He said it was just a question, but Tan Jing didn’t wait for him to answer at all. He grabbed He Siheng’s hand and yanked him forward. Caught off guard, He Siheng tumbled straight into his arms.
Unlike any embrace from before, a warm grass-wood scent gently enveloped him, treating him with the utmost care, as if he were the most precious treasure in the world.
He Siheng froze in his arms, his eyelashes fluttering rapidly up and down like a bewildered butterfly.
That strange feeling bubbled up from his heart again, an indescribable palpitation.
Hadn’t he just been at the hospital? Should he have gotten an ECG too? Did he have some kind of heart condition?
He Siheng’s mind was a chaotic mess of random thoughts.
He quickly snapped back to reality and struggled free from Tan Jing’s grasp.
This time, Tan Jing didn’t hold on tight, so He Siheng easily pushed him away and took a step back, pulling out of his embrace.
Even after creating some distance, that palpitating sensation didn’t stop. He could still feel the other’s body heat and the faint trace of grass-wood scent.
He Siheng touched his nose awkwardly and spoke up uncomfortably, “It’s just a little trinket I gave you. No need to get this emotional about it, right?”
“My emotions have nothing to do with the gift.” Tan Jing looked at him, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “I’m just relieved that after four years, you’re still willing to celebrate my birthday.”
He Siheng was slightly taken aback.
He looked away and suddenly recalled Lu Xinshu’s hysterical shout. After a moment’s thought, he still asked Tan Jing, “The car accident you had in middle school—was it Lu Xinshu who hit you?”
Tan Jing lifted his hand to put the Peace Buckle pendant around his neck and absentmindedly hummed in affirmation.
Where should he wear it to make it most noticeable?
“I’m sorry. He must have taken it out on you because of me.” He Siheng genuinely felt some guilt.
“It’s not taking it out on me—it’s jealousy.” Tan Jing fiddled with the cord, adjusting the jade pendant so it hung right over his chest. He paused, then added, “He even sent me a photo, saying it was one you tore up and threw away.”
“…Fuck,” He Siheng cursed. “I didn’t tear that photo. That bastard played both sides, stirring up trouble!”
“It’s all in the past.” Tan Jing brushed off the previous misunderstanding lightly. He tapped the Peace Buckle just below his collarbone. “How about here? Does it look good?”
He Siheng was still fuming over Lu Xinshu’s actions and his own past stupidity, but Tan Jing was completely on a different wavelength, utterly focused on the jade pendant.
He felt a bit speechless, yet also amused. “Are you a kid or something? Showing off your gift right away—how childish.”
Tan Jing chuckled, neither confirming nor denying it.
He Siheng was still hung up on the past and asked in confusion, “Why didn’t you tell me about the car accident back then? Why did you even make my mom keep it from me?”
Tan Jing let out a wistful sigh. “I was too stupid back then.”
Seeing him finally shift away from obsessing over the pendant and show this regretful expression, He Siheng thought he was about to reveal some heartfelt hardship from that time.
But instead, Tan Jing said regretfully, “If I’d known you like pitiful types, I should’ve played the sympathy card.”
He Siheng: “…”
He knew this guy could never say anything serious.
On the way home, Tan Jing received a message from Tan Wan saying she wouldn’t be back that night and telling him to behave himself.
When he got home, the lights in the living room on the first floor were indeed still on. Jiang He sat on the sofa with a cold expression, waiting to chew him out.
As the star of the banquet, not only had he abruptly left the table, but he’d brazenly snatched Tan Wan’s motorcycle keys and ridden off without even having a license yet. All these offenses had Jiang He fuming.
But the moment she saw the bloodstains on his clothes, Jiang He’s expression changed. She set aside the scolding and asked anxiously and worriedly, “What’s with the blood on you? Where are you hurt?”
“It’s not mine.” Tan Jing walked over and told her the truth. “It’s He Siheng’s. He got targeted for revenge tonight.”
“Little Heng?” Jiang He looked surprised. “That’s his blood? Where is he now? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine now. Sis went to the police station and handled everything for us.” Tan Jing paused, then added, “He doesn’t want Aunt Shu to worry, so please don’t tell anyone.”
Jiang He breathed a sigh of relief. “As long as he’s okay… Sigh, what kind of person did Little Heng provoke to get hurt like that?”
She then turned to blame Tan Jing. “And you—rushing out alone the second you got the call without telling us. What if you got hurt?”
Knowing she’d been worried sick that night, Tan Jing accepted the criticism humbly with a good attitude. “It was an emergency this time. Won’t happen again.”
“You think there’ll be a next time?” Jiang He chided him for jinxing it and hurriedly knocked three times on the solid wood tea table.
Thinking of something else, she added, “Don’t let your dad know about this either. He was planning to introduce you to a girl from the Zhao Family, but your birthday banquet hadn’t even properly started before you vanished, leaving her hanging all evening. If he finds out you left because of Little Heng, he’ll start nagging about the He Family again.”
Tan Jing had always known his birthday banquets involved schmoozing and hadn’t cared much before, but hearing about the matchmaking this time made him frown. “Arranging a blind date for me now—isn’t that a bit early?”
Jiang He was a bit helpless too. “It’s all because of your dad. He’s never seen you bring an Omega friend home; all your friends are Alphas. He’s afraid you like Alphas and that you’ll have to tough out your Susceptibility Periods alone for life. He’s also worried you’ll cause trouble with someone else’s Alpha, so he’s anxious to set you up.”
S-Rank Alphas had their advantages and disadvantages. Outsiders envied their family for producing an S-Rank Alpha, but only they knew the suffering Tan Jing had endured over the years.
