Chapter 46

In the end, the three of them didn’t make it to the little park. Instead, Old Cai, who had rushed over after hearing about the inquiry, dragged them straight to the Moral Education Office.

Hedgehog Head had sustained a few injuries, so Old Cai grumbled all the way as he first escorted him to the Medical Office. Xie Ling, Qin Han, and Yu Rong, meanwhile, stood in a neat row inside the otherwise empty Moral Education Office.

Xie Ling was utterly puzzled. He turned to Yu Rong. “Why did Old Cai drag you in too? Wait, aren’t you supposed to be back in France?”

Yu Rong replied, “Have you heard about the half-month exchange program between your school and a high school in France?”

Xie Ling didn’t hesitate. “Nope.” He paid attention to a lot of things in his daily life, but school gossip and events were the one exception. He usually only learned about them from Xia Yu, Zhang Chengrui, and the others.

“Just as I figured. I signed up last month, but to give you a bigger surprise when you saw me, I deliberately didn’t mention it during our last video call.” As Yu Rong spoke, he reached out to drape his arm over Xie Ling’s shoulder.

But before he could make contact, Qin Han yanked Xie Ling several meters in the opposite direction.

Yu Rong’s handsome face fell in an instant.

Xie Ling, suddenly tugged over by Qin Han, was a bit baffled. “What’s up?”

Qin Han lifted his eyelids and glanced at the nearby window, which was only cracked open a sliver. He smiled. “That window’s open too wide over there. It’s chilly. Come stand closer.”

Xie Ling let out an “oh” but still felt like something was off. He glanced down. “Your… hand’s kinda loose?”

Qin Han kept smiling. “Just keeping you warm so you don’t catch a chill.”

“…” Xie Ling scratched his head with his free hand. His normally steady heartbeat seemed to undergo a subtle, almost imperceptible shift.

“I’m pretty cold too,” Yu Rong said coldly, stepping right up to Qin Han. “Nothing warms you up like a good fight. Care to help a classmate out, Chairman Qin?”

Qin Han’s lips quirked. He took two steps forward, half-shielding Xie Ling behind him in a blatantly possessive move.

“Sure…”

“What are you all doing?!” Director Cai burst in, his booming voice shattering the tense atmosphere that had been building in the air.

Xie Ling hurriedly shook off Qin Han’s hand.

“I told you to stand apart for punishment, so why are you huddling so close?! And you, this classmate…”

Yu Rong was new in town and hadn’t yet weathered Director Cai’s verbal thrashings. Pointed out by name, he remained utterly calm. “Teacher, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“…” After all, the guy was an exchange student. In line with the school’s policy of open exchange, Director Cai didn’t shut him down. “What is it?”

“I think the courses in the International Class are too basic. They’re not helping me make real progress in my studies. I’d like to apply to audit Class 1.” He’d looked into it before coming and knew Xie Ling was in Class 1.

Director Cai hesitated. “Well…”

Exchange student matters were his full responsibility. The principle was to let them fully experience First High School’s excellent campus life and learning environment. So Yu Rong’s request to switch classes wasn’t entirely out of the question…

“Teacher, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Qin Han interjected suddenly.

Yu Rong: “…”

Qin Han continued, “Yu Rong and I were classmates in junior high. His grades back then in our class…”

“Chairman Qin, has anyone told you not to judge people by outdated standards?”

Qin Han replied, “I’m just worried that after so long under Western education, he might struggle to keep up if he jumps straight into our class.”

“You’re a returnee from abroad too,” Yu Rong shot back. “Whether I can keep up or not isn’t for you to decide.”

Qin Han smiled. “In that case, why not have you take a practice test right now so the teacher can judge?”

“Fine, bring it on…”

“Both of you, shut it!” Director Cai slammed his palm on the desk.

Xie Ling: “…Teacher, does it hurt? Want me to blow on it?”

“Quit your yapping! Stand properly, all of you! You think I don’t exist if I’m not talking?! No more nonsense—explain exactly what happened at lunch today!”

In the end, as the bell for first period rang, the three of them each received a 3,000-word self-reflection assignment and filed out of the office.

Yu Rong’s class transfer request fell through thanks to Qin Han’s interruption.

“Your teacher,” Yu Rong said, at a loss for words. “What a devil.”

Xie Ling regarded him with the benevolent pity of someone who had weathered far worse. “You haven’t seen Old Cai make people run ten laps around the track while shouting ‘I was wrong’ the whole time.”

“I’d take the laps any day.” Yu Rong had always gotten headaches from writing long essays like that. “I’m staying at your place tonight. I already cleared it with Aunt Fu…”

“Time for class.” Qin Han slipped seamlessly between them from behind.

They were standing at a corridor junction now. Class 1 was to the east, while Yu Rong’s International Class was to the west.

Yu Rong shot Qin Han a glance. After a moment, a provocative smile curved his lips. He turned to Xie Ling. “I cleared it with Aunt Fu. I’ll be staying at your place for the next two weeks.”

Qin Han’s fingers, hanging at his side, curled slightly.

~~~

Once Yu Rong had left, Qin Han said to Xie Ling, “I want to stay at your place tonight too.”

Xie Ling blinked. “Didn’t you say your grandma’s coming back today and you have to go home?”

Qin Han had spent the entire weekend at Xie Ling’s, but today Qin Huai had notified him that Ye Shuanghua was returning to the country, and he absolutely had to go back.

“But…”

Xie Ling caught the hesitation in his voice and smiled. “You should go home.”

“You don’t want me anymore?”

Xie Ling: “?”

Qin Han lowered his eyelids slightly. “Yesterday you said I was welcome anytime. But now that you have a new guy, you don’t want me.”

“…” For some reason, Qin Han’s tone made it sound like he was about to pout and start whimpering any second.

Xie Ling was startled by his own wild imagination.

“Talk normally. I’m just worried you’ll get grounded with family rules if you don’t go back today. Otherwise, you can come whenever. Didn’t I already add your fingerprint to the door lock?”

Xie Ling’s front door used fingerprint access. With how often Qin Han had been coming and going lately, Xie Ling had gone ahead and registered his print the night before.

At the mention of it, something occurred to Qin Han. “Did you add Yu Rong’s fingerprint?”

“Nope.” Back when they had a traditional lock, Yu Rong had a key, but he’d gone abroad in second year of junior high. They’d switched to fingerprint after that. Yu Rong had visited a few times since, but Xie Ling had always been with him, so there’d been no need.

Qin Han sneaked a grin. His sullen mood from the past few hours finally lifted a bit.

He pulled a piece of chocolate from his pocket and pressed it into Xie Ling’s palm, speaking in a soft, wheedling tone as if negotiating. “Here, for you. Promise you won’t add his fingerprint, okay?”

Childish.

That was Xie Ling’s first thought.

But as Qin Han pried open his fingers and tucked more pieces of chocolate into his palm one by one, Xie Ling’s mind suddenly grew feverish.

Feverish, just like the warmth where their fingertips brushed.

Almost without thinking, Xie Ling said, “Okay.”

~~~

After school, Yu Rong was the first to find Xie Ling, even trying to take his bag on the walk home.

Xie Ling swatted his hand away and chuckled. “What, you think just ’cause I’m an Omega now, I can’t even carry my own bag?”

Yu Rong tsked. “What does you being an Omega have to do with it? I just want to carry it for you. Got a problem?”

“Sure thing, son. Guess I didn’t raise you for nothing—you’ve finally learned to honor your dad.” Xie Ling reached up and ruffled Yu Rong’s hair. At 181 cm, he was a rare tall Omega, but Yu Rong was still five centimeters taller.

Tsk. He’d been such a little squirt when he left for abroad. Now he was as tall as Qin Han.

Huh? Why was he using Qin Han as a benchmark?

As he mulled it over, the hand he’d placed on Yu Rong’s head was pulled down and clasped in a firm grip.

Xie Ling glanced at it and smiled. “What? Still playing at holding hands like kids?”

“You didn’t complain when Qin Han held yours.”

“What?”

“You and Qin Han.” Yu Rong looked at Xie Ling. “What’s the deal between you two now?”

Xie Ling paused, then blinked. “Brothers, duh. What else?”

“I was browsing your school’s forum today. There are tons of weird posts about you two.” Yu Rong tightened his grip on Xie Ling’s hand. “I saw the photo of him kissing you too.”

“…Where’d you see that? It got deleted!”

Yu Rong said, “Long story. Some Omega showed it to me.”

Xie Ling almost forgot—Yu Rong had always been a total heartthrob. Now a top-tier Alpha after differentiation, he was a full-on babe magnet for Omegas.

“…He was drunk that day.”

That photo had been snapped by Mu Yin. He’d glanced at it later and vaguely remembered the pose he and Qin Han were in.

As he thought about it, Xie Ling’s ears turned red despite himself.

Yu Rong noticed, his brows furrowing tightly. He seemed about to say something but held back in the end.

When they reached Xie Ling’s front door, Yu Rong finally added, almost as an afterthought, “Stay away from Qin Han. Alphas aren’t any good—except for me.”

Xie Ling recalled Qin Han’s jabs at Yu Rong earlier in the day and now Yu Rong’s digs at Qin Han. He couldn’t help but find it amusing.

Man, so childish. How could they be so childish?

Not everyone his age was as mature as him, of course.

What could he do? He was just that exceptional.

His little tail wagged for no good reason. Xie Ling was about to scan his fingerprint to unlock the door when it suddenly swung open from inside.

The Little Bear Apron came into view, and Xie Ling subconsciously started to call out “Mom.” But as soon as he formed the “m” shape with his mouth, he froze in utter disarray.

The person who opened the door wasn’t Madam Fu. Nor was the one wearing the Little Bear Apron.

“Why are you here?” Yu Rong felt his composure crumbling.

Qin Han glanced at the hand clasped with Xie Ling’s, a terrifying shadow flickering in the depths of his eyes.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Qin Han stepped forward, grabbing Xie Ling’s other hand. The corners of his lips tugged upward in a smile devoid of any warmth. “We’re living together now.”

Yu Rong’s face darkened instantly as he whipped his gaze toward Xie Ling.

Xie Ling snapped out of it and yanked back on Qin Han’s hand. “What nonsense is this? What’s really going on?”

Qin Han wanted to watch Yu Rong squirm a little longer, but he worried that keeping up the joke might actually anger Xie Ling. So he explained, “I got a call from Second Brother. Grandma had something come up and won’t be back for a few days, so I came over.”

“…All right. You could’ve at least given me a heads-up. The way you’re dressed gave me a real scare.” Xie Ling peered into the house. “Where’s Mom?”

“Auntie went out shopping. I was just helping her prep the veggies.” Qin Han smiled. “I didn’t tell you because I wanted to surprise you.”

With that, he pulled Xie Ling through the door.

Xie Ling felt like today had brought one surprise too many.

Yu Rong refused to let go of Xie Ling’s other hand. And so the three of them shuffled inside, locked in this absurd tug-of-war pose like a trio of kids holding hands on a field trip. They didn’t stop until they reached the shoe cabinet—

“Hey.” Xie Ling glanced left and right, his tone one of utter helpless indulgence. “Kids, mind if I change my shoes first?”

Qin Han and Yu Rong exchanged a look, their faces both cold as they finally let go.

Xie Ling was just exhaling in relief when Qin Han sidled up beside him again, leaning in to whisper, “I put away all the plushies in your room for you.”

Xie Ling froze for a second. Yu Rong had no idea about his habit of hugging plushies. Whenever Yu Rong visited before, Xie Ling always stashed them away to keep his tough-guy image intact. With everything happening so suddenly today, he’d nearly forgotten.

His ears heated up, and Xie Ling murmured, “Thanks.”

Yu Rong finished changing into his slippers and stood, immediately spotting Qin Han huddled close to Xie Ling, whispering something. Xie Ling was even rubbing his nose.

He knew that little habit of Xie Ling’s—he only touched his nose when he was embarrassed.

And right now, that embarrassment was all because of Qin Han.

Irritation exploded in Yu Rong’s chest. In a tone that brooked no argument, he declared, “Xie Ling, I’m sleeping in your room tonight.”