“Why did you come down? Finished eating?” A hint of warmth returned to his gaze.
“Yeah, I finished. The restaurant closed, so I packed some of your favorite dishes for you. You can eat them later.”
“Thanks.” Lu Jingran smiled gently.
“Shall we head back?”
“… I’d like to walk around for a bit,” Lu Jingran said, his eyes lingering on Zhou Le’s face. “Stay with me?”
Without thinking much of it, Zhou Le agreed. “Sure.”
They strolled around the manor hand in hand.
Despite the people around them, the atmosphere was tranquil, and Zhou Le felt a sense of calm.
The greenery, the scattered flowers, the dimming evening sky, and the faintly emerging stars all added to the serene beauty of the moment.
Lu Jingran tucked Zhou Le’s hand into his pocket, holding it tightly.
Surrounded by Lu Jingran’s Alpha scent and his faint tobacco smell, Zhou Le suddenly remembered, “Why were you smoking? Are you upset?”
Lu Jingran paused, gazing into the distance as if his thoughts were far away. “No, I just felt like having one.”
“What about Sheng Qian? Wasn’t he with you? Where is he?”
“I don’t know. Maybe he went to find Chen Nan.”
“Oh, okay.”
As they continued walking, Zhou Le began feeling drowsy, likely from the exhaustion of traveling. Just as he was about to suggest heading back to sleep, he heard someone calling him.
“Zhou Le! Zhou Le!”
Looking up, he saw the foreigner from earlier—Shen Tang.
If he remembered correctly, that was his name.
Shen Tang seemed excited to see him, completely ignoring the fact that Zhou Le’s arm was linked with an Alpha’s.
“Zhou Le, I even asked the front desk about you earlier, but they said they hadn’t seen you.” Shen Tang pulled out a bouquet of deep red roses and handed them to Zhou Le. “For you. I hope you like them, my friend.”
Zhou Le was stunned. He hadn’t expected someone he’d just met to give him roses.
Shen Tang added enthusiastically, “The stars here are beautiful tonight. Would you like to watch them with me?”
Lu Jingran’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“He’s not interested,” the Alpha said, his tone cold and commanding.
Only then did Shen Tang notice Lu Jingran and the way they were standing together.
What?!
“S-sorry! I didn’t know. My apologies—so sorry! I—I have something to do. Enjoy your time here!” Shen Tang stammered, then hurried off in a flustered retreat.
Zhou Le glanced at the roses in his hands, unsure of what to do.
Lu Jingran also glanced at them, then fixed his gaze on Zhou Le. “You’re quite popular.”
Feeling awkward, Zhou Le quickly made up his mind and placed the roses on a nearby tree branch, transforming them into a part of the landscape.
“Roses are nice, but having you is more than enough,” Zhou Le said playfully with a grin.
They continued their walk as the sky darkened.
The stars over the manor were indeed breathtaking, sparkling like diamonds against the velvet night.
Zhou Le tilted his head back, captivated.
Suddenly, a delicate box appeared before him.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Open it,” Lu Jingran urged.
Zhou Le opened it to find a small crystal globe. Inside was a three-dimensional scene of one boy holding an umbrella for another. One figure resembled him, and the other resembled Lu Jingran. Glittering snow-like flakes swirled inside, romantic and heartwarming.
“It’s beautiful,” Zhou Le said, carefully cradling the globe, his bright eyes reflecting its sparkle.
“You like it?” Lu Jingran asked.
“Of course! Is this for me?” Zhou Le asked excitedly.
“Of course.”
Lu Jingran had long noticed Zhou Le’s fondness for shiny, intricate items, especially crystal globes. Whenever they passed by such items in stores, Zhou Le’s gaze would soften as he admired them—but he never bought them.
Because he thought it would be a waste of money.
“Just to look at, without any practical use. Buying it would be a waste, even though I really like it.”
“Why are you giving me this all of a sudden?” Zhou Le asked. “It’s not a holiday, nor any special occasion.”
Lu Jingran lowered his gaze slightly before looking back at Zhou Le. “No reason. I just wanted to give it to you.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
“I do!” Zhou Le said eagerly. “Thank you.”
Then, he stood on tiptoes and gave Lu Jingran a quick, affectionate kiss.
His soft lips brushed against Lu Jingran’s, fleeting yet leaving a deep mark on his heart.
Watching Zhou Le’s delighted expression, Lu Jingran felt his chest tighten with a mix of sourness and ache.
Someone so easy to charm, so captivating to every Alpha’s gaze—how could he feel at ease letting Zhou Le stay here on his own?
Suddenly, Lu Jingran pulled Zhou Le into a tight embrace.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Le was caught off guard and a little confused.
Lu Jingran closed his eyes, savoring the warmth of the Omega in his arms. “Nothing. I just wanted to hold you for a while.”
“Oh, okay.” Zhou Le stood obediently, letting him hold on.
But he couldn’t help but wonder, “Are you sure today isn’t any special occasion? You’re acting kind of strange.”
Had he forgotten something important?
Lu Jingran didn’t answer. Instead, he gently ran his fingers through the strands of hair at the back of Zhou Le’s head and pressed his lips lightly against Zhou Le’s ear, holding him tightly.
Though still feeling suspicious, Zhou Le decided not to dwell on it. He burrowed further into Lu Jingran’s embrace, relishing the soothing scent of his Alpha’s pheromones.
—
When they got back to their room, Zhou Le’s phone rang. It was Lin Xiaoxiao.
“Zhou Le, have you seen Chen Nan? Sheng Qian was running around looking for him, and he seemed really anxious.”
“Chen Nan?” Zhou Le glanced at Lu Jingran. Lu Jingran showed no unusual reaction, his gaze lowered as if deep in thought.
“I haven’t seen him. Weren’t they together?” Zhou Le replied.
Lin Xiaoxiao said, “I’m not sure. They were together earlier, but then Chen Nan ran off for some reason. Sheng Qian tried calling him, but he’s not picking up. Did they have a fight or something?”
Before Zhou Le could respond, a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he saw Chen Nan.
He was about to call out to him when Chen Nan rushed straight to Lu Jingran.
“Brother Lu! Is what Sheng Qian said true?! Are you really planning to study abroad after senior year, and not coming back for years?!”
“…”
The questions Zhou Le wanted to ask got stuck in his throat.
He stood frozen, processing what he had just heard. It took him a moment to finally turn his stunned gaze toward Lu Jingran.
“Hello? Zhou Le! Is Chen Nan with you? I think I heard his voice. Where are you guys?”
“Hello? Zhou Le! Can you hear me?” Lin Xiaoxiao’s voice drifted faintly from the phone.
Lu Jingran met Zhou Le’s gaze directly, not avoiding it.
Zhou Le’s heart sank.
No answer was as good as confirmation.
Chen Nan’s voice trembled with disbelief. “So it’s true. You’re really… going abroad?”
The last two words came out choked.
Sheng Qian arrived at that moment, reaching out to grab Chen Nan’s arm.
“Let go of me! Don’t touch me!” Chen Nan shouted, his voice hoarse with despair. His anguish was raw, as though it was carving out his very heart. “So it was all fake! You lied to me from the start!”
“You’re using studying abroad to force me to admit my feelings for you. Now that I’ve admitted it and given in, you feel like you’ve won, so you’re leaving?!”
“Then what am I to you?! What the h*ll am I to you?!”
“I didn’t!” Sheng Qian, ignoring Chen Nan’s struggles, wrapped his arms around him from behind. “I never lied to you!”
“Studying abroad was a family decision. I rejected it before, but this time, I can’t. I can’t ignore my family’s needs.”
If you had the chance to attend one of the best universities in the world, would you turn it down?
In their circle, attending a prestigious school wasn’t just about personal growth; it was a point of pride for the family—a collective obligation.
He couldn’t be selfish.
“Let go of me!” Chen Nan broke free from Sheng Qian. “Now you talk about your family. Why didn’t you consider your family when you dragged me into bed?!”
Chen Nan’s eyes were red, filled with grievance and anger.
Two Alphas being together was already fraught with challenges—no sense of security, no marking. Chen Nan had fought through immense internal struggles to be with Sheng Qian, and now, he was being cast aside without even being consulted. How could he not be furious?
“Tell your family you’re not going! If they kick you out, I’ll take care of you!”
Sheng Qian stood motionless, silently staring at him.
“What? Don’t think I can support you?” Chen Nan frowned.
“You’d support me. And then what?” Sheng Qian’s voice was hoarse.
“What do you mean, ‘and then what’?”
Sheng Qian looked into his eyes for a long time before asking, “Chen Nan, what are we, exactly?”
“What do you mean? What are you saying?”
Sheng Qian continued, “If I stay, can we really be together?”
Chen Nan said, “We’re already together, aren’t we?!”
After another long pause, Sheng Qian asked, “Chen Nan, do you… like me?”
If Chen Nan said yes—just once, even if it wasn’t true—Sheng Qian would abandon everything, give up going abroad, and stay with him forever.
“What?” Chen Nan felt like he’d misheard.
He’s the one being abandoned, the one being left behind. And now, in front of everyone, Sheng Qian is questioning him. Like?
If he admitted he liked him, it would be tantamount to publicly acknowledging he was beneath him. If word got out, he’d be laughed at endlessly.
Being abandoned yet shamelessly clinging on, saying “I like you,” begging “Don’t go, don’t leave me”—
That couldn’t possibly be Chen Nan! He wouldn’t allow himself to become such a person!
“Sheng Qian, don’t you think you’re overestimating yourself?” Chen Nan suddenly laughed. “Fine, go ahead. Go focus on your studies, your education. I’m an Alpha too, and it’s not like I can’t find an Omega. Me, liking you? Ha! Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Even if I, your Laozi, like Alphas, there are plenty of Alphas in the world. Why the h*ll should I hang myself on your tree?”
“My thing with you? It’s just because I thought it was novel for two Alphas to be together. Did you really think I can’t live without you?”
Sheng Qian: “…”
This was so… Chen Nan. Always able to say things that cut straight to the heart. Every time, it was like stabbing Sheng Qian in his deepest wounds, tearing them open again and again.
Why did he choose to go abroad? Part of it was family, but part of it was also to let himself go.
He knew perfectly well that leaving might mean losing Chen Nan forever. But ripping off the bandage was better than dragging it out.
What were he and Chen Nan now? Friends with benefits?
That’s all it was—childhood friends, curious about each other, turned casual bedmates.
It couldn’t go any further. If it did, Chen Nan would be the first to run away. Their relationship, brief and shallow, suited Chen Nan best.
If Sheng Qian asked Chen Nan to commit to him, Chen Nan might block him on WeChat the very next day. He knew him too well.
His sincere heart, twisted and crushed like this, was already raw and bleeding.
If he and Chen Nan were truly not meant to be, then this was as far as it would go.
If Sheng Qian stayed, he might never be able to let go. And if he couldn’t let go, who knew what he might do?
He couldn’t tie him down. So he could only set him free.
“Fine.” In front of everyone, Sheng Qian said to Chen Nan, “I hope you find someone truly right for you in the future. I’ll come back to attend your wedding.”
After saying that, Sheng Qian turned and walked away.
Chen Nan watched his back, so furious his mouth twisted.
“Who’s afraid of who?! Sheng Qian, you’d better die out there! Don’t ever come back in this lifetime! Attend my wedding? Like h*ll I’d want you there—you’d just bring bad luck!”
Even with such venomous words, Sheng Qian didn’t turn back.
Chen Nan’s eyes suddenly turned red.
He bit his lip, his face contorting into the familiar look of grievance Sheng Qian knew too well. If Sheng Qian saw, he’d come over and hug him.
But now, even the scent of Sheng Qian’s pheromones had faded almost entirely from the air.
D*mn it.
Sheng Qian, you bastard!
