Mu Chenxing didn’t wait for him to speak and cut straight to the point: “Where have you been hiding these past few days? Just hanging around outside the dorm building?”
Pei Yao grinned: “Worried for me?”
Mu Chenxing gave him a deadpan stare: “Talk properly.”
Pei Yao chuckled softly and said casually: “The Omega dorm building has several layers of air exchange filters. There’s one right below your dorm—it’s quiet and comfy for lounging, plus you get a view of the stars and moon. Next time, I’ll take you there on a date~”
…Lounging. In other words, the layer was too low to even sit up in. Mu Chenxing ignored the second half of his sentence, pondered for a moment, and asked: “How much longer will this state of yours last?”
He hadn’t seen Pei Yao hanging from a lamppost for the two days before the exam. He’d thought things had improved a lot, but apparently it had only slowed down—he didn’t need to be quite so close anymore.
Pei Yao replied offhandedly: “Probably three or four weeks. Not sure.”
Mu Chenxing glanced at him. Not sure because there are no reference cases?
Pei Yao looked puzzled: “What’s up?”
Mu Chenxing’s lips curved slightly, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he continued: “How much contact do you need each day right now?”
Pei Yao: “An hour eases it; two is ideal… And we need to stay within ten meters.”
That was a big improvement—back when he was hanging from the lamppost, he’d been less than three meters away. Mu Chenxing thought to himself.
Pei Yao stared at him, then added with a smile: “If there’s physical contact, the time can be cut down.”
He deliberately lowered his voice as he said it, making it sound deliberately suggestive.
Mu Chenxing was speechless for a moment before asking directly: “You’re not working overtime lately, right? Or at least, not later than today? If it’s convenient, we could meet around this time every day.”
Pei Yao: “…You’re asking me out? At night?”
“Yeah. Half an hour of physical contact should be enough, right?”
Pei Yao’s smile faded slightly: “Half an hour of physical contact?”
Mu Chenxing nodded: “Yeah.”
Pei Yao’s lips still held a faint smile, but his eyes suddenly turned dangerous: “Little Star, you’re only 18.”
Mu Chenxing rolled his eyes: “Cut the dirty thoughts. Or do you want to keep lounging in the air exchange layer?”
Pei Yao: “…”
That dangerous aura vanished in an instant.
“So, what do you say?” he asked.
Mu Chenxing raised a brow: “Teach me how to fight.”
Pei Yao: “…”
Mu Chenxing: “Half an hour’s plenty—close range, physical contact. It’ll ease your anxiety and help me grow. Win-win! Sounds great~”
Pei Yao rubbed his forehead and chuckled lowly.
Mu Chenxing grumbled: “What’re you laughing at? Yes or no, just say it.”
Pei Yao dropped his hand, smiled at him, and said: “Sure.”
Mu Chenxing beamed: “Starting today then?”
Pei Yao: “…”
No need to change locations.
The small garden was at their backs, with a view of the dorm building in the distance. This open patch wasn’t on the main path, and at this hour, no one was around.
Mu Chenxing had just run for over an hour, so no warm-up needed. He rolled his wrists and ankles, then looked at Pei Yao expectantly: “Come on.”
Pei Yao hesitated: “You come at me instead.”
Mu Chenxing got it. He was worried about accidentally hurting him.
What a guy…
Omegas can take it—he can’t?
Mu Chenxing clenched his fist and charged.
Left jab, right hook, uppercut, straight punch, side kick, roundhouse… Mu Chenxing unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes with everything he had.
…Every single one was caught by Pei Yao.
With his hand.
One hand.
Standing in place, using just one hand to block them all.
Mu Chenxing didn’t get frustrated. After the first barrage proved useless, he switched tactics—feinting unpredictably, punching here, kicking there, aiming to catch him off guard.
Pei Yao smiled, a hint of curiosity in his eyes: “Who taught you those moves? Pretty solid.”
Mu Chenxing attacked while replying: “Solid? The kind that doesn’t land even once?”
Pei Yao: “Speed and power can be trained. Reflexes and technique take time.”
Mu Chenxing threw several more strikes, all smacking into his palm. He felt a bit depressed: “Reflexes and technique mean nothing against absolute power.”
Pei Yao blocked effortlessly: “That’s not your problem—it’s mine. Against your school’s Alphas, you’d wipe the floor with them.”
Mu Chenxing: “…Got it.”
He kept attacking.
After blocking for a bit, Pei Yao asked: “Got no questions for me?”
Mu Chenxing’s breathing grew slightly ragged: “Like what?”
“Aren’t you curious why I’m so good? Or just how good I really am?”
Mu Chenxing: “…You’re an Admiral. If you weren’t good, all your officers would be dead. Stop being so full of yourself—I don’t wanna know.”
Pei Yao chuckled lowly: “You should learn more about me. After all, we’ll be living together—”
Mu Chenxing halted, panting as he cursed: “Shut up! Also, didn’t you need physical contact? Why aren’t you moving at all?”
Pei Yao flipped open the hand he’d been using to block and smiled: “We had contact.”
Mu Chenxing: “…That’s enough?”
Pei Yao: “It’s just pheromone response. You’re here, covered in my pheromones, no one else around, plus contact. That’s plenty.”
“Fine then.” Mu Chenxing caught his breath and clenched his fist again. “Let’s keep going.”
Pei Yao: “Come on.”
This time, Mu Chenxing mixed long-range and close strikes, occasionally circling to other angles. Pei Yao still didn’t budge.
The two figures merged and separated, merged and separated under the lamplight.
As he blocked, Pei Yao asked: “Do you want me to show off some cool moves? Or just look handsome while blocking?”
Mu Chenxing: “…What’s the difference?”
Pei Yao blocked a punch and kick from the side and rear without turning: “This is the cool version.”
He spun around to face Mu Chenxing’s attack head-on: “This is the handsome version.”
Mu Chenxing, mid-left kick, lost his balance and stumbled outward.
Pei Yao—who’d been standing still—reached out with an arm, steadied him, then quickly backed away several steps.
Mu Chenxing felt like a ragdoll as he thudded to the ground.
He: “…Fuck, you can show off—just don’t say it.”
But damn, Pei Yao was fast. He left afterimages under the lamplight!!!
Pei Yao: “Why?”
Mu Chenxing shot him a disdainful look: “Verbal distraction is a tactic too.”
Pei Yao: “…”
Mu Chenxing geared up for another attack but noticed Pei Yao had backed off a good distance. Puzzled, he asked: “Why’d you retreat so far?”
Pei Yao: “Too much physical contact. Too stimulating.”
Mu Chenxing belatedly recalled a fun fact—Alphas have strong reactions to contact with their donor Omegas.
He fell silent.
Pei Yao stared at him for two seconds, then changed the subject: “That’s enough for today. No more practice.”
Mu Chenxing frowned up at him: “Why? I can still go.”
Pei Yao: “Your pheromones are starting to flare up. Keep going and it’ll be a problem.”
Mu Chenxing: “…Oh.”
Just like last time in the Gymnasium. Pei Yao must know about that incident too.
He checked the time and grumbled: “Only 12 minutes.”
“That’s enough,” Pei Yao soothed. “You already ran for over an hour earlier. Plenty of exercise.”
Mu Chenxing pouted: “That was more like power walking… Whatever, we’ll take it slow.”
“You’re doing a lot better now, right? No more lounging in the air exchange layer?”
Pei Yao chuckled lowly: “Boyfriend’s worried?”
Does this guy have to be such a smartass?
“Don’t call me that randomly—you seem fine now.” Mu Chenxing backed up two steps. “I’m heading out. I’ll wait for you here tomorrow.”
Pei Yao: “Okay.”
Mu Chenxing waved and turned to jog off—
Huh?
He stopped suspiciously and looked toward Pei Yao, who was tugging him back with pheromones.
The latter sighed helplessly: “Don’t run. You’ve overexerted yourself.”
Mu Chenxing went “Oh” and shoved his hands in his pockets, strolling along instead.
The vending machine was right at the corner. As he turned, he instinctively glanced back.
The empty patch at the small garden entrance was deserted now, only tiny moths swirling in the warm yellow lamplight—beautiful, but a bit lonely.
A cool, soft sensation wrapped around his neck and nudged his cheek.
Mu Chenxing: “…”
Looks like he’s still around. Probably hanging from some lamppost again.
He looked away and entered the vending machine area.
The cool aura followed him inside the store, clung to him all the way to the dorm building, then vanished. Even after handing out snacks in the dorm, showering, climbing into bed, and studying, it never returned.
Looks like he’s really stabilized. Fighting with physical contact actually works.
Mu Chenxing stared at the lesson slides on his Holo-Screen.
So, detouring to the vending machine and walking an extra ten minutes back to the dorm… was just to escort me?
…Pfft, am I that fragile?
…
The day after midterms, after two classes, Mu Chenxing’s counselor—the one he’d only met once—came looking for him. Because he’d come in dead last in the class. By a wide margin.
Of course, the counselor wasn’t there to grill him.
He was there to take him to the Medical Building for a psych evaluation—convinced the sudden drop in grades meant mental health issues.
Mu Chenxing belatedly remembered his “victim” status.
He wasn’t an Omega, hadn’t suffered real harm, had zero negative memories of the incident, and had even forgotten about it. After chatting with the psychologist for ages, the verdict was unsurprisingly: no need for intervention.
The counselor smilingly sat him on a hallway bench first, then entered the consultation room and shut the door.
“You quack, are you useless#￥%^T%$^…”
Mu Chenxing glanced at the window where the voice leaked out, then quietly closed it.
They were probably arguing fiercely inside—hadn’t even noticed.
Mu Chenxing messaged the counselor and wandered off to another floor to find Zhang Yunli.
The office door was open. The guy from the Gymnasium was tidying up inside—Zhang Yunli had taken the day off.
Mu Chenxing thought of his joke from last night, touched his nose guiltily, and left.
Last class was a lost cause anyway. Might as well grab lunch early.
Hands in pockets, Mu Chenxing sauntered toward the nearest Cafeteria.
He’d just stepped onto the entrance stairs when he heard laughter and chatter, followed by a swarm of sweaty, burly Alphas pouring out.
“…Heard your boyfriend came in dead last school-wide?”
“I told you, he’s not my boyfriend!” A familiar voice yelled. “Who’d want an Omega like that? I’m not a masochist—shit! Why are you here?”
Mu Chenxing stood on the stairs, hands in pockets, looking down at him before scanning the assorted Alphas around. He arched a brow: “Do all Alphas nowadays gossip like this and spread rumors? No wonder you hang with Xu Zhicheng.”
The Alphas: “…”
Xu Zhicheng immediately defended: “Not my fault! You kept chasing me—clearly this Omega doesn’t know his place. I haven’t even blamed you for dragging down my rep.”
Mu Chenxing: “You call provoking a fight ‘chasing’ someone?”
Even if these Alphas hadn’t seen the School Forum, they should’ve heard he’d scrapped with Xu Zhicheng.
He smirked inwardly, pulled out his hand, activated his Holo-Screen, and started recording—
The Alphas didn’t react in time; they were all caught on vid.
Xu Zhicheng tensed: “What’re you doing?”
The others looked nervous too.
Mu Chenxing calmly stowed his wristband: “Nothing. I’ll just track down each of your classmates one by one—or a few times. Then I’ll have…” He tapped the headcount. “…12 boyfriends.”
Xu Zhicheng: “…”
The Alphas: “…”
Mu Chenxing smiled at them: “Hey, boyfriends. Lunch together to bond?”
The Alphas shook their heads frantically.
Mu Chenxing: “Don’t want trouble from me?”
They nodded vigorously.
Mu Chenxing: “Then who am I?”
The Alphas hesitated.
A smart one piped up:
“Mu Chenxing?”
“Nursing major Mu Chenxing?”
Mu Chenxing smiled: “So, am I Xu Zhicheng’s boyfriend?”
The Alphas shook their heads wildly.
Xu Zhicheng looked disgusted too.
Mu Chenxing pointed at the brother with the disgusted look on his face and said to the other Alphas, “From now on, don’t let me hear any more rumors that I’m a couple with Xu Zhicheng. I don’t care who started it—as long as it reaches my ears, all of you Alphas can look forward to receiving my ‘pursuit’!”
The crowd of Alphas: “……”
Mu Chenxing turned to Xu Zhicheng.
The latter immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and mumbled, “It really wasn’t me who said it.”
Mu Chenxing: “I know you wouldn’t dare.”
He crooked a finger. “Do something for me, and I won’t give you any trouble.”
Xu Zhicheng: “……What now?”
“Personal matter. Come here!”
Xu Zhicheng hesitated.
The other Alphas:
“Hey, Zhicheng, I’m gonna go eat first.”
“We won’t disturb your chat~!”
“We’ll grab food for you. Take your time.”
The group of Alphas vanished from the Cafeteria entrance in an instant.
Xu Zhicheng: “……”
His face fell. “Big bro, don’t drag me down like this.”
Mu Chenxing ignored him and glanced at the Cafeteria entrance, where people were starting to trickle in. He moved to the side and crooked his finger at Xu Zhicheng again.
Xu Zhicheng hesitated for a moment but didn’t dare run off. He trudged over reluctantly.
“Let me ask you—how well do you know Shen Mingshu?”
“……Huh?” Xu Zhicheng was completely baffled. “Not well at all. You’re closer to him, aren’t you? Didn’t you two come from the same planet?”
Mu Chenxing: “Never mind that! As long as you know him, it’s fine.”
“……Weren’t you asking how well I know him?”
Mu Chenxing pretended not to hear and muttered a few instructions.
Xu Zhicheng wailed: “No way!”
Mu Chenxing rolled up his sleeves: “Looks like your love for me runs deep after all. Let’s have a heart-to-heart first!”
Xu Zhicheng: “……Fine, I’ll do it, okay?!?” He pulled a mournful expression. “Big bro, next time can you pick on someone else for a change? Not always me.”
Mu Chenxing: “No choice—among the first-year Alphas, you’re the one I’m most familiar with.”
Xu Zhicheng: “……”
What kind of ‘familiar’ is this?!
“Besides,” Mu Chenxing smiled, “you can send me the names, physical fitness scores, and training grades of those eleven classmates of yours from earlier. Then I’ll have eleven more Alphas to get ‘familiar’ with~~”
Xu Zhicheng struggled: “……That doesn’t seem right—Okay, sending them now!”
The fist that had nearly slammed into his chest paused and slowly withdrew.
Xu Zhicheng wiped the sweat from his brow and quickly copied each student’s profile card, sending them over one by one.
Sure enough, they were all from Class F, with training scores ranging from A to C+.
Mu Chenxing: “And your training score?”
“……A.”
Mu Chenxing shot him a glance.
Xu Zhicheng immediately corrected himself: “Fine, B-.”
Mu Chenxing tsked. “You’re pretty pathetic, huh.”
Xu Zhicheng looked indignant. “I’m only a freshman! I’ve only been in training for two months!!”
“Others are too.” Mu Chenxing glanced at the list and training scores again, nodding in satisfaction. “Thanks. If there’s any classmate you don’t like, just send me his profile. I’ll help you get revenge.”
Xu Zhicheng: “……No need.”
Mu Chenxing patted his arm. “Don’t worry—I’ll settle the score without dragging your name into it. He’ll lose points and money.”
Xu Zhicheng: “……”
“Oh, right.” Mu Chenxing pulled up his payment code. “Your rumors damaged my mental health. Donate a little before you go.”
Xu Zhicheng: “……Didn’t you say you wouldn’t give me trouble?”
Mu Chenxing: “I also said I had twelve boyfriends! And you believed an Omega?”
Xu Zhicheng: “……”
How did I end up with an ancestor like this?!
