Chapter 39

After the call cut off unexpectedly, Xie Ling tried calling Qin Han several more times, but he never picked up.

The doctor came in and updated Xie Ling on his condition. Once the doctor had left, Xie Ling was debating whether to give Qin Han another round of calls when Xie Cheng’s number suddenly appeared on his screen.

Xie Ling answered immediately.

Xie Cheng was abroad handling business when he received the panicked call from the school about Xie Ling’s incident. It had left him breaking out in a cold sweat. Only after confirming several times that Xie Ling was truly okay did he let out a sigh of relief. “You’ve been through a lot, Little Ling. Dad will be back in the country in a couple of days. I’ll bring some suppressants for you to use. That way, if something like this happens again, you won’t be at anyone else’s mercy…”

As he spoke, Xie Cheng felt like that wasn’t enough. He couldn’t help adding, “Or how about Dad arranges a couple of bodyguards for you?”

Xie Ling burst out laughing. “What bodyguards? Black-suited muscleheads? You want them standing behind me in class? You’d give Director Cai a heart attack on the spot.”

Xie Cheng realized that wouldn’t fly at a public school, so he suggested, “Well then, how about I arrange for you to transfer to that private school Dad invested in…”

“Dad, I’m fine,” Xie Ling interrupted with a smile. “I just got unlucky this time. It’s not like this happens every day. Besides, I only went down because of that low-grade fever. Otherwise, his weak pheromones never could have overpowered me. It’s not as bad as you think, and I don’t want to transfer anyway.”

He had grown accustomed to everything about this school long ago. More importantly, he refused to let his life be altered just because he was an omega.

Xie Cheng had only mentioned it out of concern. Knowing his son’s stubborn personality, he didn’t push. Instead, he reassured him. “Don’t worry. I’ve already got someone filing a lawsuit against that classmate of yours. He’ll never cross paths with you again.”

Xie Ling acknowledged it. “What about Mom…”

“Don’t worry, she has no idea.”

For various reasons, Xie Ling had listed Xie Cheng as his guardian contact at school. Xie Cheng made every effort to fly back from abroad for parent-teacher conferences. Madam Fu had grumbled about missing out on her son’s events, but she hadn’t insisted on changing it.

Xie Ling breathed a sigh of relief. He dreaded her worrying—even more, he dreaded what else she might do.

Then a sudden thought struck him, tightening his voice. “Oh, right, Dad. Because of this mess, all the teachers and students at school know I’m an omega now.”

Xie Cheng fell silent for a moment before replying, “Don’t worry. Your grandma’s overseas right now. I’ll pull every string I have to bury this news. She won’t find out.”

The hand not holding the phone clenched into a trembling fist. Xie Ling forced his tone to stay light. “Thanks for going to all that trouble.”

~~~

Xie Ling spent another day resting at the hospital before being discharged that afternoon. Before leaving, he made a point to check in on Zhang Chengrui, who was still knocked out from one too many sedatives.

He ran into Mu Yin and Xia Yu on their way to buy food for Zhang Chengrui. Only Xiao Yanfei was in the room.

Xie Ling took one look at Zhang Chengrui, who resembled a mummy swaddled in bandages on the bed, and couldn’t help chuckling. “Sorry about that, Little Ruirui. Your Ling Bro slipped up this time and dragged you down with me.”

Zhang Chengrui put on a mature front. “Don’t say that, Ling Bro. It was all that bastard Zhou Haoxuan’s fault. Once I’m better, I’ll beat him until he forgets his own mom’s name.”

Xiao Yanfei grinned. “He’s already locked up in jail. You planning to bust in and deck him? But seriously, I get it—feels wrong not to give him a thrashing. You really went through it this time, bro.”

He clapped Xie Ling on the shoulder. “Never would’ve guessed you were… You feeling okay now, though?”

“All good. Us top-tier alphas… I mean, top-tier omegas bounce back fast.” He’d have to update that catchphrase.

“Ling Bro, I seriously never imagined you were an omega. You’re way too badass,” Zhang Chengrui said with genuine admiration. Xie Ling’s everyday athletic prowess and the sheer dominance he showed in fights were legendary. Without hard proof, Zhang Chengrui would never have bought it.

“How else could I be your big bro? Now that you know I’m an omega, you still claiming me as such?”

“Of course! Tomorrow I’ll drag the whole crew under the flag for a loyalty oath!” Zhang Chengrui declared. “Oh, Ling Bro—earlier I had Yin Yin rent us a villa over in Hulnan District. For my birthday this Friday, let’s crash there overnight.”

Xie Ling let out an impressed whoop. “Damn, getting fancy, huh?”

Zhang Chengrui flushed. “I just…”

Xiao Yanfei laughed. “Aw, getting shy now? He figures you’ve had a rough patch lately and wants a spot far from the daily grind to help you unwind.”

“Xiao Ge!”

Xie Ling felt like his heart had been flooded with a bucket of sweet chocolate syrup.

With friends like these, how could he bear to transfer schools?

From the moment he woke up, not one of them had grilled him on why he’d been pretending to be an alpha.

Xie Ling snagged an apple from the nearby fruit platter with a grin. “Good boy. Ling Bro will peel it for you…”

~~~

After school on Friday, the group hopped on the subway to the villa Zhang Chengrui had rented.

Zhang Chengrui buzzed with excitement the whole way. The moment they stepped inside, he grabbed Xie Ling’s arm. “Ling Bro, Ling Bro! The reviews said the owner stocked the place with tons of arcade machines! How about tonight we hole up in your room and game until dawn?”

Xie Ling was all in, ready to agree, when another voice cut in. “No.”

Zhang Chengrui whipped around to find Qin Han standing right behind him, his gaze landing squarely on the hand Zhang Chengrui had draped over Xie Ling’s shoulder.

Some inexplicable gut feeling made Zhang Chengrui drop his hand in a flash. Then confusion set in. “Qin God?”

Xie Ling shot Qin Han a puzzled look as well.

Qin Han smiled at Xie Ling, his expression perfectly neutral. “An omega and an alpha sharing a room… doesn’t seem like the best idea.”

Xie Ling shrugged it off with a laugh. “Nah, it’s fine. We’re all bros here. We’ve crashed in the same room before—hell, same bed. Right, Rui Rui?”

Zhang Chengrui nodded without hesitation. “Totally. We’ve even gone full bromance, buck naked. And Ling Bro’s build? Better than some alphas… Mmph-mmph!”

“This banana’s super sweet. Try it, birthday boy.” Xiao Yanfei stuffed a banana into Zhang Chengrui’s mouth while flicking a quick glance at Qin Han’s face from the corner of his eye.

Scary as hell.

That’s the verdict Xiao Yanfei reached in his mind as he shot Zhang Chengrui a warning glare.

Zhang Chengrui blinked. “?”

Xiao Yanfei sighed in exasperation. “Rui Rui, your girlfriend’s even here tonight, and you’re still scheming to bunk with Xie Ling for games? Can’t you act like a mature alpha for once?”

Mu Yin had brought her best friend along, and the two were out front snapping photos of the exterior.

Xie Ling joined in, clapping Zhang Chengrui on the shoulder. “Yeah, Rui Rui. Gotta grow up a little.”

Zhang Chengrui turned beet red under the teasing. “Hey, we’re not even adults yet. Gotta wait till after graduation anyway…”

“Little Ruirui, you’re so innocent,” Xia Yu chimed in mischievously, sidling up to Xie Ling. “In that case, I’ll room with Little Lingling. We’re all sisters now, right?”

Xiao Yanfei narrowed his eyes. “If you’re all sisters, why so hyped?”

Xia Yu grinned wickedly. “Little Lingling’s too gorgeous. I could go alpha for love!”

Before Xiao Yanfei could respond, Qin Han’s lips curved in a smirk. “Even if you went alpha for love, he’s not something an ordinary one could handle.”

Xie Ling let out a satisfied whoop, feeling invigorated as he slung an arm around Qin Han’s shoulders. “That’s my best bro—knows me inside out. Do I seem like something an alpha could handle?”

“Ordinary alphas? No chance,” Qin Han said, glancing at the hand on his shoulder. His mood finally lightened a bit. “A top-tier alpha might manage.”

Xia Yu blinked in confusion.

Huh? What? Why did that sound off…?

Xie Ling didn’t overthink it, just flashed a cocky grin. “Even a top-tier alpha couldn’t. I’m destined to be an eagle soaring free in the skies.”

Eagle, my ass. Xiao Yanfei kept his eyes on Zhang Chengrui munching the banana, but his peripheral vision kept drifting to Qin Han’s face.

He figured if he asked Qin Han right now what his dream job was, the answer would be three words: beast tamer.

In the end, with four bedrooms in the villa, they settled on Xie Ling and Xia Yu sharing one, Mu Yin and her friend in another, Qin Han and Xiao Yanfei bunking together, and the last one going solo to the birthday boy Zhang Chengrui—who apparently snored and ground his teeth in his sleep.

Everyone stowed their stuff in the rooms. After dinner, Mu Yin pulled a cream layered cake from the fridge.

They lit the candles, made their wishes, and Zhang Chengrui—who had demolished a whole roast chicken at dinner—quickly polished off two slices of cake. Satisfied, he moved aside to unwrap the pile of gifts.

Mu Yin’s was a figure she’d specially asked a friend to bring back from Japan: one of Zhang Chengrui’s favorite anime characters, masterfully crafted.

The instant he laid eyes on it, Zhang Chengrui lost it and lunged into a hug. “Baby, I love you!!”

“Yooooooo~”

Xie Ling led the whoops and cheers, a slice of cake in his mouth.

Mu Yin flushed under the attention but hugged him back. “Mwah mwah! Now go open the rest!”

Zhang Chengrui bounced back to the gifts, beaming. Moments later, he let out a shriek. “Holy shit—the limited-edition sneakers I’ve been dying for!! Ling Bro!! You’re my bro for life!! I love you!!”

With that, he launched himself toward Xie Ling for a hug.

Xie Ling had been waiting precisely for this reaction. He cooperatively spread his arms wide, ready to pull Zhang Chengrui into a hug against his chest. “Good boy! Ling Bro loves…”

He didn’t get to finish the last word before someone suddenly wedged themselves between them.

Zhang Chengrui hadn’t even reacted when he felt a chill on his face. In the blink of an eye, the left half of his face was slathered with cream by Qin Han using a fork.

“…Qin God?”

It felt like a similar scene had happened not long ago.

Mu Yin glanced at her boyfriend, then at Qin Han, and finally at Xie Ling, who was blocked behind Qin Han. She immediately lit up with excitement and grabbed her best friend’s arm, whispering urgently, “Sis!! I’m shipping it so hard!!”

Her best friend gripped her right back, equally thrilled. “Aaaah, he’s jealous! He’s totally jealous!!”

Xie Ling watched the two girls suddenly start bouncing up and down on the spot, leaving him a bit dumbfounded. But he was even more baffled by Qin Han’s earlier move.

“…Bro, what’s that about? You think his skin’s too dark?”

Qin Han smiled with complete innocence. “I watched a TV drama last time where they smeared cream on the birthday boy’s face for his birthday. It looked like fun.”

Xie Ling mulled it over. “Yeah, that works. I think it’s awesome. Come here, Rui Rui—accept Ling Bro’s gift of love!”

With that, he scooped a handful of cream right off his own slice of cake and smeared it across Zhang Chengrui’s right cheek.

Now both sides were evenly coated, perfectly symmetrical, and gleaming white.

Zhang Chengrui admired himself in the nearby mirror for a moment before nodding approvingly. “Nice. Worthy of you two’s artistry. I feel like I’ve successfully smuggled myself from Africa to Europe.”

Everyone around burst into laughter.

Xia Yu watched with pure envy. “Whine! I wanna get creamed by Qin God and Little Lingling too!”

“Then you’d better master Little Friend Zhang Chengrui’s talent for courting death.”

Xia Yu blinked, not getting it at first. “What do you…”

His words cut off as a big hand suddenly rubbed a handful across his perfectly maintained face.

“Xiao Yanfei!” Xia Yu bristled instantly. “You dare sneak attack me!”

Xiao Yanfei held up his handful of cream, grinning. “Didn’t you say you wanted cream? I’m just fulfilling… Shit!”

Xia Yu’s handful of cream flying at Xiao Yanfei marked the true beginning of the chaos, and the whole scene spiraled out of control.

Within two minutes, all the Alphas—including Xia Yu—were tangled in a full-on cream war.

“Hahahahahaha!” Mu Yin and her best friend hopped to the sidelines, whipped out their phones, and started filming.

The screen filled with the boys’ joyous laughter.

Qin Han watched Xie Ling hopping around, grinning ear to ear, and the smile tugging at his own lips deepened gradually.

Sometimes, he thought that just standing quietly by and watching this person forever would be enough to satisfy him. But more often, he wanted nothing more than to bind him tightly to his side.

If a single ray of sunlight couldn’t fill the chasm of darkness and loneliness, then he would claim the entire sun for himself.

Qin Han’s eyelids drooped slightly, his lashes casting a shadow across his eyes. When he looked up again, his sun had somehow bounded right up to him—and smeared a massive handful of cream across his face.

“Bro, no escaping it. You started this whole thing.” Xie Ling grinned cheekily. The others shied away from Qin Han’s intimidating aura, but not him.

He followed up by chucking another glob straight onto Qin Han’s head.

Qin Han had planned to just stand there and take it from Xie Ling, but something suddenly sparked in his mind, and he started scooping up cream barehanded to fight back.

“Whoa? Has our Qin God descended to the mortal realm?” Zhang Chengrui’s head was buried under cream, only his eyes peeking out. He fidgeted eagerly. “Should we jump in too?”

Xiao Yanfei shot back, “Bro, life’s still full of promise. No need to go seeking death on your seventeenth birthday.”

Zhang Chengrui: “?”

Xie Ling and Qin Han had been junior high classmates for a year back then, trading barbs but never throwing punches. With this rare chance, Xie Ling pulled out all the stops to test himself against Qin Han.

They battled from the dining table clear to the coffee table, sending several drink bottles flying along the way. With victory hanging in the balance, Xie Ling suddenly stepped on a spilled bottle of Happy Fatty Water that had flipped over ahead of him. He teetered on the edge of a slip—

“Watch out!” Qin Han lunged instinctively to grab Xie Ling. In that split second, a sly grin flashed across Xie Ling’s face.

Qin Han froze for a heartbeat. Before he could react, Xie Ling shoved him down onto the nearby sofa.

“I win!” Xie Ling brandished his final handful of cream, lunging to smear it on Qin Han. In his panic, Qin Han rolled aside—and might have dodged clean—but his foot caught a cola bottle that had rolled over from somewhere as he stepped off the sofa.

The moment Qin Han tumbled back onto the sofa, Xie Ling—desperate for the win—reached out.

In the end, the cream did land on Qin Han’s body. But in the ensuing scramble, the spot it hit plunged the room into dead silence.

Qin Han looked down at the hand now resting squarely on his crotch.

Xie Ling yelped and yanked his hand back as if electrocuted.

“Uh…” His ears heated up inexplicably, leaving Xie Ling at a loss for words.

A deep shadow darkened Qin Han’s eyes. He sat up slowly from the sofa and fixed Xie Ling—whose gaze darted away—with a leisurely drawl. “Uh, what?”

“You know, uh…” Xie Ling scratched at his mop of natural curls, unsure what he even meant to say. His face and ears burned fiercely. After stewing for ages, he blurted, “Impressive size?”