After Pretending to be a Beta, the Omega was Discovered by the School Heartthrob Chapter 57

And just like that, the centerpiece of the party, Lu Jingran, left hand in hand with Zhou Le. Chen Nan and Sheng Qian stayed behind to manage the rest of the class.  

Lu Jingran took Zhou Le to try all kinds of delicious foods, feeding him until Zhou Le was stuffed.  

“Well, how was it? Good?”  

“Yeah, it was good.”  

“Try this one.”  

Lu Jingran picked up a red velvet cupcake and brought it right up to Zhou Le’s mouth.  

“Is that really the young master of the Lu family? Who’s the boy next to him? Doesn’t seem familiar.”  

“I’ve never seen him either. Doesn’t look like someone from the Chen or Sheng families.”  

“They seem so close, though. Could it be…”  

“No way! Look at what the kid is wearing. That’s impossible. You’re reading too much into it.”  

“Probably just a classmate. I heard he invited some classmates to the party.”  

“Classmate? Oh, right. Speaking of which, I heard someone’s been pursuing Lu Jingran, even came here for it. Did you see the fireworks earlier? I heard they were from that girl. Hilarious.”  

“Oh, you mean that girl from the Liu family? Yeah, she’s pretty, but seriously, does she even know what kind of family the Lu family is? Just because she likes him doesn’t mean she can marry him. It’s laughable. These kids are so naïve.”  

“….”

“What’s wrong? Don’t like it?” Lu Jingran noticed Zhou Le’s lack of expression as he ate.  

Zhou Le hesitated. “Huh? No, it’s good. Really.”  

Those earlier whispers—they probably hadn’t caught Lu Jingran’s attention, but Zhou Le had heard every word.  

Even someone like Liu Yanyan, with her family background, was subject to criticism. How could someone like him even dream of such a thing?  

The fireworks Liu Yanyan had lit for just a few seconds—those likely cost enough to cover four years of his college tuition. He had been saving for years and still hadn’t accumulated that much. But for Liu Yanyan, it was over in less than a minute.  

“You’re upset,” Lu Jingran said, easily reading the emotions written all over Zhou Le’s face. “Is it because of Liu Yanyan? I didn’t invite her. She came on her own. I didn’t know she’d bring fireworks, either. I don’t like her; I’ve told you that before.”  

“…It’s not that. I’m not… I’m not jealous,” Zhou Le replied, lowering his head.  

Lu Jingran looked at his lowered gaze and softly repeated, “Not jealous?”  

Zhou Le didn’t respond, sulking silently.  

Lu Jingran chuckled. “Hmm, true. Back then, when she was pursuing me, you even helped her.”  

“…”  

“Yeah, no reason to be jealous. You were pretty supportive back then.”  

Zhou Le couldn’t take it anymore. “Th-that was in the past!”  

Lu Jingran tilted his head. “And now?”  

“Now it’s different!” Zhou Le’s face flushed like an angry little rabbit.  

“And why is it different now?”  

“Because now you’re mine!”  

It was rare—almost unheard of—for Zhou Le to express his possessiveness so openly. Even Lu Jingran was stunned for a moment.  

Zhou Le froze, too, realizing what he’d just said. Then, as if on cue, the tips of his ears burned red.  

 

What was he saying? There are so many people around. 

“Yes, I’m yours,” Lu Jingran said seriously, his deep voice radiating reassurance. “So why are you still unhappy? I’ll always be yours.”

—

I’ll always be yours…

Even hours later, lying alone in Lu Jingran’s private room, Zhou Le couldn’t stop thinking about those words. His face flushed, and his heart raced.

Is this the charm of an Alpha? Who could resist that?

As he calmed down, Zhou Le realized he was in Lu Jingran’s personal bedroom, which was large enough to rival the size of his entire home.

Lu Jingran, as the birthday host, had to entertain guests, so Zhou Le obediently stayed in the room. Not long after, there was a knock at the door.

Zhou Le fumbled for a while but couldn’t open it. The door was finally pushed open from the other side.

“What are you doing here?” Chen Nan asked, surprised to see Zhou Le. Quickly realizing something, he grinned. “Did Lu Jingran hide you here so no one else could see you?”

Honestly, considering Lu Jingran’s possessiveness, that seemed entirely possible.

“It’s not that… I just don’t like crowded places. I’m tired and want to sleep.”  

After eating, Lu Jingran had wanted to take Zhou Le over to greet his mother, Xu Zhen. Zhou Le glanced in her direction. Dressed in a light-colored evening gown and holding a glass of red wine, Xu Zhen was surrounded by people, chatting and laughing effortlessly. Her elegant demeanor exuded confidence and composure in the lively social setting.  

Zhou Le immediately declined. As a second-year high school student who had never been exposed to such formal occasions, he felt naturally intimidated. Making up an excuse, he convinced Lu Jingran to let him retreat to the quiet of the bedroom.  

“Fair enough,” Chen Nan chimed in. “Nothing interesting there—just a bunch of annoyances!”  

Chen Nan himself had no interest in the pretentious flattery of those at the party. He’d been planning to head to Lu Jingran’s bedroom to play games. However, seeing Zhou Le there gave him pause. After all, having an Alpha and an Omega alone in one room was bound to spark rumors, and Chen Nan wasn’t looking for trouble.  

Especially with Sheng Qian, the ever-jealous one. It seemed like even a passing breeze could provoke him. If he found out that Chen Nan had been alone with Zhou Le, he’d make a scene for sure. Just the thought made Chen Nan uneasy.  

“Alright then, you stay here. I’m leaving—” As Chen Nan turned to go, a thought popped into his head.  

“Wait, are you planning to sleep in Lu Jingran’s room?” Chen Nan spun around and scrutinized Zhou Le from head to toe.  

Zhou Le felt goosebumps rise under his gaze.  

Chen Nan smirked mischievously and stared him down. “Don’t tell me the birthday gift you prepared for Lu Jingran is…”  

He trailed off, but Zhou Le’s face flushed red.  

“Stop saying nonsense!” Zhou Le snapped.  

Chen Nan’s smirk widened. “What nonsense? Look, my gift for Lu Jingran is a car. Sheng Qian’an got him a limited-edition solid wood piano. And you? Judging from what I see, the most valuable thing you could give him is… yourself.”  

“…”  

“Get out—I’m going to sleep.” Zhou Le, exasperated, shoved Chen Nan out the door.  

After locking the door, Zhou Le quietly pulled out a small box he’d hidden in his pocket.  

The box was plain and unassuming, gray and forlorn. It seemed almost aware of its own inadequacy, resting in his palm with a quiet, pitiful air.  

Zhou Le had saved up for a long time to buy it, but compared to the extravagant gifts from Chen Nan and Sheng Qian, it wasn’t even a fraction of their value.  

He sighed, put the box away, and settled onto the sofa. As the night wore on, he dozed off while hugging a pillow.  

It wasn’t until past 8 p.m. that Lu Jingran finally returned.  

The young Alpha’s steps were slightly unsteady, and a faint flush tinged his usually cool face. For once, his typically aloof demeanor was replaced by an intoxicating warmth.  

“You’ve been drinking?” Zhou Le hurried over to support him, only to notice the heat radiating from his body the moment they touched.  

“Little Le…” Lu Jingran wrapped his arms around Zhou Le’s waist, pulling him entirely into his embrace.  

He rarely addressed him so intimately, but under the influence of alcohol, he seemed unusually clingy.  

“C-careful…” Zhou Le stammered, his skin tingling where they touched. Instinctively, he supported Lu Jingran’s weight.  

“Do you feel unwell? Do you need to throw up? Why… why did you drink?” 

Lu Jingran steadied himself. In truth, he hadn’t had much to drink—just enough to respond politely to the toasts from the elders. He was far from drunk.  

But he liked this feeling of slight abandon, a rare chance to loosen his tightly controlled composure. Even though he knew Zhou Le would never refuse him, he still wanted to indulge in this playfulness.  

Lu Jingran tugged at his tie, loosening it bit by bit. His collar opened to reveal a hint of skin, warm and flushed from the alcohol. The scent of his Alpha pheromones began to seep out, enveloping the room.  

His slightly hazy but focused gaze remained fixed on Zhou Le, who found himself heating up under the attention.  

Zhou Le tried to look away, but before he could step back, Lu Jingran leaned closer.  

“Little Le, my head hurts,” Lu Jingran murmured, nuzzling into Zhou Le’s shoulder like a spoiled puppy.  

“Do you want to lie down for a bit? Or I can give you a mas—mm!”  

Before Zhou Le could finish, Lu Jingran silenced him with a kiss, pressing firmly against him and stealing away his breath.  

Only when Zhou Le’s knees threatened to give out did Lu Jingran finally ease up, leaving him dazed and unsteady.  

“Are you going home tonight?” Lu Jingran asked, his gaze locked on Zhou Le’s lips as his Adam’s apple bobbed. His drunken eyes were filled with unmistakable temptation.  

Zhou Le’s heart raced as he inhaled the faint scent of the Alpha’s pheromones. It felt like his chest might burst.  

“I-I can’t. My mom is still at home. I have to go back,” Zhou Le stammered.  

The Alpha’s eyes flashed with disappointment, but he restrained it, saying, “I’ll take you home later.”

Even though his heart was reluctant.

Zhou Le apologized, biting his lip and lowering his head.

He squeezed the small gray box in his pocket, steeled himself, and took it out.

“I… I got you a gift,” he stammered, “Happy birthday.”

Lu Jingran paused, his gaze softening. When he saw the small gift box, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

“You bought this for me?”

“Mm,” Zhou Le nodded and handed it over. “It’s not anything expensive. I hope you’ll like it.”

Lu Jingran listened, then took it.

He opened the box with one hand, and his dark eyes froze.

It was an expression of utter shock.

Inside the dull, inconspicuous box was a shiny gold ring. It was pure gold, but the delicate and exquisite design made it look elegant rather than tacky, almost appearing luxurious.

Zhou Le sneaked a glance at Lu Jingran’s reaction and saw his face stiffen. His heart sank.

Does he not like it?

Is giving a ring too sudden?

After all, giving a ring as a birthday gift might seem… too forward. They were still in high school; discussing rings felt a bit too early.

“I… I don’t have anything else to give you. This is the best I could get,” Zhou Le nervously explained.

Lu Jingran stared at him, unable to say anything.

Now it all made sense.

Why he’d been so exhausted every day, why he’d been so tired that he even fell asleep reading, why he’d been staying up later and later, delivering more packages every night… all to buy him a gift. And this gift was a ring.

Lu Jingran took a sharp breath.

“I didn’t mean anything special. I just thought it was pretty, and I wanted to get it for you. If you don’t like it, I can exchange it for something else.”

Before he could finish, Zhou Le was suddenly pulled into a tight hug.

It was an intense embrace, as though Lu Jingran was trying to engrave himself into Zhou Le’s body.

Zhou Le first tensed up, then slowly relaxed, letting Lu Jingran hold him.

After a long while, Lu Jingran finally let go.

Zhou Le felt like it might have been his imagination, but it seemed like Lu Jingran’s eyes were a bit red.

Was he moved?

Was it really such a big emotion over just a ring?

Anyway, it looked like he liked the gift, and that made Zhou Le happy.

“Lu Jingran, happy birthday.”

Zhou Le smiled contentedly.

The smile of the Omega made a small but painful mark in Lu Jingran’s heart. He probably didn’t even realize how exhausted he looked, but his eyes were full of life because he had given him this gift, and it seemed like he really liked it.

Lu Jingran fought to hold back his emotions and pulled him back into his arms.

He kissed Zhou Le’s ear gently.

“Thank you.”

“This is the best gift I’ve ever received.”

Especially because it’s from you.