After Pretending to be a Beta, the Omega was Discovered by the School Heartthrob Chapter 66

Zhou Le was accepted to a local university in City A, scraping into his desired logistics program. 

From the first day on campus, he envisioned owning a chain of parcel delivery stations, spreading across the city.

By Zhou Le’s third year, Lu Jingran had returned from abroad. He graduated early, having completed all his courses.

The day Lu Jingran came back, Zhou Le was in his dorm, discussing dinner plans with his roommates after a long day of professional courses.

Liu Yuan, from the lower bunk, stretched with an exaggerated yawn. “I’ve been in class all day. I need a good meal to reward myself.”

“How about eating out? There’s a new rice cake hotpot place across from campus,” suggested Zhou Chen, who was fiddling with a basketball.

“It’s pretty good,” chimed in Chen Xiang, grabbing the basketball from Zhou Chen. “Lele and I tried it last time. Not bad at all.”

“Oh, so you two went without us, huh?” Liu Yuan teased. “Real nice, Lord Prime Minister. Why don’t you treat me and Zhou Chen like that?”

The dorm had four members: Zhou Le, an Omega; Chen Xiang, an Alpha; and Liu Yuan and Zhou Chen, both Betas. With Zhou Le and Chen Xiang being an A and O in the same dorm, their pairing often became the butt of jokes, especially since Chen Xiang had specifically switched dorms to be with Zhou Le, despite being from a different department.

Chen Xiang gave Liu Yuan a playful shove. “Say what you want, but Lele’s taken. If you upset him, I’m blaming you for it.”

Liu Yuan laughed. “Fine, fine, blame me, Lord Prime Minister!” The nickname came from a pun on Chen Xiang’s name.

Zhou Chen intervened. “How about we just hit the dining hall? I hear there’s a good spread today.”

“Sounds good,” Liu Yuan said, licking his lips. “I’ve been craving their sweet and sour fish.”

“And the spicy boiled pork slices,” Zhou Chen added enthusiastically.

As the group walked on, Chen Xiang glanced at Zhou Le, who was scrolling on his phone, his brow furrowed. From Chen Xiang’s angle, the contact name “Lu Jingran” was unmistakable.

Lu Jingran—Zhou Le’s Alpha. The two had been together since their second year of high school. Though Lu Jingran had been abroad for two years now, Chen Xiang doubted they had seen each other even once during that time.

Three years apart—how could anyone bear that? If Zhou Le were his Omega, Chen Xiang wouldn’t leave him for a single day. 

Zhou Le’s soft, sweet nature made him too easy to me stolen away by another.

“Lele, I’ve got a basketball game at seven tonight. Wanna come watch?” Chen Xiang asked.

Zhou Le looked up from his phone.

“What’s wrong?” Chen Xiang asked, noticing his hesitation. “Gonna video call your boyfriend tonight?”

“No, he’s busy,” Zhou Le replied, his voice tinged with melancholy.

In the past, they video-called almost every evening. Even with the time difference, Lu Jingran would wake up early to talk to Zhou Le. Those moments were precious, a lifeline for their relationship.

But recently, Lu Jingran had been occupied with group training, leaving him unavailable for at least a week. Zhou Le couldn’t help but feel a little down because of it.

He lacked energy in everything he did and was distracted even during class that day.

Just like now—right after speaking, he accidentally bumped into someone in front of him.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you,” Zhou Le quickly lowered his head and apologized.

Chen Xiang raised an arm protectively around him. “Are you okay?”

Then he turned to the person in front. “Sorry, brother, we didn’t see you.”

His gesture and tone made it seem as if Zhou Le was firmly under his protection, as though they were a unit.

“It’s alright,” the person replied. “As long as no one’s hurt.”

Hearing the voice, Zhou Le froze in place. Then he suddenly looked up.

The Alpha was staring at him with a faint smile.

Zhou Le stood there in shock for a long moment before his voice broke into a sobbing tone. “Lu… Lu Jingran…”

Chen Xiang glanced between the two and immediately understood.

He looked at the young man before them, dressed in a sleek black coat, clean and sharp. His cold, distant face seemed out of place, except for the way his gaze softened with overwhelming tenderness when he looked at Zhou Le—as if his entire world existed solely in Zhou Le.

So this was Lu Jingran—the person he could never hope to surpass.

Lu Jingran responded with a soft acknowledgment and extended a hand.

Unable to hold back any longer, Zhou Le launched himself into Lu Jingran’s arms.

The deep yearning he’d suppressed for so long burned within him, overwhelming his senses. All he could feel was the warmth of Lu Jingran’s embrace, grounding him in reality.

Only now did Zhou Le realize just how much he missed Lu Jingran. All his restrained longing surged out at once, and he clung tightly to him, afraid that if he let go, Lu Jingran would slip away like a dream.

It had been nearly half a year since they’d last seen each other—the longest they’d been apart since their long-distance relationship began.

The trembling in Zhou Le’s body made Lu Jingran tighten his hold, his heart aching as he gently stroked Zhou Le’s back.

“You’ve gotten thinner,” Lu Jingran said hoarsely.

Zhou Le, still snuggled in his arms, looked up and touched Lu Jingran’s face. “So have you.”

Lu Jingran clasped his hand, brushing his fingers through Zhou Le’s hair. “Don’t cry, little kitten.”

After a pause, he added solemnly, “I’m not leaving anymore.”

Zhou Le’s eyes widened in surprise, tears still clinging to his lashes.

Lu Jingran wrapped an arm around his waist and nuzzled his cheek. “It’s true. I graduated early. I’m staying for good now.”

“Don’t cry anymore. If you keep crying, I might start crying too, okay?”

Hearing those words, Zhou Le couldn’t stop himself.

Lu Jingran pulled him close again, rocking him gently as he comforted him. His own eyes reddened with emotion.

Up ahead, Liu Yuan and Zhou Chen caught up, tugging on Chen Xiang’s shoulder. “Who’s that? Who’s that?”

Chen Xiang glanced at the two embracing figures. No matter how much he didn’t want to admit it, he quietly said, “That’s Zhou Le’s boyfriend.”

“He’s back…”

—

After returning, Lu Jingran shifted his work focus to City A and bought a house there, where he and Zhou Le could live together.

When Zhou Le moved out of the dorm, his roommates pitched in to help, even though Lu Jingran had hired movers to handle it. After all, they were dormmates—it wouldn’t feel right to just stand by.

As they entered the gated community, Liu Yuan was stunned. “Zhou Le, is this a villa?!”

For university students accustomed to dorm living, seeing a row of detached villas up close felt like stepping into another world.

Zhou Le nodded. “Yeah, I really like this place. There are lots of trees, a park, and the scenery is nice.”

Zhou Chen, carrying a box, joked, “So your boyfriend bought this place because you liked it?”

Zhou Le thought for a moment. “He let me choose. I thought this place was great.”

Liu Yuan smirked. “Yeah, I think it’s great too.”

“Ah, being an Omega is so nice. If I had an Alpha who bought me a villa, I’d stick with them for life.”

Chen Xiang, listening quietly from the side, lowered his head in silence.

Thanks to the movers and cleaners Lu Jingran hired, the house was quickly put in order. By 7 p.m., everything was ready, but Lu Jingran hadn’t returned yet. The housekeeper had already left, leaving Zhou Le alone in the spacious, quiet house.

He turned on the TV, letting the sound of voices fill the emptiness, making it feel a little less lonely.

This was his and Lu Jingran’s home now, and Zhou Le felt a quiet happiness at the thought.

Later, Lin Xiaoxiao and Xia Linchuan messaged him, saying they’d heard Lu Jingran was back and wanted to meet up.

Both were also in City A, though at different universities. Xia Linchuan had dropped out after his first year and joined a gaming training camp, training 10 hours a day. The last time Zhou Le saw him, his eyes were so darkly circled that Zhou Le had almost dragged him to the hospital, thinking he was terminally ill.

Lin Xiaoxiao, meanwhile, was preparing to study in South Korea. Despite people telling her it wasn’t as glamorous as she imagined, she still wanted to go and experience it for herself.

They also asked about Chen Nan.

Zhou Le wanted to ask, too. Ever since Sheng Qian came back briefly, Chen Nan seemed to have disappeared. He hadn’t even shown up for the college entrance exams. Zhou Le had asked Lu Jingran, but even he didn’t know anything. It was as if Chen Nan had vanished into thin air.

While Lu Jingran had returned, Sheng Qian had chosen to stay abroad, seemingly intent on building a life there.

Zhou Le felt regret for both of them. Whatever had happened between Chen Nan and Sheng Qian, their feelings had been real. It didn’t feel right for things to end this way.

—

The gathering was held at a teahouse restaurant reserved by Lu Jingran. Zhou Le only had to send out the invitations—transportation was also arranged. Since his roommates had helped him move, they were invited too.

The venue was a traditional-style teahouse with private rooms on the second floor. The decor was classic, evoking the charm of Jiangnan’s water towns.

Zhou Le introduced his roommates to Lin Xiaoxiao and Xia Linchuan, and the group exchanged greetings.

“Playing games professionally? So, you’re in a reserve team? Which club, big shot?” Liu Yuan was clearly intrigued.

Xia Linchuan chuckled, embarrassed by the attention. “No, no, not that far. Right now, I’m just doing paid gaming to make a living. As for playing in pro leagues, who knows when that’ll happen. But I’m trying my best. At my age, maybe a miracle could still happen.”

Liu Yuan encouraged him, “That’s still awesome! What’s your gaming handle? Let me check it out.”

The two sat together, chatting excitedly and even exchanged WeChat contacts.

Zhou Chen noticed Lin Xiaoxiao’s bag strap adorned with a keychain of a Korean idol and immediately showed interest. The two of them hit it off, diving into a heated discussion about their favorite idols.

Meanwhile, Chen Xiang, seated next to Zhou Chen, barely spoke. He kept his gaze low, seemingly lost in thought.

After some lively chatter, the dishes were served.

Lu Jingran naturally took over peeling shrimp, serving dishes, and pouring water for Zhou Le. Fresh from work, he was still in his suit, having come straight from the office without stopping home to change.

In stark contrast, Zhou Le was dressed like a typical student. The visual disparity of the two sitting together was striking, so much so that anyone might believe Zhou Le was being “kept.”

Liu Yuan couldn’t help but smirk. “Lele, I’ve gotta say, you’ve got it good. Where did you even find such a perfect Alpha? You’ve restored my faith in high school romances.”

Zhou Le smiled shyly, and when he looked up, Lu Jingran was already gazing at him with a soft smile.

Xia Linchuan couldn’t resist chiming in. “You don’t know how these two were in high school. Back then, mealtimes were even more over-the-top. It felt like Brother Lu could survive on just looking at Zhou Le, like he didn’t even need to eat.”

The comment earned a round of laughter.

“That’s so exaggerated,” Zhou Le protested, feeling compelled to defend Lu Jingran. The way the other party described it made him sound like some lovesick fool.

“Not far off,” Lu Jingran replied with a smile, placing a peeled shrimp into Zhou Le’s bowl. “Careful, it’s still a bit hot. Wait before eating.”

“Okay.” Zhou Le nodded, picking up a cheesy custard ball to offer Lu Jingran. “You try this. It’s really good.”

Sweet dishes weren’t Lu Jingran’s favorite, but since Zhou Le liked them, he convinced himself to enjoy them too. More importantly, he loved anything Zhou Le offered him.

Sitting further away, Chen Xiang watched their affectionate interactions, tightening his grip on his teacup.

The pair’s tenderness was enviable. Unable to hold back, Zhou Chen sighed, “I can’t take it anymore. I need to be in a relationship. Right now, I desperately want to date someone.”

Lin Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes. “Do you think you’re the only one they’ve driven to want a relationship? I’ve been feeling this way since high school!”

Zhou Chen retorted, “So why are you still single?”

Lin Xiaoxiao snapped back, “Do you think everyone’s as lucky as that brat?”

“…”

Liu Yuan chuckled. “Lele is great, though. You wouldn’t believe how many Alphas at school are into him. He—”

He abruptly stopped, realizing his words might be dangerous. A chill ran down his spine as he glanced up, catching Lu Jingran’s sharp gaze. Quickly shifting gears, Liu Yuan stammered, “But of course, none of them compare to Lu Jingran, hahaha. Lele’s just lucky to have him!”

Lu Jingran corrected him, “It’s mutual luck.”

“Yes, yes, mutual luck. That’s what I meant! Hahaha.” Liu Yuan tried to laugh it off. “Not everyone has such fortune, you know.”

“Fortune? I’m not so sure about that.” Chen Xiang, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke.

Everyone’s attention shifted to him.

Chen Xiang looked directly at Lu Jingran, his tone calm but sharp. “I heard you left Zhou Le behind for years. Weren’t you worried that someone else might take your Omega while you were abroad?”

What the—

Liu Yuan gasped, exchanging a panicked glance with Zhou Chen.

The tension skyrocketed. It felt like sitting on pins and needles, as if breathing too loudly might ignite an explosion.

“Never,” Zhou Le spoke up before Lu Jingran could respond. “No one could ever take me away. I’ll always belong to Lu Jingran.”

His declaration was heartfelt but undeniably cheesy. Yet, in the current atmosphere, no one dared to tease him.

Chen Xiang clenched his fists under the table. He knew his words were aggressive and unreasonable, but he couldn’t suppress them.

“So, when we first met, and you released your Omega pheromones to me, didn’t you consider that you only belonged to Lu Jingran?” Chen Xiang’s lips curved into a bitter smile, throwing out a question that plunged the room into icy silence.

Zhou Le froze, his mind blanking for a few seconds before remembering. “That was because you were in a susceptible period. I was worried about you and released just a little to help stabilize you—”

But that explanation was enough to confirm it happened.

The atmosphere in the room became stifling.

Zhou Le instinctively glanced at Lu Jingran’s expression, only to stop mid-sentence, guilt bubbling up inside him.

Although it was done to save someone at the time, there was no denying that this method was highly questionable. No Omega would willingly release their pheromones to an Alpha—especially when they already had their own Alpha.  

This was essentially a form of seduction. It wasn’t until much later that Zhou Le fully realized the implications of what had happened, and he had never brought it up with Lu Jingran. He hadn’t expected Chen Xiang to suddenly blurt it out today.  

The atmosphere grew even more tense, like a ticking bomb ready to explode if anyone said another word.  

Lin Xiaoxiao and Xia Linchuan shot less-than-friendly glances at Chen Xiang, their meaning clear: Dude, are you here to stir up trouble or what?!  

Liu Yuan and Zhou Chen scratched their heads, racking their brains over how to handle the situation.  

Unexpectedly, the calmest person in the room turned out to be Lu Jingran.  

He gently placed a piece of Zhou Le’s favorite peach cheesecake on his plate and said in a soft voice, “Let’s eat first.”  

Liu Yuan quickly chimed in, “Yes, yes, let’s eat first. Let’s focus on the food!”  

Awkwardly, everyone began eating, the tension hanging heavy but unaddressed. Chen Xiang didn’t stir the pot further—he probably realized he had been too impulsive earlier. After all, this couple had only just reunited after a long-distance relationship, and here he was, dropping a bombshell out of nowhere. If that wasn’t stirring the pot, what was?  

There was no telling whether Lu Jingran, as an Alpha, would later confront Zhou Le about it. No Alpha could tolerate their Omega releasing pheromones for someone else, regardless of the reason—it was a direct challenge to their boundaries.

Zhou Le wouldn’t be bullied by Lu Jingran, right? The more Chen Xiang thought about it, the more he regretted his actions.

He wanted to say something, but Liu Yuan and Zhou Chen stuffed his mouth with food before he could speak. They had been ready to intervene; if Chen Xiang tried to stir up trouble again, they would act first and hold him down.

As the meal wrapped up, Lu Jingran stood up to go to the restroom.

Not long after, Zhou Le also stood and followed.

The restroom attached to the private room wasn’t very large, with only two stalls. When Zhou Le entered, he saw Lu Jingran washing his hands, clearly without the intention of using the facilities.

Standing behind Lu Jingran, Zhou Le bit his lip.

Just as he was figuring out how to explain, the Alpha suddenly raised his head and made eye contact with him through the mirror.

—An invisible sense of pressure.

Zhou Le’s heartbeat skipped a beat.

At that moment, words seemed pointless.

Zhou Le spoke directly: “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t mean to hide it from you. He collapsed on the roadside and couldn’t even breathe. I was scared he would die, so I released some pheromones.”

“Nothing else happened. He didn’t touch me, and the school doctor came quickly and saved him.”

Lu Jingran turned off the faucet, dried his fingers, and faced Zhou Le.

The Alpha loosened his tie with one hand and took a few steps closer. His large frame completely engulfed Zhou Le.

“Do you know why I’m angry?” he asked.

Zhou Le’s eyelashes trembled. “Because I released my pheromones to him.”

Pheromones were deeply personal and sensitive for an Omega. To release them to another Alpha, regardless of the reason, was inexcusable.

“I was wrong. I won’t do it again,” Zhou Le clutched Lu Jingran’s suit sleeve, looking up at him pleadingly. “Please don’t be angry. Don’t be mad.”

It was not easy.

He had finally managed to reunite with his Alpha after waiting so long. He didn’t want even the slightest rift between them.

Lu Jingran looked at Zhou Le’s expression for a long moment before extending his hand to wrap around Zhou Le’s waist, pinning him against the sink.

From behind, Lu Jingran pressed close to Zhou Le. One hand caressed his neck, lightly grazing the delicate curve.

Zhou Le’s body trembled instinctively, his cheeks flushing a deep red.

The fresh scent of the Omega’s pheromones floated to Lu Jingran’s nose, sweet and alluring. Mingled with traces of the Alpha’s scent, a remnant of their recent intimacy, it reignited the Alpha’s possessive instincts.

Lu Jingran frowned deeply.

He understood the situation—saving someone was important. But Zhou Le was his Omega, and the Alpha he had saved clearly harbored ulterior motives. Any Alpha would find that unacceptable.

A surge of possessiveness swelled within him as Lu Jingran tilted Zhou Le’s head, revealing the pale skin of his neck. The Omega’s sensitive area was laid bare before him.

The Alpha’s movements were dominant and forceful. Zhou Le could see Lu Jingran’s sharp gaze etched into his skin through the mirror.

The Alpha’s breath grew closer, teasing the vulnerable area of his neck.

Zhou Le instinctively closed his eyes.

He couldn’t hold back a soft cry.

To ensure Zhou Le couldn’t escape, Lu Jingran pressed firmly against his waist. Even with a slight struggle, Zhou Le couldn’t break free and could only endure.

Only when Zhou Le’s legs nearly gave out did Lu Jingran finally relent.

A vivid mark was left on Zhou Le’s skin, clear in the mirror’s reflection.

Zhou Le’s eyes were glazed, his mind spinning.

Lu Jingran lifted Zhou Le’s chin and kissed his brow gently. “I’m not angry.”

“But next time, don’t do that again. Understood?”

Zhou Le leaned weakly against Lu Jingran’s chest, catching his breath as he murmured agreement.

Lu Jingran kissed his ear softly.

Suddenly, he glanced back.

The restroom door was slightly ajar. Chen Xiang froze in place, caught off guard when Lu Jingran’s sharp gaze met his.

Before he could react, Lu Jingran turned back to Zhou Le, grasped his chin, and kissed him deeply in a way both provocative and possessive.

Zhou Le let out a soft, muffled sound of compliance as their tongues intertwined.

Through the mirror, Lu Jingran’s eyes locked with Chen Xiang’s—a blatant warning full of dominance.

This isn’t yours. Don’t even think about it.

Chen Xiang’s heart skipped a beat. Before he could process what was happening, the Alpha’s long leg kicked the door shut, cutting off his view entirely.

Zhou Le’s muffled voice could still be heard through the door.

Chen Xiang felt his face burn as though he had been slapped hard.