On the day of the cultural gala, they still had a full day of classes. Before heading out in the morning, He Siheng was stopped at the door by He Yunlang, who gave him a thousand warnings and exhortations.
“I heard you’re competing on the same stage as that Tan Family kid this time. Make sure you don’t let him steal the spotlight. But don’t try to steal his girl—that’s not honorable. Of course, if the girl falls for you on her own, that’s just our charm being too great.”
He Siheng was speechless. “Dad, it’s not competing on the same stage. We’re doing a duet together.”
“Same thing,” He Yunlang didn’t care about the details, only the results. He clenched his fist with determination. “Anyway, perform handsomely and make all the girls and boys swoon over you!”
He Siheng: “…”
No sooner had He Yunlang finished than Shu Qiu grabbed him by the ear and dragged him away. “You’re always saying this stuff to your son. Aren’t you sick of it?”
“Babe, easy, easy!”
Ignoring He Yunlang’s howls, Shu Qiu turned to He Siheng with a face full of affection. “Our Heng Heng has grown another year older.”
It was the 29th—He Siheng’s birthday.
Shu Qiu knew he liked casual birthdays, preferring to hang out with peers. With the school’s cultural gala this year, she booked a KTV and hotel for him to invite friends.
“As long as my son has fun,” Shu Qiu never imposed requirements on He Siheng, but she added, “Be safe and don’t drink too much.”
“Got it, got it,” He Siheng said helplessly. “You’ve been nagging since yesterday. I’m not a kid anymore.”
Shu Qiu shot him a playful glare. “You haven’t Differentiated yet—how are you not a kid?”
At the mention of Differentiation, He Yunlang immediately scooted over. “Right, you’re an adult now and still haven’t Differentiated? We should get you checked at the hospital!”
He Siheng coughed uncomfortably. “Maybe because I’m S-Rank, Differentiation is late. It’ll happen eventually—why go to the hospital?”
“That Tan kid is S-Rank too, and he Differentiated in middle school,” He Yunlang said. “I think you’re just scared of needles. You’re such a grown-up and still—ow, ow—”
Before he finished, Shu Qiu grabbed his ear again. “Can you rush Differentiation? Even at the hospital, are they going to inject him to force it? Stop pressuring your son every day.”
He Yunlang had no defense. “I’m wronged, babe! I’m just worried about him.”
“I think you’re just pissed that A Jing Differentiated into an Alpha too,” Shu Qiu saw through him. He got worked up every time. “You keep harping on A Jing. If you like comparing so much, why don’t you just go live with the Tan Family?”
Seeing He Yunlang held back by Shu Qiu, He Siheng quickly slipped away. “Mom, Dad, I’m off to class. See you tomorrow!”
Once out the door and into the family car, He Siheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But his mood wasn’t much lighter.
After going through several Heat Periods, he had accepted that he had Differentiated into an Omega. But Boss He was still waiting day and night for him to become an Alpha.
Omegas had a genetic submission to Alphas, and society generally viewed Omegas as delicate. If Boss He found out he was an Omega, it would be like the sky falling.
He Siheng’s thinking was straightforward and brutal. Since Tan Jing was an S-Rank Alpha, as long as he proved himself superior to Tan Jing, he could dispel Boss He’s prejudice that Omegas were weak. The simplest, most brutal way was to get the top score in the Qinan City college entrance exam, proving that even as an Omega, he could compete with an Alpha.
There was still a year and a half until the exam, and he had to lie through his teeth for that long.
For someone who wasn’t good at lying, the psychological burden was no small thing.
During morning classes, He Siheng was still thinking about it and let out a long sigh.
“Twenty-three.” The guy next to him suddenly spoke up.
He Siheng turned his head. “What twenty-three?”
Tan Jing didn’t look at him, eyes on the blackboard. One hand lazily propped his cheek, the other took notes. While listening to class, he still had time to chat. “That’s your twenty-third sigh.”
He Siheng was truly speechless. “Are you that bored?”
“Your sighs have too much presence.” Tan Jing twirled his pen idly. “Birthday got you all sentimental?”
He Siheng snapped irritably, “Sentimental about how much you deserve a beating.”
Tan Jing chuckled. “That’s good. So you’re paying that much attention to me.”
He Siheng: “…”
This guy’s skin was thicker too.
After a quiet moment, He Siheng lowered his voice. “Do you have any secrets you’re hiding from people?”
“Yeah.”
“What is it?”
Tan Jing slightly turned his face, glancing at him. “If I tell you, is it still a secret?”
“…’
He Siheng was stumped, coughed, and asked again, “Have you lied a lot to keep that secret?”
“Nope.”
He Siheng was surprised and immediately sought advice. “How do you keep it hidden?”
Tan Jing said, “No need for me to lie. He wouldn’t figure it out anyway.”
He Siheng was instantly envious. “He’s way too easy to fool then.”
Not sure what funny bone that hit, Tan Jing ducked his head, shoulders trembling.
“Yeah, how is he so dumb?” Tan Jing said wistfully.
He Siheng saw it as a sigh but felt like sighing reluctantly too. Finding it odd, he heard Tan Jing ask, “What, you have a secret you’re hiding and lying about?”
He Siheng threw his words back. “If I tell you, is it still a secret?”
Tan Jing raised a brow, unannoyed, just smiling. “Smart now, huh.”
He Siheng corrected seriously, “This young master has always been smart.”
Though they had a full day of classes, no one’s mind was on them. When the eighth period bell rang, the whole teaching building boiled over. No rush for dinner—party first.
By draw order, Class 1’s choral performance was mid-show, starting at seven PM. After dinner, everyone went to the auditorium backstage dressing room to change.
Class 1’s outfits: black suits for boys with stand-collar white shirts and black bow ties; white long dresses for girls.
He Siheng changed quickly, finished first, and planned to wander out. But at the dressing room door, Arts Committee member Si Jingjing caught him and pulled him into the makeup room. “Don’t rush off. You need makeup and hair.”
“Ah? That troublesome?”
“It’s the stage, after all. Gotta look sharp.”
He Siheng sat back down, letting Si Jingjing fuss with makeup tools on his face.
The girl kept working, mouth nonstop.
“Wow, Heng Bro, your skin is so good. So white, no need for powder.”
“Wow, Heng Bro, your lashes are so long, brows perfect—no trimming needed.”
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