Chapter 25: Two Heavy Blows
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Shen Yao seemed oblivious to the questioning tone in his voice, and he asked with a smile, “Are we a couple then?”
They were indeed not a couple, but the way Shen Yao said it seemed like he wanted to distance himself from Guan Shu, as if he was using him and would discard him afterwards.
Guan Shu kept a stern expression and, following Shen Yao’s words, he let him down. He no longer paid attention to Shen Yao and continued walking down the steps that merged together.
His back was drenched in sweat, and Shen Yao had been trying to fan him with his hand while being carried, but Guan Shu avoided it. Beads of sweat were on Guan Shu’s tense jawline, but he turned his face away and said stiffly, “I’m not hot. Take care of yourself.”
Shen Yao watched Guan Shu’s receding figure for a while before finally running after him and asking, “Guan Shu, are you angry?”
Without looking back, Guan Shu curtly replied, “No.”
With his long legs, Guan Shu took large strides, occasionally forcing Shen Yao to jog a few steps to catch up, all while calling out his name.
Guan Shu suddenly stopped while walking, causing Shen Yao to almost bump into him, but he managed to react in time.
“We’re almost there,”Guan Shu stood under a large tree along the road, the tree’s shade casting on his face. “You go ahead.”
Shen Yao instinctively asked, “What about you?”
“What about me?” Guan Shu grumbled with a sour face. “Aren’t you afraid of people misunderstanding? Then you go first, and I’ll come later.”
Not only did he speak harshly, but he also pushed Shen Yao’s back, urging him to hurry.
They were very close to the finish line now.Guan Shu was worried about Shen Yao, so he had accompanied him all the way until this point. As Shen Yao reached the bend in the mountain, he turned his head to look at Guan Shu.
Guan Shu remained standing under the tree, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and he lowered his head, hiding his expression.
The sound of wind rustled through the trees above, and Guan Shu lifted his head as expected. The figure at the corner was already gone. Guan Shu gritted his teeth lightly. That little heartless Shen Yao didn’t even wait for him.
Feeling that enough time had passed, Guan Shu started walking down the mountain. He was probably the last one to arrive, as the teacher had already started taking attendance. He saw Shen Yao standing at the end of the line.
Guan Shu walked to his designated spot in the queue, and soon, Lu Tingxin came running over.
“Why are you so late?” he asked in confusion. “Wait, who did you go to pick up? Did you use your legs as transportation?”
Guan Shu wiped his face with the towel Lu Tingxin handed him, glanced at him without much expression, and seemed to acknowledge it.
Lu Tingxin’s mind quickly connected Guan Shu’s late arrival with Shen Yao who had arrived late earlier, and he suddenly exclaimed in shock, “You didn’t go to pick up Shen… mmmph!”
Guan Shu quickly covered Lu Tingxin’s mouth, confirming his suspicion. Lu Tingxin stared at Guan Shu wide-eyed, unable to believe it.
Guan Shu let go of his hand and wrinkled his brow while wiping his hand with disdain.
This time, Lu Tingxin understood to lower his voice, but he couldn’t hide his astonishment, “You and Shen Yao are together?!”
“No, we’re just friends.”
Lu Tingxin couldn’t comprehend it, “Then how did you carry him down from the mountain?!”
“Because we’re friends.”
Lu Tingxin felt the urge to shake Guan Shu’s brain a little, “I’m also your friend! Why didn’t you carry me down from the mountain?!”
Guan Shu glanced at him, “You can’t walk?”
“…”
The field trip was scheduled for Friday, and Guan Shu and Lu Tingxin rode back to the military compound together in the driver’s car.
He hadn’t been home for long when he had another intense argument with Guan Yan. Since meeting Shen Yao, Guan Shu hadn’t been in a fight for a while, but this time they were arguing about Guan Shu skipping classes a few days ago.
As the argument escalated, Guan Yan once again showed signs of wanting to resort to physical violence, but he was stopped by Liang Yufen’s startled cries. This kind of situation played out a hundred or more times a year, and Guan Shu had long grown accustomed to it. He walked up to his room on the upper floor.
Guan Yan took the military’s disciplinary methods and applied them to raising children. Since the soldiers were other people’s children, he couldn’t physically harm them, so he resorted to corporal punishment.
Unfortunately, Guan Shu had never allowed anyone to have peace of mind. Whenever he made a small mistake, Guan Yan’s approach was always to use physical punishment.
Deep down, Guan Shu was rebellious. The more you hit him, the more he would retaliate.
Over time, the relationship between father and son became strained and very poor.
For some reason, Guan Shu was feeling extremely irritated today, and he didn’t know where to go for some peace and quiet.
Finally, he thought of the apartment Liang Yufen had mentioned not long ago. He entered the bedroom openly and took the key from its place.
The apartment had just been renovated, and there was still a lingering smell inside. As Guan Shu stepped inside, a sharp pain pierced his temple, as if an electric drill was buzzing in his ear.
His mind was in chaos, and the restless mood that had just subsided surged back up in an instant.
Guan Shu stumbled and ended up propping himself against the shoe cabinet in the entrance. He clumsily ran into the bedroom.
It was a familiar feeling. He knew he had entered the susceptible period.
The needle-like sharp pain was irresistible. Guan Shu uncontrollably banged his head against the wall, creating a “thud, thud” sound, before finally feeling a momentary calm in the storm raging inside his mind.
The scent of Marjoram filled the room, mingling with the damp earthy aroma and the hint of smoke. It was a refreshing yet wild scent, contradictory yet harmonious.
Maintaining the last shreds of reason, Guan Shu reached out and grabbed his phone, calling Liang Yufen.
His susceptible period was always particularly intense. If he were on a fighting stage right now, he would wear his gloves and fight indiscriminately until he ran out of strength.
Soon, the doorbell rang.
Liang Yufen must have instructed a person to come to deliver things, as they left the water, food, and suppressants at the doorstep.
Guan Shu managed to stand up with support. It was only when he injected the suppressant that the piercing pain in his brain finally subsided.
He brought everything into the room, locked the door, and drew the curtains tightly. This was his own space, but Guan Shu felt like something was missing.
During his susceptible period, Guan Shu always experienced many hallucinations.
Gunfire echoed in his ears as he crawled through a hot and dangerous jungle. A gunshot rang out, and a burst of blood mist exploded before him, like a dazzling firework.
In the past, the hallucinations always ended there, but today the scene took a turn.
He smelled a floral fragrance, a delicate and sweet floral scent. Guan Shu laid on the bed, and his cheeks seemed to be caressed by a soft and tender palm.
“Guan Shu.”
Shen Yao’s voice carried a hint of amusement, lightly brushing past his ear like a feather.
Guan Shu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and the dots of light in front of him slowly converged, revealing the excessively beautiful and captivating face right before his eyes.
He unconsciously started to breathe heavily. In his susceptible state, Guan Shu had no idea what he was doing. But he finally realized what was missing in the room—his prey.
His breath grew hotter, and his canine teeth became increasingly itchy.
After several tens of minutes, the scent of Marjoram in the room grew stronger, mixed with other aromas.
This was the most torturous susceptible period. Guan Shu smashed almost everything in the room. By the time his consciousness gradually returned, it was already the fourth day, and the susceptible period was nearing its end.
He wasn’t entirely rational, but he was better than the previous days.
Guan Shu recalled the hallucinations he had during his susceptible period, his expression not looking too good. He unscrewed a water bottle, chugged the water in one gulp, and then crumpled the plastic bottle, tossing it on the floor.
He took a moment to catch his breath and picked up his cracked phone from the ground. As if sensing it through his mind, Shen Yao’s call came in that very instant.
Guan Shu stared at the flashing name and pressed the answer button with his fingertip.
“Guan Shu.” Shen Yao sounded as if he was cautiously testing him. “Have you been ignoring me these past few days because you’re still angry…?”
Guan Shu’s throat felt somewhat hoarse as he calmly explained, “No, it’s just that I happened to be in my susceptible period, so I just looked at my phone now.”
“Susceptible period?”
“Yeah.”
“Can I come see you?”
Guan Shu never expected Shen Yao to say that. He switched the hand holding the phone and asked in return, “Shen Yao, do you know what you’re doing right now?”
“I do,” Shen Yao said gently. “Your susceptible period should be ending soon. I believe you can control yourself. I’ll come and use my pheromones to help you.”
Shen Yao seemed to have a baseless trust in him. He had no idea that in the past few days, Guan Shu had been thinking about his face and his voice.
“Shen Yao.” Guan Shu folded a petal from a vase beside him. “Would you help anyone?”
This time Shen Yao fell silent for a moment, then smiled and said, “No, I’ll only help you.”
Guan Shu’s breath hitched as the desires of his susceptible period controlled his body. By the time he realized it, he had already given out his address.
Shen Yao responded cheerfully and hung up the phone directly, leaving only the busy tone in his ears.
Guan Shu held the phone in his hand, silent and motionless for a while. Finally, he stood up, picked up all the fragments on the floor, and threw them in the trash. He tidied up the room as well.
He took out the suppressant again, pushed in one dose, but felt uneasy and administered a second injection.
Half an hour later, Shen Yao arrived and rang the doorbell.
Guan Shu opened the door from inside, and the strong scent of Marjoram wafted out along with it. Shen Yao instinctively took a few steps back.
“Scared?” Guan Shu stood by the door, his figure somehow exuding an oppressive aura. He said expressionlessly, “Shen Yao, you’re really brave. You dare to come to an alpha’s home during their susceptible period.”
Shen Yao, however, smiled at him. He bent down and slipped under Guan Shu’s arm leaning against the door, asking, “Where are the slippers?”
“Shen Yao.”
Guan Shu continued to look at him, adopting a posture that seemed like he wanted to drive him away.
That resolute posture instantly crumbled when the fragrance of apricot blossoms emerged. The scent of the omega’s pheromones was gentle, and Guan Shu immediately felt relief in his throbbing temples.
“Guan Shu.” Shen Yao reached out and lightly touched his forehead, his eyes filled with concern. “I heard that alphas experience severe headaches during their susceptible period.”
Guan Shu pursed his lips and took a step back uncomfortably. “Come in first, no need to change your slippers.”
Shen Yao followed behind him and they sat together on the living room sofa.
There wasn’t much in the apartment to entertain guests, so Guan Shu could only offer Shen Yao a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap before handing it to Shen Yao, as it was his habit.
Shen Yao didn’t take it directly. His sharply contrasting black and white eyes remained fixed on Guan Shu before he slowly extended his hand.
As he caught it, he asked slowly:
“Guan Shu, what kind of omega do you like?”
Guan Shu’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and his already dry throat became even drier. He had never considered this question before. Compared to omegas, he preferred cold firearms.
“I like…” pretty and obedient omegas.
He wanted to give Shen Yao a standard answer, but Shen Yao interrupted him. His voice was confident and carried a hint of smugness. “Guan Shu, you like me.”
Guan Shu’s earlobes turned red. He turned his face away, intending to retort, “Who likes you? You’re so narcissistic.”
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.
“Shen Yao, you deliberately pretended to be tired during the outing. You weren’t that tired at all,” Guan Shu reached out and pinched Shen Yao’s cheek, annoyed and embarrassed. “I do like you, so what? Many people like you, can’t I like you too? If I don’t like you, who would go through all the trouble to carry you on their back from such a long distance?”
When he first received the call, he was anxious. After walking for a while, Guan Shu began to feel that something was off. If he truly couldn’t continue, he could have called the teacher and retraced his steps.
Especially when they were close to the finish line, Guan Shu knew that Shen Yao’s words were intentional. He wasn’t an idiot.
The more Guan Shu thought about it, the more it felt wrong. He suddenly remembered the little things Shen Yao did when he was getting closer. He laughed in anger, “Were you trying to seduce me all along?”
Due to having his cheek pinched, Shen Yao’s mouth involuntarily puffed up. He laughed, his shoulders trembling, but he couldn’t utter a complete sentence.
Pretending to be harmless didn’t require much effort. A shoddy disguise could easily make others let their guard down. Occasionally pretending like this was quite fun. Displaying vulnerability could earn the trust of others.
Guan Shu let go of his hand, and only then could Shen Yao speak. He held Guan Shu’s hand and pressed it against his own cheek. “It’s because I like you that I’m acting this way. I don’t know how to pursue you, so this is all I can do.”
Anxiously, he asked, “Guan Shu, will you blame me?”
“I won’t blame you. Why would I blame you?”
Shen Yao’s cheek felt as soft as cotton, and Guan Shu hesitated to make any movement. He said as if he understood, “You’ve always been delicate and clingy.” That was how Shen Yao appeared in his mind; he could easily crush Shen Yao with just one hand. If he was going to be with Shen Yao, he had to protect him well.
He just enjoyed deceiving people a little, which was harmless after all, but it didn’t matter. Shen Yao’s method of deceiving him was so crude; in the end, he just wanted to get closer to him.
Guan Shu hesitated for a long time on how to hold Shen Yao, but in the end, he gently embraced him. He could smell the fragrance of apricot blossoms emanating from Shen Yao’s glands as he muttered, “Shen Yao, you’re not allowed to toy with me.”
Shen Yao buried his cheek in Guan Shu’s embrace and gently curved his lips. He whispered, “You’re my first love.”
They were both experiencing their first relationship, each other’s first love. Guan Shu didn’t know how to be in a relationship, but he knew he had to listen to Shen Yao and make him happy.
When Shen Yao asked him to study hard, Guan Shu furrowed his brow and diligently solved problems he didn’t even understand.
When Shen Yao asked him not to fight, he never got into fights again, even if others provoked him. But when Shen Yao pointed at Dai Xinghui and his two friends, grabbed his hand, and said they had bullied him in the past, Guan Shu couldn’t hold back.
He was afraid Shen Yao would find out about his fighting, so he teamed up with Lu Tingxin and blocked the three of them in a small warehouse with sacks.
Guan Shu showed no mercy and occasionally beat them up.
Their relationship was pure, mainly because Guan Shu was overly cautious. Even after three months of dating, he only dared to hold Shen Yao’s hand, and every time he did, his hands would become sweaty with nervousness.
The school was strict about cracking down on young love, and their first kiss happened in an empty classroom where it was just the two of them.
Shen Yao was tutoring him, earnestly explaining a math problem in detail. When he raised his face, he realized Guan Shu hadn’t absorbed a single word.
They sat side by side, their shoulders touching. Guan Shu didn’t look at the test paper; his gaze fell on Shen Yao’s face, the curled eyelashes, and the soft lips that kept opening and closing.
Outside the window, the sunset painted a perfect backdrop.
Their lips slowly drew closer, lightly touching, and the air was filled with a subtle pink ambiance.
Guan Shu thought they would continue like this forever. He even considered changing his career plans for Shen Yao.
The military academy operated under strict rules with a complete ban on mobile phones, and the holidays were incredibly short. Some majors didn’t even have breaks; once you entered, it would take four years before you could leave.
He wouldn’t be able to hold Shen Yao, see Shen Yao, or meet Shen Yao. But he had promised Shen Yao that he would become strong, that he would protect Shen Yao.
Guan Shu had never been trapped in such a dilemma before.
On the day the college entrance examination ended, most people had already left the teaching building. Guan Shu walked towards the classroom, preparing to find Shen Yao.
He had promised Shen Yao to take him to the shooting range and had prepared some surprises inside.
As Guan Shu walked, he pondered how to teach Shen Yao. Should he hold Shen Yao from behind? The recoil of the gun was strong, so he definitely needed to hold Shen Yao firmly.
Lost in his thoughts, a smile appeared on Guan Shu’s lips. He was in a good mood.
He reached the entrance of the classroom, about to push the door open, when he heard voices from inside, unfamiliar voices.
“Shen Yao, aren’t you disgusted?”
Guan Shu’s expression turned cold. When he heard someone insulting Shen Yao, his immediate reaction was to burst in.
But the next sentence made him freeze in his tracks.
“If you like Guan Shu so much, I’ll give him to you.”
It was a familiar voice, one that often called his name affectionately and acted cute with him. But now, it turned into ice, slowly seeping into Guan Shu’s body.
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It felt like an invisible hand had clenched his heart, plunging him into darkness.
Guan Shu stood still, his breathing erratic.
He didn’t open the door. He believed Shen Yao must be joking. How could Shen Yao, who liked him so much, really say something like that?
Reality often dealt heavy blows. The classroom erupted into chaos, as if there was an argument taking place.
Shen Shenmian stared at Shen Yao with anger and gritted his teeth, saying, “Shen Yao, you already have Guan Shu. Why do you still have to flirt with others? Weren’t you pursuing Guan Shu because I liked him? Do you have to interfere with every alpha I like?”
Shen Yao found it somewhat amusing. He had no connection with that alpha. If anything, it was that alpha who had approached him first.
Shen Yao didn’t feel the need to explain. He simply smiled quietly and remained silent, which seemed to confirm Shen Shenmian’s suspicions even more.
Just as Shen Yao was about to say something else, a loud “bang” resounded from behind.
The forcefully shut front door was kicked open, and Guan Shu appeared in their sight. His face was gloomy, like the calm before a storm. Even innocent Shen Shenmian was startled by him, but the next moment, he seemed somewhat pleased with the situation.
Guan Shu stared intently at Shen Yao. The omega he liked sat on the chair, as beautiful as ever but distant, not resembling a real person.
His next words were squeezed out from his throat, as if tainted with blood. He said, “Shen Yao, explain.”
Shen Yao hadn’t expected Guan Shu to show up. He remained silent, his quiet demeanor resembling an admission.
Taking a deep breath, Guan Shu first pounded his fist on the door with force. As it trembled violently, he glared at Shen Shenmian and pointed to the door, his voice icy, saying, “Get out.”
He appeared as though he would grab someone by the collar and start beating them in the next second. Shen Shenmian, startled, wiped the smirk off his face and quickly ran out of the room without even looking back.
Now only the two of them remained in the classroom. Guan Shu exerted all the self-control he had in his body to resist moving towards Shen Yao.
He couldn’t approach Shen Yao; he was sure he wouldn’t be able to control himself.
Guan Shu clenched his fists, feeling a numb pain in his palms. He looked down at Shen Yao with a condescending gaze and questioned, “Is what he said true?”
Shen Yao’s face still lacked expression, exquisitely beautiful like a doll.
“Can you really just give me away to someone else?” Guan Shu pressed each word forcefully, “Or are you really flirting with someone else?”
Holding onto the last strand of hope, he asked again, “Are you just saying that out of anger?”
As the final school bell rang through the building, Shen Yao’s silence felt like the last dull knife for murder. Guan Shu trembled uncontrollably, feeling an overwhelming anger for the first time, as if he couldn’t even catch his breath.
With red eyes, Guan Shu roared, “Shen Yao! F*cking say something!”
Shen Yao’s eyelashes quivered, and he finally spoke. Unlike Guan Shu’s intense eruption of emotions like a volcanic eruption, Shen Yao calmly asked, “Guan Shu, do you want to break up with me?”
His hysteria was met with this questioning response, as if Shen Yao had confirmed all his suspicions. The strength in Guan Shu’s hands was so great that he even broke the door handle.
He sneered a few times, saying, “F*ck breaking up with you.”
A loud “bang” followed.
Another sound of the door closing, causing the entire building to tremble.
Shen Yao turned his face, watching Guan Shu’s disappearing figure, and then withdrew his gaze. He could understand why Guan Shu was so angry, but he couldn’t understand why Guan Shu was so angry.
Guan Shu rode his motorcycle to the shooting range. There was no one inside, and he was alone holding a gun.
“Bang,” “bang,” “bang.”
He fired several shots in a row without a moment’s pause. The recoil shook his body, but Guan Shu seemed oblivious, continuing to fire shot after shot.
At first, all the shots hit the bullseye, but then they started deviating, and in the end, he couldn’t even hit the target.
Guan Shu emptied the magazine, then threw the gun on the ground and rode his bike to the combat arena in the military district.
When he was in a bad mood, he would come here to vent. Most of the people inside recognized him and knew not to provoke him at this time.
Guan Shu didn’t find anyone to spar with; he only found a sandbag and punched it relentlessly, relying solely on brute force.
His eye sockets became increasingly red, and finally, Guan Shu forcefully closed his eyes.
In the end, Guan Shu went to a bar, where the music was loud and noisy. He drowned his sorrows one drink after another.
He had no idea how much he drank, only that his head was becoming increasingly dizzy. His nerves felt numb, and he finally didn’t feel sad anymore.
But the image of Shen Yao lingered in his mind.
He didn’t understand why Shen Yao didn’t offer any explanation. He didn’t understand if Shen Yao had ever truly liked him.
Guan Shu covered his face, feeling the heat in his eye sockets. In the end, he couldn’t control it, and hot tears streamed down his cheeks.
It had been so long since he had cried that even his own tears felt unfamiliar, especially when they were shed for Shen Yao.
Guan Shu spent a week like this, with daytime spent at the shooting range and combat arena, and nights at the bar.
During this week of drowning his sorrows, he became calmer. He wasn’t sure if his emotions had been suppressed or if they had been released.
He left the classroom because he felt that his rationality at the time wasn’t enough to sustain further communication with Shen Yao.
But now, Guan Shu felt that he was ready.
The fondness in Shen Yao’s eyes when he looked at him wasn’t fake; there must be something he couldn’t bring himself to say.
For three consecutive days, Guan Shu waited outside Shen Family’s door. He didn’t catch Shen Yao, but he did catch Shen Shenmian. After stopping him with a gloomy expression, Shen Shenmian quickly revealed Shen Yao’s current address.
Guan Shu didn’t ask about what happened in the classroom with Shen Shenmian because he didn’t trust others; he only trusted Shen Yao.
When night fell, Guan Shu still went to the bar and sat quietly for a while. During this time, his alcohol tolerance had improved significantly.
Sitting alone, he didn’t look like someone who had just finished the college entrance examination. Instead, he resembled a mature alpha.
Whenever someone tried to strike up a conversation with him, he impatiently told them to “get lost.”
After having a few strong drinks, Guan Shu finally prepared himself and headed towards Shen Yao’s place.
He pressed the doorbell, but there was no response, and no one came to open the door.
Guan Shu didn’t know if there was no one home or if Shen Yao was intentionally not letting him in. He didn’t leave; he stood at the door feeling frustrated, waiting.
During the second hour of him standing at the door, the elevator beside him made a sound, and Shen Yao appeared in front of him. Guan Shu had imagined many scenarios, but he had never expected it to be like this—
Shen Yao exuded the scent of an unfamiliar alpha all over his body, and the scent of sandalwood was so repulsive it made one want to vomit. He couldn’t bear to mark, thus the areas that had never been marked now bore the marks of other alphas.
Shen Yao’s face was flushed, his eyelashes were moist, and even his walking legs were trembling. It was evident that he had just come down from someone else’s bed.
What he did and what happened during his absence didn’t even need to be asked.
Guan Shu had initially wanted to have a proper conversation with Shen Yao, but now his mind was filled with a deafening roar.
His soul felt as if it had been stripped away with a bone saw, and then a heavy punch hit him head-on. He couldn’t hear any other sounds, and he couldn’t even see any other images.
His mind was consumed with wild speculation. Was Shen Yao still carrying something from another man inside him? Did it leak out with every step he took?
This was no longer jealousy. Guan Shu now wished he could shoot that b*stard alpha who had touched Shen Yao.
“Guan Shu… you…”
Shen Yao never expected to encounter Guan Shu here. He took step by step backward, even turning around in an attempt to run.
But his legs had no strength, and even if they did, he couldn’t outrun Guan Shu.
Someone grabbed his hand from behind, gripping it tightly and pulling it back forcefully.
Guan Shu’s voice was dark and calm, instilling fear in Shen Yao. “After a few days apart, how did you manage to make yourself so filthy?”
Shen Yao felt his hand bones almost being crushed. His face turned pale, but he didn’t have a chance to say a word in retort.
In the next moment, Guan Shu completely lost his rationality and desperately shouted in his ear:
“I can’t even kiss you with force, and you willingly offer yourself to sleep with other men?!”
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