“I like ones with a challenge.”
He Siheng frowned deeply after hearing this, his face full of disgust. “Your answer is way too abstract. Is that even a true confession?”
Tan Jing smiled but said nothing.
Song Lin, who saw through everything, twitched his lips.
Where’s the abstract about it? ‘Challenging’ is basically code for not liking him at all. Jing Bro is practically driving a bulldozer straight for him!
Werewolf was great at killing time. After a few rounds, the morning slipped away.
He Siheng’s race was in the afternoon. After lunch, he changed out of his school uniform, reapplied the scent blocker generously, and only then returned to the sports field fully prepared.
Tan Jing narrowed his eyes as he watched the figure approaching from afar.
The guy had switched to a white sleeveless jersey and knee-length shorts. His slender legs were toned and full, with a matching red-and-blue headband around his forehead. His bangs fluffed down messily, radiating pure youthful energy.
And he was still as cocky as ever.
He Siheng stopped in front of him and lifted the corners of his lips proudly. “Just wait and see your Heng Bro shine in the 3000-meter later.”
Tan Jing remembered that He Siheng had checked the box for short-distance on registration day. He furrowed his brow slightly. “Didn’t you sign up for the 800-meter?”
“If I’m gonna run, might as well go big.”
He Siheng had originally planned for the 800-meter—it was flashier for speed—but on the deadline day, the class sports rep had begged him relentlessly, saying no one else dared to sign up. Flattered by the praise, He Siheng softened and switched to the 3000-meter at the last minute.
Seeing Tan Jing’s furrowed brow, He Siheng shrugged it off casually. “Don’t worry. I could lap you twenty times. Watch your bro snag first place this time.”
But Tan Jing replied, “For a long-distance event like this, just finish the whole thing. Don’t worry about the ranking.”
Tan Jing was thinking that school sports day races weren’t like military training penalty laps. Class 10 had multiple sports students competing, all Alphas. If pheromones leaked mid-race, He Siheng would be at a huge disadvantage—and in danger.
He Siheng, however, was provoked by his words. Wasn’t this basically saying he didn’t believe he could win at all?
“What do you mean ‘don’t worry about the ranking’? Do I seem that weak to you?” He Siheng huffed, throwing down the gauntlet. “Fine. I’m taking first no matter what.”
Tan Jing opened his mouth to say more, but the loudspeaker began announcing numbers. He Siheng snorted coldly, brushed past him, and strode onto the track with a pissed-off look.
In the lane next to him was a sports student from Class 10—the same muscular guy who’d thrown shot put with Tan Jing that morning. The Class 10 girls had originally been cheering for the musclehead, but the moment He Siheng appeared, the screams shifted direction.
“Look, look! It’s He Siheng from Class One!”
“Aaah, Young Master He looks so hot in that outfit!”
“He Siheng, fighting!”
“Hey, we’re Class 10. Isn’t it weird cheering for Class One?”
“Who cares? Hot guys belong to everyone. Class 10 and Class One are family! Young Master He, go! I believe in you!”
The muscular guy: “…”
Once again relegated to the sidelines, the musclehead gritted his teeth. These girls flipped sides too fast. So what if he’s handsome? With those skinny arms and legs, what could this young master possibly achieve?
The musclehead was still thinking that one second, but the next, the gun fired. The boy in the next lane shot out like an arrow from a bow, surging ahead to claim the lead position.
…Fuck!
The musclehead cursed inwardly and snapped to attention, chasing right after.
He Siheng hadn’t been obsessed with first place originally—the 3000-meter was a grueling endurance test, after all. But Tan Jing’s doubting tone had fired him up, and he ran with a belly full of anger.
On the third lap, He Siheng suddenly heard the female announcer, who’d been reading generic cheers over the broadcast, shriek excitedly: “President!”
She quickly caught her mistake and cut the mic.
He Siheng was just passing the side facing the stands and glanced over from afar. He saw Tan Jing standing next to the announcer, talking to her about something.
After half a lap, with his back to the stands, the mic suddenly came back on. A clear, resonant recitation filled the speakers in a familiar magnetic voice:
“Next up is a submission from Sophomore Class 1—”
“‘On the long road ahead, you are the strongest heart on the green field.'”
He Siheng’s amber eyes widened slightly, his breathing stuttering for a moment.
The surroundings erupted in excited screams.
“Aaah, oh my god, did I hear that right? It’s Tan Jing reading the cheer!”
“I’m dying, that voice is too good!”
“In my lifetime, in my lifetime—quick, record it on your phone!”
…
Over the broadcast, Tan Jing continued reading steadily, his clear, magnetic teenage voice echoing across the entire sports field:
“Persistence is your foundation, strength your confidence.”
“The blazing sun cheers for you, the autumn wind lifts you skyward. Grand words fall flat, but I have always believed—”
He paused, looking toward the boy in the white jersey on the track, a faint, imperceptible smile in his voice: “He Siheng, victory belongs only to you.”
The words landed, and the sports field boiled over. Screams pierced the sky.
“Oh my god! What did I just hear? Tan Jing cheering for He Siheng??!”
“Aren’t they sworn enemies? Didn’t they get into a huge fight in the bathroom this morning?”
“I don’t care! Mom, I’m shipping it!!!”
…
The chaotic screams and catcalls rose and fell.
He Siheng steadied his breathing, pressed his lips together, but couldn’t suppress a hint of a smile.
This guy… fine, points for style.
On the other side of the stands, Wang Yizhou watched Tan Jing step down from the podium and sighed with complicated feelings. “Jing Bro’s really going all-in as the lackey. Not only did He Siheng force him to write a cheer, but now he’s abusing his position to read it himself on air.”
Song Lin gave him a look like he was the landlord’s fool son. “Yizhou, if you can’t see it, maybe get some glasses.”
“Glasses for what?” Wang Yizhou blinked in confusion. “I’m not nearsighted.”
Song Lin: “Forget it. Just donate your brain instead.”
Wang Yizhou: “???”
Thanks to Tan Jing’s stunt, the sports field’s energy skyrocketed. The competition on the track intensified accordingly.
With two laps left, He Siheng faintly caught a whiff of pheromones—an Alpha scent drifting from behind.
Perhaps from the excitement and intense exertion, the musclehead tailing him was leaking pheromones.
He Siheng frowned and picked up his pace to escape the range.
Seeing him speed up, the musclehead thought he was trying to shake him off. He gritted his teeth and kept up. The others behind, seeing them accelerate, sped up too.
Somehow, the scene turned into everyone clenching their jaws to maintain distances, sprinting ahead of schedule.
Especially the musclehead in second, glued to He Siheng’s heels, oblivious to his pheromones growing thicker.
Song Lin noticed something off and wondered aloud, “Why are they speeding up already? Isn’t it only the second-to-last lap? Jing Bro, is this He Siheng’s new tactic?”
Tan Jing didn’t reply. He headed straight for the finish line, his expression darkening.
Wang Yizhou was already hoarse from cheering and bellowed recklessly: “Who cares! He Siheng, go! Don’t waste Jing Bro risking his rep to read your cheer!”
Zhou Yu nearby yelled too: “Heng Bro, charge!!! Shake that muscle dude!!!”
The others joined in: “Strongest Heart He Siheng! Victory is He Siheng’s!!! Go! Sprint!!!”
…So damn noisy!
He Siheng’s mind was a mess from the Alpha pheromones. His face flushed red, every cell screaming in irritation.
On the final lap, he pushed through the discomfort into a sprint.
The usually cocky, smirking boy now had his pretty lips pressed into a straight line. Under his serious expression, those amber eyes gleamed with sharp, cold intensity.
The stark contrast from his normal self made hearts race.
In the final meters, He Siheng clenched his jaw, veins bulging on his neck, pouring every ounce of strength into the sprint. He crossed the finish line’s red ribbon seconds ahead.
Cheers exploded instantly.
Almost simultaneously, He Siheng’s legs buckled. Just before he hit the ground, someone caught him.
The screams around were deafening.
“First place! Heng Bro’s badass!!!”
“Holy shit, He Siheng, I’m sold! Awesome!”
“Aaah, Mom, I’m shipping again!!!”
The 3000-meter had too many surprises, and the early sprint had drained He Siheng completely. He went limp in Tan Jing’s arms.
Inhaling Tan Jing’s crisp scent, the restlessness in his bones finally eased.
Ignoring everything else, He Siheng buried his face deep into Tan Jing’s chest, greedily soaking in his Alpha pheromones.
An unprecedented craving—not enough, not enough, still not enough!
His body steamed with heat, drenched like he’d been dunked in water. Tan Jing didn’t mind the sweat soaking into him and held him steady. “Stand up. Walk it off slowly.”
He Siheng was like a puddle of mud, his whole weight slumped against him, face buried unmoving, breathing ragged. “Can’t walk…”
“Be good. Just one minute.”
After a few seconds of evasive silence, He Siheng finally mumbled, “Fine. Bend down a bit so I can hold on.”
Tan Jing complied, but He Siheng had no intention of using his shoulder. Instead, he wrapped both arms around Tan Jing’s neck and flopped onto his back like a koala. “Bro can’t even manage half a minute.”
Tan Jing felt a bit helpless and was about to persuade him further when he caught the faint fruity-floral scent mixed in the sweat. He paused, then said nothing more and carried him toward the infirmary.
Wang Yizhou called out quickly, “Jing Bro, he hasn’t claimed his award yet.”
Tan Jing didn’t look back. “Get it for him.”
Wang Yizhou was flattered. “I couldn’t poss—”
Before he finished, Song Lin clapped a hand over his mouth, muting him. “Shut it!”
Screams followed them all the way off the sports field. He Siheng vaguely heard something about shipping hard, but he was too exhausted to care.
Pasted to the guy’s broad, lean back, the pheromones at his nose brought utter comfort, like every knot unraveling in bliss.
Yet at the same time, a massive emptiness welled up inside—not irritation, but some other inexplicable restlessness.
Away from the noisy field, He Siheng realized belatedly they weren’t heading to the classroom. “Where are you carrying me?”
“Infirmary.”
At those three words, He Siheng jolted fully awake, his first thought needles and IV drips.
“I just skipped half a lap. No need for the infirmary, right?”
He tried to slide down, but Tan Jing’s long, strong arms clamped his thighs firmly.
Tan Jing calmly reminded him of reality: “You’re about to go into heat.”
He Siheng denied instinctively: “I’m not—”
Before he finished, Tan Jing halted abruptly.
He Siheng froze too. The thing pressed against Tan Jing’s lower back stirred uncontrollably, rising.
Don’t notice, don’t notice, please don’t notice…
As He Siheng prayed frantically in his head, Tan Jing chuckled lowly.
“Little bro’s got some spirit, huh.”
