Delicate, Yet Shamelessly Freeloading [Quick Transmigration] Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Alpha with Pheromone Disorder (20)

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After returning from Qingyue Villa, Shui Que noticed that Lu Fengchi was probably avoiding him.

 

He no longer brought him milk tea at lunch, didn’t talk to him between classes, and acted as if he were busy—though with what, Shui Que had no idea.

 

Most importantly, he stopped taking notes for him in class.

 

But it didn’t matter. After that day, Qu Jiuchao inexplicably made up with him.

 

Every day, he organized a full set of notes for him.

 

He even corrected his test papers.

 

Shui Que was very satisfied. Although he had been in the wrong before, he had decided to forgive Qu Jiuchao. That made them even.

 

Qu Jiuchao handed him a stack of B5 loose-leaf papers, densely filled with notes, making it easy for Shui Que to organize them into his notebook.

 

He asked, “Can I smell you?”

 

Ever since Shui Que’s susceptibility period ended, the oolong scent in his pheromones had grown stronger.

 

Because of his pheromone dependency, Qu Jiuchao was particularly sensitive to the changes in Shui Que’s scent—especially since Shui Que was always hanging around right in front of him.

 

“Nope.” Shui Que waved his index finger, rejecting him without hesitation. He confidently tucked the notes behind his back. “You already got a sniff this morning, remember? You traded it for skipping morning attendance.”

 

Qu Jiuchao wasn’t giving up. He frowned. “You never said it was only once a day.”

 

“Well, I’m saying it now.” Shui Que saw his expression shift slightly and felt a bit nervous, but he braced himself and added, “What, are you going to get mad at me again?”

 

Qu Jiuchao immediately replied, “I won’t.”

 

They were standing at the stairwell corner. Every now and then, students passed by on their way to the restroom, stealing curious glances before quickly looking away when they noticed the red armband on the boy’s uniform.

 

Qu Jiuchao’s expression turned somewhat awkward, as if realizing his response had been too stiff. He added, “That day was my fault. I lost control of my emotions.”

 

At the time, what really bothered him was the thought that Shui Que was just playing with him while also getting involved with other Alphas. He had also arrogantly assumed that Shui Que was only drawn to him because of his pheromones.

 

But that wasn’t entirely true. In the following days, when he deliberately distanced himself and took medication to suppress his reactions, he couldn’t even remember whether Shui Que had actually released his pheromones that day.

 

But he still remembered that kiss—the way their lips traced each other’s shape, the way Shui Que’s eyelashes trembled when his eyes were closed, each strand distinct and clear.

 

It wasn’t just about the pheromones.

 

Shui Que thought for a moment and then said generously, “Alright, I forgive you.”

 

He dragged Qu Jiuchao behind the door, where the light dimmed. Lifting the black hair that clung to the back of his neck, he exposed a section of pale skin.

 

“Just one sniff.”

 

This time, Qu Jiuchao held him carefully, pressing his face close to the exposed skin, his nose brushing against it—ticklish and warm.

 

Shui Que hesitated before asking, “Can your condition be cured?”

 

The question caught him off guard, and he stiffened for a moment.

 

“I don’t mean any offense,” Shui Que quickly clarified. “You know, I also have a rare gland condition.”

 

It wasn’t just concern. He was also subtly reminding Qu Jiuchao that they held each other’s weaknesses in their hands.

 

His unspoken message: Don’t go exposing the fact that he was an Alpha pretending to be an Omega!

 

At least not yet. The plot hadn’t progressed that far, and Shui Que still wanted to follow the storyline step by step. Ideally, Qu Jiuchao would understand the threat, hold a grudge, and later, when his secret was revealed, take the opportunity to kick him while he was down as the innocent victim!

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“I’ve been taking medication to control it.”

 

“But I might still need your pheromones to help with withdrawal.”

 

Qu Jiuchao was talking more now.

 

With the Qu family’s influence, investigating Song Shui Que’s background and medical history wasn’t difficult. Especially since their family still had connections in certain circles—it made digging into things much easier.

 

His lips were cool and silent as he carefully kissed Shui Que’s gland.

 

Shui Que’s heart raced. Qu Jiuchao must have understood his threat. This was his way of saying: I have dirt on you, too!

 

Perfect. He was laying the groundwork for future plot developments flawlessly!

 

He hummed a tune as he returned to the classroom, completely missing the dark expression on his deskmate’s face.

 

Qu Jiuchao again? He was that happy just from seeing him?

 

Lu Fengchi’s gaze locked onto the notes on the desk.

 

Admittedly, the top student’s handwriting was neater than his.

 

Shui Que shook his thermos—it was empty. There was still time before class, so he decided to refill it.

 

Lu Fengchi clenched his jaw.

 

So he wouldn’t ask him to fetch water unless he did it voluntarily?

 

What, like he was desperate to be his Alpha or something?

 

With a loud scrape, he pushed back his chair and stood up, snatching Shui Que’s thermos without a word before marching out the back door.

 

“Hm? Weren’t we just saying we’d go fill our water bottles together? Shui Que, where’s your cup?” Chen Jian asked with a cheerful smile as he passed by.

 

Shui Que blankly pointed in Lu Fengchi’s direction. “Don’t you think he’s been acting a little strange lately?”

 

Chen Jian blinked. “Huh? Hasn’t Brother Lu never really been all that normal to begin with?”

 

“Hiss—” Scalding hot water poured over Lu Fengchi’s fingers, the sharp pain jolting his nerves and yanking him back to reality.

 

Hot water had overflowed from the cup, spilling over the rim. He turned off the tap and reached out to the faucet beside him. Cold water gushed over his fingers, numbing the sting.

 

“You don’t actually believe he’s an Omega, do you?” Outside the KTV private room, two people stood in confrontation. Qu Jiuchao, with a leisurely air, watched the scene unfold as if enjoying a show. He pressed the replay button again.

 

From the recording, Ke Xing’s obscene words played out.

 

Qu Jiuchao’s voice carried a cold sneer. “He was just playing around with you. Alpha will always end up with Omega in the end, isn’t that right?”

 

Lu Fengchi felt as if he had plunged into an ice-cold abyss. Yet, his first reaction wasn’t anger at being deceived. Instead, he thought about how foul-mouthed Ke Xing was and regretted not knocking out his teeth when he had the chance.

 

He suddenly scooped up a handful of cold water and splashed it onto his face.

 

The weather had already turned to winter in the blink of an eye. The icy water stung, and the scentless chill of the wind rustled through the dry leaves.

 

Lu Fengchi refilled his cup with water, ensuring it was just the right mix of warm and cool to drink without burning his mouth.

 

Meanwhile, Shui Que was still staring outside the window, lost in thought as he watched the birds fly by.

 

[System 77, what exactly went wrong? The mission progress has been stuck for days without any improvement. Did you target the wrong person? Lu Fengchi isn’t reacting at all!]

 

The small floating sphere clung to him as if seeking warmth. [Maybe he’s just useless.]

 

Shui Que: ?

 

While he couldn’t rule out that something might be wrong with Lu Fengchi, wasn’t it his job as the mission executor to advance the plot? Shifting the blame onto the supposed victim of the mission—was that really okay?

 

[I got it!] A spark of realization flashed in Shui Que’s mind, and he grew eager. [Could it be that we’re stuck at the transition point in the story at 60% progress? We’ve been assuming this part is still about harassment, but maybe we’ve already maxed out that stage. Now, we should be transitioning to the next plot point… cheating on both of them and getting caught, leading to a breakup!]

 

System 77 was completely engrossed in clinging to its host.

 

Only the hardworking host remained serious about the mission. [So… should I start dating both of them at the same time? I can threaten Qu Jiuchao, but Lu Fengchi…]

 

He pondered for a moment, as if making a firm decision.

 

The last class of the day was history. The teacher was easygoing and never dragged out the lesson. As soon as the bell rang, both students and the teacher hurried out the door.

 

The sun had dipped westward, its golden light pouring into the now-empty classroom.

 

Lu Fengchi pretended to pack his bag, but his gaze remained fixed on his deskmate’s movements. Shui Que was resting his chin on his hand, staring at his notes. “You’re… not leaving yet?”

 

What, was that guy surnamed Qu writing a sequel to Dream of the Red Chamber? Why were the notes so fascinating?

 

Shui Que was merely putting on an act. He was waiting for Lu Fengchi to finish packing.

 

Why was he moving so slowly?

 

Unable to bear it any longer, he decisively closed his notebook.

 

“I have something to say to you.” His expression was serious.

 

Lu Fengchi: “Hmm?”

 

Shui Que suddenly placed a hand against the wall behind Lu Fengchi, mimicking the classic “wall slam” pose from TV dramas. Then, he leaned in and lightly pecked Lu Fengchi on the lips.

 

The kiss lasted less than a second. A brief touch, soft and fleeting.

 

Lowering his head, he missed the deep, dark look in Lu Fengchi’s eyes.

 

Shui Que stated, “You kissed me.”

 

Lu Fengchi’s voice was a degree lower than usual. “You were the one who kissed me.”

 

“I don’t care. You kissed me anyway.” Shui Que spoke with unjustified confidence. “An Omega who has kissed someone else won’t be wanted by anyone. So, you have to take responsibility for me!”

 

It was a ridiculous argument. It sounded silly. But then again, Shui Que reasoned, Lu Fengchi wasn’t exactly smart either.

 

“Shui Que.” The other suddenly called his name.

 

“No one kisses like that.”

 

Shui Que: “Hmm?”

 

Without warning, Lu Fengchi cupped his face and crashed his lips onto his in a fierce, storm-like kiss.

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Huge shoutout to @candycorns2 on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.

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