Qin Han felt the warm breath of Xie Ling’s words against his ear, his mind going completely blank.
This was the first time Xie Ling had touched him of his own accord. Not because of side effects, not because of a heat period—purely voluntary, with no instincts involved.
His body pressed against the Omega’s somewhat slender chest, so close that he could even catch the faint trace of pheromones on Xie Ling.
Qin Han’s gaze flickered, his thoughts nearly swept away. Until Ye Shuanghua looked over—
He had let his guard down.
Qin Han felt a twinge of annoyance and quickly reined in his restless eyes.
Ye Shuanghua didn’t seem to notice anything unusual about Qin Han. Her gaze lingered on Xie Ling for a moment as she sized him up. “You’re from the Xie family?”
She remembered seeing him long ago at a banquet. He had been with Xie Cheng, and the boy’s striking looks had stuck with her, even though she was usually swamped with work.
“I’m Xie Cheng’s son, not a Xie family kid.”
Qin Han couldn’t help glancing at Xie Ling. Though Xie Ling was smiling, the expression didn’t reach his eyes.
Ye Shuanghua neither confirmed nor denied it. She didn’t bring up the early romance issue again and turned to Qin Han instead. “When’s your sports festival?”
Qin Han kept his smile polite and respectful. “Next month, the 8th.”
Ye Shuanghua nodded. “Perfect, I’ll still be in the country that day. Come to the company and help me and your big brother handle a few things.”
What? Have a high schooler deal with company business?
Xie Ling glanced at Qin Han and noticed his lips pressing tighter by a millimeter or two.
Xie Ling wasn’t sure why he was observing so closely, but his mouth moved faster than his brain. “You might not realize, ma’am, but our school’s sports festival requires every student in every class to participate—even the disabled have to roll in on wheelchairs.”
“…”
Ye Shuanghua’s expression seemed to grow even more serious.
Xie Ling pressed on undeterred, rattling away. “If Qin Han skips the sports festival for personal reasons, it’ll look like he’s not honoring the collective spirit. Kids at school will talk behind his back. Sure, you might not care about a bunch of brats, but words can be fearsome. I don’t think it’d be good for his reputation—or in line with your family’s strict code of perfection.”
He added considerately, “What do you think?”
Ye Shuanghua: “…”
Ye Shuanghua turned to Qin Han. “Do you want to participate in the sports festival?”
Qin Han nodded. “Yes.”
Ye Shuanghua was inwardly surprised again but didn’t show it. She glanced impassively at Xie Ling before saying to Qin Han, “Fine, do as you like.”
“But remember, the tasks you’re supposed to handle still need to be done by you.”
~~~
After Ye Shuanghua left, Xie Ling let out a long breath and remarked, “Bro, your grandma is terrifying.”
Qin Han was used to it by now. He chuckled. “I thought you handled her pretty well. You’re the first person I’ve ever seen talk to her like that, and I’ve known her my whole life.”
“Aw, shucks. It’s all for you.”
The words hit just the right spot for Qin Han. He slipped a piece of chocolate into Xie Ling’s hand.
Xie Ling no longer hesitated shyly like before. He unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth, sighing as he chewed. “Hey, were you always under that much pressure from your grandma? I remember back in first year of junior high, you didn’t join the sports festival.”
Qin Han fell silent.
Ye Shuanghua had always been strict with him, especially as a kid. Her schedule for him after school, weekends, and holidays was rigidly detailed, down to the minute. But she rarely interfered with school activities.
He had skipped past sports festivals purely out of disinterest.
Back in first-year junior high, during the sports festival, he and Xie Ling hadn’t been close yet. Later, he had grown unilaterally too attached, but he transferred schools before the next one.
That was what Qin Han thought, but his eyelids drooped slightly, his lashes trembling, giving him a somewhat pitiful look. “Yeah, I’ve always been under pressure, with barely any time to breathe.”
Xie Ling’s face filled with sympathy. He patted Qin Han’s shoulder solemnly. “Bro, you’ve had it rough.”
Qin Han glanced at the hand on his shoulder and kept up the act. “So in the future, if you’re going out with others to have fun, could you always invite me along? I want to see the world too. I’ve never tried so many things, never eaten them or played them.”
His voice grew softer as he spoke. Xie Ling could almost hear his inner voice: Baby feels wronged, baby wants to cry, but baby won’t say it.
What kind of sheltered young master from a lofty family untouched by the mortal world was this?
Xie Ling’s sympathy overflowed instantly. “Don’t worry, from now on, whenever your bro hits the streets adventuring, you’re coming with. See? I just fought for your right to join the sports festival. Hey, what events are you signing up for? Tell me on the sly first—I wanna tease Rui Rui with it.”
Qin Han paused. “Actually, I want to join the sports festival not for the sports.”
Xie Ling: “?”
Xie Ling: “Then what, for the dancing?”
Their school’s opening ceremony always featured girls from the dance troupe bouncing around to hype up the crowd.
If Qin Han really wanted in on that… with his face, it wouldn’t be too weird, though his height and build might be tricky.
One look at Xie Ling’s expression told Qin Han he was imagining something bizarre again.
A soft affection flickered in his eyes as Qin Han smiled. “I’m joining the sports festival so these eyes can etch more moments of your handsome, dazzling glory.”
…
For a split second, Xie Ling felt something poke at his heart.
Qin Han complimented him plenty usually, but this was the first time it sounded so… poetic.
Xie Ling felt inexplicably embarrassed and rubbed his nose. “What’s the point of just recording me? Don’t you want to be handsome and dazzling alongside me?”
“Together?”
Xie Ling slung an arm around Qin Han’s shoulders in classic bro fashion. “Yeah, you’re handsome too. Have some confidence.”
After their recent exchange—and all the past events—Qin Han’s image in Xie Ling’s mind had shifted from a scheming plotter with ulterior motives after their reunion to a cool, handsome guy on the outside but sensitive, fragile, and lonely on the inside.
“Alright, together it is.” Qin Han leaned subtly into Xie Ling’s embrace, smiling. “Whatever event you sign up for, I’ll do the same.”
~~~
On the day of the sports festival, Athlete’s March looped from six-thirty in the morning until the end of the opening parade.
In Class 19, Hedgehog Head launched into the sand pit amid a surging rhythm, only to hear an explosion of screams behind him.
He smirked smugly.
Seven point five meters—just a bit shy of Brother Xuan’s mark, but still excellent. No wonder all these watching Omegas…
“Aaaah!!! Ling Bro’s here!!!”
“Qin God!!!”
Hedgehog Head: “…”
His face darkened. He turned to see Xie Ling, draped in his school jacket, walking over with Qin Han.
This sports festival included the seniors too, but Gu Ran was absent for some urgent matter. Xie Ling had been a bit down about not showing off to Brother Gu Ran, but with the crowd cheering him on, his spirits lifted right away.
“Go Little Lingling!!!”
“Ling Bro, charge! Jump eight meters!”
“It’s pretty hot today—are you guys tired?” Xie Ling called to his fan squad.
The squad chorused in unison: “Not tired!!”
Xie Ling laughed aloud, spotting Zhang Chengrui standing amid a gaggle of Omegas with a video camera. “What’s up? Not dashing coolly down the track—instead you’re here filming your Ling Bro’s glorious moments?”
Zhang Chengrui grinned. “My race isn’t till later. This is for our discipline committee rep. She hurt her leg in the 200-meter earlier.”
“Next up, Grade 2 Class 1, Xie Ling!” the referee announced.
Xie Ling shrugged off his jacket. Xia Yu stepped forward instinctively to take it, but another hand got there first.
Qin Han held Xie Ling’s jacket, smiling at him. “Go for it.”
Xie Ling grinned back. “I’ll fly ahead.”
Xia Yu looked from Qin Han to Xie Ling. Ever since these two got close, he inexplicably felt like he had less and less room to shine.
Like the week before last, when Xie Ling complained the classroom stools were uncomfortable after sitting too long. Xia Yu had planned to bring his bunny cushion the next day to share one, only to find Xie Ling already had one under him that afternoon.
He learned the Qin family driver had happened to pass by the school at lunch and dropped it off.
And this morning, after Xie Ling ran the 200-meter, Xia Yu had meant to bring him water—but Qin Han, who was competing too, beat him to it.
Logically, now that Qin God and Little Lingling were buddies, there shouldn’t be any need for these favors anymore.
As Xia Yu puzzled over it, screams erupted around him.
In the distance, Xie Ling sprinted down the runway. His form cut through the air like the wind. At the takeoff board, his right foot stamped down hard, and his body soared into the air—
Qin Han tilted his head up slightly. The brief scene stretched endlessly in his vision. Sunlight bathed Xie Ling, and in that instant, the youth seemed truly able to fly—his lithe, brilliant form merging with the sun, as if ready to spread wings and vanish into the sky.
The same. Just like the first time he saw Xie Ling leap for that dunk.
His heart began racing out of control.
Until Xie Ling landed.
“Eight point six meters!”
“Holy shit!! New record!!”
“Aaahhh!! Ling Bro is badass!! Ling Bro, take me!!”
Sand and dust flew everywhere, settling on Xie Ling and clouding Qin Han’s eyes and heart alike.
He clutched the jacket in his arms tightly, about to step forward, when his gaze suddenly sharpened.
Not far away, another Alpha was staring at Xie Ling as well.
If Qin Han remembered correctly, it was that Zhou Haoxuan—the guy he’d taught a lesson to twice before.
Sure, plenty of Alphas among the onlookers were eyeing Xie Ling too, but there was a difference in their gazes.
From Zhou Haoxuan’s look, Qin Han sensed something that set his nerves on extreme edge.
“Next up, Grade 2 Class 1—Qin Han!”
“Aaahhhh, go Qin God!!”
“Qin God! Qin God! Qin God!”
Qin Han offered the crowd a polite smile, then neatly folded his jacket and Xie Ling’s together before setting them on a nearby stool.
His long jump lacked Xie Ling’s flashy flair and deliberate posing. From the run-up to takeoff and landing, it was one seamless motion—textbook perfect.
“Eight point eight meters!!” the referee shouted in excitement.
“Holy shit!! Farther than Ling Bro!! That’s insane!!”
“Wahhh, Mom’s asking why I’m knocked up with twins!!”
The crowd was buzzing with hype, and Xie Ling was thrilled too. Ever since he and Qin Han had cleared the air, he’d found himself liking everything about the guy. Caught up in the energy, Xie Ling started whooping and whistling right along with them. “Qin God’s the man!! I’ll bear your kids!!”
Everyone had already heard the two big shots had patched things up, so when Xie Ling hollered that line, the explosion of cheers only grew wilder.
Amid the roaring waves of noise, though, Qin Han’s mind kept replaying Xie Ling’s words. He nearly stumbled right back into the sand pit as he stepped out.
This little rascal…
Heat burned from Qin Han’s forehead straight to his heart. He just wanted to find Xie Ling fast. But when he looked up, there was Xie Ling—standing right next to Zhou Haoxuan, grinning as he chatted away.
“Sorry about that, son,” Xie Ling teased, unable to resist poking the bear. “Word is, you held the record for this event right up until today. Then my best bud came along… Aw, chin up. Life’s full of ups and downs and downs…”
Hedgehog Head bristled at once. “You motherf—”
Zhou Haoxuan silenced him with a sharp glance, his eyes fixed on Xie Ling’s bright, radiant face. After a moment, he raised his hand.
Xie Ling went on instant alert. “What’s that? Gonna throw down? Not today—I still want that class honor.”
“There’s sand on your face,” Zhou Haoxuan said, still staring.
Xie Ling blinked, then wiped at it, feeling a bit off. “Son, did your real dad give you a talking-to at home or something? You’ve been acting real different lately.”
Over the past two semesters, Zhou Haoxuan had been picking fights with their crew left and right for no reason. But this term, ever since that basketball game, he’d stayed low-key. Even when they crossed paths in the hallways, he’d just steal a couple glances—no more provocations.
Zhou Haoxuan chuckled. “What, you miss me giving you trouble?”
Xie Ling was about to fire back that the guy was way too full of himself when Zhou Haoxuan lifted his hand again.
“You didn’t get all the sand.”
Just as his fingertip neared Xie Ling’s face, someone yanked Xie Ling back from behind.
He whipped around to find Qin Han gripping his arm.
“It’s fine—I’m not fighting. No need to jump in,” Xie Ling said. Seeing no response from Qin Han, he added, “What’s up?”
Qin Han’s lips curved slightly. “I’m here to make good on our deal.”
Xie Ling looked puzzled. “What deal?”
Qin Han leaned in close, resting his other hand on Xie Ling’s flat, toned abdomen. With a soft laugh right by his ear, he murmured, “The one where you bear my kids.”
