Chapter 36: The Instructor Who Likes Pitiful Children…

Lin Jianxi had heard everything.

He didn’t go inside to say anything. It was getting late, and it was time to change his inhibitor patch, so he messaged Shen Yuxiu to come pick him up.

Xu Song’an hesitated beside him, looking like he wanted to say something but holding back.

Lin Jianxi glanced at him. “What are you standing around for?”

Xu Song’an tugged at his sleeve. “…Instructor, I didn’t buy your clothes.”

“…”

Lin Jianxi couldn’t help but chuckle. “You…”

Before he could finish, Shen Yuxiu’s voice rang out from not far away. “Why aren’t you wearing your jacket?”

Lin Jianxi stopped talking to Xu Song’an and walked over. Exhausted, he wrapped his arms around the other man. “Husband.”

Shen Yuxiu made a soft sound of acknowledgment. “Mm.”

Lin Jianxi tilted his head up to look at him. “Keep me company for a drink tonight?”

“Sure.”

As he spoke, Shen Yuxiu’s gaze slid past Lin Jianxi and landed on Xu Song’an. The chill in his eyes was nearly palpable.

Lin Jianxi nestled into the crook of his neck, oblivious, and murmured, “You’ve had a long day.”

Lin Jianxi enjoyed his drinks, and in this world, unburdened by any role he had to play, he could indulge freely. After everything that had happened that day, his mood was sour, so he drank heavily. Even with his impressive tolerance, he soon grew delightfully tipsy.

He curled up on the sofa, propping his feet on Shen Yuxiu’s shoulder as he tilted his head back and hummed softly. “Husband, I’ve got something to tell you.”

…

~~~

Shen Yuxiu pulled him into a deep, lingering kiss. Afterward, Lin Jianxi draped himself over the back of the sofa, his eyes half-lidded. Before he could say a word, Shen Yuxiu spoke up.

“Stay away from Xu Song’an.”

Lin Jianxi blinked. “Hm? Why?”

Shen Yuxiu gently brushed the sweat-dampened hair from his forehead, revealing those beautiful eyes. “I don’t like it.”

He pulled Lin Jianxi closer. “I don’t like you being close to anyone else. I was cold to you today—sorry. It was because you said he was good-looking.”

“Am I not good-looking?” Shen Yuxiu added after a beat. “Or have you just gotten tired of looking at me?”

“…”

“I really want to slash his face to ribbons.”

Lin Jianxi burst out laughing. “You’ve been watching too many palace intrigue dramas. Why not just slip him some crane’s top red poison while you’re at it?”

Shen Yuxiu fell silent for a moment. “That could work too.”

Lin Jianxi’s smile faded. He swallowed the news about the supply chain he’d uncovered that day and changed the subject casually. “Tell me about your two little brothers. Out of all these trainees, they’re the ones whose backgrounds I don’t know.”

“They come from a good family.”

“And?”

“Their father has mental illness. He’s the one who ruined Xu Song’an’s eyes.”

“Anything else?”

“The other one…” Shen Yuxiu paused. “He’s pretty timid.”

“Why does he have so many injuries?”

“Probably because he’s timid—got beaten by their father, or maybe bullied by others. Don’t ask about them anymore.”

With that, Lin Jianxi suddenly found himself lifted off the ground—Shen Yuxiu had scooped him up.

“Time for bed,” Shen Yuxiu said.

~~~

Lin Jianxi lay in bed, bone-tired but wide awake, sleep eluding him completely.

He stared blankly at his closet.

After a moment, he draped his arm over his eyes and let out a helpless laugh.

So there really was someone guarding his trash bin every day, picking through it to sell stuff to the trainees?

That was…

Lin Jianxi froze.

The clothes made sense, but that photo…

He closed his eyes.

The angle was directly facing the desk… which was the bookshelf.

It wasn’t the door or some corner blind spot. It was a massive bookshelf.

How could anyone be in that position?

Unless there was a hidden camera?

Doubts swirling in his mind, Lin Jianxi finally drifted off to sleep. The next morning, he woke to the sound of Shen Yuxiu arguing with someone.

Shen Yuxiu never resorted to cursing or pointless barbs when he argued. He simply responded with angry grunts of “Mm.”

Lin Jianxi watched as Shen Yuxiu paced with the phone to his ear, issuing the occasional “Mm.” Amused, he chuckled for a bit before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast.

After he managed to blow up the kitchen and slice open two fingers, Lin Jianxi gave up entirely. He stood obediently to the side, sucking the blood from his fingertips while waiting for Shen Yuxiu to clean up the mess.

Lin Jianxi decided he truly had no talent for cooking.

Next time he wanted to punish the trainees, maybe he wouldn’t bother doing it himself. He could just make them eat his cooking instead.

“Injured,” Shen Yuxiu said flatly as he approached. He turned and fetched the first aid kit.

Lin Jianxi waved him off. “No need. It’s just a little cut.”

“No.”

“Oh.”

Once the wound was cleaned and bandaged, Lin Jianxi sat at the dining table waiting for his husband to serve breakfast. He occasionally teased the little cat dozing on a nearby chair, rubbing his cheek affectionately against its head—only for Shen Yuxiu to block him with a hand.

Lin Jianxi pouted. “What?”

“Dirty,” Shen Yuxiu replied.

Lin Jianxi nuzzled his hand instead. “Then you’re not dirty. I’ll rub you.”

“…” Shen Yuxiu coughed awkwardly, turning his head. “Eat.”

After relaxing at home for a while, Lin Jianxi headed out to the training field. He didn’t arrive on time today. First, he spent half an hour inspecting the bookshelf in Shen Yuxiu’s office. Then he watched a bit of cartoons and bought some ice cream. Only after all that did he saunter leisurely to the field.

By regulation, morning training began with the trainees standing at attention, waiting for the instructor.

If the instructor was late, they kept standing. By the time Lin Jianxi arrived, several of them were staring at him with barely concealed resentment, as if dying to blurt out, “Did you hold things up screwing around with the boss?”

Lin Jianxi pretended not to notice. Keeping a cold expression, he said nothing and settled under a nearby tree to play on his phone.

The trainees: “…”

A few couldn’t hold the position any longer and shifted their feet furtively. Lin Jianxi’s icy gaze snapped over. “Did I say you could move?”

The offender straightened up reluctantly.

Someone whispered, “Xu-ge, you’re on good terms with him. Talk him down?”

Xu Song’an shook his head, replying with the words of a model student. “The instructor’s pissed. Better just behave.”

Even as he said it, his eyes never left Lin Jianxi, the corners of his mouth curved in a slight smile.

Lin Jianxi overheard and finally rose to his feet. The sun was growing stronger as he wove through the ranks and stopped in front of Xu Song’an.

Xu Song’an squeezed his eyes shut tightly.

“Why aren’t you wearing your hat?” Lin Jianxi asked.

“Didn’t dare,” Xu Song’an replied.

Lin Jianxi tossed his jacket onto the other’s face. “Go stand under the tree.”

In the instant Lin Jianxi tossed his jacket over, a unique scent carried on the wind, drifting through the air and slipping into the noses of every trainee nearby.

Xu Song’an, at the epicenter of that fragrance, felt utterly entranced.

He caught sight of the unnatural expressions on the faces of many classmates around him. Without drawing attention, he glanced down at his own *, cursed under his breath a few times, but kept up his facade as the perfect, obedient student. “Thank you,” he said aloud. He used Lin Jianxi’s jacket to shield himself from the sun and strolled slowly toward the shade of the tree.

Suddenly, there came a sharp “Slap!”

Lin Jianxi had casually backhanded the trainee who’d just been talking to Xu Song’an.

The trainee’s head snapped to the side, but for some inexplicable reason, he let out a chuckle.

“Don’t forget,” Lin Jianxi said coldly, “once you all leave this place, what your jobs will mostly be. You know damn well in your hearts whether certain things should be done or not.”

“…”

The people around exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

— The instructor must have found out about the clothes.

Lin Jianxi turned to the slapped trainee. “I hit you for speaking out of turn.”

“I’m sorry, Instructor,” the trainee replied.

Lin Jianxi delivered another slap. “Who said you could talk?”

The trainee’s mouth twitched. He ducked his head and fell silent.

“Who did you buy the stuff from?” Lin Jianxi demanded.

He jabbed the tip of his punishment cane toward one of the trainees. “You. Speak.”

“Online… I don’t know who it was. Anonymous. Every time, after the purchase, he’d leave it in a storage locker at the supermarket and send me the code.”

“…”

They’d made it sound almost professional.

Lin Jianxi ordered the trainees to resume their penalty standing and took down the seller’s WeChat ID from the one who’d spoken.

【P】: I’ve approved your friend request. We can chat now.

【P】: No more orders.

Lin Jianxi frowned and typed slowly.

【。】: Why? [Sad]

【P】: Boss says no more. Tell the others not to hit me up. I’ll switch numbers in a few days and delete this one.

Lin Jianxi: “…”

This whole operation had a boss???

【。】: Come on, no clothes and I’m suffering. He confiscated everything during last night’s dorm check.

【。】: Who’s your boss? Give me his contact.

【P】: Forget it. Boss isn’t selling anymore—says he just realized the scent is nice and can’t bear to part with it. Even if you get his WeChat, it won’t help.

【P】: Pass the word around. I don’t want to explain it to everyone one by one.

【P】: What does he even smell like, anyway? I’m a Beta—I only catch a faint whiff of something sweet. Laundry detergent, maybe? Is his pheromone really that irresistible?

“…………”

Lin Jianxi stared, stunned by the message.

…This so-called boss had been running this racket for ages and only now noticed?

And in this world’s logic, being drawn to someone’s pheromones was basically the same as spotting someone hot and getting ideas in the real world.

That twisted boss was right here among them.

Lin Jianxi rubbed his brow, a headache building.

Why the hell would anyone set up a chain like this? Just for cash… or…

Revenge.

He froze.

Revenge.

Get the trainees hooked on his pheromones, then seize the chance to make a move.

A pervert with a grudge against him.

The protagonist?

Lin Jianxi’s hand paused mid-rub.

Xu Song’an, standing nearby, piped up. “Instructor, is it serious? Should we call the cops?”

“It’s got nothing to do with you,” Lin Jianxi replied.

“…Oh.”

Xu Song’an’s gaze drifted to a trainee not far off, still dazed and lost in the jacket’s lingering scent. Irritation flickered across his face.

~~~

Lin Jianxi leaned wearily against the tree trunk.

Whatever. The operation was shut down now. Nothing like this should crop up again.

If the protagonist didn’t want to show his face, Lin Jianxi wouldn’t be able to track him down anyway.

He just hoped the guy wasn’t right under his nose, unwittingly advancing the plot with every casual interaction.

His head throbbed anew.

Truth be told… out of this whole bunch, Xu Song’an was the only one who didn’t give him headaches.

He’d asked Shen Yuxiu about it, but even he had no answers.

Lin Jianxi carried on with the usual training drills for the trainees, keeping a casual eye on Xu Song’an now and then. As lunch break approached, Xu Song’an sidled over. “Instructor, can I eat with you today?”

“Not having lunch,” Lin Jianxi said. “Heading back to sleep.”

“You must be beat,” Xu Song’an pressed. “I could bring you something.”

Lin Jianxi gave a light chuckle. “You’re the one who stood all morning. You’re more wiped out than I am. Hurry to the cafeteria before the seats are gone—low blood sugar will hit you hard this afternoon.”

Xu Song’an’s heart soared.

He smiles only for me. He’s kind only to me. He trusts only me—

Lost in the thought, he watched as Lin Jianxi suddenly rose and pulled Shen Yuxiu—who had appeared out of nowhere—into a hug.

Lin Jianxi brushed a gentle kiss against his ear and murmured, “Husband, I’m exhausted.”

“…”

A kiss. And he’d initiated it.

Xu Song’an sneered.

What an eyesore.

He deliberately slung Lin Jianxi’s jacket over his arm and flashed Shen Yuxiu a smile. “Bro, I’m heading out.”

Shen Yuxiu’s eyes flicked to it. He stroked Lin Jianxi’s head and said coolly, “Leave the jacket.”

Xu Song’an blinked, his expression turning aloof, though his words dripped with pathos. “Forgot my hat today. My eyes are killing me.”

“It’s to block the sun,” Lin Jianxi said, turning back. “Go eat. Don’t waste time.”

Xu Song’an beamed innocently. “Thanks, Ins—”

Thud!

Before he could finish, a trainee crumpled to the ground nearby with a heavy thump.

In the split second before anyone could react, Lin Jianxi was already there. He dropped to one knee and checked on the fallen trainee.

“You okay?” He patted the trainee’s cheek lightly, leaning in close. “Can you hear me?”

Lin Jianxi recognized the face—it looked familiar.

One of Xu Song’an’s roommates, maybe?

The trainee managed a feeble nod.

Assuming heatstroke, Lin Jianxi grabbed his own water bottle. He cradled the trainee’s head, letting it rest against his thigh, and fed him sips of water.

The trainee stared up at him, clearly stunned by the care—

“Cough cough cough cough…” He choked on the water.

Lin Jianxi startled, patting his back to help him breathe it out. He even wiped the water from the corner of the trainee’s mouth—until Shen Yuxiu seized his wrist.

Shen Yuxiu called over two of the onlookers. “You two, take him to the infirmary.”

Lin Jianxi watched worriedly as the trainee was helped away by the pair. As they passed Xu Song’an, the trainee muttered something that made Xu’s face darken.

Lin Jianxi hadn’t noticed Xu Song’an. With concern in his voice, he asked Shen Yuxiu, “Hasn’t it been too hot these past few days? Should we switch to an indoor court?”

“If he can’t even handle this, he should leave as soon as possible. He’s not cut out for this place,” Shen Yuxiu said.

“…Is that so?”

~~~

After Lin Jianxi and Shen Yuxiu left, Xu Song’an didn’t move for a long time.

His mind replayed his roommate’s words from moments earlier.

“Fuck, pretending to be pitiful really works. His scent is so damn strong—is he about to…?”

The moment had been too fleeting for the words to finish.

But Xu Song’an knew exactly what he meant.

—On the verge of his heat period.

Xu Song’an stared at the backs of Lin Jianxi and Shen Yuxiu. A moment later, he let out a cold laugh.

So it was true.

Lin Jianxi, you really like pitiful types, don’t you?

But I’m not pitiful at all. What now? I can’t keep up the act forever.

Xu Song’an kicked the water bottle his roommate had drunk from, sending it flying far away. By accident, it smashed right into a leader who had just arrived for an inspection.

Someone nearby started to speak up but was stopped by a raised hand.

The leader gave him a slight nod.

Xu Song’an didn’t spare them a glance. He turned toward the cafeteria, a smirk twisting his lips.

Then screw the act.

No one could control him anyway.