Chapter 4 Part 2

Troublesome.

He Siheng sprinted all the way to the school gate and spotted the familiar big G. He jogged over and rapped on the passenger window.

The window slid down slowly. The woman in the driver’s seat had lazy big-wave curls, exquisite makeup, full red lips—bold, striking beauty.

He Siheng didn’t hop in right away. He draped an arm over the window frame and grinned cheekily at her. “Whose hot sis is this? Oh, wait—mine.”

Tan Wan laughed. “Such a smooth talker.”

He didn’t argue, just opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. Out of habit, he went to toss his bag in the back—only to realize he wasn’t carrying it.

“What’s wrong?” Tan Wan noticed his odd expression.

He Siheng looked sheepish. “Forgot my bag.”

“You,” Tan Wan said with a laughing headshake, “still so scatterbrained.”

“No biggie. Let’s eat first.” Bag was gone—whatever. Dinner with Wanwan Sis mattered more.

But Tan Wan said, “I’ll call A Jing and have him bring it over.”

He Siheng blinked. “Tan Jing’s coming with us?”

“Yeah.” Tan Wan pulled out her phone to dial Tan Jing. “Though A Jing might have something going on. School let out ages ago, and you two still hadn’t shown—I messaged you both, no replies.”

“Ran into something,” He Siheng said, checking his phone. “Mine died and auto-shutdown.”

His had shut down, but Tan Jing’s shouldn’t have conveniently crapped out too.

Didn’t wake him on purpose, ignored Wanwan’s messages on purpose—this dog was absolutely sabotaging, trying to wreck his date with Tan Wan (dinner counted as a date).

He Siheng ground his teeth inwardly, tallying the score.

So when Tan Jing climbed in, he caught a furious glare from He Siheng via the rearview mirror.

Tan Jing ignored it entirely, tossing the bag aside before leaning back in the leather seat and turning to gaze out the window.

He Siheng felt inexplicably baffled—and aggrieved.

This guy? Now he was sulking?

Sensing the off vibe between them, Tan Wan jumped in to smooth things over. “Xiao Heng, you cleaned up so handsome—are you crushing on someone? Planning to chase?”

In the back seat, Tan Jing’s fingers tightened silently.

From the passenger seat, He Siheng’s face lit up with irrepressible delight. “Guess.”

Tan Wan teased with a laugh, “Looks like it for real. A Jing, you gotta step it up too—or sis’ll get engaged with Xiao Heng, others’ll date, and you’ll be the lone wolf.”

At that, He Siheng’s smile froze, dimming. “Engaged?”

“Oops, let it slip. Was gonna wait till later.” Tan Wan’s smile carried a shy edge. “Truth is, my boyfriend’s joining us for dinner tonight.”

He Siheng’s delight turned to rigid stiffness in equal measure. “Didn’t you two… break up?”

“Nope. Just fought that day, posted on Moments in a huff. Turns out he was gonna propose. Haven’t said yes yet—told him if he wants to marry me, he passes my two little brothers first.”

Tan Wan smiled. “You and A Jing are the ones I trust most. Help sis vet him properly tonight.”

It hit like a hammer blow. He Siheng couldn’t muster a smile, forcing out a strained, “Mm.”

Tan Jing, who’d been staring out the window, glanced at the one in front.

The glass reflected the teen’s taut profile—head bowed, light golden fringe hiding the sadness in his brows and eyes.

Tan Jing stared for a few seconds before looking away with a silent sigh.

*

Blinding. Stifling. Every cell in his body screamed to flee.

He Siheng sucked at acting, worse at hiding his feelings.

To avoid disappointing Tan Wan—or letting her notice—his last shred of reason dragged him through the meal in a haze. He finally bailed early with an excuse about something coming up, heading home and clinging to his final scrap of dignity.

A few hundred meters from the restaurant, the footsteps still trailed him relentlessly. He Siheng finally snapped, whirling around to glare furiously. “How long are you gonna follow me?”

Tan Jing’s expression didn’t shift. “Our houses are in the same direction.”

He Siheng stalked toward him, stopping right in his face. “Calling me narcissistic again? It’s this far—I’m walking home, so you’re walking too? What perfect timing.”

Tan Jing said nothing, just watched him with cool indifference.

Somehow, He Siheng read pity in that gaze. It shredded his last dignity.

He demanded, “You knew all along, right? Just watching me make a fool of myself?”

Tan Jing frowned. “I’m not that bored.”

He Siheng sneered. “Wasn’t that exactly how you watched me make a fool back then?”

Right—today was a near-perfect rerun of that day years ago.

Several years ago, on Tan Wan’s birthday, He Siheng had joyfully prepared an elaborate birthday surprise for her. He also wanted to solemnly tell her that his feelings for her weren’t the kind a little brother had for his big sister. But right on that day, just before he could speak, Tan Wan told him first that she was in love.

He Siheng experienced a one-sided heartbreak and, in utter devastation, went to South Middle School for junior high.

But he didn’t go to South Middle School entirely because of the heartbreak.

Tan Jing had known about Tan Wan’s relationship all along and had coldly watched the entire process of He Siheng’s elaborate confession preparations.

It was ridiculous—he had even sincerely gone to make peace with Tan Jing before preparing the confession, promising to treat him like a real brother and look out for him from then on.

In the end, he became the biggest joke.

So, he went to the more distant South Middle School, because of the heartbreak, but even more because he felt so ashamed, utterly humiliated!

“Why do you insist on thinking I was waiting to watch you become a joke?” Tan Jing lowered his gaze to look at him and asked.

He Siheng countered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Otherwise, what other reason could you have? You, Tan Jing—do you have some unspeakable hardship or something?”

Tan Jing said nothing and turned his face away, avoiding He Siheng’s gaze.

Just as He Siheng thought he was feeling guilty, Tan Jing suddenly turned back to look at him and countered in return, “Compared to me watching you become a joke, don’t you feel even more like a joke yourself?”

He Siheng was stunned. “What did you say?”

Tan Jing took a deep breath, lowered his eyes, and asked coldly, “Don’t you know Tan Wan’s personality well? Even if the confession failed, she wouldn’t hate you or distance herself from you because of it.”

“The cost of failure was so small—why didn’t you dare to confess? Did you really like her?”

“What do you know!”

He Siheng grabbed his collar. “I didn’t dare confess, not because I was afraid of rejection, but because I was going to be an Alpha! Do you know how much grievance it would cause her for two Alphas to be together?”

He Siheng was so furious he wanted to punch him. But just as he swung his fist, Tan Jing’s crisp, cool scent drilled into his nose and invaded his limbs. It was as if something inside his body exploded all at once, surging out from every pore.

His breathing grew rapid, his face flushed, and his legs went weak and limp. He collapsed into Tan Jing’s arms.

It was like an entire garden of flowers blooming before his eyes in an instant. The tangy scent of unripe citrus mixed with a clear, sweet, and refreshing floral fragrance, overwhelming as it surged toward Tan Jing.

It came from He Siheng’s body—the bold, intense pheromones of an Omega.

The inherent instincts in his Alpha genes were instantly triggered. Every cell in his body screamed to mark and possess.

Tan Jing’s breathing grew heavier. He lowered his gaze to him, his fingertip rubbing his nape almost casually. “Congratulations, you’ve differentiated into an Omega.”

He Siheng blurted out like a stubborn arguer possessed, “Then this daddy is the most badass Omega!”

…Fuck, how could he be an Omega?