Zhou Le ran all the way back to the classroom.
He sat down, breathing heavily.
Although the scent was gone, he could still feel it lingering, especially Lu Jingran’s pheromones, as if they were still clinging to him.
That faint, cold scent made him feel inexplicably warm and safe.
Thinking back on the feeling of Lu Jingran’s pheromones enveloping him in the bathroom… Zhou Le wanted to feel it again.
It was the first time he’d ever felt something like that. So this is what they meant by the natural response between Alphas and Omegas? So it was all true.
Lost in thought, Zhou Le absently rubbed his arm, leaving a red mark.
“What’s up with you? Who was chasing you?” Xia Linchuan noticed Zhou Le rushing into the classroom, looking out of sorts.
Zhou Le lowered his head, his eyelashes trembling. “…It’s nothing.”
At that moment, Lin Xiaoxiao burst in, excited. “Guys, I just heard from some students in the next class that a visiting Alpha cornered an Omega in the boys’ bathroom on this floor!”
Zhou Le’s heart skipped a beat, his spine going rigid.
Xia Linchuan’s eyes widened. “What—did he lose his mind?”
Lin Xiaoxiao continued, “They say he even released pheromones. Some curious students went in to check and said there was definitely something odd—there was an Omega scent, plus an Alpha scent, more than one Alpha even.”
Xia Linchuan: “More than one Alpha?”
It was the most absurd thing he’d heard all year.
Lin Xiaoxiao nodded. “Yes, yes. Now everyone’s saying that two Alphas and one Omega were doing something scandalous in the boys’ bathroom, and they’re checking the cameras.”
Zhou Le couldn’t help it—he choked, coughing.
Lin Xiaoxiao: “What’s wrong with you?”
Zhou Le shook his head, casually taking out his beat-up thermos and pretending to drink some water, trying to act indifferent. “So… did they catch anyone?”
Lin Xiaoxiao shook her head. “No, all the cameras on our floor got broken by that bunch of troublemakers in Class Seven. Didn’t you hear? Old Feng already gave their leader, Xiao Lan, a major scolding!”
Zhou Le exhaled softly, setting down his thermos. “Why are you saying that so dramatically?”
Lin Xiaoxiao gave him a curious look. “Why are you so worked up? This has nothing to do with you.”
Zhou Le kept his head down, staying silent.
Xia Linchuan: “So, is that it then?”
Lin Xiaoxiao folded her arms, musing. “Not sure.”
“Maybe they’ll keep investigating. But it might also just be a rumor. I mean, releasing pheromones at school and cornering an Omega? That’s a serious offense.”
Xia Linchuan: “Not really. If it was the first-years, they’re still minors. They’d only go to juvenile detention and get released after a while.”
Lin Xiaoxiao looked outraged. “That’s pure discrimination! Why should Alphas be allowed to release pheromones whenever they want?”
Xia Linchuan: “Uh…” He struggled to explain. Alphas had trouble controlling their pheromones in adolescence, sometimes leading to slip-ups.
But juvenile detention only applied to attempts; if an Alpha actually forced an Omega into anything, it would become a criminal case beyond the juvenile system.
Before he could explain, Lin Xiaoxiao’s expression changed, “Of course, if it were the class rep who wanted to do anything to me, I’d forgive him.”
“…”
The silence was palpable.
Lin Xiaoxiao clasped her hands to her face, dreamy. “If only the class rep would corner me with his pheromones. I’d love to know what his scent is like!”
“It smells nice.” Zhou Le took a sip of water, commenting offhandedly, “A little cold, but… very reassuring.”
“…”
Another awkward silence fell.
Zhou Le took a moment to realize.
When he looked up, Lin Xiaoxiao and Xia Linchuan were both staring at him.
!!!
“Liu Yanyan told me! She… she’s the one who told me.” Zhou Le nearly bit his tongue in his rush to explain.
Lin Xiaoxiao narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Really?”
Zhou Le nodded earnestly. “Of course, it’s true!”
Lin Xiaoxiao seemed to buy it.
Made sense.
It had to be Liu Yanyan.
Liu Yanyan was an Omega, and a high-ranking one at that. Normal Omegas couldn’t pick up Lu Jingran’s scent, but Liu Yanyan probably could.
Thinking about this, Lin Xiaoxiao felt excited and quickly shared the news in the group chat with her friends.
Zhou Le let out a long sigh of relief.
In that short moment, he felt as if he had aged ten years.
It was exhausting!
“Zhou Le,” came a sudden voice from beside him.
Zhou Le jolted, flinching away.
Xia Linchuan leaned in closer, speaking mysteriously, “Why do you seem so weird since you got back?”
“Me? Weird? I’m totally normal, alright?” Zhou Le swallowed nervously, not daring to look Xia Linchuan in the eye, as if his face would give away his guilt.
Xia Linchuan found it odd.
There was definitely something off about Zhou Le, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint it.
Xia Linchuan studied Zhou Le’s face closely.
Zhou Le held his breath. His sensitivity to Alpha scents had increased, and Xia Linchuan’s closeness was making him feel uncomfortable.
Help! Can’t he just talk normally? Why get so close?
At that moment, Lu Jingran and his group entered the classroom.
Zhou Le looked up and met Lu Jingran’s gaze.
He quickly shoved Xia Linchuan away, pushing him hard enough to send him back to his seat.
Xia Linchuan: “???”
Zhou Le kept his head down, not looking up again, but he could feel a gaze resting on him, lasting until the bell rang for class to start.
A moment later, his phone buzzed with a message.
[Class 3 Chemistry Competition Group]
Sheng Qian: “Don’t go home after school today. The equipment for the lab we applied for has arrived, so let’s check out the instruments and electronic display tonight.”
Xia Linchuan: “OK!”
Lu Jingran didn’t need to reply; Sheng Qian had surely gotten his approval beforehand.
Now, they just needed Zhou Le’s response.
But Zhou Le didn’t really want to go.
He wasn’t feeling well and wanted to visit his family’s clinic to see what was going on.
Zhou Le: “OK!”
His thoughts were one thing, but he couldn’t say them out loud.
After all, it was the team’s first official meeting.
Hopefully, nothing unusual would happen with his condition.
—
The school assigned them a classroom on the fourth floor of the lab building, booked from 5:30 to 9:00 in the evening.
They could even stay later if they applied with security.
After picking up the keys from the teacher, they headed toward the lab building.
Chen Nan tagged along as well, feeling it would be too boring to go home alone.
But seeing Xia Linchuan among them left him a little bitter. “You guys actually picked him for your team? Seriously, am I not better academically?”
“For what? Gaming skills?” Sheng Qian shot back.
Chen Nan: “No, chemistry! My chemistry grades!”
Sheng Qian: “With your 39 points?”
Chen Nan: “…”
Frustrated, Chen Nan demanded, “How much did he score then?”
Before Sheng Qian could answer, Xia Linchuan coolly replied, “Not much—just 98.”
Chen Nan snorted, “Lucky fluke.”
Sheng Qian added, “It’s his average score.”
After a pause, he elaborated, “Ever since the first year of high school, his average for every exam.”
Chen Nan: “…”
Chen Nan shot him a glare before turning to Zhou Le, who lagged far behind. “And what’s his deal?” He remembered Zhou Le’s grades weren’t bad, but they were far from competition level.
Sheng Qian: “Ask your brother Lu.”
Chen Nan: “…”
Chen Nan didn’t feel like talking anymore.
Zhou Le walked at the back of the group.
He wasn’t too surprised about Xia Linchuan being his teammate, since Xia Linchuan was already great at chemistry—Zhou Le often asked him for help on tricky questions.
Unlike him, Zhou Le was just there to make up the numbers.
Probably only included because the class rep wanted to look out for him.
Thinking this, Zhou Le lifted his head.
He noticed that he was quite far behind Chen Nan and the others, and someone else was also lagging far behind the group, walking alongside him.
Lu Jingran was keeping pace with him, almost as if… protecting him.
At the elevator, the five of them squeezed in.
In the enclosed space, four Alphas.
Although they weren’t intentionally releasing pheromones, Zhou Le still felt a bit uncomfortable.
He shuffled his feet and retreated to the back corner.
Just as he settled in, he looked up to find Lu Jingran standing in front of him, shielding him from the others.
From this angle, their eyes met.
Zhou Le: “…”
If he’d known, he wouldn’t have moved.
Caught in Lu Jingran’s gaze, Zhou Le looked away, lowering his head and staring at his feet.
He sat perfectly still, barely daring to breathe.
Lu Jingran looked down, taking in the sight of Zhou Le’s fluffy, dark hair and his exposed, pale nape from tilting his head.
Smooth and unmarked, the area where an Omega’s scent gland would be showed no sign.
So… could he possibly be an Omega?
As Lu Jingran pondered this, he noticed that Zhou Le’s neck had begun to blush, turning pink, even his ears tinged with color.
And then, Lu Jingran caught a hint of a flowery scent.
Fresh, sweet, just like what he’d smelled that day.
Before he could investigate further, the elevator arrived.
Zhou Le dashed out as soon as the doors opened.
Only after reaching outside did Zhou Le feel his body cool down.
Moments ago, surrounded by Lu Jingran’s scent, he’d felt his face flush, his heart race, and his body weaken.
Just like now, just the scent of Lu Jingran could make him…!
Zhou Le turned his head and found himself once again beside Lu Jingran. Instinctively, he wanted to run.
A large Alpha hand grabbed the back of his collar, pulling him back.
“Why are you running?” Lu Jingran’s voice had a hint of annoyance. “Am I going to eat you?”
He spoke softly, his voice low and close to Zhou Le’s ear, deliberately quiet.
As he spoke, his fingers accidentally brushed against the skin on the back of Zhou Le’s neck.
It felt a little cool, and a bit ticklish.
Zhou Le tried to pull away, but he couldn’t.
“No…no, class rep, I… I just need to go to the bathroom,” Zhou Le said, scrambling for an excuse.
Chen Nan overheard and teased, “You still need the bathroom? Didn’t you already go during class?”
Zhou Le didn’t answer; he was under Lu Jingran’s grip, pale with worry.
Lu Jingran was a high-ranking Alpha, standing this close. Zhou Le didn’t know if he’d catch a scent from him. If Lu Jingran figured it out, he was done for.
Noticing his discomfort, Lu Jingran let go.
Just as Zhou Le was about to run off, he heard Lu Jingran’s calm voice say, “Don’t run.”
“Don’t hide from me.”
“Or I’ll just catch you again.”
“…”
