s rebelliousness and fearlessness had consequences, and the parents were the ones who had to bear the criticisms and gossip.

Children could walk away without caring about what the uncles and aunts said, but parents couldn’t afford to ignore it because they were part of the circle.

Chu Tao could already imagine the kind of gossip that would spread if his relationship with Jiang She came to light.

“A good Alpha, studious and well-behaved, and yet he’s with another Alpha, and even got taken advantage of by him.”

“There’s no perfect family. Don’t be fooled by those twins who are good at school and look happy, but what’s really going on?”

“Probably with him because of money. What’s the point of good grades? That guy is the heir to a pharmaceutical company.”

“Don’t know what their parents taught them. The family might not be rich, but they’re not lacking in money either.”

If these rumors reached Song Mian’s ears, she would definitely make a fuss about it.

As Chu Tao thought about it, he hugged Jiang She a little tighter. After all, there would be fewer moments like this, where they could spend more than ten hours a day together, feeling so comfortable and relaxed.

When they reached the community entrance, Jiang She paid with his phone and led Chu Tao home.

On the way up, they ran into the neighbor auntie. Jiang She greeted her with a nod: “Auntie.”

After greeting, he instinctively pulled at his collar to try to cover up the red marks on his neck.

The auntie seemed happy to see them, but when she saw Chu Tao’s pale face, she looked concerned and asked, “Ah She, is your little classmate sick? He looks really pale.”

Jiang She glanced at Chu Tao and reached out to touch his face: “He just got over a fever. We’re coming back from the hospital.”

The auntie replied, “Oh, a fever. Have you eaten? You need to eat and drink more water so your body has strength to fully recover.”

It was only then that Chu Tao remembered he had been thirsty before being discharged, and now he hadn’t drunk a single drop of water. He instinctively swallowed.

Jiang She paused for a moment before replying, “I have bottled water at home. I’ll order something for us to eat later.”

The auntie scolded him: “You can’t drink cold water and eat takeout like that! You really don’t know how to take care of people. I’ve made some eight-treasure porridge. Let your classmate have some.”

Seeing Jiang She trying to cover up the situation, the auntie probably already guessed their relationship.

Chu Tao quickly declined, his voice still a little hoarse: “No need, it’s too much trouble.”

Jiang She really did need some hot porridge, so he didn’t refuse and directly said, “Alright, thank you.”

Chu Tao paused for a moment and had no choice but to silently agree.

The auntie returned with two bowls of eight-treasure porridge for them and reminded Jiang She to make sure Chu Tao drank some hot water to sweat it out and aid in his recovery.

Jiang She and Chu Tao thanked her again, closed the door, and Chu Tao weakly collapsed onto the sofa.

Although he was thirsty and a little hungry, he really didn’t want to move. He kept his eyes half-open, feeling the leather of the sofa warming up beneath him, and his neck rested on a soft dolphin-shaped pillow.

Jiang She tossed his coat aside, glanced in the mirror, and casually removed his school uniform.

He stood shirtless in front of the mirror, checking the marks on his neck.

Chu Tao watched Jiang She’s back, silently swallowing.

Jiang She had a beautifully sculpted back, with smooth lines that followed the curve of his young, firm muscles, tapering at his narrow waist.

When Jiang She raised his arm and flexed, the small indent of his lower back became faintly visible, and his spine disappeared into the waistband of his pants. The sunlight made his skin glow.

Maybe it was because he had bitten Jiang She’s gland, making his “addiction” even worse, but Chu Tao felt that if he had the strength, he might go over and kiss Jiang She’s lower back.

That spot had to be especially sensitive—at least for him—especially the right side. A single touch there would make him weak and tingly, unable to stand.

Jiang She glanced at the hickeys but didn’t bother putting on a shirt. He confidently walked over to Chu Tao.

Chu Tao blinked, his face squished into a round, puffed-up shape from the couch.

Jiang She chuckled softly and raised his hand to pat Chu Tao’s behind: “Get up and drink the porridge, little lazy pig.”

Chu Tao’s ears turned red, and he didn’t know whether to get up or stay down.

If he got up, it would confirm the “lazy pig” nickname. If he stayed down, he wasn’t sure if Jiang She would pat him again.

It would be better if it was a pat on the shoulder or back, at least it wouldn’t make people think in the wrong direction.

Chu Tao buried his face into the sofa and lazily muttered, “I’m tired.”

Jiang She crouched beside him, looked at him for a moment, then suddenly leaned over and bit his right ear.

Chu Tao shuddered and immediately jumped up.

Jiang She was satisfied: “Tsk, really sensitive. Looks like you still have some strength left.”

Now that Chu Tao was up, it would be awkward to lie back down.

Chu Tao was about to get up and sit at the dining table, but Jiang She pressed his shoulder down.

“Just sit. I’ll bring it over.”

Jiang She brought only one bowl, and when he got close, he scooped a bit with a spoon, blew gently on the edge, and fed it to Chu Tao.

“Careful, it’s hot.”

Chu Tao pursed his lips and raised his hand to take the bowl, but Jiang She moved it away: “No, husband will feed you.”

Chu Tao was so embarrassed he wanted to curl up into a ball. At that moment, he had been out of his mind and didn’t know how to ask Jiang She, which was why he said it without thinking.

He stammered, “Can you… not bring that up?”

Jiang She’s eyes were filled with amusement as he teased, “You’re being cheeky now. When you want to bite me, you call me husband, but once you’re done venting, you pretend it didn’t happen. Good student, which teacher taught you that?”