After what felt like an eternity, the discomfort finally eased, leaving Zhou Le with some strength.
His mind grew clearer, and the burning sensation gradually receded. His whole body, drenched in Alpha pheromones, felt like a sponge absorbing water, filled with an unfamiliar sense of security.
So much… the uniform covering him was filled with Alpha pheromones, cool and soothing.
Zhou Le slumped on the desk, curling up as much as possible beneath Lu Jingran’s large uniform. Instinctively, he nuzzled the collar, taking in the boy’s scent… his scent.
There was faint chatter nearby, but no one paid attention to him. There was no teacher in the room, so everyone was relaxed, possibly just thinking he had fallen asleep.
Good—no one was watching him. Even though everyone nearby was Beta and wouldn’t detect if he went into heat, it was still best to keep a low profile.
Once the aches subsided, fatigue set in. Zhou Le laid on the desk, drifting off to sleep until he awoke just before dismissal.
He pushed the uniform off slightly, his forehead dotted with sweat.
When the five o’clock bell rang, the homeroom teacher entered, announcing the end of the school day. The few remaining students in the class started gathering their things.
Zhou Le hesitated, touching Lu Jingran’s uniform draped over him.
Just then, someone asked, “So, are we just going home? Are they not coming back?”
“They’re probably having their families pick them up and getting checked out at the hospital—it sounded pretty serious.”
“I wonder what it’s like… I’m so curious.”
“No idea! Zhou Le, aren’t you leaving?”
“Yeah, time to go! Why are you wearing two uniforms?”
“…Oh? I, uh… I was cold.” Zhou Le spoke, only then noticing how hoarse his voice had become.
As he walked out of the classroom, his legs still felt a bit weak.
Because of the incident, they got to leave earlier than the other classes, and the campus pathways were mostly empty. Zhou Le was the last to leave.
He touched the uniform he was wearing, slowing to a stop. The scent of Lu Jingran’s pheromones lingered on it, giving him a reassuring warmth.
“Stay still for a while; it’ll get better.”
“Be good.”
The soft words seemed to echo in his ears.
The uniform was filled with an unusual amount of Alpha pheromones. Clearly, Lu Jingran knew… everything.
It felt like his whole body was now permeated with Lu Jingran’s scent.
Zhou Le tightened his grip on the uniform, his lips pressing together.
Lu Jingran had helped him and had discovered his secret.
So he’d been found out… It turns out that test reports and data couldn’t fool a high-ranking Alpha. All his little tricks were transparent to Lu Jingran.
Zhou Le looked down at the uniform that belonged to someone else. He should return it. But… he was reluctant to part with it.
As a newly differentiated Omega, Lu Jingran’s pheromones held an intense attraction for him. It was a wonder he hadn’t fallen asleep clinging to the uniform… Not that he couldn’t, he mused. After all, he wouldn’t have to return it until tomorrow, when he could wash it and…
“Zhou Le.”
Startled, Zhou Le halted, only to hear someone call out to him in a low voice from behind.
Turning slowly, he met Lu Jingran’s deep gaze, only to quickly look away again.
“C-Class rep…” he mumbled softly like a mosquito.
Lu Jingran looked him over and took a step closer.
The scent was unmistakably his, mingling with Zhou Le’s and clinging to him… and he was still wearing Lu Jingran’s uniform.
Zhou Le hadn’t expected Lu Jingran to approach so suddenly, and he froze, afraid to move.
Help…
The Alpha who had just suppressed his pheromones was now right in front of him, barely ten centimeters away. One reach and he could touch him; he could even faintly breathe in Lu Jingran’s scent.
Zhou Le tensed, struggling against the urge to lean into him.
“Are you feeling better?” Lu Jingran asked.
Zhou Le took a shaky breath and managed a hoarse, “… Much better.”
“….”
Lu Jingran didn’t ask anything further.
After a moment of silence, Zhou Le remembered and, clutching the uniform, said, “Class Rep, tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll wash this and return it to you.”
Lu Jingran glanced at him in the oversized uniform. “No need; I’ll send you home. Just return it when you’re done.”
When I’m done…
The phrasing made Zhou Le feel awkward.
“No need, Class Rep. I can go home by myself,” Zhou Le said, sneaking a glance at Lu Jingran. “I’m… fine now.”
Lu Jingran didn’t respond, just kept looking down at Zhou Le’s bowed head.
Finally, Zhou Le, feeling the weight of his gaze, lowered his head even further and murmured, “Thank you, Class Rep.”
—
When getting out of the car, Zhou Le handed the uniform back to Lu Jingran.
The latter took it, carefully reminding him, “Don’t eat anything cold, don’t stay up late, get some good rest. You have school tomorrow.”
Zhou Le nodded.
He was about to watch Lu Jingran leave, only to realize that he didn’t seem ready to go at all.
“I’ll watch until you go upstairs.”
The gentle voice left Zhou Le momentarily stunned.
He was going to watch him go up?
Seeing that Lu Jingran was serious, Zhou Le didn’t say anything and turned to walk toward his building entrance. As he walked, he glanced back and saw Lu Jingran still looking at him.
The neighborhood was busy with people, as it was almost after-school time, but Lu Jingran seemed to ignore everything around him, his gaze fixed solely on Zhou Le. It was as if he truly needed to make sure Zhou Le made it inside.
But… why?
Though it was late afternoon, the sun was still out, and there was no reason to worry he might get lost. As Zhou Le ascended the stairs, he saw Lu Jingran looking up at him through a hallway window.
He continued to watch until Zhou Le reached home and stood by the window for a while before finally heading toward the waiting family car around the corner.
Even if Zhou Le was usually slow on the uptake, he understood then.
The class rep was protecting him.
He knew; he knew Zhou Le was an Omega and knew Zhou Le didn’t want to talk about it, so he was helping him keep it a secret, never pushing him to explain. He must have figured it out last time, when they’d been cornered.
Zhou Le didn’t know what to say—his heart felt warm, almost overflowing. Calling Lu Jingran “kind” seemed like an understatement. He deserved every beautiful word in the world.
If he could make a lot of money someday, he wanted to buy the class rep something delicious… even if he had no money, he’d still want to treat him.
…
Lu Jingran returned home and immediately headed to his room, barely responding to the housekeeper’s invitation to dinner.
“Why is the young master carrying his uniform instead of wearing it?”
“Maybe he felt warm.”
“Is it that warm?”
Though everyone was curious, seeing Lu Jingran in such a hurry, they simply resumed preparing dinner.
Upstairs, Lu Jingran entered his room, drew the curtains, and let the darkness envelop him. In the dark, he buried himself in the uniform he’d just received, which carried the lingering pheromones of an Omega fresh from heat.
He inhaled that faintly sweet floral scent.
When he opened his eyes again, they were shadowed with an intense darkness.
His blood simmered.
In his mind, he pictured Zhou Le turning to look back at him by the building entrance, cheeks still tinged pink, blinking in confusion.
A warmth surged in his chest.
He gripped the uniform tightly.
That thin layer of fabric—it almost felt like holding someone’s waist.
After a long pause, Lu Jingran frowned in the darkness, cursing softly.
He couldn’t bear to reveal this side of himself to Zhou Le, especially considering how fragile he still was…
He would be scared…
He’d only recently become a fully differentiated Omega, just starting to respond to Alphas. He wouldn’t be able to handle it.
But this was also an opportunity—a chance to keep him close. Before anyone else even noticed, he already belonged to him.
For an Alpha, this was an irresistible draw.
Lu Jingran forced himself to close his eyes, but it was no use. Zhou Le’s innocent, slightly pitiful face still floated in his mind.
“Class rep…”
Nestled in his uniform, he’d looked up, breathing heavily, calling for him.
“…”
Lu Jingran’s throat tightened.
Finally, he went out of his room, heading upstairs again.
“Is the young master working out now?”
“Seems like it. Upstairs… maybe he’s playing basketball.”
“…And not eating dinner?”
“Maybe the young master has too much energy and wants to burn it off.”
“…”
