《Stars Run To Him》


 CH 1

    December, the weather turned cold, and the cold wind rustleed the dry leaves.


    Lin Yuxing, a freshman in the Information Science Department, was sitting in a hidden corner, having his meal.


    In front of him was a plate of white rice with stir-fried cabbage and a bowl of free seaweed egg drop soup. With such a simple meal, Lin Yuxing enjoyed it with delight.


    After a while, he got up to get another serving of food at the window. He mixed the half-cooled seaweed soup in his bowl and finished it along with his meal.


    Lin Yuxing attended C University, which had four on-campus cafeterias. Only the cafeteria in the northern area had the cheapest prices for dishes, and they also allowed one free refill of rice.


    After eating his fill, Lin Yuxing happily put on his worn-out backpack and placed his tray in the recycling bin.


    As he walked out of the cafeteria, it was already dark outside.


    After a busy day, Lin Yuxing rubbed his eyes and involuntarily sneezed due to the cold wind.


    His neck felt exposed, and his old turtleneck sweater, which he had been wearing for years, was not enough to withstand the intensity of the harsh winter. He instinctively wrapped his coat tightly around himself.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    At that moment, he received a message on his phone.


    It was a friend request with the note: ¡°[Are you available for errands now?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately accepted the request and politely replied: ¡°[Hello, I¡¯m available now. What would you like me to buy?]¡±


    The other person promptly sent him 30 yuan along with a voice message: ¡°Please get me a spicy curry pork chop rice from the South Campus cafeteria for 25 yuan and deliver it to Room 303 in the North Building dormitory. My friend said you charge 5 yuan for cafeteria errands, right? I¡¯ve added the amount for you.¡±


    After listening to the message, Lin Yuxing quickly replied: ¡°[Received!]¡±


    Shortly after, he received an urgent voice message: ¡°Hurry up a bit, it might be sold out soon!¡±


    Lin Yuxing ran all the way to the South Campus cafeteria, which was farthest from their dormitory, and managed to grab the last serving of spicy curry pork chop rice for the day.


    He let out a sigh of relief, as the 5 yuan delivery fee was now accounted for.


    At the same time, Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone received three new messages, all from his roommate Su Li.


    Thinking there might be something urgent, Lin Yuxing hurriedly opened the messages. However, he found that Su Li had only sent him a shared link from the university forum¡¯s gossip section, along with a bunch of exclamation marks.


    Lin Yuxing put away his phone, intending to read it later when he had free time. Holding onto the warm curry pork chop rice so it didn¡¯t get cold, he rushed to the North Building dormitory.


    Coincidentally, he also lived in that dormitory.


    With the cold wind blowing, Lin Yuxing¡¯s nose turned red. He stopped in front of Room 303, his eyes shining brightly in the dim hallway light, like a star in the vast galaxy.


    He gently knocked on the door twice and said, ¡°Classmate, your pork chop rice is here!¡±


    After waiting for a while, someone slowly opened the door. Warm air rushed out, and it brushed against Lin Yuxing¡¯s almost frozen face, causing a slight itch.


    Lin Yuxing could vaguely see the arrangement inside the dormitory; it seemed to be a single room.


    Due to the lower number of Omega students compared to Alphas and Betas, and the need to separate male and female dormitories, Omega dormitories at C University were usually much emptier than others.


    Therefore, the maximum occupancy in C University¡¯s Omega dormitories was usually two people sharing a room.


    Some lucky ones might even get assigned a single room.


    Looking up at the tall Omega student in front of him, who was several centimeters taller than his own height of just over 1.7 meters, Lin Yuxing extended his hand and said, ¡°Here¡¯s your pork chop rice, and it¡¯s still hot.¡±


    His voice was clear and sweet, just like the citrus scent of his pheromones, spreading a hint of sweetness in the winter.


    The person was surprised at Lin Yuxing¡¯s speed and took the meal box with satisfaction. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll look for you next time.¡±


    That was the phrase Lin Yuxing loved to hear the most. His spirit lifted as he said, ¡°I¡¯m fast, you won¡¯t be wrong to look for me!¡± With that, he took the opportunity to send a price list in the chat box and enthusiastically said, ¡°The prices are all there, I¡¯ll handle any errand for you. Just let me know if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a look when I have time.¡±


    After a perfunctory farewell, the door to the dormitory quickly closed.


    Lin Yuxing was in a good mood as he turned and went up to the fourth floor, entering his two-person room. The relatively small space was pitch black, with only the glow of his roommate¡¯s computer.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you turn on the lights?¡±


    Su Li, with a dejected expression, didn¡¯t respond, holding a half-eaten roasted sweet potato in his hand. He had just finished a game and seemed to have lost.


    ¡°Su Li?¡± Lin Yuxing casually turned on the lights.


    Upon seeing Lin Yuxing return, Su Li¡¯s mood brightened, and he quickly took off his over-ear headphones. ¡°You finally came back! Did you see the message I sent you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t yet, just took a delivery order.¡±


    ¡°In that case, take a look quickly. It was posted not long ago, and I sent it to you as soon as I saw it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look at it in a bit. First, I¡¯ll take a shower.¡± Lin Yuxing brought in a bucket from the balcony. To save water card money, he never took direct showers.


    Su Li had a lively personality and was easy to get along with. ¡°Look at it before you shower!¡±


    Unfortunately, Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t particularly interested in other people¡¯s gossip. He was tired after a long day and underdressed. Right then, all he wanted was to take a hot shower as quickly as possible and then lie down in bed to rest.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s view, the best weapons against cold and fatigue were warm blankets.


    Seeing his lack of interest, Su Li picked up the phone on the table and proactively opened the post, flashing it in front of him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this person look like you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t see clearly and was confused.


    ¡°Look at his back and his clothes. If I didn¡¯t know that you would never waste money on buying roses, I would have thought it was you.¡± Su Li glanced at the number of replies and sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t look for a few minutes, and there are already so many comments. Do you want to take a look?¡±


    Su Li directly threw the phone to him.


    But when Lin Yuxing saw the post on the screen, his voice immediately rose several degrees. ¡°Why, why is this posted online?! How can they make up things like this?! It¡¯s completely different from what¡¯s written there!¡±


    With his loud shout, Su Li was startled and almost dropped the sweet potato he had just picked up.


    Lin Yuxing almost accepted it as true and anxiously asked, ¡°How do we delete it? Should we send a private message to the poster? The situation is completely different from what they wrote! How can they make such unfound claims?!¡±


    He was not familiar with the internet, especially the campus forum. he was already feeling overwhelmed and fumbling with the phone, not knowing how to handle the situation.


    Su Li regained his composure and sat back on the chair, sighing, ¡°Damn, it really is you, huh?¡±


    Lin Yuxing, exhausted, almost bit his tongue and said, ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s indeed me, but everyone has the story wrong.¡±


    Su Li swallowed and felt that their past few months together had been like a dream. Regardless of any misunderstandings, he quickly put down the sweet potato in his hand.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing, I underestimated you. You actually managed to win over the most difficult Alpha school hunk in our school behind my back, without a word?!¡± Su Li looked at him in disbelief, with a hint of admiration in his eyes. He silently raised his thumb, ¡°A master, a truly modest master.¡±


    On Su Li¡¯s phone screen, the post had a simple but exaggerated title: ¡°[The Flower of the Highlands x Ugly Duckling: Successful Love Confession on the Basketball Court! Did a Silly and Sweet Novel Come to Life?]¡±


    The first post featured a photo that left Lin Yuxing dumbfounded ¨C it showed Lin Yuxing with his back turned, holding a large bouquet of roses, blushing, standing in front of an Alpha. And that Alpha, who usually had a cold appearance, was now smiling.


    Like a graceful flower that bloomed on a cliff after the ice melted.


    And it was plucked by someone.


    Moreover, it was plucked by an Omega who was relatively unknown in the school.


    The post had been up for only half an hour and had already made it to the ¡°hot¡± section.


    Comments began pouring in.


    Second comment: ¡°[Confession successful? No way, today is not April Fool¡¯s Day, right?]¡±


    Third comment: ¡°[Is it really that easy to pursue Gu, the school hunk? I doubt the authenticity of this matter.]¡±


    Fourth comment: ¡°[Absolutely true! Gu Zhongyi agreed, I was there at the scene. This Omega even pretended to be a delivery person for the flowers. Wow, amazing!]¡±


    Fifth comment: ¡°[Uh, does this Omega look like lin yuxing from the department next door? Could it really be him? He takes odd jobs at school. You give him ten bucks, and he would kneel down and shine your shoes. Can someone like Gu Zhongyi really be interested in him? Isn¡¯t it embarrassing?]¡±


    Sixth comment: ¡°[Who is Lin yunxing?  I bet he will be dumped soon. Cinderella¡¯s light won¡¯t shine in reality, hahaha.]¡±


    Seventh comment: ¡°[Seriously? Seriously? You guys are just sour grapes. Also, the title says the ugly duckling made it, right? I can¡¯t stand personal attacks.]¡±


    Eighth comment: ¡°[Are you the person in the post?]¡±


    Ninth comment: ¡°[Oh my God, lin yunxing? Last week, a button fell off a classmate¡¯s clothes in our building, and he was the one who sewed it back on, and he only charged one yuan. Can you believe that someone still carries a sewing kit around these days¡­]¡±


    Tenth comment: ¡°[So exaggerated. Isn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi famous for being an ice block?]¡±


    ¡­


    The post was continuously pushed up in the popular section with an influx of comments.


    Each comment wasn¡¯t particularly hurtful, but they were highly derogatory. Both inside and outside, it conveyed the sentiment of ¡°this Omega will definitely be heartlessly dumped, this Omega is not worthy of Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Su Li followed along and awkwardly scratched his nose, unsure of what to say.


    ¡°You sew buttons for only 50 cents?¡±


    ¡°¡­The price went up last month.¡±


    ¡°And you still do shoe-shining jobs?¡±


    Su Li realized it wasn¡¯t the right time to discuss those things and patted Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder, intending to console him. But what came to his mind was his own gossipy curiosity.


    ¡°Um, how about this? First, tell me when you and Gu Zhongyi met.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand holding the phone trembled, and his head felt as heavy as a thousand catties (Chinese unit of weight equal to 500 grams): ¡°We really don¡¯t know each other!¡±


    ¡°Stop it, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know.¡± Su Li clearly didn¡¯t believe him, ¡°At our department¡¯s freshman welcome party, when he, as the senior, went on stage to give a speech, you were staring at him for a long time without moving.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t impossible for Lin Yuxing to have a one-sided crush on Gu Zhongyi.


    Su Li clicked his tongue, folded his arms, and thought to himself.


    Considering the current situation, Lin Yuxing having a crush and then it turning into a confessed love, it could be traced back.


    Due to this misunderstanding on Su Li¡¯s part, Lin Yuxing had to explain in great detail.


    Lin Yuxing had no choice but to explain, ¡°I admit that Gu Zhongyi is very handsome, he has a pleasant scent, and he excels in academics. As our senior, he is excellent. So, I couldn¡¯t help but look at him¡­ It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just human nature, right?¡±


    Who wouldn¡¯t be attracted to outstanding people and things?


    But being attracted doesn¡¯t mean liking them, and liking someone doesn¡¯t mean it has to be expressed.

 CH 2

    Su Li pretended to be envious and said, ¡°Yes, yes, your boyfriend is indeed excellent and rich.¡±


    ¡°Su Li!¡±


    Su Li advised him seriously, ¡°Being in a relationship is a good thing, Yuxing, don¡¯t be so hesitant.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blushed at Su Li¡¯s words and felt helpless about the misunderstanding. ¡°I really just took a delivery order. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can go to the flower shop and have them testify. I didn¡¯t place the order for that bouquet of roses.¡±


    Just like that, it had been blown out of proportion online, portraying it as a successful hand-holding moment between him and Gu Zhongyi?


    It was simply outrageous.


    Not to mention anything else, their relationship was distant and had no connection whatsoever.


    In that university, anyone could have some kind of fate with Gu Zhongyi, except for Lin Yuxing. He didn¡¯t dare to have any connection with him.


    One was a poor student struggling with livelihood and future prospects, while the other was the only son of a well-known conglomerate shareholder in Country C. Even the term ¡°matching social status¡± was unnecessary and not worth mentioning when it came to them, as they were completely incompatible.


    Lin Yuxing sighed in frustration.


    He could imagine how speechless Gu Zhongyi would be upon seeing the post.


    ¡°If Senior Gu Zhong¡­ if he finds out, he will definitely be unhappy.¡± Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for anyone and was still considering how to privately message the person who posted and explain the situation.


    However, Su Li didn¡¯t think so. He pointed at Guy Zhongyi¡¯s smiling face on the screen and said, ¡°If he¡¯s unhappy, could he still be smiling like this?¡±


    ¡°Who would be unhappy after receiving flowers?¡± Lin Yuxing retorted.


    Su Li put his arm around Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder, looking like he knew everything, and smirked, ¡°You really know so little about the gossip in the school.¡±


    Who is Gu Zhongyi? He is the famous campus heartthrob at C University.


    Not only does he have an incredibly handsome appearance, but he also comes from a wealthy and influential family. In this school, not to mention people who want to date him, there are countless individuals who want to be his followers.


    Unfortunately, Gu Zhongyi has always had a cold and distant personality, rarely speaking. In his daily life, apart from occasionally playing basketball with his childhood friend Yang Qing, he hardly participated in any social activities at school.


    Such a person, even if receiving gifts from admirers, would not show a smile.


    Su Li had also heard others say that Gu Zhongyi never accepted anyone¡¯s advances, even if it was just a bouquet of flowers.


    With Su Li¡¯s explanation, Lin Yuxing became even more perplexed.


    So, it was all because of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile.


    He understood it as a symbolic act of politeness from Gu Zhongyi, but it was misinterpreted by others, leading to a flurry of discussions online. No matter who this happened to, they would be upset, right?


    Lin Yuxing looked at the comments on his phone, feeling increasingly distressed. He picked up his own phone and, under Su Li¡¯s guidance, quickly created an ID and sent a private message to the person who posted the thread, hoping they would delete the post as soon as possible.


    Half an hour passed, and there was no response.


    Lin Yuxing sighed in frustration, rubbing his face with his hand, feeling troubled.


    He decided to reply directly in the thread, narrating the whole incident and stating that he was indeed the person in question.


    As a result, the comment section was abuzz, and no one believed him.


    He carefully looked at the picture again, skipping his own figure, and all he saw was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile that was so beautiful and filled with doting.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°Why did he have to smile so misleadingly?¡±


    And the whole incident started that afternoon¡­


    Lin Yuxing vividly remembered¡­.


    It was the indoor basketball court of C University.


    Two teams were engaged in an intense match, and as the sound of a basketball hitting the rim resounded, the game ended.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, great shot!¡±


    Immediately, several teammates cheered and applauded, and the onlooking students also clapped their hands.


    It was in the midst of that wave of sound that the slender Lin Yuxing, holding a bouquet of roses, appeared at the entrance of the basketball court like an outsider.


    His clear and bright eyes looked around nervously. It was his first time stepping into the school¡¯s basketball court, but no one noticed him.


    He fixed his gaze on Gu Zhongyi not far away and intentionally shouted loudly, ¡°Senior Gu Zhongyi, are you here?¡±


    The surrounding voices gradually faded, and everyone¡¯s gaze shifted towards him and the roses in his hands.


    As if by mutual agreement, the crowd made way for him.


    Light and shadows fell through the glass windows, casting onto the roses in his hands. The cluster of roses nestled in Lin Yuxing¡¯s embrace, vibrant and dripping with red, like a blazing flame that stood out against his injured and calloused hands.


    Inside the basketball court, everyone fell silent, as if it was a coordinated effort.


    Lin Yuxing took a few steps forward and stopped. ¡°Which one is Senior Gu Zhongyi? These are for you.¡±


    Whispers began to arise, and people discreetly took out their phones to take pictures. It seemed like everyone was waiting to see how Gu Zhongyi would reject Lin Yuxing¡¯s bouquet.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know that Gu Zhongyi doesn¡¯t accept these things?¡± someone said, and a burst of laughter filled the confined space, leaving Lin Yuxing feeling embarrassed.


    Suddenly, a steady voice cut through the noisy crowd and landed firmly in Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked over and saw Gu Zhongyi, the renowned alpha male of C University, just a few steps away. He was tilting his head, drinking from a bottle of water, sweat sliding down his forehead. There was no unnecessary expression on his cool and handsome face.


    He wiped away the sweat with a towel and made eye contact with Lin Yuxing, his expression neither cold nor gentle, as if he naturally exuded an aura that kept others at a distance.


    But Gu Zhongyi was very good-looking, so good-looking that Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind went blank when he saw him.


    Before Gu Zhongyi could say anything, the captain of the basketball team, Yang Qing, whistled and teasingly bumped Gu Zhongyi¡¯s elbow. ¡°You have too many little fanboys, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He was the only one who dared to speak to Gu Zhongyi like that in the entire crowd, as they were childhood friends.


    As soon as Lin Yuxing heard the words ¡°little fanboy,¡± his face turned red, understanding why everyone had such a spectator-like attitude.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just a delivery guy, delivering flowers for someone.¡± Afraid that no one would believe him, Lin Yuxing mentioned the name of the flower shop at the school gate. ¡°I have a cooperation with the owner, and I deliver almost all the orders in the school.¡±


    Fortunately, Yang Qing was just joking, and the topic wasn¡¯t pursued further.


    Yang Qing glanced at Lin Yuxing a few times, seeming to have some impression of him, and clapped his palm. ¡°I remember now, you¡¯re that freshman delivery guy, Lin Yuxing, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Yuxing was puzzled. ¡°Senior, do you know me?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t remember having any business with him in his sophomore year.


    Yang Qing was quite casual. ¡°I added you on WeChat two months ago. I asked you to deliver breakfast to my ex-girlfriend every day. She¡¯s a freshman, from the department next to yours!¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly realized and remembered. He recalled that he had only delivered for a month before they broke up. He lamented it for a minute because he was a monthly subscriber.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the senior. I thought you were also a freshman.¡± Lin Yuxing said apologetically.


    Yang Qing didn¡¯t mind and said nonchalantly, ¡°I remember your name is Lin Yuxing, right, Junior Lin? Not bad, your business has grown quite well. I¡¯ll help you promote it later.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, senior!¡±


    With Yang Qing as a contact, Lin Yuxing could probably get more orders in the second year


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi, who had been neglected on the side, coughed lightly.


    Lin Yuxing immediately stopped the polite conversation with Yang Qing. He knew that Gu Zhongyi was like an iceberg, and his temper might not be considered mild. He apologized twice proficiently and skillfully took out the list and pen. ¡°Senior, could you please sign here? I need to report to the flower shop.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t say much. With his head slightly lowered, the sound of the pen scratching the paper was sharp. Accompanied by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s deep voice, he looked at the Omega in front of him and asked, ¡°Can you tell me who sent it?¡±


    Before Lin Yuxing could speak, Yang Qing spoke first, ¡°Why are you asking that? You¡¯re not the one receiving it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi glanced at Yang Qing faintly.


    Yang Qing scratched his head and innocently said, ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing nervously held the flowers. If Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t accept them, he didn¡¯t know how to handle the bouquet. It was the first time he would encounter a situation where a delivery was rejected.


    Gu Zhongyi ignored Yang Qing. He returned the list and pen to Lin Yuxing and spoke in a friendly manner, as if he was helping Lin Yuxing out of a predicament. ¡°Please give me the flowers.¡±


    The temperature in the room gradually rose in the afternoon, making the indoor environment unexpectedly stuffy in winter.


    Lin Yuxing took the list and pen, and accidentally touched Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fingertips. It felt like a spark igniting his heart, burning him hastily.


    As it turned out, Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t as cold as Lin Yuxing had imagined.


    Lin Yuxing thought he was very polite, and his voice was gentle.


    A person like him would be hard not to be attracted to after having more contact, right? But if one was to be attracted to such a person and fall, it would be difficult to get out, right? He thought about many things in his mind, but in reality, only a few seconds had passed.


    He foolishly felt fortunate that they only had this one encounter.


    Lin Yuxing tactfully avoided eye contact with him. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not sure who sent it. I¡¯m only responsible for the delivery.¡± He handed over the bouquet, careful not to touch Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand again, and reminded, ¡°I saw a folded card in the bouquet, maybe it¡¯s written on there.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi reached out and took the roses, as if accepting a passionate confession. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but look up and met Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze.


    He noticed that Gu Zhongyi was also looking at him.


    Vaguely, Lin Yuxing caught a faint scent of bitter orange. It was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones, surprisingly pleasant, as if a tempting sweetness was spreading in the flower petals.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know what was happening to himself, but his ears turned red uncontrollably.


    All of that was captured by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes were deep, and it was impossible to discern what he was thinking. He curved his lips and said again, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    In just a few minutes, Gu Zhongyi smiled several times. If others didn¡¯t know, they would probably think Gu Zhongyi was an easily approachable person.


    In the next moment, Lin Yuxing almost fled, rushing outside.


    His heart was pounding like a frightened deer, and his once mundane life suddenly became filled with youthfulness. Perhaps it was because of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s rare smile, or perhaps it was because of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pleasant pheromones.


    Everything about Gu Zhongyi made Lin Yuxing feel incredibly relaxed and joyful.


    But all of his thoughts were things he couldn¡¯t reveal. Lin Yuxing was well aware that he and Gu Zhongyi were from two different worlds, and he had never fantasized about having a relationship with Gu Zhongyi.


    He didn¡¯t dare, nor did he want to.


    However, at that moment, his steps were light. He mounted a second-hand bicycle, riding against the wind, and he felt like he could take another hundred orders.


    However, things didn¡¯t go as planned.


    What Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know was that after he left, inside the basketball court, Gu Zhongyi, who should have discarded the flowers, unprecedentedly opened the folded card.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing.¡±


    In an instant, the three words popped out of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mouth without much weight.


    Yang Qing didn¡¯t hear clearly and habitually said, ¡°Give me the flowers. I¡¯ll take care of it for you. My mom likes them, and I¡¯ll give¡­ halfway through his words, Yang Qing saw the signature on the folded card¡ªLin Yuxing.


    Those three prominent characters left Yang Qing stunned.


    After taking a closer look, it was written on the folded card:


    [Gu Zhongyi, if you accept this bouquet, please accept my confession.


    Lin Yuxing.]


    Yang Qing quickly reached out to take the roses, wanting to help Gu Zhongyi resolve the issue.


    He exclaimed, ¡°The little junior brother is extraordinary. Does he know that you won¡¯t accept it, so he pretends to be a delivery boy?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Gu Zhongyi stopped his hand and remained calm, ¡°I accept.¡±


    After saying that, amidst the shocked gazes of everyone, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips curved with a hint of a smile. He held the bouquet of roses and walked away with large strides.


    Yang Qing¡¯s jaw almost dropped to the ground. When he reacted, he immediately caught up, almost shouting, ¡°What the hell?! You accepted his confession?! Seriously? Zhongyi, did you take the wrong medicine today? Zhongyi¡ªGu Zhongyi, wait for me!¡±


    As a result, a post that puzzled Lin Yuxing appeared on the school¡¯s gossip forum .

 CH 3

    The next morning, it was still dim outside.


    Lin Yuxing turned off the alarm and got up from the bed, spotting dark circles under his eyes.


    He blinked for two minutes, then opened his phone, but the post was gone.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly snapped back to reality. He searched for a while, but the post was truly gone! He thought his persistent private messages had an effect, and the one who posted deleted it voluntarily!


    That meant that Lin Yuxing¡¯s life would remain the same as before, without any changes.


    In the internet drama from last night, the only thing Lin Yuxing was glad about was that his back was the only thing visible in the photo. That way, in a few days, everyone would forget about that irrelevant piece of gossip.


    Lin Yuxing felt much better, and his frustration disappeared.


    As he got out of bed, he was so excited that he stumbled and almost knocked over the water cup on the bedside table.


    The noise disturbed Su Li, who was in the neighboring bed, but he continued to sleep with his head covered. Lin Yuxing moved quietly and quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face, grabbing a large thermos bag before preparing to leave.


    The morning temperature was low, so before going out, Lin Yuxing took out a scarf from the closet and wrapped it around his neck. He got on his second-hand bicycle and hurriedly arrived at the popular West Campus cafeteria for breakfast.


    Looking at the reminders in his phone, Lin Yuxing saw that there were five queues at the windows. He finally filled his thermos bag. Then, before 7:30, he delivered breakfast to the doors of the customers who had placed orders.


    The last two portions were for himself and Su Li.


    He ran up the stairs of the dormitory building for a while, and finally, panting, opened his own dormitory door.


    Inside the room, Su Li was still sleeping, and the alarm had been ringing for a while.


    ¡°Su Li, wake up!¡±


    Lin Yuxing placed the breakfast down and habitually turned off the alarm on Su Li¡¯s bedside.


    Su Li peeped out from under the covers, struggling to poke his head out. He said in agony, ¡°Early classes are the eternal enemy of humans¡­¡± he dragged himself up, looking listless, clearly having stayed up late again last night.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be late if you don¡¯t hurry.¡± Lin Yuxing urged him while taking out his own breakfast and eating heartily.


    Su Li caught a whiff of the fragrance of the vegetable bun.


    After he finished washing up, Lin Yuxing had already finished breakfast and stood by waiting for him to go to class. Su Li took the buns on the table and took a bite. It was the most popular spicy noodle filling in the West Campus cafeteria.


    Su Li had been looking forward to that bite for a long time, but with his own late wake-up schedules, he would never get it. He was glad Lin yuxing got it for him


    With a cheerful mood, Lin Yuxing replied, ¡°I was the first one to arrive at the cafeteria today and bought all the spicy noodle buns at the window.¡±


    Su Li eagerly took a bite of the bun, savoring the delicious flavor. ¡°I really admire you for waking up so early every day.¡± He asked, ¡°How do you manage not to mix up the early class schedules of each student?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, I make a schedule.¡± Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t find it difficult. ¡°Besides, I have to have breakfast myself, so I can also run errands and make some money on the side.¡±


    Su Li asked casually and didn¡¯t need to know the details.


    As roommates, to support Lin Yuxing¡¯s small business, Su Li had also subscribed to his breakfast service for the entire semester, excluding weekends. On days with early classes, Lin Yuxing would go to the best breakfast cafeteria on campus in advance and randomly buy a breakfast priced at 3 yuan, then charge 3.5 yuan for it.


    If someone wanted a specified breakfast, they needed to inform him the night before and pay an extra 2 yuan on top of the breakfast price.


    That was much cheaper than going to the cafeteria as usual, so many lazy students who didn¡¯t want to wait in line came to order. Lin Yuxing¡¯s money-making plan was quite successful, and he could easily earn three to four hundred yuan each month from that income alone.


    Of course, the service was only available to students in the Omega building. Other dormitory buildings were too far away, and he couldn¡¯t enter and leave at will, which would interfere with Lin Yuxing¡¯s own early classes.


    Regardless, Lin Yuxing¡¯s part-time job could not affect his studies.


    Around 7:50 am, Lin Yuxing and Su Li walked into the classroom unhurriedly.


    The location of that day¡¯s class was not far from the dormitory, so they could take their time.


    As they entered the classroom, Su Li headed straight to the back row, lazily lying down. He said, ¡°Yuxing, let me sleep for two minutes. Wake me up when the teacher arrives.¡± After speaking, Su Li practically fell asleep immediately.


    When the student in the front row saw Lin Yuxing, he turned around and jokingly said, ¡°Lin Yuxing, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so charming. Last week, you were with the senior from the art department, and this week, you¡¯re with our senior in the department, and both are handsome guys.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to pay attention to him, but since the person had done him a favor earlier, he reluctantly put on a smile and said, ¡°The senior from the art department was just messing with me, it wasn¡¯t serious.¡±


    Lin Yuxing recalled a little incident from the previous week and frowned unhappily. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant memory, and even Su Li shook his head in disapproval. Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t plan to go into details about it and wasn¡¯t interested.


    After all, that senior from the art department¡­ just based on his behavior, he gave off a frivolous vibe, and Lin Yuxing had firmly rejected him.


    What he was really concerned about was their own senior in the department, Gu Zhongyi.


    As expected, the classmate continued to inquire, ¡°What about Gu Zhongyi? Did you post on the school gossip forum yesterday? Are you really dating him?¡±


    ¡°What gossip post?¡± Lin Yuxing pretended to be clueless.


    ¡± It¡¯s the post where you confessed to Gu Zhongyi last night. Although I didn¡¯t see the post, many people guessed it was you. It¡¯s so cool to be in a relationship with Gu Zhongyi. If it were me, I would have spread the news everywhere. Why don¡¯t you admit it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I don¡¯t read the school gossip forum.¡±


    Lin Yuxing calmly took out his notebook from his backpack.


    The classmate looked displeased, thinking that Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t being cooperative enough. ¡°Did you go to the basketball court yesterday?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t answer. He nudged Su Li, who was rubbing his eyes, with his elbow and said without looking up, ¡°The teacher is here.¡±


    Within a few minutes, Lin Yuxing¡¯s silent phone received a message.


    It was from the same classmate, full of gossip: ¡°[Just tell me, I won¡¯t go around spreading it! It¡¯s just among classmates, why are you keeping it a secret?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought to himself, ¡°Yeah right, you guys probably have a private chat group where you¡¯ve been gossiping.¡±


    Fortunately, it didn¡¯t matter. After all, the post was already gone, and the matter wouldn¡¯t continue to escalate.


    He deliberately waited a while before replying: ¡°[Why would you believe such a fake news?]¡±


    The other side was still typing.


    Lin Yuxing quickly typed on his laggy phone for half a minute: ¡°[It¡¯s completely untrue. I don¡¯t even know Gu Zhongyi. I went to the basketball court yesterday just to help someone deliver flowers, and it was misunderstood by the photo. If it were true, why would the post be deleted?]¡±


    The other side was probably puzzled and took a long time to respond with just two words: ¡°[Really?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked again, ¡°Otherwise, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s absurd for Gu Zhongyi and me?¡±


    With such words and such an attitude.


    Coupled with the deleted posts, Lin Yuxing successfully dispelled the rumors.


    The classmate turned back and glanced at the poorly dressed Lin Yuxing. Slowly, it seemed that he understood. After a while, he happily replied, ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right. Actually, I thought it was absurd from the beginning. How could it be possible!¡±


    Based on their understanding of Lin Yuxing, all the classmates gradually realized the truth behind the saying ¡°The light of the fairy tale world will not fall into reality¡± and naturally dispelled the misunderstanding.


    Lin Yuxing successfully got out of trouble.


    However, apparently, the heavens were not planning to let him off easily.


    That day at noon, the weather was sunny.


    Northern Teaching Building, first floor¡­¡­¡­


    Gu Zhongyi sat on a resting chair, patiently waiting. His appearance usually attracted many gazes, especially in that Omega-dominated teaching building.


    The floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides filled the building with ample light, and the lazy sunshine fell on Gu Zhongyi, creating a dazzling scene.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fingers were fair and slender, with distinct joints. He held a mobile phone and occasionally glanced at the time.


    A few daring students walked over and quietly asked for his contact information.


    Gu Zhongyi raised his head, seemingly expressionless but actually politely refused one by one. He wasn¡¯t as unapproachable as the rumors suggested, but it was indeed difficult to get close to him.


    He sat there waiting for half an hour.


    Until Lin Yuxing appeared.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze was like finding a flower in winter, and his mouth curved slightly upwards. He stood up, disregarding the gazes of others, and walked straight towards him.


    Not far away, Su Li¡¯s voice sounded like a typewriter, da-da-da, da-da-da.


    He was complaining about the teacher not being fair, unexpectedly calling on him to answer a difficult question. The silent classroom was the best place for contemporary college students to die socially.


    Lin Yuxing listened to Su Li¡¯s half-dead murmurs good-naturedly and comforted him a few times. Then, he lowered his head and checked his class schedule on his phone. He carefully calculated when he could take orders, how many orders he could take today, how much money he could earn, and how many transactions he had to record.


    And also, which cafeteria had discounts for lunch , and which window¡¯s aunt had the steadiest hand.


    His mind was filled with trivial matters as he continued walking.


    Suddenly, Su Li grabbed him, causing Lin Yuxing to stop abruptly, almost dropping his phone. Fortunately, his phone didn¡¯t fall. Otherwise, Lin Yuxing would have had an additional expense.


    He tightened his grip on the phone and turned his head in annoyance, saying, ¡°You scared me. My phone almost dropped!¡±


    Su Li gestured in shock for him to look ahead.


    Perplexed, Lin Yuxing turned his head, and the sunlight in front of his eyes was blocked by a figure. He became flustered and realized that it was Gu Zhongyi, who was a head taller than him, standing in front of him.


    The scent of bitter orange pheromone was close to his nose, making his heartbeat skip a beat unconsciously.


    Without hesitation, Lin Yuxing subconsciously thought that he was blocking the way and leaned toward Su Li on the side.


    Su Li was affected by his movement and, coupled with Lin Yuxing¡¯s explanation last night, his first reaction was also that they were blocking the way. The two of them stiffened their bodies and moved to the side like crabs.


    Then, they silently walked forward in unison.


    Gu Zhongyi probably didn¡¯t expect to be avoided. His gentle voice immediately called out, stopping the other party, ¡°Lin Yuxing.¡±


    For Lin Yuxing, the two words that were familiar to the extreme sounded like they were coated in a layer of golden light. They no longer seemed like his own name.


    Lin Yuxing stopped.


    Su Li was fully awake now and whispered, ¡°Is he here because of yesterday¡¯s incident?¡±


    Before Lin Yuxing could reply, Gu Zhongyi straightforwardly said, ¡°I¡¯m also going to have lunch. Shall we go together?¡±

 CH 4

    North Zone Cafeteria.


    Lin Yuxing carried his tray, slowly moving his feet. In the long queue, he and Gu Zhongyi stood in the middle, attracting the attention of many people.


    His roommate, Su Li, had slipped away early because he had plans with someone else.


    Leaving Lin Yuxing with a tingling scalp, he anxiously counted the time, feeling unusually tormented.


    He had intended to ask Gu Zhongyi about his intentions on the way. But for some reason, when he realized it, they were already in the cafeteria.


    Gu Zhongyi stood behind him, earnestly studying the menu hanging above.


    Lin Yuxing called out to him, ¡°Senior, I¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi leaned slightly closer to Lin Yuxing, making their proximity a bit closer. ¡°Do you have any recommendations?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears tingled, making his heart itch as well.


    He tightened his grip on the tray, took a step forward, retracted his original words, and answered, ¡°Braised spare ribs.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡±


    Someone passed by with a tray, and Gu Zhongyi leaned sideways to shield Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing looked up at the menu and had to make some recommendations: ¡°Crispy pork and braised pork ribs are good options, and the pickled fish is also nice. These few dishes are the best-selling meat dishes. The vegetable options aren¡¯t much different though, they¡¯re all decent.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t eat?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lin Yuxing was never picky with food ever since he was young. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi answered a different question, his voice deep and charming, ¡°Do you often come here to eat?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t deliberately hide his financial struggles and said straightforwardly, ¡°Yeah, the vegetarian dishes here are cheaper and taste good compared to other cafeterias.¡± As for the meat dishes, he only knew which ones were popular after running errands for others several times.


    ¡°Ding¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone received a few messages, all of them were delivery orders for lunch. He stared at the screen for a while, roughly calculated the time, and reluctantly declined.


    Because of Gu Zhongyi, he lost a considerable income.


    When they reached the counter, Lin Yuxing, as usual, ordered a vegetarian dish and a bowl of rice.


    The total cost was 3 yuan.


    The cafeteria auntie had already recognized him, knowing he was thrifty, and kindly added an extra scoop of meat soup to his rice.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have time to say thank you before he was called by Gu Zhongyi from behind, ¡°There are a lot of people, go find a seat first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Yuxing carried his tray, walked back and forth, and found a relatively secluded spot. Several classmates kept looking at him, making him uncomfortable to the point of forgetting to take the free seaweed soup.


    He sat there awkwardly, with a complicated mood, completely unable to guess what Gu Zhongyi would say.


    A few minutes later, Gu Zhongyi came over with a generous plate of food and a large bowl of pickled fish.


    Instantly, the tender and juicy braised spare ribs and braised pork ribs directly caught Lin Yuxing¡¯s sight, and the freshness of the pickled fish also unabashedly entered his sense of smell.


    For Lin Yuxing, it was like torture.


    He couldn¡¯t help but envy them, his hungry stomach making him swallow his saliva. In order not to affect Gu Zhongyi¡¯s meal, he quickly averted his gaze, lowered his head, and took a bite of white rice.


    Gu Zhongyi put down the tray and turned to the counter to get another bowl of rice and a bowl of soup.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t expect  the Alpha¡¯s appetite to be so big and exclaimed, ¡°You have a big appetite, why did you order so much?¡±


    As soon as he said it, he regretted it. He and Gu Zhongyi were not familiar at all, not even acquaintances. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t the level where he could casually strike up such a conversation.


    Gu Zhongyi directly pushed the bowls to the center and invited Lin Yuxing to eat together, ¡°It¡¯s for two people, it should be just right.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was puzzled. Why did Gu Zhongyi order food for him too?


    Slowly, he glanced at his own meager lunch and suspected that Gu Zhongyi was just being polite. So, he quickly declined the gesture, ¡°I¡¯ve ordered enough for myself. Thank you, but you don¡¯t have to treat me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I want to treat you to a meal.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but you don¡¯t have to. I have a small appetite, and I really have enough to eat.¡± Lin Yuxing, in a sense of deserving rewards, didn¡¯t even touch those meat dishes and focused on finishing the vegetarian dish on his tray.


    After a few bites of rice, Lin Yuxing began to adjust to the gazes around him and straightened his posture.


    Gu Zhongyi took another pair of chopsticks as shared chopsticks and proactively picked up a piece of braised pork and several pieces of braised ribs onto Lin Yuxing¡¯s tray. The dark and thick gravy moistened the rice, making it look delicious.


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly tried to stop him.


    Gu Zhongyi pointed to a sign on the wall behind Lin Yuxing, which said ¡°No waste.¡± He then quickly picked up some slices of sour fish and added them to Lin Yuxing¡¯s tray, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t finish all of this by myself.¡±


    And wasting food is shameful.


    Lin Yuxing hesitated for a while, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t resist Gu Zhongyi, who kept putting food on his tray. With a determined mindset, he reluctantly started eating the ribs. After one bite, Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes lit up. Afraid that Gu Zhongyi would notice, he immediately lowered his head, blushed, and lied, ¡°It¡¯s a bit salty. I actually prefer vegetarian dishes.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi saw through his lie but didn¡¯t expose it. He placed a bowl of clam soup in front of Lin Yuxing and said, ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Lin Yuxing slowly finished the meat dishes Gu Zhongyi had picked for him. There was little rice left in his tray, but he was only about seventy percent full. Usually, due to the physical exertion from his delivery job, he had a decent appetite and would usually eat two bowls of rice per meal.


    That day, in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s presence, he felt embarrassed to go for seconds and reluctantly put down his chopsticks, feeling unsatisfied.


    In fact, since the incident at home, Lin Yuxing had been living a frugal life at school, and it had been a long time since he had eaten such a satisfying meal.


    But as he looked at the bone remains on the table, a sense of shame gradually rose in his heart. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t ask for a second bowl of rice in front of Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi reminded him, ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of food left, don¡¯t waste it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, senior, but I¡¯m already full.¡±


    Even though Gu Zhongyi gave him an out, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t take it. He got up, bought two fifty-cent takeout boxes at the counter, and placed them next to Gu Zhongyi, saying politely, ¡°If you can¡¯t finish it, you can take it with you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi paused with his chopsticks, realizing that he might have pushed too hard. He nodded silently and accepted the takeout boxes, unexpectedly smiling, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback by his smile and awkwardly cleared his throat.


    Seeing fewer people around, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to linger any longer and asked again, ¡°Senior, did you look for me because of what happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t deny it as if it was a matter of course. The smile on his face remained, and his voice was magnetic. ¡®The flowers yesterday were beautiful, and I accepted them. Thank you.¡¯


    However, there was more to his words, and Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand at all. After all, the bouquet of flowers wasn¡¯t sent by Lin Yuxing, so expressing gratitude seemed unnecessary.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s lack of reaction, Gu Zhongyi put down his chopsticks. ¡®Do you have time in the afternoon?¡¯


    Lin Yuxing, not sure if he was overthinking, noticed that throughout their interaction, Gu Zhongyi mostly asked him questions, as if he wanted to gradually know more about him.


    Lin Yuxing truthfully explained his busy afternoon schedule to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi then asked, ¡®What about tonight? What time do you finish class?¡¯


    ¡®Half-past five,¡¯ Lin Yuxing answered without thinking, before his brain had time to process it.


    Gu Zhongyi was clearly making an effort to get closer to Lin Yuxing. He asked politely, ¡®I will come to pick you up at half-past five. Is that convenient? I know a nice restaurant. At least for today, I would like to formally treat you to a nice meal.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand why Gu Zhongyi insisted on treating him to a meal.


    Gu Zhongyi felt it was inappropriate and added, ¡®Sorry, it¡¯s my first time¡­ accepting someone¡¯s flowers. Maybe I was a bit hasty in my behavior.¡¯


    ¡®Senior, why do you keep mentioning the bouquet of flowers?¡¯ Before Gu Zhongyi could answer, Lin Yuxing said, ¡®We still have plenty of lunchtime. If you have something to say, just say it now, no need to wait until tonight.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing was concerned about his delivery orders, and even though Gu Zhongyi¡¯s charisma was captivating, he didn¡¯t want to waste too much time on this.


    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback. He thought he had made himself clear.


    In reality, both of them were talking past each other, off-topic.


    Time is money, and Lin Yuxing was not an idle person.


    He mistakenly believed that Gu Zhongyi was still unaware that the issue had been resolved and proactively said, ¡®You don¡¯t need to worry about yesterday¡¯s post. I¡¯ve already privately messaged the original poster to delete it. Unless something unexpected happens, I don¡¯t think it will continue to escalate. But if¡­¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡¯


    Lin Yuxing lowered his voice, his eyes fixed on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s perfect face. He whispered, ¡®If you still come to find me, the misunderstanding will only grow.¡¯


    Precious time paused in the lingering sound of Lin Yuxing¡¯s words.


    With the sudden explanation from the other side, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression gradually stiffened. There wasn¡¯t much brightness on his face; he naturally had a cold and distant look.


    Perplexed, he tightened his eyebrows and asked, ¡®huh?¡¯


    Lin Yuxing considered himself an outsider to the whole situation and innocently asked, ¡®You came to find me today because of last night¡¯s post, right?¡¯


    Indeed, Gu Zhongyi saw the post last night, but he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would wait under the teaching building for half an hour and then accompany Lin Yuxing for a walk to a remote cafeteria just because of a post, only to have an ordinary meal.


    Gu Zhongyi was a smart person, and with Lin Yuxing¡¯s explanation, he quickly understood.


    Yesterday¡¯s flowers might have been a prank targeting either himself or Lin Yuxing.


    When Lin Yuxing received the folded card from Gu Zhongyi, he couldn¡¯t believe it and slammed the table in disbelief. Fortunately, it was already past the lunch rush hour, and there were not many people around.


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly sat back down, his face and ears turned red.


    ¡®Senior, it wasn¡¯t me who wrote that!¡¯ Realizing what kind of joke he had made, Lin Yuxing¡¯s tongue tied, and he kept explaining, ¡®I just accepted a delivery order yesterday, and the flowers were not from me!¡¯


    Not to mention anything else, just the price of that bouquet of roses was over a hundred yuan. Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t afford it!


    He took out his phone, ready to contact the florist to prove his innocence. ¡®I can take you to the flower shop to verify. That way, we can find out who played this joke¡­¡¯


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s repeated denials and attempts to clear his name caused Gu Zhongyi¡¯s initially enthusiastic mood to plummet.


    However, the strict upbringing Gu Zhongyi received prevented him from showing disappointment on his face. He maintained an unwavering tone when speaking to Lin Yuxing, afraid to make him feel uncomfortable.


    After a while, Gu Zhongyi looked at Lin Yuxing, who had tightly clenched hands with white knuckles. As the warmth on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face faded, he apologized, ¡®It was my misunderstanding.¡¯


    After the atmosphere cooled down, silence was the only thing left.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t sit still, and he looked at Gu Zhongyi, who appeared completely different from the rumors. Suddenly, he had a feeling of having done something wrong.


    Not knowing what to do, he used the excuse of having a class and left the cafeteria first.


    But after walking a few steps, Lin Yuxing turned back. ¡®Can you wait for me for a moment? I¡¯ll be back soon.¡¯


    With that, Lin Yuxing rushed out and quickly bought a popular milk tea recommended by the store clerk at a dessert shop. He ran back to the cafeteria and placed it in front of Gu Zhongyi, saying again, ¡®Thank you for treating me to a meal.¡¯


    Even if he only had a little, it still counted as having eaten.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t expect Lin Yuxing to make a sudden decision and completely distance himself. His expression turned solemn, and as he watched Lin Yuxing¡¯s receding figure, he didn¡¯t discard the milk tea.


    Despite it being midday with the sun shining, there was a biting cold wind on the street.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart was restless, and he couldn¡¯t quite describe his emotions. All he remembered was that when he left, Gu Zhongyi seemed somewhat disappointed, quietly grieving.


    Lin Yuxing stopped in his tracks, his mind suddenly becoming clear. Only now did he understand Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words from yesterday, ¡®The flowers yesterday were beautiful, and I accepted them. Thank you.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s feet felt like they weighed a thousand pounds, and he couldn¡¯t move.


    If Gu Zhongyi also misunderstood, then did he¡­ accept this prank confession? So, Gu Zhongyi came to pick him up after class and went to the cafeteria together for lunch. Was it to fulfill the responsibilities of a boyfriend?


    Lin Yuxing was filled with confusion.


    The winter wind howled by, and Lin Yuxing¡¯s muttering was swallowed up by the cold wind.


    He uttered a perplexing sentence, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, do you like me?¡±


    In an instant, it felt as if two missiles had exploded in Lin Yuxing¡¯s head.


    This was even more shocking than the previous day¡¯s post.

 CH 5

    ¡¾05¡¿


    However, even scarier things were about to happen.


    As soon as the afternoon class ended, Su Li grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand and swiftly left the classroom, rushing back to the dormitory.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing, you¡¯re in big trouble!¡±


    Lin Yuxing, who had just finished a tight afternoon schedule, was confused and completely out of focus. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    At that moment, the sky was dimming, and unread messages kept popping up on their phones.


    ¡°Wait a moment, Su Li. Let me take an order.¡± Lin Yuxing instinctively accepted an order.


    Su Li snatched Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone and handed him his own. ¡°Forget about the delivery order for now. Do you know that you¡¯re back on the forum? Take a look!¡±


    And this time, the content on the forum was even more explosive, with a clear ¡°Caught red-handed, undeniable evidence.¡±


    On the screen, it was still the familiar page, with those anonymous numerical IDs that nobody knew who they belonged to.


    However, this time it wasn¡¯t just one post, but¡­ one, two, three, four, five¡­ ten posts?!


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and the titles that caught his eye were increasingly ridiculous:


    ¡°Surprise! Family, turns out the school heartthrob has descended to earth!¡±


    ¡°At noon today, Gu Zhongyi and his little sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°At the North District canteen, fortunately I witnessed this scene¡­¡±


    ¡°The taste of autumn salmon, both cats and you want to know~ The taste of Gu, the school heartthrob, neither you nor I have the chance~¡±


    ¡°Breaking News: Haha, come in, I have photos!¡±


    ¡­


    Behind the title with the photos, there was a small torch icon, indicating that it had quickly climbed to the trending section.


    Lin Yuxing, trembling with his hand like an eighty-year-old man, clicked on it and was dumbfounded.


    Underneath the flood of comments, his name was everywhere.


    One of the comments read: ¡°[Lin Yuxing, you denied it today, but here you are, hand in hand, boldly going to the canteen? I really don¡¯t know why you¡¯re pretending .]¡±


    ¡°Who was I holding hands with?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shouted in frustration, only to see himself in the photo, gnawing on a piece of spare rib without any shame or dignity.


    It¡¯s over, he was finished this time. He had shown his face.


    Su Li patted his back, adding fuel to the fire. ¡°Are you all idiots? Going to the canteen to eat? Don¡¯t you mind all the gossip?¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t catch his breath and didn¡¯t have the heart to tell Su Li. He didn¡¯t want to eat at an expensive place, so he chose the North District canteen. Who would have known that the usually deserted canteen would be so crowded that day?


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Lin Yuxing collapsed onto the bed and said in despair, ¡°With so many posts, how long will it take me to reply to all the private messages¡­¡±


    The worst part was that his income for that night had also gone down the drain.


    Being burdened by the weight of life and now being burdened by rumors in the school, Lin Yuxing felt bitter beyond words.


    He sighed, ¡°Apart from gossip, does no one have any other interests or hobbies?¡±


    Su Li shrugged, ¡°No.¡±


    Fortunately, among the misfortune, Lin Yuxing still had a good roommate and best friend in Su Li.


    The two of them sat cross-legged on the bed, each holding a phone, sending private messages to the people who posted, politely requesting them to delete the posts. But as the posts became more popular and attracted more viewers, their identities were being doubted.


    Lin Yuxing was so annoyed that he was about to show them his student ID.


    Su Li rubbed his grumbling stomach and struggled to swallow the tasteless toast. ¡°By the way, when you were talking to Gu Zhongyi today, did you feel like¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lin Yuxing took a big bite of his toast.


    ¡°Like the freezer¡¯s freezing compartment.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Su Li recalled, ¡°Since I was little, I¡¯ve always thought he was like a block of ice. Yesterday, when I saw the posts, I thought global warming had even melted him.¡±


    Speaking of which, Su Li and Gu Zhongyi could be considered ¡°distant relatives¡± and had met a few times in the past.


    However, they were extremely distant that by the time they reached their generation, it would take another three generations for their families to have any distant relationship.


    But since Su Li¡¯s grandfather¡¯s generation, their family wasn¡¯t cut out for business, to the extent that Su Li¡¯s family now was just an ordinary household.


    Although due to the fact that Su Li¡¯s parents were people who could put their pride aside for the sake of making a living, they took the initiative to establish a close connection with the Gu family, which led to their current limited interaction and stable position in the Gu Group, avoiding any risk of unemployment.


    Strictly speaking, the Su family didn¡¯t establish a connection with the ¡°Gu family¡± where Gu Zhongyi belonged, but rather with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s uncle¡¯s family.


    This thin connection made Su Li and Gu Zhongyi complete strangers. To exaggerate, Su Li knew Gu Zhongyi, but Gu Zhongyi had never remembered someone like Su Li,.


    Su Li remembered vividly that when he was a child, he had tried to greet Gu Zhongyi a few times, but he had completely ignored him.


    On the other hand, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s Omega cousin, Gu Nuan, had a great relationship with Su Li, and they had been in contact for many years.


    Lin Yuxing naively believed that this was just a misunderstanding of Gu Zhongyi by others. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like a block of ice at all. He smiled several times at me during lunch and even served me some food. He¡¯s a good person.¡±


    Apart from seeming a bit distant, as if there was a layer of glass separating him and preventing people from reaching his true self.


    Su Li almost choked on his toast.


    ¡°Are you charmed by him?¡± Su Li firmly believed that Lin Yuxing had some ulterior motive, ¡°Even if he¡¯s handsome, you should have boundaries, right?¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s not like that,¡± Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t explain it clearly, ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go to the cafeteria to eat. I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re now a famous person at school, and you dare go out and ¡®show your face¡¯?¡± Su Li teased him.


    ¡°There are so many people at school, not all of them are glued to the internet. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t give up going to the cafeteria just because of that small matter.


    Before leaving, Lin Yuxing deliberately wore a duckbill cap to be low-key. However, as he walked on the road, no one even spared him a glance. Even in the cafeteria, it was the same. It was past mealtime, and there were very few people. No one payed attention to him.


    Having lost a significant portion of his income that day, Lin Yuxing ordered only one meal, along with a free bowl of seaweed egg drop soup. He hadn¡¯t sent money home that month and couldn¡¯t afford to spend recklessly.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing enjoying the soup, Su Li couldn¡¯t resist his cravings and scooped himself a bowl. However, as soon as he took a sip, he was startled. Truly, it was a free soup, with no taste at all.


    Su Li couldn¡¯t fathom how Lin Yuxing managed to eat it.


    He picked up some crispy meat for Lin Yuxing and said matter-of-factly, ¡°Don¡¯t refuse, remember we agreed to split everything equally. I just ate two pieces of your toast!¡±


    Gratefully, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°What do you want for breakfast tomorrow? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t get up if I don¡¯t have an early class tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Then the day after tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Afterward, Su Li and Lin Yuxing¡¯s conversation shifted back to Gu Zhongyi as they walked around.


    Seeing that there were hardly any people around, Su Li casually said, ¡°I used to think Gu Zhongyi was not only a bit cold, but also pitiful.¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked up.


    With a mouthful of rice, Su Li vaguely said, ¡°My mom mentioned it before. Gu Zhongyi¡¯s biological mother was a maid in the Gu family. Due to their difference in social status, she was driven away shortly after giving birth to him. Although his stepmother didn¡¯t have any children of her own, she didn¡¯t care about him at all.¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°What about his father?¡±


    Su Li picked up a piece of crispy meat, pondered for a moment, and exaggerated, ¡°His father is terrifying! I heard before that when Gu Zhongyi was in elementary school and wanted to find his biological mother, his father nearly broke his leg and locked him up at home for a long time.¡±


    Su Li couldn¡¯t believe that even in this day and age, there were still such heartless feudal families. ¡°Since then, Gu Zhongyi became even colder, and no one wanted to play with him.¡±


    In the past, Gu Zhongyi could still talk to people, but as time went on, he became more and more silent. His only remaining companion was his childhood friend, Yang Qing.


    From what Su Li knew, Yang Qing could tolerate Gu Zhongyi¡¯s moody nature because both of Yang Qing¡¯s parents worked under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s father.


    After finishing his meal and setting down his chopsticks, he cautioned, ¡°Yuxing, please don¡¯t repeat what I told you to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lost in thought, Lin Yuxing recalled Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gentle words and actions during the day and couldn¡¯t connect him with the Gu Zhongyi described by Su Li.


    It was as if they were two different people.


    Late at night, in a corner of the city, amidst the bustling night scene, through a large French window, a simple and elegant apartment came into view.


    Under the cool lighting, there was a cheap milk tea on the coffee table, contrasting with the surrounding decor.


    It was 11 o¡¯clock, and the sound of water in the bathroom ceased. Gu Zhongyi walked out bare-chested.


    The sparsely decorated apartment was heated adequately, and Gu Zhongyi changed into his pajamas and picked up the tablet on the sofa. His slender fingers swiped across the screen, carefully reading.


    His phone buzzed a few times.


    Caller ID: Yang Qing.


    Gu Zhongyi put the call on speaker.


    Yang Qing¡¯s voice came through loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve taken care of those posts you asked me to delete. From now on, there won¡¯t be a single post about Lin Yuxing.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi checked the forum page and indeed found it clean.


    ¡°Zhongyi, a few days ago, you asked me to keep an eye on Xu Xiangchi from the Art Department, right?¡± Yang Qing¡¯s voice was loud, probably still wandering outside. ¡°I just received some news. That brat Xu Xiangchi confessed to Lin Yuxing last week. No wonder you wanted me to watch him¡­ Don¡¯t worry, your junior schoolmate has feelings for you. I¡¯m sure he decisively rejected him.¡±


    When Gu Zhongyi heard Xu Xiangchi¡¯s name, he frowned as if he had heard something unpleasant.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    It was precisely because he knew this that Gu Zhongyi was worried.


    Therefore, after being rejected by Lin Yuxing today, Gu Zhongyi made a decision.


    ¡°Yang Qing, there will be a new user posting related content later. You don¡¯t have to delete it.¡± Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°And then, help me find a friend from the Art Department and find a way to get the post in front of Xu Xiangchi for him to see.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to take Xu Xiangchi seriously! Compared to you, he is far inferior in looks, behavior, and family background. Anyone with eyes would definitely choose you!¡± Yang Qing privately thought that Gu Zhongyi was worrying too much.


    But Gu Zhongyi, for some reason, insisted on doing this.


    Yang Qing couldn¡¯t see Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression and jokingly said, ¡°You¡¯re so nervous, have you been paying attention to Lin Yuxing for a long time?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi casually replied without directly answering Yang Qing, and quickly applied for a new ID on the forum.


    His expression was serious as he skillfully typed on the touch screen. After everything was in order, he pondered for a moment, and finally pressed the enter key.


    New post: [Blessings.] Post successful.


    The first floor attached a photo of Lin Yuxing and himself walking into the cafeteria together, with a simple caption: I think we make a great couple, wishing you happiness.


    Gu Zhongyi then asked Yang Qing, ¡°Did you delete the post from yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I thought you didn¡¯t like to see it.¡± Yang Qing kicked a pebble by his feet. ¡°You¡¯re going back to your hometown with General Gu the day after tomorrow. How long will you be gone?¡±


    ¡°About a week.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to come with you?¡± Yang Qing asked.


    ¡°No need.¡±


    Yang Qing scratched the back of his head. ¡°Then  remember to be careful and not clash with General Gu again.¡±


    Knowing that Yang Qing cared about him, Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°Yang Qing, thanks for everything about the posts. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal another day.¡±


    Receiving Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gratitude, Yang Qing became somewhat excited and suddenly said, ¡°Zhongyi¡­ I feel like you¡¯ve changed a lot since you entered university.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Gu Zhongyi responded indifferently, not at all surprised by why Yang Qing would suddenly say such things.


    Yang Qing was straightforward and spoke his mind, saying, ¡°There was a time when I wondered if someone else had taken over your body.¡±


    The previous Gu Zhongyi never thanked Yang Qing or showed any willingness to play basketball with him. In general, Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t even offer a smile to Yang Qing, let alone express gratitude.


    This made Yang Qing feel that Gu Zhongyi found him annoying since childhood, but for the sake of his parents, he had to stick with Gu Zhongyi as a ¡°friend.¡±


    This was also the intention of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s father.


    However, on a certain day after their college entrance exams, following a car accident, the cold and melancholic Gu Zhongyi seemed to undergo a complete transformation.


    Now, as a friend, Yang Qing sincerely said, ¡°You¡¯re doing well now, and you¡¯ve even found someone you like. Regarding what happened before, from my standpoint¡­ I don¡¯t have the right to give you advice. But  you should always look forward and keep moving.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t refute it. He reached out and took the cup of milk tea from the coffee table.


    When he saw the label on it that read ¡°sugar-free,¡± Gu Zhongyi curled up the corners of his mouth and whispered, ¡°Yes, we must move forward.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Zhongyi leaned back on the sofa for a long time.


    Then, for the first time in his life, he drank a cup of cheap milk tea, and surprisingly, it tasted pretty good.

 CH 6

    Approximately a week had passed, and Lin Yuxing had a very rough time.


    The mocking posts about him on the internet had disappeared, but a post expressing blessings inexplicably appeared in the popular section and was even highlighted.


    The commenters also had a complete change of attitude, offering sincere blessings one after another. Within a few days, the blessings completely overshadowed the insignificant personal attacks.


    If it weren¡¯t for Lin Yuxing being one of the main characters in the recent incident, even he himself would have believed it to be true.


    He had sent several messages to the owner of the blessing post, saying both good and bad things, but the other person never replied.


    Today was no different. Lin Yuxing continuously sent the private messages again:


    [Hello, I¡¯ve sent you a photo of my student ID card to prove that it¡¯s really me.]


    [Hello, now that you¡¯ve seen my student ID card, please delete the post. I¡¯m not in a relationship with Gu Zhongyi. We just happened to have something to discuss and had a meal together. Your post is causing us serious trouble, so please delete it as soon as possible!]


    [Hello, I¡¯m single and don¡¯t need your blessings.]


    [Hello, I¡¯m tired of saying ¡°hello¡± all the time.]


    [Hello, do you even know that spreading rumors is illegal?]


    [Hello, did I offend you before? If I did, I can apologize in person. Please delete the post.]


    With each message, the other person read them but didn¡¯t reply.


    Lin Yuxing had a reasonable suspicion that this person was doing it on purpose. He looked at the decreasing number of delivery orders on his phone and became furious. Since he didn¡¯t have any orders to take that day anyway, he decided to confront this person: [Hello, are you intentionally targeting me?]


    He didn¡¯t expect the other person to reply.


    But to his surprise, the other person actually replied after this private message.


    Perhaps they were tired of him.


    ID789: [No.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Hello, did you read those messages I sent earlier?]


    ID789: [Yes.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Hello, why did you read them and still not delete the post?]


    Ten minutes passed, and there was no response from the other person.


    Anxious, Lin Yuxing asked: [Hello, are you still there?]


    ID789: [Yes.]


    ID789: [You don¡¯t have to say ¡°hello¡± in every sentence.]


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s politeness instantly vanished, and he asked unhappily: [Excuse me, do you think I¡¯m trying to deceive you? I swear, I¡¯m really not in a relationship with Gu Zhongyi. Otherwise, who would want to hide it when dating such a handsome guy in the whole school?]


    ID789: [Hmm.]


    Lin Yuxing was rendered speechless by their coldness: [Do you think I¡¯m a good match for him?]


    This was clearly a sarcastic remark.


    To his surprise, ID789 questioned back: [Why would you think you¡¯re not a good match?]


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback. ¡°Why are you asking me that?¡±


    Lin Yuxing furrowed his brows tightly and thought carefully. If this person thought he wasn¡¯t a good match for Gu Zhongyi, they wouldn¡¯t have posted blessings¡­


    In order to get the other person to delete the post, Lin Yuxing mustered up the courage to belittle himself: [I¡¯m poor, ugly, and plain. I¡¯m not worthy of him, and he wouldn¡¯t be interested in me either. Please stop with the misguided blessings. It¡¯s causing both him and me a lot of trouble!]


    ID789 seemed like a stubborn person: [Don¡¯t say such things about yourself. I think you¡¯re great.]


    For a moment, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t tell whether the other person was being serious or mocking him.


    Faced with difficulties in life, Lin Yuxing could only swallow his anger and frustration.


    He changed his tone: [Fellow student, your post has been in the popular section for several days now, and everyone thinks Gu Zhongyi and I are dating. They are afraid of offending Gu Zhongyi, so they no longer ask me to run errands. I can¡¯t get any orders, and life is quite difficult¡­]


    Lin Yuxing was afraid that the other person wouldn¡¯t believe him, so he explained: [Maybe you don¡¯t know, but my family situation is not good. I rely on doing odd jobs at school to earn a living and support my family.]


    He sounded quite aggrieved, and it was indeed the reality.


    Sitting hungrily at an empty table in the convenience store, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t even afford to buy a rice ball. He was waiting for Su Li¡¯s elective class to end so they could go to the cafeteria in the north area.


    Several minutes later, ID789 replied: [Supporting your family?]


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t like to complain, but in his current situation, he had no choice.


    Suspecting that ID789 was someone who responded better to softness than harshness, he immediately made another request: ¡°[So, please delete the post? Afterwards, I can help you with ten errands for free. Even if it¡¯s the farthest cafeteria and convenience store in the school, I won¡¯t charge you for the errands.]¡±


    No reply from the other side.


    Lin Yuxing replied: ¡°[Twenty times, I¡¯m begging you!]¡±


    No reply from the other side.


    Grinding his teeth, Lin Yuxing negotiated: ¡°[How about for one semester? Or you tell me, how long should I run errands for you? I¡¯m truly a person of my word, I won¡¯t deceive you.]¡±


    ID789 still didn¡¯t reply.


    Unable to reach an agreement through negotiation, Lin Yuxing sighed in frustration.


    One minute later, ID789 suddenly messaged him: ¡°[It¡¯s deleted, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly checked and found that the post was indeed deleted, and he felt relieved.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Thank you! I¡¯ll run errands for one semester, and I¡¯ll keep my word.]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[Let¡¯s become friends.]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[Wait a moment.]¡±


    After a short while, ID789 sent him an account. Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately added the person as a friend. He noticed that the other person didn¡¯t have social media updates enabled, the profile picture was blank, and the account name was a string of pinyin characters.


    Clearly, it was an alternate account.


    Shortly after, under Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze, the person changed their WeChat name to ID789.


    Lin Yuxing realized that ID789 seemed to value their  privacy and suddenly felt a sense of mystery. Lin Yuxing proactively greeted him in the chat box, and the other person replied with a simple handshake emoji.


    ID789: ¡°[I¡¯m busy, we¡¯ll chat next time.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[OK.]¡±


    At that moment, a group of people entered the convenience store, led by a decent-looking male Alpha. They were holding various items, indicating that they were students from the art department.


    The Alpha quickly noticed Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing was focused on typing on his phone and didn¡¯t notice him. So, the Alpha walked over to Lin Yuxing.


    As if they were familiar with each other, he directly called out, ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was startled by the unfamiliar voice but recognized the person after looking clearly, ¡°Xu-senior?¡±


    ¡°I told you not to make it so formal. Just call me Chi-ge,¡± Xu Xiangchi placed a hot drink he had bought in front of Lin Yuxing and said with concern, ¡°Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good, have something warm to drink.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    Regardless, Lin Yuxing had some reservations in his heart since Xu Xiangchi had confessed to him just last week. Since he rejected Xu Xiangchi, it wouldn¡¯t look good to accept any kindness from him.


    Xu Xiangchi casually sat down, feeling uneasy when he realized Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to engage with him. He cleared his throat and deliberately asked Lin Yuxing, ¡°I saw a post¡­ are you dating Gu Zhongyi?¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to explain further.


    He and Xu Xiangchi had met through several errand orders. Every time he received an order from Xu Xiangchi and his group, Lin Yuxing was always reluctant. That was because each time, Lin Yuxing had to endure scorching sun or heavy rain, waiting outside the Alpha dormitory until Xu Xiangchi and the others came to pick up the items at their leisurely pace.


    Because of that, Lin Yuxing never really liked Xu Xiangchi.


    But inexplicably, Xu Xiangchi, for some unknown reason, suddenly started pursuing him.


    Su Li, who was well-informed about campus gossip, had previously warned Lin Yuxing: ¡°Xu Xiangchi, I know him. He¡¯s a playboy from the second year of the art department. He comes from a wealthy family and looks decent. So, after entering college, he has changed partners so frequently that you can use a truck to transport them. Don¡¯t be fooled by his sweet words.¡±


    However, this time, Su Li didn¡¯t need to worry.


    As an Omega, Lin Yuxing did indeed feel a flutter in his heart for the outstanding Alpha Gu Zhongyi and was attracted by his pheromones. But he wasn¡¯t someone without principles, and he definitely wouldn¡¯t develop any romantic feelings for an Alpha like Xu Xiangchi.


    Unable to get a response from Lin Yuxing, Xu Xiangchi asked again in disbelief, his tone showing some impatience: ¡°Yuxing, you¡¯re really being distant with me. If you don¡¯t speak, does that mean you¡¯re really in a relationship?¡±


    Faced with Xu Xiangchi¡¯s probing, Lin Yuxing initially didn¡¯t plan to pay any attention.


    However, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to cause unnecessary trouble for Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a relationship with anyone.¡± Lin Yuxing added, ¡°This matter has nothing to do with you, Xu Xiangchi, right?¡±


    Exhausted by that topic, his tone unconsciously turned sour. He realized his loss of composure and stood up, maintaining his usual firm attitude.


    He pushed the hot drink toward Xu Xiangchi: ¡°Xu Xiangchi, you can have the drink yourself. I have something to do, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    Xu Xiangchi was left hanging, wearing a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face.


    Slowly, Xu Xiangchi chuckled.


    His companions finished selecting their fast food and playfully sat down in front of Xu Xiangchi.


    One of them, seeing Xu Xiangchi being dumped again, said teasingly, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been rejected enough? How much courage do you have? You dare snatch someone from Gu Zhongyi. It¡¯s better not to provoke the people from the Gu family. You¡¯ll have a hard time later. After all, you¡¯re pursuing this poor junior as a bet against us. Just admit defeat and lose gracefully.¡±


    Another person chimed in, ¡°If you lose, you owe each of us 500. Xu Xiangchi, I told you before, don¡¯t always think you¡¯re so charming. Not every Omega is interested in you.¡±


    ¡°Haha, he was just dumped last week, and this week Gu Zhongyi suddenly appeared halfway!¡±


    The group of people joked around , giving off a sense of birds of a feather.


    Xu Xiangchi raised an eyebrow, unable to save face, and said in a displeased tone, ¡°Who said I would lose?¡± For the sake of his dignity, Xu Xiangchi didn¡¯t tell his companions what Lin Yuxing had said earlier. Instead, he snorted disdainfully, feeling confident, and said, ¡°Just wait and see. There¡¯s no Omega that I, Xu Xiangchi, can¡¯t win over.¡±


    Even if¨C


    He dropped a confident remark and proudly said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s something belonging to Gu Zhongyi, so what?¡±

 CH 7

    December was coming to an end.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s bad luck didn¡¯t actually end with the disappearance of the post.


    Xu Xiangchi, for some unknown reason, blocked him on the way to and from classes every day, either sending flowers or gifts. He even went to the extent of holding an umbrella for him on rainy days.


    This made Lin Yuxing extremely repulsed, and no matter how many things Xu Xiangchi sent him, he returned them as they came. Sometimes, his anger would rise, and Lin Yuxing wished he could fight Xu Xiangchi.


    Fortunately, Su Li would stop him; otherwise, with an Omega¡¯s physique, it would be difficult to win against an Alpha unless he specifically trained for it.


    ¡°That bastard thinks I don¡¯t know. He must have made a bet with someone!¡±


    Lin Yuxing knew in his heart, as clear as a mirror, that he was unlucky, so the only option was to avoid Xu Xiangchi.


    Therefore, every day, Lin Yuxing would leave the dormitory through a side door and take a detour before finally reaching his classroom. It was time-consuming and troublesome¡­


    The terrifying part was that before long, Xu Xiangchi also blocked the small door of the dormitory.


    Lin Yuxing suspected that Xu Xiangchi had bribed someone on the same floor to keep an eye on him. He was exhausted from being pursued and wore a weary face every day.


    His classmates in the same department teased him, ¡°Lin Yuxing, you¡¯re really popular recently, almost becoming a celebrity in our department.¡±


    There were also people who had been rejected by Gu Zhongyi and sarcastically taunted Lin Yuxing to his face, saying, ¡°You¡¯re already with Gu Zhongyi, yet you¡¯re still stringing others along. What a player¡±


    Even more frustratingly, Xu Xiangchi¡¯s unresolved ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends treated themselves as ¡°the third party.¡±


    But all of the above were not the biggest trouble Lin Yuxing encountered.


    He currently had a Severe hardship, which was not receiving any orders.


    At present, in C University, apart from Su Li and Xu Xiangchi, most of the other students believed that Lin Yuxing was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s partner, Hence no one dared to ask Lin Yuxing to run errands?


    As the saying goes, ¡°If you want to study in peace at C University, remember not to provoke people from the Gu family.¡±


    Of course, this saying was exaggerated, even the Gu family themselves found it absurd.


    Lin Yuxing heard from Su Li that the Gu family was always generous in making donations and doing good deeds. They simply provided additional financial support to various laboratories at C University for research and had no intention of wielding power at the school.


    After learning this, Lin Yuxing tried to explain it one by one to his clients.


    However, he still didn¡¯t receive any orders.


    If this continued, he would lose all his customers!


    And the main culprit behind it all was the ID789.


    Lin Yuxing complained in his heart. If ID789 had deleted the post earlier,  he wouldn¡¯t be in such a miserable state. Thinking about it, Lin Yuxing wished he could send him a hundred abusive messages!


    But he didn¡¯t dare because he was afraid ID789 would post again.


    He also couldn¡¯t do it because for now, ID789 was still willing to ask him to run errands. Initially, Lin Yuxing agreed not to accept payment, but later, ID789 insisted on paying.


    The reason was: [I¡¯m not that shameless.]


    Lin Yuxing furrowed his brows.


    [Are you not shameless?] He typed this sentence but deleted it without sending it.


    Moreover, even if Lin Yuxing wanted to scold ID789 face to face, he couldn¡¯t. Every time, ID789¡¯s errand orders were requested to be left at the Alpha dormitory in the North Building.


    Lin Yuxing had helped him run errands at least ten times but had never seen ID789 in person.


    That afternoon, ID789 sent a new order, asking Lin Yuxing to buy lunch he thought was delicious at the South District cafeteria.


    As usual, it was to be delivered to the dormitory¡¯s management office.


    Lin Yuxing reluctantly accepted the order and ran to the convenience store. His second-hand bicycle, due to his financially difficult times, he had to sell it for a third of its original price.


    ID789 transferred an amount on WeChat,


    Lin Yuxing: [This convenience store is closer, so the delivery fee should only be 3 yuan.]


    ID789 sent another transfer, and Lin Yuxing accepted it.


    Lin Yuxing joked in his frustration: [Thanks, now I have money for today¡¯s lunch.]


    ID789: [Still no one ordering from you?]


    Lin Yuxing: [There is. Aren¡¯t you a person?]


    ID789: [¡­¡­]


    ID789: [ buy for me lunch you think is delicious at the South District cafeteria.]


    Lin Yuxing: [The South District cafeteria is too expensive, and I haven¡¯t eaten there before. But I see many people buying curry pork chop rice, which should be tasty. should I buy that?]


    ID789: [Sure.]


    Lin Yuxing: [There¡¯s a queue at the cafeteria, and the delivery fee is fixed at 5 yuan.]


    The other party quickly transferred the money without any delay.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, if it weren¡¯t for the previous post incident, ID789 would have been a very reliable customer. He rushed all the way to the South District cafeteria. Just like last time, he narrowly managed to grab the last portion of pork chop rice.


    He took a picture and sent it to ID789: [You¡¯re lucky, I managed to get the last one.]


    ID789: [Sorry, I suddenly need to leave the campus for a while, so I can¡¯t eat it.]


    Lin Yuxing hesitated: [Then what should I do?]


    He was prepared to refund the money to ID789 and planned to ask someone nearby if they wanted the pork chop rice so he could sell it. After all, it was the most popular lunch option, so he knew he wouldn¡¯t have any trouble selling it.


    However, ID789 said: [You eat it for me.]


    ID789: [Consider it an apology for the previous post.]


    ID789: [I was wrong in that matter,  believe me, my intention was not to cause such consequences.]


    Lin Yuxing gripped his phone tightly, his palms sweating, feeling like he had just been doused with cold water.


    In C University, the South District cafeteria was the farthest but also had the best food.


    Lin Yuxing had been there many times, carrying more than ten types of lunch boxes for others, but he had never been able to buy a meal for himself.


    Today was no different. He stood by the window and resolutely sold the pork chop rice.


    On his phone, he refunded 25 yuan to ID789.


    Lin Yuxing: [I sold the pork chop rice and refunded the money to you.]


    After saying that, Lin Yuxing went to the North District cafeteria as usual and bought a cheap meal, which was equally delicious. He had never enjoyed a prosperous life since childhood, but he also didn¡¯t like other people¡¯s charity.


    He feared that too much sympathy from others would disrupt his life rhythm.


    Once a person becomes accustomed to receiving and relying on others, they will find it difficult to endure the injustices in life and develop many unrealistic fantasies and expectations.


    ID789 was just someone who disrupted his life through a post, just a customer existing in his phone, just a stranger.


    Lin Yuxing had no reason to accept his apology, and even less reason to ¡°indulge¡± in front of him.


    Even if ID789 hadn¡¯t made that post, someone else would have. Perhaps it would have been not a blessing but a mockery. Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t a petty person; he took it lightly. The reason for all what was happening was all because of the initial prank.


    A misunderstanding caused by something he personally sent out through an order, and everything that followed was a chain reaction.


    If we were to talk about the original sin, perhaps only the person who placed the flower order could redeem it.


    And indeed, he did try, but the result was being informed that the account of the person who placed the order had been deactivated.


    Feeling trapped, Lin Yuxing also wished that Gu Zhongyi could go to the forum and post a clarification. However, since that day with him at the cafeteria, Gu Zhongyi seemed to have disappeared into thin air.


    And when Lin Yuxing recalled Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression from that day, he always felt that he was in the wrong.


    He didn¡¯t know why, but Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression seemed familiar to him.


    It was like the countless loneliness he had seen during his childhood in the orphanage.


    Under the pressure of life, Lin Yuxing no longer insisted on doing deliveries.


    Waiting to die was not an option. Before the heat of gossip cooled down, he needed a part-time job to sustain his normal life.


    He spent an afternoon visiting stores near the school, looking for part-time work.


    After comparing the hourly wage and job flexibility, Lin Yuxing chose a bakery.


    The shop had just opened recently, and the recruitment notice had been posted outside for a while. However, they hadn¡¯t found the right person because the hourly wage was slightly lower than other stores.


    The shop owner was a young Beta girl named Zhou Jie. She tied her hair into a ponytail and had a cute appearance.


    ¡°Your schedule seems quite full, so how about you come over according to your available time?¡± Zhou Jie said, ¡°This way, you won¡¯t have to compromise your classes, and I won¡¯t have to spend extra money. I can pay you daily or monthly, whichever you prefer.¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly thanked her.


    A part-time job that wouldn¡¯t disrupt his studies was exactly what he needed.


    Lin Yuxing quickly calculated in his mind that this part-time job didn¡¯t pay as much as his previous deliveries. But at the moment, it was the best solution to his urgent needs.


    Moreover, it offered a greater degree of freedom in terms of time, and he hoped to gradually resume his delivery work in the future.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me so quickly. It¡¯s a new shop, and we haven¡¯t made much profit yet. The hourly wage is relatively low for the first month, 6 yuan per hour, and it increases to 9 yuan per hour from the second month. If you have any deliveries within the campus, I¡¯ll pay you an additional 2 yuan per order. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°I have no problem with that!¡±


    Zhou Jie smiled, revealing two dimples. ¡°We often have some leftover bakery items in the shop. If you don¡¯t mind, consider it a perk.¡±


    Lin Yuxing said again, ¡°Boss, thank you, I have no problem at all!¡±


    ¡°Just call me Zhou Jie. So, when can you start working?¡±


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t careless either. ¡°I can start right now.¡± He was diligent and quick to learn. Within an hour, Lin Yuxing had sorted out the basic tasks he needed to do.


    In the evening, Zhou Jie cooked two bowls of noodles and added an extra fried egg in Lin Yuxing¡¯s bowl.


    After finishing the noodles, Lin Yuxing dutifully washed the dishes.


    He watched Zhou Jie packing up some leftover bakery items, selecting the better ones to put in a bag while putting the less desirable ones in a clean stainless steel basin.


    Zhou Jie placed them all in front of Lin Yuxing. ¡°You can keep the bag for yourself to eat, and tidy up the rest of them. We¡¯ll throw them away along with the trash when we finish work.¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at the burnt bakery items in the basin, hesitated for a moment, and asked with a thick skin, ¡°Zhou Jie, since these will be thrown away anyway, can I take them?¡±


    Zhou Jie thought that Lin Yuxing was hesitant to take them, so she pointed to the bag of better items and said, ¡°You can have this bag, the rest are burnt and not tasty.¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly said, ¡°I actually like burnt ones. They have a delicious charred flavor!¡±


    Zhou Jie wasn¡¯t surprised at all when she noticed Lin Yuxing¡¯s financial situation. She looked at his slim figure and didn¡¯t ask further, ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±

 CH 8

    Winter, seven o¡¯clock in the evening, The night sky was adorned with countless stars, and the street lamps illuminated the surroundings.


    Lin Yuxing carried two bags of leftovers and walked towards the dormitory. He was in a joyful mood, unable to hide the smile on his face.


    With the perks he received, he was extremely satisfied with his new job.


    Lin Yuxing thought that Su Li probably wouldn¡¯t like to eat those leftovers. So he planned to save them for the next day¡¯s brunch to save on food expenses.


    As he approached the dormitory, his phone vibrated.


    Upon seeing the incoming call, the smile on Lin Yuxing¡¯s face gradually disappeared. He composed himself and answered the phone, ¡°Aunt¡ª¡±


    On the other end of the phone, a man¡¯s angry voice interrupted Lin Yuxing. Even though they were separated by the phone, Lin Yuxing clenched his fist tightly.


    The man rudely exclaimed, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let him go to college in the first place, but you insisted! Now, he¡¯s become stubborn. Did he send the money he promised to be sending every month?! Lin Xiufeng, look at what you made, a white-eyed wolf that you insisted on raising!¡±


    The woman on the other end of the call responded sharply, ¡°Is it that big of a deal if you have a little less money?!¡±


    ¡°You wish I were dead, don¡¯t you?¡± The man arrogantly continued, his tone clearly revealed his despicable nature. ¡°He said so himself. If he went to college, he would send me money every month! Otherwise, tell him to come back and start working, then he would have money sooner!¡±


    Lin Xiufeng blurted out, ¡°what are you saying?. If he doesn¡¯t study, he will end up like you, stuck in this miserable place. Is that what you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who raised him yet I¡¯m still stuck here?¡± The man unreasonably shouted repeatedly, ¡°Now he looks down on us because his standards are higher. Even the person I introduced to him as a potential partner, he rejected!¡±


    ¡°Do you not see what¡¯s on his back? Who would want him once he takes off his clothes? Who would want this ugly freak, this monster, this defective product?!¡±


    Just this one sentence struck directly at Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart.


    His spine felt like it was on fire, and no matter how he tried to put it out, it kept burning. The shadows of his childhood loomed over him, causing his back teeth to clench and his whole body to ache.


    Lin Xiufeng abruptly hung up the call.


    The phone rang again.


    With a hoarse voice, Lin Xiufeng, as usual after an argument apologized on behalf of her husband, ¡°Your uncle is just insane. Don¡¯t take his words to heart.¡±


    Lin Yuxing responds, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then Lin Xiufeng asked, ¡°Yuxing, what¡¯s going on this month? Weren¡¯t you making good money in the city?¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t find words to  explain his current situation.


    Seeing him remain silent, Lin Xiufeng sighed and said, ¡°It was you who promised your uncle to always send him 1,500 yuan every month. You only sent 1,000 yuan for the past two months. I stopped him from making a fuss. But when he didn¡¯t see the money in his account this month, he went crazy and started thinking that you didn¡¯t care about the family!¡± She continued to ramble, ¡°You know the situation at home. I don¡¯t earn much working at the factory, and we¡¯ve been relying on your money for medical expenses¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing kicked a small stone on the ground with his foot. His shoulders felt heavy as if burdened by two huge stones. He remained silent and didn¡¯t say anything.


    After a pause, Lin Xiufeng asked him, ¡°is anything wrong?¡±


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing opened his mouth.


    Unfortunately, before he could say anything, Lin Xiufeng continued to lecture him, ¡°Just don¡¯t get into trouble in the city! You know the current situation at home, and we¡­ we have no other choice!¡±


    ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t gotten into trouble,¡± Lin Yuxing looked at the burnt leftovers in his hands, feeling a coldness within him. In fact, he had long been accustomed to it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Hearing Lin Yuxing¡¯s words, Lin Xiufeng sighed in annoyance, ¡± Your uncle almost came to the school to find you yesterday, but I stopped him.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuxing blurted out, ¡°Nothing is wrong!¡±


    He quickly told a lie, his tone unusually urgent, ¡°I¡¯ll be getting my salary from work in a few days. Please don¡¯t let him come to my school!¡±


    He worried that he didn¡¯t make himself clear enough, ¡°Aunt, once I finish college, I¡¯ll definitely earn much more than if I didn¡¯t study! By then, I won¡¯t give you any less than what the family needs! I¡¯ll even take my cousin to a better hospital, and I won¡¯t withhold anything from you!¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I was raised by you, and I¡¯ve always remembered that. I will never forget your kindness!¡± This sentence had been deeply ingrained in Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind since he was young. Every time he was beaten, he would beg for mercy while saying those words to the man.


    He seemed afraid, recalling many unpleasant memories, and begged repeatedly, ¡°Please, please don¡¯t let Uncle come to my school¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Lin Xiufeng quickly changed her tone and softened, ¡°Since your uncle became disabled, life has been really tough, which is why you¡¯re also having a hard time. I apologize on behalf of your uncle¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She wiped away her tears, ¡°If our family were better off, who would allow their child to suffer like this? Shaohua has been having a fever and vomiting these past few days, and I couldn¡¯t find time to take care of him.¡±


    The ¡°Shaohua ¡± she mentioned was the cousin Lin Yuxing referred to, as well as Lin Xiufeng¡¯s own son.


    Listening to Lin Xiufeng¡¯s words, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t find a response. He silently listened, empty emotions, only a sense of numbness remained.


    In the end, Lin Xiufeng sniffed and couldn¡¯t hold back her crying voice.


    Lin Yuxing assured her repeatedly that he would send the money the following Monday, before Lin Xiufeng finally hung up the phone.


    The light on the phone screen dimmed, and Lin Yuxing¡¯s previously good mood vanished. The burning pain on his back still spread throughout his nerves.


    He took a deep breath.


    To make matters worse, as soon as he looked up, Gu Zhongyi was standing not far away.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s body tensed, a sense of embarrassment surging in his heart. ¡°¡­Senior?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t know how long he had been standing there. The tips of his ears were slightly red from the cold, and he held a cup of milk tea in his hand. He looked at Lin Yuxing, his eyes like the deep night sky.


    Lin Yuxing felt dazed, his gaze seeming exhausted. He looked at Gu Zhongyi, thinking that he was waiting for him but not entirely sure, so he glanced back at the dormitory building.


    It was indeed his dormitory, the North Wing Omega dormitory.


    He stood still, and a soft voice pierced through the dark night, ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi answered, ¡°Mm.¡±


    Like a reassuring pill, more like an unintentional tenderness.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand was ice-cold, buried in his pocket. He opened his mouth, unable to think of what to say. He saw the concern and even the heartache in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes directed at him.


    Lin Yuxing speculated that Gu Zhongyi probably heard the entire phone conversation.


    And the emotions displayed by Gu Zhongyi, for Lin Yuxing, were unnecessary. Because they actually made him feel a little bit sad inside.


    Lin Yuxing hoped he was mistaken.


    But Gu Zhongyi had to destroyed his hope, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t intentionally eavesdrop on your phone call.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing bit his lip hard, and his lips immediately turned pale.


    Afterwards, he returned to his usual state and said with an extremely indifferent tone, against his will, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It was my aunt¡¯s call just now. My parents passed away early, and she took care of me. Occasionally, she sends me some money for household expenses. It¡¯s quite normal where I come from, there¡¯s nothing to eavesdrop or not eavesdrop.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know that the more casually he said these words, the more false they became.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t care whether others believed him or not. After all, who would really want to listen to his sob story? Even Gu Zhongyi, who might like him, would be the same.


    If Gu Zhongyi knew his true situation, he would definitely crush the word ¡°like¡± and throw it in the trash can. He would be grateful that the bouquet of roses was just a misunderstanding.


    He turned to the side and asked Gu Zhongyi coldly, ¡°What did you want from me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his chin and said, ¡°I have something I want to discuss with you. Let¡¯s find a place to sit for a while.¡± It was too cold outside, and Gu Zhongyi noticed that Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t dressed warmly enough. His worn-out coat was obviously worn for many years.


    But after the series of incidents that happened before, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t dare to walk together with Gu Zhongyi. He tightened the collar of his coat and said with a muffled voice, ¡°If you have something to say, say it here. There aren¡¯t many people here right now. Just stand there and don¡¯t move, this distance is fine.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was about to take a step forward, but Lin Yuxing stopped him.


    In the light, there was a faint glow around Gu Zhongyi¡¯s outline.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to look directly at him.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Because of the misunderstanding before, I caused you a lot of trouble, and I want to deal with it.¡± He explained, ¡°There was something going on in my hometown recently, so I went back for a visit. I just returned today. Sorry for coming back late.¡±


    Upon learning that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t intentionally ignore him, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but soften a bit. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t that angry anymore.


    If he were to start a relationship, he would definitely be someone who could be easily coaxed and persuaded.


    Lin Yuxing said softly, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is¡­ Actually, I was also thinking whether I should discuss it with you.¡± The stiffness in his tone faded, and with a gravelly exhaustion in his throat, he continued, ¡°I know that it¡¯s not your fault in this whole matter, but since you said you wanted to handle it, can you explain it to everyone as soon as possible?¡±


    Lin Yuxing worried that he wasn¡¯t being direct enough, so he added, ¡°I mean, explain clearly that we are not dating, using the fastest method.¡±


    He lowered his head and didn¡¯t look at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s reaction.


    He didn¡¯t notice that Gu Zhongyi took two steps forward.


    Gu Zhongyi asked him, ¡°Do you want me to post a clarification online?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I hope you can do it today,¡± Lin Yuxing confessed, ¡°This whole thing has caused serious trouble in my life.¡±


    Maybe it was because he had just received a call from Lin Xiufeng, or maybe it was because he was afraid that his alcoholic uncle would really come to C University to cause trouble, or maybe it was because his life in distress was filled with misfortunes.


    Unconsciously, Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes became moist.


    ¡°Senior, can you please help me?¡± he pleaded.


    A gust of wind blew, and Lin Yuxing shrank his neck.


    He turned away, rubbed his eyes, and the back of his hand was stained with inconspicuous tears.


    Gu Zhongyi approached without realizing it and handed him the milk tea. He was afraid that the milk tea would get cold, so he held it in his arms until Lin Yuxing arrived. Now, the cup of milk tea was still warm.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t notice that the cup of milk tea was the same flavor as the one he bought that day. He refused and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink.¡±


    Rarely being assertive in front of Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi held his cold hand and handed the hot milk tea to him. ¡°Use it to warm your hands.¡±


    Lin Yuxing frowned, feeling uncomfortable in his heart.


    The temperature of the milk tea climbed through his palm, climbing on his thoughts.


    Gu Zhongyi let go of his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s too cold outside, my car is nearby.¡± He looked at Lin Yuxing, slowly waiting for their eyes to meet, and his eyes were vast and deep. ¡°Let¡¯s sit in the car for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°It will only take a few minutes of your time.¡±


    Faced with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sincere attitude, Lin Yuxing finally agreed. Taking advantage of the moment when there was no one around, he quickly got into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car.


    The first thing Gu Zhongyi did when he got in the car was to turn on the heater.


    A warm stream of air raised the temperature in the car, and under the combined effect of the heater and the hot milk tea, Lin Yuxing¡¯s freezing red hands began to itch. He blinked his eyes, sat up straight, and was not very accustomed to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s luxury car.


    ¡°Have you had dinner?¡± Gu Zhongyi asked him.


    Lin Yuxing bluntly responded to Gu Zhongyi and replied straightforwardly, ¡°We are already like this, it¡¯s not necessary for us to have a meal together.¡±


    He hoped that Gu Zhongyi would have some self-awareness, but he didn¡¯t realize that he was sitting in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s passenger seat, which was much more intimate than having a meal together.


    Gu Zhongyi responded to his temper with kindness, ¡°okay.¡±


    There was a faint scent of bitter orange in the car, emanating from Gu Zhongyi, and it was refreshing. Lin Yuxing, like a tired cat, involuntarily relaxed his tense mood. In the gap while waiting for Gu Zhongyi to get to the point, he quietly narrowed his eyes.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t urge Gu Zhongyi, but if Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t speak soon, he would fall asleep in the scent, drifting into a deep slumber.


    Fortunately, after about 20 seconds of silence, Gu Zhongyi finally spoke.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing, do you want to be in a relationship with me?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand trembled, and the milk tea he was holding fell in freefall and landed on the car floor. Luckily, the milk tea wasn¡¯t opened, otherwise Lin Yuxing would have to bear the expense of cleaning the car.


    ¡°?¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at Gu Zhongyi in astonishment, thinking he was still in a dream, and not a pleasant one at that.


    Then,  instinctively Lin Yuxing said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    His right hand immediately reached for the door handle, ready to escape from that absurd scene.

 CH 9

    Gu Zhongyi seized the opportunity and stopped Lin Yuxing¡¯s actions.


    But he spoke with a heavy breath, not clearly getting the words out.


    Lin Yuxing touched his chest and said, ¡°Senior, can you finish your sentence in one breath?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi explained in detail, ¡°Due to my carelessness, news about our relationship has spread. If we really want to handle it, posting online is indeed the simplest and most effective way. However, in terms of our respective interests at the moment, this approach is not the best for either of us.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand what he meant.


    For Gu Zhongyi, the consequence was at most a few negative comments behind his back. And those people didn¡¯t dare to say it to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s life was actually not affected at all.


    That¡¯s why he could openly talk about interest at that moment.


    For his own sake, Lin Yuxing could only be straightforward, ¡°Senior, don¡¯t worry about my interest and what I could gain. To be honest, I¡¯m really poor. I need money to survive. I even have to take out loans for my tuition, and I have to earn my own living expenses. I also have to give my family subsidies every month. Now, because of this, I¡¯ve lost all my previous delivery customers. If we continue to ignore it, by the time the hype dies down, I will have starved to death.¡±


    He and Gu Zhongyi were different in every aspect.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Listen to me first¨C¡°


    Interrupting Gu Zhongyi¡¯s calm attitude, Lin Yuxing, who had been busy and tired all day, couldn¡¯t help but say angrily, ¡°You don¡¯t have any losses, so why talk about your interests? In the end, it¡¯s only me who¡¯s unlucky.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t expect Lin Yuxing to be so angry with him.


    Aside from anything else, Gu Zhongyi was very surprised. He saw the furrowed brow on Lin Yuxing¡¯s face and felt a long-lost feeling in his heart. He leaned against the seat, silently curling his lips.


    Unfortunately, Lin Yuxing caught that scene.


    Lin Yuxing was astonished and felt a surge of anger, ¡°Are you¡­ enjoying this?¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Gu Zhongyi quickly apologized and returned to the topic. ¡°Pretending to be in a relationship is currently the best compromise I can think of. Would you like to hear the specifics of how it could benefit the both of us?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Just tell me quickly!¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his eyes, showing an expression of ¡°What other option do I have? I might as well just listen first.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had witnessed Lin Yuxing¡¯s temper and felt pleasantly surprised. He no longer wasted time and said, ¡°I heard that you have been pursued by Xu Xiangchi from the School of Arts. As far as I know, he likes to make bets with people, so pursuing you may not necessarily mean he likes you. The more you reject him, the more he will rise to the challenge and be difficult to shake off.¡±


    Lin Yuxing murmured in his heart that the gossip in that school spread too quickly.


    Seeing that Lin Yuxing agreed tacitly, Gu Zhongyi continued, ¡°I have also faced many similar troubles. However, since this misunderstanding started, these troubles have lessened.¡±


    Lin Yuxing bent down to pick up the fallen milk tea and understood, ¡°You want me to be your shield?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a mutual shield.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi told Lin Yuxing not to rush to reject him, ¡°During the pretend relationship, I won¡¯t have excessive physical contact with you or take up too much of your time to disrupt your life. You can continue to deliver orders as usual or find a part-time job, and I won¡¯t interfere with that.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I need a nominal romantic partner to deal with the constant pursuers and the blind dates arranged by my father.¡±


    Those words sounded like a fairy tale, but since they were happening to Gu Zhongyi, there was nothing unrealistic about them.


    Gu Zhongyi tactfully dangled the bait, ¡°If you¡¯re still worried, you can tell me all your concerns, and I will abide by all your rules.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t seem very interested.


    He had full confidence in dealing with Xu Xiangchi himself. It would just take some time. Besides, he wasn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi, so he didn¡¯t have so many romantic entanglements to deal with.


    Gu Zhongyi knew that well, so he brought out his trump card, ¡°I will pay you a monthly salary, just like when you sell your time for deliveries. I¡¯ll buy your time.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi leaned in closer, ¡°The kind that can be prepaid.¡±


    Upon hearing the words ¡°monthly salary¡± and ¡°prepaid,¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s dark eyes instantly lit up. Without hesitation, he honestly asked, ¡°How much money?!¡±


    However, after receiving the answer, Lin Yuxing turned and left without looking back.


    The next morning, Lin Yuxing woke up from a nightmare.


    He got out of bed looking worn-out, splashed cold water on his face, his throat felt as dry as if it were on fire, and his head felt heavy.


    Lin Yuxing remembered that he had agreed with Zhou Jie to meet at 8 o¡¯clock that morning for some preparations. Checking the time, it was only half-past five.


    He slowly heated a kettle of water, mixed in some leftover cold water from the previous night, and drank it all in one gulp.


    When his throat felt better, he picked up a bag of baking scraps from the table, accompanied by half a cup of water, and swallowed it down.


    After having some food in his stomach, Lin Yuxing went through a drawer and found a packet of cold remedy, slowly drinking it down.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Lin Yuxing sneezed, regretting that he had spent so long blowing the cold wind on the balcony the previous night.


    But it was all because of Gu Zhongyi. If it weren¡¯t for his enticing offer that made Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart burn with desire, he wouldn¡¯t have been standing on the balcony, enduring the cold wind in the dead of winter, just to stay awake.


    Last night, Gu Zhongyi almost took his life with a single word.


    When Lin Yuxing was in dire need of money, Gu Zhongyi threw out a stunning figure: ¡°Three thousand.¡±


    Three thousand yuan, not as a one-time payment, but as a monthly salary paid on time.


    To others, three thousand yuan might not be much, but for the impoverished Lin Yuxing, it was undoubtedly a huge sum.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes widened, and his jaw almost dropped. Stuttering, he asked, ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± Just a few hundred yuan a month would have felt like a windfall to Lin Yuxing, as per Gu Zhongyi¡¯s request.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Zhongyi generously said, ¡°If you think it¡¯s too little, I can increase it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t just saying it for politeness; he genuinely felt it was too little. But he was afraid that giving too much would backfire and scare away Lin Yuxing. After all, with the constant promotion of anti-fraud content nowadays, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind was spinning like a spinning top. ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­ I-I think, according to your request, isn¡¯t it a bit too much?¡±


    ¡°Being in a ¡®relationship¡¯ with me is not easy. You¡¯ll have to endure the scrutiny of many people and hear some unpleasant words. Although I¡¯ll shield you from most of it, this price is justified. It¡¯s not a burden for me, so you don¡¯t have to feel pressured.¡±


    ¡°Ding Dong¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone timely received an anti-fraud text message.


    Lin Yuxing was in a state of confusion, torn between reason and desire. Faced with the close proximity of Gu Zhongyi and the faint scent of bitter orange in the car, all Lin Yuxing could think was: should I accept it or not?


    Then he had another thought: Wait a minute, things don¡¯t come that easily.


    Could it be that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mind had gone haywire?


    Lin Yuxing frowned, and as he pondered, he suddenly came up with an unattractive but plausible reason¡ªGu Zhongyi liked him.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing was lost in confusion.


    Could it be that Gu Zhongyi overheard his conversation with Lin Xiufeng on the phone, learned about his frustration with not receiving any delivery orders, and deliberately set up that scenario?


    Although that hypothesis seemed far-fetched even to Lin Yuxing himself, what if it was true¡­ then he would be the bad person who deceived someone who genuinely cared for him, while being fully aware of their intentions.


    Lin Yuxing was extremely conflicted in his heart, obsessing over the figure of three thousand yuan. Three thousand! Just by pretending to be in a relationship, he could effortlessly earn three thousand a month!


    Unfortunately, rich second-generation individuals weren¡¯t fools, and Gu Zhongyi was no fool.


    At that moment, Lin Yuxing wished he were a fool.


    Slowly, as Lin Yuxing thought more and more, it became increasingly clear and insightful.


    If he agreed to pretend to be in a relationship with Gu Zhongyi just for the money, Gu Zhongyi would be pitiable. Lin Yuxing knew very well that his attraction to Gu Zhongyi was mostly from a distance, an admiration that didn¡¯t suddenly turn into love.


    Once the delivery orders were gone, they were gone. After the storm had passed, he could slowly start anew.


    But romantic entanglements were something he couldn¡¯t afford.


    Especially with someone like Gu Zhongyi, a wealthy young master¡ªhe couldn¡¯t afford to mess with him.


    Lin Yuxing was convinced that this mistake couldn¡¯t continue, and he needed to make a decisive move.


    So, in front of Gu Zhongyi, he fiercely slapped himself, waking himself up from the greed for three thousand yuan.


    Gu Zhongyi was startled by his sudden action and grabbed his wrist, raising his voice, ¡°Lin Yuxing!¡±


    Lin Yuxing decisively pulled his hand away, hardened his heart, and endured the pain as he firmly refused, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi spoke up.


    Lin Yuxing interrupted him, ¡°Let¡¯s try not to have any further contact in the future. I hope you can clarify the online situation. Nobody believes me when I say it, but if you explain it, it will be more convincing. Thank you!¡±


    After speaking, he immediately got off the car, not giving Gu Zhongyi a chance to persuade him.


    With that in mind, Lin Yuxing rubbed his temples with a headache. His throat felt much better after taking the medicine, which made him feel drowsy again, so he lay down on the bed and fell asleep.


    Perhaps due to the unusually exhausting recent days, Lin Yuxing, who rarely dreamed, had a brief nightmare.


    In his hazy consciousness, it was a cold winter morning.


    Lin Yuxing remembered the sky being gray and layers of dark gravel falling in the dream.


    His mouth seemed filled with cotton, preventing him from speaking. He looked up but couldn¡¯t see his father¡¯s face clearly. In fact, he no longer remembered what his father looked like.


    All he remembered was that they had traveled for two days, taking a train, squeezing onto a bus, and enduring a bumpy ride on a tricycle just to reach a certain remote place.


    Five-year-old Lin Yuxing cowered in fear, thin as a chicken.


    The liveliness had faded from his father¡¯s eyes, replaced by numbness as he stared ahead. He slowly grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s arm, causing him pain, and said, ¡°You¡¯ll say that both Mom and Dad are gone and that you can¡¯t remember your way home, okay?¡±


    The cotton in Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth began to absorb water and settle, dissolving into powder. He tightly held onto his father¡¯s hand, refusing to let go.


    His father shook him off and said something. Tears streamed down Lin Yuxing¡¯s face, but he made no sound, as if he were mute.


    After a hurried scolding, his father walked away with heavy steps, without looking back, not even leaving them a decent warm coat.


    Lin Yuxing silently shed tears.


    Beside him, another child tightly held his hand, not shedding a single tear. ¡°Why is he crying? He doesn¡¯t want us, so we don¡¯t want him either!¡±


    With teary eyes, Lin Yuxing looked at him, and in this way, the two of them waited at the entrance of the welfare institution until daybreak, trembling from the cold. Lin Yuxing held onto the other person tightly, afraid that his only family would also leave him.


    But in the dream, the other person still pushed him away and ran into the endless white snow, completely disappearing.


    Lin Yuxing struggled in a voiceless world.


    The scene shifted, and he was now ten years old.


    Lin Yuxing stared fixedly at the woman in front of him, claiming to be his aunt, her expression devoid of emotions.


    The staff brought him to Lin Xiufeng and completed the necessary procedures. ¡°The two children came together originally. One was adopted two years ago, and only he was left. This one has some issues with his back, and medical resources here are limited, but we did our best.¡± Then, she smiled at Lin Yuxing. ¡°Here, little star, this is your real aunt. She has come to take you home.¡±


    ¡°You have a family.¡±


    In the dream, Lin Yuxing finally spoke his first audible words, ¡°Family?¡±

 CH 10

    Lin Yuxing woke up, having not slept well. He was drenched in cold sweat, anxiously wiping off the tiny beads of sweat from his forehead. He closed his eyes tightly, unwilling to recall any childhood memories.


    Beside him, Su Li¡¯s voice came through, ¡°You¡¯re awake? Why didn¡¯t you cover yourself with a blanket while sleeping? And why are you all sweaty? Are you okay?¡±


    Lin Yuxing replied confused, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ What time is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little past eight. I made plans to play games with someone this morning,¡± Su Li complained, stretching lazily. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m so sleepy. No early classes, but I still have to wake up early.¡±


    Lin Yuxing paid no attention to Su Li¡¯s complaints. He quickly got up, tidied himself up a bit, and rushed out of the dormitory door, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be late for work!¡±


    ¡°You found a job?¡± Su Li shouted, asking.


    Lin Yuxing was already long gone.


    Su Li scratched his nose, regretting that he had even asked his parents for an advance on his monthly allowance to help Lin Yuxing during this period. He thought that Lin Yuxing probably didn¡¯t need it anymore. Feeling itchy to spend some money, he bought a set of appearance enhancements  on the game interface and gifted it to a friend on his friend list.


    Su Li¡¯s game ID was ¡°Doujiang ZhandouTiao¡± (Soy Milk Dipped in Fried Dough Sticks).


    Doujiang ZhandouTiao sent a private message: [Pro, let¡¯s continue playing together today. Muah muah muah (kissing emoji)]


    The reply came quickly from the other side: [Stop fooling around.]


    Su Li smiled brightly.


    On the other side, relying on his strong physical strength, Lin Yuxing arrived at the bakery at half-past eight.


    Zhou Jie was busy baking.


    Lin Yuxing had a pale complexion and kept apologizing.


    Seeing that he didn¡¯t look well, Zhou Jie just told him not to be late next time and left it at that.


    Lin Yuxing nodded, tied on an apron, put on a mask and gloves, and started working. His movements were skilled, as if he had worked at a bakery before.


    Seeing Zhou Jie¡¯s curiosity, Lin Yuxing took the initiative to say, ¡°During the summer vacation of my senior year in high school, I worked at a bakery in town for over two months. I did everything there, from morning till night.¡±


    It was also during that time that, under Lin Xiufeng¡¯s suggestion, he managed to save up a sum of money and handed it over to his uncle. He promised to send money back every month and not be a ¡°leech.¡± At his uncle¡¯s request, he even wrote a promissory note and IOU, in exchange for the opportunity to study without being disturbed by the ¡°family.¡±


    At first, Lin Yuxing¡¯s tuition fee was the biggest problem.


    Fortunately, with the help of his neighbor, he applied for a student loan and successfully entered C University.


    To others, the path to a university was a necessary journey, but for him, it felt like an unattainable dream.


    He cherished that dream and had no intention of wasting it.


    Lin Yuxing earnestly focused on his work, but his head still felt heavy. He took a deep breath, thinking it was probably because he caught a cold from being on the balcony the previous night.


    He knew he was sick, but on his first day of work, he didn¡¯t want to give up halfway. He thought he could endure a little longer before taking a break. Unfortunately, his vision went black, and Lin Yuxing collapsed.


    When he woke up again, only a minute had passed.


    He caught a faint scent of bitter orange.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing! Lin Yuxing¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuxing heard a piercing ringing in his ears, and the voices of Zhou Jie and Gu Zhongyi merged together, becoming rhythmic drumming that struck his consciousness.


    Soon, Lin Yuxing felt himself being lifted up. He slowly opened his eyes and called out the person¡¯s name before him, ¡°Gu Zhongyi¡­¡±


    He was still dazed, not even addressing him as ¡°senior,¡± just calling him by his name.


    Worried that the cold wind would blow on him, Gu Zhongyi quickly walked to his car and placed Lin Yuxing in the back seat. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the campus hospital. You have a slight fever,¡± he said quickly, frowning with concern.


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback and weakly closed his eyes.


    Thanks to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s help, the fever wasn¡¯t too extreme, and he just needed to take medication for a few days. Combined with his recent worries and lack of rest, it was why he fainted.


    After prescribing medicine for Lin Yuxing, the campus doctor advised him to rest in bed for a while before leaving.


    As soon as Lin Yuxing¡¯s head touched the pillow, he fell asleep instantly.


    Gu Zhongyi, who returned after paying for the medicine, saw that scene and had no complaints. He pulled up a chair and sat by the bedside, reaching out to touch Lin Yuxing¡¯s slightly damp forehead.


    The campus doctor recognized Gu Zhongyi and joked, ¡°What, another pursuer of yours? Why do I feel like this situation is a bit different?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied calmly, ¡°This time, I was the one who got rejected.¡±


    The campus doctor couldn¡¯t believe it and was stunned for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Is it true? I thought you¡­ I didn¡¯t expect you to have such worldly desires, Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi gestured for him to lower his voice. He didn¡¯t expect to receive a lecture from a campus doctor. Out of kindness, the doctor gently reminded him, ¡°He¡¯s too thin, he looks a bit malnourished. Many students are excessively dieting these days. Since you like him, talk to him about it. Being too thin is unhealthy. Try to make sure he eats nutritious food more, okay?¡±


    Considering Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t even afford a proper meal, how could he not be thin?


    Gu Zhongyi stayed by his side, holding his hand tightly, wishing to warm every inch of his palm with his body heat.


    It was only when Lin Yuxing began to wake up that Gu Zhongyi released his hand.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s fever had subsided, and he had slept soundly. When he saw Gu Zhongyi, his mind raced: but was too weak to complain.


    Gu Zhongyi was the first to speak, ¡°Do you want some water?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°At the campus hospital.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi glanced at the time, ¡°It¡¯s already noon. Shall we have lunch together¡­¡± he paused and asked, ¡°what do you want to eat? I can go buy it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Lin Yuxing thanked him hoarsely, ¡°Senior, thank you for bringing me here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    He looked at Gu Zhongyi and asked, ¡°How did you end up at the bakery?¡±


    ¡°Coincidence, do you believe me?¡± Gu Zhongyi was still able to joke.


    Lin Yuxing shook his head again.


    After a moment of silence, Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Are you really not considering what i proposed yesterday?¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t answer.


    His mind was filled with thoughts of ¡°Gu Zhongyi likes him,¡± and he felt somewhat unworthy of that love. He just couldn¡¯t understand how someone as outstanding as Gu Zhongyi noticed him.


    Unable to hold back, Lin Yuxing asked in his state of confusion, ¡°Senior, are you¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gu Zhongyi interrupted.


    Regret and guilt were written all over Lin Yuxing¡¯s face, making it heart-wrenching. He spoke softer and softer, until his last word was only a whisper, ¡°¡­Do you¡­ like me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was an intelligent person, and he instantly realized that his actions were too obvious, needlessly adding to Lin Yuxing¡¯s troubles.


    So, Gu Zhongyi immediately denied, ¡°No.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s small hand clenched, feeling a bit at a loss.


    Gu Zhongyi maintained a calm and logical attitude, saying, ¡°Actually, during the meal together that day, I intended to tell you about the idea of pretending to date and ask for your opinion. However, you clarified the misunderstanding first, and I didn¡¯t know how to bring it up. If my behavior and attitude that day led to your misunderstanding, I apologize. It wasn¡¯t my intention.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was stunned, ¡°So¡­ so you don¡¯t have feelings for me¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Seeing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s blank expression, Lin Yuxing was completely convinced that he was telling the truth.


    Now, Lin Yuxing wished he could find a hole to hide in. He actually misunderstood Gu Zhongyi¡¯s intentions, the school¡¯s heartthrob, liking him! Damn, what a massive misunderstanding! It was even more outrageous than the posts on the forums wishing them a hundred years of happiness!


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°So, did you reject my request because of this¡­ misunderstanding?¡±


    As soon as those words were spoken, Lin Yuxing was finally stirred up.


    It was the same for him. He did think that Gu Zhongyi was outstanding and attractive, but being attracted to someone didn¡¯t actually mean liking them, and liking someone didn¡¯t mean it had to be spoken out loud.


    Lin Yuxing knew that under Xu Xiangchi¡¯s pursuit, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s proposal was the best shield. He came to C University to survive, not to date, let alone get entangled with anyone.


    Lin Yuxing also believed that he didn¡¯t need love. Just being alive was already more tiring for him than his peers, and with all his flaws, he simply wasn¡¯t qualified for love.


    And what Gu Zhongyi said was indeed the most convenient solution for the two of them. Moreover, there was also a reward involved, which really made him tempted.


    Opportunities don¡¯t come twice!


    Gu Zhongyi was a person who seized opportunities better than Lin Yuxing. He saw the change in Lin Yuxing¡¯s face and deliberately said, ¡°The pursuers around me have always been troubling me. Even if I don¡¯t find you, I will find someone else to play this role. But personally, I think you are the most suitable candidate, so can you think about it again?¡±


    The defensive walls in Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart gradually crumbled, and his expression relaxed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m suitable?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re very suitable.¡± After affirming, Gu Zhongyi spoke with a touch of regret, ¡°But if you really don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll handle this matter and won¡¯t disturb your life anymore.¡±


    After speaking, he stood up, pretending to leave.


    One second, two seconds.


    The third second¡ªsure enough.


    Lin Yuxing changed his usual demeanor, completely different from his previously weak appearance. He tightly grabbed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s wrist, afraid that Gu Zhongyi would leave.


    Stars shone in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes. ¡°Senior, I think I can do it! I don¡¯t need to think about it anymore!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyebrows couldn¡¯t help but twitch, concealing his joy.


    Lin Yuxing said loudly, ¡°Then today is our first day of dating!¡± Immediately after, he quickly added, ¡°Senior, can I, can I get an advance on my salary?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi readily agreed, ¡°Of course you can.¡±


    Ding Dong¡ª


    In just a few minutes.


    [¡¾CC Bank¡¿Your account 8967 received a deposit of 3,000 yuan on December 26th at 11:05.]


    There were a total of 20 words, shining brightly.

 CH 11

    Lin Yuxing stared motionless at his phone, excitedly saying to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Senior, I received it!¡±


    ¡°They really paid, I received the money!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was overjoyed. The first thing he did after receiving the money was to transfer the monthly 1,500 yuan he owed his family.


    The heavy burden in Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart finally lifted, and he no longer had to worry about how to raise money.


    He wouldn¡¯t spend the remaining money recklessly either. He wasn¡¯t sure how long Gu Zhongyi would hire him. He planned to save the money for now, and if everything went well, he could use it to repay his student loan later.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing in a good mood, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips curved upward.


    For Gu Zhongyi, 3,000 yuan a month was just a small amount of money that could be easily obtained. But when he saw Lin Yuxing¡¯s smile, he felt that this money had tremendous value.


    Of course, Gu Zhongyi had no intention of letting Lin Yuxing receive a salary without working.


    He spoke confidently, ¡°Can we go eat now?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Lin Yuxing readily agreed, ¡°Now that I have a job and salary, I¡¯ll work hard. If you have any instructions, just tell me. Even if you want to eat supper in the middle of the night, I¡¯ll go out and buy it for you!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was amused by his words and reassured him, ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t eat supper.¡±


    Lin Yuxing then pointed at his phone, ¡°We haven¡¯t become friends yet, right?¡±


    Now that Gu Zhongyi was his boss, he needed to add him as a friend and prioritize their chat box.


    While entering Gu Zhongyi¡¯s account number in the search bar, Lin Yuxing tactfully reminded, ¡°You mentioned before that there were certain restrictions during our fake dating period, right? Now that I¡¯m working, I need to clarify the rules.¡±


    He didn¡¯t distrust Gu Zhongyi, but with a large sum of money involved, he still needed to be cautious.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Senior, there¡¯s one more thing. I just found a job at a bakery, so it wouldn¡¯t be good to quit right away¡­¡± Lin Yuxing negotiated, ¡°I¡¯ll need to go there for about two hours every day. Is that okay with you?¡±


    He was afraid that his part-time job hours would clash with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s schedule.


    Gu Zhongyi assured, ¡°This is your life, and according to our agreement, I won¡¯t interfere. You can coordinate with me at your own pace. Although it¡¯s a fake relationship, we can imitate a real relationship by respecting each other¡¯s space and time.¡±


    At the same time, to reassure Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I will draft a contract that outlines all the important points. It will be beneficial for the both of us.¡±


    Lin Yuxing agreed, ¡°Thank you for that.¡±


    After becoming friends, Gu Zhongyi glanced at the sun hanging high outside. He was concerned that the cafeteria would be too crowded and make Lin Yuxing, who hadn¡¯t fully recovered, uncomfortable, so he suggested, ¡°How about we don¡¯t eat at the cafeteria today? Shall we go out?¡±


    Lin Yuxing hesitated, ¡°I have a full schedule this afternoon, so I can¡¯t go too far.¡±


    ¡°You need to rest in the afternoon.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi knew that Lin Yuxing wanted to compete for the scholarship at C University, which was extremely difficult.


    Gu Zhongyi hoped that Lin Yuxing would prioritize his health.


    Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t deny the importance of the scholarship to Lin Yuxing, nor would he say something condescending like, ¡°You already have a monthly salary of three thousand, so you don¡¯t need a scholarship anymore.¡±


    He simply told Lin Yuxing, ¡°Taking a sick leave once won¡¯t affect anything. You need to recover fully to do things better. I¡¯ll ask the school doctor to issue a sick leave certificate for you. It¡¯s still not too late to take the leave now.¡±


    Persuaded by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gentle words, the usually stubborn Lin Yuxing reluctantly accepted the suggestion for the first time.


    He immediately sent an email to the teacher, with a sick leave certificate attached from the school hospital.


    As Gu Zhongyi had said, there was still time.


    The teacher replied to the email half an hour later, approving Lin Yuxing¡¯s leave application.


    At that moment, Lin Yuxing, who had received the leave approval, was sitting in a private room of a tastefully decorated classical restaurant.


    The private room was semi-transparent, with crimson curtain walls and glass, intricately engraved with a painting of garden roses.


    Lin Yuxing had never eaten in such an upscale restaurant before. He sat up straight and received the menu handed to him by the waiter. He carefully opened it and found that there were no prices written on the menu.


    Lin Yuxing looked at Gu Zhongyi in confusion and dared not order easily. He and Gu Zhongyi were pretending to be in a relationship, and strictly speaking, they should split the bill.


    Lin Yuxing was worried about the cost and flipped through the menu for a long time without deciding what to eat.


    Taking advantage of the waiter¡¯s absence, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°This restaurant is under my name. You can order whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Under your name?¡± Lin Yuxing almost bit his own tongue.


    ¡°It was a birthday gift from my grandfather.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt like he was overreacting. It wasn¡¯t strange for someone like Gu Zhongyi to own a restaurant.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s your restaurant, there should still be fees displayed,¡± Lin Yuxing thought that using his advance salary to pay his meal was already considerate enough, and he couldn¡¯t take advantage of others.


    But Gu Zhongyi made him look outside the glass window.


    From there, they could see several semi-transparent private rooms extending in different directions. The restaurant¡¯s architectural design was odd and a rare sight for Lin Yuxing.


    He stood up, looking around in astonishment.


    Many people around them cast their gazes, and some even stood up and slightly bowed to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi nodded politely and turned back to Lin Yuxing, saying, ¡°Many business associates of the Gu family always come here to dine. As I told you, I need a nominal romantic partner to fend off unnecessary blind dates and excessive attention.¡±


    At that point, Gu Zhongyi raised his hand.


    The waiter outside the private room understood and pressed a button. Instantly, a thin layer of translucent gauze fell inside the glass, covering the space they were in.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing, from now on, I hope you can accept my kindness without any conditions or burdens.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression was serious as he said naturally, ¡°Because it¡¯s your job.¡±


    Twenty minutes later.


    The dishes ordered by Gu Zhongyi were served one by one, and Lin Yuxing began his work journey that day.


    In the spirit of not wasting, Gu Zhongyi ordered the dishes with consideration and only ordered portions for two people.


    Faced with the fragrant dishes, Lin Yuxing hesitated to start eating with his chopsticks. On his first day at work, he still had some reservations.


    He saw a large bowl of rice porridge on the table and wanted to start with something affordable. Unexpectedly, when he took a spoonful, the rice porridge was filled with thinly sliced abalone, sea cucumber, and a few translucent golden chrysanthemum petals.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes were opened wide. He no longer believed that there would be plain rice porridge in the world of rich people.


    He sheepishly put down the spoon.


    The waiter saw this and proactively scooped a bowl for him and placed it on the tray in front of him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Yuxing quickly said.


    The waiter smiled slightly and made a gesture of invitation.


    Lin Yuxing no longer hesitated. He scooped up a spoonful of porridge and tasted an explosion of flavors on his taste buds. The deliciousness was so overwhelming that Lin Yuxing wished he could chew it slowly, refining it into an elixir in his mouth.


    Of course, this description was exaggerated, and Lin Yuxing¡¯s expression was also a bit exaggerated.


    Seeing this, the waiter approached with concern, ¡°Sir, would you like some mouthwash tea?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand.


    Gu Zhongyi also misunderstood, ¡°Bring him some tea.¡±


    The waiter quickly brought a cup of tea, along with an empty cup. Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand, so the waiter explained carefully, ¡°If you don¡¯t like the dish, you can use jasmine tea as mouthwash and spit it out into this empty cup.¡±


    ¡°No need!¡± Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t dislike it. He blushed and explained, ¡°This porridge is too delicious. I don¡¯t need mouthwash.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t relieve his embarrassment at this moment for being inexperienced, but fortunately, Gu Zhongyi helped him out, and the waiter left the private room.


    Now there were only two people left in the room. Lin Yuxing apologized, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect porridge to be so delicious¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi comforted him, ¡°When I first had it, my expression was even more exaggerated than yours.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t quite believe it, ¡°Did I embarrass you?¡±


    On his first day of work, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to make any mistakes.


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Zhongyi picked up a piece of braised pork with osmanthus flavor for Lin Yuxing, ¡°These are the signature dishes of the restaurant. Try them while they¡¯re hot.¡±


    The braised pork was red and aromatic, garnished with a few strands of osmanthus flowers preserved from autumn. Lin Yuxing was afraid that it would get cold in the dish and ruin the delicacy. Without hesitation, he thanked Gu Zhongyi and picked up a piece, savoring it in his mouth.


    In an instant, the mouthful of meat juices flowed, rich but not greasy. The braised pork melted in his mouth, and the lingering fragrance of osmanthus added a pleasant aftertaste, completely opening Lin Yuxing¡¯s appetite.


    Moreover, Lin Yuxing had a big appetite to begin with. That day, with a bunch of worries off his mind, his hunger became even more urgent.


    Before long, the table was significantly emptied.


    Especially the bowl of porridge, Lin Yuxing felt like he could continue eating. If his stomach hadn¡¯t been so full, he would have wanted another bowl.


    Seeing this, Gu Zhongyi instructed the waiter to pack a bowl of abalone and shredded chicken congee for Lin Yuxing to take away.


    Lin Yuxing wanted to decline.


    But Gu Zhongyi was more assertive this time and not as easy to negotiate with, ¡°This is part of your job.¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately took the takeaway bag from the waiter and professionally accepted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gesture, ¡°Okay, senior.¡±


    On the way back, Lin Yu Xing, feeling full and satisfied, sat in the passenger seat next to Gu Zhongyi, offering suggestions and being proactive. ¡°Senior, take this route, it has more people. Senior, should I roll down the car window?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Thoughtfully, Lin Yu Xing said, ¡°Just so that everyone can see that I¡¯m sitting in your passenger seat, that we¡¯re in a relationship.¡±


    On his first day at work, Lin Yu Xing was enthusiastic and performed well.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t expect Lin Yu Xing to be so talkative, it was somewhat unexpected, but the phrase ¡°we¡¯re in a relationship¡± didn¡¯t sound bad to him.


    He said, ¡°It¡¯s too windy, it will be cold. Next time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Oh, alright.¡±


    Lin Yu Xing obediently sat down and smiled, ¡°Then next time.¡±


    After returning to the dormitory, Lin Yu Xing received the first message from Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi: [Remember to take your medicine and rest well.]


    Lin Yu Xing: [Senior, may I ask how much I owe you for the medicine? I¡¯ll transfer it to you. I¡¯m really grateful to you today.]


    Lin Yu Xing was afraid that Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t want to take the money, so he was about to say something, but Gu Zhongyi sent a payment record. Now Lin Yu Xing was completely reassured. Work was work, life was life, and being able to distinguish between the two was important.


    He transferred the money, took the medicine, and soon felt drowsy. He comfortably fell into a sweet nap on his bed.


    When he woke up, it was already evening.


    Rubbing his eyes and getting up, Lin Yu Xing was almost startled by Su Li.


    Su Li, with a stern face at the opposite desk, ¡°Tell me honestly, what¡¯s going on? How dare you skip class in the afternoon, not replying to my messages, not answering my calls, and just sleeping in the dormitory?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing raised his hand, looking aggrieved, ¡°I had a fever!¡±


    ¡°F*ck, my precious little baby!¡± Su Li¡¯s expression instantly changed, and he approached to gently touch Lin Yu Xing¡¯s forehead. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡±


    ¡°Much better. I also brought you something delicious. I¡¯ll go heat it up for you.¡± Lin Yu Xing grabbed the takeout box and headed to the common area, heated it in the microwave for three minutes, and then proudly brought it back to the dormitory.


    Su Li looked at a bowl of yellowish porridge and sighed, thinking, ¡°It seems that Lin Yu Xing is really having a hard time. After finishing this bowl of porridge, I¡¯ll lend him money to get through this difficult period!¡±


    But when Su Li took a spoonful, it was filled with abalone and sea cucumber.


    You could call this thing porridge, but the rice inside might just be a garnish¡­


    A gust of wind swept through Su Li¡¯s heart. Could Lin Yu Xing have gone to rob a bank?


    Seeing Su Li¡¯s serious expression, Lin Yu Xing sat properly and said, ¡°Su Li, there¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Did you rob a bank?¡±


    ¡°It might be even more unimaginable than me robbing a bank.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, I can handle it.¡± Su Li scooped up a spoonful of porridge and brightened up as he tasted it. He exclaimed, ¡°Lin Yu Xing! This is so delicious! Where did you buy it? I¡¯ll go buy some tomorrow!¡±


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi gave it to me.¡±


    Su Li almost dropped the bowl, but luckily he didn¡¯t.


    Lin Yu Xing reached out and helped Su Li steady the bowl, then hesitated and said, ¡°I just told him that you¡¯re my only friend at school, and I don¡¯t want to hide anything from you.¡± Seeing Su Li¡¯s confused expression, Lin Yu Xing touched his nose and continued, ¡°So, he said it¡¯s okay to tell you, but you must keep it a secret.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Su Li held a bowl full of abalone porridge and had a bad feeling. His hands were trembling.


    Lin Yu Xing took a deep breath and confessed, ¡°I¡¯m dating Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Su Li¡¯s mind went blank.


    Lin Yu Xing, not thinking it was a big deal, added, ¡°But it¡¯s not a real relationship. He gives me money, three thousand a month¡­¡±


    There was silence in the dormitory for half a minute.


    Then Su Li, cautiously putting down the precious bowl of abalone porridge, grabbed Lin Yu Xing by the collar and angrily shouted, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you borrow money from me if you¡¯re broke?! Return the money and the porridge to him immediately!¡±


    Su Li was filled with anger, slamming the table in frustration.


    ¡°I knew these rich second-generation Alphas were no good! Heartless beasts! Wolves in sheep¡¯s clothing!¡±

 CH 12

    According to facts it is proven that when speaking, one should avoid taking big breaths or unnecessarily pausing, as it can easily lead to misunderstandings.


    Su Li¡¯s misunderstanding was entirely caused by Lin YuXing¡¯s single ¡°word,¡± and Lin YuXing had to bear the bitter consequences himself. In order to prevent Su Li from picking up the phone to call Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cousin, Gu Nuan, Lin YuXing hugged him tightly and forcefully took away his phone.


    After a great effort to clarify the situation, both of them were breathing heavily.


    Su Li was a flexible person. He sat down and took a sip of the abalone porridge, immediately soothing his wounded heart.


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked.


    Lin YuXing sat down and took a sip of water. ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    Su Li picked up the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll order some barbecue takeout and two cups of milk tea to celebrate.¡±


    ¡°Celebrate?¡± Lin YuXing questioned.


    Su Li heartlessly drank the abalone porridge given by Gu Zhongyi and replied, ¡°The first time I¡¯ve seen such a gullible person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He still couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°Gu Zhongyi¡¯s requirements were quite simple. I could believe it if he offered you a few hundred yuan per month. But suddenly giving you three thousand, even if he¡¯s rich, isn¡¯t that a loss-making business? Could it be that he¡¯s saying something nice now but will later increase his demands?¡±


    ¡°He said he will draft a contract that includes what we should and shouldn¡¯t do,¡± Lin YuXing held a trusting attitude. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t want to date anyone in college, and Xu Xiangchi is annoyingly pursuing me. I can¡¯t shake him off¡­¡±


    Most importantly, Lin YuXing said, ¡°I¡¯m also a bit short on money recently, and if the additional tasks he suggests are something I can handle, I don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    Where there is demand, there is a market. Gu Zhongyi needed someone¡¯s time, and Lin YuXing sold his time.


    Su Li listened and had nothing to say.


    After a while, Su Li pondered and muttered, ¡°Why did Gu Zhongyi insist on finding you instead of someone else to pretend? Could it be that he wanted to take advantage of you?¡±


    ¡°Take advantage of me?¡± Lin YuXing repeated.


    Su Li explained the reasoning behind it, ¡°With his conditions, if he finds someone to pretend to be his lover, it might backfire if the other person actually develops genuine feelings. But you are different. As long as the money is placed in front of you, you will definitely keep your promise and keep it professional. Moreover, you are from the same university, in the same major, and your personal information is clear.¡±


    Su Li explained convincingly and couldn¡¯t help but sigh a few times about Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cunning plan. He firmly said, ¡°After you delivered those flowers, he must have investigated you.¡±


    Indeed, Gu Zhongyi knew from the beginning that Lin YuXing was an extremely suitable candidate.


    A poor family, a persevering character, a desperate need for money, and a decent appearance. Those four factors combined made Lin YuXing an exceptionally simple target, whether it¡¯s for cooperation or dissolution in matters of emotions.


    For Lin YuXing, he was actually more afraid of Gu Zhongyi later asking for a refund more than getting involved in a romantic relationship.


    With this in mind, everything seemed to make sense.


    Lin YuXing murmured to himself, ¡°No wonder¡­ he said I¡¯m suitable.¡±


    Lin YuXing himself also felt that he was indeed suitable.


    The celebration in the evening didn¡¯t go smoothly. Barbecue and milk tea were still luxuries that Lin YuXing didn¡¯t dare to enjoy.


    He refused Su Li¡¯s invitation to treat him, saying, ¡°When I receive my salary from the bakery, I¡¯ll treat you to barbecue and milk tea. We can stay up late like normal college students.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve stayed up late countless times,¡± Su Li lay on the bed, holding his phone and playing games. From time to time, he would use voice chat to communicate, mostly saying, ¡°Liang Xie, behind you, watch out!¡±


    After finishing a game, Su Li asked, ¡°Why wait for the bakery to pay your salary? Didn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi already advance it for you?¡±


    ¡°He did, but today is my first day on the job, and it doesn¡¯t feel real yet.¡±


    Lin YuXing enjoyed the generous salary given by Gu Zhongyi. Although he knew it was payment for work, he still felt a bit guilty.


    Lin YuXing said with unease, ¡°I don¡¯t plan to spend the money recklessly. Apart from necessary expenses, I¡¯ll save the rest. In case he asks me to return the money for some reason¡­ I¡¯ll return an appropriate portion, not the whole amount.¡±


    Su Li thought Lin YuXing was too rigid, but he didn¡¯t refute his thoughts. It¡¯s always good to leave oneself an exit. Su Li was a nagging person, asking about Gu Zhongyi here and there, making Lin YuXing a little tired.


    To change the topic, Lin YuXing brought up the matter of Su Li playing games. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, is this Liang Xie a guy or a girl? Alpha or Omega?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a guy, an Alpha.¡± Su Li started a new game, his fingers swiftly tapping on the screen. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? We¡¯re in a relationship in the game, and we¡¯re currently in the sweet phase.¡±


    Su Li described the relationship in an extremely romantic way, but in reality, it was commonly known as an online relationship.


    Lin YuXing was quite worried that Su Li might be deceived. After all, who knew what kind of person the other party was over the internet?


    Su Li knew what he was thinking. ¡°Liang Xie and I have known each other in the game for several years. If he wanted to deceive me, he would have done it long ago.¡±


    ¡°Su Li, you still have to be careful in the online world.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liang Xie is even more cautious than me.¡± Su Li said with a hint of annoyance, devoid of the sweetness, ¡°We¡¯re in a relationship now, but he still refuses to meet me. We¡¯re both in the same city. Is it that hard to find time to meet?¡±


    Lin YuXing¡¯s focus from start to finish was, ¡°Be careful not to be scammed of your money.¡±


    Su Li pouted and nervously said, ¡°He¡¯s quite active in sending gifts. I don¡¯t even know how much money he has spent on me. I can¡¯t tell who¡¯s deceiving whom between us.¡±


    Lin YuXing wanted to say something, but he received a message from Gu Zhongyi on his phone.


    Gu Zhongyi: [Do you have class tomorrow?]


    Lin YuXing: [Second class in the morning, first class in the afternoon.]


    He decided to send the marked schedule he had made for himself to Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuxing sincerely said: [Senior, my work hours are also noted on the schedule every day. You can assign my work according to the remaining time. If you think the work hours are not suitable, I can adjust them accordingly.]


    The word ¡°work¡± truly showcased Lin Yuxing¡¯s professional nature.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ID showed that he was typing, and Lin Yuxing waited and waited.


    Gu Zhongyi: [Okay, let me check.]


    Just when he thought Gu Zhongyi would take a long time to review the schedule, Gu Zhongyi only took a few seconds: [After your class tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll come to pick you up. Let¡¯s have a meal together and also confirm if any modifications are needed in the contract.]


    Lin Yuxing quickly replied: [Okay.]


    Seemingly too casual with the response, Lin Yuxing politely added: [Senior, understood. See you tomorrow.]


    As Gu Zhongyi looked at Lin Yuxing¡¯s well-behaved reply, he rubbed his chin.


    Although the conversation between himself and Lin Yuxing with the ID 789 was lively, Gu Zhongyi sighed helplessly. After discussing work matters, he took the opportunity to chat about personal matters.


    Gu Zhongyi: [Are you feeling better?]


    Lin Yuxing: [I¡¯m fine now.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [Take good rest.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Thank you.]


    Gu Zhongyi decided to end the conversation since it was their first day of interaction, and he didn¡¯t want to rush things.


    Unexpectedly, Lin Yuxing messaged again: [Senior, sorry to ask in advance, but will the monthly salary be specified in the contract? Is there a possibility of refunds?]


    Perhaps afraid that Gu Zhongyi would dislike his audacity, Lin Yuxing honestly replied: [I need to send money to my family every month, so if the contract specifies a full refund, I might not be able to sign it. I¡¯m really sorry, but I think it¡¯s better to mention it in advance.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [Understood. The contract doesn¡¯t involve refunding money, so you can rest assured.]


    Lin Yuxing expressed gratitude: [Thank you, senior!]


    Gu Zhongyi thought for a moment and sent: [But I hope you will work diligently.]


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s response became longer again: [That¡¯s a must! (An expression pack of a little hamster bravely facing obstacles.)]


    Amused by Lin Yuxing¡¯s adorable expression pack, Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He looked at the chat interface with Lin Yuxing, feeling like they were getting closer.


    However, Lin Yuxing had no idea that Gu Zhongyi had been waiting for this day, waiting for many years.


    Waiting until life¡¯s end and starting anew.


    Lin Yuxing knew nothing about all this, and Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t express it normally.


    With the night sky like a starry river draped in darkness, Gu Zhongyi put down his phone and stood silently by the French window, gazing at the flickering night view. How long had it been since he spent countless lonely nights alone?


    As time passed, the smile at the corner of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mouth gradually faded, returning to a calm state.


    He prepared to take a shower and rest early.


    Suddenly, his other phone received a message.


    It was a phone with only Lin Yuxing as a contact.


    Gu Zhongyi hurriedly went over, picked up the phone, and unlocked it with face recognition.


    A long message appeared on the screen, sent by Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing: [Hey, bro, I don¡¯t know how to say this to you. Anyway, your intuition was right, and your well wishes had foresight! Let me share some good news with you. I¡¯m actually dating Gu Zhongyi now, haha! I didn¡¯t expect it myself, it just happened suddenly! So, you know what to do, right?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly sent another message: [Post that blessing again. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal, a big feast at the South Campus canteen.]


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help it.


    Lin Yuxing, who didn¡¯t want to have a meal with him before, was now going all out to invite a stranger for a meal? Could this be what Lin Yuxing meant by working diligently¡­?


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but laugh, planning to tease Lin Yuxing.


    ID789: [I won¡¯t post it.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Why?]


    ID789: [you ask me to delete it, I delete it. Now you ask me to post it, I won¡¯t post it.]


    Holding the phone, Lin Yuxing clenched his fist and muttered, ¡°Quite a temper.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: [I¡¯ll run errands for you for a semester for free.]


    ID789: [That trick won¡¯t work anymore.]


    Lin Yuxing: [ How about this, name your price?]


    ID789: [I don¡¯t need money.]


    Lin Yuxing: [what do you need]


    Lin Yuxing: [You really don¡¯t need money.?..]


    Lin Yuxing: [I beg you on my knees! (Crying emoticon x3)]


    ID789: [That works.]


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t be bothered to take a shower anymore. He quickly logged into the forum and posted the congratulatory message, sharing it with Lin Yuxing and Yang Qing.


    Lin Yuxing imitated Su Li¡¯s way of flattering people in the online world: [Great master thank you, love you!]


    Lin Yuxing corrected himself: [Love in friendship, someone has already captured my heart.]


    Gu Zhongyi laughed uncontrollably. He hadn¡¯t been this happy in a long time.


    Without hesitation, he made a phone call to Yang Qing. ¡°Can you ask your friend to feature my post ?¡±


    Yang Qing¡¯s mouth twitched a couple of times. ¡°What kind of little romantic game are you playing by dating someone? It would be fine if you posted it yourself, but making Lin Yuxing run errands for you time and time again, even delivering things to the dorm manager? Let¡¯s not talk about anything else, let¡¯s just consider it supporting your junior. But buying me a razor was going too far!¡±


    Yang Qing was annoyed. Gu Zhongyi knew very well that as an Alpha male, he couldn¡¯t grow a beard.


    He had caused Yang Qing a lot of heartache because of this.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, why don¡¯t you show off your affection in a different way? Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m still a single dog!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had actually forgotten about that. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll pay more attention to your situation in the future.¡±


    Yang Qing hung up angrily.


    Five minutes later, Yang Qing sent a message: [It¡¯s featured! Our basketball team will have a gathering afterward, and you must be there, or I won¡¯t help you again!]


    Gu Zhongyi replied: [Okay, I¡¯ll treat everyone.]


    Yang Qing: [Damn,  you are really coming right?]


    He said it casually, something Gu Zhongyi never participated in before.


    Gu Zhongyi: [Yes, I¡¯ll even bring my family.]


    Yang Qing: [¡­ Pretend I didn¡¯t ask.]

 CH 13

    The next day at noon.


    Gu Zhongyi appeared on time outside the teaching building where Lin Yuxing had his class. According to Lin Yuxing¡¯s schedule, they didn¡¯t plan to go out for lunch and instead planned on grabbing a quick meal at the cafeteria in the north area.


    The rumors about Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s relationship had spread so fast, and confirmed by their actual actions.


    As they walked, many people glanced at them.


    Gu Zhongyi initially thought Lin Yuxing would feel uncomfortable, but to his surprise, the new Lin Yuxing had a thick skin equal to three city walls. He walked confidently by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s side, occasionally leading him through crowded areas, as if he wanted to shout to the world, ¡°We¡¯re dating!¡±


    His dedicated work attitude was admirable.


    In order not to appear too economical, when placing his order, Lin Yuxing specifically asked for a meat dish. The auntie serving at the cafeteria thought she misheard and confirmed multiple times, but Lin Yuxing repeated, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll have a small portion of stir-fried pork and a serving of green vegetables.¡±


    Standing behind him, Gu Zhongyi leaned over and looked at the dishes in the window. ¡°Add a portion of braised pork ribs as well. I love them.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t used to this proximity and said, ¡°Auntie, add another portion of braised pork ribs.¡±


    The auntie serving the food understood without needing further explanation. She smiled and looked at the two, not shaking her hand while dishing out the food, and filled Lin Yuxing¡¯s tray with the three dishes.


    That move made several students behind them unhappy and complained, ¡°Auntie, your hand isn¡¯t shaking today? That¡¯s unfair!¡±


    The cafeteria auntie didn¡¯t pay attention to those complaining students. She shouted through her mask, ¡°If you brats bring your partners over, then I¡¯ll serve you plenty too!¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt embarrassed and thanked the auntie. When he took out his meal card, Gu Zhongyi had already placed his own card on top.


    ¡°Auntie, charge mine,¡± Gu Zhongyi said, getting close, his face so handsome that Lin Yuxing blushed.


    Even the cafeteria auntie was infected by the aura of happiness, she squinted and smiled, saying, ¡°Sure, sure, I¡¯ll charge yours!¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    To avoid exposing any flaws, Lin Yuxing pretended to be calm and quickly occupied a seat.


    Gu Zhongyi soon joined him with a plate of two meat dishes and one vegetable.


    Looking at his full tray, Lin Yuxing pondered for a moment and said, ¡°You treated me yesterday too.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°Consider it a working meal.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt a bit guilty. That job was too comfortable. Chewing on the stir-fried pork, he quietly suggested, ¡°Actually, many couples nowadays split the bill. At least for meals in the cafeteria, let me pay for myself.¡±


    ¡°These are additional expenses in your life, it¡¯s unfair to split them. If we eat together and you eat too simply, others might think I¡¯m mistreating you,¡± Gu Zhongyi said. ¡°So, we can find a compromise to solve this issue.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blinked.


    Gu Zhongyi had already thought it through. He had set a trap and was waiting for Lin Yuxing to fall in.


    ¡°Next Saturday, Yang Qing and I are going to play a basketball game. I hope you can come and bring me water and towels,¡± he glanced at the braised pork ribs on Lin Yuxing¡¯s plate and casually picked up a piece with his chopsticks and took a bite, ¡°we can use the delivery fee to balance this, how about that?¡±


    ¡°Senior, have you forgotten? You gave me a salary, so I can run errands for you for free.¡±


    ¡°All of this will be included in the monthly salary. It¡¯s something I should do¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing saw two classmates sitting at the empty table beside them, and he immediately stopped talking.


    At the same time, Gu Zhongyi gently bumped Lin Yuxing¡¯s ankle with his toe, intending to make him stop talking.


    But Lin Yuxing misunderstood.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s sudden change in expression, Gu Zhongyi put on a formal smile. Just as Gu Zhongyi was confused, Lin Yuxing started to pick up the stir-fried meat and ribs from his own plate and put them into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s plate, saying, ¡°Darling, eat more. You¡¯ve been losing weight lately.¡±


    The food  Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chopsticks picked up fell onto the rice, and he almost thought his ears were playing tricks on him.


    The two classmates at the neighboring table: ¡°¡­¡±


    They silently moved to a vacant table at the back, not wanting to be a third wheel.


    And that¡¯s how 3,000 yuan can change a person. That¡¯s the answer.


    After the people left, Lin Yuxing instantly returned to his usual self. He asked Gu Zhongyi in a low voice, ¡°Did I act well?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± This time it was Gu Zhongyi who couldn¡¯t react in time.


    Lin Yuxing said seriously, ¡°Acting as your lover.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi never expected that. ¡°Well¡­ not bad.¡±


    Lin Yuxing let out a sigh of relief and smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a relationship before, so I don¡¯t know how to act naturally. Last night, I watched some idol dramas and learned quite a bit. I hope I can put it to good use in the future.¡±


    All his hard work overnight wasn¡¯t in vain.


    Gu Zhongyi almost choked and quickly said, ¡°You¡¯re fine just the way you are.¡±


    Lin Yuxing took it as a polite remark.


    After they finished their meal, considering that Lin Yuxing had classes in the afternoon, he urged Gu Zhongyi to quickly handle the official business and finalize the contract.


    Conveniently, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car was parked nearby. Lin Yuxing got in the car and, just like last time, sat in the passenger seat. Gu Zhongyi handed him the contract and asked Lin Yuxing to read it carefully before signing.


    Line by line, Lin Yuxing carefully read it three times.


    Within the paragraphs, Lin Yuxing quickly summarized the ten restrictive clauses included in the contract.


    To put it briefly, they were as follows:


    The above points were all straightforward and rule-abiding. Apart from the relatively high hourly rate, everything else seemed normal.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s trust in that contract gradually increased.


    However, the last two clauses left Lin Yuxing dumbfounded¡ª


    9. Pay attention. Lin Yuxing must strictly adhere to the work requirements and must not refuse gestures of goodwill from Gu Zhongyi, excluding monetary compensation. The scope of goodwill has no upper limit and can be as low as a meal in the North Campus cafeteria.


    10. Violators of the above clauses will pay three times the amount received/paid by the other party.


    Lin Yuxing held the contract and pondered for a while,  asking, ¡°What does ¡®no upper limit¡¯ mean?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi believed he had made it clear, ¡°It means exactly what it says.¡±


    Lin Yuxing furrowed his brows, thinking it wasn¡¯t quite appropriate, and asked politely, ¡°Can I add something?¡±


    ¡°You can.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have much understanding of the lives of wealthy people. He was afraid of receiving overly expensive gifts and causing unnecessary trouble, so he added a sentence after this clause: [Lin Yuxing can privately return any valuable items received, and Gu Zhongyi cannot refuse.]


    After some thought, he added another sentence: [Anything above one hundred yuan is considered valuable.]


    Gu Zhongyi rarely showed a hesitant expression. ¡°At least change it to 1,000 yuan.¡±


    Lin Yuxing insisted on 100 yuan, not going along with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s idea. He compromised slightly and added a sentence under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s request: [Excluding food.]


    When Lin Yuxing finished signing, he checked the time. He had already missed his lunch break for the sake of the contract.


    Seeing that there were still about twenty minutes before class, Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Do you want to rest in the car for a while?¡±


    ¡°No, I never used to take a nap before. Now it¡¯s like I¡¯m already resting,¡± replied Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Were you running errands every day before?¡±


    Lin Yuxing had never thought that there would be a day when he didn¡¯t have to worry about money. He put one of the contracts into his bag and gradually felt relieved, without hiding anything from Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Yes, usually noon and evening were the busiest times and also the most profitable. I relied on those two time periods for my main income. If I was lucky, I could earn around 80 yuan a day doing errands.¡±


    Lin Yuxing calculated and said, ¡°However, having a lucky day earning 80 yuan was rare. Usually, it was only 30 to 40 yuan a day. Occasionally, I also used to run errands for flower shops near the school, which helped me earn enough for my monthly living expenses and to support my family.¡±


    But Lin Yuxing¡¯s living expenses were often the smallest portion of his money.


    With food, drink, and utilities, it wouldn¡¯t exceed 400 yuan. Sometimes, by not going to the cafeteria, he could save even more.


    Lin Yuxing spoke confidently about his money-making methods, saying, ¡°I have a heavy course load this semester, so I can¡¯t earn much from part-time jobs. That¡¯s why I came up with the idea of running errands to make money.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remained silent throughout.


    Lin Yuxing smiled and turned his head, only to see Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression growing increasingly solemn.


    He mistakenly thought that Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t interested in hearing about those things and hastily concluded, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, I¡¯ll go to the classroom to prepare. Sorry, I¡¯ve been talking too much¡­¡±


    Without waiting for Gu Zhongyi to respond, he quickly got out of the car, waved to Gu Zhongyi, and said, ¡°Goodbye, senior.¡±


    Watching Lin Yuxing¡¯s figure running away, Gu Zhongyi felt a mix of emotions.


    While others enjoyed their youth in college, Lin Yuxing was busy honing his.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t intend to deny the word ¡°honing,¡± but he felt that Lin Yuxing had already taken on too much at this age, working too hard, yet seemingly unaware of his own hardships.


    Lin Yuxing considered his own situation as a fulfilling and meaningful experience.


    When Gu Zhongyi heard that, he couldn¡¯t help but feel pity.


    But his ¡°pity¡± seemed impolite, and in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, this emotion easily turned into a intense sympathy. Gu Zhongyi had to restrain himself, control his emotions, and show his unfamiliar but gentle side to Lin Yuxing.


    Because they were only in a working relationship, and it was not easy for them to establish this collaboration.


    He couldn¡¯t be too hasty.


    Gu Zhongyi reminded himself countless times.


    With that in mind, Gu Zhongyi drove after Lin Yuxing, who was running fast.


    He rolled down the car window and called out to Lin Yuxing.


    Not far away, Xu Xiangchi and several classmates were walking towards them.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t notice Xu Xiangchi and his group. He wondered why Gu Zhongyi caught up with him and asked, a bit foolishly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi picked up a shopping bag from the side, inside was a coffee-colored knitted scarf . He opened the car door, placed the scarf carefully around Lin Yuxing¡¯s neck in front of Xu Xiangchi, and said:


    ¡°The wind is strong. You should wear a scarf.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m wearing a turtleneck, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Well, get in the car. I¡¯ll take you to the teaching building.¡±


    After he finished speaking, Gu Zhongyi casually glanced at Xu Xiangchi passing by them. For a few seconds, their eyes met.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes were cold and filled with an aura of marking his territory. Apart from that, a trace of disdain and contempt appeared in his eyes, which made Xu Xiangchi inexplicably pause.


    That gaze¡­ as if Gu Zhongyi had known him for a long time and understood him thoroughly. Starting from the surface, it cut open his flesh and bones, exposing his despicable inner self.


    However, from the time Xu Xiangchi started to tease Lin Yuxing until now, it had been less than three weeks.


    Gu Zhongyi frowned.


    Xu Xiangchi shivered all over. Under the overwhelming stare, he didn¡¯t dare to question why Lin Yuxing had deceived him about not being in a relationship, nor did he dare to talk to Gu Zhongyi. He chickened out and quickened his pace.


    Just as Lin Yuxing was oblivious to him due to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s scarf attack, the excellent employee Lin Yuxing obediently got into the car and was about to take off the scarf to return it.


    Gu Zhongyi stopped him by turning the steering wheel and said, ¡°Refunds are not available for items below 100 yuan.¡±

 CH 14

    After class, Lin Yuxing went to work at the bakery.


    Zhou Jie, concerned about his health, kindly said, ¡°You can take two days off and come back later.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Sister Zhou. I took medicine yesterday and I¡¯m feeling much better now,¡± Lin Yuxing replied. After washing his hands, he eagerly stepped forward to help, sticking labels on the packaged cookies and placing them on the shelves.


    The doorbell rang, and a few students entered. Following Zhou Jie¡¯s instructions, Lin Yuxing handed each of them a small piece of butterfly pastry for sampling.


    ¡°The butterfly pastry is a new product in the shop. I also prepared some for you,¡± Zhou Jie took out two portions, handed them to Lin Yuxing and said, ¡°Give the other one to your classmate from yesterday as a token of appreciation.¡±


    ¡°My classmate from yesterday?¡± Lin Yuxing patted his own apron.


    ¡°The Alpha who accompanied you to the school clinic yesterday, he was quite handsome. Don¡¯t you know each other? He called your name directly and seemed very concerned,¡± Zhou Jie thought they had a good relationship, which is why she prepared an extra portion of butterfly pastry. ¡°I¡¯m glad he appeared yesterday, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was a male Omega and was noticeably taller than Zhou Jie, who was a female Beta.


    If Gu Zhongyi hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Zhou Jie would have had to go out and ask for help.


    Lin Yuxing realized that he had caused trouble for others and quickly apologized. He took the butterfly pastry and gratefully said, ¡°Thank you, Sister Zhou. I will give it to him.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Zhou Jie pointed to the scarf around his neck and reminded him, ¡°I have turned on the heater. Aren¡¯t you feeling hot?¡±


    It was then that Lin Yuxing realized he hadn¡¯t taken off the scarf yet.


    Perhaps because the scarf had been in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car and had been touched by Gu Zhongyi himself, leaving a hint of bitter orange pheromone on it, which smelled exceptionally pleasant, Lin Yuxing had forgotten to remove it.


    Lin Yuxing had learned from a certain book that if a person had a favorable impression of someone¡¯s pheromones, their compatibility must be above 40%. If both individuals find each other¡¯s pheromones highly appealing, their compatibility must be above 60% or even higher.


    However, in the present day, different from the old times, society embraced free love, so seeking a partner based on pheromone compatibility had long been eliminated.


    With the invention of various pheromone inhibitors, both Alphas and Omegas no longer needed to force themselves to be with someone they didn¡¯t like because of pheromones.


    Nowadays, there were pheromone barriers, pheromone eliminators, and the most common pheromone isolators, all of which people used in their daily lives.


    And the ¡°people¡± producing those remarkable pheromone products were the Gu family, the family that Gu Zhongyi belonged to.


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head thoughtfully and sniffed the scarf. The scent of bitter orange was faint but clearly perceived by his senses, turning into a sweet fragrance.


    As a result, his cheeks turned red.


    He quickly took off the scarf, his heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably.


    Lin Yuxing being someone who kept a clear mind, believed that his unusual reaction must be because the pheromones on the scarf had been close to him for too long, leading to unnecessary fantasies.


    To prevent himself from getting even more heated and lost in fantasies, he determinedly stuffed the scarf into his backpack and zipped it up.


    Even when he finished work and faced the cold wind outside, he didn¡¯t take out the scarf.


    When he returned to the dormitory, Lin Yuxing opened the door and saw Su Li sweetly bubbling over with excitement as he was on a video call with his online dating partner.


    Seeing that, Lin Yuxing knocked on the dormitory door, ¡°Sorry to interrupt, the third wheel is back.¡±


    Originally lying down while on the video call, Su Li awkwardly covered his phone when he saw Lin Yuxing. However, he had no intention of hanging up and directly said to the person on the other end of the call, ¡°Uh, my, my roommate, he¡¯s back from work.¡±


    In the video, Liang Xie, an Alpha with a calm and handsome appearance, didn¡¯t show much surprise. His voice sounded particularly pleasant, ¡°Let¡¯s hang up for now. I have something to do, and you should rest early too.¡±


    Su Li said goodbye reluctantly, then turned around and asked Lin Yuxing if he wanted to go to the cafeteria for a meal.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten,¡± Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t pay attention to Su Li. He placed one of the packs of butterfly pastry on Su Li¡¯s desk, then took out the scarf from his backpack and headed straight for the balcony. Lin Yuxing skillfully hung the scarf on two hangers and placed it near the open window, facing the breeze.


    Su Li approached, hugging himself and rubbing his arms, ¡°It¡¯s so cold. What are you doing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing secretly thought, ¡° be calm!¡±


    He planned to hang the scarf on the balcony to let the wind blow away all the pheromones left by Gu Zhongyi by tomorrow morning. Even if he couldn¡¯t wash it and hang it immediately, Lin Yuxing wanted to soak it in the laundry basin for half an hour before hanging it up.


    At the same time¡­


    Gu Zhongyi was driving his car into an exquisitely designed villa. The sensing system on the gate automatically recognized his license plate and let him through. He skillfully parked his car in the garage and walked calmly through the path hidden amidst the leafy trees, leading to the main hall.


    The housekeeper, Aunt Qiu, respectfully greeted him and arranged the food on the table one by one.


    Under the warm-colored lights, the brightly decorated villa felt exceptionally cozy.


    But Gu Zhongyi knew that beneath the intact appearance, there was only estrangement between them.


    ¡°Zhongyi, you¡¯re back?¡±


    A melodious female voice fell softly like cotton.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s stepmother, Xu Wanling, was wearing a cheongsam and gracefully came down the stairs. Her attitude was quite good, as a stepmother, she had never mistreated Gu Zhongyi not even once, but she also maintained a certain distance from him.


    The two of them usually just exchanged polite greetings and didn¡¯t communicate much.


    Xu Wanling was beautiful, and her manners reflected her high-class background. Compared to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s birth mother, who had worked as a maid in the house, she was a completely different person.


    When Gu Zhongyi saw her, he often wondered if his mother could have had the same background as her, would they have been driven out of the house, would their mother and son relationship be as estranged as it was now.


    But the fault didn¡¯t lie with Xu Wanling; it was the conservative mindset of that family and his stubborn father.


    Xu Wanling was accustomed to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s silence. She had a good temper and said, ¡°The food is ready, I¡¯ll call your father.¡±


    She turned around, and Gu Zhuang happened to come out of the study on the second floor.


    Gu Zhuang, nearly 50 years old, still had a trace of youthful vigor in his brows. Gu Zhongyi resembled him.


    Gu Zhongyi shouted, ¡°Father.¡±


    The Gu Zhuang in front of him didn¡¯t say a word, sat down with a stern face, and only spoke after a while, ¡°When you see Aunt Ling, you don¡¯t even greet her.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi calmly said, ¡°Aunt Ling.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Wanling gently responded, her tone slow as she smiled, ¡°The food is getting cold, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    The three of them sat down at the dining table.


    In the spacious hall, it felt somewhat empty.


    Xu Wanling couldn¡¯t bear children but she had a business alliance with Gu Zhuang and they didn¡¯t pay much attention to the aspect of not having kids. The couple couldn¡¯t be said to genuinely love each other, they were just a match of one being strong-willed and the other gentle, complementing each other, and they had lived harmoniously over the years.


    However, their emotional connection with their only son, Gu Zhongyi, was weak and close to non-existent.


    Gu Zhongyi ate quietly, not willing to talk much. Gu Zhuang had been strict with him since he was young, and there had never been a normal conversation between father and son.


    After a while, Gu Zhuang compromised first and asked in a deep voice, ¡°How have things been recently?¡±


    ¡°The same as usual,¡± Gu Zhongyi replied as he took a sip of soup scooped by Qiu Jie.


    ¡°I heard you made a lot of money in the stock market recently and bought a bachelor apartment in the city center.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make that much,¡± Gu Zhongyi said emotionlessly, ¡°The location of the apartment is good, but the price is high. I used the money I earned from the restaurant my grandfather gave me to subsidize it.¡±


    Gu Zhuang glanced at his son and said, ¡°It¡¯s just some petty cash, not of much use. For this kind of apartment, It¡¯s not worth the trouble.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi saw a spring onion floating in his bowl of soup and used his spoon to press it down.


    Seeing that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t respond, Gu Zhuang changed the topic, ¡°Your cousin also started school this year. Have you met?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve met a couple of times, but we don¡¯t interact much.¡±


    ¡°Not interacting is the right thing to do,¡± Gu Zhuang wasn¡¯t surprised. He took a bite of shrimp and said, ¡°He¡¯s an Omega, so he won¡¯t be able to bear heavy burdens in the future. Since you¡¯re unwilling to go abroad as I arranged, you should start learning about the company as soon as possible. In the future, the responsibility of managing the company will probably fall on you.¡±


    Gu Zhuang was a rigid and conservative person who believed that the company should be inherited by an Alpha.


    However, Gu Zhongyi had never liked Gu Zhuang¡¯s bias. He refuted and revealed the name of his Omega cousin mentioned by Gu Zhuang, ¡°Dad, his name isn¡¯t Omega, he¡¯s called Gu Nuan.¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s hand holding the chopsticks froze. Gu Zhongyi had never used to argue with him before.


    ¡°And also¡­¡± Gu Zhongyi hadn¡¯t finished speaking, he didn¡¯t want to hear Gu Zhuang belittle Gu Nuan every time he came home for dinner.


    He continued, ¡°Gu Nuan is very intelligent, and his father has always given him strict education. Unless something unexpected happens, he will definitely inherit the company. You don¡¯t understand Gu Nuan, so there¡¯s no need to make such one-sided judgments about him. He will be an excellent business leader in the future.¡±


    For some reason, Gu Zhongyi said the last sentence with great certainty, as if he had seen it with his own eyes.


    Gu Zhuang suddenly lost his appetite and put down his chopsticks.


    Xu Wanling focused on her meal, she was used to their arguments and did not want to get involved.


    The atmosphere became extremely tense.


    Gu Zhuang snorted coldly, ¡°An Omega.¡±


    ¡°Omegas are not inferior to Alphas?.¡±


    A pair of chopsticks was slammed in front of Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi,  Are you intentionally trying to provoke me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi interrupted him, ¡°Dad, I know what you¡¯re thinking and I know what you¡¯re planning to arrange for me next. But you shouldn¡¯t gamble on me like this, and I advise you not to have any  thoughts about me joining the company. We shouldn¡¯t touch or interfere with what belongs to our cousin¡¯s family.¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s face turned red with anger, and he stood up and scolded, ¡°This company already has half of our hard work! I see that you¡¯ve gone mad these past two years, daring to lecture me?¡±


    Facing Gu Zhuang¡¯s anger, Gu Zhongyi remained unmoved, ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡±


    After the college entrance examination¡­¡­¡­


    Gu Zhongyi originally planned to listen to Gu Zhuang and study abroad, but after he got into a car accident, he changed drastically. At that time, Gu Zhongyi would often lock himself in his room, refusing to eat or drink, and he actually seemed much older than his actual age.


    One morning, Gu Zhongyi suddenly woke up as if from a dream and opened the tightly closed door himself.


    From that day on, he changed completely.


    He started talking back, resisting, and even enrolled in a university that Gu Zhuang had not intended for him to go to. The rebellious period erupted, throwing the quiet and dull family into chaos.


    Gu Zhongyi, who had always been obedient like a robot, decided not to let Gu Zhuang control him anymore.


    ¡°Since heaven has given me a chance to start over, it means that I shouldn¡¯t walk down a wrong path again.¡±


    That was the first thing he told himself.


    He quickly informed Gu Zhuang that he wanted to move out. Moreover, he didn¡¯t plan to use a single cent from Gu Zhuang anymore, and he hoped that Gu Zhuang would stop restricting him in any way.


    Gu Zhuang flew into a rage, and the father and son had several quarrels. Gu Zhuang, with his hot temper, raised his hand as usual to hit Gu Zhongyi, but for the first time, Gu Zhongyi grabbed his wrist.


    ¡°Dad, I haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡±


    Just that sentence almost gave Gu Zhuang a heart attack.


    In the end, Xu Wanling couldn¡¯t bear to see it anymore and intervened to mediate. Under her persuasion, Gu Zhuang reluctantly agreed to let Gu Zhongyi move out, and Gu Zhongyi agreed to come home for dinner once every month.


    But who knew that day, the meal was destined to end unhappily.


    Gu Zhuang left angrily, ruthlessly mocking, ¡°You¡¯re just like your mother,, how could I have a son like you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi never felt warmth in his family. He drove away from the villa in fury.


    On the way, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face was cold as ice.


    During a red light interval, Gu Zhongyi received a message from Lin Yuxing: [Can we meet tomorrow? Zhou Jie baked butterfly pastries and asked me to bring you a bag to taste.]


    Lin Yuxing sent another message: [If you need it. (The expression of a little hamster nibbling on a biscuit)]


    His cold heart instantly melted like snow.


    Seeing that the red light was about to turn green, Gu Zhongyi replied with a voice message: ¡°Yes, what time tomorrow?¡± After that, he sent another message, ¡°Yuxing, actually ,I¡¯m coming over now to pick it up.¡±


    Setting aside his phone, Gu Zhongyi drove to C University.


    For some reason, at that moment, he really wanted to see Lin Yuxing.


    The radio in the car happened to switch to a station where the host was talking about strange letters: ¡°Do you believe in parallel universes? Do you believe in the so-called rebirth in novels? Today, a listener submitted a letter claiming to have been reborn from a world ten years in the future. Just this one sentence¡ª¡±


    Gu Zhongyi turned off the radio.


    The voice abruptly stopped, and he encountered another red light.


    While waiting, Gu Zhongyi turned his head and looked out the car window. Reflected on the glass was his 19-year-old self with the soul of a 29-year-old.


    It was a chance to start over, leaving behind all the mistakes and being able to live again.


    And that time, at the beginning of everything, he was finally getting closer to Lin Yuxing, whom he had longed for day and night.

 CH 15

    C Dormitory.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand trembled, almost dropping his worn-out phone to the ground.


    Just now, what did Gu Zhongyi call him?


    Yuxing?


    He called him Yuxing?


    Were they that close already?


    Lin Yuxing overwhelmed himself with four consecutive questions, caught off guard by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sudden affectionate approach. His ears turned red, and he unconsciously bit his lower lip. He pressed the screen for a long time but couldn¡¯t figure out what to reply.


    He took the initiative to find an excuse for Gu Zhongyi¡ªmaybe there was someone else by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s side, otherwise why would he come to find him so late at night for a bag of butterfly pastries?


    Lin Yuxing concluded, ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Since that was the case, he should play the part completely; he wouldn¡¯t miss that opportunity to earn three thousand yuan in wages.


    With the mindset of giving his all to his work, Lin Yuxing placed his finger on the voice message key and sweetly called out, ¡°Alright, Brother Zhongyi~¡±


    A ¡°clang¡± sounded behind him.


    Su Li, who had just come out of the bathroom, was dumbfounded, with a basin of dirty clothes at his feet.


    Lin Yuxing turned and said, ¡°Work, this is work¡­¡±


    Su Li pushed his chin up, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say yesterday that it was popular to call each other ¡®darling¡¯ in relationships? Did you forget that you spent most of last night practicing how to say ¡®darling¡¯ ? Now you changed?¡±


    Lin Yuxing tried to justify himself, ¡°Well, there are different ways of addressing each other when in a relationship. I¡¯ve thoroughly researched it since I¡¯ve received my salary. There will be many more terms to call each other in the future, so you should get used to it in advance.¡±


    Su Li got goosebumps all over and admired Lin Yuxing by giving him a thumbs up.


    In a blink of an eye, Su Li sat down at the table and sent a message to Liang Xie: [Brother Liang Xie~ I¡¯ve finished showering~]


    Liang Xie: [Don¡¯t talk like this, it¡¯s weird.]


    Su Li: [Oh.]


    Forty minutes later, Lin Yuxing received a message.


    Gu Zhongyi: [I¡¯m here.]


    Before Lin Yuxing could reply, he was about to leave but remembered the scarf on the balcony. He turned back to retrieve the scarf, neatly wrapping it around himself, not missing any opportunity to show off.


    The phone rang again.


    Gu Zhongyi: [Are you asleep?]


    Lin Yuxing looked at it. Wasn¡¯t it only three minutes ago?


    [No, I¡¯m coming.]


    In the winter night, Gu Zhongyi stood sideways under a street lamp. The bright light fell on his hair and shoulders, and his slender figure was wrapped in a dark coat, appearing particularly deep and mysterious in the night.


    Lin Yuxing stopped in his tracks.


    Gu Zhongyi saw him and said, ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    Calling him face-to-face sounded a hundred times better than in a voice message.


    But Lin Yuxing was abruptly awakened by the cold wind, realizing that sometimes reality and fantasy were only a second apart.


    He jogged over, his nose turning red from the cold.


    ¡°Senior.¡± Lin Yuxing handed him the butterfly pastries, and a white breath dissipated in front of his eyes.


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you calling me ¡®Brother Zhongyi¡¯ anymore?¡±


    with no one around, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but show an embarrassed look. ¡°I thought you wanted me to play along with you before but there¡¯s no one here¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyelashes seemed to be dusted with snow.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m the same age as you. I had some family matters in high school and repeated a grade. I should have been in the same grade as you, so It¡¯s not necessary I call you ¡®senior¡¯.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his head slightly. ¡°Then just call me by my name.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m used to calling you senior.¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t tease him anymore. He also handed over something in his hand¡ªit was a bag of tea eggs wrapped in a transparent plastic bag.


    Lin Yuxing remembered the warm milk tea from last time and pinched the warm tea egg, realizing something.


    ¡°Is it for warming my hands?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Do you want to eat together?¡± Gu Zhongyi found a flower bed on the roadside, patted it a bit, and sat down casually. ¡°I saw it on the way here. It¡¯s been a long time since I had tea eggs.¡±


    Lin Yuxing followed and sat down. The bag of tea eggs was placed on the cement slab between the two of them.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t eat street food.¡± Whatever Lin Yuxing thought in his heart, he said it out loud. Every time he said it, he would regret it.


    But Gu Zhongyi had never been angry. ¡°I indeed haven¡¯t eaten it before. Yang Qing bought it for me once last year.¡±


    As Gu Zhongyi spoke, he picked one up and put it in Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s under 100 yuan.¡±


    ¡°Senior, it¡¯s just tea eggs. I know how much they cost¡­¡± Lin Yuxing muttered, ¡°I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi continued to smile, ¡°Okay.¡±


    The warm tea eggs were cooked well, and Gu Zhongyi seemed hungry as he quickly finished two.


    Lin Yuxing often ate them to save money, so he wasn¡¯t that hungry and ate slowly.


    Under the streetlamp, their shadows overlapped.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression was stiff, but he would show a faint smile only when Lin Yuxing looked at him. His movements seemed mechanical, as if he was trying hard to disguise his solemn emotions.


    Normally, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s disguise was flawless, but  Lin Yuxing keenly sensed that something was off. Apart from his fake smile, the other thing that gave away Gu Zhongyi was the pheromones emanating from him¡ªa faint bitter orange scent that he usually wore. It carried a subtle hint of bitterness


    Others might not be able to smell it, but Lin Yuxing could clearly detect it.


    Lin Yuxing hesitated to speak. ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at the half-eaten tea egg in his hand, wanting to comfort Gu Zhongyi but not knowing what to say.


    Aside from the image Gu Zhongyi presented to the outside world, Lin Yuxing knew nothing about him. Strictly speaking, they were strangers who were bound by a contract, and they shouldn¡¯t go beyond the boundaries to care about each other¡¯s personal affairs.


    Lin Yuxing stumbled over his words. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± His chin brushed against the soft scarf, the first gift Gu Zhongyi had given him after the contract took effect.


    Even though they were just cooperating partners, the gift Gu Zhongyi gave him was so in line with his preferences.


    Gradually, accompanied by the bitterness in the bitter orange scent, a thought silently took root in Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind.


    Thinking that Lin Yuxing was feeling cold, Gu Zhongyi stood up to end the impromptu dinner. But Lin Yuxing grabbed the hem of his clothes. ¡°Eating too many eggs is hard to digest. I know a night market stall near the school gate that has delicious snacks. Would you like to go? My treat.¡±


    Lin Yuxing spoke hurriedly, but every word seemed carefully weighed, without a single mistake. He raised his head, his eyes harboring a gentle galaxy, enough to make Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart flutter.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly. ¡°I¡¯d like to go.¡±


    Lin Yuxing smiled, tidying up the eggshells and the remaining tea eggs, and said upon careful consideration, ¡°But I can only treat you to something that costs less than 100 yuan.¡±


    When a person has a monthly salary and money in their account, they have the confidence to treat others.


    Bringing Gu Zhongyi to a fly-infested restaurant near the school gate, the owner recognized Lin Yuxing and asked warmly, ¡°Hey, how many orders are you taking today?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not doing takeout today. I¡¯m bringing my¡­ ¡± Lin Yuxing pondered for a moment, considering that they were near the school, ¡°I¡¯m bringing my boyfriend here for snacks.¡±


    The owner congratulated him on finally being in a relationship.


    The noise and the smell of fireworks from the night market stall excited Lin Yuxing. He couldn¡¯t help but nudge Gu Zhongyi with his elbow and said generously, ¡°Take a look at the menu and order whatever you want.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked at the spicy crawfish priced at 138 yuan.


    Lin Yuxing lightly coughed twice, leaned closer with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, and lowered his voice, repeatedly saying, ¡°Less than 100 yuan, less than 100 yuan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make up for the difference.¡±


    ¡°No, we agreed that I would treat you to snacks. Besides, you just ate four eggs. Eating crawfish definitely won¡¯t digest well. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m stingy, I¡¯m doing it for your own good.¡± Lin Yuxing lied with his eyes wide open.


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t actually that hungry; he just wanted to tease Lin Yuxing. He raised the corners of his mouth and pointed to a few inexpensive items on the menu. Lin Yuxing immediately placed the order.


    They ordered a plate of barbecue, two bowls of minced meat vermicelli, totaling 40 yuan.


    Although it was only 40 yuan, it was a rare display of generosity from Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t say it out loud, but he felt content in his heart. He could tell that Lin Yuxing had probably noticed his dull mood.For that, he felt ashamed. He had actually transferred those negative emotions to Lin Yuxing. At the same time, he was happy that Lin Yuxing cared for him.


    That night, the stars filled the sky.


    Gu Zhongyi, who had never eaten at a cheap restaurant, sat on a small stool by the roadside with Lin Yuxing, slurping his noodles.


    That scene was truly a rare sight.


    Looking at the down-to-earth Gu Zhongyi in front of him, Lin Yuxing felt like he had brought a rare flower to the mud. And precisely because of that, he felt that the distance between him and Gu Zhongyi had faded significantly that night.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze and raised his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Feeling a bit guilty seeing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expensive sleeves touching the greasy table, Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Is it delicious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡±


    Lin Yuxing handed him two tissue papers. ¡°Be careful not to dirty your clothes.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Zhongyi acted refined and sincerely praised, ¡°You have a good taste. Whether it¡¯s the cafeteria food or this bowl of noodles, they¡¯re all delicious.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt a bit embarrassed by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s compliments and intended to brush it off with a laugh.


    But then he thought, since he couldn¡¯t ask Gu Zhongyi about his troubles, chatting might at least relieve some of his own sadness.


    ¡°Of course, although I haven¡¯t tried many places, I¡¯ve been to all the good food places around our school. I¡¯m not bragging, but there¡¯s no gourmet restaurant in this area that I don¡¯t know about.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi liked the way Lin Yuxing talked confidently and smiled. ¡°Can you take me to try them all in the future?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    With a few words, the bitter taste in the air surrounding Gu Zhongyi truly disappeared.


    Lin Yuxing deeply felt the charm of late-night snacks. He lowered his head and took a sip of the soup, sighing, ¡°When I used to deliver minced meat vermicelli for others, I always wanted to buy a bowl for myself.¡±


    A bowl of vermicelli cost five yuan, and Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t bear to spend it.


    But this seemingly ordinary bowl of vermicelli, which Gu Zhongyi regarded as nothing special, made Lin Yuxing experience the taste of a delicacy. It was because he had never had anything good since he was little, whether it was in the welfare institution or in his later ¡°home.¡±


    The words were unintentional, but they sparked thoughts in Gu Zhongyi.


    The vermicelli in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s bowl lost its taste, and he said, ¡°We can come here often in the future.¡±


    Before Lin Yuxing could reply, the owner brought a large plate of fried peanuts to their table. ¡°Alright, young man, you have good taste. This plate is on the house. Come here often!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was amazed by the owner¡¯s generosity and flattered Gu Zhongyi in a low voice, ¡°He must have given it because he found you handsome. Look, no one else got anything.¡±


    Only they did.


    Gu Zhongyi paused and asked, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Yuxing replied without hesitation.


    They say a peanut is a drop of oil, and Lin Yuxing was in dire need of oil, so how could he not like it?


    Gu Zhongyi smiled, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Two bowls of vermicelli soup and a plate of fried peanuts were finished by the two of them. That was the most delicious meal Gu Zhongyi had ever had in his life, surpassing all kinds of delicacies.


    After eating and drinking to their heart¡¯s content, a plate of grilled skewers remained untouched on the shabby table.


    Since Lin Yuxing was treating, the grilled skewers had to be packed for Gu Zhongyi to take away, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t count as a treat.


    Lin Yuxing also packed a portion of minced meat vermicelli, intending to bring back to Su Li.


    Realizing it was getting late, Lin Yuxing walked back to the dormitory with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s company. ¡°It¡¯s not far from my dormitory. You should hurry back, no need to accompany me.¡± He didn¡¯t know that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t live on campus.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Zhongyi raised the take-out bag in his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No need to thank me. Compared to you treating me, this is nothing.¡± Lin Yuxing waved his hand, showing no reluctance to part with the campus heartthrob, and entered the dormitory without looking back, ready to wash up and sleep.


    However, Gu Zhongyi kept watching Lin Yuxing¡¯s figure until it disappeared ahead before returning to the parking lot.


    As soon as he sat in the car, Yang Qing sent him a message: [I have some materials from the teacher. Let¡¯s meet tomorrow morning.]


    Gu Zhongyi had something to do the next morning, so he replied: [I¡¯ll be at your dormitory building in ten minutes.]


    Yang Qing: [Huh?]


    Yang Qing: [Then hurry up! The curfew is about to start!]


    In fact, it only took Gu Zhongyi five minutes to drive there.


    Yang Qing was already waiting downstairs.


    As soon as Gu Zhongyi rolled down the car window, he smelled the aroma of grilled skewers. ¡°I told you to come, and you actually brought a gift!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re having a late-night snack?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°When did you start having late-night snacks?¡±


    ¡°Today.¡±


    Yang Qing wasn¡¯t clueless and said sourly, ¡°Let me tell you, you¡¯re late. Omega Dormitory has a curfew five minutes earlier than Alpha Dormitory. You won¡¯t be able to deliver it to Lin Yuxing.¡±


    He reached out his hand, implying, ¡°Just give it to me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi swatted his hand away and said, ¡°Go to bed early, or you won¡¯t grow a beard.¡±


    He closed the car window, being stingy for the first time.

 CH 16

    Time flew, and it was the second Saturday.


    The indoor basketball court had swarmed with students.


    Thanks to Gu Zhongyi and Yang Qing, many students filled the audience seats.


    Lin Yuxing arrived late with a large backpack on his shoulders. He no longer hid his relationship with Gu Zhongyi and shouted from a distance, ¡°Senior!¡±


    A group of seniors turned their heads.


    Yang Qing teased, ¡°Junior, which senior are you calling?¡±


    Instantly, there was a commotion in the crowd.


    The students in the audience seats looked towards him¡ª


    ¡°Is he Gu Zhongyi¡¯s partner? So sweet, he even came to watch the basketball game.¡±


    ¡°He looks decent, but his clothes are a bit plain.¡±


    ¡°I heard his family is poor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t he using him to climb up the social ladder?¡±


    ¡­


    Lin Yuxing was far away and couldn¡¯t hear their idle gossip. Even if he did, he didn¡¯t care. He easily earned three thousand in a month, free food and drinks included. Those remarks about ¡°climbing up the social ladder¡± didn¡¯t bother him at all.


    After all, his salary went to his bank account.


    But as he looked at the friendly gazes of the seniors, Lin Yuxing wished he could burrow into the ground. In his moment of embarrassment, Gu Zhongyi had already run up to Lin Yuxing and firmly held him.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s usual expressionless face turned smiley, and he seemed delighted.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Lin Yuxing, experiencing the role of an audience member for the first time, curiously looked around. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the audience area.¡±


    However, Gu Zhongyi held his hand and directly led him to the players¡¯ rest area.


    ¡°Stay here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°It¡¯s too noisy out there.¡±


    Lin Yuxing understood and stopped worrying.


    He took off his heavy backpack and it made a dull thud as he placed it on the ground. Gu Zhongyi felt something was off, so he opened it and found it filled with bottled water and towels.


    ¡°I watched a drama yesterday and learned that when the protagonist went to watch her boyfriend¡¯s basketball game, she bought water for the team members to make her boyfriend look good.¡± Lin Yuxing pulled the heavy backpack closer and confidently said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll distribute them to everyone later. Each person will have one.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi rubbed his head, feeling his actions were out of character. He quickly retracted his hand. He spoke in a low voice near Lin Yuxing¡¯s ear, ¡°You can share the water with others, but the cheers can only be for me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blushed from having his head rubbed.


    ¡°I-I know. They aren¡¯t paying me anything anyway.¡± Lin Yuxing replied naturally to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Teammate 1: ¡°My god, did Gu Zhongyi just smile?¡±


    Teammate 2: ¡°¡­I might be dreaming. Slap me to see if I wake up.¡±


    Teammate 3 slapped teammate 2.


    Teammate 2: ¡°F*ck! You really slapped me!¡±


    The match began.


    Lin Yuxing, sticking to his work ethics ,put all his effort into cheering for Gu Zhongyi, but he couldn¡¯t surpass the loud noise from the audience seats, and his cheers were often drowned out.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s throat felt hoarse, and he was getting a bit dizzy.


    After resting for a few minutes, he watched Gu Zhongyi sweating on the court and unknowingly got caught up in the tension of the basketball game.


    The audience¡¯s cheers were like waves, and when Lin Yuxing snapped back to reality, he took a deep breath and shouted with determination, ¡°Gu Zhongyi¡ªfight on¡ª¡±


    That shout, perfectly timed after the wave of noise paused, and stood out like an echo in the valley, lingering for a long time.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned red, and he was drenched in sweat.


    At that moment, there was a momentary pause. Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheer finally reached Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ears.


    Gu Zhongyi dribbled the ball, broke through the obstacles, and leaped high.


    The ball went into the basket, and the cheers filled the court.


    The match entered halftime.


    Gu Zhongyi landed on both feet and turned around.


    But time suddenly jumped to a magical point, from winter to summer.


    28-year-old Gu Zhongyi ran down a long corridor, with a bright light ahead, and the space turned into a pure white tunnel. He kept running forward, anxiously searching for a window on the white wall.


    Outside the glass window were green trees, dappled sunlight, and a pale young man holding a basketball on the basketball court.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s breathing slowed down.


    Slowly, the young man looked up. The young man¡¯s innocent brows and eyes were like a newly hatched bird. He transformed into a thin man with a pale face, holding the basketball, and looked ahead nonchalantly.


    It was Lin Yuxing¡¯s face, trapped in the 28-year-old time just like him.


    Separated by the window, Gu Zhongyi silently roared in anguish. His feet were glued to the ground, unable to take a step.


    The person on the basketball court dropped the ball, with a lonely gaze, and was so frail that even a gust of wind could knock him over.


    Gu Zhongyi felt a lump in his throat. He pounded on the window, but it wouldn¡¯t break.


    Under the scorching summer sun, the person burned by the sun showed no expression on his face. He never looked at Gu Zhongyi, instead, he looked at the rolling ball on the ground and sarcastically said, ¡°You and your basketball are equally uninteresting and boring.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He sneered and easily invalidated everything about Gu Zhongyi, saying, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this childish trick be used to deceive me when I was in my teens?¡±


    Ringing in the ears, the sound of the wind pierced through.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, I have never liked you.¡±


    Not even once.


    Each harsh word pierced Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart.


    He took a deep breath and when he opened his eyes again, his soul returned to his 19-year-old body.


    Occasionally, he would think about past events, briefly trapped at a certain point in time. He didn¡¯t know if it was his inner demon or the side effect of occupying this body.


    Gu Zhongyi forcefully opened his eyes, and his heart sank, filled with restlessness and anxiety.


    He thought it had been a long time, but in reality, it took less than a second from the ball going into the basket to hitting the ground.


    His memories also ended within a second.


    The ringing in his ears gradually faded away, and 19-year-old Lin Yuxing, excitedly shouted nearby, ¡°Gu Zhongyi! Gu Zhongyi, you¡¯re amazing!¡±


    To differentiate him from the other seniors, Lin Yuxing shouted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s name loudly.


    The entire venue erupted in cheers, and Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice was the loudest.


    This person was completely different from the one in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s memory.


    The one in his memory would never show the same expression as Lin Yuxing, that person would not praise him, that person would not keep looking at him, that person did not have the same passionate soul as Lin Yuxing, that person was not the one he was searching for.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes became slightly red.


    He walked over and stood in front of Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s excitement had not yet faded. He forcefully unscrewed the bottle cap and called out his name, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, here drink some water¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t respond.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice was hoarse as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took deep breaths, suppressing the words that were about to burst out of his heart. He clenched his fist and, after several avoidant glances, bravely looked straight into Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡­ How did I play? Did I do well?¡±


    At that moment, he resembled a child seeking praise, standing before Lin Yuxing with a mixture of naivety and sincerity. His chest gently rose and fell, carrying his genuine feelings.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes trembled, and he felt a tug at his heart. Gradually, a sweet and intoxicating pheromone enveloped him. To calm himself down, he quickly picked up a towel and wiped the sweat off Gu Zhongyi, diverting his attention. ¡°You¡¯ve sweated a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yuxing,¡± Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but urge him, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Mid-sentence, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fingertips trembled, realizing that he shouldn¡¯t be so eager. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lin Yuxing grabbed his wrist and, in a voice only audible to Gu Zhongyi, candidly told him, ¡°You played exceptionally well, the best among all the seniors. I don¡¯t know why you suddenly asked me this, but I want to tell you that in the future, even if I don¡¯t get paid, I still want to come and watch all your basketball games.¡±


    Lin Yuxing, who initially cheered for the sake of payment, had changed. After watching his first basketball game, he was quickly captivated by Gu Zhongyi and genuinely wanted to cheer him on.


    Putting down what he held in his hands, Lin Yuxing raised both thumbs.


    He spoke loudly, ¡°Senior, you¡¯re the best!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stood before him, gazing at him intently.


    Lin Yuxing tilted his head and asked, ¡°Senior?¡±


    In the next moment, Lin Yuxing was tightly embraced by Gu Zhongyi.


    This startled Lin Yuxing.


    The whole arena fell silent.


    Then, everyone exclaimed, ¡°Ohhh!¡± followed by waves of applause.


    Lin Yuxing was completely bewildered. He wondered why Gu Zhongyi, who hadn¡¯t watched those idol dramas with him, knew about the plot development in idol dramas.


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace, Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks turned hot, and the sweet scent of pheromones made his head dizzy. He closed his eyes, and his heart started to beat faster. He didn¡¯t dare push Gu Zhongyi away, but he quietly reminded him, ¡°That¡¯s enough, right? Let go of me; your pheromones are quite strong.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi released his grip at the right moment. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just too happy.¡±


    Lin Yuxing touched his own racing heart, thinking it was probably because of Gu Zhongyi, and tactfully suggested, ¡°Next time you¡¯re happy, you might want to spray some pheromone repellent.¡±


    Only Alphas with poor control of their pheromones needed to use repellents to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and harm.


    But Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t need it at all.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m sweating,¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t think much of it. He felt much happier. He picked up the bottle of water that Lin Yuxing had opened and took a few sips. His smile was genuinely radiant. ¡°Are you still going to watch the second half?¡±


    Once again, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile dazzled Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Of course!¡± To prevent himself from losing focus again, Lin Yuxing crouched down and took out several bottles of water from his backpack. He stuttered, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll give them to the other seniors¡­¡±


    He stumbled over his words.


    Lin Yuxing felt hopeless inside. Why did he always stutter in front of Gu Zhongyi?


    Gu Zhongyi directly reached out and took the water bottles from his hands. He threw one bottle to each of his teammates who were eating snacks nearby. ¡°Yuxing got these for you!¡±


    Yang Qing was the first to catch the bottle. ¡°Thanks, junior!¡±


    Another teammate corrected him, ¡°Yang Qing, can¡¯t you get it right? We should start calling him brother-in-law now! Right, brother-in-law?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi threw a bottle of water to silence him and turned to say a few kind words to Lin Yuxing. ¡°Yuxing, don¡¯t mind them; they like to talk nonsense¡­ ¡°


    Behind him, there was no trace of Lin Yuxing.


    Hearing a sound, Gu Zhongyi looked around and was amused by the scene in front of him.


    The Lin Yuxing who easily blushed and stuttered in front of him was now holding water and distributing it to the team members one by one. When the team members said, ¡°Thank you, brother-in-law,¡± Lin Yuxing politely replied, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, no need to thank me. We are all family now.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°¡­¡±


    Yang Qing burst into laughter, unable to control himself.


    The spectators in the stands were dumbfounded. ¡°When they call him brother-in-law, it¡¯s just being polite, but he actually responded? even monkeys can¡¯t climb high branches like him?¡±


    The second half of the game started quickly.


    In order to show his sudden love for basketball, Lin Yuxing cheered wildly.


    This exhausted Lin Yuxing to the point where he drank the two bottles of water in his backpack, even more than the players themselves.


    Not only that, after the game ended, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to waste anything. After delivering water to the whole team, he started handing out towels. In the process, he took special care of wiping the sweat off Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face and handing him water, showing a reluctant-to-part expression.


    Some students who came to watch the game in the second half were puzzled, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Blue Team just a casual team? They even have a team manager.¡±


    The surrounding students replied, ¡°¡­Bro, can¡¯t you see that he¡¯s Gu Zhongyi¡¯s partner?¡±


    In the eyes of others, the two of them were almost kissing.


    In fact, Lin Yuxing¡¯s reluctance was because he said, ¡°I have a full day of classes tomorrow, and I have to work in the evening. We won¡¯t see each other tomorrow.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi squeezed the mineral water bottle, and the sweetness in his pheromones diminished slightly. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It was so obvious that even Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t miss the despair in his voice.


    ¡°I promise that from now on, whenever you have a basketball game, I¡¯ll make sure to come and support you as i did today.¡± Lin Yuxing negotiated with him, feeling embarrassed. ¡°Senior, can I bring my roommate next time? He wants to see you play too. You¡¯re so good at basketball.¡±


    ¡°The basketball court is a public place, anyone can come.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones became rich and pleasant again. He was so easy to please.


    Lin Yuxing wiped his nose, feeling that something was off with him.


    Because, apart from him, no one around noticed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromone changes.

 CH 17

    As time passed, the romantic relationship between Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi became widely known. Even when Lin Yuxing walked on the road, people would recognize him. Lin Yuxing finally experienced what Gu Zhongyi had said at the beginning, that ¡°dating me won¡¯t be easy,¡± whether it was the disapproving looks of others or the gossip. If Lin Yuxing were not just a fake boyfriend, he would have been affected to some extent.


    That day was no exception. As soon as Lin Yuxing stepped into the classroom, his shoulder was violently bumped by someone.


    Being relatively thin, Lin Yuxing took two steps back. He rubbed his shoulder and was about to continue walking without paying attention when he heard the other person softly say, ¡°Hick.¡±


    Although Lin Yuxing had the title of ¡°Gu Zhongyi¡¯s boyfriend¡± to protect him, such incidents were unavoidable. Fortunately, those people only dared to go that far.


    Hearing the other person¡¯s mockery, Lin Yuxing admitted that his fashion sense was indeed not good, mainly because he was poor.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have many winter clothes, just two sets that he kept switching between. Regarding the jacket he was wearing, it was actually an old piece of clothing Lin Xiufeng had bought for him in junior high school. It lasted for many years because it was durable.


    He opened his phone and checked his bank account balance and then decided to buy a new outfit. Regardless, he had to save face for Gu Zhongyi, so as not to lose this job due to image issues and not being the proper fit for him.


    As Lin Yuxing contemplated, he walked inside as usual and found an empty seat to sit down.


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi sent a message: [Are you in the classroom?]


    Lin Yuxing replied: [Yes]


    Gu Zhongyi: [I¡¯m treating my teammates to dinner tonight and I want to bring you along to formally introduce you to everyone. If you¡¯re busy, you can refuse.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Does work have a choice?]


    Gu Zhongyi: [It does with me.]


    Lin Yuxing was not an arrogant employee. If the boss had a request, he would undoubtedly do it.


    Lin Yuxing: [Boss Gu, see you tonight.]


    There was still some time before class started, and the teacher hadn¡¯t arrived yet.


    A tall classmate sat down next to Lin Yuxing and said to him, ¡°The person who bumped into you earlier was chasing after Gu Zhongyi. I heard that he didn¡¯t even finish confessing before getting rejected. You don¡¯t have to pay attention to him.¡±


    Indeed, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t pay any attention to him.


    The person continued, ¡°by the way, my name is Liao Yan. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lin Yuxing.¡± Lin Yuxing thought to himself that he had been taking that class for almost a semester, yet he had no idea who the person in front of him was.


    ¡°I know, you¡¯re quite famous at school now,¡± Liao Yan seemed very familiar with what was happening and said , ¡°What¡¯s your account? Let¡¯s add each other as friends.¡±


    Apart from his dorm mate Su Li, Lin Yuxing had never had someone talk to him so enthusiastically. He considered Liao Yan as an extra that arose as a result of his situation with Gu Zhongyi and didn¡¯t want to exchange contact information.


    Liao Yan was an average-looking beta male with black-framed glasses and a thick fringe.


    He realized something and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, my preference is quite fixed. Whether it¡¯s Alpha, Beta, or Omega, I only like girls.¡±


    He further explained, ¡°I used to have poor health and often took leaves of absence. My mom was worried that I would get tired from taking too many classes, so she secretly asked a classmate to attend this course for me. Today is my first time coming here after so long, and I heard that you do delivery tasks, so let¡¯s add each other as friends?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Lin Yu Xing immediately took out his phone and said, ¡°Let me scan your QR code.¡±


    It never hurts to have more clients.


    That evening, Lin Yu Xing wore the new clothes chosen by Su Li and got into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car.


    When Gu Zhongyi saw Lin Yu Xing, his eyes lit up, and his first reaction was to pay him back.


    To be honest, Gu Zhongyi had long wanted to take Lin Yu Xing to buy some winter clothes, but he was worried that Lin Yu Xing wouldn¡¯t accept them. So he had been avoiding it and only gave small things like scarves as an alternative gesture.


    He didn¡¯t care whether Lin Yu Xing¡¯s outfit looked plain or not; he only cared if Lin Yu Xing would feel cold.


    Lin Yu Xing scratched his nose and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to transfer money to me. I think it¡¯s about time for me to buy a new set of clothes.¡± He adjusted his clothes; the inner layer was still a thin turtleneck sweater, and he wasn¡¯t used to wearing new clothes. ¡°I have poor taste, Su Li helped me with the matching.¡±


    ¡°It suits you well.¡±


    A strong scent of bitter orange permeated the car. Lin Yu Xing pressed a button to crack open the window, letting the wind blow in through the gap.


    Gu Zhongyi unconsciously asked, ¡°Feeling hot?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing replied, ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I just want some fresh air.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi turned off the air conditioning.


    Lin Yu Xing didn¡¯t tell Gu Zhongyi about Liao Yan, after all, in the absence of others, Gu Zhongyi was his senior and also his employer. He couldn¡¯t possibly be his real boyfriend.


    There was no need to disclose everything.


    But in public, Lin Yu Xing was everyone¡¯s ¡°brother-in-law.¡±


    At the dining table, Lin Yu Xing picked up his wine glass and accepted the toasts from everyone. He downed it all in one gulp, regardless of whether his glass contained soda or not, and he pretended to have a high alcohol tolerance.


    ¡°Brother-in-law, you are an impeccable drinker !¡± Everyone applauded and praised him.


    It was the first time Lin Yu Xing had a meal with ¡°friends,¡± and he put down his glass, modestly saying, ¡°Senior brothers, you flatter me!¡±


    Initially, Gu Zhongyi was worried that Lin Yu Xing might not fit in. He even thought that if Lin Yu Xing felt uncomfortable, he would immediately send him back. After all, there would be many more opportunities in the future, no need to rush.


    That day¡¯s gathering was, at most, an excuse for Gu Zhongyi to see Lin Yu Xing.


    Since the basketball game, Gu Zhongyi had been distant.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuxing and he were not really close, which often reminded Gu Zhongyi to stay sober.


    He pressed down on Lin Yuxing¡¯s glass with a family-like attitude, saying, ¡°Drinking too much soda is not good for your stomach¡±


    Gu Zhongyi drove to the gathering and didn¡¯t drink.


    On the other hand, Yang Qing had quite a lot to drink and sat drunkenly next to Lin Yuxing, not holding back: ¡°If you ever feel wronged by Zhongyi, just let us know. if he dares to treat you badly, we¡¯ll make sure to teach him a lesson!¡±


    Everyone waved their hands frantically, saying, ¡°No, no, we never said that¡­¡±


    Yang Qing, who was drunk, blushed from his face to his neck. He embraced Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder.


    Everyone gasped.


    Lin Yuxing followed suit and took a deep breath.


    Looking at Gu Zhongyi, he remained unfazed. Perhaps it was because Lin Yuxing was present that he maintained a good temper. But everyone was afraid that Gu Zhongyi might change his attitude, and they all wiped off a cold sweat.


    Yang Qing was a brave one.


    ¡° What are all of you afraid of? Didn¡¯t I say it before? Zhongyi may have a cold face, but he has a warm heart. He has changed a lot, he is not the same as before!¡±


    One of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s teammates, who was also his high school classmate, felt the change in Gu Zhongyi as an outsider. But it wasn¡¯t as exaggerated as Yang Qing said it¡­


    He stood up and covered Yang Qing¡¯s mouth, pulling him away from Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Zhongyi, Yang Qing is drunk. Haha, he tends to talk nonsense when he¡¯s drunk¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, he turned to Lin Yuxing and said, ¡°Yang Qing can¡¯t hold his liquor, don¡¯t mind him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t mind at all.


    That night, Lin Yuxing saw Gu Zhongyi, who would chat with his teammates about basketball matches, and also saw how he would laugh freely over small matters. Most importantly, he witnessed how Gu Zhongyi bid farewell to his drunk teammates one by one.


    Thoughtful, gentle, yet discreet.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s impression of Gu Zhongyi was gradually changing.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, Gu Zhongyi was warm, not cold hearted.


    The term ¡°iceberg¡± probably had nothing to do with Gu Zhongyi in Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart anymore.


    After the dinner, Yang Qing was heavily intoxicated.


    Gu Zhongyi was worried about him going home alone, so he decided to personally send him.


    Yang Qing hiccuped and incoherently said, ¡°Wuwu, you¡¯re even taking me home. You¡¯re really great now! If I were your junior, I would love you, I really love you!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand holding the steering wheel stiffened, and he turned to Lin Yuxing, ¡°Should we just dump him?¡±


    Lin Yuxing played along, ¡°There¡¯s a bridge up ahead, let¡¯s throw him under it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but laugh, showing his white teeth. ¡°Senior, he fell asleep.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not throw him then.¡± Gu Zhongyi also smiled.


    They drove for about 20 minutes.


    They arrived at the residential area where Yang Qing lived, located in the city center with high housing prices.


    Yang Qing¡¯s parents received a call and were waiting at the door. They helped Yang Qing and thanked Gu Zhongyi  ¡°Yang Qing is so mischievous, and he has caused trouble for you again.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi simply said, ¡°Uncle Yang, it¡¯s cold outside. You and Aunt Zhang should take Yang Qing to rest.¡±


    ¡°Alright, take care on your way back.¡±


    Lin Yuxing curiously watched them from the passenger seat until Gu Zhongyi drove away, and Yang Qing¡¯s parents were still standing at the entrance of the residential area, watching them leave.


    Gu Zhongyi took the initiative to answer Lin Yuxing¡¯s doubts, ¡°They all work for my dad. My dad has a bad temper, so they are also cautious around me.¡±


    After Gu Zhongyi finished speaking, he asked, ¡°It¡¯s still early, is there anywhere you want to go?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was not familiar with City C and didn¡¯t know where to go.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go back to the school.¡±


    But Gu Zhongyi took a detour instead.


    Outside the car window, the lights were dazzling.


    Lin Yuxing had been studying at University C for several months, from summer to winter, and it was the first time he carefully looked at the scenery of the city. Even if it was just a quick glimpse from the car, the lights formed a rapidly moving line, shining brightly in his gaze.


    Gu Zhongyi consciously stopped the car not far from the riverbank.


    ¡°From this angle, you can see a very nice night view.¡± Gu Zhongyi pressed the window on Lin Yuxing¡¯s side and extended his hand, pointing ahead. ¡°Can you see it?¡±


    Lin Yuxing followed his direction and looked over, his eyes reflecting a colorful and mesmerizing picture.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± Lin Yuxing murmured.


    In a simple way, Gu Zhongyi accompanied Lin Yuxing to admire the bustling night view of City C. He didn¡¯t mock Lin Yuxing¡¯s ruralness but silently watched the side profile of Lin Yuxing, responding, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really beautiful.¡±


    When Lin Yuxing turned his head, Gu Zhongyi discreetly averted his gaze.


    ¡°Do you want to go down and take a closer look? It¡¯s a bit windy though.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m not afraid of the cold.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was as happy as a child going to an amusement park and walked with Gu Zhongyi to the riverside. He smelled the damp air and took out his cheap phone with low pixel resolution.


    He wanted to take a photo of the distant scenery, but no matter how he tried, it didn¡¯t turn out nice.


    Lin Yuxing could only give up and said, embarrassed, ¡°It¡¯s hard to focus at night.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took out his own phone and handed it to Lin Yuxing. ¡°It¡¯s still early before curfew, you can take as long as you want.¡± Not only that, Gu Zhongyi even taught Lin Yuxing some tips for taking landscape photos.


    Lin Yuxing felt the proximity of Gu Zhongyi and was enveloped by his presence, even the cold wind seemed to avoid them. Lin Yuxing turned his body slightly, and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s handsome face was just within reach.


    He felt the warmth of Gu Zhongyi and got slightly lost in his thoughts.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing blinked in a hurry, holding his phone, not knowing what he was doing.


    But he still let Gu Zhongyi send him the photos.


    Lin Yuxing set one of them as his phone wallpaper and spoke to himself happily, ¡°It feels like we went on a trip today.¡±


    Had delicious food, saw beautiful things.


    He had never been on a trip before and had no experience of sightseeing. He looked at the small night view of City C with great excitement, revealing a somewhat inexperienced appearance.


    Lin Yuxing realized it and quickly fell silent.


    He was the same when he first came to the school, coming from the countryside to the city for the first time, seeing many things for the first time. He tried to share his astonishment with his classmates, but all he received were incredulous laughter.


    Lin Yuxing felt like he didn¡¯t fit in.


    At that time, only Su Li didn¡¯t laugh at him, so they became close friends who could talk about anything.


    Now, he awkwardly quieted down.


    unexpectedly, Gu Zhongyi agreed, ¡°It does look like it. Shall we take a photo together? Otherwise, it would be a waste of this trip, right?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was stunned for a moment, and a tingling sensation spread through his heart. ¡°A photo together?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi curved his lips and asked, ¡°Do you want to take one?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Lin Yuxing clearly hadn¡¯t drunk any alcohol, but his body and mind felt as if he had consumed a can of it.


    He stood stiffly next to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Come a bit closer.¡±


    Lin Yuxing took a small step and Gu Zhongyi patiently called out to him, ¡°Yuxing, closer.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears tingled, and he slightly moved his feet. Finally, Gu Zhongyi put his arm around Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder. With a cry of surprise from Lin Yuxing, the two of them pressed against each other.


    Lin Yuxing widened his eyes, his heart pounding.


    He looked at the selfie camera on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone screen and heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice covering his heart, ¡°Yuxing, smile.¡±


    He knew that photos should be taken with a smile.


    Lin Yuxing made a goofy ¡°yeah¡± gesture and smiled foolishly.


    That was his first photo that belonged to him, apart from his ID photo and a group photo taken at the orphanage.


    And he was in the photo with his sort of boss, Gu Zhongyi.

 CH 18

    On the way back to school, Lin Yuxing repeatedly flipped through the photos of the night view on his phone.


    When he reached the last group photo, Lin Yuxing hurriedly skipped it. He didn¡¯t dare to look closely. Firstly, he felt that he looked silly in the picture, and secondly, Gu Zhongyi was right beside him. Every time he glanced at it, his heart felt a strange sensation, a tingling feeling.


    He stole a glance at Gu Zhongyi, who was focused on driving.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lin Yuxing replied.


    Lin Yuxing put away his phone and suddenly said, ¡°Senior, actually¡­ you¡¯re not like what everyone says.¡±


    ¡°What do they say about me?¡± Gu Zhongyi asked.


    Lin Yuxing honestly told him, ¡°They say you are cold and indifferent, a cold-faced king.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi tightened his grip on the steering wheel. ¡°They¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    His life had changed only in the past two years. But Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to change too much outwardly. It wasn¡¯t because he was egoistical, but because with his background and appearance, being a bit distant meant fewer troubles.


    However, Lin Yuxing immediately defended him, ¡°But I don¡¯t think that way.¡±


    At a red light, Gu Zhongyi looked at Lin Yuxing. His voice was calm as he said, ¡°Since I met you, I realized that you¡¯re really good. Not just to your friends, but also to someone like me. Although you said we help each other and it¡¯s mutual, you probably don¡¯t know that you¡¯ve done so much for me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi quietly listened to him.


    Lin Yuxing bit his lip and continued, ¡°And just now, you could have ignored me, but you still took me to see such a beautiful night view and taught me how to take photos. It¡¯s my first time experiencing these things, and I¡¯m really happy. You¡¯re not like others who mock me for not having seen even much¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was completely different from the rumors.


    Lin Yuxing had a thought and asked, ¡°Is it because there are too many people pursuing you, so you intentionally pretend to be difficult to approach?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t hide it and said frankly, ¡°Keeping a distance from people, maintaining an appropriate distance. That¡¯s the principle I¡¯ve been taught by my family since I was young.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi and Lin Yuxing shared an unconscious dislike of the word ¡°family.¡±


    Lin Yuxing fell silent; he didn¡¯t intend to uncover someone else¡¯s wounds.


    Gu Zhongyi saw the red light turn off and slowly stepped on the accelerator. ¡°But in the past two years, I don¡¯t want to listen to my family anymore.¡± He brought the atmosphere back to a light tone. ¡°You can call it my rebellious phase.¡±


    In the 28 years before his rebirth, Gu Zhongyi lived in pain and loneliness.


    He didn¡¯t have real friends or caring relatives. He was like a soul in a dried-up well, guarding the sky and envying the carefree stars above.


    Now, that star was by his side, blinking its beautiful eyes and wrinkling its brow in confusion. ¡°Rebellious phase?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s association with the star dated back to the summer when he was nine years old.


    He made a bold decision and he wanted to find his birth mother.


    It all started with him overhearing a phone call.


    As it turned out, to prevent Gu Zhongyi¡¯s birth mother from coming back to find him, the Gu family had been secretly monitoring her.


    The ¡°love¡± between the Gu family and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s birth mother was inherently unequal, and the egoistic Gu family selfishly drew the line with money.


    But due to his oversight, the clever Gu Zhongyi found the address where his birth mother lived and a recent photo of her.


    Touching the photo of the unfamiliar woman, a blazing flame ignited in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart. ¡°Mom?¡± he silently called, feeling both unfamiliar and instinctual.


    So, for the first time in his life, he lied and took a long-distance bus to another province alone.


    Young Gu Zhongyi sat on the bumpy bus, keeping his eyes open in fear. It wasn¡¯t until he was exhausted that he dared to close them for a little while.


    He was filled with joy, looking forward to having a mother of his own.


    Not a mother like Xu Wanling, who maintained a distant relationship with him, but a mother like Yang Qing¡¯s, someone who could occasionally kiss him on the forehead.


    In an instant, all the exhaustion and unease became worthwhile.


    The long  journey was tough. After experiencing several bouts of nausea and dizziness from motion sickness, Gu Zhongyi finally found a shabby noodle shop in a small town.


    Gu Zhongyi patted the dust off his backpack and carefully tidied his clothes. At that time, he was not tall and didn¡¯t notice the family photo placed on the cashier¡¯s counter.


    He sat there for a while, his heart pounding with nervousness. However, the noodle shop was empty, devoid of any customers.


    Just as he was about to doze off from waiting, in a hazy state of consciousness, he heard a soft call like a feather.


    A faint scent of jasmine wafted towards him. It was the pheromone of his biological mother, Su You, just as pleasant-smelling as Gu Zhongyi had dreamed.


    Gu Zhongyi stared blankly at her, unable to move his gaze away.


    ¡°Little child, are you here to eat noodles?¡± Su You returned from a quick trip to buy soy sauce, and the shop suddenly had a new young customer.


    She felt an inexplicable familiarity with Gu Zhongyi. ¡°Take a look at the menu first, and let Auntie know when you¡¯ve decided.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but touch Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face, unaware and unable to fathom that it was her own son.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s nose tingled, and he wanted to tell her: ¡°Mom, I¡¯m Gu Zhongyi. I¡¯ve come to find you.¡±


    But the words didn¡¯t leave his mouth as Su You¡¯s little companion by her side, a toddler, cutely exclaimed, ¡°Mommy, carry me!¡±


    Following the voice, Gu Zhongyi saw a three-year-old girl with two pigtails. She shyly gazed at Gu Zhongyi and, after Su You lifted her up, she hid in her mother¡¯s embrace.


    Su You couldn¡¯t spare any attention for Gu Zhongyi anymore. She walked to the side and gently stroked her daughter¡¯s back. ¡°Daddy will be back soon. Later, Daddy will put you to bed for a nap, okay?¡± Like most mothers in the world, she had infinite patience for her child.


    The girl called Nuonuo agreed in her soft and tender voice. Ignoring the summer heat, she leaned against her mother¡¯s neck and never let go.


    Sweat dripped from Gu Zhongyi¡¯s forehead, sliding into his own eyes.


    Su You smiled and kissed Nuonuo¡¯s forehead.


    Gu Zhongyi watched the scene before him, and the ripples in his eyes stopped.


    In his chest, a tense, burning, and eager heart slowly cooled down.


    Su You had a new family, a new child. The way she smiled was a sight Gu Zhongyi had never seen in the Gu family. It was something that neither Gu Zhuang nor Xu Wanling possessed. It was the smile of a mother loving her child from the depths of her heart.


    All of that didn¡¯t belong to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his head, staring at his dirty shoes that had trudged through the mud to bring him there, and whispered softly, ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±


    He ran out.


    Su You didn¡¯t chase after him.


    She wouldn¡¯t chase after him.


    Gu Zhongyi turned back, and the small noodle shop at the end of his sight turned into a grain of sand.


    He cried with a sense of grievance.


    After his father found out  where he went, he was furious. If it weren¡¯t for Yang Qing¡¯s father stopping him, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s legs would have truly been broken.


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s furious expression was imprinted in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart, filling him with infinite fear. He lay in bed for several days before he could get up and move around.


    Not long after, Gu Zhuang asked Qiu Jie to pack Gu Zhongyi¡¯s belongings.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t dare to ask why, cowering in fear.


    Xu Wanling looked at the limping Gu Zhongyi and couldn¡¯t bear it, so she called Gu Zhuang, ¡°You¡¯ve already beaten him and scolded him enough. Why do you have to send him to an orphanage? It will be a disgrace if this gets out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I specifically chose an orphanage outside the province where nobody would find out.¡±


    Xu Wanling was speechless and reminded him, ¡°Gu Zhuang, he¡¯s only 9 years old.¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s face darkened, ¡°I gave him the best life and education, but he still longs for an outsider. Since that¡¯s the case, let him experience the same poor life as that woman and see what he will do without me.¡±


    ¡°Gu Zhuang¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, don¡¯t say anything more!¡±


    Gu Zhuang didn¡¯t want to waste words with Xu Wanling anymore. He turned his back, not wanting to make his words harsher, ¡°I¡¯ve made arrangements. He won¡¯t die there, at most, he¡¯ll suffer a bit.¡±


    That was undoubtedly a heartless act.


    Gu Zhuang never treated Gu Zhongyi as his own beloved son. He selfishly cut off Gu Zhongyi¡¯s childhood.


    But what Gu Zhuang didn¡¯t know was that in this punishment, Gu Zhongyi briefly found his own childhood.


    Because at the welfare institute, 9-year-old Gu Zhongyi met a 9-year-old little star.


    He was a child who was much thinner and smaller than his peers. Even in the summer, he wore a high-collar shirt. Little Star seemed silent and dull on the surface, but he loved to talk and had eyes that shone like stars.


    Unfortunately, he was an outcast.


    The children there often called him a freak or a monster, and no one wanted to play with him.


    So, the lonely Little Star set his sights on the newly arrived limping Gu Zhongyi.


    He would use his beautiful eyes to silently watch Gu Zhongyi cry in the dead of night and softly say, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I know no one wants to play with you because of your limping leg. How about¡­ how about I play with you tomorrow?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi turned away. He wasn¡¯t crying because of his leg as the little star thought , and he had no intention of playing with the children there.


    Little Star reached out and patted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s back, surprisingly comforting, ¡°Look at Dongdong in the next dormitory, he doesn¡¯t even have legs, but he still lives happily, right? Be strong¡­ it¡¯s difficult to get by here without being strong.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tears had already wet the pillow, fearing that Gu Zhuang really didn¡¯t want him anymore.


    Little Star saw his silence and persisted, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, how about being friends with me? From now on, I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remained silent, inwardly complaining, ¡°Protect me? You¡¯re as thin as a little chicken.¡±


    Little Star sincerely tried to comfort him and fell asleep beside him.


    After a long time, as dawn was breaking, Gu Zhongyi finally turned around and saw clearly the delicate face of Little Star. It was imprinted in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart, gradually overlapping with the 19-year-old Lin Yuxing before his eyes.


    For some reason, their acquaintance always started with a misunderstanding.


    When they were kids, Lin Yuxing thought Gu Zhongyi was a limp boy who was bullied and took great care of him.


    As they grew up, Lin Yuxing thought Gu Zhongyi gave him a bouquet of roses as a confession, which made it impossible for him to contain his secret crush, turning it into a contractual relationship.


    Now, 19-year-old Lin Yuxing sat in the passenger seat next to him, bewildered, and asked, ¡°You¡¯re already in your second year of college, and now you¡¯re rebellious?¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought for a moment and decided it was better than being someone like him without a rebellious phase.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I moved out,¡± Gu Zhongyi replied matter-of-factly.


    Their relationship had unknowingly grown closer.


    Lin Yuxing only then realized that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t live in the dormitory and regretfully said, ¡°If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have looked at the night scenery. It will already be late when you drop me off at school.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license and didn¡¯t know much, but he knew it wasn¡¯t safe to drive at night.


    He discreetly checked the time and realized there were no more buses.


    ¡°My apartment is very close to the school, so you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Gu Zhongyi assured him.


    When they reached the school gate, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t let Lin Yuxing get out of the car. He drove directly to the dormitory entrance and as Lin Yuxing bid him farewell, he grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s wrist as if trying to hold him back, ¡°Yuxing!¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m happy that you talked to me about all this today,¡± he paused for a moment, ¡°I¡¯m really glad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Lin Yuxing inexplicably found himself being pulled in.


    Gu Zhongyi felt Lin Yuxing¡¯s compromise and took a step forward , ¡°Besides Yang Qing, you¡¯re the first person to say these things to me.¡±


    The atmosphere in the car became intense, intoxicating.


    Lin Yuxing slightly parted his lips, and a sweet taste inexplicably appeared between them.


    Gu Zhongyi and he locked eyes, his voice gentle, irresistible, ¡°Setting aside the contract, can we be friends?¡±


    Years had passed.


    They had both changed a lot, but Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes remained the same. Clear and bright, as if they had fallen into a pool of stars.


    Lin Yuxing was stunned by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words, and remained unmoved.


    Not only did his boss give him money, take him out to eat and have fun, but now he also wanted to be friends with him?


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t understand why he had such good fortune.


    He should have rejected him, but unexpectedly, he lowered his gaze, his entire face blushing as he stammered, ¡°I-I thought¡­ We were already friends. So, senior, please let go.¡±


    His voice grew softer as he spoke.


    Lin Yuxing felt that he was being melted by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s scorching gaze, his heart on the verge of bursting out.


    But on that night, at that very moment, at the perfect distance, he gave Gu Zhongyi the best answer.

 CH 19

    Back in the dormitory building, Lin Yuxing felt as if he was covered in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones. With every step he took, he felt like he was walking on clouds. The soft clouds were Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones, surrounding him, making his steps light and his heart flutter.


    He leaned against the wall and muttered to himself, ¡°His pheromones¡­ they¡¯re so sweet, why are they so sweet?¡±


    His mind was filled with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile.


    Lin Yuxing pounded the wall in frustration.


    An Omega passed by him, thinking he was mentally unstable, quickly walked away.


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly made his way to his own dorm room, thinking about the reason behind all of this as he walked. According to logic, only the really bad Alphas had trouble controlling their pheromones. Could it be that Gu Zhongyi was that bad at controlling his pheromones? Or was it him that was just too sensitive to pheromones?


    He arrived at his dorm room and thought for a long time but still couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    ¡°Ding-¡°


    Lost in thought, Lin Yuxing was startled by the sound of his phone notification.


    Gu Zhongyi: [I¡¯m home. Now that we¡¯re friends, I believe we should wish each other goodnight.]


    Lin Yuxing asked himself, ¡°Do friends need to wish each other goodnight?¡± He hadn¡¯t had many friends since childhood, and the only one he had was his roommate.


    He couldn¡¯t tell if Gu Zhongyi was joking or being serious, so he replied honestly: [Goodnight.]


    Gu Zhongyi replied immediately: [Goodnight, friend.]


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face inexplicably turned red again. Why did Gu Zhongyi¡¯s messages feel so different all of a sudden?


    Or was it something wrong with himself?


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t tell anymore and quickly went to take a shower.


    Before going to bed, he grabbed Su Li, who was immersed in gaming, and asked, ¡°Sniff me, do I have any smell on me?¡±


    Su Li replied, ¡°The scent of shower gel?¡±


    Lin Yuxing became anxious, ¡°Smell again.¡±


    Su Li didn¡¯t take his eyes off the computer screen, ¡°Your pheromones are super faint. I usually can¡¯t smell them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine! It¡¯s¡­ um, does it smell like Alpha pheromones?¡±


    ¡°Alpha? Gu Zhongyi?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Su Li couldn¡¯t figure it out at first, but then he jumped up and asked seriously, ¡°Damn, did you kiss him?¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately covered his mouth, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡±


    ¡°Did you¡­ get intimate with him?!¡±


    Su Li needed a tranquilizer.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Lin Yuxing almost pushed Su Li away, blushing, ¡°We just spend a lot of time together, and I feel like I have his pheromone scent on me.¡±


    Su Li rolled his eyes, finding him overly dramatic, ¡°I can see that you¡¯ve wasted your classes. If you haven¡¯t had any intimate contact with Gu Zhongyi, his pheromones wouldn¡¯t stick to you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, Gu Zhongyi is famous for being a high-quality Alpha. He must have good control over his pheromones. It¡¯s already quite something if your scent is lingering on him.¡± Su Li thought for a moment, ¡°But your pheromones have always been weak. Even if you accidentally got some on you when your emotions were out of control, it would disappear as soon as the wind blows. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    Su Li¡¯s words made Lin Yuxing restless and unable to sleep.


    Every time he closed his eyes, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile would appear in his mind, along with the faint scent of bitter orange on¡­ It seemed like this pheromone was growing on him.


    Annoyed, Lin Yuxing sat up from the bed.


    He took out his phone and decided to seek answers online. After much contemplation, he typed a question into the search bar.


    ¡°Why do I sometimes feel a sweet taste and sometimes a bitter taste in an Alpha¡¯s pheromones? And why does it stick on me even after showering?¡±


    After searching, he found that someone had asked the same question he was troubled with.


    But the answers were not satisfactory. All of them said, ¡°Congratulations! That¡¯s love.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°?¡±


    Congratulations to you!


    Absurd!


    In the following days, Lin Yuxing became increasingly sensitive to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones. Whenever Gu Zhongyi got close to him or engaged in ordinary couple-like interactions, he couldn¡¯t control his racing heartbeat and his gaze would occasionally land on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips.


    It was terrible. He actually wanted to kiss Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s reactions were so abnormal that he would sometimes flee in panic.


    ¡°This is bad,¡± Lin Yuxing said helplessly, ¡°His lips look so tasty¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones affected Lin Yuxing like a drug. In severe cases, if he didn¡¯t see Gu Zhongyi for a day, he would involuntarily burst into tears.


    This scared Su Li to death.


    ¡°You¡¯re not really falling in love with him, are you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I dream about him every night.¡±


    ¡°What kind of dreams?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head in embarrassment, unable to say.


    Su Li¡¯s hand, about to take a tissue, froze. ¡°Could it be¡­ that kind of dream?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Su Li facepalmed and comforted him, ¡°You¡¯re an adult now, it¡¯s normal to have such dreams. Don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. Go out more and enjoy nature, relax your mind.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wiped his face forcefully, regretting, ¡°In the dream, I held his hand, and we¡­ interlocked our fingers.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing had a distressed look on his face, physically and mentally exhausted. If it got any worse, he was afraid he would have to apologize to Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Just holding hands in a dream, do you need to feel so guilty about that?¡± Su Li had nothing to say about Lin Yuxing¡¯s excessive purity.


    But Lin Yuxing¡¯s worry was not invalid, ¡°I get paid.¡±


    Su Li finally realized, ¡°Right, if you really like him, it might be breaking the contract. But why do you like him? Weren¡¯t you so sure that it was only professional?¡±


    ¡°Pheromones¡­ My heartbeat accelerates as soon as I smell them. Gu Zhongyi, in my eyes, is surrounded by a halo.¡± Lin Yuxing said puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me¡­¡±


    Just yesterday¡­.


    Lin Xiufeng had cried and asked him for money, saying that his uncle had caused trouble, and now people were demanding repayment. They couldn¡¯t make ends meet. If it weren¡¯t for the salary Gu Zhongyi gave him, Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t know what to do.


    He was only in his first year and still had three years until graduation.


    He couldn¡¯t escape from C University. If he didn¡¯t want to be harassed by his unreliable uncle for the rest of his life, he had to figure out a way to complete his university studies first.


    Unable to solve the pheromone problem, Lin Yuxing used the excuse of final exam revision and running errands to minimize his meetings with Gu Zhongyi.


    Fortunately, both excuses were not made up. He was really studying for exams, and he was really running errands again.


    Lin Yuxing had recently met a Beta classmate, Liao Yan, during his class. He would ask Lin Yuxing to run errands for him seven or eight times a day, and he would gladly pay each time.


    Occasionally, when Lin Yuxing was quick, he would even give a tip. Liao Yan was a very reliable customer.


    Gu Zhongyi knew about that, so he didn¡¯t suspect anything.


    And to prevent Gu Zhongyi from terminating the contract after learning the truth, Lin Yuxing kept his lips sealed.


    Moreover, they had just become friends. Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sincere words echoed in Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears, and he didn¡¯t want his emotional ¡°betrayal¡± to be the end of their friendship.


    It was not just about money; he didn¡¯t want to lose that friendship.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s dilemma deepened day by day.


    Until one day, he learned about his recent symptoms from a book, called ¡°pheromone illusion syndrome.¡±


    The book explained clearly that when a person could perceive subtle changes in another person¡¯s pheromones, it indicated that their compatibility had reached 60% or higher.


    That was a standard value that clearly informed Lin Yuxing that if he continued to have contact with Gu Zhongyi, he would likely develop romantic feelings and other complex emotions due to the pheromones.


    Thus, his various fondness and sensitivity towards Gu Zhongyi seemed to have an explanation.


    Lin Yuxing promptly sought advice from his teacher, Qiu Song, who specialized in that field.


    Qiu Song was an Omega in his thirties, with a gentle attitude and refined demeanor. He was a specially appointed pheromone doctor for Omega students at the school, dealing with their special situations alongside his teaching responsibilities.


    After learning about Lin Yuxing¡¯s situation, Qiu Song provided him with a box of inhibitor pills.


    ¡°One pill a day, you can take it whenever.¡±


    Qiu Song looked at Lin Yuxing¡¯s eagerness and patiently explained, ¡°Generally, people with high compatibility naturally come together. However, in your case, these pills exist for this reason. You can trust their effectiveness, and they have no side effects, but be careful not to take them with certain medications.¡±


    Once Lin Yuxing started taking the pills, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones no longer affected him.


    The inhibitor produced by the Gu Corporation had a success rate of 90%, if not 100%.


    ¡°After taking the medication, you won¡¯t perceive other people¡¯s pheromones. The inducing scent in the pheromones of your Alpha, who has a high compatibility with you, will be blocked. Similarly, your scent will be blocked, and he won¡¯t be able to perceive it.¡±


    Therefore, only one person between the two needed to take the pills.


    ¡°So, after that, will we only sense each other¡¯s normal pheromones?¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not intentionally released, everything will be normal. However, Omegas have their heat period, so you should remember to take the suppressants on time. Otherwise, even normal pheromones will have an effect on you.¡±


    Qiu Song added, ¡°Oh, by the way, if you are soulmates with a compatibility of 85% to 100%, the pills won¡¯t be fully effective; they will only have a limited effect.¡±


    But everyone knew that a compatibility above 85% was mostly an urban legend.


    It was hard to find such couples in the entire Country C.


    Lin Yuxing glanced at the price list printed by Qiu Song and asked, ¡°Teacher Qiu, if I want to continue being unaffected afterward¡­ Is it necessary to keep taking the inhibitor?¡±


    ¡°You can stop, but the condition is that you no longer have contact with this Alpha.¡±


    Lin Yuxing understood; he would have to spend the money and keep taking the inhibitor cause he had no choice but to keep meeting Gu Zhongyi.


    Qiu Song, unaware of the gossip among students, saw Lin Yuxing¡¯s distressed expression and asked, ¡°Is the other person a poorly behaved Alpha? If he¡¯s using pheromones to threaten you, you can tell me, and the school will try to help you deal with it.¡±


    C University was known for being strict in that regard; the school would even decide to expel a student who posed a threat to others based on the severity of the situation.


    Afraid of causing a misunderstanding, Lin Yuxing quickly said, ¡°No, he¡¯s a really good person!¡±


    ¡°Is he already in a relationship then?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± Qiu Song calmly smiled, ¡°Although it¡¯s not applicable now, having a high compatibility in pheromones is a rare thing.¡±


    Lin Yuxing understood that Qiu Song was kindly reminding him and shook his head, ¡°He won¡¯t like me, and I can¡¯t like him either.¡±


    Hearing that, Qiu Song asked Lin Yuxing to present his student ID and helped him register an application, saying, ¡°The school provides assistance in this aspect to financially disadvantaged students. You can get the inhibitor at half the price in the future.¡±

 CH 20

    After Lin Yuxing left, a young school doctor knocked on Qiu Song¡¯s door while holding a cup of coffee.


    Recognizing the person, Qiu Song immediately changed his usual calm demeanor and hurriedly stood up, ¡°Yang Zhou, why are you here?¡±


    Yang Zhou placed the coffee on Qiu Song¡¯s desk as if he had come on purpose and said, ¡°I saw a new coffee shop on my way to work. The taste is good, and I thought you might like it.¡±


    The coffee cup had a pattern of a little cat on it, and Qiu Song loved cats.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ Oh, by the way.¡± Qiu Song turned around and took an unopened box of imported cookies from the cabinet, reciprocating the gesture. ¡°These were brought back by my sister from her trip abroad.¡±


    Qiu Song awkwardly touched the box of cookies with his fingertips. ¡°It should be a flavor that you young people like, and there¡¯s also a slight cheese flavor that you enjoy.¡±


    Yang Zhou, a male Alpha, twenty-eight years old, four years younger than Qiu Song, looked at Qiu Song with a smile and took the cookies, showing interest in Qiu Song¡¯s smooth neck.


    He had kissed there just last week.


    Yang Zhou said, ¡°Teacher Qiu, in my eyes, you are also a young person.¡±


    Qiu Song didn¡¯t know where to put his hands. He wasn¡¯t good at taking compliments. Since he begun studying, he had been called a bookworm and always conducted himself in a serious manner. That¡¯s why, even at his age, he had never been in a relationship.


    He pushed his glasses up, his ears turning slightly red. He wasn¡¯t particularly good at dealing with the Alpha in front of him.


    Fortunately, Yang Zhou didn¡¯t tease him anymore.


    ¡°Qiu Teacher, the student who just left, is that Lin Yuxing?¡±


    ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    Yang Zhou put his hands in the pockets of his white coat. ¡°Not exactly. I issued a medical certificate for him before. But I¡¯m somewhat familiar with his boyfriend, the school heartthrob Gu Zhongyi, who is now a sophomore. You know about him, right? They are in a romantic relationship, and I heard it¡¯s incredibly sweet.¡±


    Since Yang Zhou¡¯s arrival was so sudden, Qiu Song hadn¡¯t had a chance to put away the price list for the pheromone inhibitors that Lin Yuxing had just purchased.


    Yang Zhou unintentionally caught sight of it and saw the medication Lin Yuxing had bought.


    Upon hearing that, Qiu Song scolded himself, saying, ¡°Is that so? Ah, it seems I misspoke again.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sneezed as he walked down the street.


    He rubbed his nose, thinking he had gotten used to idling around recently, making him prone to catching colds at the slightest breeze. Seeing that it was about to rain, he quickly ran back to the dormitory while holding the medication.


    Upon opening the dormitory door, Lin Yuxing heard Su Li studying.


    With the final exams approaching, Su Li belonged to the type of people who crammed at the last minute. Unfortunately, the material was too extensive, and Su Li was about to go crazy from studying.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you studying?¡±


    ¡°I reviewed today,¡± Lin Yuxing said, not worried about the final exams. He was only concerned about the effectiveness of the medicine he had just purchased.


    Thinking about it, he sent a message to Gu Zhongyi: [Senior, do you have time tomorrow?]


    Gu Zhongyi: [Yes.]


    Before Lin Yuxing could reply, Gu Zhongyi sent another message: [How¡¯s your studying going?]


    Lin Yuxing: [it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s been a while since we last met. Do you need me to work tomorrow?]


    Gu Zhongyi was a good boss who respected his employees¡¯ wishes: [If you want to work, you can, but as friends, we should also meet when we¡¯re not working, right?]


    He seemed to like saying the word ¡°friends¡± more and more recently.


    Lin Yuxing: [Isn¡¯t it finals time? Otherwise, we would meet every day.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [Hmm, tomorrow around 8 o¡¯clock, I need to go to the school to get some information from Yang Qing. It will only take a few minutes.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Do you want to have breakfast with me tomorrow?]


    Gu Zhongyi knew how to take care of people: [ okay .It¡¯s cold, you should get some sleep.]


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t wait to test the effectiveness of the medication, as it would affect his living expenses and their friendship.


    Lin Yuxing: [I¡¯m not used to sleeping in, and I really want to try the new breakfast buns at the West Campus cafeteria. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll be sold out if I go too late.]


    He came up with a less convincing excuse, but Gu Zhongyi chose to believe it.


    Under Lin Yuxing¡¯s eager anticipation, he finally welcomed the morning of the second day.


    When the alarm clock rang, Lin Yuxing got up and washed up, took his medicine, sat quietly for half an hour, and besides feeling a little hungry, he didn¡¯t have any discomfort.


    Seeing that it was almost time, Lin Yuxing gently closed the dormitory door behind him.


    At the entrance of the West Zone cafeteria.


    Gu Zhongyi was already waiting, holding a thermal bag with newly purchased breakfast buns inside.


    Curry beef filling and pineapple pumpkin filling.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t specify what he wanted last night, so Gu Zhongyi picked for him.


    Seeing Gu Zhongyi holding the thermal bag, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t care less about sniffing pheromones and took a few steps forward. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡±


    ¡°When I came, there weren¡¯t many people, so I bought it first.¡± Gu Zhongyi did something that would make his lover happy, just like an ordinary boyfriend. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and have breakfast. It¡¯s too cold outside.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi smiled, and the pheromones became even sweeter. If his pheromones could self-deprecate, they would definitely say that it shouldn¡¯t be bitter orange-scented pheromones, it should be sweet orange-scented pheromones. But regardless of which kind it was, the pheromone changes happened only when Lin Yuxing was around.


    Little did he know, his ¡°lover¡± was well-prepared that day.


    Lin Yuxing sat in front of the table, calmed his mind, and was about to carefully bask in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones when he smelled a strong curry aroma. It turned out that Gu Zhongyi took out the curry beef bun. Lin Yuxing acted quickly and tightly sealed the plastic bag.


    ¡°Senior, wait a bit before eating!¡±


    He tried to sniff to the left and right.


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, he looked like a cute puppy. ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing raised his hand. ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    A few minutes later, Lin Yuxing smiled relievedly. ¡°Okay, senior, you can eat now.¡± Seeing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s confusion, he said, ¡°There seemed to be a strange smell just now, but it¡¯s gone now.¡±


    The medication worked.


    Although Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones that day were mixed with the smell of curry, they were perfectly normal. There was no bitterness or sweetness, and it wouldn¡¯t make him inexplicably intoxicated.


    Moreover, if Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t carefully sniff, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to smell the pheromones of Gu Zhongyi.


    Indeed, Su Li¡¯s words were correct. Gu Zhongyi had excellent control over his own pheromones, but there was a big problem on Lin Yuxing¡¯s side.


    Lin Yuxing was very grateful for the great contribution made by the Gu Group to the world!


    However, if Gu Zhongyi found out that Lin Yuxing described his pheromones as a strange smell, he would definitely be speechless.


    Lin Yuxing secretly swore not to let Gu Zhongyi know about that.


    His biggest concern was finally resolved. He regained his appetite and returned to normal with laughter and conversation with Gu Zhongyi. After finishing a curry bun, he took a bite of a pineapple pumpkin bun.


    The more Lin Yuxing chewed, the stranger it tasted. After swallowing, he asked, ¡°The taste is weird, what is in this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pineapple pumpkin filling. do you like it?.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned pale almost subconsciously.


    30 minutes later, Gu Zhongyi carried Lin Yuxing in his arms and appeared again in the school clinic.


    At that time, Yang Zhou had a cookie in his mouth and was holding a cup of coffee, half-asleep and daydreaming.


    ¡°Yang Zhou!¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face was pale, his back stiff, and he was panting heavily.


    Yang Zhou quickly finished the cookie and asked vaguely, ¡°What happened?¡±


    He saw the tightly frowning Lin Yuxing in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arms, his cheeks flushed, and fine beads of sweat on his forehead. And Lin Yuxing held his stomach in pain, whimpering, with some obvious red spots on his cheeks and the back of his hands.


    ¡°He¡¯s allergic to pineapple!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face turned white, and his usual calm and composed demeanor completely disappeared. It was as if he had experienced an indescribable past. Facing the weak Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s legs went weak, and he hugged Lin Yuxing tightly with great difficulty.


    Yang Zhou urged Gu Zhongyi to quickly put him on the bed in the examination room. He immediately checked some of Lin Yuxing¡¯s surface symptoms. ¡°It is indeed an allergic reaction.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t eat much, and he has already vomited, but he¡¯s still in a lot of pain.¡± Gu Zhongyi stood aside, his teeth chattering.


    He nervously held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, unable to say anything else.


    With Yang Zhou¡¯s timely treatment, Lin Yuxing gradually relaxed his brow after taking medicine.


    Gu Zhongyi carefully wiped away the sweat from Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead with his fingertips, filled with self-blame. ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was only uncomfortable, not unconscious. He opened his eyes and saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s reddened eyes. Surprised, he started to speak, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Why do you look like you¡¯re about to cry?


    Lin Yuxing thought to himself, ¡°Good-looking guys really are good-looking even when they are about to cry.¡±


    He weakly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just an allergic reaction. I won¡¯t die.¡±


    It¡¯s not a big deal.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t know he was allergic to pineapple, so Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t blame Gu Zhongyi for buying that breakfast package. Moreover, Gu Zhongyi timely brought him to the school hospital and showed such concern for him, which was already very good.


    Even Lin Yuxing¡¯s own family couldn¡¯t do that well.


    Lin Yuxing took a breath, his tongue still numb, making it difficult for him to speak properly. At that moment, his eyelids also became heavier, probably because he didn¡¯t sleep well last night.


    Gu Zhongyi pinched his hand, making him feel very reassured. ¡°Rest for a while.¡±


    Lin Yuxing obediently closed his eyes.


    In a daze, he overheard the conversation between Yang Zhou and Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°This medicine is to be taken orally, and this one is for external application. You don¡¯t have to worry about the red spots on his body. Apply the medicine, and they will disappear soon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so polite?¡± Yang Zhou patted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Has my brother been causing you trouble recently?¡±


    ¡°What trouble can Yang Qing cause me?¡± Gu Zhongyi, seeing that Lin Yuxing was fine, gradually relaxed his tense heart. ¡°It¡¯s usually me who bothers him.¡±


    Yang Zhou was considerably older than Gu Zhongyi, and they didn¡¯t talk much before. They only became acquainted the previous year.


    Speaking of which, they had to thank Yang Qing for that. Every time their loose basketball team collided and bumped into each other, it was Yang Qing who took the lead, bringing the players to his brother Yang Zhou for treatment and bandaging.


    As a result, the mentally mature Gu Zhongyi found it easy to chat with Yang Zhou and quickly became friends.


    The voices of the two gradually became blurred in Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears as he lay in bed and quickly fell asleep.


    Gu Zhongyi, like last time, sat by Lin Yuxing¡¯s bed. The medication prescribed by Yang Zhou was placed nearby, with clear instructions on how to take it.


    Gu Zhongyi looked at the prescription and suddenly asked Yang Zhou, who was preparing to wash his hands next to him, ¡°Do we need to avoid certain foods?¡±


    ¡°Just avoid eating anything too stimulating.¡± Yang Zhou took two steps outside, thinking of something. He turned back and gestured to Gu Zhongyi. ¡°Come out with me for a moment.¡±


    After covering Lin Yuxing with the nearby blanket, Gu Zhongyi followed Yang Zhou outside.


    The two stood in the corridor, and Yang Zhou straightforwardly asked Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Do you know that he got a prescription for an inhibitor yesterday?¡±


    Clearly, Gu Zhongyi was unaware.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± Yang Zhou was quite surprised. ¡°The medicine I prescribed today shouldn¡¯t be taken together with the inhibitor, otherwise, he¡¯ll feel drowsy and weak. Judging from his appearance, I guess he took it this morning. Don¡¯t worry, the side effects aren¡¯t severe, and there won¡¯t be any major consequences, but it¡¯s best not to take them together.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi fell silent.


    Seeing that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t respond, thinking that he didn¡¯t know the effects of the inhibitor, Yang Zhou said, ¡°After all, it¡¯s a product from your company. You should have some understanding, right?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face darkened, looking like he was sulking.


    Knowing that he had said too much, Yang Zhou, as a doctor, couldn¡¯t let the patient take medication randomly. He lightly coughed, inserted his hands into his pockets, and didn¡¯t want to create emotional conflicts between the couple.


    Seeing that it was getting late, and he had other things to attend to, before leaving, he said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°If you¡¯re not busy today, it¡¯s best to stay by his side and take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Thank you.¡±

 CH 21

    In the corridor of the school hospital, Gu Zhongyi leaned against the wall with a gloomy expression.


    He walked to a window and called Yang Qing.


    Yang Qing, who was busy studying for the final exams in the dormitory until late at night, realized it was already morning when he answered the phone. He spoke with an exhausted voice, ¡°You¡¯re asking about Xu Xiangchi? He¡¯s been interested in other omegas recently and hasn¡¯t been bothering Lin Yuxing.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was skeptical, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Yang Qing said, ¡°I was afraid the people assigned to watch him weren¡¯t doing a good job, so I even approached one of his roommates to keep track of his whereabouts myself.¡±


    Even though Yang Qing was slow to catch on, he could still sense Gu Zhongyi¡¯s dislike and caution towards Xu Xiangchi.


    Yang Qing told him, ¡°Ever since you became Lin Yuxing¡¯s boyfriend, Xu Xiangchi has been keeping his distance from both of you. He wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke Lin Yuxing again.¡±


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that the small company owned by Xu Xiangchi¡¯s family could be crushed by the Gu family in a matter of minutes.


    So, Yang Qing was curious as to why Gu Zhongyi was so concerned about Xu Xiangchi.


    However, Gu Zhongyi still couldn¡¯t give an answer to Yang Qing.


    ¡°Okay  please continue to keep an eye on Xu Xiangchi for me. Use the money from the card I gave you wherever it¡¯s needed. I have something to take care of now, so I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Gu Zhongyi wiped his face, and his restless and anxious emotions continued to spread within him.


    He wouldn¡¯t let the things that he failed to stop happen again.


    In the world before his rebirth, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t study at C University, nor did he have the chance to reunite with the person he longed for in time.


    When he returned to the country after a long delay and finally met the other person, everything around him had turned into a void of whiteness.


    Back to present¡­..


    The smell of disinfectant in the hospital was strong. He pushed open the door and followed the light, only to see a face that was looking thin and lifeless.


    In those eyes, hope had long been lost, plunging into an abyss without end.


    As a nurse passed by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s side, she changed the bandage on the patient¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Failed suicide attempt.¡±


    An old lady, who had been taking care of the old man in the adjacent bed, happened to come back with some fruits and was intercepted by Gu Zhongyi.


    Helplessly, she whispered to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°He¡­ sigh, it¡¯s pitiful. He has cancer and seems to have no money for treatment. No one from his family has come to see him either. Just a few days ago, someone came to see him, but they didn¡¯t even say a kind word¡­ I guess he couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. Just a few days ago, he secretly took the fruit knife I use to peel fruits and cut his wrist in the middle of the night. It scared me to death!¡±


    The old lady shook her head, still unsettled by the scene. ¡°Are you his friend? Please try to persuade him.¡± Saying that, she noticed that Gu Zhongyi had empty hands and kindly handed him a box of pineapples she had bought.


    ¡°He likes to eat pineapples. Last time, I shared half a box with him, and he was particularly happy. He finished it in a few bites. Take it and talk to him, help him feel better.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi reluctantly took the box of pineapples, feeling heavy in his hands.


    He turned to look at the person on the sickbed, observing his face that looked exactly like Lin Yuxing¡¯s but with a completely different expression. His heart gradually shattered into pieces.


    Since that day, Gu Zhongyi decided he would buy a box of pineapples every day to visit that hospital room.


    The person on the bed remained indifferent and never showed him any affection.


    A sudden ringing of a mobile phone interrupted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s thoughts.


    The caller ID on the screen showed Lin Yuxing¡¯s name.


    While answering the call, Gu Zhongyi quickly walked back to Yang Zhou¡¯s consultation room. As soon as he entered, he saw Lin Yuxing kneeling on the floor, looking at him with a helpless plea for help in his eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength. I can¡¯t stand up¡­ Can you help me up?¡±


    From childhood to adulthood, Lin Yuxing had always faced his illnesses alone. Whenever he sought help from others, he would feel anxious deep inside.


    But he had no other choice. When he woke up, there was no one in the consultation room. He thought everyone had left and wanted to leave as well, but he found his legs weak and unable to walk properly.


    At the same time, he still felt drowsy, with heavy eyelids and an extremely weak body.


    In fear, he could only seek help from Gu Zhongyi.


    In the instant the call connected, Lin Yuxing¡¯s anxious emotions were immediately calmed.


    After Gu Zhongyi helped him up, he didn¡¯t know what was happening to him. His voice became nasal, and he softly said, ¡°Where did you go?¡± There was a hint of complaint in his tone, like a child who had woken up and didn¡¯t get any candy, helplessly throwing a tantrum.


    But Lin Yuxing¡¯s temper was like a spark after a fire, quickly extinguishing in front of Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but touch his cheek and apologized in a gentle voice, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have left.¡±


    Feeling dizzy, Lin Yuxing soon fell into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace with closed eyes, murmuring, ¡°Senior, I¡¯m so sleepy¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi responded and hugged him tightly, saying, ¡°We won¡¯t go back to the dorm today, okay?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m too tired. I don¡¯t have the energy to work today¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t work. I¡¯ll take you to a place where you can rest properly,¡± Gu Zhongyi said.


    Lin Yuxing hesitated for a moment, unable to think clearly.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded slightly and softly responded, ¡°Mm.¡±


    With his consent, Gu Zhongyi called for a driver.


    After waiting for about ten minutes, Gu Zhongyi picked up the sleeping Lin Yuxing and securely held him in his arms.


    As he walked towards the entrance of the school hospital, he coincidentally met Su Li, who was delivering nutritional fluids.


    Su Li, encountering an ¡°acquaintance,¡± automatically stepped aside.


    Taking the initiative, Gu Zhongyi greeted, ¡°Su Li.¡±


    Su Li was surprised that Gu Zhongyi remembered his name. That was probably the first time Gu Zhongyi had acknowledged him. He then glanced at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace and saw that the person was Lin Yuxing!


    Before he could say anything, Gu Zhongyi hurriedly explained, ¡°Yuxing won¡¯t go back to the dorm today. He¡¯s feeling unwell, so I¡¯m taking him to my place for the night.¡±


    ¡°Your place?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After Gu Zhongyi finished speaking, he greeted the driver nearby and directly got into the backseat of the car, leaving Su Li standing alone in the cold wind, feeling a little confused.


    Lin Yuxing, who knew nothing, was deeply asleep due to the medication, not even waking up when Gu Zhongyi put him on a bed filled with bitter orange fragrance.


    Glancing at the time, Gu Zhongyi placed a glass of water on the bedside table.


    He adjusted the heating at home to a comfortable temperature for sleeping.  He wanted to change Lin Yuxing into a more comfortable set of clothes but he thought such actions would be inappropriate.


    He planned to wait until Lin Yuxing fully woke up before getting him some suitable home clothes.


    However, Gu Zhongyi found Lin Yuxing¡¯s high-necked sweater uncomfortable, so he felt that he should at least help him take it off or fold down the collar.


    But as his hand approached, even in his sleep, Lin Yuxing instinctively protected his neck.


    Gu Zhongyi thought that was a reflexive self-protection of Lin Yuxing¡¯s glands, and instantly felt heartbroken by Lin Yuxing¡¯s actions. He didn¡¯t know what Lin Yuxing had experienced, but other Omegas wouldn¡¯t be so cautious even when they were asleep.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but sit at the edge of the bed and gently stroke Lin Yuxing¡¯s head, wanting to dispel his nightmares.


    Feeling the warmth of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s palm, Lin Yuxing leaned against it like a cat.


    That surprised Gu Zhongyi, and he couldn¡¯t move his gaze away.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    Lin Yuxing murmured in his sleep, rubbing his hand against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s. As he turned to the side, his soft lips brushed against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡± Gu Zhongyi called him hesitantly.


    Lin Yuxing remained unaffected.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t bear to withdraw his hand. After hesitating for a long time, he leaned closer to Lin Yuxing.


    A gentle kiss landed on Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead, the first time Gu Zhongyi had ever kissed him.


    Lin Yuxing shrugged his shoulder and unconsciously grabbed hold of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, furrowing his brows in response to the disturbance caused by the kiss.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t dare to disturb him further and simply watched the sleeping Lin Yuxing. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes had turned red.


    He spoke as if talking to himself, yet it was as if he was speaking to Lin Yuxing.


    This time, he was absolutely certain.


    ¡°You are not him,¡± Gu Zhongyi chuckled, the end of his words carrying a slight tremor. His speech was filled with the joy of recovering what was lost. ¡°This time, I have finally found you.¡±


    You are my star, the true one.


    However, much to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s surprise, the warmth didn¡¯t last for more than half an hour.


    Because less than half an hour later, a doorbell sound echoed from outside his apartment.


    Under normal circumstances, there wouldn¡¯t be many people coming to his apartment. Even Yang Qing would give him a heads-up before coming over. Gu Zhongyi thought someone had pressed the wrong doorbell and didn¡¯t immediately go to answer it.


    Compared to anything else, he wanted to stay with Lin Yuxing.


    But the insistent doorbell sound kept testing his patience, even almost waking up Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi had no choice but to reluctantly withdraw his hand.


    Through the display screen, he saw two people standing downstairs and furrowed his brows. However, he still unlocked the door and let them come upstairs.


    He saw his Omega younger cousin, Gu Nuan, waving at him and awkwardly smiling. ¡°Hey, Zhongyi, long time no see¡­ Sorry for disturbing you out of the blue.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remained silent with a cold expression. His gaze gradually fell on the Omega hiding behind Gu Nuan.


    Su Li, with a determined expression, stepped forward. ¡°Hello, senior. I was worried about Yuxing, and I didn¡¯t know where you lived, so I asked Gu Nuan for help¡­¡±


    By saying that was like essentially questioning Gu Zhongyi¡¯s integrity, suspecting that he might be a beast who would commit improper acts against the unconscious Lin Yuxing.


    The three of them fell into silence simultaneously.


    Knowing he had said the wrong thing, Su Li felt helpless and tugged at Gu Nuan¡¯s sleeve, seeking help.


    Gu Nuan, equally afraid of the cold-faced Gu Zhongyi, pointed to the cake box in his hand and tried to defuse the tension. ¡°I bought a cake. Do you want to have it together?¡±


    In the current atmosphere, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face was extremely cold.


    It had been a long time since he had been so unfriendly.

 CH 22

    In the bedroom, Lin Yuxing slowly opened his eyes, as if awakening from a dream.


    On the soft bed, the scent of bitter orange pheromones made him subconsciously feel at ease. He turned over and enjoyed a comfortable sleep-in.


    In his brief dream, it was a rare moment of joy from his childhood in the welfare institution.


    He vaguely remembered it was a scorching summer day, with dappled sunlight shining through their hair as they sat under the shade of a tree. A boy held his hand and whispered something in his ear.


    Sweat dripped from their brows, and the heat melted in the palms moist with sweat.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks turned rosy, his eyes filled with longing, and he asked in disbelief, ¡°Will you really take me away with you? But, I¡¯m not good, nobody wants me¡­ Will you regret it later?¡±


    He stuttered, lowering his head timidly, afraid of being rejected because of his flaws.


    The boy tightened his grip on his hand, believing prematurely that everyone had secrets they couldn¡¯t confess, and if the other person didn¡¯t want to share, he could live his whole life without knowing.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me! As long as you¡¯re willing to come home with me, I don¡¯t care about anything else,¡± the boy promised. ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to my dad, and I won¡¯t go looking for my mom anymore.¡±


    That was the condition for taking Lin Yuxing home.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes trembled, feeling guilty as he asked, ¡°But what if you miss your mom?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t miss her anymore. My dad told me that she¡¯s living a happy and stable life,¡± said the boy with a sense of conviction that came from repeated heartbreak. ¡°But my presence would disrupt everything.¡±


    ¡°Ah Yi,¡± Lin Yuxing called the boy by his name in the welfare institution.


    The boy smiled, no longer caught up in his thoughts, and sincerely said, ¡°Anyway, I wasn¡¯t planning on finding her again. But Xiaoxing, you are my first friend and the person who cares the most about me in this world. I don¡¯t want to be separated from you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s anxious heart finally found solace, and his worries disappeared with the scorching sunlight, melting into the shadows.


    He rubbed his eyes, wanting to cry.


    He said with determination, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated from you either. You are also my first friend. Ah Yi, when I go to your home, I will be obedient. I will wash dishes and do laundry, and I will keep your house clean! I¡¯m well-behaved, not mischievous at all.¡±


    The boy shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do all that. We should go to school together. When we grow up, we can do whatever we want.¡±


    Lin Yuxing jumped up happily and hugged the boy.


    The boy blushed and returned the embrace to the thin Lin Yuxing, saying, ¡°Once we get home, I¡¯ll tell you my real name¡­ I¡¯m sorry, my dad doesn¡¯t allow me to say it here.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded vigorously, filled with anticipation for the ¡°home¡± the boy spoke of.


    So, he waited in his dream.


    He waited until the boy was the first to be taken away , waited for summer to pass and winter to arrive.


    He stood alone at the gate of the welfare institution, looking into the distance, but no one came to pick him up.


    Times changed.


    Even in his dreams, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t remember the other person¡¯s appearance anymore. The only thing he remembered was the boy¡¯s whisper when he held him tight, so blissful: ¡°I will definitely take you away. We made a pinky promise.¡±


    He would never break his promise.


    That was the second time Lin Yuxing believed in someone¡¯s promise, only to end up disappointed again.


    A few hours later, when he opened his eyes again, Lin Yuxing felt a sense of loss engulfing his heart.


    It was like falling into an empty abyss, where false happiness became a burden.


    He sat up, rubbed his sore neck, and muttered to himself, ¡°Strange, how could I dream about him¡­¡±


    In the air, there was a faint scent of bitter oranges.


    Since he took medicine in the morning, there was no abnormality in the pheromones surrounding him, everything seemed normal.


    But Lin Yuxing, after all, was an Omega. Being surrounded by Alpha¡¯s pheromones while awake, even if they were familiar pheromones, he couldn¡¯t help but feel confused.


    The room was empty.


    Lin Yuxing looked around and quickly remembered that he had come to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s place. He got out of bed barefoot, cautious not to disturb anything around, and his stomach inconveniently grumbled.


    ¡°Gulu¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing touched his stomach and heard a sound outside. He carefully opened the door.


    He saw a neutrally decorated living room.


    On the sofa sat two timid Omegas. They both looked up simultaneously when they saw Lin Yuxing awake, as if they had seen a savior.


    For a moment, no one spoke, and they looked at each other.


    Slowly, Lin Yuxing furrowed his brows and called out in confusion, ¡°Su Li?¡±


    Then, his gaze fell on the Omega next to Su Li, and he called out uncertainly, ¡°Gu Nuan?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know Gu Nuan, but he had heard about the most handsome Omega among the freshmen, Gu Nuan. He knew that Su Li and Gu Nuan had a good relationship, but he couldn¡¯t understand why both of them were there in that apartment at the same time.


    However, no one could answer his confusion.


    Because Su Li and Gu Nuan were sitting on the sofa, well behaved and not daring to breathe heavily.


    On the coffee table in front of them were two cups of cold water and a cake box tied with ribbons.


    Su Li wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and thanked the heavens, ¡°Lin Yuxing, you finally woke up. If you hadn¡¯t, we would have been in big trouble¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, the kitchen door opened.


    Su Li quickly shut his mouth.


    Then, a warm voice came, ¡°Awake now?¡±


    Lin Yuxing saw Gu Zhongyi walking over with a cup of hot water and handing it to him, saying, ¡°Drink some water.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, senior.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi checked the red marks on Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I applied some ointment on you earlier, and it has improved a lot.¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked puzzled at the current situation.


    Gu Zhongyi explained proactively, ¡°The school doctor said you need rest, and I was worried about you going back to the dormitory.¡± He rubbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s messy hair, appearing affectionate in the eyes of others. ¡°Your hair has grown long.¡±


    Due to the inhibitors he took, Lin Yuxing¡¯s face didn¡¯t turn red, and his heartbeat didn¡¯t accelerate. He had become less sensitive to such things. He touched his own hair and casually replied, ¡°I intentionally grew it long. It was a bit short before.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi withdrew his hand, glanced at Su Li and Gu Nuan, and said, ¡°They knew you weren¡¯t feeling well and came to visit you. They even bought you a cake.¡±


    The atmosphere was still a bit tense.


    Gu Zhongyi turned to Su Li and Gu Nuan, who were sweating, and asked with a smile, ¡°Right?¡±


    Su Li: ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡±


    Gu Nuan nodded like a little chicken pecking at rice.


    Lin Yuxing, unaware of his slip of the tongue, was surprised by the treatment he received. He said with gratitude, looking at the exquisitely packaged strawberry cake, ¡°I¡¯m glad you both came, but it¡¯s bothersome for you to visit me.¡± He felt even more embarrassed and awkward, ¡°You even brought a gift.¡±


    With those words, he appeared as if he were the host of the apartment.


    Even Lin Yuxing himself didn¡¯t realize that he had crossed a line and said the wrong thing.


    Su Li wanted to remind him, but hesitated to speak. However, he saw that Gu Zhongyi surprisingly accepted Lin Yuxing¡¯s ¡°slip of the tongue.¡±


    The kitchen door was slightly open, and the dishes in the pot emitted a tempting aroma.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s stomach growled, and he quickly covered it.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°The meal will be ready soon. You can have some cake if you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sighed at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s overly perfect image and asked, ¡°Senior, can you cook?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t eat anything too greasy or stimulating today. It¡¯s better I cook something mild for you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t bear to let Gu Zhongyi handle everything alone and said, ¡°Let me help you in the kitchen.¡± He rolled up his sleeves, revealing calloused hands.


    Gu Zhongyi raised his hand and rubbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s head again, sounding fond, ¡°Go sit and rest, listen to me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing obediently complied and sat on the sofa.


    Su Li thought to himself, ¡°Hmph, Gu Zhongyi is such a two-faced person!¡±


    Gu Nuan, who was unaware of the situation, envied, ¡°That¡¯s so nice. I also want someone I like to rub my head¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Lin Yuxing, dedicated to his work, said, ¡°That¡¯s great. Today, I¡¯ll be a good obedient employee.¡±


    Once Gu Zhongyi closed the kitchen door, Su Li and Gu Nuan collapsed on the sofa, as if they had released all their strength.


    Lin Yuxing sat next to Su Li and said hi Gu Nuan in a friendly manner. It was his first time seeing Gu Nuan up close, and he couldn¡¯t help but admire the excellent genes of the Gu family.


    Upon closer observation, Gu Nuan also had a cold but beautiful appearance.


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t good at chatting with exquisite beauties, and while he was contemplating what to say next, Gu Nuan spoke up.


    ¡°It¡¯s so torturous being in the same room as Brother Zhongyi. Su Li, next time you come here, please don¡¯t invite me!¡± Gu Nuan, fearful and trembling, blurted out, directly breaking his composed demeanor. He covered his chest and said, ¡°Did I just see him smile? He can actually smile? The power of love is truly remarkable¡­¡±


    Just a moment ago, he was as cold as the freezer¡¯s freezing compartment, but now it felt like spring had arrived!


    Does that make sense?


    Su Li, drinking cold water to calm himself, said, ¡°Stop talking. Every minute is torture for me right now.¡±


    Both of them sighed in unison, matching their actions.


    Then, they glanced at the cup of steaming hot water in Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, and then at the cold water in front of them.


    Su Li & Gu Nuan: ¡°That¡¯s so unfair.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you didn¡¯t come to visit me?¡±


    Should he eat the cake on the table or not?


    Ignoring Lin Yuxing¡¯s dilemma about the cake, Su Li gritted his teeth and complained to Lin Yuxing about the ¡°master of changing faces,¡± Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi is terrible. He didn¡¯t even offer us a cup of hot water, and he showed us a bad attitude! If we hadn¡¯t insisted on staying, he would have thrown us out a long time ago!¡±


    Thinking that Lin Yuxing was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s real boyfriend, Gu Nuan tugged at Su Li¡¯s sleeve, indicating that they should stop talking.


    Feeling wronged, Su Li spoke without thinking, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi are just pretending.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Gu Nuan looked at Lin Yuxing in confusion.


    Lin Yuxing quickly coughed lightly.


    Su Li remained calm and continued, ¡°Yuxing is an upright person. He has always been on the side of justice. Even if Gu Zhongyi were his real boyfriend, he would never cover up for him!¡±


    Gu Nuan wasn¡¯t foolish. He entered the school with the highest scores in their department, but he actually believed Su Li¡¯s words.


    It could be seen how strong the relationship between Gu Nuan and Su Li was.


    Now that Gu Nuan had a better understanding, he pitifully complained to his future ¡°brother-in-law,¡± ¡°When you were unconscious, he didn¡¯t look at us with such eyes, more like he was looking at trash.¡±


    Su Li,  followed the lead, ¡°Exactly! It was so demeaning!¡±


    The more Lin Yuxing listened, the more he felt a headache coming on. He thought they were exaggerating.


    But as soon as he opened his mouth, Su Li and Gu Nuan felt he was defending his pretend boyfriend.


    Lin Yuxing became the traitor among them and sincerely said, ¡°When Senior doesn¡¯t speak, he appears a bit cold, which easily leads to misunderstandings. But if you spend more time with him, you¡¯ll see how good he is.¡±


    Just as his words fell, the kitchen door opened.


    Su Li and Gu Nuan immediately sat up straight, picked up their water cups, and calmly drank as if nothing had happened.


    Gu Zhongyi rolled up his sleeves, and his casual home outfit couldn¡¯t hide his good physique. He brought out two cups of hot water, approached them, and pretended to care, saying, ¡°The water has turned cold. Let me change it to a hot one for you.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°No need, it¡¯s warm inside, and drinking cold water feels good¡­¡±


    Gu Nuan drank his water fiercely without saying a word.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tone was sharp, but gentle, ¡°The kitchen and living room are not soundproofed, so if you need anything, just call me. I can hear you.¡±


    Su Li & Gu Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    After that Gu Zhongyi returned to the kitchen.


    Looking at the two cups of steaming water, Lin Yuxing shook his head and steadied his voice, ¡°You were bad-mouthing him, yet he still kindly brought you hot water without holding any grudges.¡±

 CH 23

    Su Li sincerely believed that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s status was too high, and they were not allies.


    This time, he lowered his voice and scolded, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, you¡¯re too shameless!¡± He bumped Gu Nuan¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°You need to hurry up! Inherit the business¡¯ in your family and then expel Gu Zhongyi from the Gu family!¡±


    Gu Nuan even with ten times his courage couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°I dare not.¡±


    Su Li had enough of the commotion and playing around.


    Seeing  that it was not suitable to stay there for long, he dragged Lin Yuxing to the balcony for a private chat, not allowing Gu Nuan to follow them.


    The balcony of the apartment was not small, surrounded by several floor-to-ceiling glass windows, filled with sunlight, and was a particularly suitable place for sight seeing.


    Su Li hooked Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder, looked around, and whispered, ¡°Tell me honestly, what¡¯s really going on?¡± Seeing that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand, he felt frustrated, ¡°Why do I feel like he likes you too?¡±


    The word ¡°too¡± was quite delicate.


    Su Li made a rational judgment. ¡°Isn¡¯t the pace of your mutual affection a bit too fast?¡±


    ¡°How is that possible!¡± Lin Yuxing denied his words and then asked, ¡°Why did you and Gu Nuan come here in the first place?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all for you!¡±


    ¡°For me?¡±


    Su Li was the only one who knew about their ¡°relationship,¡± and it was understandable for him to worry. ¡°I was afraid that Gu Zhongyi might do something to you. But in the end, I was also worried that you would unintentionally reveal something you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Lin Yuxing realized that there was a misunderstanding and quickly explained the events of the morning to Su Li. He candidly said, ¡°He will bring me back because he feels guilty. It¡¯s not his fault i ate the pineapple filling bun because I never told him that I¡¯m allergic to pineapple.¡±


    Su Li felt a bit nauseous upon hearing that fruits could be put into buns.


    Now that Lin Yuxing was no longer affected by pheromones, he felt clear-headed and refreshed. He found a logical reason and said, ¡°Today was purely an accident. I, an outsider, came to his house, which was already a nuisance. And just when he settled me in, you two came, so he might be a little unhappy¡­¡±


    Su Li interrupted him, ¡°Lin Yuxing, are you stupid?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze had already become so obvious, and you still couldn¡¯t tell?


    ¡°What do you mean? Listen to me.¡± Lin Yuxing leaned close to Su Li¡¯s ear and whispered a few words.


    Su Li exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Is it true or not, your compatibility¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly covered his mouth.


    ¡°Mmm, mmm, mmm!¡± Su Li widened his eyes and made ¡°mmm¡± sounds for a while before pointing at Lin Yuxing and then in the direction of the room, making a heart gesture.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± he confirmed it.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing rubbed his chin and unilaterally concluded, ¡°I think¡­ he treats me so well, even to the extent that it misled all of you. It must be because he has been subtly influenced by pheromones as well.¡±


    As long as Lin Yuxing continued taking the pheromone suppressant, there would be no more problems.


    Su Li became quiet. He didn¡¯t want to stay for a moment longer.


    He patted Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, ¡°After we eat, will you come back to school with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    The glass door behind them was knocked twice.


    They turned around¡ª


    Gu Nuan was hanging his head, looking pitifully lonely, and said with resentment, ¡°Zhongyi called you guys for a meal.¡±


    On the dining table were unusually light dishes and soup.


    Since moving out, Gu Zhongyi occasionally tried to cook for himself. His cooking skills were not excellent but not to the extent of being inedible.


    Since Lin Yuxing had been eating casually since he was young, anything that could be eaten was delicious to him.


    Therefore, a famished Lin Yuxing praised Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cooking skills endlessly and even had two bowls of rice without any signs of disgust. From time to time, he sincerely complimented, ¡°Senior, your cooking is so delicious.¡±


    Su Li and Gu Nuan turned their heads to look at him, all with expressions of astonishment.


    Su Li secretly messaged Gu Nuan: [Forgive me, my roommate has no taste buds.]


    Gu Nuan replied: [Let¡¯s go out and eat something else later. This does not taste good¡­]


    Gu Zhongyi had the air of a parent, with two fingers tapping the table, and said in a stern tone, ¡°Don¡¯t play with your phones during meals.¡±


    After saying that, Gu Zhongyi scooped a bowl of soup for Lin Yuxing, with self-awareness, ¡°My cooking is average. You only think it¡¯s delicious because you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s really delicious.¡±


    Lin Yuxing took a few sips of soup, saw that everyone was almost done eating, and took the initiative to get up and tidy up, planning to wash the dishes. Su Li and Gu Nuan also stood up and dutifully joined in the chores.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t put down his rolled-up sleeves and stopped them, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Su Li prepared to slip away, ¡°Senior, it¡¯s getting late. We should head back to school.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t even look up and responded, ¡°It might rain in the afternoon, so it¡¯s better to go back early.¡±


    As soon as Lin Yuxing heard that, he immediately went to the sofa to get his backpack.


    Gu Zhongyi stopped him, ¡°Yuxing.¡± He didn¡¯t stop his actions of cleaning up the dishes and cutlery, his voice gentle but not allowing refusal, ¡°I want to talk to you about something. I¡¯ll give you a ride later.¡±


    Finally leaving the apartment, Su Li and Gu Nuan regained their freedom and felt the fresh air downstairs.


    As a cold wind blew, Gu Nuan shivered.


    Innocently, he came to suffer all morning, feeling a bit tired from hunger and exhaustion. With a hint of speechlessness, he said, ¡®I told you earlier, Brother Zhongyi has a bad temper, but he won¡¯t do anything excessive. Besides, they are in a sort of romantic relationship, so it¡¯s normal for them to be together.¡¯


    Being criticized by Gu Nuan, Su Li found it difficult to respond and said bitterly, ¡®Things are complicated, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡¯


    Gu Nuan, feeling dissatisfied, asked, ¡®And you, do you understand then?¡¯


    The two were like chicken bickering.


    Su Li boasted, puffing his chest, ¡®At least I¡¯m in a romantic relationship. How could I not understand?¡¯


    ¡®Yours is just an online romance!¡¯


    ¡®Online romance is still romance. You don¡¯t even have that!¡¯


    In an instant, Gu Nuan¡¯s eyes turned red. You see, just a few days ago, the Alpha he liked rejected him.


    He sniffled and put his hands in his pockets, looking sadly into the distance in the cold wind. with less enthusiasm he said, ¡®Yes, I don¡¯t have that.¡¯


    Su Li thought to himself, ¡®Oh no, how did I forget about this!¡¯ Mostly because he was used to arguing with Gu Nuan, he didn¡¯t hold back for a moment.


    He quickly put his arm around Gu Nuan¡¯s shoulder, admitting his mistake, ¡®Come on, today it¡¯s my fault, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯ll treat you to a meal. What do you want to eat? Gu Nuan, I was wrong. Don¡¯t be mad..¡¯


    On the other side, at the apartment.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t sit still, so he tidied up the dining table with Gu Zhongyi.


    Inside the kitchen, Lin Yuxing insisted on washing the dishes, saying, ¡®You¡¯ve done the cooking; let me do the dishes.¡¯


    ¡®You need to rest properly today,¡¯ Gu Zhongyi said. ¡®How about this? I won¡¯t wash either, and the cleaner will come in the afternoon.¡¯


    ¡®Senior, as long as I¡¯m full, I won¡¯t feel weak anymore.¡¯ Lin Yuxing directly picked up a cleaning sponge, squeezed some detergent, and quickly started washing the dishes. Back in my hometown, I used to help with a lot of housework every day. Washing dishes is not a difficult task for me.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t lie. Washing dishes, in his opinion, was indeed an effortless chore.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t convince him and said, ¡®There are fruits in the fridge. Wash some.¡¯ A sink for washing fruits was half a meter away from the sink for washing dishes.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wash the dishes first.¡¯


    ¡®There are still red dots on your hands. It could be troublesome if they get irritated by the detergent.¡¯ Gu Zhongyi made up a random excuse and took the cleaning sponge from Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, washing the dishes himself.


    Lin Yuxing obediently wiped his hands and turned to open the fridge.


    He was stunned.


    Inside, there were many different types of fruits, many of which Lin Yuxing had seen but never tasted. He curiously glanced at them and turned to ask Gu Zhongyi, ¡®Which ones should I wash?¡¯


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡®Wash the ones you like.¡¯ He continued, ¡®I¡¯ll wash the ones I want later.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing honestly chose the cheapest orange and only took one. He rinsed it with water and intended to peel and eat it directly. However, he realized that he was at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s home and carefully cut the orange into a small plate.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t say much upon seeing it.


    He let Lin Yuxing go to the living room first while he continued washing a plate of blueberries and cherries, and another plate of honeydew melon. He opened the fridge again, took out the strawberries soaking in saltwater, and washed them along with a few Valencia oranges. He brought them all to the coffee table.


    Lin Yuxing looked at the colorful fruit on the coffee table and was amazed.


    Little did he know that those were all fruits Gu Zhongyi had ordered  when he woke up in the morning.


    ¡®The school doctor always says you¡¯re too thin and lack proper nutrition.¡¯


    ¡®Really? But you always take me to eat delicious food. I feel like I¡¯m not that skinny anymore¡¯¡¯


    Lin Yuxing pinched his own arm and indeed felt he had gained some weight.


    Looking at the various fruits on the coffee table, he once again felt the huge difference between himself and Gu Zhongyi.


    Usually, Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t even buy a few oranges. He would save every penny he could.


    However, after receiving the salary Gu Zhongyi gave him, he occasionally listened to Su Li and bought some apples and oranges to supplement his nutrition. Indeed, as Gu Zhongyi had said, he was too thin. Taking off his clothes  gave the impression of skin and bones.


    Gu Zhongyi handed him a fork and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like to eat, so I bought a bit of everything.¡±


    After spending time with Gu Zhongyi, Lin Yuxing no longer felt awkward. He first chose a fruit he had never eaten before, the cantaloupe. As soon as he took a bite, the sweet juice filled his mouth.


    ¡°So delicious!!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was extremely pleased and continued to eat several more pieces before stopping.


    He remembered they had something important to discuss. ¡°Senior, what did you want to talk to me about?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remained calm. He peeled a Valencia orange for Lin Yuxing and placed it in his hand before slowly speaking, ¡°The allergy medication we got today shouldn¡¯t be taken together with the antihistamine you got yesterday. Otherwise, there might be side effects.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned pale. Did he accidentally take them together in the morning?


    Gu Zhongyi reassured him, ¡°The side effects would be drowsiness and fatigue, similar to what happened this morning. Nothing serious.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s anxious heart finally settled. Thank goodness¡­


    But in an instant, he had another thought, ¡°How did you know that I got them?¡± His throat went dry, and he held back his words.


    Looking at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s composed expression, Lin Yuxing felt as if he was facing a powerful enemy.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, the meal and fruits suddenly felt like a ¡°Hongmen Banquet¡± (a feast used as a trap or ambush).

 CH 24

    Fortunately, Gu Zhongyi showed no signs of anger. He remained calm and even asked Lin Yuxing to taste the Valencia orange in his hand.


    To be honest, Lin Yuxing had long lost his appetite.


    Gu Zhongyi then told him, ¡°The school doctor has your recent medical records. These two medications cannot be taken together, so the school doctor had to issue that reminder.¡±


    At that time , Lin Yuxing was in a drowsy state, and Yang Zhou would definitely have informed his ¡°boyfriend¡± Gu Zhongyi about the situation.


    Lin Yuxing put down the Valencia orange in his hand, and nervousness appeared on his face.


    Neither of them spoke again.


    The tense atmosphere became unbearable for Lin Yuxing, and he turned his head to look at Gu Zhongyi, cautiously asking, ¡°Do you have something else to say?¡±


    Of course, Gu Zhongyi had more to say.


    Gu Zhongyi placed his hands on his thighs and sat in a slightly inclined position, contemplating his words. He decided to get straight to the point, ¡°Can you tell me which Alpha it is?¡±


    Lin Yuxing did not expect Gu Zhongyi to be so direct, and his expression changed immediately.


    Because he didn¡¯t want to say, and he couldn¡¯t say.


    But Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tone didn¡¯t sound like a negotiation; he became serious, ¡°Yuxing, I hope you can tell me the truth.¡±


    If the Alpha who had made Lin Yuxing take the suppressant was really Xu Xiangchi, Gu Zhongyi would find a way to make even the shadow of Xu Xiangchi completely disappear from Lin Yuxing¡¯s life.


    Second chances were often rare, and Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t afford to make any more mistakes.


    He assured Lin Yuxing, ¡°I will help you handle this Alpha and make sure you no longer have any contact with him. So, can you tell me?¡±


    Upon hearing that, Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned pale, and his hands clenched tightly. Sitting uneasily, his expression gradually became solemn, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi held his breath, waiting for him to speak.


    What he heard was Lin Yuxing saying, ¡°Can I not say?¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt extremely guilty and couldn¡¯t meet Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s grip tightened, and his heart ached.


    Lin Yuxing bit his lip forcefully, and the bitten area turned pale before filling with blood. ¡°Senior, everyone has their privacy. Just because we are working together doesn¡¯t mean I should tell you everything about me. In fact, using suppressants as an Omega is an extremely private matter.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t seeking Gu Zhongyi¡¯s approval; he was simply stating his stance.


    With the absence of pheromone attraction, Lin Yuxing rationalized their relationship and created some distance between them. His thoughts were unusually clear, ¡°As long as I can ensure that it doesn¡¯t affect our cooperation, I can choose not to say.¡±


    In an instant, Gu Zhongyi froze, and several scenes flashed through his mind.


    Having failed once before, Gu Zhongyi jumped to conclusions and assumed that Lin Yuxing was influenced by pheromones of the Alpha, defending that Alpha to such an extent.


    His jealousy surged, completely overwhelming him.


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t a perfect person; he had simply lived ten years longer than Lin Yuxing, making him more skilled at disguising and restraining himself.


    But in front of Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s disguise wasn¡¯t good enough.


    In the face of Lin Yuxing, the only thing he could do was instinctively try to make up for the time they had lost. It was only in front of Lin Yuxing that Gu Zhongyi felt uneasy, restless, and experienced the pain of wanting but not attaining.


    His mask was falling off.


    And when Lin Yuxing saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s stern face, he suddenly felt a strange feeling. He lowered his head, filled with fear, silently believing that Gu Zhongyi must have known something, which is why he questioned him like this.


    Although Lin Yuxing tried to be strong, his heart was in agony.


    He knew that hiding the truth was wrong, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it no matter what.


    Because he needed money desperately.


    He also knew very well that once there was a crack between them, the contract would end.


    In the past, Lin Yuxing could endure and survive on his own. But now, after experiencing someone else¡¯s help, he unexpectedly developed a certain greed and selfishness. He had warned himself not to blindly accept help from others. If it happened too often and dependency was formed, the one destroyed would be himself, who was at the bottom.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to deceive Gu Zhongyi, so he clenched his teeth in pain, blaming his own incompetence.


    But in that instant when he looked up, he froze.


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, there was never any hint of anger towards him. In those eyes, there was only endless hurt and blatant devastation.


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi was not the usual cold and aloof campus heartthrob, nor was he the gentle friend in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes.


    He was like a rain-soaked animal, wounded but not knowing where to go for healing.


    ¡°Yuxing,¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice gradually became shaky. He didn¡¯t want to force Lin Yuxing, so he restrained himself as much as possible, ¡°I don¡¯t want to interfere with your life. I just hope that I can help you, whether as your employer or¡­ as your friend.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to leave him, so he instinctively grabbed hold of Lin Yuxing¡¯s wrist.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze was affectionate, driven by jealousy, and he exposed his true feelings without reservation, ¡°When you¡¯re in trouble, I hope you can turn to me.¡±


    He was afraid, afraid of missing the chance to save him once again.


    The scent of bitter orange pheromones became intense, containing various emotions, all burning like a raging fire.


    Lin Yuxing suddenly pulled his hand back, avoiding Gu Zhongyi¡¯s scorching gaze. He stood up and took two steps back.


    Gu Zhongyi looked at him in astonishment, speechless.


    But Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t avoid him because of disgust; he simply believed that Gu Zhongyi, just like him, was completely influenced by the pheromones to say such things.


    In that way, he convinced himself that everything about Gu Zhongyi, his kindness and gentleness, had an explanation.


    Lin Yuxing reproached himself inwardly. Even though Omegas were more sensitive to pheromones than Alphas, he had noticed the unusualness a long time ago but hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to get the medication earlier.


    Faced with Gu Zhongyi, who was completely influenced and seemed like a different person, Lin Yuxing¡¯s selfishness began to crumble.


    Lin Yuxing firmly believed that he and Gu Zhongyi were not suitable for each other.


    Not only were there differences in wealth and status, but also in their bodies.


    On Lin Yuxing¡¯s back was a huge burn scar, a remnant of the suffering he endured in the orphanage during his childhood. It extended to the gland on the back of his neck, rotting and scarring, remaining hideous and haunting in Lin Yuxing¡¯s self-doubt.


    Anyone who saw it would be repulsed.


    He was a freak in his childhood, struggling to survive in the shadows of the night.


    Lin Yuxing closed his eyes, and his long eyelashes were like feathers drawn with ink.


    He couldn¡¯t bear it in his heart, thinking of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s kindness towards him. After recalling all of it, he decided to spare innocent Gu Zhongyi.


    If worse came to worst¡­ He would ask Gu Zhongyi to post an announcement later, clarifying that they had already broken up. The money he had would be enough to get through next month. Winter break was coming soon, and he would apply for a vacation to stay at school and find more part-time jobs in the city.


    Unexpectedly, before Lin Yuxing could avoid him, Gu Zhongyi made a move first.


    Gu Zhongyi became determined and forceful.


    He approached, stubbornly grabbing Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand and refusing to let go as he asked, ¡°This Alpha¡­ it¡¯s Xu Xiangchi, right?¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at him blankly, not understanding why he would bring up Xu Xiangchi.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s memory, Xu Xiangchi hadn¡¯t appeared for a long time.


    ¡°Xu Xiangchi?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi swallowed hard, his palm losing strength, and an undesired resentment appeared in his tone. ¡°He¡¯s still bothering you, after all.¡±


    The last sentence was an affirmation.


    Gu Zhongyi almost gave himself an answer and firmly clenched his teeth. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    Rain started falling outside.


    A sudden burst of anger ignited within Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart as he recalled memories from years ago¨C


    It was also a rainy day, a funeral with few people, and a moment when Gu Zhongyi missed Lin Yuxing¡¯s world.


    Gu Zhongyi stood before a tombstone, nearly killing someone.


    He angrily swung his fist in the rain, repeatedly hitting Xu Xiangchi¡¯s detestable face. He resented Xu Xiangchi, resented why he had cruelly hurt the person he loved.


    Torrential rain poured, and Gu Zhongyi gasped for breath.


    Blood seeped from Xu Xiangchi¡¯s mouth, his gaze empty, lying on the ground like a corpse.


    After a long while, he hoarsely said, ¡°He is highly compatible with me. He chases after me ¡­ I really wanted to give him to Young Master Gu, but there was no way, right?¡±


    Xu Xiangchi achieved his wish when he saw the change in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pupils. He smirked provocatively and said, ¡°He¡¯s hanging onto you because you pay for his medical expenses. You¡¯ve spent so much money on him¡­ Is he willing to let you touch him even once? Have you tasted his flavor?¡±


    ¡°¡­Shut up, shut up!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi swung his fist again like a madman, shattering the hurtful words.


    Xu Xiangchi coughed up blood in pain. Unable to overpower Gu Zhongyi, he sneered maliciously, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, if you love him so much, why not die with him?¡±


    Another punch landed, and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes turned red.


    Xu Xiangchi grabbed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s collar, starting to fight back, not physically but with words. ¡°Look at your pitiful existence. Should I tell you another secret?¡±


    The heavy sound of rain merged with Xu Xiangchi¡¯s hoarse voice as blood blended with the drops of rain. He whispered in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear, ¡°He is not the person you¡¯re looking for at all. He¡¯s just a little bastard who lies for medical expenses.¡±


    Xu Xiangchi slurred his tone, ¡°The person you¡¯re looking for died a long time ago, just like this little bastard¡­ dead¡­ and¡­ gone.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s breathing grew heavy, and suddenly he lost all strength in his body. He murmured without stopping, ¡°You¡¯re lying¡­¡±


    Xu Xiangchi pushed him away and struggled to stand up. ¡°You fool, the person is already dead. Why would I lie to you?¡± He glanced at Gu Zhongyi in pain and retaliated, ¡°I heard that people who look alike also have the same pheromones. If the person you¡¯re looking for is still alive, would they have a high compatibility with me too?¡±


    Xu Xiangchi clicked his tongue twice.


    Gu Zhongyi lay in the rain, allowing Xu Xiangchi to stagger and leave without being able to catch up.


    His heart broke, and his body ached as if bones were being crushed and flesh peeled.


    The person he was looking for had died, completely vanishing from the world.


    Tears mixed with rainwater streamed down Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face as he grabbed onto the tombstone, completely consumed by grief. He desperately pleaded and interrogated, ¡°Xu Xiangchi is lying, isn¡¯t he? You told me before that Little Star is still alive, right?¡±


    In the last three words, he gnashed his teeth.


    But the dead couldn¡¯t answer him.


    The photo on the tombstone showed a face identical to Lin Yuxing¡¯s, named Qu Xing, who passed away at the age of 28.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face turned pale as he fell into a flashback, with the continuous calling of Lin Yuxing in his ears.


    ¡°Senior? Senior¡ª¡±


    Gu Zhongyi snapped back to reality, his body drenched in cold sweat, almost losing his balance.


    Lin Yuxing held onto him and asked concernedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You look terrible.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi instinctively held onto Lin Yuxing and refused to let go. It was only when he confirmed that the hand he was holding was warm, not cold, that he trembled and slowly released his grip.


    He was in a sorry state.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said.


    Gu Zhongyi realized he had lost control of himself and that he wasn¡¯t in a suitable condition to be with Lin Yuxing. He turned to grab the car keys nearby and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s raining, and I¡¯ll take you back to school.¡±


    Although he said that, his mind was filled with thoughts on how to deal with Xu Xiangchi.


    Regardless, the compatibility of pheromones was like a kind of poison, and he had to resolve the issue with Xu Xiangchi as soon as possible.


    Even without his usual tenderness, Gu Zhongyi still wanted to give Lin Yuxing some reassurance. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the situation with Xu Xiangchi as soon as possible.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Lin Yuxing asked in great confusion, ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s Xu Xiangchi? I don¡¯t like his pheromones at all, so our compatibility must be low.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me.¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to hear Xu Xiangchi¡¯s name from Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth, and his steps became heavier. ¡°That idiot alpha who doesn¡¯t know how to control his pheromones when he knows we¡¯re in a relationship. I think he did it on purpose. Try to avoid him as much as possible. If there¡¯s any problem, remember to tell me immediately.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was completely confused.


    Because of that, he no longer hid it and stopped Gu Zhongyi, who was about to open the door.


    ¡°Zhongyi?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his gaze and said dejectedly, ¡°The idiot alpha you mentioned who can¡¯t control his pheromones¡­ it¡¯s you.¡±


    It was never Xu Xiangchi.


    The car keys in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand suddenly fell to the ground, and he stood fixed, unable to react.


    Lin Yuxing quickly squatted down to pick them up and kindly advised him, ¡°You¡¯re not an idiot or terrible. Don¡¯t scold yourself anymore.¡±

 CH 25

    The rain outside the window was particularly heavy.


    Lin Yuxing was usually afraid of rain because it easily wet his clothes. That damp coldness could penetrate into his bones in the cold wind, causing waves of pain.


    Lin Yuxing stood in the heated apartment, his heart alternating between heat and cold.


    The coldness comes from Gu Zhongyi not speaking.


    The heat comes from¡­ his turtleneck sweater that really wasn¡¯t suitable to wear in a heated room.


    Lin Yuxing nervously handed over the car keys, feeling a prickling sensation on his back as Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze seemed to devour him.


    Of course, that was Lin Yuxing¡¯s exaggerated perception.


    In reality, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze was like a flickering firefly in the wilderness. It flickered in the darkness, hard to grasp, incapable of burning. It was humble, earnest, only igniting hope within his own heart.


    Seeing him not taking the keys, Lin Yuxing placed them on the countertop.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been meeting with you much lately because I realized I developed feelings for you. Maybe you don¡¯t know, but your pheromones fluctuate between sweet and bitter, causing my heart to race¡­,¡± Lin Yuxing said, in an astonishingly straightforward manner. His frankness became a rare confession of true feelings.


    Gu Zhongyi held his breath, his fingernails digging into his palms.


    However, Lin Yuxing being Lin Yuxing. Seeing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s somber expression, he rushed to clarify what he meant, ¡°These feelings are not my true thoughts. They are just influenced by pheromones!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t respond.


    Lin Yuxing took it as Gu Zhongyi reflecting. He could actually understand Gu Zhongyi¡¯s astonishment and his ¡°anger.¡±


    After a moment of contemplation, he said, ¡°I think¡­ what you said just now was probably because the pheromones were affecting you.¡±


    But Gu Zhongyi understood himself clearly. It was not because of the pheromones.


    It was only half a year since Gu Zhongyi returned to this body that he discovered the soul-swapping accident in the time and space had reduced his sensitivity to other people¡¯s pheromones.


    He couldn¡¯t speak directly.


    Because Lin Yuxing avoided him just now, because now Lin Yuxing denied his affection towards him.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s throat felt blocked, his lips moved several times but no words came out.


    He could hardly believe that such rare luck was happening to him.


    After learning of Lin Yuxing¡¯s death at Qu Xing¡¯s funeral, he drove alone on a rainy night and unfortunately collided with a truck. When he was on the verge of death, he thought he would meet his end, but upon opening his eyes, he found himself back in his 18-year-old body.


    If his fate was compared to a drama.


    Then the former protagonist had already exited the stage, and this time, it was him, the supporting role, who stepped onto the stage, facing the dazzling lights, welcoming his brand new life.


    Gu Zhongyi looked at Lin Yuxing, and had a feeling of excitement beyond words.


    As an Alpha with exceptional control over his own pheromones, Gu Zhongyi, although different from his father in every aspect, still inherited the excellent genes of the Gu family.


    He suppressed the pheromones that would have overflowed, leaving only a faint lingering fragrance in the air, emitting a sweet scent.


    At that moment, even though Lin Yuxing ¡°rejected¡± Gu Zhongyi decisively, he couldn¡¯t help but genuinely smile from the bottom of his heart.


    But with just that smile, it frightened Lin Yuxing quite a bit.


    Because Lin Yuxing could no longer sense any change in the scent of pheromones, and consequently, he lost the secret to predicting Gu Zhongyi¡¯s emotions.


    Thinking that Gu Zhongyi was laughing at him, Lin Yuxing apologized repeatedly.


    He was prepared for the ending of parting ways, murmuring his final defense, ¡°After I discovered it, I immediately bought the inhibitor. I had no intention of delaying anything. And now that I¡¯ve taken the inhibitor, I¡¯m back to normal. Don¡¯t worry, I absolutely won¡¯t bother you , really!¡±


    Lin Yuxing took a deep breath and, to relieve any psychological pressure on Gu Zhongyi, he continued lying, ¡°Actually, even if there is a high compatibility between us, my feelings for you are just ¡­ devoid of any desires.¡±


    Being blocked by the last sentence, Gu Zhongyi persistently asked, ¡°Not even a bit?¡±


    ¡°No, not even a bit.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I believe there should be at least a bit.¡±


    Lin Yuxing firmly insisted, ¡°None!¡± He swore he wouldn¡¯t tell Gu Zhongyi that the two of them held hands sweetly in his dream.


    Gu Zhongyi was rendered speechless by Lin Yuxing¡¯s stubbornness and indifference.


    This star is indeed as stubborn as when he was a child, fond of telling lies with his eyes wide open.


    Lin Yuxing felt disheartened, and his shoulders dropped. He was certain that their cooperation was no longer possible.


    After all, what Gu Zhongyi wanted was someone who could shield him from romantic entanglements, not someone like him. Lin Yuxing was also aware that someone like Gu Zhongyi would definitely date and marry someone who was suitable in terms of status.


    His high compatibility with Gu Zhongyi was undoubtedly a time bomb for him.


    Who would want to keep a bomb by their side? Perhaps they couldn¡¯t even be friends anymore.


    Saying more was useless.


    Lin Yuxing became increasingly saddened, picked up his backpack, and conscientiously asked, ¡°The contract ends today, right? I¡¯ll return the extra salary for this month to you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi, who originally intended to stop him, deliberately remained silent upon hearing that. His heart surged and suddenly he didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to remain calm as well.


    Gu Zhongyi quietly looked at Lin Yuxing, waiting for him to take out his phone and prepare to heartlessly transfer the money.


    But when Lin Yuxing saw the amount in his account, he recalled that his money had already been taken by Lin Xiufeng.


    Embarrassed, he looked up and said, ¡°Senior¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stared at him intently.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment, and he had to muster up the courage to say, ¡°Um¡­ My uncle has caused trouble again recently, and I gave all the money in my account to my family. Now I don¡¯t have enough money on hand to repay you.¡±


    The more he spoke, the more he felt like a scoundrel.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hands gripped his worn-out backpack, and his tight financial situation made him look like a shameless person. The calluses on his fingers drew a clear line between him and his peers.


    Perhaps feeling that it was not enough, Lin Yuxing quickly took out paper and a pen from his bag and said, ¡°Here¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll transfer 200 yuan to you first, and then I¡¯ll write you an IOU. It¡¯s almost the vacation, and I¡¯ll have time to work. I won¡¯t fail to repay you!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi furrowed his brow, thinking about Lin Yuxing¡¯s difficult family situation, and finally spoke, ¡°How many jobs are you planning to take?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t look up, crouching down to write the IOU.


    Seeming accustomed to that kind of situation, he quickly wrote down two lines of neat characters and confidently said, ¡°I¡¯ll take as many jobs as I can. I¡¯ll try to repay you before the end of the winter vacation. Don¡¯t worry, I can do any kind of work. I can definitely earn money in a big city like C City.¡±


    He stood up and handed the signed IOU to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t take it.


    Lin Yuxing awkwardly placed the IOU on the coffee table, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it here.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t bear to make it difficult for him any longer, so he took the IOU and crumpled it up. ¡°When did I say I wanted to terminate our contract?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was startled, and the backpack in his hands was squeezed so tightly that it deformed. ¡°D-Do we not need to terminate it?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi answered quickly, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you mad at me anymore?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry at all,¡± Gu Zhongyi said. ¡°You¡¯ve already taken the pheromone inhibitor, which means this illusion won¡¯t last long. Since you¡¯ve found a solution, we don¡¯t need to end the contract.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, his legs weakening as he sat on the sofa, appearing as if he had narrowly escaped a disaster. He rubbed his eyes as if he was about to cry and muttered, ¡°You scared me.¡±


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi deeply regretted his immaturity just now. He shouldn¡¯t have played tricks on Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi tried to salvage the situation and found a suitable excuse, saying, ¡°If we terminate the contract, I¡¯m afraid it would be difficult for me to find a reliable partner like you again.¡± He acted as if he approved of Lin Yuxing¡¯s actions, ¡°You did well . If it were someone else, they would have taken advantage of the high compatibility.¡±


    But Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t.


    And it was precisely because Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t, that Gu Zhongyi felt hurt. He had a hidden agenda, and he even hoped that Lin Yuxing would be a ¡°villain,¡± so that Lin Yuxing would exploit their high compatibility.


    However, dreams are fulfilling, and reality is barren.


    Gu Zhongyi indeed couldn¡¯t be hasty.


    Just one thing, Gu Zhongyi had to say immediately, ¡°Yuxing,  you should consider changing your character of wanting to bear everything on your own when faced with a difficult situation?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t cooperate anymore, we will still be friends, and that won¡¯t change. And friends¡­¡± he said seriously, ¡°friends are meant to rely on each other.¡±


    That sentence touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart.


    It felt as if the rain had stopped, and the torrential rain outside was dispelled, revealing a rare sunshine.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s world, friends were an exceptionally precious presence.


    From childhood to adulthood, he had always been the one isolated in the crowd. In the orphanage, it was because of the ugly scars. Outside the orphanage, it was because of endless poverty.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words made Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes well up with tears again. No one had ever spoken to him so softly and gently about friends and reliance.


    They sounded warm, like flowers blooming in the warm spring, making one feel light all over. In Lin Yuxing¡¯s damp life, they were a rare ray of sunshine.


    Lin Yuxing foolishly stayed silent for a while, at a loss for words.


    Finally, he nodded in a hesitant and unfamiliar manner. ¡°Mm.¡±


    His voice was so soft that it made Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hearts ache.


    Gu Zhongyi wanted to pat his head, but it didn¡¯t seem appropriate that day.


    Gu Zhongyi squeezed his palm, planning to hold back for a few days before doing so.

 CH 26

    After the rain stopped, looking out from the balcony of the apartment, one could see a faint halo encircling the surroundings.


    Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi sat on the sofa, relaxed both in mind and body, discussing ¡°issues¡± while enjoying fresh fruits on the coffee table. Due to excessive eating, Lin Yuxing was starting to feel a bit tired.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks moving constantly, Gu Zhongyi picked up a plate of fruit and went to the kitchen to make a cup of juice.


    Taking advantage of his absence, Lin Yuxing grabbed his phone and requested leave from Zhou Jie. It seemed like he wouldn¡¯t be able to go to the bakery that day.


    Coincidentally, a message from Su Li came in: ¡°[Are you on your way back?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[No¡­ the compatibility issue was discovered by the senior.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[Oh my! Were you kicked out by him? Where are you now?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[No, no, I¡¯m still at his place. He hasn¡¯t terminated the contract . But we need to discuss some things, and he won¡¯t let me leave until we¡¯re done.]¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly sighed: ¡°[Su Li, I never knew before¡­ that there could be such a wonderful person in this world.]¡±


    Su Li was confused: ¡°[Who are you talking about?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[The senior, Senior Gu Zhongyi.]¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[¡­I don¡¯t understand what kind of play you two have going on.]¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[Anyway, come back early. I just treated Gu Nuan to some fried chicken and found out it¡¯s buy one, get one free today, so I brought some for you.]¡±


    As soon as Lin Yuxing saw the fried chicken, he sent a hamster emoticon with gleaming eyes.


    Su Li: ¡°[Hehe, you little rascal.]¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[Remember to bring back the cake Gu Nuan bought for you when you return]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Okay, but I might come back late. The senior wants to know my food preferences. He said that since we¡¯ll be working together for a long time, he needs to know these things.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing continued: ¡°[We also need to test our compatibility later.]¡±


    Su Li remained in a state of ¡°typing¡­¡±


    When Gu Zhongyi returned, Lin Yuxing immediately put away his phone and continued their ¡°meeting.¡±


    While drinking juice, Lin Yuxing thought for a while and asked, ¡°What are your food preferences?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi answered honestly, ¡°I¡¯m not picky and I¡¯m not allergic to anything.¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°There must be something you like to eat, right?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi recalled, ¡°The street food stall you took me to that day was delicious. Take me there again next time.¡±


    That answer warmed Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart, and he scratched his nose and generously said, ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll treat you to crayfish. You wanted to eat it last time, right?¡±


    ¡°Minced meat vermicelli is good enough; crayfish costs over 100 yuan,¡± Gu Zhongyi thought Lin Yuxing had forgotten and reminded him.


    Lin Yuxing muttered unexpectedly, ¡°Ah, I¡¯ts so good that i would make an exception.¡±


    The phrase ¡°Ah¡± made Gu Zhongyi pause for a moment. He curled his lips and immediately responded, ¡°Okay, then I won¡¯t hold back when we go next time.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi glanced at the time and said, ¡°I have a relative working at the Pheromone Research Institute. He wants us to be there at four o¡¯clock. It¡¯s more convenient to test compatibility there.¡±


    Saying that, Gu Zhongyi turned on the projector in the living room, ¡°Do you want to watch a movie?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was startled by the slowly descending large screen, ¡°Is there enough time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not even one o¡¯clock yet,¡± Gu Zhongyi handed the remote control to Lin Yuxing and pulled down the blackout curtain in the living room, ¡°You choose .¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing felt like he was holding a hot potato and pressed on the interface for quite a while before sheepishly saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t watched many movies, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s good. You choose.¡±


    From childhood until now, Lin Yuxing had only been to a movie theater once.


    It was when he was ten years old. With donations from kind-hearted people and organized by the welfare home, they all went to the newly opened cinema in town together. He remembered that the movie they watched was called ¡°Parental Love,¡± telling the story of a couple who traveled a long way and went through hardships to find their child who had been abducted to the mountains, ultimately reuniting as a family.


    At that time, Lin Yuxing was young and didn¡¯t have a deep understanding of movies. He only remembered the accompanying volunteers being moved to tears.


    As he looked at the happy ending on the screen, the only thing he could associate it with was the scene of his father abandoning him at the entrance of the welfare home.


    He wasn¡¯t sad or upset. He had long forgotten what his parents looked like.


    Looking back now, he didn¡¯t know if it was the audacity of the staff at the time or if the cheap cinema in the small town only had that one movie that day. Otherwise, why would they show such films to the children in the welfare home?


    Most of them were abandoned by their parents.


    Lin Yuxing quickly realized he misspoke. He didn¡¯t intend to elicit sympathy and changed his wording, ¡°What I mean is, I have no taste. I always pick the wrong movies, so I don¡¯t really enjoy going to see them.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi calmly took the remote control and said, ¡°I have a good taste in movies. Shall we go to the cinema together in the future?¡±


    Invited by a friend, Lin Yuxing showed undisguised joy, ¡°Sure! Then next time, I¡¯ll treat you to a movie.¡±


    That was another instance where he said he would treat Gu Zhongyi. First to crayfish and now a movie. Obviously, he was in a good mood.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re treating me to crayfish, I¡¯ll treat you to the movie,¡± Gu Zhongyi said, so that Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t struggle with who would pay.


    ¡°For now, you¡¯re treating me to crayfish, so the movie will be on me,¡± Gu Zhongyi pointed ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s pick a movie quickly.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze returned to the screen.


    Actually, for a moment, he was worried that Gu Zhongyi would open a movie similar to ¡°Parental Love.¡± He tightened his nerves slightly, he didn¡¯t want to watch those kinds of movies.


    Fortunately, Gu Zhongyi had selected a relatively light-hearted sci-fi film.


    As the movie began, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but sit up straight. He was a bit unaccustomed to the dim environment, but soon he became captivated by the images on the screen, relaxing.


    Gu Zhongyi sat beside him, and the faint scent of bitter orange pheromones lingered in the air like a fleeting fragrance.


    Lin Yuxing emitted a faint scent of citrus as well, which Gu Zhongyi diligently and deliberately captured, lightly placing it in his heart.


    A two-hour movie.


    Lin Yuxing looked at the screen, and Gu Zhongyi looked at him.


    They both got what they wanted.


    Faintly, Lin Yuxing felt the gaze of Gu Zhongyi and turned his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi pretended as if nothing had happened and reached for the fruit on the coffee table. Coincidentally, his arm brushed against Lin Yuxing¡¯s arm in the dark. The warmth of their bodies transmitted to their senses in the blink of an eye, and a tense atmosphere instantly spread.


    The fruit in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand fell, and his voice suddenly became hoarse. Then, his magnetic voice fell on Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hold it properly.¡±


    ¡°Thud, thud¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart unexpectedly began to beat at the wrong rhythm, just like before, when it felt like a little deer was ramming inside him.


    The sweet taste of the fruit replaced the sweetness that should have been the pheromones, unconsciously sweetening his heart.


    He thought, maybe it was because he took allergy medicine while on suppressant medication and it lost some of its effect?


    Lin Yuxing touched his chest and took a deep breath.


    Four o¡¯clock¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    They arrived on time at the entrance of the pheromone research institute in City C.


    After the security guard made contact , confirming their identities, they were allowed to enter. Gu Zhongyi skillfully parked the car in the parking lot and took Lin Yuxing to the testing building¡¯s lobby.


    Looking at the unfamiliar environment, Lin Yuxing curiously asked, ¡°Senior, are you familiar with this place?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t tell Lin Yuxing that in the current world, it was actually his first time coming to the institute. But in the previous world, he had indeed been there many times.


    Every time, it was for Qu Xing.


    Qu Xing¡¯s cancer occurred in his glands, and the medication at the hospital couldn¡¯t ease his pain anymore. Helplessly, Gu Zhongyi went there time and time again, using the back door to obtain some medication that couldn¡¯t be found elsewhere.


    It could be considered as using poison to fight poison, allowing Qu Xing to ease a lot of physical pain during the last stage of his life.


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone vibrated. It was a call from Yang Qing.


    Gu Zhongyi whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll take a call outside and be back soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked around boredly. The testing building was empty, and it appeared quite desolate. Lin Yuxing¡¯s major was well-suited for working there, but the minimum educational requirement at the institute was a postgraduate degree.


    He regretfully pursed his lips, knowing that once he graduated from undergraduate, he should immediately start looking for a job, with almost no chance of taking the postgraduate entrance examination.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing remembered that he hadn¡¯t replied to Su Li¡¯s message, so he quickly took out his phone.


    Su Li: [Do you remember the ¡°blessing¡± post on the forum?]


    Lin Yuxing: [How could I forget it.]


    Su Li: [Why don¡¯t you reply to me tomorrow? It¡¯s fine if you reply next year too.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Sorry, I got caught up in a conversation with Senior.]


    Su Li: [Sigh, I¡¯m no match for Senior Gu.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Hamster crying face x3]


    Su Li said: [Okay, I¡¯m just joking. I was bored and went to that post. Guess what I found?]


    Lin Yuxing asked, giving Su Li a surprised emoticon face: [What?]


    Su Li: [In that post, any comment criticizing you has been deleted. Just a moment ago, someone anonymously insulted you in my thread, and when I refreshed, it was gone! I can¡¯t stop laughing. I even suspect that the one who posted isn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi himself, but a puppet.]


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of ¡°puppet.¡±


    Su Li: [Let me give you an example. When we read novels, there are often supporting characters who drive the plot or the emotional progress of the main characters. They¡¯re called puppets.]


    Su Li continued excitedly: [If he isn¡¯t a puppet, could he be shipping classmates in secret? That¡¯s so funny! Does anyone even ship classmates from the same school?]


    Lin Yuxing: [What does ¡°shipping¡± mean?]


    Su Li sighed, feeling that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t spend much time online. As one of the top ten best roommates, Su Li had to educate Lin Yuxing to help him keep up.


    Su Li sent a long voice message, which left Lin Yuxing stunned.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuxing had good comprehension skills and managed to understand it.


    Lin Yuxing: [Thank you, you know a lot.]


    Su Li boasted: [No big deal~]


    Having learned new knowledge, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t continue chatting with Su Li. A bit of doubt arose in his heart, and he immediately opened the chat box of ID789, which he hadn¡¯t looked at for a long time.


    Outside the testing building, Gu Zhongyi had just hung up Yang Qing¡¯s call when a message popped up on his phone, coming from his other account.


    This account only had Lin Yuxing as a friend.


    To not miss any of Lin Yuxing¡¯s messages, Gu Zhongyi deliberately logged in to both accounts on the same phone.


    Lin Yuxing: [Long time no see. Forgive me for asking, do you know Gu Zhongyi?]


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He suspected that Lin Yuxing had discovered something.


    After careful consideration, Gu Zhongyi decided to reply cautiously.


    ID789: [?]


    Half a minute later.


    Lin Yuxing: [I noticed that you deleted all the comments in the post that spoke ill of me. So, I guess Gu Zhongyi might have contacted you.]


    Gu Zhongyi breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that Yang Qing had done an excellent job.


    ID789: [No, I just don¡¯t like people who talk nonsense.]


    Lin Yuxing: [I don¡¯t know why, but I find that reason hard to believe.]


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s attitude towards ID789 wasn¡¯t as polite as it was towards Gu Zhongyi. Usually, he would speak his mind and ask whatever he wanted freely.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed that as well.


    Lin Yuxing: [I¡¯ve always found it strange. You don¡¯t even know Gu Zhongyi, so why do you support us being in a relationship?]


    Lin Yuxing: [Will you give me an honest answer?]


    ID789: [Because you are a good match.]


    Lin Yuxing: [It seems like you won¡¯t.]


    ID789: [I really think you two are a good match. I hope you can be together for a long time.]


    Lin Yuxing: [?]


    Lin Yuxing: [Uh, thank you.]


    Gu Zhongyi became bolder and took the initiative.


    ID789: [Why do you thank me so reluctantly? Don¡¯t you like Gu Zhongyi?]


    Lin Yuxing instantly replied: [Of course I like him! Who wouldn¡¯t? I definitely like Gu Zhongyi!]


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mouth curled up, and he felt as light as a feather, as if he was walking on cotton.


    ID789: [Hmm.]


    ID789: [Okay.]


    ID789: [Anything else?]


    Lin Yuxing suddenly realized something was off and decided to improvise: [Wait, could it be¡­ are you really just a fan of fictional couples?!]


    Gu Zhongyi had lived for at least ten more years, so he certainly knew what being a fan of fictional couples meant.


    Although he wasn¡¯t one, his behavior really resembled it. Posting for the main characters, controlling their comments, always believing that the main characters were a perfect match¡ªwasn¡¯t that being a fan?


    Gu Zhongyi really didn¡¯t want to admit it, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a better answer.


    ID789: [¡­Hmm.]


    Would Lin Yuxing think he was weird? If he would, then he¡¯d change his wording.


    ID789: [Sorry, did I make you uncomfortable? I can delete the post.]


    He was prepared to change his wording.


    However, Lin Yuxing replied: [You¡¯re indeed strange¡­ but thank you for your support. We will be together for a long time.]


    Lin Yuxing: [You don¡¯t need to delete the post. Thanks for your hard work.]


    Lin Yuxing truly lived up to being the most dedicated worker in this world, never forgetting his job¡¯s mission.


    ID789 also received affirmation from the main character.

 CH 27

    Normally, if you wanted to test compatibility, you needed to go to the hospital and wait in line for registration. The test results also required a long wait of 24 hours.


    Gu Zhongyi relied on his connections and opened a backdoor that led into the research institute.


    After waiting for a while in the lobby, they were led into the testing room by a staff member. The staff member assured them that the testing equipment in the research institute was the latest model, and that they would receive the results in three hours.


    ¡°Dr. Ji will be here soon. Please have a seat for now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After about ten minutes, an Omega referred to as ¡°Dr. Ji¡± rushed into the testing room.


    As soon as he opened the door, Gu Zhongyi stood up, ¡°Uncle Ji.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± Dr. Ji, who was already quite old, looked young, perhaps due to good maintenance.


    Gu Zhongyi showed great respect, introducing Lin Yuxing, ¡°Uncle Ji, this is my boyfriend, Lin Yuxing.¡± He then turned to Lin Yuxing and said, ¡°Yuxing, this is my uncle¡¯s partner. You can call him Uncle Ji.¡±


    Lin Yuxing realized that the person in front of him, Dr. Ji, was Ji Mu, the partner of Gu Yuenchen, the current CEO of Gu¡¯s Group.


    Lin Yuxing had been hoping to work at Gu¡¯s Group after graduation, so he hurriedly bowed and said, ¡°Uncle Ji, hello!¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Ji Mu smiled, maintaining a distant attitude as an ordinary elder. He said gently, ¡°Please have a seat and fill out this electronic form.¡± He handed them a tablet.


    Soon, a faint scent of gardenia filled the air, which was Ji Mu¡¯s pheromone.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed and said something to Lin Yuxing in a gentle tone, smiling.


    Ji Mu, who was next to them, was surprised to see Gu Zhongyi smile. He glanced fondly at Lin Yuxing, who was sitting upright.


    Lin Yuxing met Ji Mu¡¯s gaze and stiffly returned a smile, his mind focused on not offending anyone from Gu¡¯s Group.


    Ji Mu took it as Lin Yuxing was scared and comforted him saying, ¡°The tools for extracting pheromone fluid have been upgraded. It won¡¯t hurt at all, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    With a flushed face, Lin Yuxing replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not scared of the pain.¡±


    His obedient appearance made him look like the most likable child in the eyes of any elder.


    After a brief exchange, Ji Mu didn¡¯t waste any more time. He asked Gu Zhongyi to sit in the designated position first. He swiftly performed the extraction of alpha pheromone fluid from Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arm in just a few seconds.


    As for the extraction of omega pheromone fluid, it needed to be done on the gland at the back of the neck.


    At first, Lin Yuxing thought his pheromones would also be extracted from his arm, but when he heard that he needed to expose his gland, he hesitated.


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be extracted from the arm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more accurate on the gland.¡± Ji Mu treated Lin Yuxing¡¯s hesitation as shyness. He adjusted the small device in his hand without looking up and said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Zhongyi, please step aside.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stood up and gently patted Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    After Gu Zhongyi left the room, Lin Yuxing still hesitated, standing in place.


    Ji Mu had a meeting to attend in a while and if Gu Zhongyi hadn¡¯t used his connections to arrange this, he would have been in a meeting in the conference room by now. Unfamiliar with Lin Yuxing, he found the omega student too conservative and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Do we have to extract from the gland?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Mu answered patiently, glancing at the time on his watch.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to be a nuisance, so he swallowed his saliva and sat down with an evasive gaze. He pinched his own hand, gathering courage, and slowly pulled down the collar of his turtleneck sweater¡­


    The moment his gland was exposed, Ji Mu froze.


    It was a piece of distorted skin, covering Lin Yuxing¡¯s gland in a cruel and visually repulsive manner after scabbing and peeling off. It was ¡°disgusting¡± to the point where one couldn¡¯t bear to look at it.


    To put it plainly, there probably wasn¡¯t an alpha willing to mark such a gland with their bite.


    Ji Mu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he instinctively put on gloves and conducted a simple examination on Lin Yuxing. Lin Yuxing felt Ji Mu¡¯s gentle touch on his gland and couldn¡¯t help but shrink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, I need to examine your gland,¡± Ji Mu said seriously.


    Lin Yuxing dared not move, trembling due to the strange sensation on the back of his neck. ¡°My gland just looks ugly, but it¡¯s not painful at all.¡±


    But Ji Mu¡¯s expression, still cautious, asked ¡°Is it a burn? How long ago did it happen?¡±


    ¡°At that time, I was in a place with limited medical resources.¡± Lin Yuxing paused for a moment. ¡°I remember for about two years, I couldn¡¯t sense others¡¯ pheromones, and I didn¡¯t have any myself, but it got better afterward.¡±


    He didn¡¯t tell Ji Mu that he had been injured at the welfare institute.


    ¡°Have you had your gland¡¯s recovery checked during the years after that?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lin Yuxing seemed unwilling to mention his past experience. He hesitated and said, ¡°Does that mean I can¡¯t extract pheromone fluid through the gland?¡±


    Ji Mu knew he had crossed a boundary and apologized, ¡°No, I will extract it now.¡±


    The process ended in a few seconds, but Ji Mu seemed like he had been operating for a long time. Looking at the ugly gland, Ji Mu slightly adjusted his collar, noticing that the scar extended downward.


    Ji Mu was certain that Lin Yuxing must have suffered a lot for that kind of burn. He looked at the young Lin Yuxing and couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him.


    After the extraction, Ji Mu tidied up Lin Yuxing¡¯s turtleneck sweater out of habit, and his warm fingertips gently touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s slightly cool skin. The rough texture of the woolen sweater once again hid the scar and a dark memory.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Ji Mu seemed to have something to say but hesitated.


    Lin Yuxing stood up first and said hoarsely, ¡°Uncle Ji, I¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t pry anymore into your privacy.¡± Ji Mu didn¡¯t rush to call Gu Zhongyi in. He asked Lin Yuxing to sit down and intended to have a chat. ¡°Are you thirsty? I¡¯ll make you a cup of tea.¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head and said politely, ¡°This is the testing room¡­I¡±


    This place is not exclusively a testing room. It¡¯s more casual.¡±


    Ji Mu went outside the door and called Gu Zhongyi,  claiming that the extraction for Omega wasn¡¯t fast and would take a while.


    Gu Zhongyi may be inexperienced, but after multiple encounters with Ji Mu in the previous life, he understood Ji Mu¡¯s character and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait in the car.¡± He knew they must¡¯ve had something to discuss. He glanced inside at Lin Yuxing with his back turned and left.


    Ji Mu closed the door, turned, and walked to a cabinet. He actually found a box of tea leaves.


    In just a moment, the overflowing fragrance of tea relieved the tense atmosphere.


    Lin Yuxing blew on the tea and took a small sip before placing it down.


    Ji Mu was not someone who liked to waste time. Seeing that Lin Yuxing¡¯s expression had relaxed, he went straight to the point, ¡°From the surface, I can¡¯t tell if there is any internal damage to your gland. If you¡¯re willing, I need to draw some blood for a test.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t respond.


    They sat across from each other, like a teacher and student, or a boss and employee.


    Ji Mu didn¡¯t want to make the atmosphere tense. He tried hard to appear kinder and gentler.


    ¡°Your injured gland should be examined every few years for safety reasons,¡± Ji Mu said. ¡°Lin, you should take your gland seriously; it¡¯s important for an Omega.¡±


    The condition of a gland could  even affect an Omega¡¯s lifespan.


    ¡°¡­,¡± Lin Yuxing remained silent in the face of Ji Mu¡¯s words.


    Ji Mu concisely said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no ulterior motives. You and Gu Zhongyi are about the same age, both my juniors, so I want to help you.¡±


    That reason was simple enough.


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±


    ¡°Okay, then what¡¯s your answer?¡±


    Lin Yuxing remained silent again, hoping Ji Mu wouldn¡¯t meddle further, and his goodwill would end but perhaps due to a lack of care since childhood, the osmanthus fragrance on Ji Mu made Lin Yuxing feel comfortable and warm. He looked at Ji Mu, his fingertips rubbing against his pants, and hesitantly spoke, ¡°How much does this test cost?¡±


    Ji Mu responded with a questioning sound, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Lin Yuxing boldly estimated a figure and quietly revealed his entire savings at the moment, ¡°200 yuan enough?¡± He wouldn¡¯t do it if it exceeded 200 yuan, as that was his monthly living expenses.


    Ji Mu quickly dispelled his concerns, ¡°It¡¯s free.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a hospital, you don¡¯t need to pay.¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly brightened up, immediately changing his expression and enthusiastically said, ¡°Uncle Ji, I want to do it! Thank you so much for your trouble!¡±


    For a moment, all worries and troubles vanished.


    Ji Mu felt both amused and frustrated in his heart. He thought Lin Yuxing was worried about something else, but it turned out it was about the price.


    In recent years, the Gu family frequently used backdoors in the research institute, just as they frequently opened their own closet at home. Ji Mu had been in the Gu family for many years, immersed in their ways, and had to grasp the essence of it.


    After all, almost two-thirds of the projects in the research institute were funded by the Gu family.


    Drawing blood from the gland was not as easy as extracting pheromone fluid. Lin Yuxing would definitely feel the pain.


    The gland was a sensitive area on an Omega¡¯s body, and even a slight negligence would cause allergies and swelling. Now, a long needle went in, sucking out a whole tube of blood before it stopped.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned pale from the pain, but he didn¡¯t utter a word. He was happy to have the check-up for free because, after all, earning money and maintaining good health were the most important things in life.


    After Ji Mu helped him stop the bleeding, Lin Yuxing was afraid of keeping Gu Zhongyi waiting for too long so he didn¡¯t rest for long and prepared to leave.


    Ji Mu called out to him again, ¡°Lin, wait!¡±


    Lin Yuxing stopped and turned around.


    Ji Mu approached and handed him a business card, saying, ¡°This is the contact information of a gland doctor at the Central Hospital in City C. In the future¡­ if you want to repair the burn scars on your glands, you can consult with him.


    Lin Yuxing received the business card with both hands and carefully put it into his backpack. He politely said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Ji. When I graduate and have money, I will go.¡±


    After leaving the examination room, Lin Yuxing hurried to the parking area.


    From a distance, he could see Gu Zhongyi standing outside the car, waiting for him.


    The cold wind blew, the sky was dark, and the lights of the research institute building were on.


    Gu Zhongyi stood on the damp concrete ground, his ears slightly red from the wind. As soon as he saw Lin Yuxing, his blurry figure instantly turned into a shining dot under the light, swirled in the wind, and fell into Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes.


    Lin Yuxing headed straight for Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Senior, why didn¡¯t you wait for me in the car?¡± Lin Yuxing was a bit cold, but as soon as he approached Gu Zhongyi, he felt warmth all over.


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°I was worried about you.¡±


    After hesitating for a moment, Lin Yuxing reached out and patted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arm, like a friend, and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that Uncle Ji said Omegas should take care of their glands, so he wanted to do a free test for me. He will contact me after getting the results. I¡¯m a bit slow in extracting pheromone fluid, so I was afraid there might be a problem, I had to agree.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi frowned, not fully believing, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡± Lin Yuxing said gratefully, ¡°Everyone in your family is so kind, including Uncle Ji. This test would cost a lot of money at the hospital..so I¡¯m grateful I could get it done here for free.¡±


    Lin Yuxing smiled and talked endlessly, not mentioning the scar anymore.


    Anyway, his scar didn¡¯t affect anything.


    In winter, he mainly relied on high collar T-shirts to cover it, and in the other three seasons, Lin Yuxing always wore slightly higher collars and kept his hair a bit longer. As long as he didn¡¯t get too close to people, it wouldn¡¯t get noticed.


    Even Su Li, his roommate, hadn¡¯t noticed it.


    That night, the compatibility test report arrived on their phones as scheduled.


    The data showed a compatibility of 77%, not low, but it didn¡¯t reach the level of 85% to 100% for a soulmate. Therefore, in a sense, they could attract each other and also sever the connection with a pheromone barrier.


    As the phone vibrated, Gu Zhongyi immediately received the second compatibility test report, this time for Lin Yuxing and Xu Xiangchi.


    Gu Zhongyi had easily obtained the pheromone data that Xu Xiangchi had left during the school examination, although the data was not as accurate as the pheromone fluid they extracted with Lin Yuxing, it was enough to understand the approximate value.


    The test result showed that Lin Yuxing and Xu Xiangchi had only 9% compatibility.


    It was pitifully low, almost negligible.


    Gu Zhongyi felt completely relieved. He remembered the compatibility between Qu Xing and Xu Xiangchi back then, which had reached a terrifying 90%.


    It seemed that Omegas who looked the same didn¡¯t necessarily have the same compatibility with the same Alpha.


    Meanwhile, in the dormitory, when Lin Yuxing saw their compatibility was 77%, he jumped up happily from the bed.


    Su Li took off his headphones and exclaimed, ¡°You didn¡¯t bring back cake, yet you¡¯re so happy!¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly handed the phone to Su Li.


    Su Li took a glance and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re so happy about. This compatibility is pretty high. I guess if you¡¯re not careful, you¡¯ll end up madly in love¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only dangerous when it reaches 85%.¡± Lin Yuxing smiled and took out the pheromone barrier. He clasped his hands above his head and thanked modern science and the Gu family.


    Su Li shook his head and ignored him, putting on his headphones again to play games with his online boyfriend.


    Liang Xie: [Do you want cake?]


    Su Li joked and typed a string of characters: [Not really. My roommate was to bring me back cake but he is instead jumping around]


    Liang Xie didn¡¯t reply and disappeared for a few minutes.


    Liang Xie: [I ordered one for you, don¡¯t be sad.]


    Su Li covered his heart in adoration. How could his online boyfriend be so adorable?


    Su Li: [Hehe, love you (¤Å£þ3£þ)¤Å¨q?¡«]


    Liang Xie: [Okay.]


    Su Li took advantage of the situation: [I might be even happier if I could meet you in person!]


    On the computer screen, the character controlled by Liang Xie just focused on attacking the enemy camp and seemed to have completely ignored Su Li¡¯s message, without any response.

 CH 28

    The next day, Lin Yuxing¡¯s gland test results came out, and Ji Mu called him to the research institute.


    The values on the test report were on the lower side, but fortunately, there was no cause for alarm.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s glands hadn¡¯t worsened, but they remained in a sluggish state, releasing few pheromones.


    That¡¯s why, despite having a high compatibility rate, Gu Zhongyi remained completely insensitive to Lin Yuxing¡¯s pheromones.


    Even though Gu Zhongyi had reduced his sensitivity to other people¡¯s pheromones after he got into an accident, it was unlikely for him to remain indifferent when faced with a 77% compatibility match.


    ¡°Your glands are different from other Omegas, so you should pay more attention to them in the future. The medicine I prescribed for you is topical; make sure to apply it consistently and come see me when you run out. Currently, the gland issue isn¡¯t a cause for concern, but neglecting it could lead to further deterioration of your health.¡±


    Ji Mu reduced the cost of the medicine for him and also gave him a backdoor favor. Lin Yuxing would be able to get free gland tests at the research institute every year for the next four years.


    Lin Yuxing was deeply moved and thanked Ji Mu repeatedly.


    Finally, he could let go of his worries and returned to school from the research institute feeling relieved. During that time, he brought back a heavy box from the express station.


    To earn some extra money during the upcoming winter break for occasional family needs, Lin Yuxing applied for on-campus accommodation during the holiday.


    Surprisingly, Lin Xiufeng didn¡¯t nag him when she found out he wasn¡¯t planning to go home for the Chinese New Year. Instead, she mailed him a box of food.


    Back in the dormitory, Lin Yuxing used his key to cut open the tape and found several large bags of fried mantou biscuits wrapped in light-colored plastic bags and a few apples wrapped in foam paper.


    He unwrapped each plastic bag, folded them, and put them in his drawer to use later


    There were a total of six large bags of packaged mantou biscuits and four relatively large apples in the box. He brushed off the dust from his body, picked up his phone, and called Lin Xiufeng.


    When she answered, there was a lot of noise in the background.


    Lin Xiufeng seemed to be working somewhere, shouting loudly, ¡°Did you receive the stuff?¡±


    ¡°I received it. Thank you, Auntie,¡± Lin Yuxing replied.


    Lin Xiufeng advised him, ¡°These mantou biscuits can be stored for a long time. Since your roommate is good to you, give him some. It is considered a local specialty snack here, so don¡¯t be too stingy.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Lin Yuxing went through the box, took out a few apples still wrapped in foam paper, and asked, ¡°Why did you send me apples as well?¡±


    ¡°Oh, those apples¡­,¡± Lin Xiufeng took off her work hat, wiped off some sweat, ¡°the factory sent a box of Bing Tangxin apples for the end of the year. They are big and sweet, and I heard they¡¯re quite expensive. I put a few aside for you, and the rest is for Shao Hua.¡±


    ¡°Give them to my cousin in the future. I have plenty to eat here in the city.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same. Maybe they don¡¯t sell these apples in the city. If your roommate wants to eat them, give him one. They¡¯re nutritious, so don¡¯t just eat them alone.¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips and said with mixed emotions, ¡°This box that was sent is quite heavy, the postage must have been expensive.¡±


    The door to the dormitory balcony was not closed, and Lin Yuxing shivered in the cold wind.


    Lin Xiufeng continued to chatter endlessly.


    Lin Yuxing asked her, ¡°Did the clothes I bought for you arrive?¡± He remembered that Lin Xiufeng had been wearing the same winter clothes for many years..


    ¡°I received them, and Shaohua was so happy to see them that he immediately put them on.¡±


    ¡°Be careful not to let my cousin ruin them.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s cousin, Cheng Shaohua, had suffered a high fever as a child, which caused brain damage. Now he was 22 years old, but his intellectual abilities were still that of a young child.


    ¡°Okay, I know!¡± She was happy to receive the gift but worriedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t spend money like this in the future. I don¡¯t need more clothes. Yuxing, every time you send money back home, I know it burdens you. Please don¡¯t buy these things for me.¡±


    ¡°The clothes weren¡¯t expensive. My roommate helped me get them at a discount online.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Well, then thank him properly and give him some steamed buns as a token of appreciation!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Just as he was about to hang up, Lin Xiufeng stopped him and said, ¡°Yuxing, there have been many problems at home recently, and your uncle and you are not getting along. I think it¡¯s better that when you have free time, you should spend it there in the city.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was about to say something.


    Lin Xiufeng hurriedly added, ¡°But if you want to come back, remember to contact me in advance!¡±


    Lin Yuxing guessed to some extent, ¡°Did Uncle cause a problem?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, and it¡¯s also about money. We can manage somehow.¡± Lin Xiufeng said in a deep voice, ¡°If you want to complete your university studies peacefully, it¡¯s better for you not to come back home for now. Your uncle won¡¯t come to your school to find you, I promise you that.¡±


    Lin Yuxing tightened his grip on the phone and said, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll try to earn more money and send it back home.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Finally, Lin Xiufeng smiled and reminded him again, ¡°remember to divide the apples, and share with your roommate.


    Shortly after hanging up the phone, two bags of steamed buns and a sugar heart apple appeared on Su Li¡¯s desk.


    Lin Yuxing knew that Su Li never lacked snacks or fruits, but as the New Year approached, he also wanted to express his gratitude.


    He looked at the remaining items in the box, used a towel to wipe away the crumbs, and found a decent-looking bag from the cabinet. He put two bags of steamed buns and an apple into it.


    The lone apple was brightly colored and eye-catching.


    After hesitating for a moment, Lin Yuxing lowered his head and added another apple to the bag. Then, after a pause, he put the last apple into the bag as well.


    Gu Zhongyi had been so good to him, and he wanted to give his best to Gu Zhongyi, even if it wasn¡¯t something valuable.


    Lin Xiufeng had sent him a total of four apples, but Lin Yuxing gave them all away.


    After preparing everything, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t send a message to Gu Zhongyi. He thought since they were going to have dinner together in the evening, he could just give it to him in person then.


    Looking at the two remaining bags of steamed buns in the box, he thought of two other people.


    He contacted Su Li and asked for Gu Nuan¡¯s contact information, politely sending a message: ¡°[Gu Nuan, hello, It¡¯s Lin Yuxing. Thank you for the cake last time. My family sent me some local specialties, and I would like to give you a bag. Is that okay?]¡±


    Finally, Lin Yuxing quickly sent a message to ID789: ¡°[Have you returned home?]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[No, I¡¯m still at school.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[A while ago, I troubled you. My family sent me some local specialties, and I want to give you a package.]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[Thank you.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯ll go put it at the dormitory office for you now.]¡±


    ¡°Ding¨C¡°


    Just as Lin Yuxing finished replying to ID789,  Gu Nuan replied to his message.


    Three consecutive messages.


    Gu Nuan: ¡°[Sure, thank you! I¡¯m going home this afternoon, can I come and get it from you now?]¡±


    Gu Nuan: ¡°[Do you want to have milk tea? I recommend Oreo with pudding, my treat!]¡±


    Gu Nuan: ¡°[Can I call you Yuxing, just like Su Li?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing had since had a favorable impression of Gu Nuan: ¡°[You can call me whatever you like. I¡¯ll bring the local specialties to you. I know where your dormitory is. And you don¡¯t have to treat me to milk tea.]¡±


    He turned to send a message to ID789: ¡°[I¡¯ll have to give it to my friend first, so yours will be a bit later.]¡±


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, Lin Yuxing¡¯s actions meant one thing: he had received many local specialties and was giving them to everyone.


    Only Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t receive Lin Yuxing¡¯s message.


    Ten minutes later.


    ID789 texted: ¡°[Does Gu Zhongyi have it?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[?]¡±


    ID789 lied: ¡°[My roommate had a conflict because he forgot to give his girlfriend a gift but gave to his friends and excluded her.]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[I¡¯m your supporter, and I¡¯m afraid you might make such an unnecessary mistake too.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[I see, thank you for your concern but I have already prepared the gift for Gu Zhongyi.]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[Okay.]¡±


    A few minutes later.


    ID789: ¡°[i don¡¯t mean to poke my nose but did Gu Zhongyi, like me, only received one bag?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Definitely not, how can you compare yourself to him?]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, I just wanted to know.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing sighed and kindly reminded: ¡°[Please don¡¯t be too nosy.]¡±


    ID789: ¡°[¡­Okay.]¡±


    That evening, Gu Zhongyi received a total of three bags of dry steamed buns and three apples.


    Also because of this incident, Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t very willing to eat the fried dry steamed buns he got from Lin Yuxing, for a long time in the future.


    Of course, that¡¯s a story for another time.


    During winter vacation, the whole school was empty.


    Zhou Jie¡¯s bakery also took a break and planned to reopen after the vacation.


    With no classes to attend, Lin Yuxing had plenty of time to work. He gritted his teeth and bought back his second-hand bicycle. He worked as a part-time employee in various shops outside the school, carefully planning how he could earn more money within a month.


    He also made time to meet with Gu Zhongyi occasionally.


    Lin Yuxing felt that with fewer people on campus during the vacation, there was no need to pretend to be lovers. As friends, he didn¡¯t want to take advantage of Gu Zhongyi for free. He took the initiative to suggest canceling the monthly salary for that month and switching to an hourly wage based on the contract.


    One hour for 50 yuan, it was a bloody good deal.


    However, not long after, Lin Yuxing, as an outstanding student at University C, pleasantly discovered a highly profitable part-time job ¨C tutoring.


    The salary was generally determined based on the age of the student being taught. Students from other universities typically earned an hourly rate of 60 to 120 yuan, and some earned less. But Lin Yuxing was different. He was one of the top students at C University, so if he tutored one-on-one, his hourly rate could reach 150 to 200 yuan, or even higher.


    This shocked Lin Yuxing, who came from a small town. In their hometown, there was no such thing as tutoring.


    And he learned about tutoring all thanks to Liao Yan.


    Ever since they met in the same course and exchanged contact information, Liao Yan would occasionally get in touch with him. Sometimes he would ask Lin Yuxing to run errands, and sometimes they would chat and get closer.


    Following the principle that the customer was superior, Lin Yuxing replied to every message, though not too intimately.


    Liao Yan seemed broad-minded. He didn¡¯t mind that Lin Yuxing intentionally kept his distance, always being enthusiastic when talking to him and even introducing him to tutoring part-time jobs.


    At first, Lin Yuxing refused, until he saw the hourly rate that Liao Yan showed him, and his interest was piqued.


    Lin Yuxing, who was cleaning the kitchen in the restaurant¡¯s back kitchen, wiped his hands and, seeing that there was no one around, quietly hid in a corner and typed on his phone: ¡°They really pay that much?¡±


    In those past two days, while washing dishes and cleaning in the back kitchen, Lin Yuxing had already developed two frostbites on his hands.


    Liao Yan: ¡°Yes, the kid is my relative. He¡¯s a bit mischievous, and his mother wants to find a student from C University to tutor him and help him improve in his studies.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Aren¡¯t you also from C University?¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°I don¡¯t even want to go to class, so why would I bother tutoring someone?¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing had never been involved in the tutoring industry before and was afraid of affecting the student¡¯s progress. He hesitated as he typed on his phone, typing and deleting, deleting and typing.


    Liao Yan: ¡°His mother said that during winter break, you would tutor him for two hours every afternoon and earn 300 yuan a day. Are you going to take the job or not? If you hesitate, I¡¯ll find someone else.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Wait!¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought about earning 300 yuan a day, and he couldn¡¯t help but be tempted by that offer.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try! Thank you for referring me to this job.¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°I¡¯ll come to the school gate to pick you up at 5 o¡¯clock in the evening. Shall we go to the interview first?¡±


    At that moment, a message from Gu Zhongyi popped up, interrupting Lin Yuxing¡¯s response.


    ¡°We agreed to have dinner together tonight. You haven¡¯t forgotten, have you?¡±


    In theory, Gu Zhongyi was kind of his boss, and he should prioritize his regular job above anything¡­


    But it was winter break, and by calculating the hourly rates¡ªspending an hour with Gu Zhongyi for 50 yuan, or tutoring a child and earning 150 yuan per hour.


    Lin Yuxing paced back and forth, tempted by the money. He decided to temporarily ignore Gu Zhongyi.


    Mainly because recently, they always had dinner at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apartment with no one else around, so there was no room for acting. After considering it, Lin Yuxing thought that the interview was more important.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, something came up tonight.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was surprised by Lin Yuxing¡¯s rejection, as he had never done this before.


    Lin Yuxing explained so as not to give the wrong impression: ¡°Do you remember Liao Yan, whom I met in my course?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°I remember, what about him?¡±


    Liao Yan was Lin Yuxing¡¯s only errand client at the moment, so it was hard for Gu Zhongyi to not know him.


    Lin Yuxing happily replied: ¡°He introduced me to a tutoring part-time job. I¡¯m going to an interview at a student¡¯s house tonight. I can earn quite a bit in a month, so I want to give it a try.¡±


    After the incident last time, Lin Yuxing gradually opened up to Gu Zhongyi. He no longer hid everything and confidently forwarded their conversation history with Liao Yan.


    Faintly, footsteps could be heard outside the door, so Lin Yuxing quickly put away his phone.


    Looking at the time, he eagerly looked forward to the interview, carefully considering how to use every penny. He wanted to take Gu Zhongyi to see a movie and have a meal at a restaurant before winter break ended.


    At that moment, Liao Yan, who sent him the message, was sitting lazily in a chair on his balcony, yawning.


    Beside him was a plate of half-eaten pineapple. A faint sweet scent filled the air, emanating from the pineapple.


    The flower shop downstairs was filled with roses, and the fragrance clung to the bright windows, blending with the aroma of the pineapple, refreshing and delightful.


    Behind him, Liao Yan¡¯s mother asked gently, ¡°Xiaoyan, are you sure you don¡¯t want to go out for dinner with us tonight?¡±


    Liao Yan changed his lazy demeanor. He stood up, not wearing his nerdy black-framed glasses. His light-colored eyes were shallow, and he casually pushed his bangs upward, revealing an exceptionally exquisite face, completely different from his ordinary appearance at school.


    ¡°No, you and Dad enjoy your date.¡± Liao Yan smiled, looking very well-behaved. He resembled his mother a lot. ¡°I made plans with a friend tonight.¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡°friend,¡± Liao Yan¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t hide her joy.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Then having dinner with your friend is more important. If you have a chance, remember to bring them home, and I¡¯ll prepare some delicious food for them.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll introduce them to you next time.¡± Liao Yan smiled obediently and picked up his phone. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s getting late. I¡¯ll take a shower and go out soon.¡±


    Liao Yan¡¯s mother nodded.


    Suddenly, as if unwilling, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Or¡­ when you go out, don¡¯t wear glasses. My son is so handsome, why cover your eyes up all the time?¡±


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t respond.


    Liao Yan¡¯s mother, afraid that she had said something wrong, cautiously said, ¡°Xiaoyan, we¡¯ve moved now, and those people who used to bully you are not here anymore. You, your health has started to improve, and your personality has become more cheerful. Your dad and I are really proud of you! We¡­ What I mean is, we start over¡±


    Liao Yan responded with a string of incoherent words, understandingly saying, ¡°I know.¡±


    He walked straight to his bedroom, seemingly not paying too much attention to the various experiences of the past.


    He heard his mother behind him let out a sigh of relief.


    Inside the bedroom.


    The soft carpet silently absorbed his footsteps as he walked to the side of the bed, took out a towel from the wardrobe, and his slender figure made his back look like that of an elegant model.


    On his bedside table, there was a bottle of Alpha pheromone inhibitor.

 CH 29

    At 4:30 p.m. that afternoon,


    Lin Yuxing arrived early at the school gate. He had specifically washed his hair and put on the new clothes that Su Li had bought for him, hoping to make a good impression on his to-be employer.


    The sky was filled with dark clouds, and Lin Yuxing had put an umbrella in his backpack in advance, although it seemed useless now.


    Because standing beside him was an Alpha Gu Zhongyi who was his ¡®boyfriend¡± at C University and his considerate best friend.


    Lin Yuxing said politely, ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t it a bit excessive for you to accompany me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi raised his chin, indicating that his car was parked nearby. He said he had a lot of free time that day, and it would be better for him to pick up and drop off Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lin Yuxing tried to interrupt.


    Gu Zhongyi interrupted him, saying, ¡°Liao Yan definitely doesn¡¯t have a car, and if you get caught in the rain on the way, it won¡¯t look good for your interview.¡±


    ¡°I brought an umbrella.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you won¡¯t need it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had earlier glanced at the weather forecast and estimated that there would be a heavy rain shower. Knowing Lin Yuxing,  he would definitely hesitate to take a taxi and there was no subway station near the school. He would most likely take the bus back for sure.


    Slippery roads due to rain, slow-moving traffic, and cold weather¡ªGu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to go through all that trouble.


    Moreover, it was Lin Yuxing¡¯s birthday that day, and Gu Zhongyi wanted to have dinner with him.


    However, no one remembered that it was Lin Yuxing¡¯s birthday except Gu Zhongyi, including Lin Yuxing himself.


    Gu Zhongyi thought of the pre-ordered cake in the apartment and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. He didn¡¯t know if he could successfully ¡°trick¡± Lin Yuxing into going home that night and have him take a bite of the cake.


    Thanks to Liao Yan¡¯s unexpected interference, the birthday surprise was likely to be ruined.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t think getting caught in the rain was a big deal, and he really didn¡¯t want to trouble Gu Zhongyi. He was about to say something when a handsome man at a distance waved at him, interrupting his thoughts.


    Lin Yuxing was puzzled as he didn¡¯t immediately recognize the person.


    But that person actually ran towards them, and to Lin Yuxing¡¯s surprise, stopped in front of them.


    Liao Yan revealed a bright smile, handsome and cheerful, and said, ¡°You¡¯re here early.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi frowned slightly. He didn¡¯t remember such an attractive person at C University. Based on Liao Yan¡¯s appearance alone, it was difficult not to attract attention at C University.


    Liao Yan, who stood before them, looked refreshed. He waved at Lin Yuxing, who was still in shock, and brought him back to reality, saying, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m Liao Yan. Don¡¯t you recognize me with my contact lenses on?¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly waved his hand. He wasn¡¯t good at dealing with talkative handsome guys. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. You just look so different¡­¡±


    Liao Yan glanced at Gu Zhongyi.


    To ease his own embarrassment, Lin Yuxing quickly pointed to Gu Zhongyi beside him and said, ¡®I don¡¯t need to introduce him, right? He¡­ He said he wanted to drive me.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing tugged at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes.


    That small gesture seemed very intimate in the eyes of Liao Yan and he said, ¡®You two are indeed the model couple on campus, so sweet.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing never revealed any flaws when acting in front of others. He humbly and calmly said, ¡®Not really, that¡¯s how it is when you¡¯ve been in a relationship for quite a while.¡¯


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Liao Yan smiled again.


    Gu Zhongyi politely greeted, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Gu Zhongyi. It might rain later, and I¡¯m worried about Yuxing coming back alone.¡±


    Liao Yan was a little jealous. He extended his hand to Gu Zhongyi and said, ¡°Hello, Senior Gu, I¡¯ve heard your name on campus before. I¡¯m Liao Yan, a freshman from the Art Department.¡±


    Probably because of Xu Xiangchi, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t have a good impression of the students in the Art Department. Fortunately, the guy in front of him was a Beta, which made Gu Zhongyi let go of some of his concerns.


    Gu Zhongyi shook Liao Yan¡¯s hand briefly and then let go. He showed a friendly attitude towards Liao Yan, just because he introduced the tutoring job to Lin Yuxing , and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get in the car. I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    Fifteen minutes later, Gu Zhongyi regretted letting Liao Yan into the car.


    The Beta was indeed too talkative.


    He actually called Lin Yuxing ¡°Star¡±?


    As a customer, they weren¡¯t particularly close with Lin Yuxing, but he called him such an intimate nickname? To be honest, even Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t feel comfortable using that title, and someone else naturally used it. It genuinely made him a bit unhappy.


    Gu Zhongyi cleared his throat.


    Liao Yan ignored him.


    Lin Yuxing asked with concern, ¡°Senior, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi felt better in his heart and said, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Liao Yan looked at Gu Zhongyi a bit intrigued.


    When they had gotten into the car earlier, Liao Yan pushed Lin Yuxing  to the back seat so as to sit close to him. Now, the two of them were happily chatting in the back, discussing topics that Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t actively engage in.


    For example, the course they both took in the same class.


    Liao Yan kept calling Lin Yuxing ¡°Star¡± repeatedly, which was overly familiar. He said, ¡°Star, why don¡¯t you choose a course with me next semester? It¡¯s really enjoyable to take classes with you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing replied good-naturedly, ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes. Though I actually wanted to take a course with my roommate.¡±


    Liao Yan pursued relentlessly and stuck close, saying, ¡°Then let¡¯s take another course together. I can take anything except flower arranging.¡±


    The car suddenly became quiet for a few seconds.


    Lin Yuxing hesitantly said, ¡°My roommate actually wants to take the flower arranging course¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­On second thought, a flower arranging course sounds good too.¡± Liao Yan changed his tune and sighed, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s my fault for not attending classes before. I missed the opportunity to spend time with you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing comforted him, ¡°It¡¯s alright, we¡¯re still not that close yet.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Liao Yan blinked, and his beautiful eyes had a unique color. In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, that green eyed Beta was definitely flirting.


    But Liao Yan sounded heartbroken, saying, ¡°I even introduced you to a part-time job. Isn¡¯t that enough to be considered close? Ever since I found out you were washing dishes in the kitchen, my heart has been aching for a long time.¡±


    That statement was undoubtedly meant for Gu Zhongyi to hear.


    Thinking for a moment, Lin Yuxing expressed his confusion, ¡°But I¡¯ve only been washing dishes for a few days, and you only found out this afternoon. How could your heart ache for so long? Liao Yan, you¡¯re kind of exaggerating.¡±


    Without waiting for Liao Yan to continue his rambling, Lin Yuxing added, ¡°Also, don¡¯t call me Xingxing or star. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°What do you like then?¡± Liao Yan showed a helpless expression as if he would call him anything he suggested.


    But Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t get it.


    Without much thought, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Just call me Lin Yuxing.¡±


    It must be said that although Lin Yuxing¡¯s discernment skills were lacking, he seemed to not like the flirtation.


    Gu Zhongyi in the front seat instantly felt relieved and no longer bothered by the fact that he was just their assigned driver.


    However, when Gu Zhongyi raised his eyes, he saw Liao Yan¡¯s provocative look in the rearview mirror. Through the mirror, their eyes met.


    Liao Yan¡¯s eyes were captivating, and he slightly smirked at Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi calmly averted his gaze, not showing any reaction to Liao Yan¡¯s childish behavior.


    Dusk arrived.


    Gu Zhongyi parked the car downstairs in the residential area and got out with them. ¡°Liao Yan, I need to talk to Yuxing for a moment. Could you give us some space?¡±


    That statement was somewhat impolite.


    ¡°Senior?¡± Lin Yuxing sensed that something was wrong and asked quietly after walking a few steps away with Gu Zhongyi, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi placed both hands on Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders, turning him away from Liao Yan. He slightly bent down and whispered two sentences in his ear. The warm breath brushed against Lin Yuxing¡¯s earlobe, and in an instant, he felt a tingling sensation all over his body.


    He shrunk his neck, and his ears turned red.


    Gu Zhongyi said with a calm expression, ¡°That¡¯s the situation. Think about it?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks uncontrollably flushed, feeling hot. He used the back of his hand to cool down his face.


    ¡°We¡¯ve come this far, why are you telling me now¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    Once Gu Zhongyi admitted his mistake, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t complain anymore.


    Gu Zhongyi also said, ¡°Originally, I wanted to give it to you as a birthday present tonight, but if I don¡¯t say it now, it seems like I won¡¯t have the chance.¡± He seemed more helpless than Lin Yuxing, his face filled with a pretended regret.


    Liao Yan, not far away, instantly saw through Gu Zhongyi¡¯s deliberate act. He lowered his head and laughed silently while kicking his toe.


    But Lin Yuxing believed in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sincerity and never doubted it, not even once.


    Lin Yuxing suddenly blurted out, ¡°Birthday? Whose birthday?¡±


    ¡°Yours.¡± Gu Zhongyi reached out to help him tidy his slightly long hair and spoke in a deep voice, giving an infinite sense of reassurance. ¡°Who else could it be?¡±


    The warm fingertips touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s still warm ears, making him feel like he was surrounded by dense clouds or as if ants were crawling on his neck, causing an itchy sensation.


    Lin Yuxing suddenly remembered the date and asked in a dazed manner, ¡°How did you know today is my birthday?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s written on your student ID.¡±


    ¡°You looked at my student ID?¡±


    ¡°When we went to the school clinic before, we needed it.¡± Gu Zhongyi said ¡°You gave it to me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was stunned and lowered his head shyly. How could someone remember his birthday and even prepare a gift for him?


    He tried to calm himself down slowly¡­


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone alarm rang, breaking the current chaos and bringing him back to reality.


    It was almost time for the scheduled interview, and he couldn¡¯t be late.


    So, Gu Zhongyi kindly helped him fix his hair and put on his scarf. He said in a warm voice, ¡°Go, don¡¯t keep others waiting.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured, choose whichever side you want. After the interview, we¡¯ll celebrate your birthday.¡± Gu Zhongyi bent down again and softly whispered in Lin Yuxing¡¯s ear, ¡°Just don¡¯t make me wait for too long.¡±


    Anxiously, Lin Yuxing closed his eyes and unconsciously grabbed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand.


    He didn¡¯t want Gu Zhongyi to spend money on him. In his mind, birthdays meant spending money, something that he wasn¡¯t allowed to do since childhood.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to celebrate my birthday.¡± He mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t care about such things. I don¡¯t celebrate my birthday. I¡¯m just not used to it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi saw Lin Yuxing¡¯s uneasiness but insisted.


    ¡°Yuxing, I want to celebrate your birthday.¡±


    Just that sentence made Lin Yuxing¡¯s previously calm heart churn again with waves.


    He went from surprise to delight, from delight to touched.


    Once again, faintly, his emotions disobeyed and multiplied a hundredfold, pounding on the door of his heart like a drum.


    ¡°Dong dong dong¡ª¡±


    He was certain that this was the same palpitation he felt when he first smelled his pheromones, the same excitement.


    Lin Yuxing wanted to say something, but Liao Yan, who was behind him, urged him to hurry as they would be late.


    There were more pressing matters at hand, and Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have time to figure out why his heart was beating so fast. To prevent himself from overthinking, he convinced himself that those emotions he was feeling were the failure of the pheromone inhibitor.


    But the Gu Group never sold fake medicine!


    Lin Yuxing was deeply troubled.


    In the end, it took him three hesitations before he reluctantly followed Liao Yan into the elevator.


    As Gu Zhongyi watched the two enter the elevator, the warmth on his face instantly disappeared.


    He walked forward and noted the floor. Remembering Liao Yan¡¯s previous flirtations, his expression became cold. Now that he realized Liao Yan¡¯s impure intentions, he couldn¡¯t stand idly by.


    Gu Zhongyi picked up his phone and casually searched through his contacts for a while before lightly tapping on a particular profile picture.


    The owner of this profile picture was the manager of the restaurant under his name.


    He typed a message: [Manager Zhang, I remember your son started elementary school. Does he need tutoring during the winter vacation? It can be considered an employee benefit, with students from C University teaching, and I¡¯ll cover the cost.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [Urgent, please reply when you see this.]


    Manager Zhang: [Thank you, boss, but my son is only in first grade.]


    Gu Zhongyi emphasized three points: [A child¡¯s academic performance should be grasped from early on. The tutor¡¯s fee will be covered by me, and the student is an honor student from C University.]


    Manager Zhang was a sharp witted person, and he quickly agreed: [Thank you, boss. Yes, we need it. I really need it!]


    Problem solved.


    Next, Gu Zhongyi looked at the time.


    One minute, two minutes¡­ six minutes.


    Ding¡ª


    The elevator door in front of him opened again, and the only person who rushed out was Lin Yuxing.


    As Gu Zhongyi had hoped, Lin Yuxing returned to his side within ten minutes.


    He didn¡¯t know where the wind came from, but it messed up Lin Yuxing¡¯s hair. Gu Zhongyi saw that Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks were flushed, looking exceptionally cute.


    Lin Yuxing sniffed and shyly approached Gu Zhongyi to receive his birthday gift. His tone was embarrassed. ¡°I think¡­ 400 yuan would be better.¡± He also said with grievance, ¡°I stood someone up and owed them thirty free errands.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi raised the corners of his mouth, stepped forward, and ruffled Lin Yuxing¡¯s head.


    ¡°okay.¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked eager, with his lips raised like a child. ¡°Senior, it¡¯s the first birthday I get to celebrate. Can I make a wish?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I heard¡­ birthday wishes can come true. Is it true?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great. Then I want to wish for a winning lottery ticket!¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, unrealistic wishes like that won¡¯t work. They can¡¯t be fulfilled.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Lin Yuxing still had high hopes. ¡°I¡¯m 19 years old this year. Should I put 19 candles on the cake?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Will they fit?¡±


    ¡°I bought an eight-inch cake, so they should.¡±


    ¡°That big?! Senior, that¡¯s great. I want to put in 19 candles!¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a waste if we can¡¯t finish the cake? Although I can probably eat half of it, I have a big appetite.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Senior, can you eat half?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too sweet. I probably can¡¯t. But I¡¯ve already invited a few people and informed them to come now.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Su Li, Gu Nuan¡­,¡± Gu Zhongyi calculated, realizing there weren¡¯t many people, so he added, ¡°Let¡¯s invite Yang Qing too.¡±


    The two walked out of the residential area side by side.


    Previously ,before  Lin Yuxing followed Liao Yan upstairs, Gu Zhongyi had whispered something in his ear.


    ¡°I have a friend whose child needs tutoring. They value education a lot and are willing to pay 400 yuan per hour. I had already planned on suggesting it to you, it¡¯s far better than what most families would offer.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had a way with words, always concise yet conveying the meaning thoroughly.


    Of course, the killer move being ¡°This is a birthday gift.¡±


    It had a different meaning, effortlessly defeating everything else.

 CH 30

    ¡°Happy birthday!¡±


    As the apartment door opened, Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi were greeted with a strange and colorful world.


    Su Li and Gu Nuan held fireworks in their hands, and colored paper flew through the air. Yang Qing cheered and applauded enthusiastically, creating a lively atmosphere.


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°¡­¡±


    In order to make Lin Yuxing¡¯s birthday party more exciting, Yang Qing, who enjoyed participating in various activities, took the initiative to decorate the living room.


    Gu Zhongyi, who had never organized a birthday party for anyone before, mistakenly believed in Yang Qing¡¯s taste and agreed to the proposal, even giving them the apartment password in advance.


    Unexpectedly, the color scheme turned out to be indescribable. Yang Qing, although talented, definitely lacked artistic talent.


    Lin Yuxing looked at the colorful balloons and ribbons filling the living room, with beautiful flower baskets congratulating him on his birthday. He looked anxiously at Gu Zhongyi next to him, feeling puzzled.


    ¡°I asked them to decorate,¡± Gu Zhongyi looked at the chaotic room and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°¡­but it¡¯s indeed a bit flashy.¡±


    Su Li and Gu Nuan also felt the same way but indeed it was too late to change everything so they had to flow with it.


    Yang Qing snorted and, feeling dissatisfied, pointed out Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shortcomings and tried to defend himself, ¡°Zhongyi is even worse at decorating than me. I was a bit rushed this time, so it doesn¡¯t look that good.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi patted his shoulder and withdrew his playful remarks, saying, ¡°You worked hard.¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, moved, and said, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, and I really like it! Thank you all for your efforts.¡±


    Under everyone¡¯s urging, he took off his old worn-out sneakers and put on the new slippers which Gu Zhongyi handed to him. The warmth surrounded Lin Yuxing, whose hands¡¯ frostbite swelled up, itched, and his head felt a bit dizzy.


    He stared at this birthday party specially prepared for him and occasionally smiled.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s happiness was fully visible to Gu Zhongyi. He closed the door and put the groceries he brought aside.


    Su Li and Gu Nuan couldn¡¯t wait to take out the gifts they had prepared a few days ago and stuffed Lin Yuxing¡¯s arms.


    Holding the gifts, Lin Yuxing was too excited to speak. After a while, he asked nervously, ¡°Can I open them?¡±


    ¡°Of course, once they¡¯re given to you, they¡¯re yours,¡± they replied.


    The gifts from Su Li and Gu Nuan were affordable and practical warm items, which might seem ordinary to others but were excellent gifts for Lin Yuxing.


    They had put a lot of thought into them, not wanting to choose something too expensive but still matching the birthday boy¡¯s preferences.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuxing liked them very much. He held the valuable shoes and cherished them, saying, ¡°Thank you, I will treasure these gifts.¡±


    Until the end of time.


    Su Li was frustrated and privately messaged Gu Nuan.


    Su Li: [He specifically told me earlier not  to give Li Yuxing expensive gifts as he wouldn¡¯t accept them.]


    Gu Nuan: [I¡¯ve let it go. They are a couple, i take it he knows him best]


    Su Li: [It¡¯s too complicated. I see through this Alpha!]


    Yang Qing, disregarding their complex thoughts, dutifully brought the ingredients to the kitchen. He took out a few bottles of wine from the refrigerator and cheerfully said, ¡°Come on, how can we celebrate a birthday without alcohol! I brought some cooked food, let¡¯s start with a drink first.¡±


    Seeing the enthusiastic Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi reminded Yang Qing in a soft voice before going to the kitchen to cook, ¡°Just have a little drink. Su Li and Guan Nuan aren¡¯t of legal age yet, and they¡¯re both Omegas, so be mindful.¡±


    Yang Qing slapped his forehead, realizing that he hadn¡¯t considered that. ¡°Right, right, I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±


    When he turned around, Su Li and Guan Nuan had already filled their glasses. Yang Qing understood that those two must have strict restrictions at home, so they were indulging themselves outside.


    Only Lin Yuxing¡¯s glass remained empty as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll just have a soft drink.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was afraid that he couldn¡¯t handle alcohol well. If he got drunk, it might end  with Gu Zhongyi being the only one left to clean up the leftovers on the table.


    Not only that, but Lin Yuxing also went to the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, and planned to handle the ingredients with Gu Zhongyi.


    But there was no reason for the birthday boy to cook  himself.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t let Gu Zhongyi chase him away and stubbornly stayed in the kitchen. He boasted, ¡°I used to work at a restaurant and learned a bit of cooking. I don¡¯t know how to thank you guys today, so let me prepare a few dishes.¡±


    In the limited space, the pheromones from Lin Yuxing¡¯s glands, intensified by the ointment, released a stronger and sweeter scent, intruding carelessly into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s nose.


    With the barrier, Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t be intoxicated, but he could still feel intoxicated because of his fondness. He couldn¡¯t refuse Lin Yuxing¡¯s request and agreed to let him stay in the kitchen.


    The three people in the living room were not good at cooking, so Gu Zhongyi used the excuse of ¡°no messing around¡± to keep them outside the kitchen.


    During their time together, Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi had such seamless coordination that they were no less competent than partners who had lived together for many years.


    One washed, the other chopped; one stir-fried, the other served. They quickly made half a table of dishes. The rest were either stewing in the pot or being steamed.


    While Lin Yuxing was chopping scallions, he glanced at the time on his phone. It was already 8 o¡¯clock in the evening. His stomach growled, and a piece of braised pork suddenly appeared in front of his mouth.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Try it?¡±


    With a slight movement of his hand holding the chopsticks, Gu Zhongyi fed it to Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth. Watching him chew and swallow, Gu Zhongyi smiled brightly and asked, ¡°How is it? Is it the same as when we went to the restaurant last time?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately gave a thumbs-up.


    Wanting to reciprocate the gesture, Lin Yuxing peeled off one of the oil-braised prawns he had just cooked and handed it over, wanting Gu Zhongyi to taste it.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Zhongyi leaned in and took a bite of the prawn from Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand. His teeth lightly grazed Lin Yuxing¡¯s fingertips, as if plucking the strings of their hearts.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart  began to race, thumping in his throat.


    Covering his throat with his hand, Lin Yuxing subconsciously took a step back, accidentally bumping into the pot of boiling water behind him.


    ¡°Be careful!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi quickly pulled him and held the pot steady.


    While the danger was averted, Lin Yuxing ended up in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace, their chests pressed against each other in an intimate contact.


    The collision of their pheromones was like a bottle of sweet and sour summer soda.


    With Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arm protecting him, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart pounding, and soon his face turned red. For the first time, he had the thought of wanting to stay in that embrace a bit longer.


    Because this feeling was exactly the same as when he dreamed about Gu Zhongyi.


    If it weren¡¯t for Yang Qing untimely pushing open the kitchen door, making a ¡°tsk tsk¡± sound, Lin Yuxing might have taken a while longer to regain his senses.


    He quickly moved away from Gu Zhongyi and blushed, stammering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I forgot there was a pot behind me¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been busy all day and must be tired. Go rest for a while, Yang Qing and I can handle the rest,¡± Gu Zhongyi must have realized Lin Yuxing was feeling shy and considerately gave him an excuse to escape the embarrassment.


    Lin Yuxing looked at Gu Zhongyi, who appeared calm and composed, and felt a hint of disappointment in his heart. He quickly nodded and hurriedly left the kitchen.


    Seeing this, Yang Qing sneaked up to Gu Zhongyi and nudged his elbow, saying sarcastically, ¡°Seems like the relationship is going well, cooking and being all lovey-dovey.¡± He continued in a teasing tone, ¡°The kitchen is too small, you should get a bigger house soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal to have a good relationship, isn¡¯t it?¡± Gu Zhongyi laughed. ¡°And a small kitchen is cozy.¡±


    Yang Qing, accustomed to the current Gu Zhongyi, cheerfully continued cutting the scallions, humming a self-made tune in a mischievous manner, ¡°People in love, one by one, like they¡¯ve had fake alcohol¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi calle out, ¡°Yang Qing.¡±


    Yang Qing obediently complied, ¡°Yes, sir,¡± and stopped singing, saying, ¡°Alright, alright.¡±,


    When Lin Yuxing came out of the kitchen, his cheeks were flushed. He sat at the dining table, still not fully recovered from the incident in the kitchen, and Su Li, who didn¡¯t know any better, wanted to pour him a drink.


    He shook his head repeatedly, ¡°I don¡¯t have a good alcohol tolerance, so I won¡¯t drink tonight.¡±


    Su Li exclaimed, ¡°You, the birthday boy, not drinking?!¡±


    Gu Nuan, slightly tipsy, enjoyed the spectacle and pointed at Lin Yuxing¡¯s glass, saying, ¡± Gu Zhongyi  said that tonight the three of us will sleep in the same room, while he and Yang Qing will sleep in the living room. He has already prepared all the toiletries for us. Let¡¯s just drink and don¡¯t worry about it!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was busy trying to stop them, but soon his glass was already filled with alcohol.


    Gu Nuan suddenly remembered something and took out a bottle of pheromone inhibitor perfume from his shoulder bag and placed it on the nearby cabinet.


    ¡°My dad knows we have Alphas gathering for dinner, so he specially asked me to bring the company¡¯s new product. This way, even if everyone gets drunk, the pheromones won¡¯t go wild. It¡¯s safe.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was a fan of the Gu Group, and he looked at Gu Nuan and Su Li with admiration. ¡°Impressive, it¡¯s the Gu Group!¡± They even invented something like that.


    Gu Nuan patted his chest and proudly said, ¡°Of course!¡±


    However, every time Lin Yuxing saw Gu Nuan, it was hard for him to associate him with the heir of the Gu Group. After all, Gu Nuan looked soft and sweet, completely different from those decisive and powerful CEOs in the news. But nothing was set in stone. Gu Nuan was outstanding and intelligent, so it was probably just because he was still young and lacked experience.


    Lin Yuxing had a clear goal for his future, and he firmly believed that he shouldn¡¯t offend the heir of the Gu Group. So he took the initiative to flatter him.


    He poured a glass of wine for Gu Nuan and said, ¡°Gu Nuan, cheers to the glory of the Gu Group!¡±


    Su Li: ¡°?¡±


    Gu Nuan clinked glasses without hesitation. ¡°Yuxing, don¡¯t be polite. We¡¯re family from now on!¡±


    In Gu Nuan¡¯s mind, Lin Yuxing was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s partner and would eventually become a part of the Gu Group.


    they then drank the alcohol in their glasses in one gulp.


    By the time Gu Zhongyi and Yang Qing came out of the kitchen with the dishes, Gu Nuan and Lin Yuxing had already consumed two entire bottles of wine. Su Li, sandwiched between the two, playfully complained, ¡°You¡¯re all family, and I¡¯m the only outsider here.¡±


    He raised his chin and sat down between them, putting his hands on their shoulders. ¡°You two shouldn¡¯t clink glasses anymore! Now that we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s blow out the candles and make a wish! It¡¯s already so late, and I¡¯m starving!¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s birthday wish was simple: he hoped to successfully graduate from college.


    He remembered that when he used to work at the restaurant, the customers would intertwine their fingers and make wishes on their birthdays, so he followed suit. When he was ready and was about to speak, Gu Zhongyi stopped him.


    ¡°If you say your birthday wish out loud, it won¡¯t come true.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Yuxing pressed his lips tightly. He closed his eyes and silently placed his wish in his heart.


    When he opened his eyes, the first person he saw was Gu Zhongyi sitting across from him.


    ¡°Yuxing, happy birthday.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the alcohol, but in the flickering candlelight, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression was gentle, his voice steady, and everything seemed like a dream. The Gu Zhongyi in front of him resembled the one who had appeared in his dreams, the Gu Zhongyi who let him have his way.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes were filled with countless expressions of love, so explicit.


    But it disappeared in an instant, leaving no trace.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing sighed, thinking he had been delusional. He must have been mistaken.


    Interestingly, at that moment, he actually felt the impulse to respond to these feelings. He wanted to embrace passionately, to kiss tenderly, to experience every sweet and suffocating emotion.


    Under the influence of alcohol, he had a moment of clarity.


    it dawned on him belatedly what his true feelings were.


    He told himself that he was a normal person, so it was natural for him to have feelings for Gu Zhongyi. It was an ordinary thing.


    Humans are easily swayed by emotions, and even if they know they¡¯re not fit or the feelings won¡¯t be reciprocated, they will still move forward.


    Lin Yuxing slightly parted his lips, and his heart suddenly tightened. In the dim candlelight, his eyes  fixedly looking at Gu Zhongyi. His eyelashes trembled like falling leaves.


    Time passed for a moment.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved unconsciously. Something was blossoming inside him, occupying his every thought.


    He closed his eyes again, paused for three seconds, and then finally blew out the candle.


    Because he had made one more small wish ¨C ¡°I hope I can stop liking him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blindly believed that birthday wishes would come true.

 CH 31

    After three rounds of drinking.


    Three drunk Omegas stumbled around, while two the Alphas stared at them puzzled.


    No one expected Gu Nuan¡¯s alcohol tolerance to be so poor¡ª


    Sitting arrogantly on the sofa, Gu Nuan held Lin Yuxing in one hand and pointed at Gu Zhongyi with the other, challenging his authority. ¡°Son, come here!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mouth twitched, thinking he misheard. ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    Yang Qing burst into uncontrollable laughter, covering his mouth.


    Gu Nuan hiccuped loudly and planted a kiss on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s forehead. He then affectionately kissed Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheek and yelled at Gu Zhongyi with a fierce expression, ¡°Don¡¯t you respect your father? Come here quickly and wash your father¡¯s feet!¡±


    He kept referring to himself as ¡°father¡± while Gu Zhongyi¡¯s temples throbbed with anger.


    Su Li shivered in a corner, sober-minded but unable to stand up due to weak legs.


    Meanwhile, Lin Yuxing leaned against Gu Nuan¡¯s chest, breathing calmly and sleeping soundly. Occasionally, his hand would naturally wrap around Gu Nuan¡¯s waist, snuggling close.


    The two of them were inseparable.


    Gu Nuan lowered his head and planted another kiss on Lin Yuxing¡¯s rosy cheek, filled with tender affection.


    Gu Zhongyi crushed an empty can in his hand seeing the scene in front of him.


    Su Li¡¯s inner thoughts: Save me, someone save me¡­ who will save me¡­this is so awkward.


    Since the Omegas¡¯ alcohol tolerance was too low, the birthday celebration they planned to continue throughout the night was forced to end prematurely.


    It was still early, and considering that the whole room was filled with drunk Omegas, Yang Qing, who was not drunk, was heartlessly asked to leave the house by Gu Zhongyi. Su Li and Gu Nuan were coldly thrown into the bedroom.


    The clean bedroom had been thoroughly cleaned by a housekeeper and sprayed with a pheromone inhibitor hence Su Li and Gu Nuan felt comfortable and experienced no discomfort upon entering the room.


    Gu Nuan started throwing a tantrum as soon as he touched the bed. ¡°You ungrateful child! How dare you leave your old man behind!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi ignored Gu Nuan¡¯s headache-inducing behavior and said to Su Li, ¡°There¡¯s an en-suite bathroom with toiletries inside. Until tomorrow morning, don¡¯t come out unless necessary.¡±


    Su Li nodded vigorously.


    Gu Nuan thrashed around, still grumbling. ¡°Ungrateful child! Have you forgotten how your father raised you, changing your diapers and cleaning up your mess¡ªMmm!¡±


    Su Li immediately covered Gu Nuan¡¯s mouth, terrified, and promised, ¡°I will not let Gu Nuan walk out of this room, you don¡¯t have to worry senior!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi closed the door satisfactorily.


    Gu Nuan continued to make muffled noises with Su Li¡¯s palm on his mouth.


    Poor Su Li felt so embarrassed. He never expected that as soon as Gu Nuan got drunk, he would start calling everyone his son. He raised three fingers, silently vowing to never drink with Gu Nuan again, not in this lifetime or the next!


    Lin Yuxing, who was placed on the sofa, woke up for a moment and fell back asleep. He curled up, sniffing the bitter orange scent on the blanket and comfortably rubbing against the soft pillow.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± He let out a slight snore.


    Gu Zhongyi approached and pulled the blanket up a bit, then adjusted the temperature of the living room heater.


    Afterward, he quietly cleaned up the aftermath of the birthday party by himself and went to the adjacent spare restroom to freshen up.


    Gu Zhongyi changed into his pajamas, quietly walked to the side of the sofa, and sat down on the floor.


    Lin Yuxing turned over, and his half-asleep face was facing him.


    The time was approaching midnight.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t mind the smell of alcohol on Lin Yuxing at all. He leaned over and kissed Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead, whispering softly, ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Under the warm, soft light, an incredibly cozy moment seemed to be cursed as it could never last. Lin Yuxing, after being kissed, abruptly sat up and opened his eyes. ¡°Bathroom, I need to go to the bathroom¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was startled and rendered speechless.


    Lin Yuxing pushed aside the dazed Gu Zhongyi and hiccupped, stumbling around like a headless fly. Gu Zhongyi hurriedly approached and held him, leading him to the  restroom.


    Lin Yuxing was heavily intoxicated and swayed at the entrance for quite some time, muttering incoherently, ¡°Your¡­ your bathroom is so fancy, even more beautiful than the room I sleep in at home!¡±


    ¡°¡­This is the bathroom.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t pay attention and, in a dazed state, leaned against the wall and walked inside. ¡°It would be great if this were my room¡­ I could sleep here every day!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi gave up reasoning with the drunken man.


    Out of politeness, he took a few steps back and waited and waited, but Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t come out of the restroom.


    He stepped forward and knocked on the door, ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    No one responded.


    Gu Zhongyi called out again, but still no response.


    Gu Zhongyi felt something was wrong and disregarded everything, opening the door directly. He saw Lin Yuxing sitting alone in a corner, curled up and trembling with a pitiful expression in his eyes.


    Gu Zhongyi let out a sigh of relief and squatted down, comforting him like comforting and soothing him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°My legs are weak, I can¡¯t stand up.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s speech became clearer, and he sniffled, seeking help. ¡°Can you help me? I haven¡¯t washed my hands yet.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart was softened by Lin Yuxing¡¯s appearance, and he carefully helped him up. ¡°Stand steady.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi guided Lin Yuxing slowly to the sink while he himself became a support, standing behind Lin Yuxing, letting him lean on him. His hands held Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders from both sides, stabilizing him.


    In the mirror, Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and his slightly long hair had become messy. He felt that his turtleneck sweater was hot, so he struggled a bit before finally reaching out to touch the mirror.


    As he touched it, he was shocked. ¡°Su Li, the faucet is broken, I can¡¯t turn it on.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi paused his attempt to help. ¡°Who am I?¡±


    ¡°Su Li.¡± Lin Yuxing complained in frustration, ¡°How did the faucet break? How much does it cost to fix it¡­?¡±


    He continued to touch the mirror, earnestly trying to figure out what was happening.


    After a long time of looking, he couldn¡¯t make out anything and became irritated. Lin Yuxing blurted out in his local dialect, ¡°This is so annoying!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He tried to pull away.


    Gu Zhongyi pulled him back. ¡°Who am I?¡±


    ¡°Su Li!¡±


    ¡°Wrong, look again.¡±


    Lin Yuxing stared at him and suddenly his eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Senior?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re Yang Qing, Senior.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi could easily dismiss Gu Nuan¡¯s drunkenness, but when it came to his own little Yuxing, he was utterly helpless. He could only go along with Lin Yuxing¡¯s drunken antics.


    Fortunately, compared to Gu Nuan, Lin Yuxing¡¯s drunkenness was limited to not recognizing people and didn¡¯t suddenly start forcing others to call him ¡°father.¡±


    Lin Yuxing, after stabilizing himself a bit, pulled back and said, ¡°Senior Yang, can you move aside a bit¡­ I,¡­ I have someone in my heart now.¡±


    Helplessly, Gu Zhongyi hugged him from behind, helping him stand steadily.


    Lin Yuxing weakly patted his hand, reluctant to be held by ¡°Yang Qing,¡± and awkwardly struggled as if he wanted to flee from that strong embrace.


    Gu Zhongyi had to emphasize repeatedly, ¡°Lin Yuxing, I am Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Finally, Lin Yuxing listened. He gasped for breath, exhausted, and relied on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi successfully turned on the faucet, adjusted the water temperature, and reached over with both hands holding Lin Yuxing¡¯s hands. Lin Yuxing was dumbfounded as the faucet miraculously started working again. He leaned against Gu Zhongyi like a wooden figure, allowing Gu Zhongyi to dispense hand soap and wash his hands clean and fragrant.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi handed him tissue paper to dry his hands.


    Looking up, Lin Yuxing bumped into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chin. He blinked, feeling strange. Leaning against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace, he heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s steady heartbeat and felt his own heartbeat synchronize with it.


    ¡°Thump-thump-thump-¡°


    He couldn¡¯t stand it; why did he feel like this again?


    Didn¡¯t he make a wish?


    Didn¡¯t they say that any non-exaggerated birthday wish could come true?


    ¡°Cheater,¡± he angrily cursed.


    Gu Zhongyi looked back at him confused, not knowing what he meant.


    But Lin Yuxing knew clearly that he was falling in love.


    He was conflicted and asked bitterly, ¡°Is this a dream?¡±


    Knowing that reasoning with a drunk person was useless, Gu Zhongyi simply said, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    It was precisely that casual response from Gu Zhongyi that made Lin Yuxing¡¯s tightly held heart completely fall into the tumult of love.


    Because in dreams, he didn¡¯t need to be condemned by morals, he didn¡¯t need to abide by the rules of reality, and he didn¡¯t need to care about his own shortcomings.


    In dreams, Lin Yuxing could do as he pleased.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to leave Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace. He smelled Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones up close¡ªneither sweet nor bitter, just normal, which annoyed him.


    So he turned around and, with a particular reluctance, hugged Gu Zhongyi tightly, burying himself in his arms.


    Gu Zhongyi was startled by Lin Yuxing¡¯s action and didn¡¯t dare to move, raising his hands.


    ¡°Senior,¡± Lin Yuxing called softly.


    ¡°Which senior?¡± Gu Zhongyi was actually a petty person.


    Lin Yuxing nuzzled against his chest, his voice softening. ¡°You¡¯re Senior Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was satisfied and slowly hugged him back, patting his back lightly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing inexplicably burst into tears.


    This left Gu Zhongyi at a loss for how to respond. Just as he was about to console Lin Yuxing, Lin Yuxing sobbed and revealed his innermost thoughts. ¡°What should I do? Even the pheromone inhibitor doesn¡¯t work¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ every time I see you¡­¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, filled with hot tears, pouted as he sobbed. ¡°My heart pounds, like it¡¯s fitted with a motor¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi became so nervous that his heartbeat skipped a beat. He wasn¡¯t sure if what Lin Yuxing said was true or just drunken nonsense. He didn¡¯t dare to breathe loudly, afraid of interrupting Lin Yuxing¡¯s train of thought.


    Lin Yuxing stubbornly believed that the Gu Zhongyi in his dream wouldn¡¯t dislike him, let alone end their contract and drive him away. Here, all his fears, anxieties, insecurities, and incompetence could be understood by Gu Zhongyi.


    Little did he know, his tears and words touched Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fondness for him, stirring his heart.


    Lin Yuxing sobbed and repeatedly touched his chest, feeling uncomfortable. ¡°Why is my heart so disobedient? I should just take it out¡­¡± He wiped his tears onto Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes, holding onto him tightly. ¡°Tell me, am I going crazy? I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ve taken the pheromone inhibitor¡­ Why am I still like this? I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, I swear I didn¡¯t..¡±


    He repeated himself over and over again, his crying voice getting softer and softer.


    Gu Zhongyi understood what he meant by ¡°liking someone,¡± but he didn¡¯t know that this liking was causing Lin Yuxing so much pain.


    He wanted to comfort him with a few words, guide him properly, but he was interrupted by a kiss from Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing tiptoed and unreasonably kissed his cheek.


    Crying and kissing, because this was all in his dream.


    It was also at that moment that Lin Yuxing¡¯s subconsciousness took the initiative to confess his feelings. He honestly confesed that none of this had anything to do with pheromones; he shamelessly fell in love with Gu Zhongyi.


    But who wouldn¡¯t like such a wonderful person like Gu Zhongyi?


    Lin Yuxing cried until he hiccuped, choking as he told Gu Zhongyi repeatedly, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen for you, I¡¯m done, I¡¯ve fallen for you.¡± He said softly, pursing his lips as if asking for candy. ¡°And you?¡±


    His confession was like a damp rain, wrapping tightly around Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart with sweetness.


    Gu Zhongyi had never imagined that this day would come, leaving him speechless.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t wait for an answer and grew anxious. ¡°Say something¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°¡­¡­.¡±


    Lin Yuxing waited a bit longer and then threatened him. ¡°Since  this is my dream. I want, I want you to do something! Right now, immediately¡­ you must say you like me!¡±


    He had to have his way in a dream, for things he couldn¡¯t obtain in reality?


    Gu Zhongyi was moved by the warmth in his chest, overwhelmed with countless emotions.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wipe away Lin Yuxing¡¯s tears and sincerely held him tight.


    However, he still didn¡¯t answer. In that situation, no matter what he said, Lin Yuxing would probably forget it by the next morning or treat it as merely a dream.


    Gu Zhongyi was quite selfish. He didn¡¯t want that.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice was magnetic, incredibly gentle, like the countless gravities in this world tipping over.


    ¡°Yuxing, it¡¯s late. You should sleep.¡±


    ¡°Tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, when you wake up, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait until tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± Lin Yuxing said with utmost seriousness, his voice tinged with grievance, ¡°I¡¯ll be sad to death by then.¡±


    The beautiful eyes of Lin Yuxing were like lonely stars in the night, shedding a few bean-sized teardrops. He stood on his tiptoes and, disobediently, pecked Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face once again.


    The tender moment lasted less than three seconds. Lin Yuxing¡¯s legs gave way, and he knelt directly in front of Gu Zhongyi, kowtowing in advance to wish him a happy new year.

 CH 32

    Fortunately, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s movements were quick, and he immediately held the drunk Lin Yuxing in his arms.


    Lin Yuxing was startled and stopped crying. Soon, he cooperatively wrapped his arms around Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck and gently pressed his cheek against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cheek, rubbing against it.


    ¡°Senior, you¡¯re so good~¡±


    Lin Yuxing flattered incoherently, his eyes blurred and drowsy.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t calm his heart. That night, he had received extraordinary affection from Lin Yuxing and had to force himself to remain composed. After all, Gu Zhongyi was a physically and mentally healthy Alpha. How could he not be moved or lose control when the Omega he liked actively pursued him?


    However, Gu Zhongyi was also strict with himself, and he managed to keep his desires in check.


    To dispel his inappropriate thoughts, Gu Zhongyi placed Lin Yuxing on the sofa, squatting down to check, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I like you the most~¡±


    Lin Yuxing leaned closer, ignoring the question, feeling that the dream version of Gu Zhongyi was so warm to him.


    Gu Zhongyi held his breath. ¡°Are you really not hurt?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lin Yuxing managed to finally answer. He rubbed his eyes, spoke incoherently, and assured Gu Zhongyi not to worry. He didn¡¯t feel any pain at all.


    Lin Yuxing, who was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper when it came to matters of the heart, didn¡¯t know how to kiss and didn¡¯t have the courage to kiss Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips. In his dreams, he could only muster the courage to boldly kiss Gu Zhongyi all over his face.


    He didn¡¯t expect that when he pressed his lips against the Alpha¡¯s cheek, it felt soft.


    ¡°Senior.¡±


    Lin Yuxing tilted his head and suddenly picked up a pillow from the sofa, shouting at it, ¡°Senior, I want to tell you a secret.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked at his serious and adorable appearance and couldn¡¯t help but reach out to position his head facing himself, speaking more boldly, ¡°You¡¯ve already confessed your feelings. What other secret could there be?¡±


    ¡°Well, there is one.¡± Lin Yuxing leaned his face against the palm of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, a smile forming at the corner of his mouth, and the scent of citrus filled the air. ¡°Before, when you asked if I had any inappropriate thoughts¡­ I, I said no.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remembered that he had been very upset at that time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I lied to you. I have plenty of inappropriate thoughts!¡± Lin Yuxing moved closer and whispered into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear, speaking in a hushed voice, ¡°In my dreams, I even held your hand.¡±


    Lin Yuxing waved his hand, admitting that he was not a good person. After holding hands last time and now kissing his face, what kind of mischief would he do next? He scolded himself that he was not well-behaved, and not responsible.


    Overwhelmed by desire.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s sadness overwhelmed him, and he slapped himself.


    ¡°Yuxing!¡± Gu Zhongyi grabbed his hand.


    Lin Yuxing hung his head despondently, accustomed to self-blame and self-reflection. It had become his way of survival since childhood.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, don¡¯t blame me. I always¡­ I¡¯m always afraid of being caught. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t want to meet with me anymore, afraid you won¡¯t be my friend¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi felt a pang of heartache. To ease Lin Yuxing¡¯s disappointment, he took the initiative to intertwine his fingers with Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand. ¡°Is this how you held it?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Lin Yuxing raised his head in confusion, staring at their tightly held hands, feeling delighted. ¡°You really are the senior from my dream last time. Both dreams are of the same you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had already stepped into the role assigned to him by Lin Yuxing and replied warmly, ¡°Because I wanted to see you, so I came.¡±


    Excitedly, Lin Yuxing kissed the back of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re truly amazing.¡± He offered his sincerest gratitude.


    Gu Zhongyi successfully received a ¡°good person card.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s live a long life together.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Lin Yuxing talked a lot, hiccuped from the alcohol, and comfortably lay down on the sofa.


    Perhaps the alcohol had dissipated, and Lin Yuxing, who had been restless for so long, was finally exhausted. He tightly held Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand and made a repeated request, ¡°Can you keep holding my hand like this?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt happy upon hearing that. Then he softly asked, ¡°Since you¡¯re so good, can you¡­ accept all my flaws too?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gu Zhongyi responded firmly.


    Lin Yuxing smiled. ¡°Then let me tell you another secret.¡±


    He wanted to be completely honest with Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°When I was little, I lived in an orphanage for a long time. The people there didn¡¯t want to play with me¡­ because I¡­ wasn¡¯t very good..¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes welled up with tears again. He let go of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, struggling to sit up.


    He felt dizzy, as if he would collapse the next second. Gu Zhongyi wanted to support him, but Lin Yuxing pushed his hand away.


    With great effort, Lin Yuxing pulled down his high collar, turned around, and revealed his unsightly gland in front of Gu Zhongyi.


    He wanted to say: It¡¯s not just the gland, my whole back is like this, ugly and disgusting.


    But if¡­ it¡¯s you, surely you can accept me, right?


    Deep in his heart, he longed for someone to genuinely accept him.


    Unfortunately, in the ¡°dream,¡± Lin Yuxing had exhausted his energy and couldn¡¯t finish what he wanted to say. He fell back and fell into a deep sleep.


    Perhaps in his true dream, this peace would continue.


    Meanwhile, Gu Zhongyi felt as if an invisible force had gripped his throat, rendering him speechless.


    He had never known that Lin Yuxing¡¯s gland looked like that. Suddenly, he remembered the first time he saw Lin Yuxing when they were young, wearing a high collar.


    He also recalled the nicknames Lin Yuxing had in the orphanage¡ªfreak and monster.


    It was a hot summer.


    Nine-year-old Gu Zhongyi got out of a private car, limping as he carried his backpack. With him was Yang Qing¡¯s father, Yang Qu.


    The director of the orphanage stood at the door, warmly approaching them, ¡°You must be Mr. Yang. Thank you for donating to our orphanage this time.¡±


    Yang Qu didn¡¯t directly mention that the donation was made by Gu Zhuang. After responding politely, he brought Gu Zhongyi to meet the director. ¡°I will come to pick him up after the summer vacation. As for the rest, please don¡¯t ask too much.¡±


    Yang Qu was always worried and afraid that something might go wrong. ¡°The child is shy. Please take good care of him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although our conditions are a bit poor, the people here are very kind.¡± The director had never encountered anyone willing to send their children to the welfare home for experience before.


    She didn¡¯t quite understand and didn¡¯t dare to ask further.


    She led Gu Zhongyi inside and gave him a pack of candy. Gu Zhongyi casually put the cheap candy into his backpack without much interest.


    During the nap time, numerous little heads popped out from the nearby windows, observing the new kid from a distance.


    In the shadow outside the dormitory door, Lin Yuxing held a stick and was focusing on poking the mud on the ground.


    ¡°Little Star, why aren¡¯t you taking a nap again?¡± The director saw Lin Yuxing sweating profusely and took out a handkerchief to wipe his face.


    Lin Yuxing smiled when he saw the director and affectionately called out, ¡°Mom Director!¡±


    The director rubbed his face with her hand, asking, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Lin Yuxing enjoyed the feeling of being touched. Without much concern, he said, ¡°Someone poured water on my bed, and they said they don¡¯t want to sleep near me, so I came out to play.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the director looked toward the children¡¯s dormitory disappointed, and the little heads by the windows quickly retreated.


    She then entrusted Gu Zhongyi to Lin Yuxing and hurriedly entered the dormitory to scold those misbehaved little ones.


    Gu Zhongyi felt downcast after being suddenly left behind and hugged his backpack tightly.


    He looked up but couldn¡¯t open his eyes due to the glaring sunlight.


    Beside him was an Omega boy who timidly looked at him.


    Gu Zhongyi turned away.


    Thinking that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t like him either, Lin Yuxing pursed his lips, lowered his head, and continued poking the soil, playing his own boring game.


    As a result, Gu Zhongyi was soon covered in sweat but didn¡¯t know how to find shade. He turned uncomfortably, annoyed, and wondered when the director could settle him down soon.


    A few minutes later, Lin Yuxing asked him softly, ¡°Do you want to come over a bit?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing pointed to a tree, saying, ¡°It¡¯s not sunny here.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t move. His mood was already bad enough.


    Lin Yuxing handed him the stick in his hand. ¡°Do you want to play with me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t say anything and carefully observed Lin Yuxing.


    Unlike himself, this boy looked malnourished, very thin and short. He was wearing a high-collared shirt, and that collar seemed to have been sewn on by someone, with a mismatched color and a strange shape.


    Only then did Gu Zhongyi realize that Lin Yuxing was an orphan.


    Although he didn¡¯t have it any better, he at least never had to worry about food and clothing since childhood. Amazed, Gu Zhongyi felt pity for the children in the welfare home and took out the candy given by the director from his bag.


    He stumbled over and showed a little kindness. ¡°Do you want to eat?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was surprised by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s goodwill and looked at him shyly, hesitating to take the candy immediately.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°It¡¯s candy.¡±


    Lin Yuxing stared at him, unable to look away. Because in the welfare home, there wasn¡¯t a single child as clean and pretty as Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuxing thought Gu Zhongyi was really good-looking.


    However, Gu Zhongyi started to feel a little impatient and prepared to withdraw his hand.


    Lin Yuxing quickly grabbed the candy and held it in his hand. Looking at the fancy packaging, he nodded vigorously and showed a very happy smile. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± He handed Gu Zhongyi a handful of mud and said, ¡°There are ants inside, want to play together?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi swatted Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand in disgust.


    But this incident didn¡¯t affect the favorable impression Lin Yuxing had of Gu Zhongyi.


    From that day on, Lin Yuxing started to stick around Gu Zhongyi. Because of a bag of candy, he innocently regarded Gu Zhongyi as his best friend.


    And he vowed to be the strongest support for the limping Gu Zhongyi, not allowing anyone to bully him!


    The magical thing was that despite his small stature, Lin Yuxing had an endless amount of energy.


    At lunchtime, when Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t walk fast, Lin Yuxing would carry him on his back and rush to the cafeteria first. During snack time in the afternoon, even if he didn¡¯t have any himself, Lin Yuxing would ensure that Gu Zhongyi had his share. At night, when it was time to sleep, Lin Yuxing would fetch hot water and help Gu Zhongyi soak his feet, imitating the actions of adults.


    He took care of everything and even fought fiercely with other children for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sake.


    ¡°They were the ones who took Ah Yi¡¯s things first!¡± Lin Yuxing, who was in the late stage of losing his baby teeth, had his already shaky front tooth knocked out. ¡°Director Mom, they said Ah Yi is a cripple! They were impolite and unreasonable, they were wrong!¡±


    The other children who were beaten by him had swollen faces and cried, saying ¡°But he is a cripple!¡±


    With an aggressive fist raised, Lin Yuxing ignored his own disheveled appearance.


    In the end, the children who were beaten were taken one by one to receive treatment and were all sent outside to stand and receive punishment.


    During the gap when the director walked away, the children who had been beaten down by Lin Yuxing would verbally attack him. ¡°Freak! Ugly monster!¡±


    Lin Yuxing heard them insulting him and couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond. He lowered his head, kicked the small pebbles at his feet, and remained silent.


    Children would persist in saying, ¡°No wonder no one wants you! Stay away from us, don¡¯t infect us!¡±


    They seemed to have hit a sore spot with Lin Yuxing.


    Continuing to kick the stones, Lin Yuxing retorted in a low voice, ¡°As if any of you idiots have someone who wants you.¡±


    Snack time in the afternoon arrived.


    The children who misbehaved were not allowed to eat, and a few of them swallowed their saliva pitifully, listening to the cheerful laughter from inside the room.


    One child choked with sobs and said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of Xiaoxing!¡±


    Lin Yuxing would just continue to kick the stones.


    After a while, Gu Zhongyi brought a small stool and sat down next to him. He had three packs of snacks in his hands. He had special privileges in the welfare home, as the director specially arranged for him.


    Gu Zhongyi was different from the other children. He didn¡¯t lack snacks, clothes, or toys; he lacked love.


    Lin Yuxing stared at the snacks in his hands, unable to look away. The stones were no longer moving, and his hungry stomach made a rumbling sound.


    Lin Yuxing moved closer to Gu Zhongyi and asked, ¡°Ah Yi, are you the director¡¯s biological child?¡±


    Why are your snacks always different from everyone else¡¯s?


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t give a direct answer.


    Lin Yuxing swallowed his saliva and covered his stomach. ¡°Are they delicious?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s attitude was always indifferent.


    Lin Yuxing looked at the small pebbles on the ground and answered enviously, ¡°They must be delicious.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never eaten this kind of snacks before.¡± Gu Zhongyi opened the bag and took out a chip, handing it over. ¡°Try it for me.¡±


    Instantly, Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes lit up.


    He quickly opened his mouth, and a chip was stuffed in. Feeling ecstatic, he chewed and let the wind blow through his missing front tooth, intentionally saying loudly, ¡°It¡¯s so delicious!¡±


    The other children stood by watching and salivating.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but smile, and his attitude changed. ¡°Do you want to try some plum candy?¡±


    ¡°I do!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve lost all your front teeth. Can you eat candy?¡±


    ¡°I can! Give it to me, I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    The two of them ate all types of snacks in front of the other children and Lin Yuxing no longer felt miserable. He was like a bright little sun, gazing at Gu Zhongyi and saying, ¡°Ah Yi, you¡¯re so good to me.¡±


    At that time, Gu Zhongyi was still young and didn¡¯t understand why Lin Yuxing had so many hurtful nicknames or why such a good person like Lin Yuxing could be bullied by other children.


    He regretted not thinking more at that time.


    The short two months of summer vacation passed quickly. He thought that he and Lin Yuxing could make promises as friends. But in the end, how much did he really understand about Lin Yuxing?


    When he was young, he regarded ¡°freak¡± and ¡°ugly monster¡± as playful nicknames among children, but he didn¡¯t know that they were the real shackles on Lin Yuxing.

 CH 33

    The next morning at eight o¡¯clock:


    After running the heater all night, the sofa in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s house was exceptionally comfortable. Lin Yuxing slept soundly until he woke up naturally.


    On his phone, there was a message left by Gu Zhongyi.


    [I¡¯m going to buy breakfast, be back soon.]


    Lin Yuxing: [OK.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [Good morning, I¡¯m still in line. What would you like for breakfast?]


    Lin Yuxing: [Good morning, anything is fine.]


    Gu Zhongyi knew Lin Yuxing¡¯s preferences and replied, [Got it.]


    Lin Yuxing smelled the alcohol on his breath and couldn¡¯t wait to freshen up. He knocked on the bedroom door, but there was no response from inside. He gently opened the door and saw only Gu Nuan in bed, while Su Li was sleeping on the floor wrapped in a blanket.


    Lin Yuxing quietly approached and tucked Gu Nuan in with the blanket. Then he took his toiletries from their room and went to the spare bathroom in the apartment.


    Lin Yuxing had often sighed to himself that even the bathroom in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s house was brighter than any room he had lived in since childhood.


    Since he was taken back by Lin Xiufeng at the age of 10, he had been living under someone else¡¯s roof.


    In his memory, his room was a cramped space filled with cardboard boxes and old items, covered in dust, with just enough room for a small folding bed measuring 1.2 meters.


    It was slightly larger than the beds at the welfare institute but smaller than what Lin Yuxing remembered from his own home.


    Lin Yuxing remembered clearly that during his elementary school days, before Cheng Rong got injured at the construction site, it would often be just Lin Xiufeng, him, and Cheng Shuohua at home during the day. It was a brief period of happiness when Lin Yuxing could comfortably do his homework on the dining table outside.


    He would also help Lin Xiufeng with household chores, while Cheng Shuohua would sit in a chair obediently, waving his hands and shaking his head with a silly smile while watching the TV.


    When it got late at night and Cheng Rong returned home, Lin Yuxing would obediently return to his room and study on the pile of cardboard items.


    The dim room had insufficient lighting and was especially hard on the eyes.


    Lin Xiufeng had bought him a desk lamp in secret. ¡°Your teacher said you¡¯re a good student and will definitely be able to get into a good university in the future. so, don¡¯t be playful and study hard. Once you do well, we can all enjoy a good life together in the city.¡±


    Occasionally, she would mention Lin Yuxing¡¯s biological older brother and sigh, ¡°I wonder where your brother was adopted to and how he¡¯s doing. But since you¡¯re twins, perhaps you¡¯ll recognize each other if you meet on the street.¡±


    Lin Yuxing replied quietly, ¡°maybe.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng didn¡¯t notice Lin Yuxing¡¯s unhappiness and bit off the thread in her hand while saying, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him. Once you become successful, I will no longer blame your parents who passed away early.¡±


    She believed that bringing Lin Yuxing back home was the most noble thing she had ever done.


    But Lin Yuxing knew that Lin Xiufeng¡¯s ultimate goal in bringing him home was nothing more than wanting him to take care of his intellectually disabled cousin in the future and ensure Cheng Shaohua¡¯s lifelong well-being.


    That¡¯s why, despite Cheng Rong¡¯s strong opposition, Lin Xiufeng insisted on bringing back the child abandoned by his older brother from the welfare institution.


    If she could still bear children, Lin Yuxing might not have had the chance to leave the welfare institution.


    But no matter what, Lin Xiufeng did raise him, even though it was difficult.


    With these thoughts in mind, Lin Yuxing splashed his face with water.


    Compared to his past experiences, the happiness he had experienced recently could be considered a dream. Lin Yuxing was about to lose himself and couldn¡¯t tell his own identity anymore.


    No, he couldn¡¯t drift away!


    He brushed his teeth and sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror. Messy hair, swollen cheeks, he looked terrible, far from the youthful university student he should be.


    Suddenly, something flashed in his mind, followed by a series of images.


    ¡°Such slender legs!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Su Li, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re Yang Qing, Senior!¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ve fallen for you, I¡¯m done, I¡¯ve fallen for you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡±


    Wait.


    A basketful of embarrassing memories returned, and many scenes broke free from their restraints. Each scene portrayed his intoxicated loss of control.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand holding the toothbrush froze.


    Those unimaginable scenes danced in his head, almost overwhelming his composure.


    The toothbrush in Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand fell into the sink, and he swallowed the foam in his mouth, his face filled with despair.


    He couldn¡¯t care less anymore. After hastily washing up, he walked hurriedly to the living room, picked up his phone, and repeatedly checked the messages he had exchanged with Gu Zhongyi.


    At first glance, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s text replies seemed normal.


    Lin Yuxing was extremely hesitant, pacing back and forth with his phone. The horrifying scenes in his mind multiplied, such as kissing his face, patting his back, rubbing against his chest, hugging his neck¡­ it was simply unbearable to imagine!


    With a thud, Lin Yuxing dropped to his knees.


    ¡°What have I done!¡± He buried his head in the sofa, wishing to go back to his intoxicated self from last night.


    But soon, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t tell if it was reality or a dream.


    Because in those memories, there was no sign of anger from Gu Zhongyi. That couldn¡¯t be possible, it was too unbelievable. Faced with such confessions from Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi would never be lenient, right?


    After much consideration, instead of panicking on his own, he decided to ask the person involved directly. He clenched his fists and typed on his phone, but the phone stubbornly lagged for a moment.


    Lin Yuxing: [Senior, I didn¡¯t do anything strange last night, did I?]


    Gu Zhongyi was in line to buy breakfast and, to prevent Lin Yuxing from overthinking and leaving his apartment,  told a small lie: [No, you didn¡¯t.]


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t be certain and asked subtly: [You¡¯re not lying to me, right¡­ I was drunk, I must have caused trouble for you, right?]


    Gu Zhongyi: [After you got drunk, you fell asleep on the sofa and didn¡¯t wake up all night.]


    To add to the authenticity¨C


    Gu Zhongyi: [But you did talk in your sleep.]


    Lin Yuxing anxiously asked: [What did I say?]


    Gu Zhongyi, who was almost at the front of the line, saw the hot soy milk that Lin Yuxing liked and smiled: [You said you like¡­]


    Lin Yuxing became extremely anxious, his heart leaping to his throat, unable to swallow.


    Gu Zhongyi: [You said you really like this birthday and want to spend it with me every year. Other than that, nothing happened, and you didn¡¯t cause me any trouble.]


    Lin Yuxing was stunned. What a strange development. None of the things Gu Zhongyi mentioned had any recollection in his mind. All the memories he recalled were completely different from what Gu Zhongyi had mentioned.


    Could it be that everything Gu Zhongyi said was true, and all his own memories were just part of a dream?


    Considering it, Lin Yuxing had never been drunk before. It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible to confuse the situation.


    He convinced himself with a sense of relief.


    Lin Yuxing wiped the sweat off his forehead and sat down on the sofa, taking a deep breath. It seemed that all those shameless scenes from last night were purely his imagination. He touched his chest and felt a tingling sensation, unable to tell if it was a sense of loss or something else.


    He looked in the direction of the bedroom and asked Gu Zhongyi, ¡°[Shouldn¡¯t I be sleeping in the bedroom with them?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°[Gu Nuan is a light sleeper, so I didn¡¯t let you sleep in the bedroom.]¡±


    Concerned, Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°[Where did you sleep?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi answered, ¡°[On the living room floor.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at the hard floor covered with a carpet and reached out to touch it, feeling sorry. ¡°¡­If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have drunk. I could have slept on the floor.¡± In his opinion, Gu Zhongyi hadn¡¯t experienced much hardship since childhood, and sleeping on the floor was too cruel for him.


    Lin Yuxing flattered him, saying, ¡°[Little hamster, let me massage your shoulders when you get back.]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°[good. Here¡¯s your reward].¡±


    This message came with a photo of a bag of breakfast that Gu Zhongyi bought, all of which were Lin Yuxing¡¯s favorites.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart thumped.


    He quickly turned off his phone and pressed his hand against his chest. ¡°Calm down!¡±


    After shouting, the exhaustion of his first hangover slowly enveloped Lin Yuxing.


    The scenes of himself persistently pursuing Gu Zhongyi in his dream surfaced again¡­


    Now that Lin Yuxing understood his own feelings, he wiped his face in distress, feeling guilty for his actions towards Gu Zhongyi in his dream.


    He didn¡¯t know how to face Gu Zhongyi with what expression, and he didn¡¯t know how to handle his belated first love. He sank into the sofa, deeply frustrated.


    Lin Yuxing was just beginning to experience the stirrings of love, a bit late.


    It was his first time realizing what liking someone felt like.


    Happiness in dreams, bitterness in reality.


    How he wished he could be an ordinary college student without any family burdens or burn scars. But the truth was the truth, and Lin Yuxing knew he couldn¡¯t change anything, so he no longer held any expectations.


    To prevent himself from continuing to overthink, he got up to check if there were any dishes and chopsticks to wash in the kitchen, only to find that Gu Zhongyi had already cleaned everything.


    The only pitiful sight was the leftover cake placed on the kitchen counter.


    Lin Yuxing once again recalled the birthday party from last night, feeling melancholic.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had been so good to him, yet he still held such feelings¡­ He was probably like the ungrateful snake in ¡°The Farmer and the Snake.¡±


    Lost in thought, Lin Yuxing stared at the cake and didn¡¯t even notice when Gu Zhongyi entered the apartment.


    Gu Zhongyi walked around the living room but didn¡¯t see anyone, thinking that Lin Yuxing had gone into the bedroom.


    He went straight to the door and knocked twice, but there was no response.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    As an Alpha, Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t be so impolite as to open the door without permission. He was still holding a big bag of breakfast and planned to go to the kitchen to organize things before calling them to wake up.


    The bag made a ¡°rustling¡± sound as he walked, but there was no other movement.


    However, when Gu Zhongyi pushed open the kitchen door, he saw Lin Yuxing standing there with half a cake in his hands, raising them above his head and murmuring to himself.


    Gu Zhongyi felt his eyebrow twitch.


    Because Lin Yuxing was devoutly praying to the cake, ¡°Dreams and reality are opposite, Buddha bless, cake bless, please don¡¯t let me have this kind of dream again! Don¡¯t let him appear in my dreams anymore!¡±


    Lin Yuxing bowed three times to the cake decisively, saying, ¡°Let him roll out of my dreams!¡±


    The ¡°he¡± he referred to was Gu Zhongyi in his dream, not the real Gu Zhongyi.


    Perhaps Lin Yuxing really believed that birthday wishes would come true¡­


    But now it was already the next day, and making wishes in front of a pile of cake crumbs might have the opposite effect.


    For example, Gu Zhongyi curled his two fingers and knocked on the door twice.


    ¡°What kind of dream?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was so startled that his legs almost went weak.


    And then, Gu Zhongyi put down what he was holding and calmly approached Lin Yuxing, gradually cornering him.


    Gu Zhongyi supported himself on the edge of the kitchen counter, trapping Lin Yuxing in a space about the size of an embrace. He felt a little displeased and asked knowingly, ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was surrounded by the scent of bitter orange, and he was so excited that his soul almost left his body.


    His heart raced at the speed of a hundred-meter sprint, setting his whole body on fire. His head felt like it was ¡°smoking,¡± making it hard for him to breathe and causing dizziness and ringing in his ears.


    He didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sudden teasing, but he also knew that Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t that kind of person. He struggled to open his eyes and look at Gu Zhongyi, only to see Gu Zhongyi looking back at him with a handsome face full of smiles.


    Absolutely captivating.


    Lin Yuxing wanted Gu Zhongyi to let go of him, but he stuttered, and his words came out as, ¡°Wh-what, wh-why are you, buh-bullying me?!¡±


    The good atmosphere didn¡¯t last more than a few seconds.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Bullying? Isn¡¯t it supposed to be a ¡®wall slam¡¯?¡±


    For someone of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s age, he shouldn¡¯t be ignorant of such a simple romantic term between lovers.


    However, Lin Yuxing truly didn¡¯t know. He couldn¡¯t even get the words right in a drama.


    ¡°¡­Right.¡± Lin Yuxing lost all his momentum and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°What are you wall slamming me for? What do you want?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi asked in return, ¡°If you can¡¯t even get the words right, what do you think I want?¡±


    ¡°I-I haven¡¯t seen a pig run since I¡¯ve never eaten pork?¡± Lin Yuxing blushed and wanted to hide in a hole.


    Looking at Gu Zhongyi, who showed no intention of letting go, he wore an expression that seemed to say, ¡°Great, you¡¯re a pig today.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    But that was definitely Lin Yuxing¡¯s overactive imagination. How could Gu Zhongyi bear to call him a pig? Even if he were to say it, Lin Yuxing would still be the most outstanding and adorable little pig in the world.


    Gu Zhongyi liked him the most.

 CH 34

    Of course, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t be blamed entirely for being nervous.


    Others may not know, but Lin Yuxing could see clearly ¨C Gu Zhongyi was extremely arrogant at the moment, to the point of being ¡°cocky¡±.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t believe it. Overnight, a perfectly fine person could actually change.


    Could it be that Gu Zhongyi also had a mental breakdown last night?


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face burned hotly, feeling the extraordinary sensation of being pressed against the wall by the person he secretly admired. He couldn¡¯t indulge Gu Zhongyi¡¯s jokes anymore and kept demanding that Gu Zhongyi let him go.


    At that moment, a weak ¡°morning¡± completely broke the tense atmosphere between the two.


    Gu Nuan rubbed his eyes and appeared at the kitchen door.


    Lin Yuxing changed his embarrassment and sweetly smiled, quickly getting into character, ¡°Gu Nuan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Gu Nuan, half-awake, touched the door frame, ¡°Where are the cups in the living room? I want to drink water.¡± He struggled to open his eyes and saw Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi in the kitchen, acting affectionate towards each other.


    Gu Nuan froze and quickly retreated, shouting loudly, ¡°Sorry, sorry! I disturbed you!¡±


    He slipped away and thoughtfully turned back to close the door for them.


    If Gu Nuan had a key in his hand , he would have locked the door for them. Lock them inside so they wouldn¡¯t come to ¡°scare¡± people early in the morning.


    Outside, Su Li stretched lazily, ¡°Gu Nuan, you look like you saw a ghost¡±


    Gu Nuan put a finger to his lips, ¡°shh!¡±


    In Gu Nuan¡¯s eyes, when Gu Zhongyi got angry, he was scarier than any ghost. He pushed Su Li back and heard the buzzing vibration.


    Both of them looked at Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone on the coffee table and jostled each other.


    Gu Nuan: ¡°You go.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°You go.¡±


    Gu Nuan: ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°Then I¡¯m not going either.¡±


    Gu Nuan: ¡°What if it¡¯s an important call¡­¡±


    Su Li: ¡°Let me see.¡±


    Looking at it was a dilemma. The caller ID on the screen was undoubtedly a call that Lin Yuxing should answer. Su Li handed the phone to Gu Nuan and said with emphasis, ¡°You¡¯re Gu Zhongyi¡¯s relative, I¡¯m an outsider, your chance of survival is greater than mine.¡±


    Makes sense.


    Meanwhile, in the kitchen.


    The playacting was over, and Lin Yuxing pushed Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Senior, stop fooling around.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me, who did you dream of?¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t care at all that there was a third wheel outside. He was confident that no one would dare to come to the kitchen now.


    It was his territory, and he had the final say.


    Lin Yuxing was extremely embarrassed and didn¡¯t dare to look at Gu Zhongyi. With a clever idea, he bent down and slipped out from under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arm when he wasn¡¯t paying attention.


    His heartbeat was irregular. He couldn¡¯t get angry at Gu Zhongyi teases anymore, even though he still felt irritated. He was also well aware that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t have any feelings for him, so he could joke without any reservations.


    But it was different for him. A wall slam almost cost him his life as his heart was beating so fast.


    Lin Yuxing stood there feeling frustrated. They say the one who falls in love first always loses, but at least those who lose have a chance. He had no chance at all. He lowered his head gloomily, opened the plastic bag, and arranged the breakfast Gu Zhongyi had bought one by one.


    Gu Zhongyi knew he had gone too far and quickly restrained his teasing. He asked in a soft spoken manner, ¡°Do you have time in the afternoon?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lin Yuxing replied without raising his head.


    ¡°I want to arrange for you to meet the child. If there are no problems, you can start tutoring him tomorrow.¡±


    The temptation of 400 yuan per hour for tutoring was indeed significant.


    Lin Yuxing quickly forgave Gu Zhongyi¡¯s teasing and changed his tone eagerly, ¡°Yes! I have time!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi then smiled and rubbed his head, ¡°Hmm, shall we have dinner together tonight?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Gu Zhongyi coughed lightly, feeling a little embarrassed. His ears even turned red. ¡°I have something to tell you, privately. It can¡¯t be said now.¡±


    To avoid any misunderstandings, Gu Zhongyi added, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    He still had two light bulbs at home, and his preparations were basic. It wasn¡¯t suitable for confessing. Although Gu Zhongyi had lived for almost thirty years, he lacked some romantic genes and needed some good preparation.


    Hearing that it was good news, Lin Yuxing mistakenly believed that Gu Zhongyi had found him another part-time job besides tutoring. He was very grateful for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s help but felt like a traitor with a hanging and uncertain heart. He wanted to apologize, but then Gu Nuan interrupted them.


    Gu Nuan knocked on the door twice, opened a crack, and placed his phone on the kitchen counter before saying, ¡°Please forgive me! I¡¯ll give you a big red envelope when you get married!¡±


    After saying that, he ran away.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone screen displayed ¡°Aunt¡± as the caller.


    ¡­¡­


    Around three o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Lin Yuxing took a plane to the distant D City, far away from City C.


    Unlike the clear weather in City C, D City was experiencing continuous drizzle, accompanied by a damp and cold atmosphere.


    The wind made Lin Yuxing shiver. He looked at the time on his phone and made up his mind. He downloaded a ride app.


    He entered the destination and waited for a while.


    Due to the remote location, there were no drivers accepting the request.


    Being his first time taking a plane, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know what to do. He wandered around for a long time before someone pointed him in the direction of the taxi waiting area. He ran to each taxi and asked one by one. After about half an hour, a driver finally agreed to take the fare at a fixed price of 280 yuan.


    It was a rather old taxi that couldn¡¯t even turn on the air conditioning.


    Lin Yuxing hesitated for a moment upon hearing the price but finally agreed.


    By the time he got into the car, his hands were already red from the cold.


    On his phone, he received a message from Gu Zhongyi half an hour ago: [Have you arrived?]


    Lin Yuxing immediately made a call in response, ¡°Senior.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Where are you now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a taxi, I took a cab,¡± Lin Yuxing shivered from the cold, ¡°Thank you for buying me the plane ticket, I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later. Don¡¯t worry too much, your aunt may just be tired.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lin Yuxing looked out the window wearily.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle on your own, be sure to let me know.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hesitated for a moment and replied casually, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want Gu Zhongyi to see the mess at home, nor did he want Gu Zhongyi to get involved. As someone who lacked money, he shouldn¡¯t have had any self-esteem, but after realizing his feelings for Gu Zhongyi, he humbly hoped that Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t know about those things.


    Gu Zhongyi repeatedly urged, ¡°Yuxing, no matter what difficulties you face, I will help you. If you have any problems, you must tell me, understand?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m used to dealing with things at home. You don¡¯t have to worry too much,¡± Lin Yuxing hung up the phone and closed his eyes with a slight headache.


    The car drove for a long time, all the way from the spacious airport to a backward town.


    The navigation system was still guiding.


    The driver kept complaining about the bad road conditions and regretted accepting that ride.


    In the rearview mirror, Lin Yuxing remained silent throughout the journey. He didn¡¯t bring any luggage, and he was still wearing the old sneakers with frayed edges. He didn¡¯t want to wear new shoes back, so he temporarily left them at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apartment.


    The only thing he had on his neck was the scarf Gu Zhongyi gave him.


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head, burying his face in the scarf, which no longer carried any hint of bitter orange pheromones. He tightly grasped the scarf, his heart filled with unease.


    At six in the evening, the car stopped in front of a shabby hospital.


    Lin Yuxing transferred the taxi fare to the driver and hurriedly got out of the car.


    The driver, dissatisfied, rolled down the window and looked at the desolate place. He shouted, ¡°Young man, I¡¯m going to spend a lot of fuel going back, and the road was difficult to drive on. you gave me very little money¡±


    Lin Yuxing hesitated and said, ¡°You set the price yourself.¡±


    ¡°If I knew it would be so troublesome, I wouldn¡¯t have taken this ride. I¡¯m not scaring you, you know how difficult the journey was. Look at my car, it¡¯s all covered in mud. Isn¡¯t washing the car also going to cost money? You should¡¯ve given a bit more, this is too little!¡±


    Seeing the driver¡¯s imposing manner, Lin Yuxing was afraid he would get out of the car and said, after checking his balance, ¡°Can I give you an extra 5 yuan?¡±


    ¡°The driver sneered.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s poor appearance and young age, he knew he wouldn¡¯t get much money from him. He clicked his tongue and considered himself unlucky, saying, ¡®Just give me an extra 20!¡¯


    Lin Yuxing wanted to negotiate the price but the driver shouted again, ¡®It should have been 50 originally, but I won¡¯t argue anymore. If you keep nagging, I¡¯ll go inside the hospital and ask it from your family!¡¯


    Lin Yuxing quickly turned around.


    The driver rolled his eyes and drove away.


    The hospital in the small town was simple, more like a larger health clinic.


    After asking at the nurse¡¯s station, Lin Yuxing entered a simple ward. There were three beds in total, with only Lin Xiufeng lying on one of them. There was someone sitting by the bed and someone else standing.


    The person standing was Cheng Shaohua, who had intellectual disabilities. He was holding a peeled orange and crying while eating.


    The person sitting was Cheng Rong. He was peeling a second orange for himself. Since Lin Xiufeng fell ill, that family seemed to have lost its backbone.


    As soon as Cheng Rong saw the dusty Lin Yuxing, he angrily threw the orange peel at him and said, ¡®You useless scoundrel, you actually had the audacity to come back?¡¯


    Lin Yuxing remained silent and walked to the bedside.


    Lin Xiufeng had her eyes closed, looking tired. On the way there, Lin Yuxing had asked the nurse in advance, and the answer he received was completely different from what Cheng Shaohua had said on the phone.


    Cheng Shaohua clearly said on the phone that Lin Xiufeng was coughing up blood and might not make it, asking Lin Yuxing to come back quickly. However, the nurse said that Lin Xiufeng was only exhausted and collapsed due to poor nutrition.


    It wasn¡¯t a big deal that she collapsed, but luck was still against them.


    Lin Xiufeng fell from a high platform in the factory. Her thigh was bandaged, and she had stitches on her head. Fortunately, they were not major injuries that would have lasting effects. However, she would probably have to rest in bed for the winter.


    People from the factory came to visit, bringing some oranges and bananas, as well as some compensation money.


    The amount of money wasn¡¯t much, and Cheng Rong pocketed it all.


    Cheng Shaohua ran toward Lin Yuxing while crying, ¡®Brother, brother, I¡¯m scared¡­ Dad hit me, I¡¯m scared.¡¯ He was a few years older than Lin Yuxing and an Alpha, but he had always called Lin Yuxing ¡®brother¡¯ since he was young.


    Looking at Cheng Shaohua, who was a head taller, Lin Yuxing felt helpless. He imitated Gu Zhongyi and gently rubbed Cheng Shaohua¡¯s head, saying in a kind tone, ¡®It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid.¡¯


    It was the first time Cheng Shaohua had his head rubbed by Lin Yuxing, and he smiled foolishly. He resembled Lin Xiufeng and had a slight resemblance to Lin Yuxing as well.


    He wiped away his tears and complained, ¡®Dad asked me to make the call. He said a sentence, and told me to repeat it¡­¡¯


    An orange hit Cheng Shaohua.


    After all, he was his own flesh and blood, and Cheng Rong couldn¡¯t bear to hit him for real. He scolded, ¡®You ungrateful brat¡¯


    Terrified, Cheng Shaohua hid behind Lin Yuxing, shrinking his shoulders and shedding tears. He said, ¡®He might hit me if I said it wrong. Dad hits me! I don¡¯t want dad! I only want mom and brother!¡¯


    ¡®You little beast!¡¯ Cheng Rong said extremely angry.


    Lin Yuxing turned around, comforted Cheng Shaohua for a few moments, and asked him, ¡®Shaohua, we¡¯ve learned from TV. What should we do when others are sleeping?¡¯


    Cheng Shaohua blinked his teary eyes and said softly, ¡®We should be quiet.¡¯


    ¡®Yes, we should be quiet.¡¯ Lin Yuxing rubbed his head again and showed patience to Cheng Shaohua. ¡®You go sit by Mom¡¯s side obediently. Shall I buy you some candy to eat?¡¯


    ¡®Okay!¡¯ Cheng Shaohua always listened to Lin Yuxing, so he nodded, no longer crying or making a fuss.


    Lin Yuxing tucked Lin Xiufeng¡¯s blanket and glanced at the IV drip, calmly saying to Cheng Rong, ¡®You didn¡¯t call me back this time because of Aunt, right? Let¡¯s talk outside.''¡±


    .

 CH 35

    Hospital corridor.


    Cheng Rong, unwilling to put on an act, reached out his hand for money.


    Lin Yuxing felt Cheng Rong was unreasonable and shameless. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, as if he had seen through Lin Yuxing. ¡°Every time your aunt asks you for money, you readily give it to her. How could you possibly not have any money?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve given all I can. I really don¡¯t have any money left.¡±


    ¡°You heartless little brat, when your family is in trouble, don¡¯t you know how to lend a hand?¡± Cheng Rong hobbled closer, pushing him against the wall with a forceful shove, making Lin Yuxing hit his back hard.


    Lin Yuxing winced in pain, his brows furrowing.


    Cheng Rong grumbled, ¡°Look at the state of our family. Shouldn¡¯t you contribute some money?¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. In his heart, Cheng Rong was a greedy scoundrel. He said coldly, ¡°If you want money, you shouldn¡¯t have tricked me into coming back! I was able to give money to the family because I¡¯ve been working there all this time. Now that I¡¯m back, I don¡¯t have any part-time jobs!¡±


    Cheng Rong quickly raised his hand and slapped him.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s head was left spinning from the blow.


    His fear of Cheng Rong had grown like a vine in his hollow heart since childhood. He couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth, his breathing becoming slow.


    Cheng Rong¡¯s face turned vicious, reaching out to grab Lin Yuxing¡¯s collar.


    This time, Lin Yuxing blocked Cheng Rong¡¯s hand.


    As an adult, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to endure being hit anymore. The slap earlier was only successful because he was caught off guard.


    With people coming and going in the hospital, Cheng Rong wouldn¡¯t dare be forceful.


    Lin Yuxing warned Cheng Rong, ¡°Aunt is injured, and I¡¯ll find a short-term job here during winter break. If you hurt me, you won¡¯t get any money from me.¡±


    ¡°You¡­you little brat, are you threatening me?¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt his hand trembling, so he hid it behind his back and said firmly, ¡°If you continue acting violent with me, I¡¯ll leave right now. I won¡¯t care about Aunt anymore. You will then have to handle everything here yourself.¡±


    ¡°Do you dare?! Don¡¯t forget, I can go to your school and find you!¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze darkened. Being at his wit¡¯s end, he intentionally said, ¡°I¡¯ll just drop out then. I can easily disappear into thin air.¡±


    That sentence startled Cheng Rong.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know where his courage came from, but he dared to talk back to Cheng Rong , even though he had always been silent.


    Perhaps his experiences at C University had made him grow, unwilling to let his life be controlled by such a person.


    He had seen freedom and longed for it. He wanted to live a normal life, so he slowly stood up and crawled out of the mud.


    Even if it took time, he should try to resist, at least hoping that he wouldn¡¯t always be so miserable.


    Cheng Rong felt frustrated for the first time, grinding his teeth in anger. But he wasn¡¯t foolish. If they continued to clash head-on, Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t give him a single penny. Moreover, Lin Yuxing had grown up and wasn¡¯t as easily pushed around as he was in the past.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Cheng Rong stopped causing trouble and turned to enter the hospital room. He rudely said, ¡°Go and pay for your aunt¡¯s medical expenses!¡±


    The gloomy days seemed endless.


    Lin Yuxing stayed in the small town of D City and began a life of coming home late and leaving early to go work.


    During the day, he worked temporary jobs in some shops in town, and at night, he cooked and took care of the family¡¯s daily needs. The busy life didn¡¯t leave him much room for complaint. He had grown used to the torment of fate and had long been numb to many hardships, unable to voice his grievances.


    Even when receiving repeated phone calls from Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°Your voice doesn¡¯t sound right.¡±


    ¡°My aunt injured her foot, and I need to take care of her at home,¡± Lin Yuxing said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, maybe just a little cold.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡°


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t hang up the phone. ¡°I might not be able to do tutoring anymore, I¡¯m sorry, senior, truly sorry.¡±


    That was supposed to be his first birthday gift, but he hadn¡¯t been able to appreciate it properly.


    He had let down Gu Zhongyi¡¯s kindness and kept apologizing on the phone. His world now had completely different colors compared to when he was with Gu Zhongyi.


    As if yesterday was still in color, but today was only gray and white.


    Late at night, he sat in his narrow room, lost in thought. It was only at that moment that his nerves could relax briefly.


    The Lunar New Year was approaching, but there was no festive atmosphere in the house.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.


    Lin Yuxing opened the door and saw Cheng Shaohua holding an apple, tilting his head and smiling foolishly at him. ¡°Brother!¡±


    Lin Yuxing, tired to the point of exhaustion, rubbed his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t I teach you how to wash apples?¡±


    ¡°No, this one¡¯s for you, brother,¡± Cheng Shaohua said obediently, ¡°I washed it!¡¯


    Then Cheng Shaohua muttered, ¡°Dad went out drinking, so I can give the apple to you. It¡¯s the last apple, and I didn¡¯t want to eat it. Mom said to give it to you.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.


    He couldn¡¯t blame his cousin, nor could he complain about the aunt who had brought him up.


    He was always caught in a dilemma.


    Cheng Shaohua, naturally not understanding Lin Yuxing¡¯s complex emotions, obediently squatted down, wanting Lin Yuxing to pat his head and praise him.


    Lin Yuxing did as he asked and asked, ¡°You really like being patted on the head so much?¡±


    Like a little dog.


    Cheng Shaohua happily said, ¡°I like it! Brother, how do you know how to pat heads so well? It feels so comfortable.¡±


    ¡°I learned it.¡±


    ¡°Where did you learn it, from TV?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head and smiled after a long time, ¡°No, I learned it from someone very kind and handsome.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Brother, you¡¯re smiling. Do you really like him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I really like him,¡± Lin Yuxing confessed his feelings naturally in front of the child-like Cheng Shaohua.


    He looked at the large apple in his hand and went to the kitchen to cut it in half.


    Half for Cheng Shaohua and half he planned to give his aunt.


    Lin Xiufeng saw him come in, propping herself up apologetically.


    Lin Yuxing handed over half the apple. ¡°You haven¡¯t had any of the ones sent from your factory, right?¡±


    Lin Xiufeng waved her hand. She couldn¡¯t snatch food from the children.


    ¡°The one who needs nutrition the most is you.¡± Lin Yuxing insisted and put half the apple in Lin Xiufeng¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been eating well and drinking well in C City, I¡¯m not lacking in this.¡±


    He seemed a bit plump than before, no longer thin as a stick.


    Lin Xiufeng hesitated for a moment, then believed what Lin Yuxing said. She took the apple, took a small bite, and the sweet and sour juice made her smile bitterly. ¡°It¡¯s just one apple, but we still have to share it.¡±


    She had aged a lot. Eating the apple, tears fell from her eyes.


    Lin Xiufeng was in a dimly lit room, with only a small lamp illuminating her side. She wiped away her tears, then smiled embarrassedly. ¡°Oh, these tears, they fall so easily¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing said in a deep voice, ¡°What exactly happened at home?¡±


    Lin Xiufeng remained silent.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°If you won¡¯t say it, I¡¯ll ask him myself.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng grabbed him and shook her head in a panic.


    This time, Lin Xiufeng didn¡¯t hide it. Covering her face, she said, ¡°He went away one night to gamble and suddenly owes 100,000. How can I afford it¡­ But if we can¡¯t pay it back in time, the interest will accumulate, and people will keep coming to our house to collect the debt. I can¡¯t bear it.¡±


    To other families, 100,000 yuan might not be a huge debt, but for that family, it was a devastating blow.


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t too surprised. He had already guessed most of it.


    Hearing Lin Xiufeng choked up, he asked urgently, ¡°Aunt, do you really want a divorce?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of wanting? This house is in his relative¡¯s name, and we¡¯re just borrowing it¡­ If we get divorced, Shao Hua and I won¡¯t know where to go.¡±


    ¡°We can rent a smaller house in town for only a few hundred yuan a month. I¡¯ll pay for it.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng didn¡¯t expect Lin Yuxing to agree immediately. She stopped crying and couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Divorce¡­ it sounds too messy.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sat by her bedside, as if he had found some hope, and tightly held her hand.


    ¡°In reality, divorce is quite common out there. Some of my classmates¡¯ parents have already divorced, living their own lives. It¡¯s not such an unimaginable thing.¡±


    But he also knew that once divorced, Cheng Rong would never give up easily.


    He stared at the back of his hand, where he had placed a band-aid to cover his injury from work.


    Lin Yuxing spoke calmly, ¡°We really don¡¯t have the ability to completely leave at the moment¡­ Aunt, if you haven¡¯t made up your mind yet, if you think you can endure it, then endure a little longer.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng still didn¡¯t understand.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Once I graduate, I will take you and Cousin away. The world outside is really big, with people all over the place. It would be difficult for him to find us.¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to leave!¡±


    Desires took root and sprouted in his heart. Lin Yuxing urgently said, ¡°I want to live a normal life, not these fearful days. I don¡¯t want to live here anymore.¡± He found it difficult to speak, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Uncle will try to do something to me again, like last time¡­¡±


    Lin Xiufeng¡¯s expression changed drastically. She hurriedly said, ¡°I won¡¯t allow him to do that!¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his gaze, not trusting Lin Xiufeng¡¯s assurance. There were many things she couldn¡¯t guarantee.


    Lin Yuxing planned to wait until Lin Xiufeng¡¯s foot injury healed and then quickly return to C City.


    ¡°Believe me, I will never lose you and Cousin. I won¡¯t forget your kindness.¡±


    Those were the same words Lin Yuxing had said since he was young.


    The cut side of the half apple turned yellow from oxidation, and Lin Xiufeng swallowed her tears. She shook her head hurriedly but was also deeply moved.


    If it used to be bearable to live like that and endure, now with a huge debt, it was becoming unbearable for Lin Xiufeng. She tearfully looked at the child she had raised, tightly gripping her hands.


    She nodded, then shook her head, unable to give a definite answer.


    Lin Yuxing waited quietly for a moment and assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, in these years, I will do my best to repay the debts at home. Whatever amount we can repay, we will, and after that, we won¡¯t worry about it, okay?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Finally, persuaded by Lin Yuxing, Lin Xiufeng started to think. She sighed, ¡°Let me think it over.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded and left the master bedroom.


    Who would have expected that Cheng Rong was sleeping on the floor of the living room, hugging a bottle of liquor, completely drunk.


    Lin Yuxing was shocked and stood still, holding his breath.


    When did Cheng Rong come back? Why was there no sound at all?


    If Cheng Rong had heard their conversation, then he¡­ Lin Yuxing looked at Cheng Rong with fear filling his eyes. He cautiously approached him with heavy steps, his mind overwhelmed by endless panic.


    Summoning up his courage, he lightly tapped Cheng Rong¡¯s arm with his toe.


    Cheng Rong showed no reaction.


    Relieved, Lin Yuxing relaxed and quickly returned to his own room.


    Closing the door, the room resembled a storage room with floating dust. Lin Yuxing coughed lightly a couple of times. He took out his phone; it was already past 11 p.m.


    On his phone, there were missed calls from Gu Zhongyi and a message from Liao Yan.


    Liao Yan: [After you stood me up, you didn¡¯t send me a single message?]


    Liao Yan: [I¡¯m so sad. Didn¡¯t you promise to run errands for me for free? Why don¡¯t you reply to my messages anymore?]


    Liao Yan: [Sigh, I don¡¯t need free errands anymore. Let¡¯s just chat?]


    Three messages in a row showed how bored he was.


    Lin Yuxing replied: [Sorry, something happened at home. I¡¯ll come back after school starts. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go back on my promise to run errands for you.]


    Liao Yan always replied instantly: [What happened?]


    Lin Yuxing: [It¡¯s best not to say.]


    Liao Yan: [Is Gu Zhongyi with you?]


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t reply.


    Liao Yan: [Is it something you can handle? Are you okay?]


    Because Liao Yan wasn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t need to worry too much.


    So he finally spoke a heartfelt sentence, every word filled with bitterness: [Maybe¡­ Thanks for your concern, but I¡¯m not in a good state lately. so I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t reply to your messages anymore.]


    He looked at the time and felt too exhausted to return Gu Zhongyi¡¯s call. Whenever he heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice, he couldn¡¯t help but waver, wanting to confide and seek support.


    He shouldn¡¯t treat Gu Zhongyi that way.


    Lying in bed, Lin Yuxing curled up into a ball, sleeping in an awkward position.


    Half an hour later, Gu Zhongyi sent a message: [I¡¯m on my way to D City.]


    Sending this message, Gu Zhongyi was currently sitting in the airport lounge in C City, waiting.


    ¡°Ding¡­¡±


    He received a text message from an unfamiliar number on his phone, containing the specific address of where Lin Yuxing was currently staying.


    Before Gu Zhongyi could question it, his phone rang with another message notification.


    It was still from the same unfamiliar number: [Please go and help him. Thank you.]


    Gu Zhongyi immediately called back, but no one answered.


    He replied, [Who are you?]


    There was no response from the other side.

 CH 36

    The next morning, Lin Yuxing was awakened early by his alarm clock.


    He reached out beside the bed, but couldn¡¯t find his phone.


    Lately, he had been too tired, and perhaps due to drowsiness, he couldn¡¯t remember where he had placed his phone before going to sleep. With a dry mouth, Lin Yuxing rubbed his face.


    The small room had no regular windows, only a small ventilation window. Light filtered through it, gradually dispelling Lin Yuxing¡¯s drowsiness.


    Feeling exhausted, Lin Yuxing put on a turtleneck sweater and prepared to go out to freshen up. He gripped the doorknob with his right hand, twisted it, but it didn¡¯t open. He twisted it again, but it remained locked.


    Having just woken up, his reaction was clearly slow.


    Only after trying several times did he realize that the door had been locked from the outside.


    Lin Yuxing panicked and forcefully pounded on the door twice, calling out to the only person in that house who might help him, ¡°Shaohua! Shaohua, are you there?!¡±


    After shouting repeatedly, there was no sign of Cheng Shaohua¡¯s voice outside the room.


    Lin Yuxing helplessly pounded on the door, even attempting to ram into it. However, the old wooden door that usually looked worn-out was as solid as a rock that day. Lin Yuxing¡¯s arms turned red from the impact, but it didn¡¯t budge.


    He turned around to search for his phone, but couldn¡¯t find it anywhere.


    Faint crying sounds could be heard from outside, seemingly coming from the living room but also not quite.


    ¡°Shaohua?¡± Lin Yuxing pressed his ear against the door, calling out again, ¡°Shaohua, is that you? Shaohua¡ª¡±


    Cheng Shaohua¡¯s crying grew fainter until it disappeared.


    ¡°Shaohua! Shaohua, come and open the door for me!¡± he yelled until his voice became hoarse, as if his throat was filled with gravel.


    A dull pain surged through Lin Yuxing¡¯s arms, and his heart sank. Anxiously, he paced back and forth within the limited space.


    He had guessed something, but he dared not confirm it.


    He forced himself to calm down, locking the door from the inside.


    Then, Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze slowly fell upon a glass on the table. He walked over, tightly gripping it in his hand. Feeling that it wasn¡¯t enough, he hurriedly searched and found a moldy rolling pin in a box.


    He firmly held those two items in his hands, waiting alone with endless fear.


    That residential building in the small town had only a few floors, and their family lived on the most damp ground floor.


    Cheng Rong dragged Cheng Shaohua by the ear, moving slowly, and brought him to the neighbor¡¯s house. The elderly woman inside understood without words and brought out a piece of candy, stopping Cheng Shaohua¡¯s crying.


    The old woman in her seventies unwrapped several candies, coaxing him, ¡°Xiaohua, be good. There will be plenty more candies later.¡±


    Beside her, Lin Xiufeng was tied to an armchair, her mouth stuffed with a cloth.


    She muffled her cries, sweat streaming down her forehead.


    Cheng Shaohua, upon seeing his mother being treated that way, pursed his lips again, looking as if he was about to cry.


    Cheng Rong, feeling annoyed as he looked at Cheng Shaohua, didn¡¯t want to hit him but gave his head a pat and scolded, ¡°You little beast, who do you think your father is doing this for? Isn¡¯t it all for you?¡±


    He glared at Cheng Shaohua with disappointment.


    That foolish son was his only offspring. How could he afford to lose him?


    He glanced at Lin Xiufeng, who was still struggling desperately, and impatiently said, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    As he finished speaking, an Alpha man carrying pork returned. He appeared to be in his forties, with a dark and intimidating face, wearing two large gold rings on his fingers.


    The old woman greeted him happily, ¡°Ashan is back! Perfect timing, I¡¯ll make braised pork. Everyone will have lunch here later.¡± She took the meat and happily walked towards the kitchen.


    Upon seeing Ashan, Lin Xiufeng went mad, moving frantically, tears and snot running down her face, and her cries filled with despair. She pleaded with her husband, but Cheng Rong remained indifferent.


    Cheng Shaohua sat shivering on a small stool, looking around, but he didn¡¯t dare to eat any of the candy in his hand.


    Ashan disdainfully glanced at Cheng Shaohua and took out a cigarette.


    Cheng Rong hurriedly flattered Ashan and lit the cigarette for him, handing it to him along with a bunch of keys, marking one of them: ¡°From now on, we¡¯re family.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re my uncle?¡± Ashan laughed contemptuously, spitting out a smoke ring, exuding the aura of a rogue.


    The old woman peeked out from the kitchen, ¡°Ashan, why are you talking like that?¡± She smiled at Cheng Rong, ¡°Please don¡¯t mind him.¡±


    Cheng Rong nodded and fawned over Ashan, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve locked the person in the room. As you said, no restraints¡­¡±


    ¡°Good, I like it wild. It¡¯s no fun if they¡¯re too obedient.¡±


    Ashan was satisfied with this. He patted Cheng Rong¡¯s shoulder and didn¡¯t waste any more words. After putting out his cigarette, he turned around with the keys and went swaggering to the opposite door.


    At that moment, Cheng Shaohua suddenly rushed forward and pushed Ashan, mumbling, ¡°No, Mom said no! You can¡¯t bully my brother!¡±


    Ashan stumbled back and then punched him, ¡°Who the hell are you?! You damn idiot, dare to push me?!¡± He spouted a few vulgarities and raised his fist again.


    Cheng Shaohua cried loudly, begging for mercy while crouching on the ground.


    Cheng Rong hastily held onto Ashan¡¯s strong arm. ¡°Please, no, today is a good day. He¡¯s stupid, a fool. You don¡¯t need to punish him!¡±


    Ashan shook off Cheng Rong¡¯s hand and cast a malicious glance at Cheng Shaohua. Seeing Cheng Shaohua gasping for breath, frightened out of his wits, he sneered, chuckled, and let it go.


    The keys in his hand jingled, resembling a haunting bell.


    Cheng Rong sat back at the table, still holding Cheng Shaohua¡¯s ear.


    Cheng Shaohua, in pain from being hit, trembled uncontrollably, his eyes occasionally glancing at the half-opened door across the room. Soon, he heard a few shouts from inside, as well as the sound of things being smashed. It was just as terrifying as the last time when people came to collect debts at home.


    His teeth chattered, and he crouched on the ground once again, hugging his head.


    Lin Xiufeng¡¯s wrists were marked with bloodstains from the ropes, and she continuously bumped the back of her head against the chair.


    Cheng Rong, helpless, removed the cloth from her mouth.


    Lin Xiufeng spat in his face, ¡°Have you gone crazy?! You promised me last time that you won¡¯t go through with it!¡±


    Cheng Rong exploded, ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gone crazy!¡±


    The old woman came out from the kitchen and scolded Lin Xiufeng, who didn¡¯t know what was good for her, with a disapproving look, ¡°A-Feng, why can¡¯t you see clearly? You asked for 180,000 yuan, but I won¡¯t fail on a single penny.¡±


    ¡°No one wants your money.¡± Lin Xiufeng wanted to seek help from her foolish son, but Cheng Shaohua had long been scared.


    She felt extreme despair and didn¡¯t know what to say, ¡°You, you are committing a crime!¡±


    ¡°A crime? Don¡¯t forget, you already took the money. Besides, aren¡¯t parental decisions regarding their children¡¯s marriage made by us elders? What crime is there?¡±


    Lin Xiufeng spat in the direction of the old woman.


    The old woman who had already paid the money, turned to Cheng Rong and sternly said, ¡°Silence her mouth! She keeps making noise. If she shouts and the neighbors hear, how can Yu Xing continue to live in my house? If it weren¡¯t for Yu Xing¡¯s stubborn personality, Ah Shan wouldn¡¯t have needed to make a move so soon, right?¡±


    Someone like her son, who had been to jail several times, was notorious in the town, and no one dared to marry him. Now he was able to marry an Omega studying at C University. It was such a glorious thing.


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t think that Ah Shan is climbing high by marrying Yu Xing. I¡¯m not ignorant. With that ugly mark on the back of his neck, no Alpha would want him. Ah, it¡¯s hard for my son¡­¡±


    The old woman pretended to be at a loss, but was inwardly satisfied with Lin Yu Xing.


    Lin Xiufeng¡¯s heart shattered. She was tied up in a position that directly faced the door of the old woman¡¯s house. She stared intently at the door across from her, as if trying to see through it.


    Her tears were about to dry up.


    Cheng Rong couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. The orange he had just put in his mouth turned sour. He was afraid that Lin Xiufeng¡¯s behavior would make the old woman change her mind. After all, the money hadn¡¯t all reached his hands yet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act so rigid,¡± Cheng Rong said, ¡°This is 180,000 yuan we are talking about, that money could save our lives!¡±


    Lin Xiufeng closed her eyes.


    ¡°Ah Feng, I know I¡¯m at fault for gambling and loosing money. Can¡¯t you forgive me? Haven¡¯t I found a way to solve it? Are you still not satisfied with me?¡±


    Cheng Rong calculated and summed it all up for Lin Xiufeng, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it. After we pay back the remaining 100,000 yuan, we¡¯ll use the rest to find a well-behaved and obedient nanny for Shao Hua.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°After all, Yu Xing isn¡¯t really a member of this family. He has seen the world in the city and looks down on us! Are you counting on him to take care of Shao Hua for you? Counting on him to support us in our old age? That¡¯s just a dream!¡±


    That night, Cheng Rong had clearly heard the conversation about Lin Yu Xing divorcing Lin Xiufeng.


    He sneered, ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t sell off Yu Xing. Ah Shan might help him pursue a master¡¯s or doctorate degree in the future. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    Unexpectedly, as soon as Cheng Rong finished his triumphant words, a voice full of anger resounded behind him.


    ¡°Where is Lin Yu Xing?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face was cold, as if he was in a bottomless abyss. His anger surged in his chest, suppressing the few shreds of rationality. It felt as if in the next second, it would burst forth and shatter the body of the Alpha before him.


    Without waiting for Cheng Rong¡¯s answer, Gu Zhongyi stepped forward and grabbed Cheng Rong¡¯s collar. His anger reached its peak, and the veins on his fists bulged.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones were not as sweet and bitter as Lin Yu Xing had smelled them before. The superior Alpha genes allowed him to intimidate both Alphas in the room.


    Cheng Shao Hua was scared to the point of wetting his pants and curled up on the ground.


    Even the Omega women in the room were frightened, let alone the Alphas.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s teeth were clenched, making a grinding sound. He angrily shouted again, ¡°Where is Lin Yu Xing?¡±


    Cheng Rong¡¯s legs went weak. He, who had always tyrannized his family at home, began to stutter.


    Finally, it was Cheng Shao Hua, the most timid among them, who held his head with one hand and pointed to the door, saying with a crying voice, ¡°Brother¡­ brother is over there¡­¡±


    Cheng Shao Hua pointed to the half-closed door across the hallway.


    Without hesitation, Gu Zhongyi immediately pushed Cheng Rong away as if he were throwing away trash. His heart was tightly clenched, and many unwanted scenes quickly flashed through his mind. For a moment, he even had the determination to kill the person who had tried to harm Lin Yu Xing.


    He kicked open the opposite door.


    Because of the excessive force, the door crashed to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.


    Relying on intuition, Gu Zhongyi came to the smallest room. Like the front door, the wooden door of that room was also kicked down.


    But the scene in front of him left Gu Zhongyi bewildered. His anger disappeared, leaving only astonishment¡ª


    On a bed about 1.2 meters long, a tall Alpha hung his head, unconscious and bound tightly with torn bed sheets. His mouth was stuffed with several socks, and his face was covered in bruises and bloodstains.


    Looking at the bed, there was a scene of struggle and chaos. Near the messy cardboard boxes, there was a broken glass and a large rolling pin, both stained with blood.


    In addition, there was a pair of Lin Yu Xing¡¯s sneakers on the floor.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t have time to deal with that injured Alpha. He turned and left the room, urgently searching in all directions.


    ¡°Yu Xing?¡±


    ¡°Yu Xing¡ª¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if Lin Yu Xing was still in that house.


    Judging from the chaos in the room earlier, Gu Zhongyi suspected that Lin Yu Xing was injured. He couldn¡¯t act blindly anymore; he tried to calm himself down and perceive.


    He was certain that Lin Yu Xing, who had returned to the small town, would no longer continue taking suppressants to save money.


    Gu Zhongyi closed his eyes and relied on the 77% compatibility he had with Lin Yu Xing. He soon sensed a faint citrus pheromone in the room. It was bitter, and when it penetrated his senses, it even caused a stinging sensation.


    That was the pain Lin Yu Xing was enduring.


    It came from the bloodstains on the small kitchen window. It was Lin Yu Xing¡¯s blood.


    Lin Yu Xing had successfully escaped through the window.

 CH 37

    Before long, the new year would arrive.


    The streets and alleys had become lively early on, with red lanterns hanging on the roadside and families pasting ¡°Fu¡± characters and poetries on their doors.


    The streets were crowded with people, and the old man next door selling malt sugar had a loud voice as usual. It was not yet lunchtime, and people gathered on the roadside with bags of vegetables, chatting casually.


    The sound of bicycle bells and car horns collided, creating a chaotic mix, like a pot of stew.


    The world was bustling with activity, voices filled the air.


    Only Lin Yuxing was alone.


    He had only one shoe on his left foot, stepping unevenly on the road.


    The sock on his right foot had been torn by the stones on the ground, and his feet were freezing cold. Even though his wounds were bleeding, he felt numb and couldn¡¯t feel any pain.


    He had run a long way, not daring to stop for a moment. Until he couldn¡¯t run anymore, his whole body aching as if it had been beaten, he slowly stopped his footsteps.


    He trembled, his beautiful eyes seemed dull and lacked radiance, replaced by endless confusion. How afraid he was that someone would take him back to that cramped room, afraid that he would never be able to return to C City, afraid that he would end up becoming another Lin Xiufeng.


    The cold wind blew into Lin Yuxing¡¯s thin turtleneck, and he was not wearing a jacket. He lowered his head and found a tear at the hem of his clothes, with the threads tangled messily together.


    A few children ran past him with windmills, bringing a gust of cold wind.


    Lin Yuxing felt a metallic taste in his mouth, a bitter and bloody taste.


    He aimlessly continued walking forward, a prominent bruise visible at the corner of his eye, especially noticeable in the crowd.


    He touched his pocket and found some loose change, then went to the pharmacy to buy some disinfectant.


    The pharmacy owner saw his miserable appearance and let him sit in the store for a while, helping him treat the cuts on his arm. ¡°Should I apply some medicine to your face as well?¡±


    Lin Yuxing thanked her in a low voice, his throat already hoarse.


    After everything was done, the owner took out a pair of old slippers from the storage room and casually placed them by Lin Yuxing¡¯s feet. ¡± You can wear these, they¡¯re clean.¡±


    Lin Yuxing retracted his bare feet and said once again, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Did you injure the soles of your feet too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take care of that myself, thank you.¡±


    The owner, a kind-hearted female Omega, guessed what was happening and understood the suffering. She knew that in that small town, an Omega¡¯s fate couldn¡¯t be compared to an Alpha or Beta.


    The bell on the shop door rang, and customers came in one after another to buy medicine, with the injured Lin Yuxing becoming the focus of attention.


    Lin Yuxing knew that that wasn¡¯t a shelter, and he shouldn¡¯t linger there. But now he had nowhere to go, his ID and phone were not with him, and it was almost impossible to return to C City.


    However, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t plan to sit and wait for his fate.


    He was certain that Ah Shan and the others wouldn¡¯t dare report to the police, so he needed to find a way to survive outside for a few days and then quietly find an opportunity to meet with Cheng Shaohua.


    Although Cheng Shaohua was simple-minded, while Cheng Rong was drunk, he could secretly help him retrieve his ID and phone, which shouldn¡¯t be a big problem.


    Currently, what Lin Yuxing needed to worry about the most was finding a place to stay and what to eat.


    From the fear he experienced earlier to his current worries, every moment felt isolated and helpless.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s image kept appearing in his mind, despite his best efforts to push it away. He never expected that their time together would make him, unconsciously, rely on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s care and yearn for the warmth of his touch.


    Even without practical help from Gu Zhongyi, just a gentle pat on his head and a word of encouragement would instantly fill him with energy.


    However, Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t even dared to tell Gu Zhongyi the truth.


    he thought, well¡­ Gu Zhongyi doesn¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on with him. Maybe he could just make a casual phone call and listen to his voice. Otherwise, the coming days without Gu Zhongyi would be too difficult to endure.


    But for some reason, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words, ¡°Yuxing, friends are meant to rely on each other,¡± echoed in his mind countless times, hypnotizing him and shattering his stubborn determination.


    He felt utterly helpless and pitifully alone. Under extreme pressure, he even began to have lowly illusions.


    ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    ¡°Yuxing¡ª¡±


    He heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gentle tone calling out to him repeatedly, like a warm color blooming in the winter. ¡°Yuxing, you can rely on me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly snapped out of it, inexplicably looking towards the landline on the counter. His eyes became moist, and internally he debated with himself.


    Finally, he managed to convince himself and limped over to the counter, involuntarily approaching the landline.


    His desire had transformed from simply wanting to hear Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice to wondering, if he told him, would Gu Zhongyi come get him immediately?


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind was in chaos, unable to tell between reality and illusion in his anxiety.


    In a hoarse voice, he pleaded with the store owner, ¡°Excuse me¡­ I don¡¯t have any money on me, could I make a free phone call?¡± He quickly added, ¡°Or I can come back later and pay you!¡±


    The store owner was kind-hearted. ¡°No problem, go ahead and make the call.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Since Gu Zhongyi was his employer, Lin Yuxing had memorized Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone number. Unexpectedly, that unnecessary action became a lifeline for his drowning.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s fingertips were covered in cold sweat as he pressed the numbers one by one.


    It felt like he was gambling.


    ¡­¡­..


    At 9:40 in the morning, Gu Zhongyi was still at the police station checking the surveillance footage.


    With limited power and resources, he still had to seek help from Gu Zhuang¡¯s secretary, Chen Hua. In that remote small town, having money alone wasn¡¯t enough for Gu Zhongyi; he needed connections.


    Otherwise, Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t be able to find Lin Yuxing quickly.


    Time passed by second by second, and the person arranged by Chen Hua still hadn¡¯t arrived, causing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s emotions to become restless.


    Aware that he had acted inappropriately, the officer quickly brought him a cup of tea. ¡°Our facilities here are old, so it¡¯s a bit difficult to find someone quickly. Please don¡¯t worry, have some tea.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hurt and I know he¡¯s scared.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice was cold, but he didn¡¯t want to show his displeasure. He shifted the topic and asked, ¡°What about those two Alphas?¡±


    He was referring to Ashan and Cheng Rong.


    ¡°You might not know, but Ashan is a regular here. He insisted that Lin Yuxing was aware of and agreed to this marriage. He even claimed that Cheng Rong¡¯s family received a dowry.¡±


    ¡°A marriage?¡± Gu Zhongyi clenched his teeth and suppressed his anger. ¡°If he was aware and agreed, then why did he run away?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi believed that the evidence of Lin Yuxing¡¯s forced resistance in the room was enough, and he didn¡¯t think Lin Yuxing should bear such kind of injustice.


    Feeling uneasy about his words, the officer quickly added, ¡°We are aware Ashan and Cheng Rong are not good people. Their words are not very reliable. We¡¯re not ignoring the situation; we just need some time.¡±


    It was also due to the underdeveloped nature of that town that even the surveillance in the streets and alleys wasn¡¯t reliable, and Lin Yuxing, familiar with the area, deliberately ran through small alleys and paths.


    As Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone buzzed, displaying an unknown number, he furrowed his brows. He then raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.


    He answered the call, his heart beating nervously in his throat.


    There was silence on the other end of the line.


    Gu Zhongyi called out, ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡°


    The phone call was abruptly disconnected.


    Gu Zhongyi dialed again, but there was no answer.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Trace the location of this number for me!¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­


    Li Yuan acted swiftly and said, ¡°Young Master Gu, I brought the car. This town is small; if we go now, the person shouldn¡¯t be too far.¡±


    In the pharmacy, the store owner watched Lin Yuxing, whose face was filled with tears, in confusion. Anxiously, she pulled out a few tissues and handed them over. She didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t cry when he was injured, but was suddenly bursting into tears now.


    And he was crying silently, tears streaming down his face without a sound.


    ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± She was clearly concerned as she said, ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll get you a painkiller.¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head.


    She said, ¡°It¡¯s on the house.¡±


    But Lin Yuxing still shook his head. It wasn¡¯t physical pain.


    It was the moment he heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice that he fell into a deep sense of grievances and self-blame.


    He had never received anything from anyone after being abandoned time and time again. But Gu Zhongyi, he wanted him, wanted to immediately run into his warm embrace.


    He was infatuated with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tenderness, deeply immersed in his kindness and adoration for him.


    He foolishly fell in love with Gu Zhongyi, who didn¡¯t belong to him.


    The two short words coming from the other end of the phone didn¡¯t relieve his aching heart, but instead spread longing like a river, flowing in his heart, impossible to detach.


    Lin Yuxing understood that Gu Zhongyi was a sunny day, while he himself was a dark night trapped in a quagmire. How could he burden Gu Zhongyi?


    Once a person has experienced sunlight, the scorching warmth becomes unforgettable.


    Lin Yuxing had experienced it many times, and each time, that warmth burned him and left him scarred.


    He couldn¡¯t gamble anymore, and didn¡¯t want to be cruelly abandoned each time. No one would want to accept him; he shouldn¡¯t place hope in anyone.


    Just like when he was five years old, his father left them at the doorstep of an orphanage; like when he was eight, his twin brother followed their adoptive parents and left; like when he was ten, A Yi never appeared again.


    Just like now, even if Gu Zhongyi received the call, so what?


    The distance between City C and City D was so far that it would take a whole day, and it was almost the New Year.


    Would he actually come?


    Could friends reach such a level?


    A heavy rain poured down.


    The rain soaked the small town, like sealing them inside a glass jar. Lin Yuxing hammered on the transparent bottle, peering at the outside world with loneliness.


    He silently shed tears, not knowing how long he had been crying.


    Long enough for a small stream to form outside the pharmacy, where rainwater splashed into a misty haze.


    Long enough for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulders to be drenched as he opened the glass door of the pharmacy.


    ¡°Yuxing!¡±


    Lin Yuxing turned around, stunned, as a voice echoed in his heart.


    ¡ªHe came.


    Lin Yuxing ran towards Gu Zhongyi.


    Before he even realized it, he clumsily crashed into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arms. He didn¡¯t dare to reach out and embrace Gu Zhongyi; he could only lean against him, listening to the accelerating heartbeat, silently shedding tears.


    Even his tears were restrained.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s breath became hurried, and without hesitation, he tightly held Lin Yuxing.


    The scent of bitter oranges immediately surrounded Lin Yuxing. It was like honey that had seeped into his bones, tears of bitterness, his first love that he wanted to quit but remained deeply entangled in.

 CH 38

    Lin Yuxing¡¯s tears fell onto Gu Zhongyi¡¯s already wet shoulders. The rainwater, carrying the scent of leaves and branches, mixed with the scent of bitter oranges, became a comforting presence.


    He remembered the scene when watching a movie at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s house, also in the rain, with Gu Zhongyi by his side.


    At that time, he mistakenly believed that his affection was all due to pheromones. Now, looking back, his affection was simply following the arrangement of fate, an irresistible factor.


    Whether it was pheromones or the moment he saw Gu Zhongyi, it was a genuine joy from the bottom of his heart.


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace, Lin Yuxing took a deep breath, unwilling to waste a single second. He didn¡¯t dare to believe that Gu Zhongyi had actually come for him.


    In his unassuming hope, Gu Zhongyi had really come to find him.


    He heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice clearly in his ear: ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    It sounded so pleasant.


    So pleasant that all of Lin Yuxing¡¯s strength and defenses instantly vanished. He slowly hugged Gu Zhongyi, as if exerting all the strength in his body, suppressing his sobbing and tightly gripping the fabric on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s back.


    Suddenly, he finally cried out loud.


    The sound of rain muted his cries.


    Lin Yuxing cried until his voice became hoarse, his tears falling more vigorously than the raindrops outside. He held onto Gu Zhongyi, unable to say anything, yet wanting to tell Gu Zhongyi everything.


    In his heart, he told himself, ¡°You can trust Gu Zhongyi. You can rely on him.¡±


    ¡°Senior¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes filled with tears, and a glimmer returned to his eyes.


    With a tone beyond his years, just like an adult, Gu Zhongyi said calmly, ¡°Yuxing, don¡¯t be afraid. Leave everything to me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi noticed the condition of Lin Yuxing¡¯s feet, cradled him horizontally, and carried him back to the car.


    Before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to express his gratitude to the pharmacy owner.


    The spacious back seat of the car was occupied by only the two of them. Gu Zhongyi wanted to set Lin Yuxing down to make him more comfortable. However, Lin Yuxing tightly clung to Gu Zhongyi, burying his face in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck, unwilling to let go.


    The rain beat against the car window, and the temperature inside the car was comfortable with the warm air.


    Gu Zhongyi sensed that Lin Yuxing was still trembling, so he assured him, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just relax.¡±


    Hesitating for a while upon hearing the voice, Lin Yuxing gradually loosened his grip. His mind was heavy, and he started to worry randomly that Gu Zhongyi might be just a figment of his imagination. That¡¯s why he still held onto Gu Zhongyi tightly.


    He heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heartbeat, clearer and more real than in his dreams.


    Lin Yuxing whispered, ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hesitated and asked, ¡°Are you cold after giving me your coat?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi thought that Lin Yuxing might be running a fever since he was shivering and dressed lightly. So he gently touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead and was relieved that it was just his overthinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded. He was tired from crying and became quiet, as if entering a state of sleep.


    But in fact, Lin Yuxing was wide awake. He simply closed his eyes and stubbornly tried to perceive Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones in his subconsciousness.


    Their compatibility was high, and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones had a great soothing effect on Lin Yuxing, who had just experienced a fright.


    Considering that there were other alphas in the car, Gu Zhongyi released his calming pheromones in a restrained manner.


    Lin Yuxing frowned slightly.


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his head and lightly touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead with his lips, careful not to use much force.


    Looking through the rearview mirror from the front seat, it seemed as if Gu Zhongyi had kissed a strand of Lin Yuxing¡¯s hair.


    Anyone could guess that the relationship between Gu Zhongyi and Lin Yuxing was intimate to a significant degree.


    The driver was Li Yuan¡¯s personal chauffeur.


    Li Yuan sat in the passenger seat and understood everything.


    It seemed that the rogue Ah Shan was going to be completely finished this time, and Cheng Rong probably wouldn¡¯t fare well either. They had offended the wrong people.


    Seeing that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t even raise his head, he said, ¡°Mr. Li, please take him to the hospital first. His injuries need to be treated.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Lin Yuxing, a mixture of heartache and anger suppressed within him, restraining his surging emotions.


    He lowered his voice, not forgetting the main business, and said quite restrainedly, ¡°yes i need to take him for a medical examination. As for the two alphas, I would like to temporarily entrust you to handle it and please report to me regularly on the progress. As for the final result, I believe you know what I want to see.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi gave Li Yuan instructions without hesitation.


    ¡°Also,¡± Gu Zhongyi paused for a moment, ¡°after we arrive at the hospital, please take note of his injuries and bruises and take the necessary action¡±


    Since Lin Yuxing was present, Gu Zhongyi expressed his words in a gentle manner.


    Li Yuan understood.


    Gu Zhongyi intended to make Ah Shan and Cheng Rong suffer the same pain they caused on Lin Yuxing¡¯s body.


    Li Yuan couldn¡¯t help but glance at that 19-year-old kid. Still, he politely replied, ¡°Rest assured, Young Master Gu, the result you want can definitely be achieved.¡±


    Li Yuan didn¡¯t mind being ordered around by Gu Zhongyi. He smiled and said, ¡°Please also convey my regards to your father and Mr. Chen when you return.¡±


    Due to various reasons, Li Yuan couldn¡¯t say much. But he would do what he was ordered to immediately.


    Naturally, he would also report all those incidents to Chen Hua.


    As the secretary of the Gu family, Chen Hua held a certain level of power and authority from the Gu family, and he couldn¡¯t just let Gu Zhongyi act recklessly. Even if Gu Zhongyi had become independent he couldn¡¯t completely detach himself from the Gu family.


    Gu Zhongyi was well aware of this.


    Regrettably, he was in too much of a hurry this time when coming to D City and didn¡¯t arrange everything in advance. Therefore, in his urgency to find Lin Yuxing, he had to use the power of the Gu family.


    Since that was the case, he was prepared to deal with Gu Zhuang.


    Time flew by in a busy manner.


    After the medical examination was completed, it was already around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Li Yuan found a restaurant near the police station and took them in to have a meal.


    ¡°The food in this restaurant looks decent. It was too rushed today. Young Master Gu, shall we just eat something casually?¡±


    Although Li Yuan said so, he called a waiter and ordered quite a few dishes.


    Lin Yuxing had been anxious and frightened for most of the day, and as soon as he smelled the aroma of the dishes in the restaurant, his stomach started growling. Blushing, he covered his stomach, and the three people just stared at him.


    Li Yuan asked the driver to remind the kitchen to serve the food quickly when he noticed Lin Yuxing¡¯s state. The driver responded a couple of times and returned shortly with a waiter.


    The waiter brought a simple bowl of shredded chicken noodles with a sprinkle of scallions, enticingly fragrant and mouth-watering.


    Li Yuan pushed the bowl of noodles in front of Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing uncertain, turned to Gu Zhongyi and asked, ¡°Is this for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Senior, you should eat first.¡± Lin Yuxing knew that Gu Zhongyi must also be hungry after going through so much, so he wanted to push the bowl towards him.


    Gu Zhongyi held his hand, ¡°You eat first.¡±


    Only then did Lin Yuxing pick up his chopsticks, swallowed his saliva, and prepared to start eating.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Gu Zhongyi suddenly said.


    Lin Yuxing retracted the chopsticks reaching towards the noodles.


    Gu Zhongyi went to the side and brought over a small bowl, placing it in front of Lin Yuxing. ¡°You have an injury on the corner of your mouth. Use this bowl to eat. Be careful not to burn yourself.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded. He was actually starving.


    He picked up a few mouthfuls of noodles and put them in the small bowl. Before he could blow on them a few times, he hurriedly stuffed them into his mouth. The bruise on the corner of his mouth caused a twinge of pain, but Lin Yuxing ignored it and gobbled up the noodles.


    The dishes they ordered were served one after another, and Gu Zhongyi helped Lin Yuxing pick his food throughout the meal, only eating a few bites himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Due to the narrow roads in the town, Gu Zhongyi suggested walking back to the police station after the meal to save time.


    Li Yuan tacitly understood that Gu Zhongyi wanted to take the opportunity to be alone with Lin Yuxing a bit longer, so he willingly complied with that hot-blooded alpha.


    Li Yuan: ¡°Alright, take your time.¡±


    Sure enough, after taking just three steps, Gu Zhongyi asked Lin Yuxing, ¡°Are you tired?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head. It was difficult for him to walk with one injured foot, and the jolting movement was exhausting.


    Gu Zhongyi wanted to carry him, but Lin Yuxing politely refused.


    ¡°There are too many people here.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Li Yuan and the driver quickened their pace in front of them, understanding the situation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Gu Zhongyi simply picked him up and smiled at Lin Yuxing. ¡°Didn¡¯t we always choose crowded places back at school?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his cheeks turned red. He liked it when Gu Zhongyi acted like this, both shy and playful. He replied, ¡°But this isn¡¯t school. What if people misunderstand us?¡±


    ¡°Misunderstand what?¡±


    Lin Yuxing blinked and whispered, ¡°As a couple.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi put on a serious expression, furrowed his brows, and leaned close to Lin Yuxing¡¯s ear. He said in a low voice, ¡°That guy Li Yuan in front, he knows my dad. What do you think if we pretend for a bit? Otherwise, my dad will probably force me into blind dates again.¡±


    In fact, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s father couldn¡¯t make Gu Zhongyi go on blind dates anymore.


    Gu Zhongyi was willing to say anything just to pursue Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing suddenly realized and hurriedly hugged Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck, behaving obediently.


    There was no one in the world more well-behaved and easily fooled than Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi felt so happy about it and slightly smiled at how adorable Lin Yuxing was.


    After all, that day Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t taken his suppressants. When their pheromones collided, the sweetness brought a smile to their lips.


    And Lin Yuxing, unaware of it all, secretly thanked Gu Zhongyi¡¯s father. If it weren¡¯t for him, the two of them wouldn¡¯t be able to embrace each other so intimately, right?


    Lin Yuxing felt apologetic about it, but after enduring so much hardship that day, he believed he could indulge a bit in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace. Surely that would be allowed?


    After a while their emotions calmed down, and their minds became clearer.


    ¡°Senior, why did you suddenly come over?¡±


    ¡°Your voice sounded tired these past few days, and I was worried about you.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s statement was true, and he said solemnly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you would encounter such a situation. Fortunately, I came.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t even dare to think about what would have happened if he had arrived a step later.


    Lin Yuxing paused and asked, ¡°Is it because of that?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough?¡± Gu Zhongyi had something more to say, answering his own question. ¡°I think this reason is enough.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t dare to think too much. He was deeply moved and softly pursed his lips. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Under Li Yuan¡¯s arrangements, Lin Yuxing¡¯s statement at the police station was quickly completed.


    Li Yuan also retrieved Lin Yuxing¡¯s ID card and phone for him.


    Lin Yuxing saw several missed calls from Lin Xiufeng on his phone but frowned and didn¡¯t call back. He wasn¡¯t ready to face that situation just yet.


    After a day of running around, both of them were tired.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t plan to return to City C that day. With Li Yuan¡¯s recommendation, he took Lin Yuxing to a hotel closest to the town and only one room was available in the hotel.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t mind it as it was indeed better for him to stay by Lin Yuxing¡¯s side. He was about to explain when he heard Lin Yuxing ask, ¡°Is this place expensive?¡±


    Lin Yuxing saw that there was only one big bed in the room and didn¡¯t think much of it. He trusted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s character and only cared about whether he had spent too much.


    ¡°Keep track of this expense, and I will pay you back later.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t tell Lin Yuxing that Li Yuan had already paid for it. He turned on the heating and fiddled with his phone.


    Once Lin Yuxing settled down, he began to worry about his own life and how he would make due. ¡°But I might have to wait until school starts, and then you can give me my salary for next month. Only then will I be able to pay you back. In my current situation¡­ my winter break job plans might be ruined.¡±


    They say you have to pay for what you get, and that was probably the case.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t think Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t be able to pay him back. With a pensive expression, he asked Lin Yuxing, ¡°Since we started dating, how much salary have I given you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback but quickly said, ¡°Including the advances, I¡¯ve received around 9,000.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his head and played with his phone.


    Lin Yuxing thought something was wrong. Could it be that Gu Zhongyi wanted a refund?


    But the contract clearly stated that there would be no refunds, right?


    No, no, no, Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t that kind of person who went back on his word.


    Just as Lin Yuxing was lost in his thoughts, he received a deposit of 27,000 yuan on his phone.


    Immediately after, Gu Zhongyi suddenly planted a kiss on his lips, perfectly and sweetly.


    Gu Zhongyi remembered it very clearly. Their contract had two provisions:


    ¡°[Gu Zhongyi shall not have physical contact with Lin Yuxing beyond the normal range.]¡±


    ¡°[For violating the above agreement, the offending party shall pay triple the amount received/paid by the other party.]¡±

 CH 39

    Gu Zhongyi hadn¡¯t planned to confess his feelings like this. In his original plan, his confession would involve a room full of roses, a cozy candlelit dinner, treating it with great importance.


    But that unexpected incident disrupted all his preparations.


    He simply couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s helplessness, Lin Yuxing¡¯s tears, Lin Yuxing¡¯s fear¡ªall of them cut through his patience like sharp blades. They had been separated by fate for far too long.


    Even if it was just for a minute or a second, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to wait any longer.


    Romance could make up for a lot of things, and moreover, Gu Zhongyi felt that it was the perfect time. Lin Yuxing¡¯s reliance on him had filled him with courage.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips, warm and gentle, lightly left Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips, carrying countless expressions of love.


    Having traversed ten years to return to this world, every word he spoke carried weight. Like a dull iron that had been scorched by intense fire and then hammered into the shape he desired.


    Gu Zhongyi transformed it into a light, feather-like touch, sincere as ever.


    ¡°Yuxing, I like you.¡±


    His words were clear and distinct, the syllables forming a musical composition that entered Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears.


    Lin Yuxing was dazed, momentarily stunned in front of Gu Zhongyi.


    But Gu Zhongyi was exceedingly greedy.


    He became childish, impatient, unwilling to wait any longer. His voice pierced through the cold winter rain and the scorching summer sun, directly striking Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s be in a real relationship.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to be with you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wanted to become a guiding light for Lin Yuxing to find his way home. He wanted to provide Lin Yuxing with a comforting embrace where he could freely express his worries.


    If they had no home, then they could form a new ¡°home¡± together.


    Relying on each other, loving each other.


    After a long silence, Lin Yuxing remained in a bewildered state.


    A sourness welled up in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chest. He wanted to urge him, but he also didn¡¯t dare. The two of them sat face to face, and Gu Zhongyi took a deep breath, firmly gripping Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders.


    That day he was determined to become Lin Yuxing¡¯s lover.


    And Lin Yuxing had no reaction at all. He didn¡¯t say a word, just silently lowered his head. Following his gaze, Gu Zhongyi noticed Lin Yuxing¡¯s hands fidgeting helplessly and cutely, unsure of where to place them.


    Gu Zhongyi recalled Lin Yuxing¡¯s confession when he was drunk and believed he wouldn¡¯t be rejected.


    But Lin Yuxing remained silent, which made Gu Zhongyi feel somewhat uneasy.


    He called out softly, ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s lashes quivered at the sound. He hastily raised his head and stared straight at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s handsome face for about three minutes.


    Then, he slapped himself.


    His force was too strong, and he hit the bruise on his face, aggravating the old injury and intensifying the pain.


    That action startled Gu Zhongyi, his voice raising a few degrees. ¡°Yuxing?!¡±


    Tears streamed down Lin Yuxing¡¯s face from the pain, and he immediately crouched on the ground, covering his face with a grimace. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant sight, but it didn¡¯t deter Gu Zhongyi, who had intense affection for him.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart pounded like a drum, exceptionally splendid. However, at that moment, he was truly in pain and wished he could roll on the floor.


    He endured it and then felt anxious.


    That wasn¡¯t a dream? It was actually real?


    Gu Zhongyi confessed to him? Why? Had Gu Zhongyi gone crazy?


    Lin Yuxing contemplated many thoughts, none of which excluded the possibility of Gu Zhongyi being insane.


    He wanted to ask a few questions, but the force behind his own slap was so strong that his whole body trembled, making it difficult for him to even stand.


    Helplessly, with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s support, he trembled as he sat back on the edge of the bed.


    When Lin Yuxing looked up again, he saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face filled with anger, yet unable to vent his frustration.


    Gu Zhongyi was obviously unhappy. ¡°Why do you always do this?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t the first time Lin Yuxing had hit himself.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you hit yourself?¡± Gu Zhongyi said with concern with a hint of anger, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the mirror now and see what your face looks like?¡± He wanted to scold but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. His face, which had just been filled with affection, now only showed annoyance.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    For some reason, Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t afraid of him because Gu Zhongyi seemed unable to be angry with him.


    Lin Yuxing was a bit awkward and inexperienced when it came to emotions, but he wasn¡¯t stupid.


    He moved his lips and thought of a reason. ¡°I didn¡¯t take my suppressants. Does it have such a big impact?¡± He quickly convinced himself, and guilt surged within him, thinking that it was all his fault.


    If he had known Gu Zhongyi was coming, he would have definitely taken the suppressants.


    He recalled how he had stuck to Gu Zhongyi throughout the day, and their pheromones must have been intertwined.


    Sigh¡­


    Feeling upset, Lin Yuxing lowered his head and came up with a solution. ¡°I saw a pharmacy downstairs. I should be able to buy emergency suppressants.¡±


    He thought that once he took the suppressants, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s misconception of him would disappear.


    Lin Yuxing was accustomed to ups and downs.


    But he would feel heartbroken and cherish Gu Zhongyi¡¯s confession as a precious memory throughout his life.


    Upon hearing Lin Yuxing¡¯s words, Gu Zhongyi immediately understood the problem.


    Looking at Lin Yuxing, who was hanging his head in dejection, the anger he had felt gradually dissipated. It was his fault, he hadn¡¯t explained clearly, and he had made Lin Yuxing uneasy.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apologetic attitude was evident.


    He took out the wound ointment he had gotten from the hospital in the afternoon, half-squatting down. Then he took out two medical cotton swabs and gently applied the ointment to Lin Yuxing, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Lin Yuxing made a hissing sound, his whole body tensing up from the pain.


    Gu Zhongyi furrowed his brows in concern. After finishing the treatment, he calmly said to Lin Yuxing, ¡°It¡¯s the same even if you take the suppressants.¡±


    Unconsciously, Lin Yuxing bit his lip.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I like you not because of pheromones.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t stand up; instead, he casually threw the cotton swabs into the trash bin. Half-squatting, he met Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze. His eyes were deep, gentle, like a guiding light in the night, a yearning for home. And what he wanted to give Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t just this tenderness but also a distant future.


    But Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to make empty promises. He felt that the present moment was the most important.


    He spoke each word very clearly.


    ¡°Before you gave me flowers, I already liked you.¡±


    Since Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t understand and was confused, it would be better to make everything clear.


    ¡°So when you appeared with roses, I was overjoyed. But when I found out that the bouquet wasn¡¯t from you, I felt disappointed. I thought for a long time about how I could start something with you.¡± He paused briefly and continued, ¡°A beginning that would make you less resistant.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s long eyelashes couldn¡¯t hide his focused starry eyes. The coldness on his face had long disappeared, and he had become a worried teenager, concerned, troubled, and chasing after his love.


    ¡°When you agreed to a contract relationship with me, I was so excited that I couldn¡¯t sleep the whole night. I wasn¡¯t confident that you would respond to my feelings, but it didn¡¯t stop me from wanting to be good to you and liking you.¡±


    His words were sincere, leaving Lin Yuxing dumbfounded.


    That was the Gu Zhongyi that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know.


    Gu Zhongyi had never been so talkative before, like he was now.


    He spoke eloquently, his words clear.


    Furthermore, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t even hide his jealousy towards Xu Xiangchi anymore: ¡°When I misunderstood that you had a high compatibility with another Alpha, I was so nervous that I broke out in a cold sweat. I was afraid of losing compatibility, so I was anxious and let you see my loss of control.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, I like you, and I¡¯ve always liked you.¡±


    He was sincere, as if he had immersed the moon in water and transformed it into a reflection, offering it to Lin Yuxing¡¯s hands, eager to receive a response.


    Lin Yuxing thought he was in a dream, raising his hand, deciding to fully awaken himself.


    Quickly, Gu Zhongyi grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s wrist, hastily saying, ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream!¡± He knew about Lin Yuxing¡¯s feelings for him ¡°Could it be¡­ my liking for you makes it hard for you to accept?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t keep up with his mouth and instinctively replied, ¡°¡­What else?¡±


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, Gu Zhongyi was the handsome school idol with both talent and looks. He was also the sole heir of the Gu family and a high-quality Alpha that Omegas dreamt of.


    Such an outstanding person, who clearly had better options, actually confessed to him after seeing his terrible family background?


    Wasn¡¯t that strange?


    Upon realizing that this wasn¡¯t a dream, Lin Yuxing¡¯s doubts overwhelmed him. He couldn¡¯t accept Gu Zhongyi¡¯s confession with a clear conscience and muttered, ¡°Why do you like me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°I think liking someone doesn¡¯t need a reason.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Lin Yuxing considered many things, lowering his head, unwilling to be swayed by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s deep affection. He felt that it was very strange. Usually, he blushed and felt his heart race whenever he was around Gu Zhongyi. But now, when faced with a confession right in front of him, his heart was filled with worries instead. Besides confusion, he was left with only incomprehension.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you noticed me and came to like me,¡± Lin Yuxing tried to recall everything he had done. He didn¡¯t think he had enough charm to attract Gu Zhongyi.


    He murmured, ¡°I¡¯m not that great.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi patiently summed up all the missed opportunities and concluded that it was love at first sight. Gu Zhongyi believed that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t need to know about those painful experiences; he just needed to find happiness.


    Gu Zhongyi said gently, ¡°Don¡¯t speak ill of yourself. I think you¡¯re great. The first time I saw you, I thought you were really amazing.¡±


    The first sentence sounded familiar to Lin Yuxing. He felt like he had heard or seen it somewhere before.


    But he wasn¡¯t in the mood to think about it now. He tightly held his hands, nails digging into his palms. He thought of himself as such an ungrateful person, actually making Gu Zhongyi beg for a response.


    Lin Yuxing suddenly felt that he was being unreasonable, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t accept Gu Zhongyi¡¯s confession.


    Because sooner or later, Gu Zhongyi would regret it.


    The tears on Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes seemed to not have dried yet, shimmering like small lakes under the light. He blinked, and the tiny water droplets fell like invisible flower petals, leaving faint shadows.


    He spoke up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, senior.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was a coward. He was afraid of losing, so he always pretended that he didn¡¯t need anything.


    ¡°I can¡¯t accept your confession.¡±


    Lin Yuxing liked Gu Zhongyi and was grateful to him, so he could only give Gu Zhongyi a satisfactory answer and give him a chance to completely escape from him.


    It¡¯s better to end the pain sooner than later.


    Lin Yuxing recognized that he couldn¡¯t hold onto anything, so he timidly hoped that he wouldn¡¯t experience his past again.


    Before Gu Zhongyi could ask, Lin Yuxing gritted his teeth and had already made a decision.


    ¡°Can you move a little further away from me? I want to show you something.¡±


    ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    ¡°After you see it, then decide if you still like me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was speechless. He took a few steps back, retreating to a position that Lin Yuxing considered suitable, and stopped.


    Lin Yuxing kept his head down and couldn¡¯t look directly at Gu Zhongyi.


    After a while, he stood up in front of Gu Zhongyi and took off his coat.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips and continued to take off his turtleneck sweater. His slightly long hair became messy, with a few strands sticking up. His breathing became erratic, and his complexion grew worse.


    Only a vest remained on his body.


    With his thin figure, Lin Yuxing¡¯s body looked frail. He grabbed the hem of the vest, swallowing a gulp of saliva, and stood still for a long time.


    Gu Zhongyi suddenly realized what was happening and intervened, saying, ¡°Enough!¡±


    Lin Yuxing raised his head, stopping Gu Zhongyi from approaching. Tears swirled in his eyes, as he mustered the courage to take off the last piece of clothing.


    His bare upper body, aside from being thin, showed no signs of damage.


    Lin Yuxing felt the loss of warmth and took two heavy steps forward, turning his body around.


    On his back, there was a scar, viciously covering his skin extending all the way to his glands.


    It was this large and ugly scar that caused Lin Yuxing to be abandoned by the foster parents who had intended to adopt him, isolated by the children in the welfare home, and constantly treated as a defective product by Cheng Rong.


    Behind him, Gu Zhongyi fell into a long silence.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t see Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression, nor did he dare to look.


    He ended his first love with his own hands.


    ¡°The confession just now¡­¡± Lin Yuxing drifted away, trying to empty his mind to feel a bit better. His voice remained steady, without any fluctuations or choking. He simply said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s pretend it never happened.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t blame Gu Zhongyi for his retreat; he never expected Gu Zhongyi to accept it in the first place.


    Once accustomed to disappointment, one learnt to endure.


    However, contrary to his expectations, Gu Zhongyi took a few steps forward and tightly embraced him from behind.


    His  tears fell onto Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder, scorching his heart.


    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±

 CH 40

    Lin Yuxing had been alive for 19 years, and that was the first time someone asked him if he was in pain.


    Lin Yuxing doubted whether he heard correctly and hesitated to respond.


    It wasn¡¯t until Gu Zhongyi¡¯s suppressed and hoarse crying voice reappeared, ¡°It must hurt a lot¡­¡±


    That Lin Yuxing truly felt it.


    He heard Gu Zhongyi apologize to him, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s fingertips trembled.


    Afterward, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apologies filled Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears, blaming himself repeatedly, ¡°I came too late, Yuxing, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    If possible, Gu Zhongyi wished he could go back to the year when Lin Yuxing was injured and change the course of that dark memory. Alternatively, he should have gone back to when he was ten years old, refusing to compromise with Gu Zhuang under any circumstances.


    But at that time, he was just a child.


    Both physically and mentally, he was too weak. He couldn¡¯t resist his father¡¯s control, nor did he have the courage to defy him. As a result, he lost the only chance to pull Lin Yuxing out of the abyss.


    In retrospect, Gu Zhuang probably knew about Lin Yuxing¡¯s scar back then, which was why he suddenly changed his mind and adamantly refused to bring Lin Yuxing back with Gu Zhongyi to the Gu family.


    Gu Zhongyi was Gu Zhuang¡¯s biological son, and even though they weren¡¯t close, they knew each other well.


    Gu Zhuang was an almost pathological perfectionist. He could tolerate his son playing with an Omega from the lower class, but he absolutely would not allow that Omega to have such a significant ¡°flaw.¡±


    Even the toys for his son had to go through a rigorous selection process.


    In Gu Zhuang¡¯s words, that Omega was not worthy of entering the Gu family¡¯s doors and didn¡¯t even deserve to warm Gu Zhongyi¡¯s bed as they grew up.


    He believed that it would dirty every tile and every breath of air in the house¡ªnothing more.


    Just like how he drove away Gu Zhongyi¡¯s biological mother, Su Mou, he coldly cut off the connection between Gu Zhongyi and Lin Yuxing.


    It was an excruciating year for Gu Zhongyi, closely monitored by Gu Zhuang. Whether at school or at home, there were always two servants by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s side.


    Gu Zhongyi was confined within the ¡°home¡± that could be described as a cage, and bruises would occasionally appear on his body. These were the result of his struggles against his father in order to go back to the welfare home to pick up Lin Yuxing.


    As expected, he was always defeated.


    Gu Zhongyi grew increasingly thin back then, and his cheerfulness vanished.


    Gu Zhuang saw it all and grew increasingly disgusted, thinking that children born to women like Su Mou were truly useless. However, he couldn¡¯t bear children with Xu Wanling, who came from a more prestigious family. She neither wanted nor was willing to bear children. Gu Zhuang had subtly hinted to Xu Wanling to get herself checked at the hospital, but she ignored it.


    Left with no other options, Gu Zhuang could only focus on nurturing Gu Zhongyi.


    In order to cure Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ¡®illness¡¯, Gu Zhuang, who rarely took a step back, found many similarly aged Omegas as playmates for Gu Zhongyi.


    Among them were boys and girls, each one more attractive than Lin Yuxing and more pleasing to look at.


    They were like a group of beautiful new dolls, presented one by one before Gu Zhongyi by Gu Zhuang.


    They would sweetly smile and say to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Young Master Gu, I want to be your friend.¡±


    That sentence had been taught countless times, and each child said it extremely naturally.


    However, Gu Zhongyi could detect the insincerity.


    Gu Zhuang would stand beside him each time, like a loving father, saying, ¡°Pick one you like to stay.¡± Then he added, ¡°If you want two, that¡¯s fine too. They will be with you in the future as your friends.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You want friends, don¡¯t you?¡± Gu Zhuang would say to the ten-year-old child, uttering these words. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like the one I arranged for you, Yang Qing, then you should be satisfied with these ones, right?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t know what Gu Zhuang meant by ¡°friends,¡± nor did he understand what Gu Zhuang meant by ¡°feelings.¡± He just felt nauseous, and his stomach churned.


    Weakly, he would look at the playmates in front of him and would wearily avert his gaze.


    ¡°I want Xiaoxing.¡±


    He said it this way, just this way.


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s cold eyes glanced at Gu Zhongyi, devoid of any trace of compassion. He casually pointed to a handsome Omega boy, saying, ¡°Come here.¡±


    The boy trembled as he approached hesitantly, obediently reaching out to hold Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand under Gu Zhuang¡¯s instruction.


    Gu Zhongyi pushed him away stubbornly and insisted, ¡°I only want Xiaoxing!¡±


    Suddenly, Gu Zhuang¡¯s palm slapped down, easily knocking Gu Zhongyi to the ground. ¡± Say it again If you dare.¡±


    A metallic taste of blood rose in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mouth.


    The surrounding Omega children turned pale with fear, including the chosen little boy.


    Looking down from above, Gu Zhuang rubbed his wrist and didn¡¯t allow any defiance from Gu Zhongyi. ¡°Haven¡¯t I been good to you?¡±


    Struggling to cough a few times, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice trembled slightly.


    ¡°In the next few years, I will often stay in Country X for work. Since you¡¯re so disobedient, I can¡¯t trust leaving you alone in the country. You will accompany me there, which will give you a chance to calm down. But if you continue to be disobedient, then there¡¯s no need for you to return with me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi raised his head in alarm.


    Gu Zhuang squatted down, patting his son¡¯s cheek, causing Gu Zhongyi to shrink his shoulders in fear.


    Gu Zhuang was a typical ¡°one stick, one candy¡± parent. ¡°Zhongyi, you are my son, a superior existence compared to your omega cousin. You are the only hope of the Gu family; don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    For Gu Zhongyi, that was an extremely oppressive period. After Gu Zhuang brought him to Country X, in the constant fear of day and night, he learned how to please Gu Zhuang and how to pretend to be someone he wasn¡¯t.


    In reality, his inner pain had reached an unbearable level, to the point where he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    The person who discovered this was Gu Zhuang¡¯s female secretary who was with him overseas at the time.


    The secretary herself had a child of the same age and felt deeply sympathetic toward the young Gu Zhongyi.


    After becoming somewhat familiar with Gu Zhongyi, she understood the situation and secretly spent some money to have a few photos sent from China.


    In the photos, there was Lin Yuxing, going to and from school alone.


    ¡°He has already been adopted now. If you are good, eat well and exercise, I will regularly have someone take photos and send them to you.¡±


    The secretary was afraid that Gu Zhongyi would try to find Lin Yuxing on his own, so she didn¡¯t disclose anything else except for those photos.


    She said, ¡°You¡¯re still young now, so don¡¯t think about finding him. If President Gu finds out about this, this child might be in trouble.¡±


    The secretary¡¯s implication was clear ¨C if you want to find Lin Yuxing, you have to wait until you¡¯re grown up and independent. Otherwise, it will only bring him misfortune.


    Gu Zhongyi would look at the photo of Lin Yuxing, poking mud with a stick, and saw that even in the scorching summer, he still wore a turtleneck.


    It seemed like nothing had changed, yet everything had changed.


    He choked, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he will forget me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re such an excellent child.¡± She hesitated for a moment, then, like a mother, gently kissed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s forehead and comforted him, ¡°When the time comes, he will choose you again as his friend.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi nodded silently, tears streaming down his face.


    ¡­¡­..


    Over the five years in Country X, he crossed the river of time with Lin Yuxing through the photos.


    It was the optimistic and radiant smile of Lin Yuxing in the photos that became the sole support for Gu Zhongyi during his lonely years.


    Unfortunately, the secretary¡¯s behavior was discovered by Gu Zhuang five years later.


    Gu Zhuang became furious, angrily dismissing the secretary and even threatening her career, forbidding her from uttering a single word about Lin Yuxing to Gu Zhongyi in the future.


    Before they returned to the country, Gu Zhuang made arrangements to ensure that Cheng Rong would have an accident at the construction site, injuring his leg and accumulating debts. This forced Lin Yuxing¡¯s family to live in hiding, completely leaving the place they used to live.


    Gu Zhuang once again cut off any clues for Gu Zhongyi to find Lin Yuxing.


    Amidst all the obstacles, Gu Zhongyi grew up like a caged bird, silent in his loneliness. He had completely lost Lin Yuxing and had become a puppet of Gu Zhuang.


    It wasn¡¯t until he met Qu Xing and learned from Xu Xiangchi about Lin Yuxing¡¯s passing that he finally realized how pitiful and laughable his short life had been.


    But fate had treated him well.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t know how many people had the chance to start their lives anew, but he had been given that opportunity.


    This time, he would never let go of Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, nor would he let Gu Zhuang manipulate him again.


    Tears streamed down Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face like raindrops outside the window. He held Lin Yuxing tightly, gently placing a kiss on his shoulder, then another on his scar.


    Startled, Lin Yuxing pushed him away.


    ¡°I like you!¡±


    No matter how many times Gu Zhongyi said it, he would continue until Lin Yuxing believed him.


    Gu Zhongyi, as if wanting to share Lin Yuxing¡¯s pain, approached him with deep affection, holding the hands that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know where to place. In his heart, Lin Yuxing¡¯s scar was a painful past but also a blooming flower in his eyes.


    And it could become a flower, not because of anything else, but because it was on Lin Yuxing¡¯s body.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I like you, I like you.¡±


    Repeating those words that were delayed by many years, he felt like it still wasn¡¯t enough.


    The sky in City D was always gloomy, especially in the evening when it was as dark as ink.


    The room was brightly lit, with Lin Yuxing bare-chested, anxiously receiving Gu Zhongyi¡¯s confessions , unable to recover his senses for a moment. He took a step back, and Gu Zhongyi would take a step forward.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s back pressed against the cold wall, his brows slightly furrowed.


    Gu Zhongyi straightforwardly embraced him, with the warm palm on his back, as if wanting to melt away the part he had always despised.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that there was someone in the world who fully accepted his scars.


    Even Lin Xiufeng, his aunt, who always claimed to be good to him, couldn¡¯t help but look away when seeing that scar.


    Lin Yuxing knew just how terrible it was.


    But Gu Zhongyi¡­ he accepted it?


    Taking advantage of Lin Yuxing¡¯s momentary distraction, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips touched his ear.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart tingled, and he exclaimed, ¡°S-Senior!¡±


    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯m here.¡±


    The simple words ¡°I¡¯m here¡± shattered Lin Yuxing¡¯s countless defenses.


    Love was a seed that grew silently, breaking through any barriers. Lin Yuxing¡¯s uncontainable thoughts would sprout, bloom, and bear fruit.


    His heartbeat grew louder, and the citrus pheromones on his body became stronger. The refreshing scent transformed into something sweeter than flowing honey.


    Afraid that Gu Zhongyi would hear his heartbeat, Lin Yuxing nervously grabbed onto the hem of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes, doing some futile and anxious actions.


    After a while, Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Are you really okay with it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you bothered?¡±


    ¡°Because I like you. I like everything about you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi not only wasn¡¯t bothered, he was even willing to kiss Lin Yuxing¡¯s scar again. He liked everything about Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Yuxing, please give me an answer?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips moved, but no words came out.


    Gu Zhongyi had once complained about being an Alpha. He had thought that if he were an Omega or Beta, Gu Zhuang would not burden him with these heavy loads and unrealistic expectations?


    But at that moment, he was grateful to be an Alpha.


    As an Alpha, Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t resist Lin Yuxing. Their noses touched, and under the soft lighting, they exchanged ambiguous glances.


    He knew that Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t push him away anymore.


    Gu Zhongyi tilted his head slightly and gently kissed Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips, leading him into a whole new realm of understanding.


    So, a kiss wasn¡¯t something that ended with a light touch.


    It could be sweet, soft, sticky, lingering, and long-lasting.


    Lin Yuxing was astonished and instinctively tilted his head back, his mind going blank. He closed his eyes in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s embrace. He slightly parted his lips, allowing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tongue to get into his mouth.


    The tantalizing scent of bitter orange pressed against Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips, kissing shallowly, deeply. He was captured greedily by Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s kiss was hot and scorching, making Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips numb. It felt like his tongue wasn¡¯t his own. Lin Yuxing panicked, unable to find a rhythm to breathe. His legs went weak, and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s strong arms held his waist, leaving him with no chance to push him away.


    Gasping for breath, tears blurred Lin Yuxing¡¯s vision as their lips reluctantly separated.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t kiss me! I¡­ I can¡¯t catch my breath¡­¡±


    ¡°Yuxing.¡± Gu Zhongyi lightly caressed his lips with his fingertips, feeling that it wasn¡¯t enough, and gazed at him as he kissed him again forcefully. ¡°Have you heard of practice makes perfect?¡±

 CH 41

    Lin Yuxing had certainly heard of the phrase practice makes perfect. He even learned about it in elementary school and applied it to his studies and life.


    But he had never heard that kissing skills could improve within an hour.


    During dinner time, Lin Yuxing sat in the hotel restaurant with slightly red lips, ¡°pitifully¡± chewing on the delicious dinner.


    Sitting across from him was the famous cold-hearted school hunk of C University, Gu Zhongyi.


    At that moment, the school hunk smiled and gazed affectionately at him. Moreover, that school hunk was cutting the steak for him attentively.


    Lin Yuxing felt a bit uncomfortable with that sudden change in their relationship. He blushed and turned his head, saying awkwardly, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lin Yuxing turned back and found Gu Zhongyi still looking at him.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Stop looking.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°If we¡¯re sitting face to face, and I can¡¯t look at you, then where should I look?¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Before long, a plate of sliced steak was placed in front of Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi thoughtfully said, ¡°Take your time.¡± He cautioned, ¡°Be careful not to touch your wound.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips felt numb, so he could only take small bites of the beef. As he ate, he couldn¡¯t help but say in a dejected tone, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that when you kissed me earlier?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t blaming Gu Zhongyi, he just didn¡¯t understand. Was it normal for his mouth to swell up after a kiss?


    Lin Yuxing was experiencing his first love and had little experience. He didn¡¯t know what a normal kiss was supposed to be like, but in any case, it shouldn¡¯t have turned out like this, right?


    He rubbed his own lips and couldn¡¯t help but think of the affectionate scenes between the two of them.


    His heart warmed, and he dared not dwell on it any longer.


    Gu Zhongyi evaded the question and smoothly picked up some vegetables for Lin Yuxing. ¡°Eat them together with the meat. You¡¯re too thin.¡±


    ¡°Why did you change the topic?¡±


    ¡°Their egg custard is good.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at this menu. Everything looks great.¡±


    Lin Yuxing had no choice but to look at the menu, and he was surprised to find that his attention had indeed been diverted by the delicious food. ¡°Can they really put such a large lobster on the egg custard?¡±


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t one to hold grudges, but he was a foodie. In the face of a meal, he had to put everything else aside.


    His gaze shifted downward, and when he saw the price of the egg custard, he blurted out, ¡°So expensive.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was about to speak when a phone call interrupted him.


    He glanced at the caller ID, got up, and answered the call on the side. In less than ten minutes, he sat back at the table and asked the waiter to order the egg custard.


    Lin Yuxing wanted to stop him and whispered, ¡°This is too expensive!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi assured Lin Yuxing not to worry about it and continued, ¡°I got a call from Li Yuan.¡±


    Lin Yuxing paused his chopsticks for a moment, still feeling reluctant about the whole situation, and his expression didn¡¯t seem too pleased.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°After we finish eating, we can discuss it.¡±


    After the meal, Lin Yuxing had eaten quite a lot. He had always had a big appetite, and Gu Zhongyi was used to it.


    Gu Zhongyi ordered two cups of hot tea and started discussing the matter.


    ¡°Li Yuan contacted me and said that your aunt wants to see you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t sure about Lin Xiufeng¡¯s attitude, and he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of Lin Xiufeng and Cheng Rong being in alliance. So he said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late today, and you need rest. Even if you want to meet, it should be tomorrow.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t object. He didn¡¯t know how he should approach the whole situation.


    Like Gu Zhongyi, he had no certainty about Lin Xiufeng¡¯s true intentions.


    Lin Yuxing made a reasonable guess that the words he used to persuade Lin Xiufeng to divorce Cheng Rong that night might have been the catalyst for that whole incident. Otherwise, Cheng Rong wouldn¡¯t have hurriedly sold him off the next morning.


    He speculated that Lin Xiufeng had told Cheng Rong about what they discussed, and Cheng Rong became furious.


    Lin Yuxing felt disappointed and sorrowful, which was evident on his face.


    Since he lost his parents at a young age, even though he knew that Lin Xiufeng¡¯s main priority was always Cheng Shaohua, he still regarded her as his ¡°mother.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to believe that Lin Xiufeng had betrayed him along with Cheng Rong.


    But if it turned out to be true, how would he face Lin Xiufeng?


    Lin Yuxing hesitated, carrying his uneasiness.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to meet her, we¡¯ll return to C City tomorrow.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi thought Lin Yuxing needed rest, and it would be better to return to C City as soon as possible. After all, the environment there was much more friendly to Lin Yuxing.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuxing contemplated for a long time before saying, ¡°Senior, I want to meet my aunt before we leave.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t inquire further and simply said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange it for tomorrow.¡± He didn¡¯t want to see Lin Yuxing troubled. ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day, let¡¯s rest early.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded.


    Gu Zhongyi stood up and approached, wanting to carry him.


    Seeing this, Lin Yuxing took a few steps back, feeling pain in his feet.


    Gu Zhongyi held him and said, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Lin Yuxing blushed as Gu Zhongyi held his arm. ¡°No need to carry me, I can walk on my own.¡±


    During their contractual relationship, Lin Yuxing never knew what shyness was. Now that they were truly in love, he felt shy and didn¡¯t want Gu Zhongyi to carry him in public.


    Gu Zhongyi looked at his swollen right foot, which could only fit into slippers, and crouched down in front of him, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll carry you.¡±


    ¡°But my foot only looks swollen; it¡¯s not that painful.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not painful, I¡¯ll still carry you. Come on.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remembered how when they were children at the welfare institution, Lin Yuxing always carried him and rushed to the dining hall. Now that they were grown up, it was time to switch.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s palms were heating up as he secretly glanced around and noticed several hotel staff members paying attention to them. To avoid attracting more attention, he had no choice but to obediently comply.


    He climbed onto Gu Zhongyi¡¯s back, and the bright light in the lobby allowed him to clearly see the contours of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s profile. It was as if a layer of light covered him, and every move Gu Zhongyi made attracted Lin Yuxing.


    Once they entered the elevator, Lin Yuxing sincerely said, ¡°Senior, you¡¯re really handsome.¡±


    Being praised by Lin Yuxing out of the blue, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mouth curved into a smile. He was quite eloquent, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not that handsome but thank you.¡±


    Hearing this, joy filled Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart and he pursed his lips and slowly after a moment of thought, he couldn¡¯t help but ask cautiously, ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ve hit the jackpot?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Lin Yuxing¡¯s words.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t refute him and contentedly said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    In fact, Gu Zhongyi was the one who hit the jackpot.


    Back in the room, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t recommend that Lin Yuxing take a shower.


    But Lin Yuxing felt that he had been through a day of anxiety and he insisted on taking a shower.


    Gu Zhongyi was worried about his wound, saying, ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, just use a towel to avoid the wound.¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing had already taken off his jacket and said, ¡°I smell.¡±


    ¡°You only smell like citrus; there¡¯s no bad odor.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sniffed himself and wrinkled his brow slightly. He still insisted, ¡°I really smell.¡± Perhaps the disgusting pheromones from Ashan were still lingering in his subconscious.


    Unable to persuade Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi accompanied him into the bathroom, still worried.


    Lin Yuxing pushed him, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, you don¡¯t have to come in with me.¡±


    But it wasn¡¯t until the moment the hot water from the showerhead fell on him that Lin Yuxing belatedly realized one thing ¨C they were going to sleep in the same bed that night.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mood suddenly became nervous, and he hesitated to come out of the bathroom.


    Are there many couples who become deeply in love on their first day of dating? But how many couples sleep on the same bed on their first day? Lin Yuxing only had two friends he could ask: Su Li and Gu Nuan.


    Su Li was with an online relationship boyfriend, so he wasn¡¯t a reliable reference.


    Should he ask Gu Nuan?


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s impression, Gu Nuan was exceptionally good-looking and must have had no shortage of pursuers. Perhaps he was also experienced in matters of the heart?


    Lin Yuxing reached into his pants pocket to take out his phone, intending to send a message to Gu Nuan, but he quickly stopped himself.


    Gu Nuang was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s relative. What if he accidentally spilled the beans to Gu Zhongyi¡­


    Lin Yuxing thought it over and decided to seek help from random people online.


    He randomly searched for a highly ranked emotional forum and anonymously posted: ¡°[When you¡¯re in a room with your partner, sharing a bed, what might happen?]¡±


    He added a note: ¡°[Both adults, university students.]¡±


    The answers online were always extremely stimulating.


    Answer 1: ¡°[Make love, otherwise just chat under the covers?]¡±


    Answer 2: ¡°[Of course, things like being like wolves and doing whatever you want will happen.]¡±


    Answer 3: ¡°[ Just show affection!]¡±


    Answer 4: ¡°[The OP must be an omega, be careful not to get marked by a bite.]¡±


    Answer 5: ¡°[If nothing happens when sharing a bed, either there¡¯s no emotional connection or there¡¯s a sexual dysfunction.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing was greatly shocked. He held his phone and wandered in the bathroom. Slowly, he tremblingly searched for some other things on his phone.


    It would have been better if he hadn¡¯t searched, because as soon as he did, he was startled.


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind, there appeared some explicit images like a new continent.


    He swallowed nervously.


    Previously, Lin Yuxing trusted Gu Zhongyi because they had a contract. Now that he was officially Gu Zhongyi¡¯s boyfriend, he didn¡¯t know if he could still rely on that trust.


    But Lin Yuxing immediately denied his own speculation.


    Gu Zhongyi is not that kind of person!


    However, that thought was quickly refuted by himself.  Gu Zhongyi had been kissing him incessantly earlier, as if he were that kind of person?!


    Even if Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand much, he was not a child anymore.


    He faced the mirror, crossed his arms, and hugged his own shoulders tightly. ¡°It¡¯s over, could he really do whatever he wants to me?¡±

 CH 42

    Under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s anxious urging, Lin Yuxing finally walked out of the bathroom.


    His cheeks were flushed, as he stood in front of Gu Zhongyi in a shy manner, wrapped in a loose bathrobe, like a ripe orange, exuding an alluring sweetness.


    Gu Zhongyi was momentarily stunned.


    Lin Yuxing blinked his eyelashes nervously.


    The warm light was blending, and pheromones filled the air, emitting an enticing sweetness. Lin Yuxing seemed intoxicated, slightly staggering as if he couldn¡¯t maintain his balance.


    Gu Zhongyi immediately reached out and held his arm, leaning closer.


    In a low and gentle voice that resembled a breeze, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Now it¡¯s just the two of us¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart began to race rapidly, and his ears tingled. He felt Gu Zhongyi¡¯s warm pheromones tightly embracing him. He closed his eyes and at that moment when Gu Zhongyi drew near, everything seemed to spin.


    Silently in his heart, Lin Yuxing exclaimed, and his arms wrapped around Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck.


    His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest, and his breathing became rapid.


    He wasn¡¯t ready yet, he was still hesitating. Timidly, like a startled rabbit, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to refuse, but he was extremely anxious, and even his fingertips trembled.


    He just loved Gu Zhongyi that much.


    At that critical moment when he was caught in his inner turmoil, he heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s calm words, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t stop me from holding you, would you?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s dazed state, Gu Zhongyi put him on the bed in a careful manner.


    Then, Gu Zhongyi skillfully took out cotton swabs and medicine from the bedside table drawer and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll reapply the medicine for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was careful in his actions, and in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, he appeared completely normal, just like usual. There was no sign of the ¡°being like wolves and consumed by desire¡± that Lin Yuxing had imagined.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders relaxed slightly, unable to determine if he was relieved or feeling empty inside.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed his change and asked, ¡°Did the wound hurt from getting wet?¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly shook his head, trying to understand Gu Zhongyi¡¯s thoughts, so he carefully observed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s every move.


    Apart from patiently applying medicine, Gu Zhongyi occasionally blew on his bruises, but there was no unnecessary action.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Zhongyi put away the bottle of medicine and got up. There was no lingering at all, and he even left quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll take a shower, you should rest.¡±


    ¡°Senior¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi heartlessly closed the bathroom door.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s attempts to keep him were in vain. After hearing the sound of running water from the bathroom, he realized he had been confused. He slumped onto the bed, hugging the blanket tightly.


    So embarrassing!


    How could he misunderstand that Gu Zhongyi wanted to do whatever he pleased with him? Was he too self-centered?


    Lin Yuxing covered his face and felt ashamed. When he raised his hand, he thought of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s furrowed brows and quickly withdrew it.


    He got the habit of hitting himself when he was embarrassed from Cheng Rong.


    When Lin Yuxing was young, he was always beaten. The pain made him quickly recognize reality and made him not dare to act spoiled or willful.


    Over time, Lin Yuxing considered hitting himself the best way to prevent himself from daydreaming.


    But he would no longer do that in the future because Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t like it.


    Lin Yuxing tightly held his own hand, pressing it against his heart, feeling a sense of being cherished. He pursed his lips, curled up in the blanket, and shyly revealed only a pair of beautiful eyes, filled with a smile.


    He was so happy that he kicked his feet.


    ¡°Ow, it hurts¡­¡± He held onto his foot.


    Surrounded by a feeling of happiness, Lin Yuxing would probably never know that the seemingly calm Gu Zhongyi was currently showering with cold water to cool down.


    The continuously falling cold water chilled him. To avoid catching a cold, after a few minutes, Gu Zhongyi turned the faucet to warm water.


    He wiped his face vigorously in the direction of the water flow, admitting defeat to his youthful body.


    Although he was approaching thirty in terms of mental age, he thought he could calmly handle Lin Yuxing, but he found that after returning to youth, his blood was boiling, and in some aspects, his rational brain had no control.


    Gu Zhongyi remembered how good Lin Yuxing looked when he had just come out of the shower. His heart raced uncontrollably. Even though Lin Yuxing had a wounded face, he felt that that look was extremely captivating.


    Some ¡°dirty¡± thoughts kept surging in his mind, and a certain part of him was already hard.


    Gu Zhongyi took a deep breath, hoping that Lin Yuxing wouldn¡¯t notice his embarrassing side.


    He was lucky to have ¡°captured a star,¡± and he couldn¡¯t afford to mess it up no matter what.


    Gu Zhongyi vowed that he must learn to be patient and restrain himself.


    Because in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, Lin Yuxing was still a newly grown-up teenager, and everything needed to be taken slowly.


    He recalled Lin Yuxing¡¯s shy appearance earlier and clenched his teeth in frustration. He didn¡¯t want to scare Lin Yuxing or burden him in any way.


    Half an hour later, Gu Zhongyi came out of the bathroom feeling refreshed.


    However, Lin Yuxing, exhausted from recent days, had fallen asleep hugging the blanket even before Gu Zhongyi finished showering.


    Approaching him, Gu Zhongyi leaned down and kissed Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead, tucking him in under the covers.


    In the peaceful night, even the sound of a falling needle seemed particularly distinct. Gu Zhongyi quietly lay beside Lin Yuxing, observing him for a while before finally falling into a deep sleep.


    In fact, since that night when he came over, Gu Zhongyi hadn¡¯t slept at all. The fatigue of the day and night made him fall asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.


    The night that should have been full of desires and passionate encounters in the eyes of others did not belong to those two exhausted individuals.


    The next day, the sun was already high.


    Gu Zhongyi woke up before Lin Yuxing did.


    He turned to the side and saw Lin Yuxing sleeping closely beside him. Feeling happy, Gu Zhongyi genuinely smiled. He reached out and touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s messy hair, not wanting to wake him.


    Gu Zhongyi really wanted to lie next to Lin Yuxing a little longer, but he had other things to attend to and had to get up first.


    However, his cautious movements still woke Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Lin Yuxing made a low hum, subconsciously grabbing onto Gu Zhongyi¡¯s bathrobe. His voice was soft, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Rubbing his eyes, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t open them.


    Gu Zhongyi kissed his forehead , ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. If you¡¯re still tired, go back to sleep for a little longer.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know if he understood or if he was still half-asleep, but he continued sleeping soundly. He relaxed his grip on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s bathrobe, completely soothed by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s morning kiss.


    Gu Zhongyi observed Lin Yuxing for a while longer before finally deciding to freshen up.


    The disposable toothbrush at the hotel was uncomfortable to use, so Gu Zhongyi frowned as he brushed his teeth, holding his phone in his free hand. The lit screen displayed a missed call from a number he didn¡¯t recognize¡ª. There were also two missed calls from Chen Hua and one from Yang Qing.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. After unlocking his phone, he scrolled through his message history.


    There were three messages from Yang Qing.


    [What happened to you? President Gu suddenly called me over for questioning.]


    [By the way, President Gu didn¡¯t seem to care about your relationship at school. I remember he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. But this time, it¡¯s strange. He specifically asked me to find out how Lin Yuxing and you met and how your relationship is, if it¡¯s just for fun. I played dumb throughout the whole conversation¡­]


    [Zhongyi, if you need any help, just let me know. Waiting for your message.]


    Gu Zhongyi replied, [I was busy yesterday and didn¡¯t see the messages. Thanks, I can handle this on my own.]


    In the world before his rebirth, he wasn¡¯t very familiar with Yang Qing. Yang Qing was more like an ¡°informant¡± planted by Gu Zhuang by his side than a ¡°friend.¡±


    Even when they entered university, Yang Qing followed him abroad. So this time, when Gu Zhongyi entered C University early to find Qu Xing, Yang Qing was also required to enroll in C University.


    Little did he know that after coming to C University, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t meet Qu Xing but met the real Lin Yuxing a year later.


    And in this world, Qu Xing seemed to have vanished into thin air with no news at all.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Gu Zhongyi rinsed his mouth and washed his face.


    When he picked up his phone again, he noticed that the unknown number was still silent.


    The previous night, Gu Zhongyi was too preoccupied to pay attention to ¡°it,¡± but now that he had calmed down, he made a call to the number again. The call was quickly ended from the other side, indicating that it wasn¡¯t an unused number.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t guess the identity of the person on the other end, and he didn¡¯t like being watched. He forwarded the number to someone and transferred a sum of money, hoping that person could help him find out quickly.


    Coincidentally, Li Yuan contacted him at that moment.


    Gu Zhongyi answered the call outside the room.


    Li Yuan said, ¡°Lin Xiufeng is not worried about Cheng Rong at all, but she insists on meeting Lin Yuxing. So, what are the arrangements here, Young Master Gu?¡±


    ¡°Yuxing has injured his foot and can¡¯t come over. Let her come to the hotel after 12 o¡¯clock,¡± Gu Zhongyi planned to buy a flight ticket for the next morning and didn¡¯t intend to stay in D City for too long.


    After thinking for a moment, he added, ¡°Make it after 1 o¡¯clock.¡± He wanted to let Lin Yuxing sleep until he naturally woke up.


    That day was a sunny day, and there was a feeling of clarity after the rain.


    When Lin Yuxing opened his eyes, it was already 11 o¡¯clock.


    Gu Zhongyi was leaning against the bedside, leisurely reading a hardcover book. Lin Yuxing looked at him in a daze and suddenly sat up from the bed.


    A solid, abrupt movement.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Due to the excessive movement, Lin Yuxing pulled on his wound. After sleeping for a whole night, his body felt sore all over.


    Two teardrops unconsciously rolled down Lin Yuxing¡¯s face, but Gu Zhongyi held him firmly in his arms.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing stuttered, realizing only then that they were in a relationship and had slept together. He widened his eyes and looked up at Gu Zhongyi, feeling helpless. He sniffled, embarrassedly said, ¡°Senior¡­ Good morning¡­¡±


    ¡°Morning.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s palm caressed his back.


    Lin Yuxing averted his gaze and looked at the book that had fallen on the bedside. He focused and realized it was a classic literary work, the kind his teacher used to assign for book reports when he was young.


    Lin Yuxing remembered that at that time, he didn¡¯t have money to buy books, so he would go to the bookstore every day and browse through sample copies until he finished reading them.


    ¡°Why are you reading a book?¡± Lin Yuxing tried to break the awkward atmosphere and said sheepishly, ¡°I wrote a book report on this book when I was young.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi let go of his hand, picked up the book, closed it, and put it back on the shelf in the corner.


    ¡°Just grabbed it, to pass the time.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Otherwise,¡± Gu Zhongyi turned around, his posture tall and straight like a pine tree, radiating an indescribable tenderness, ¡°I¡¯ll keep looking at you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi still remembered yesterday at the restaurant when Lin Yuxing objected to him constantly watching him.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know if Gu Zhongyi was intentionally teasing him, but his face turned red in an instant, and he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    He looked troubled, worried that on the second day of their relationship, Gu Zhongyi would find him uninteresting. He twisted the corner of the blanket with his fingertips and struggled to say, ¡°Then¡­ then, I don¡¯t mind if you keep looking. I¡­ I was just a bit embarrassed by being watched by you¡­¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yuxing regretted it.


    He didn¡¯t even know what he was saying.


    Feeling frustrated, he lowered his gaze. In that instant, Gu Zhongyi kissed his lips lightly, like a dragonfly touching the water, gentle and sweet.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice was pleasant, as captivating as a spring breeze.


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi glanced at the time, took a few clothes from the side, and handed them to Lin Yuxing. ¡°Your old clothes can¡¯t be worn anymore. I picked a few random pieces from a nearby clothing store for you. There are two turtlenecks. See which one suits you better.¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately checked the price, but strangely, the clothes didn¡¯t have price tags.


    Gu Zhongyi explained, ¡°It¡¯s a small store, so they don¡¯t have price tags.¡± He didn¡¯t give Lin Yuxing time to think and said, ¡°Around 1 o¡¯clock, your aunt will come. Before that, let¡¯s have a meal.¡±


    As soon as Lin Xiufeng was mentioned, Lin Yuxing lost his appetite.


    Gu Zhongyi rubbed his head and comforted him, ¡°Li Yuan called me and said your aunt doesn¡¯t want to defend Cheng Rong¡¯s actions. Looking at it optimistically, maybe she really doesn¡¯t know or was forced into it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t persuading Lin Yuxing to forgive anyone. He just didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to feel down, burdened by unnecessary things.

 CH 43

    In a small private room of the hotel restaurant.


    Lin Xiufeng sat anxiously with Cheng Shaohua. in front of them was a cup of tea and a glass of juice on the table.


    Li Yuan, also with them, leaned against the window and lit a cigarette.


    Cheng Shaohua drank his juice and stared at Li Yuan, pointing his finger, saying, ¡°Uncle, you shouldn¡¯t smoke. Secondhand smoke is bad.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng quickly pressed Cheng Shaohua¡¯s hand, apologizing repeatedly.


    Li Yuan didn¡¯t mind. Suddenly, he remembered Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cold face and decisively put out the cigarette. Fortunately, Cheng Shaohua, that silly boy, reminded him; otherwise, if the private room was filled with smoke, choking Lin Yuxing, it would probably upset Gu Zhongyi.


    He patted Cheng Shaohua¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re so health-conscious that¡¯s good.¡±


    Cheng Shaohua happily nodded his head, ¡°Yeah, my brother taught me! I¡¯m well-behaved and can remember everything.¡±


    ¡°Your brother?¡± Li Yuan looked at Cheng Shaohua, who seemed not much younger than Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Xiufeng held Cheng Shaohua¡¯s hand tightly, explaining hurriedly, ¡°Yuxing is three years younger than him, but he¡¯s not sensible and likes to call Yuxing ¡®brother.''¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Li Yuan casually replied, ¡°So he¡¯s about the same age as my son. If he could go to school, he would have already graduated from college by now.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng smiled bitterly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Suddenly, the door to the private room opened.


    Lin Yuxing, looking refreshed, walked in with the support of Gu Zhongyi.


    Li Yuan looked over and noticed that the bruises on Lin Yuxing¡¯s face had gotten darker, but his expression was natural, no longer as panicked as the day before.


    As soon as Lin Xiufeng saw him, she stood up anxiously, ¡°Yuxing!¡±


    Cheng Shaohua also jumped up, ¡°Brother!¡± He wanted to rush over, but Li Yuan grabbed the back of his collar to prevent him from causing trouble.


    Li Yuan then directly took him out of the private room, saying, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go buy candy for you.¡± Cheng Shaohua, being a treat lover, immediately followed him happily.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t say anything. With Gu Zhongyi¡¯s help, he sat down on a chair. The waiter followed closely and brought two cups of hot tea.


    In the private room, there were only three people left.


    Gu Zhongyi held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, displaying an affectionate attitude that instantly made Lin Xiufeng understand their relationship. Coupled with the fact that they stayed in the hotel together last night, Lin Xiufeng became even more certain.


    She frowned, carefully looking at Gu Zhongyi from top to bottom. On the day they briefly met, she didn¡¯t get a good look at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s appearance.


    Now, she was astonished.


    While on the way here, Lin Xiufeng heard Li Yuan mention that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s background was not simple, so she mentally prepared herself for the possibility that Lin Yuxing might ¡°rise to the top.¡± But she couldn¡¯t have imagined that Gu Zhongyi would be so outstanding, even in appearance. She was confused. How could such an extraordinary Alpha be attracted to Lin Yuxing? Didn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi know about the burn scars on Lin Yuxing¡¯s back and gland?


    But with Li Yuan¡¯s words in mind, Lin Xiufeng was convinced that Gu Zhongyi was not a fraud.


    ¡­..


    Gu Zhongyi noticed Lin Xiufeng¡¯s gaze and turned around, saying, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yuxing¡¯s boyfriend. My name is Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    ¡°Uh, hello, hello.¡± Lin Xiufeng used polite language, not daring to be disrespectful to the young man in front of her. She nervously squeezed her hand and said, ¡°I-I¡¯ve heard everything from Mr. Li. Thanks to your help, my Yuxing is safe.¡±


    She got up, bowed to Gu Zhongyi in gratitude, with a humble attitude.


    Gu Zhongyi politely said, ¡°This is what I should do. You have an injury on your foot, please have a seat first.¡±


    She nodded, tugged at the corners of her mouth, and forced a smile, ¡°Yuxing is a reserved child. He doesn¡¯t tell me anything. I didn¡¯t even know he was dating in school, especially with someone as outstanding as you.¡±


    As she spoke, her gaze fell on Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing stared blankly at the small teacup on the table, lost in thought.


    Seeing this, Lin Xiufeng had to speak first, ¡°Yuxing¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at her, pondered for a long time, and asked the question that had been bothering him, ¡°Did you already know Uncle¡¯s plan? Did you know in advance?¡±


    His straightforward question made Lin Xiufeng¡¯s eyes dodge involuntarily. She turned pale, wanting to deny it.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°I went to the police station, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you this question.¡±


    Hiding the truth was useless. Sooner or later, Lin Yuxing would know the whole truth.


    Lin Xiufeng didn¡¯t know whether to admit it or how to phrase it.


    But then, something occurred to Lin Yuxing. His heart tightened, and he asked abruptly, ¡°So, that¡¯s why you told me not to come back home as much? Facing Lin Xiufeng¡¯s silence, he stared in disbelief and stammered, ¡°You knew¡­ you, you knew he was going to sell me?¡±


    Only then did Lin Xiufeng¡¯s eyes well up with tears, and she nodded slowly, ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    For a moment, in the small space, it was quiet as the dead of night.


    It was hard to tell what expression was on Lin Yuxing¡¯s face.


    Disappointment? Despair? Or was it just as he expected?


    Lin Xiufeng choked up, ¡°Yuxing, I know you will resent me for this, but that day, he tied me up with a rope. I couldn¡¯t break free. I know these words sound like excuses! You mentioned before that Ashan was always watching you, and I should have warned you in advance but¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart grew cold. He couldn¡¯t understand why Lin Xiufeng hid such news from him.


    ¡°You actually hid such an important matter from me. Do you know,¡± he paused, speaking with difficulty, ¡°¡­I almost didn¡¯t escape yesterday.¡±


    If Lin Xiufeng had told him from the beginning, Lin Yuxing would have been well prepared to deal with that situation.


    He didn¡¯t dare to think about it. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zhongyi coming to look for him, what would have happened to him? He was injured and had no money. His ID card wasn¡¯t with him at the time as well.


    There was a high chance he would have been captured by Cheng Rong and Ashan, imprisoned, and marked for life, forever stuck in the mire.


    His life would be ruined, and under Ashan¡¯s control, he might never have escaped that swamp in his lifetime.


    Those assumptions were really terrifying. Just thinking about them sent shivers down Lin Yuxing¡¯s spine.


    He clenched his teeth and murmured, puzzled, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why you kept it from me.¡±


    Lin Xiufeng covered her face and sobbed, unable to utter a single word.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing looked at Lin Xiufeng¡¯s injured leg, he asked in realization, ¡°Could it be¡­ you were afraid that if you told me, I would immediately escape back to City C? Were you afraid that with your injured foot, there would be no one to take care of Cousin?¡±


    Just for that?


    Just for such a simple reason?


    Lin Yuxing desperately hoped that he was overthinking. He wished Lin Xiufeng would firmly deny his words. He felt himself trembling, pressing hard against his own thigh.


    However, the horrifying truth was that Lin Xiufeng admitted it.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t hide it, so she tried her best to explain herself, ¡°I stopped Cheng Rong! He promised me that he wouldn¡¯t bring up this matter with Ashan again! I really thought he had given up¡­ I didn¡¯t know why he suddenly did this! I, I really¡­¡±


    ¡°You actually believed his words¡­¡± Lin Yuxing shouted, interrupting her, ¡°¡­You¡¯re so selfish!¡±


    That was the first time Lin Yuxing treated Lin Xiufeng with such an attitude.


    Lin Xiufeng was dumbfounded, unable to speak.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes turned red, and he held his breath.


    It wasn¡¯t until Gu Zhongyi placed his hand on Lin Yuxing¡¯s thigh, as if comforting him, that Lin Yuxing relaxed. He closed his eyes in disappointment and continued to breathe the murky air of City D.


    It was a complete mess.


    Living together with Lin Xiufeng for so many years, Lin Yuxing had probably already guessed the reason for her visit this time.


    She must have come for Cheng Shaohua.


    People say, ¡°Parents¡¯ love for their children knows no bounds,¡± but Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have parents who cared deeply for him. Instead, people who treated him as a tool for their own benefits.


    In fact, Lin Yuxing knew that Lin Xiufeng brought him back from the welfare institution back then only so he would take care of Cheng Shaohua, who had intellectual disabilities, as he grew up.


    After all, Cheng Rong was unreliable, and Lin Xiufeng would also someday grow old.


    Lin Yuxing felt he owed them for raising him, so he had to shoulder that heavy responsibility. He had been taught this way all along.


    But he didn¡¯t understand why Cheng Rong believed he would abandon them, constantly making things difficult for him. Lin Xiufeng was always worried that he would leave Cheng Shaohua, thus constantly pulling him back.


    He was like a fool, reluctant to eat or wear nice clothes. Every penny he saved went into this bottomless pit. He had thought about getting rid of Cheng Rong, but he had never considered abandoning Lin Xiufeng and Cheng Shaohua.


    In reality, Lin Yuxing never felt sorry for himself. He was luckier than most of the children with disabilities in the welfare institution.


    He had a ¡°family,¡± went to college smoothly, and grew up well.


    Although it was difficult along the way, even if his blood relatives had left him, he didn¡¯t blame the ones who raised him.


    He always thought this way, convincing himself.


    Because only in this way, the hardships he experienced would become bearable.


    Now, Lin Yuxing helplessly turned his body, not knowing where to place his hands.


    Gu Zhongyi held his hand, calming Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart.


    Gu Zhongyi said in a deep voice, ¡°If you¡¯re exhausted, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore.¡±


    Lin Yuxing opened his eyes and what met his gaze was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s unwavering care for him and his cold hand warmed up as Gu Zhongyi held it.


    He was tired, so he weakly nodded and slowly got up with Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to stay there anymore, regardless of what decision he would make in the future. Right now, he just wanted to return to City C quickly and leave that so-called ¡°home¡± behind.


    He needed some time to calm down, and Lin Xiufeng needed it too.


    But when Lin Xiufeng saw the indifference in his eyes, her emotions suddenly spiraled out of control, and she sorrowfully said, ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I did something wrong! If I had known that Cheng Rong would do this,  I wouldn¡¯t have let you stay at home! Yuxing, don¡¯t leave, you can¡¯t leave!¡±


    Lin Yuxing listened to her screaming, remaining silent.


    Lin Xiufeng then knelt on the ground, dragging her injured leg, and knocked her head loudly against the ground.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turned pale, and his scalp went numb.


    Gu Zhongyi stepped forward in two strides and grabbed Lin Xiufeng¡¯s arm, trying to help her up.


    But Lin Xiufeng stubbornly stayed on the ground. ¡°Please forgive Auntie! Please forgive me¡ª¡± she pleaded in despair.


    At that point, whatever she said was useless, and all she could do was desperately beg Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Are you really going to follow him? Yuxing, please don¡¯t go! Mr. Li told me that Cheng Rong will definitely go to prison this time!¡±


    She tried to reach for the hem of Lin Yuxing¡¯s pants, but Gu Zhongyi stopped her.


    She exclaimed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to get a divorce? I¡¯ll divorce him! I¡¯ll rent a house with Shaohua, and you don¡¯t have to pay for anything! Just don¡¯t abandon us, Yuxing. Just because you¡¯re with this Alpha now, doesn¡¯t mean you can abandon us! I¡¯ve always been on your side, always!¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at the woman in front of him, who was both unfamiliar and incredibly familiar.


    His aunt, a pitiful person struggling at the bottom, had taken him as her only lifeline. Perhaps he had shed too many tears the previous day; as he couldn¡¯t shed a single tear.


    He turned his head away, feeling as if his heart had been pricked by a needle, a dense pain enveloping him.


    Lin Xiufeng panicked. She couldn¡¯t reach Lin Yuxing, so she turned and grabbed Gu Zhongyi instead, venting her anger without restraint, ¡°You can¡¯t take him away! I know what he¡¯s thinking! If he leaves this time, he won¡¯t come back¡­ I¡¯ve raised him, what right do you have to take him away? What have you brainwashed him with?!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi frowned, the four words ¡°raised him¡± were particularly grating to his ears.


    He had seen how hard Lin Yuxing¡¯s life had been.


    In the end, it was Lin Yuxing who stopped Lin Xiufeng.


    ¡°Let go!¡± Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want Lin Xiufeng to cling to Gu Zhongyi any longer. ¡°I want to go, it¡¯s my own decision.¡±


    Tears welled up in Lin Xiufeng¡¯s eyes as she stared at Lin Yuxing. ¡°Yuxing, you can¡¯t leave¡­¡± She shook her head and repeated, ¡°I raised you¡­ I raised you¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to see her anymore.


    He said, ¡°In the second year of junior high, Uncle got injured at the construction site, and our family was struggling. He wanted me to drop out of school and work, but you never agreed. That¡¯s why I had the opportunity to get into City C. You raised me, you have shown me kindness, even if everything you did was for Cousin, I am still grateful to you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing remembered all of that.


    Life has its ups and downs, and people are the same. There are no completely good or completely bad people, but no one is a saint either.


    He remembered Lin Xiufeng¡¯s goodness, but that didn¡¯t overshadow the pain he had suffered.


    ¡°Auntie, I promise you.¡± Lin Yuxing took a deep breath. ¡°From now on, I will send you money every month within my capabilities and you also should not burden yourself because of me anymore.¡±


    Tears moistened the floor as Lin Xiufeng sobbed silently.


    Lin Yuxing listened to her crying, feeling like needles in his heart, and he shrank back, raising his eyes unintentionally. In that instant, he met Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gentle and determined gaze.


    In an instant, his heart found solace and gained courage.


    Lin Yuxing continued to speak to Lin Xiufeng, ¡°If you and Cousin have any difficulties, I will do my best to help. But you must never come to City C to find me. If you do, I will disappear completely, and you won¡¯t be able to contact me again.¡±


    He said firmly, ¡°I won¡¯t come back either.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t like City D; the memories of his upbringing were like a bone-deep pain.


    ¡°Auntie, regardless of whether you believed in me or not, I never once thought of abandoning you all.¡±


    Those final words made Lin Xiufeng deeply regretful.


    In an instant, she understood that all the faults stemmed from her own obsession.


    She believed Cheng Rong¡¯s words and thought of Lin Yuxing as an outsider in the family. So, while she had high hopes for him, she also longed for a shackle that could keep Lin Yuxing tied to her.


    She was the most contradictory person.


    That  incident had caused too much harm to Lin Yuxing, completely shattering his trust in Lin Xiufeng. Everything had reached an irreparable point, and no matter how persistent Lin Xiufeng was, it was all in vain.


    She finally let go of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand and sat helplessly on the ground.


    Gu Zhongyi gave up on helping her up and walked straight to Lin Yuxing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t refuse; he silently embraced Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck.


    As they opened the door, Lin Yuxing grabbed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes. Gu Zhongyi stopped and heard Lin Yuxing speak, advising Lin Xiufeng, ¡°Take this opportunity to divorce him and seek a new life with cousin.¡±


    The door closed.


    In the spacious compartment, only Lin Xiufeng remained, in her miserable state.

 CH 44

    Hotel lobby.


    Cheng Shaohua was biting on his lollipop, attentively watching the fish in the aquarium. When he noticed Gu Zhongyi coming out while holding Lin Yuxing, he excitedly ran up and shouted, ¡°Brother!¡±


    He handed Lin Yuxing an orange-flavored lollipop from his pocket and said, ¡°Uncle bought this for me, and I said thank you.¡±


    With the warm lollipop in his hand, Lin Yuxing¡¯s attitude towards Cheng Shaohua didn¡¯t change much. ¡°Where¡¯s your coat?¡±


    ¡°This kid put his coat in the fish tank to catch fish. I had the hotel staff take it to dry, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t be able to wear it,¡± Li Yuan, who followed along, said to Gu Zhongyi without delay, ¡°If everything is fine on your end, I¡¯ll have the driver send them back to the town later.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gu Zhongyi thanked him, ¡°Mr. Li, you¡¯ve been very helpful these past few days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi noticed that Lin Yuxing had something to say to Cheng Shaohua, so he let him down from his arms.


    ¡°Senior?¡± Lin Yuxing said.


    Gu Zhongyi raised his hand and ruffled Lin Yuxing¡¯s head, saying, ¡°I have something to talk to Mr. Li about. Wait here for me.¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, Cheng Shaohua eagerly stepped forward and said, ¡°So it was you that my brother mentioned!¡± That silly kid had already forgotten that Gu Zhongyi had scared him to the point of wetting himself previously.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t understand, and Lin Yuxing also looked at him wide eyed.


    Cheng Shaohua thought they were both dumb and pouted, saying, ¡°My brother really likes to pat my head. He said he learned it from a very nice and handsome person, and that person is you, right? My brother really likes you!¡±


    With one remark, Cheng Shaohua ¡°sold out¡± Lin Yuxing without hesitation.


    Lin Yuxing blushed and covered Cheng Shaohua¡¯s mouth. ¡°Senior, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense?¡± Gu Zhongyi asked.


    Lin Yuxing, ¡°¡­¡±


    Li Yuan, who was on the side, didn¡¯t want to get involved in their affairs and didn¡¯t want to embarrass Lin Yuxing further. He coughed a couple of times, took the lead and walked to the side, pretending he hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    Cheng Shaohua happily waved his hands, indicating that he guessed correctly. He whimpered in a muffled voice.


    Lin Yuxing reluctantly let go of his hand and turned his face away, whispering to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°¡­it¡¯s not true.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi smiled and said, ¡°okay.¡± His smile was very attractive, making Lin Yuxing¡¯s face turn even redder.


    Gu Zhongyi had specially prepared some cash in case of need. Now he had the opportunity to use it. He took out two large bills and stuffed them into Cheng Shaohua¡¯s hands, approvingly saying, ¡°Go buy some more candy.¡±


    Cheng Shaohua jumped up and exclaimed, ¡°The person my brother likes is so nice!¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    When it was time for Lin Xiufeng and her son to leave, Cheng Shaohua refused to go no matter what.


    He insisted on taking Lin Yuxing back with him, causing a continuous ruckus. It took Li Yuan and the driver a while to finally get him into the car and close the door.


    Cheng Shaohua pressed both hands against the car window and burst into tears.


    Lin Xiufeng sat wearily in the car, seemingly absent-minded, unexpectedly not soothing her beloved son.


    That scene made Lin Yuxing feel very low.


    Because of this, Gu Zhongyi changed their plane tickets to a flight for that night. Since the journey to the airport was a bit far, they left early.


    In the taxi, the two sat in the back seat.


    To prevent Gu Zhongyi from worrying too much about him, Lin Yuxing deliberately chatted with Gu Zhongyi, talking about all sorts of things.


    Gu Zhongyi held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, patiently listening to his rambling.


    D City held many sad memories for Lin Yuxing, but it also bore the traces of his growth since his teenage years.


    If one were to say that Lin Yuxing completely hated D City, that wouldn¡¯t be entirely true.


    Gu Zhongyi sensed Lin Yuxing¡¯s hesitation after he calmed down, and he glanced at the time. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone you still want to meet here, or anything you want to do, we still have plenty of time.¡±


    Outside the car window, the scenery passed by rapidly.


    At an intersection, Lin Yuxing whispered, ¡°There¡¯s someone I want to meet.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know if he still remembers me. I worked for him for only two months.¡± Lin Yuxing said, ¡°At 178 Guanhai Road, he¡¯s the owner of a restaurant.¡±


    Lin Yuxing told Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Two years ago, my uncle made me drop out of school for a while, so I had to come out to work and support the family. Although my aunt promised me that I could continue to attend high school later, I was very frustrated. This boss helped me a lot.¡±


    Lin Yuxing remembered that at that time, he was afraid of getting beaten every day and dared not go home. When the boss found out the reason, he placed a folding bed for him in the storage room behind the kitchen, giving him a place to rest peacefully.


    Moreover, that boss also gave him the notes left by a relative¡¯s child after they finished their college entrance exams, encouraging him to study well and not give up any opportunities to change his life.


    ¡°After I got into C University, I originally wanted to come and tell him the good news. But I was afraid my uncle would cause trouble for him¡­¡±


    Speaking of which, Lin Yuxing quit his job because Cheng Rong repeatedly went there to cause trouble.


    But the boss didn¡¯t blame him. Instead, when settling the wages, he secretly gave him an extra 200 yuan.


    Gu Zhongyi listened, and his grip tightened slightly.


    But Lin Yuxing noticed it and said, ¡°Senior, don¡¯t be upset. That¡¯s all in the past.¡±


    Moreover, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t think those years of hardship were entirely bad. He had indeed gone through difficulties, but he also encountered many good things. For example, meeting Gu Zhongyi was a very lucky thing.


    He brushed away the heavy topic, ¡°Their fried noodles are also delicious. How about we eat there before we leave?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stroked the back of his hand and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Fortunately, the restaurant was still there, so their trip wasn¡¯t in vain.


    The restaurant was doing well, and the storefront had expanded quite a bit. The owner, a chubby male Beta, stood beside the cash register chatting with someone, looking particularly conspicuous.


    As soon as Lin Yuxing entered the door, he saw him.


    The owner didn¡¯t recognize Lin Yuxing at first glance, only realizing it when Lin Yuxing called out to him.


    ¡°Xiao Lin?! How¡­ How did you¡­¡± He looked at Lin Yuxing¡¯s miserable appearance, then answered his own question indignantly, ¡°It¡¯s your damn uncle again, right? I knew he was no good when he came here causing trouble for you!¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t deny it and simply said, ¡°I cut ties with him and won¡¯t have anything to do with him anymore.¡±


    The owner hastily swallowed his curse and stared at Lin Yuxing in surprise. Then, he glanced at Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi politely extended his hand and smiled, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yuxing¡¯s boyfriend. We met at C University.¡±


    The owner had never seen an Alpha like him before. He instinctively wiped his palms on his clothes and shook Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand politely.


    Pausing for a moment, he said, ¡°C University¡­ C University?!¡± His eyes widened, and he shouted to Lin Yuxing, ¡°You got into C University?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lin Yuxing smiled shyly. He first congratulated the owner on the success of his business, and then said, ¡°I plan to go back to C City tonight, so I came here specifically to see you.¡±


    The owner was genuinely surprised and delighted. He was genuinely happy for Lin Yuxing from the bottom of his heart.


    When the owner heard that Lin Yuxing wanted to eat the restaurant¡¯s fried noodles, he led them to a small private room and had the waiter take their orders for two servings of fried noodles and some signature dishes from the restaurant.


    ¡°Xiao Lin getting into C University is a joyous occasion. I must treat you both today. Don¡¯t you two be polite to me!¡±


    In that small town, students who could got into C University were few and far between, let alone someone like Lin Yuxing, who had faced so many hardships in life.


    The owner personally poured them tea and constantly praised, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say it right? You, have always had good luck after surviving great difficulties.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t understand.


    The owner, being familiar, mentioned past events to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Xiao Gu, you may not know, but two years ago, we had a major traffic accident here. It was a stormy day, and a drunk driver hit and ran, causing several people to be sent flying while the pedestrian light was on!¡±


    That incident was reported in the news and caused quite a stir at the time.


    ¡°That driver was a beast, driving like a madman. I don¡¯t know what he was thinking, but he circled back and apparently hit and killed someone on a nearby road¡­ I heard that he intentionally rammed into the person, but I don¡¯t know what grudge they had. The person was sent flying and fell into the river under the overpass. They still haven¡¯t found the body to this day!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s brows furrowed as he listened.


    But the owner, with lingering fear, continued, ¡°Xiao Lin would have been one of the victims that day as he had gone out to make a delivery. But while he was waiting for the green light, he was inexplicably grabbed by a masked and sunglasses-wearing lunatic who wouldn¡¯t let him cross the road! When the light turned green, that person even intentionally pushed him down.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was puzzled, and he looked at Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing nodded, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    The owner clicked his tongue and found it particularly mysterious, ¡°That lunatic ran off after pushing him, and because of that, Xiao Lin scraped his knee.¡±


    Originally, it was a very unfortunate incident.


    But then, the car sped by.


    After witnessing that bloody scene, Lin Yuxing fell seriously ill and had nightmares for a long time.


    ¡°Although getting sick isn¡¯t a good thing, at the time, I felt that Xiao Lin, had some luck on his side. To turn disaster into fortune, not everyone can experience that.¡±


    It was still on such life-and-death matters that fortune reversed.


    Dishes and fried noodles were served one by one, all of Lin Yuxing¡¯s favorites.


    Lin Yuxing specifically recommended the plate of fried noodles to Gu Zhongyi. In the past, he could eat two plates in one go. The first time he ate it, he genuinely scared the owner, who thought he had brought in a big eater.


    The owner took a sip of wine and noticed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze, which occasionally fell on Lin Yuxing.


    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Big cities are great.¡±


    With vast skies and lands, there were many outstanding people.


    Lin Yuxing, unaffected, ate the fried noodles and replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s great.¡±


    The owner grinned and looked at both of them, saying, ¡°Do you know, your eyes have changed.¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked, puzzled, ¡°Is it because I have dark circles?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything!¡± The owner habitually clicked his tongue and explained, ¡°Before, I always thought your eyes, so beautiful, were always hazy.¡± He chewed on a peanut and waved his hand, ¡°Not anymore. Look, they¡¯re bright now, they shine!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was puzzled. His eyes weren¡¯t light bulbs. Did they install a switch or something?


    However, Gu Zhongyi understood that point very well and couldn¡¯t help but agree, ¡°Yuxing¡¯s eyes have always been beautiful.¡±


    As a result, after hearing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words, Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears turned red all of a sudden. ¡°You, you shouldn¡¯t say such things.¡± He lightly tugged on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes.


    Gu Zhongyi indeed stopped saying ¡°such¡± things.

 CH 45

    7:30 PM.


    Lin Yuxing sat on the plane, with few passengers around. He stared blankly out the window.


    The plane had not taken off yet, and he could vaguely see the lights in the night connecting together, like buds on a flower petal, swaying in the wind, emitting a faint glow.


    At night City D was much quieter compared to City C.


    Beside him, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°During the winter break, you can come stay at my place.¡±


    Lin Yuxing snapped back to reality and immediately replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay, these injuries will heal in a few days.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apartment only had one room, and Lin Yuxing knew it would be inconvenient for him to move there.


    Moreover, last night, he had fallen asleep easily due to exhaustion. If it were any other night, with such a handsome guy lying beside him, Lin Yuxing would probably suffer from insomnia every night.


    So he shook his head and repeatedly refused.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I can sleep on the floor next to the bed. If that¡¯s also not okay, I can sleep in the living room.¡± He was relieved that he had a large enough sofa.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuxing became even more unwilling.


    Who would want to go to someone else¡¯s place and make them sleep on the floor or in the living room?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to inconvenience you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi paused for a moment and showed a firm stance on the matter. ¡°Yuxing, I would be very worried about you if you are not next to me.¡±


    The word ¡°worried¡± seemed to have a magical effect. After considering it for a while, Lin Yuxing reluctantly made a concession in a soft voice. ¡°Then you sleep on the bed, and I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Zhongyi said firmly, ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡±


    Before Lin Yuxing could respond, Gu Zhongyi decisively added, ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me on this. Once your injuries are healed, you can sleep wherever you want, and I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    It had been a long time since Lin Yuxing had been cared for so seriously and persistently by someone.


    He pursed his lips.


    Gu Zhongyi held his hand, and their fingers interlocked once again. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take it as you agreeing to the suggestion.¡±


    Lin Yuxing leaned against him, pretending to be half asleep.


    The plane finally took off.


    At that moment, Lin Yuxing opened his eyes and looked out the window.


    As the scenery became smaller and farther away, a hint of sadness appeared in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, causing an inexplicable anguish in his heart.


    He hadn¡¯t said anything, but he had written everything on his face.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed his worries. ¡°Leaving City D means a new beginning for you. It¡¯s the best choice you could make.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze flickered, and he remained silent.


    After a while, Lin Yuxing, with mixed thoughts, whispered, ¡°Maybe I am what they say I am.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Zhongyi immediately denied his mistaken perception and said. ¡°If you were truly an ungrateful person as they say,  would you have remembered the people who helped you? And you wouldn¡¯t be sad as you are now, would you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want him to feel sad and said, ¡°You can rest assured. If your aunt is willing to divorce this time, I will help with the related procedures. After she separates from Cheng Rong, the money she earns from work should be enough for her and her son to live on. You¡¯re still a student; don¡¯t burden yourself too much.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, feeling ashamed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. You¡¯ve already helped me enough.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi dismissed his concerns and lifted their joined hands, making Lin Yuxing look closely.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand.


    Gu Zhongyi raised his chin slightly and said, ¡°Only when you¡¯re in love do hands hold each other like this.¡±


    Lin Yuxing remained speechless.


    ¡°Yuxing, you should give me a chance to prove myself,¡± Gu Zhongyi said gently. ¡°Your boyfriend comes from a powerful family. It would be a shame not to use him, right?¡±


    For a moment, Lin Yuxing was at a loss for words. He had never realized that Gu Zhongyi could be so good with words.


    But those words, unfortunately, touched Lin Yuxing deeply, and Gu Zhongyi once again comforted his heart.


    Lin Yuxing seemed to relax.


    He leaned on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder and brought up that day¡¯s events.


    ¡°This afternoon, I told Shaohua that he should listen to Aunt from now on. He¡¯s usually silly, but today he seemed to understand and even cried.¡±


    Thinking about this, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t pretend not to feel upset.


    He contemplated for a moment and confided in Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Although Shaohua isn¡¯t very intelligent, he has always been obedient and attached to me. We grew up together. Aunt always doted on him, and even Uncle, despite his temper, couldn¡¯t bear to hit him. I envied him and felt jealous, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to dislike him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice was very soft, so soft that those words were whispered as a secret meant only for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ears.


    Gu Zhongyi quietly listened.


    Lin Yuxing was grateful that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t mock his feelings at all


    He pursed his lips and seemed to want to explain the reason to Gu Zhongyi and share the deepest loneliness in his heart.


    That was a story he had never told anyone before.


    Outside the window, it was a dark night, and Lin Yuxing spoke as if he was talking in his sleep, slowly revealing the story.


    ¡°Senior, you may not know, but I have a twin brother.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze evaded for a moment.


    ¡°When we were young, our father abandoned us and left us in an orphanage. We relied on each other for survival,¡± Lin Yuxing said. ¡°I used to resent my brother.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his eyelids, and there was a slight sweat on the palms of his hands, intertwined with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s.


    ¡°Because we had made a promise to be adopted together, but he left me and walked away.¡± Lin Yuxing curled his lips, a bitter smile mixed with sadness. ¡°He could have rejected that adoption, but he didn¡¯t. He said he really wanted to be adopted; he longed for a home.¡±


    Life in the orphanage was boring, and everyone wanted to escape.


    Lin Yuxing was the same.


    Since childhood, they had been taught and instilled with one belief: that being adopted would bring happiness to everyone.


    But happiness seemed hard to grasp. Who could truly know where it was?


    Lin Yuxing took a deep breath. ¡°¡­He also said he would convince his adoptive parents to take me with him. But which family would want me?¡±


    It was in that year that Lin Yuxing got burned, completely losing any chance of being adopted.


    No normal family would want him.


    ¡°The orphanage director said that my brother went abroad with his adoptive parents and would never come back. It turns out he knew from the beginning that once he was adopted, he would go live overseas.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was speechless. ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    ¡°The orphanage director told me not to wait anymore and not to hold a grudge against my brother.¡± Lin Yuxing closed his eyes, surrounded by endless disappointment. ¡°I know he was only 8 years old back then, and many things were beyond his control. But I¡­ I keep thinking about him. I didn¡¯t really need him to actually take me away. Even if he just kept me in his thoughts and visited me once in a while, I would have been content.¡±


    Lin Yuxing remembered the year when he was 8, when he desperately begged his brother not to leave. He pleaded many times, crying until he fainted. In the end, it was his brother¡¯s words, ¡°I will definitely come to get you!¡± and ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡± that made him sadly let go.


    Could it be that his brother had to deceive him because of his own immaturity?


    Lin Yuxing often dreamt of his twin brother and would remember the time they spent together. His brother was the hero of his childhood, protecting and caring for him.


    Whenever Lin Yuxing hid somewhere and shed tears, his brother would always find him and sing a tuneless nursery rhyme, sharing an unrealistic dream.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Silly little star, don¡¯t cry. If they take your candy, hit them back. Haven¡¯t I taught you that?¡± His brother held his hand and assured him, ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯ll open a big supermarket. Then you can have candy every day.¡±


    Little Lin Yuxing rubbed his eyes and sobbed, ¡°How much money will that take?¡±


    ¡°Who cares how much money it takes? I¡¯m so smart, I¡¯ll definitely become a big boss in the future, and you¡¯ll be the little boss.¡± His brother wiped away Lin Yuxing¡¯s tears, deliberately rubbing his face. ¡°Stop crying, you¡¯re always crying. That¡¯s why they like to bully you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t beat them¡­¡±


    ¡°Silly little star, if you can¡¯t beat them, come find me. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll talk to the orphanage director and move to your dormitory.¡± His brother felt sorry for his weak little brother. ¡°We¡¯re twins. There¡¯s no reason for us to sleep apart.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right!¡± little Lin Yuxing sniffed and his tears kept flowing.


    ¡°Oh, if you keep crying, you¡¯ll go blind.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You will. If your eyes go blind, you won¡¯t be able to see me opening a big supermarket, and you won¡¯t have any candy!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was scared and stopped his tears. He hugged his brother tightly and rubbed against him.


    His brother laughed cheerfully. ¡°Such a silly little star.¡±


    At that time, there was a crescent moon in the sky, and his brother brought him back to the cramped dormitory. The worn-out bedding emitted a damp smell.


    Lin Yuxing timidly stood in place, always looking up at his bunk bed. His brother urged him to sleep, and he obediently climbed onto the bed with slightly swollen eyes. ¡°Brother, can you sleep here too?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The two small bodies squeezed together, face to face.


    The boy on the top bunk was the one who always bullied Lin Yuxing. He deliberately kicked the bed to scare them.


    Lin Yuxing immediately tightened his grip on his brother¡¯s hand.


    His brother clenched his fist, with a face exactly like Lin Yuxing¡¯s, exuding a fierceness that Lin Yuxing had never seen before. Although they were twins, their personalities were completely different.


    That night, he pulled the troublemaker from his bed and had a fight.


    He understood the law of survival among orphans: the weak are prey to the strong.


    He, an Omega, beat up an Alpha boy until his face was bruised and swollen.


    The Alpha boy cried in pain,


    He raised an eyebrow and sternly warned, ¡± if you ever dare to bully my little brother again, I will find a way to kill you!¡± He spoke clearly, tightening his hands around the Alpha boy¡¯s neck, forcing him to look at him. ¡°I mean what I say¡­¡±


    But as soon as he turned around and faced Lin Yuxing, who was trembling behind him, his expression immediately changed.


    From sinister to sunny, it only took him a second.


    He smiled brightly and reached out his hand. ¡°Come on, little star, let¡¯s go to sleep~¡±


    Memories were both beautiful and bitter.


    ¡­¡­.


    As Lin Yuxing recalled the past, his heart felt heavy and uncomfortable.


    He told Gu Zhongyi, ¡°I always think that even my own trusted brother didn¡¯t want me, but Shaohua always thinks about me. So, even if my misfortune is indirectly caused by Shaohua, I can¡¯t bring myself to hate him.¡±


    In his heart, he put Cheng Shaohua, who disappeared like his brother, in the same place.


    They were both his brothers.


    People always have difficulties, people always have flaws.


    Lin Yuxing had been trying to reconcile with his own knots and constantly persuading himself, sacrificing himself.


    Now, he had cut off the binding rope.


    With a hint of bitter orange fragrance he felt a sense of relief. ¡°After speaking those words to Aunt today, my shoulders suddenly felt much lighter.¡±


    It was okay to be selfish.


    Lin Yuxing wanted to have his own life, and this was a good start.


    He added, ¡°But, Senior, if you hadn¡¯t been by my side these past few days, I probably wouldn¡¯t have had the courage to do this. Thank you.¡±


    After hearing those words, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze became deep and profound. His thousands of words were condensed into a kiss that landed on the back of Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand.

 CH 46

    Two days later.


    Gu Zhongyi bought a pair of underarm crutches for Lin Yuxing, intending to go with him to school to pack his belongings.


    Lin Yuxing tried using the crutches and felt that he could manage on his own, so he didn¡¯t contact Su Li to ask for help.


    However, Gu Zhongyi was considerate in every way. As an Alpha, he couldn¡¯t enter the Omega dormitory building, so he privately asked his cousin Gu Nuan for help.


    When Gu Nuan received the message from Gu Zhongyi, his first reaction was that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s account had been hacked.


    Gu Nuan: [Get lost. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re trying to scam me.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [?]


    Gu Nuan: [Don¡¯t mess with me, you little brat.]


    Gu Zhongyi immediately called him: ¡°Explain clearly, who is the little brat?¡±


    Gu Nuan¡¯s heart turned cold, feeling like he was doomed: ¡°I am the little brat.¡±


    But it wasn¡¯t entirely Gu Nuan¡¯s fault for being overly cautious. Su Li¡¯s account had been hacked the previous day and was used for scams. Gu Nuan was just being extra careful so as not to be scammed too.


    As an apology, Gu Nuan brought a strawberry cake with him.


    Gu Zhongyi opened the driver¡¯s door, got out of the car, and said, ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Gu Nuan was confused, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi closed the door, walked to the other side, and opened the back door. He helped Lin Yuxing out of the car, who was still holding two crutches, one on each side.


    Gu Nuan was taken aback, his smile vanished.


    Lin Yuxing had only learned that Gu Nuan was coming a moment ago, and he expressed his gratitude, ¡°Gu Nuan, thank you for your help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem!¡± Gu Nuan hurriedly approached and handed the cake to Gu Zhongyi. He looked at Lin Yuxing, wanted to say something several times but felt too embarrassed to ask.


    Not wanting to mention the situation at home, Lin Yuxing casually lied, ¡°I accidentally fell.¡±


    Gu Nuan didn¡¯t believe it, but he tactfully didn¡¯t ask any further.


    Since Lin Yuxing¡¯s dormitory was on the fourth floor, they had to climb the stairs.


    Gu Nuan said, ¡°Should I carry you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt it was unnecessary, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can manage with the crutches. Zhongyi specially bought them for me.¡±


    Gu Nuan asked uncertainly, ¡°Are you sure you can manage?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Lin Yuxing was very confident in his physical strength. ¡°You just help me with the luggage.¡±


    After saying that, he had just climbed a couple of steps when he lost his balance and started to fall backward. Fortunately, Gu Nuan was there to catch him from behind.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Sometimes, it seemed that technique was more important than physical strength. As a first-time user of crutches, he wasn¡¯t quite used to them.


    Gu Nuan rubbed his chin and affirmed, ¡°It seems like you can¡¯t manage.¡±


    Gu Nuan couldn¡¯t let anything go wrong as he had been entrusted with that responsibility, so he directly stepped in front of Lin Yuxing, bent down, and said, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll carry you!¡±


    For a moment, a future overbearing president¡¯s radiance shimmered around Gu Nuan. But in reality, he was afraid that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cold gaze would kill him.


    Seeing this, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t dare to make a sound and simply complied.


    Gu Nuan, being a male Omega, had good stamina. He carried Lin Yuxing all the way to the entrance of the 406 dormitory. Then, like a deflated ball, his legs trembled as he weakly groped for the door frame, completely devoid of any domineering aura.


    He looked weak and helpless, gasping for breath, and called out Gu Zhongyi¡¯s name, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi an Omega!¡±


    That way, he could enter the dormitory building on his own!


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have much luggage, and all of it could fit into a small dark-colored travel bag.


    Considering Gu Nuan¡¯s physical fatigue, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t dare to let him carry him while going downstairs. This time, he only used one crutch, and with the other hand gripping the stair railing, he slowly descended.


    Gu Nuan helped him carry the luggage and the remaining crutch, saying enviously, ¡°You have such a good relationship with Zhongyi Ge. It makes me want to fall in love too.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know how to respond, so he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve never been in love?¡±


    Gu Nuan bit his lip, ¡°Never.¡±


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°I heard from Su Li that many people are pursuing you.¡±


    Gu Nuan, feeling down, lowered his head, ¡°What¡¯s the use of so many people pursuing me if the person I like doesn¡¯t pursue me? Moreover, I rarely get to see him.¡± He didn¡¯t want to dampen the mood by talking about his own situation and instead asked Lin Yuxing, ¡°Yuxing, are you and Zhongyi Ge living together now?¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt embarrassed.


    Gu Nuan was confused because he remembered that Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t been this easily embarrassed before.


    But the reason Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t embarrassed before was that he hadn¡¯t truly been in a romantic relationship. Everything was just for the sake of the contract. Besides, who would be shy when working?


    Lin Yuxing cleared his throat and pretended to be calm as he answered, ¡°Once my foot gets better, I¡¯ll move back to the dormitory.¡±


    ¡°Why? I hope you two get married soon.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, I used to be really afraid of Zhongyi Ge when I was young. He was so cold and seemed uninterested in anything, always wearing a sour face.¡±


    Lin Yuxing realized that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s reputation from others¡¯ perspective wasn¡¯t that great.


    Then Gu Nuan confessed, ¡°Since you appeared, he has changed. Like preparing for your birthday and asking me to help you pack your belongings this time, it¡¯s all unlike him.¡±


    Gu Nuan was very satisfied with Lin Yuxing, and he hoped that Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi could have a long and loving relationship.


    ¡°Yuxing, it¡¯s great that Zhongyi Ge can be in a relationship with you.¡±


    But Lin Yuxing was perplexed.


    In theory, for a prestigious family like the Gu family, shouldn¡¯t they be opposed to someone like him, a poor boy?


    As Lin Yuxing carefully thought about it, since he started ¡°dating¡± Gu Zhongyi, he hadn¡¯t encountered any opposition from Gu¡¯s family members. Not only that, but the Gu family members he had encountered were also kind-hearted.


    Like Gu Nuan, like Ji Mu.


    How come it was different from what was shown in TV dramas?


    Seeing him silent, Gu Nuan sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll definitely take over the company in the future. By then, I¡¯ll have to meet Zhongyi Ge regularly. If he always has a cold face as the boss, it would be too torturous.¡±


    In a family business, it¡¯s difficult to avoid certain interpersonal relationships.


    Gu Nuan didn¡¯t reject inheriting the family business, but he hoped to enjoy his work. So, Gu Nuan held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand and chose to entice him with benefits: ¡°I heard from Su Li, after you graduate,  you want to work at my family¡¯s company? If you can make Zhongyi Ge become a bit friendlier, I¡¯ll offer you a high salary and a good position! But we¡¯ll stick to principles in everything, and you have to work hard as well.¡±


    With Gu Nuan¡¯s temptation, Lin Yuxing, with a simple mind, made a decisive choice and firmly grasped Gu Nuan¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Yes, definitely!¡±


    Lin Yuxing could already envision a bright future ahead of him. He couldn¡¯t wait to graduate!


    When Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi returned to the apartment together, he eagerly unpacked the cake that Gu Nuan had given them.


    Inside the white box was a six-inch cake emitting a sweet fragrance. The crystal-clear strawberry sauce was evenly spread on the cream, with fresh strawberries of various sizes neatly arranged on top, sprinkled with powdered sugar.


    ¡°Every cake Gu Nuan buys is both beautiful and delicious.¡± Lin Yuxing sighed and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Senior, I really think Gu Nuan is adorable. I can¡¯t imagine what he¡¯ll be like as the future president.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said while he poured a glass of water and placed it in front of Lin Yuxing. ¡°He had a good education and a good upbringing. Don¡¯t be deceived by his recklessness; he has always been a smart person since he was young. So, I believe he¡¯ll be fine in the future too.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t as disinterested in everything as Gu Nuan had described. In Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, Gu Zhongyi still cared about his younger cousin, Gu Nuan.


    Lin Yuxing took a sip of water, took out disposable utensils from the packaging bag, and prepared to cut the cake.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I have something to attend to and will be going out. I¡¯ll be back in the evening.¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately put away the plate. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to come back so we can eat together.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t particularly interested in sweet things. He said, ¡°There¡¯s still a long afternoon ahead. I remember Gu Nuan mentioned that Su Li¡¯s place isn¡¯t far from here. You can invite him over if you like. There¡¯s black tea in the kitchen cabinet, and it should go well with the cake.¡±


    Lin Yuxing waved his hand and prepared to counter more but Gu Zhongyi held his hand. ¡°Treat this place as your own home okay?.¡±


    The only problem was that that home was not big enough, and Gu Zhongyi would eventually need to find a new house.


    The word ¡°home¡± made Lin Yuxing feel a bit uncomfortable. He didn¡¯t consider himself the owner of that apartment, so he wouldn¡¯t casually invite his friends over.


    He found an excuse. ¡°Su Li is busy playing games, so I won¡¯t disturb him.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Yuxing, give it a chance.¡±


    ¡°A chance?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you inform Su Li that we are truly in a relationship?¡±


    Lin Yuxing hesitated. Facing Gu Zhongyi, he whispered, ¡°Be careful on the road.¡± He blinked and added, ¡°Come back¡­ come back early. I¡¯ll wait for you to eat the cake together.¡±


    The two of them locked eyes for a full ten seconds, and Gu Zhongyi suddenly felt reluctant to leave.


    ¡ª


    However, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. Suddenly, he took the initiative to kiss Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips. Compared to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s previous fleeting touch, the kiss was like a gentle breeze. Before the taste could be savored, it quickly ended.


    Gu Zhongyi was pleasantly surprised and bewildered.


    You see, in Lin Yuxing¡¯s sober state, he had never taken the initiative to kiss Gu Zhongyi before.


    Let alone kiss on the lips.


    Before Gu Zhongyi could react, Lin Yuxing lowered his head and returned the money Gu Zhongyi had transferred to him. It was exactly the 27,000 yuan that Gu Zhongyi had sent.


    A straightforward kiss and a simple return of money.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also had physical contact with you beyond the normal boundaries, but I can¡¯t give you three times that amount, so I¡¯ll return the money to you.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks were flushed, and he spoke tenderly, as if whispering in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear. ¡°Senior, I officially declare that our contract is over.¡±


    They were genuinely now starting the relationship on equal grounds.


    Moreover, Gu Zhongyi had resolved the issue with Cheng Rong. From now on, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have to give so much money to his family every month. The burden on his shoulders lightened, and the money he earned from his part-time job could cover his living expenses.


    As a result, he wanted to have an ordinary relationship with Gu Zhongyi, just like any other couple.


    Lin Yuxing smiled brightly. ¡°Please take care of me from now on.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback for a moment, then leaned in and gave Lin Yuxing a genuine kiss.


    Lin Yuxing closed his eyes, this time without evading, but his nervousness remained. Gradually, he grew accustomed to the fact that Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t be too ¡°gentle¡± during kisses, and he embraced Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck with a heart full of excitement.


    That was their first kiss after officially ending the contract.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips were left tingling, red, and warm.

 CH 47

    After leaving the apartment, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile remained on his lips. Even while driving, he couldn¡¯t help but savor the light kiss from Lin Yuxing.


    The taste may have been lacking, but the significance lay in the initiative.


    Gu Zhongyi was in a pleasant mood, and the places he was about to visit no longer seemed dull or troublesome to him.


    However, when he drove his car into the exquisite and familiar villa, he restrained his expression and put on a serious demeanor.


    He parked the car, picked up a file bag placed on the passenger seat, and stepped on the stone path, entering the main hall as usual.


    Qiu Jie was directing the housekeepers to change the flower arrangements in the vases when she saw him. She exclaimed in surprise, ¡°Young Master, why are you back? Why didn¡¯t you inform us in advance?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi calmly retorted, ¡°I¡¯m returning to my own home. Do I need to inform anyone?¡±


    Qiu Jie was a member of the Gu family.


    When Gu Zhongyi was young, she often reported his mischievous behavior to his father.


    Qiu Jie wasn¡¯t used to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s assertive attitude, and she felt aggrieved but maintained a respectful smile as she said, ¡°It was my mistake for speaking without thinking, Young Master. Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll inform Mr. Gu.¡±


    ¡°Father is in the study, right? I¡¯ll go find him.¡±


    ¡°Young Master!¡± Qiu Jie stood in front of him, afraid of being implicated by that unruly Young Master. ¡°To be honest, Mr. Gu has been looking for you these past few days, and you never came or answered his calls. He¡¯s angry. He might not want to see you. Moreover, Madam isn¡¯t home today. If you two have a conflict, won¡¯t it make things difficult for me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked at her meaningfully.


    Qiu Jie asked, ¡°Young Master?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I kindly ask you to know your place.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, what do you mean¡ª¡±


    Gu Zhongyi interrupted her, not wanting to waste too much time. ¡°As the housekeeper of this household, aren¡¯t you being overly talkative?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was well aware of Qiu Jie¡¯s secret relationship with Gu Zhuang, but he simply looked down on it. Clearly, Gu Zhuang had driven away Su Suo, who was a housekeeper, from their home in the past, only to repeat the same ¡°mistake¡± a few years later.


    Except for Xu Wanling and Gu Zhuang¡¯s superficial appearance as a couple, Xu Wanling didn¡¯t care about them or hold them accountable.


    Gu Zhongyi knocked on the study door twice.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Inside, Gu Zhuang didn¡¯t respond, intentionally it seemed.


    But Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t simply wait. His mind was filled with thoughts of Lin Yuxing waiting for him at home, which gave him confidence.


    Gu Zhongyi pushed the door open directly.


    Gu Zhuang sat solemnly behind his desk, with a cold cup of tea beside him. He frowned disapprovingly. ¡°Who allowed you to come in?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi calmly replied, ¡°I have something to discuss with you and don¡¯t want to waste too much time. Please understand.¡±


    Gu Zhuang stared at Gu Zhongyi sharply. ¡°You¡¯re becoming more unruly day by day.¡±


    Qiu Jie hurriedly stepped forward to explain, ¡°Mr. Gu, I tried to stop him, but Young Master didn¡¯t listen to me.¡±


    Gu Zhuang narrowed his eyes, a hint of anger between his brows.


    Gu Zhongyi ignored Qiu Jie and walked confidently to stand in front of  his father, holding the conspicuous file in his hand. ¡°About this matter, I believe it would be better if there were no outsiders present.¡±


    Gu Zhuang furrowed his brow.


    He raised his hand, signaling for Qiu Jie to leave.


    Feeling frustrated, Qiu Jie reluctantly exited the study. Knowing Gu Zhuang¡¯s temper, she never dared to make a fuss.


    In that villa, she wasn¡¯t allowed to bear children, let alone be presumptuous. Gu Zhuang would always give her some money as compensation for her dedicated service, but he never showed her any concern.


    After the door closed, Gu Zhuang spoke coldly, ¡°Speak.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t beat around the bush and straightforwardly informed Gu Zhuang, ¡°I¡¯m in a relationship with someone, and after graduation, I plan to marry him.¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s fingers silently tapped on the armrest of his chair, without saying a word.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to seek your approval.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi knew very well that Gu Zhuang was responsible for Cheng Rong¡¯s leg injury, and he understood how ruthless Gu Zhuang could be.


    Previously, Gu Zhuang hadn¡¯t intervened in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s relationship with Lin Yuxing because he was preoccupied with other matters and hadn¡¯t realized that Lin Yuxing was the little star from the orphanage. He also didn¡¯t expect that that impoverished Omega could pass the C University entrance exam, which was his negligence.


    Furthermore, Gu Zhuang was inherently old-fashioned. He believed that it wasn¡¯t a big deal for an adult Alpha to have played with a few Omegas. The Omegas in C University were still suitable targets for his son to have fun with.


    As long as Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t tarnish the Gu family¡¯s reputation and ultimately married the person designated by him, Gu Zhuang would not interfere.


    However, the incident in D City unexpectedly revealed his son¡¯s ¡°cheap sincerity.¡±


    And it happened to be that little star.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Gu Zhuang felt somewhat frustrated.


    But he wasn¡¯t bothered by it. He believed it was effortless to crush an ant. What truly annoyed him was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s repeated defiance.


    He said coldly, ¡°What? Do you need my congratulations?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Gu Zhongyi knew Gu Zhuang¡¯s character well and needed to make everything clear in advance. ¡°I hope you can stay away from his life and not trip him up as you did in the past.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know who he is.¡± Gu Zhongyi calmly revealed, ¡°Four years ago, you caused Cheng Rong¡¯s leg injury and burdened him with debts. You also made them wander from place to place, completely cutting off my contact with him.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had lived ten extra years, and he knew everything.


    During those dark ten years, he acted as Gu Zhuang¡¯s puppet.


    Gu Zhuang had unrealistic dreams. He desired to replace Gu Yuanchen and wanted Gu Zhongyi to replace Gu Nuan.


    Desire is the ugliest fruit that grows deep within a person¡¯s heart. Father and son were ultimately no match for the sun, and they eventually reaped what they sowed.


    After Gu Zhuang was imprisoned, Gu Zhongyi visited him once.


    Gu Zhuang, dressed in prison clothes, resembled a stray dog, looking crazy and deranged. Pitifully, he was still spouting delusional dreams, fantasizing that his son could help him make a comeback.


    But Gu Zhongyi, who had been expelled from the Gu family, was like a walking corpse.


    Fortunately, his uncle, Gu Yuanchen, as an elder, took the initiative to look after Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°I have heard about how your father treated you during these years. Zhongyi, I hope you don¡¯t live under your father¡¯s shadow. You¡¯re still young.¡± Gu Yuanchen handed over a small company under the Gu Group to Gu Zhongyi. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for you to return to the headquarters. As a father, I don¡¯t want you to influence Gu Nuan. This small company doesn¡¯t generate much profit, but it¡¯s up to you if you want to run it.¡±


    That year, Gu Zhongyi was 28 years old.


    He accepted Gu Yuanchen¡¯s goodwill and sincerely apologized.


    After breaking free from Gu Zhuang, Gu Zhongyi gradually started living like a normal person. He worked diligently and lived earnestly, reigniting his hope of finding Little Star.


    With the help of a private investigator, he found ¡°Lin Yuxing.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t know that that troubled ¡°Lin Yuxing¡± was not the real Little Star but the twin brother of Lin Yuxing, Qu Xing.


    The real Little Star, who had endured hardships, had disappeared completely from that world after being driven away by Gu Zhuang.


    Facing Qu Xing¡¯s repeated coldness and indifference, Gu Zhongyi never left.


    Finally, one day, Qu Xing erupted.


    He threw the fruit Gu Zhongyi had bought onto the ground, screaming like a madman, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you I don¡¯t like you. Why are you still clinging here? Are you crazy? Are you obsessed?¡±


    He insulted Gu Zhongyi vehemently, his body thin like a dry stick. ¡°Can you stop bothering me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi endured Qu Xing¡¯s inexplicable rage and silently cleaned up the mess.


    With red eyes, Qu Xing approached the brink of collapse. ¡°Gu Zhongyi¡­ I¡¯m not the person you¡¯re looking for. I¡¯m not him! Please, leave me alone¡­¡±


    He anxiously wiped his face, looking like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to fall irreparably. To make Gu Zhongyi believe him, he began rummaging through boxes.


    He couldn¡¯t bear Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gentle silence. For him, it was like a form of torture.


    Soon, he found a photo he had carried with him since childhood and forcefully handed it to Gu Zhongyi.


    On the faded and worn-out photo, a pair of twin boys sat intimately together, with the orphanage director by their side.


    On the back of the photo, a line was written: Lin Yuheng and Lin Yuxing, eighth birthday photo.


    Qu Xing was Lin Yuheng. After being adopted, he changed his name along with his foster parents.


    Gu Zhongyi held the photo, belatedly realizing its significance. He panicked, feeling a stifling surge of emotions in his throat.


    Before him, Qu Xing¡¯s eyes were clouded, devoid of light. Gu Zhongyi finally saw the expression on Qu Xing¡¯s face, an expression that Little Star had never shown.


    Qu Xing said, ¡°If you want to find him, I know where he is. But there¡¯s a condition¡­ You have to help me.¡±


    ¡°How can I help?¡± Gu Zhongyi asked.


    Qu Xing tugged at the corner of his mouth, full of resentment. ¡°Help me die soon! My glands are rotten, beyond saving. Now, I just want to die quickly. Will you help me?!¡±


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, if there comes a day¡­¡± Qu Xing paused and continued, ¡°I mean if, and you can still see him. Remember to smile more. He doesn¡¯t like being ignored. Give him more love, more patience, and more tenderness.¡±


    Qu Xing gazed outside the window, feeling melancholic. He watched a flock of birds flying by.


    Gu Zhongyi followed his gaze, foolishly thinking, ¡°If I find him, I can go back home too.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sole long-held wish was to follow that star that had given him brief warmth.


    That was his obsession, transforming stubbornly into friendship, love, family, or perhaps a deeper emotion. Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t explain it clearly; he only knew that he had to find that shining star and never be separated again.


    Therefore¡­


    Gu Zhongyi issued an ¡°ultimatum¡± to Gu Zhuang.


    He opened the file bag and placed several documents in front of Gu Zhuang. Gu Zhuang¡¯s angry expression was tinged with panic upon seeing them.


    Gu Zhuang glared at him, as if asking Gu Zhongyi how he obtained those documents.


    But Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t tell Gu Zhuang that all that information came from the past uncovered after Gu Zhuang¡¯s imprisonment in that world.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s attitude remained respectful as he calmly spoke the words that Gu Zhuang feared the most, ¡°These are just the tip of the iceberg. You should be well aware of what you¡¯ve done all these years.¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s gaze turned sinister as he spoke, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, you are my son.¡±


    ¡°So I am correcting your mistakes.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°My request is simple, and I believe you can do it.¡±


    Gu Zhuang took a deep breath and clenched his fist.


    ¡°Stay away from Lin Yuxing, and the secret will remain a secret.¡± Gu Zhongyi understood the ultimate outcome of this struggle within the Gu family and clearly stated his position. ¡°You are my biological father, and I won¡¯t send you to jail. But¡ª¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°If Uncle Tang sees these documents, do you think he would let you off?¡±

 CH 48

    In the Gu Group, only Gu Zhuang could be a match to the current CEO, Gu Yuanchen. However, as they were not descendants of the same grandfather, the ultimate power of the Gu family was in the hands of Gu Yuanchen.


    It was well-known that Gu Yuanchen doted on his only son, Gu Nuan, and was willing to pay any price to pave the way for him. Therefore, if he had the opportunity to eliminate Gu Zhuang, he would not hesitate.


    Gu Zhuang suddenly stood up and grabbed Gu Zhongyi by the collar. ¡°Is it because of an Omega that you¡¯ve lost your sanity?!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remained calm and composed. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Just because of that stupid defective omega, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please mind your words!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to hear Gu Zhuang constantly insult Lin Yuxing. Gu Zhuang had no right to do so.


    Angered, Gu Zhuang¡¯s temples throbbed, and he angrily rebuked, ¡°If you reveal these things to Gu Yuanchen and bring me down, the family will be finished! Do you really think that sly and cunning Gu Yuanchen would spare you?¡±


    The family fortune would be lost overnight.


    Without the background of the Gu family, Gu Zhongyi would become an ordinary person.


    Little did he know, that was exactly what Gu Zhongyi wanted.


    Gu Zhongyi calmly released Gu Zhuang¡¯s hand, provocatively stating, ¡°Then I should thank you for your strict ways in raising me, I know that even if I leave the Gu family, I won¡¯t starve on the streets.¡±


    ¡°You?!¡±


    Gu Zhuang widened his eyes, his hand grasping the edge of the table.


    At middle age, he couldn¡¯t withstand Gu Zhongyi¡¯s repeated provocations. ¡°I¡¯ve really raised an ungrateful dog¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t deny it. In his eyes, being ¡°ungrateful¡± wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing. Both Lin Yuxing and himself were like that, a match made in heaven.


    Thinking of this, Gu Zhongyi curled his lips.


    He refrained from laughing, as Gu Zhuang would spit out blood if he did.


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s face turned iron gray. He had never lost control like that before. He gasped for breath, clutching his chest, and gritted his teeth, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, that car accident must have driven you insane!¡±


    ¡°Then I should thank it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi sincerely thought so. He was grateful for that car accident, as it had completely straightened out his life.


    Filled with anger, Gu Zhuang raised his hand and swung it.


    Unexpectedly, that day Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t dodge.


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s slap landed solidly on his face, as if he wanted to end it all


    Gu Zhongyi remained unmoved, his tone steady. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve vented your anger, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± He caught sight of the documents on the table but didn¡¯t offer any further reminders.


    Gu Zhongyi understood Gu Zhuang¡¯s character.


    Gu Zhuang valued bloodline inheritance, seeing Gu Zhongyi as his only heir or as a distorted form of solace. Therefore, no matter how fierce Gu Zhuang¡¯s temper was, he wouldn¡¯t truly harm Gu Zhongyi.


    Clearly, Gu Zhongyi had been waiting for this day for a long time. He had made thorough preparations to ensure that Lin Yuxing would not be affected by any troubles brought about by the Gu family.


    Gu Zhongyi left the villa.


    Driving the car, one side of his face stung with pain. He glanced at the rearview mirror and furrowed his brows.


    He didn¡¯t want to worry Lin Yuxing, so he turned the car around and went to his own restaurant first.


    Gu Zhongyi recalled the argument with Gu Zhuang just now, feeling like it was a dream. He still had lingering fear, never expecting that the plan would proceed so smoothly.


    He wasn¡¯t a person who could easily relax. He would tightly hold onto the evidence in his hands and never give Gu Zhuang a chance to approach Lin Yuxing.


    The phone rang, and he received a call from the private investigator.


    ¡°Mr. Gu, is it convenient to talk now?¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°I found the owner of the number you gave me. He is a middle-aged man in his forties. Some time ago, a young Alpha male had borrowed his phone and paid him a sum of money, asking him not to answer unfamiliar calls or reply to any messages in the following months.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Do you have any physical characteristics of the person?¡±


    The investigator regretfully answered, ¡°He wore a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, covering himself completely. There was no surveillance footage when he borrowed the phone. However, he was tall and had a slender figure, like a model. His pheromones should be sandalwood.¡±


    That description was quite broad. Tall, sandalwood pheromones¡ªthere were plenty of Alphas like that on the street.


    Gu Zhongyi grasped onto a key point. ¡°Sunglasses and a mask?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi thought of the incident two years ago when Lin Yuxing was almost involved. Suddenly, he realized something. ¡°Regarding the person I asked you to find, Qu Xing, have you found any information about him?¡±


    ¡°No, he disappeared completely after cutting ties with his foster father and returning to the country two years ago.¡±


    ¡°Keep searching, we must find Qu Xing.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money.¡±


    He hung up the phone and had a guess in his mind.


    At that moment, Lin Yuxing suddenly sent three messages.


    ¡°[Senior, Liao Yan contacted me and said his relatives haven¡¯t found a suitable tutor yet. He asked if I wanted to take the job. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re busy, but he¡¯s urging me for a reply, so I had to disturb you.]¡±


    ¡°I want to earn some money on the side. I still haven¡¯t repaid you for the money you lent me.¡±


    ¡°Or is there a chance that you have the tutoring job still available for me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied without hesitation: ¡°[Don¡¯t agree to him, the job is still available.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly responded: ¡°[Hamster nodding expression]¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­


    The restaurant manager Zhang timely appeared in front of Gu Zhongyi. ¡°Boss, here¡¯s an ice pack for you to reduce the swelling.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi accepted it and thanked him. He stared at Zhang thoughtfully.


    Zhang felt a cold sweat on his back from being scrutinized. ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°Manager Zhang,¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°Do you remember the tutoring I mentioned last time?¡±


    ¡°How could I forget?¡±


    Considering Lin Yuxing¡¯s injury preventing him from going out, Gu Zhongyi suggested, ¡°Starting the day after tomorrow, have your son come to my apartment for tutoring 2 hours every afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Your, your place?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi openly said, ¡°The tutor and I are living together.¡±


    Understanding the situation, Zhang tried to please him. ¡°We still have a monthly mortgage to pay at home. We can¡¯t spare the money to find a tutor for our child at C University. Thank you so much, boss!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi returned to his apartment with three dishes and a soup in his hand.


    Standing at the door, the thought of Lin Yuxing waiting for him inside filled his entire chest with a strange feeling, like a glass bottle filled with water.


    Gu Zhongyi took a deep breath and opened the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Lin Yuxing was standing at the entrance to greet him. Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyebrows showed surprise, and his tone carried delight. ¡°I was just wondering when you¡¯ll be back, and you came in.¡±


    Leaning on a crutch, Lin Yuxing happily approached Gu Zhongyi. What caught Lin Yuxing¡¯s eye was the fading palm print on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face.


    Since childhood, Lin Yuxing who was frequently beaten, was familiar with such palm prints. He lifted his right foot, hurriedly took a step forward, and instinctively covered Gu Zhongyi¡¯s slightly swollen cheek.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face changed drastically as he didn¡¯t dare to use much force. In a fluster, he asked, ¡°Who hit you?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi, immersed in the happiness of Lin Yuxing waiting for him at home, unintentionally held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t intend to deceive Lin Yuxing and casually said, ¡°I had a conflict with my dad. He didn¡¯t hold back, but it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    As he spoke, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze lingered on Lin Yuxing¡¯s furrowed brow.


    ¡°Forget about it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi picked up the takeout bag in his hand, walked to the dining table, and began unpacking the food containers. Each dish was still steaming, clearly freshly cooked.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Turning around, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s swollen cheek appeared like a thicket, making Lin Yuxing uncomfortable. Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t ignore it and nervously moved his Adam¡¯s apple.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart tightened, wanting to continue asking, wanting to care for Gu Zhongyi, but he was very unfamiliar with all of this as it was his first time in a romantic relationship.


    So much so that during the meal, Lin Yuxing hesitated several times, not knowing what to say or what to eat with his chopsticks.


    Gu Zhongyi picked up the dish Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t take and put it into his bowl.


    Lin Yuxing felt a blockage in his heart and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Did he hit you because of me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi knew he couldn¡¯t hide it, so he paused.


    Seeing through it all, Lin Yuxing said guiltily, ¡°You helped me solve Auntie¡¯s family matter, probably using Uncle Gu¡¯s connections, right? So, I guessed if it¡¯s because of that, I¡¯m causing trouble for you.¡± He furrowed his brows, apologizing. ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to say, I won¡¯t ask.¡±


    Randomly picking up his chopsticks, he lowered his head and absentmindedly ate a mouthful of rice, tasteless.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t dare to speculate excessively, taking those words as Gu Zhongyi¡¯s overt hint.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t expect his love would begin so quickly and end just as fast. He secretly felt sad, and his hands trembled between his fingers.


    Just as he was about to say, ¡°I understand, so are you breaking up with me?¡± he saw Gu Zhongyi walking up to him, kneeling on one knee, and placing his right hand on Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand.


    Confused, Lin Yuxing shrank back.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t intend to tell Lin Yuxing those things so early, but he believed there was no need to hide it.


    After considering for a moment, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°If I decide to go against my dad¡¯s wishes and completely break away from the Gu family, I will have nothing and may face some difficulties.¡±


    Lin Yuxing widened his eyes, completely confused by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words.


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Are you willing to face it together with me?¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°?¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Huh?¡±


    Of course, Isn¡¯t that obvious?

 CH 49

    Lin Yuxing¡¯s frustration remained on his face, unable to retract it in time. But the sourness in his heart instantly transformed into surging waves.


    Taking a deep breath, Lin Yuxing blurted out without defense, ¡°Why did you ask such a silly question?¡±


    ¡°Silly question?¡± Gu Zhongyi asked.


    Lin Yuxing quickly changed his tone, ¡°I mean¡­ What¡¯s the need to ask? Of course, I¡¯m willing!¡±


    Not only that, Lin Yuxing gave Gu Zhongyi a reassurance, ¡°I¡¯m with you, not for your money.¡± As soon as he said it, Lin Yuxing realized it was wrong. Wasn¡¯t he initially with Gu Zhongyi for the money?


    It was like shooting himself in the foot.


    He became more and more confused as he spoke, changing his words again, and stammered, ¡°What I mean is, I¡¯m also a person who comes from nothing. Yet, you still chose me, right?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyebrows immediately relaxed as he placed his palm against the back of Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand. His gaze was intense, his eyes sparkling like stars, as if a fire was swirling around Lin Yuxing, attempting to burn away all the uneasiness and anxiety.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s worries shifted elsewhere. After contemplating for a moment, he asked, ¡°Are you really willing to leave your family for me?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you regret it?¡±


    ¡°I have no regrets.¡±


    But Lin Yuxing was afraid that Gu Zhongyi might change his mind or that his words were just empty promises.


    In a soft voice, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Have you ever thought that we¡­ haven¡¯t known each other for very long?¡±


    ¡°The length of time we¡¯ve known each other doesn¡¯t affect how i feel about you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi expressed his feelings once again, with a solemn tone that filled Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart with joy.


    In love, it seemed that a person¡¯s brain would run slowly, replaying the words they wanted to hear repeatedly.


    ¡°But your family¡­¡± Lin Yuxing stopped his voice here. He had heard Su Li talk about Gu Zhongyi¡¯s family and knew that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t like mentioning his so-called ¡°family.¡±


    In that instant, Lin Yuxing suddenly felt enlightened.


    Perhaps they sympathized with each other, which was why they were attracted to each other and fell in love. That reason was absurd, but it stirred up a myriad of emotions in Lin Yuxing, giving him a sense of belonging.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t plan to ask anything further. He earnestly said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Thank you for choosing me. I will treat you well.¡±


    The last word was light and fast, like a fruit just ripened on a branch, sincere like a slow but affectionate letter sent in the old days.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart warmed. ¡°Mm.¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought for a moment, then leaned close to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear and whispered, giving Gu Zhongyi another promise.


    Gu Zhongyi listened, unable to hold back his laughter. He raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°You two have this kind of agreement?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why, try not to have a cold face towards Gu Nuan. When I enter the company, I¡¯ll work very hard.¡± Lin Yuxing had never been so lively before, his tone relaxed. ¡°Our life will only get better.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was determined to rely on Gu Nuan¡¯s support!


    However, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the wonders of fate. They were actually facing the problem of elopement just like in a TV drama.


    Was this the hardship of being in love with the son from a wealthy family?


    Lin Yuxing felt nervous but couldn¡¯t help but relax unknowingly, realizing that he was hungry.


    ¡°Growl~¡±


    Gu Zhongyi sat back in his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± He picked up food for Lin Yuxing. ¡°We need to eat well before we can successfully elope.¡±


    Lin Yuxing caught Gu Zhongyi¡¯s joking remark, ¡°okay, i¡¯ll eat three bowls of rice and finish the cake Gu Nuan gave us.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have cake in the afternoon?¡±


    ¡°I really wanted to, but I want to eat it with you.¡±


    The smile on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t be suppressed.


    Time flew by, and it was the day when tutoring officially began.


    Lin Yuxing stood in front of the mirror, carefully tidying his clothes. ¡°Do I look like a teacher in this outfit?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi directly handed him a light-colored turtleneck and said, ¡°The one you¡¯re wearing is too thick. Change to a thinner one.¡±


    With the apartment¡¯s heating on, Lin Yuxing¡¯s previous turtleneck wasn¡¯t suitable.


    ¡°But this one makes me look small.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi reminded him, ¡°You¡¯re only 19.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders slumped as he couldn¡¯t refute Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words. He muttered, ¡°but so are you.¡±


    But Gu Zhongyi gave off a mature vibe and didn¡¯t seem like a teenager. Lin Yuxing envied him and pursed his lips, eager to look like an adult. He reluctantly said, ¡°I want to give the students a sense of security. I can¡¯t be too casual.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stepped forward and squeezed Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder. ¡°but if you¡¯re too serious; the students won¡¯t feel secure.¡±


    Lin Yuxing vaguely understood. He had always respected teachers since he was young. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Gu Zhongyi helped him tidy his hair. ¡°Every student naturally fears their teacher.¡±


    Curiously, Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Are you the same?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had been an outstanding student since elementary school, always making the teachers happy. Plus, he was well-behaved and rarely received punishment from teachers.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± he said. ¡°but It¡¯s better to look more approachable ¡°


    As Gu Zhongyi said that, he felt a bit sorry for Zhang¡¯s child. The child had a perfectly fine vacation, but Gu Zhongyi dragged him here just so Lin Yuxing could take his first tutoring job offer instead.


    At one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Zhang¡¯s wife, Fang Mei, promptly brought the child to the apartment.


    She learned that it was her husband¡¯s company¡¯s benefit and that a talented student from C University would be teaching, which made her overjoyed. She led her child into the apartment and instructed the child, ¡°Yuanyuan, greet the teacher.¡±


    The little boy called Zhang Yuanyuan, looked very well-behaved. His face blushing, he politely greeted, ¡®Hello, my name is Zhang Yuanyuan. The ¡®Yuan¡¯ in ¡®Yuan Garden¡¯ and the ¡®Yuan¡¯ in ¡®distant place.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing grabbed a handful of prepared snacks and placed them in his hands, saying, ¡®Hello, my name is Lin Yuxing. You can call me Teacher Lin.¡¯


    ¡®Teacher Lin, hello.¡¯


    Zhang Yuanyuan then looked at Gu Zhongyi, not knowing what kind of teacher he was or how to address him.


    Gu Zhongyi just brought out two cups of juice and a cup of tea from the kitchen. ¡®I¡¯m not a teacher, you can call me Uncle Gu.¡¯


    Upon hearing this, not only Lin Yuxing, but even Fang Mei was shocked.


    Lin Yuxing: Does he really have to behave like an old man?


    Fang Mei: This is trouble. If he really calls him that, will it offend the Gu family?


    Zhang Yuanyuan looked puzzled and innocently said, ¡®But you don¡¯t look like an uncle.¡¯


    Zhang Yuanyuan was 8 years old, and Gu Zhongyi  19 years old, only an 11-year difference. Moreover, 19 year olds were never old enough to be called uncle.


    Gu Zhongyi was dumbfounded and didn¡¯t expect that. After all, according to his normal timeline, he was indeed at the age where he should be called ¡®uncle.¡¯


    He cleared his throat and said, ¡®then call me older brother.¡¯


    Zhang Yuanyuan nodded, feeling it made sense, and obediently said, ¡®Hello, Brother Gu.¡¯ He held the snacks in his hand and curiously looked at Lin Yuxing, thinking that that day would be a leisurely day.


    Because that Teacher Lin seemed to have a good personality and looked good, he definitely wasn¡¯t a strict or grumpy person.


    Zhang Yuanyuan smiled at Lin Yuxing with a ¡°plan¡± in mind, revealing two cute little tiger teeth.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart was melted by the child¡¯s smile, and he quickly gave him more snacks.


    But Zhang Yuanyuan was wrong.


    He didn¡¯t understand Lin Yuxing, nor did he know that Lin Yuxing was a very dedicated worker.


    As soon as they sat down at the desk, Lin Yuxing changed his demeanor. He lost his previous amiability and became a responsible tutor focused on his job.


    Lin Yuxing placed a thick stack of A4 papers in front of Zhang Yuanyuan.


    ¡°These are math and English test papers based on the knowledge points of grades 1 to 3 and our tutoring progress. From today until the end of winter vacation, we¡¯ll strive to learn and combine this knowledge.¡±


    From the moment Lin Yuxing received the news of the tutoring job, he had prepared a lot.


    The little boy was so scared that he chewed on the candy in his mouth wide eyed.


    Lin Yuxing solemnly placed a test paper in front of Zhang Yuanyuan and rolled up his sleeves confidently. ¡°Learning only two hours a day is quite intense, so let¡¯s get started!¡±


    Zhang Yuanyuan: Help!


    The joyful winter vacation of that elementary school student was completely ruined in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apartment.

 CH 50

    The day before New Year¡¯s Eve.


    As the mistress of the Gu family, Xu Wanling contacted Gu Zhongyi. On the phone, she never mentioned the conflict between father and son, only asking if Gu Zhongyi would come home for dinner on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Gu Zhongyi knew that Xu Wanling would make that call, which was probably on behalf of Gu Zhuang.so he directly refused.


    Xu Wanling advised, ¡°Your dad is getting old, and his health hasn¡¯t been great lately. You should be more understanding.¡±


    ¡°I remember Dad is only 48 years old after the New Year, which is not considered old. Moreover, he pays attention to health and exercises regularly, and he has a physical examination every six months. As far as i know, he has always been healthy.¡±


    Gu Zhuang was playing some trick, and Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t plan to fall for it.


    Xu Wanling paused and said, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    She was not Gu Zhongyi¡¯s biological mother, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered to mediate between father and son repeatedly.


    When Xu Wanling first arrived at the Gu family, she wanted to take care of Gu Zhongyi. But Gu Zhuang¡¯s authoritarian way of raising his son gave her a headache, and he even said to her that Gu Zhongyi was not her biological child so she didn¡¯t need to interfere.


    Over time, facing her stubborn husband and the indifferent stepson, Xu Wanling didn¡¯t want to waste any more time.


    Compared to the titles of ¡°wife¡± and ¡°mother,¡± Xu Wanling preferred the title of ¡°General Xu.¡± Unfortunately, compared to Gu Zhuang¡¯s side of the family, the Xu family was more conservative.


    In their eyes, Omega was always a step below Alpha and not worthy of handling business.


    Fortunately, she was not the kind of person that would loose hope after being bound by the family. On the contrary, with the advantage of her identity, she obtained some privileges in the Gu family and established her own brand business over the years.


    Therefore, although the relationship between her and Gu Zhongyi was distant, it was not hostile.


    Seeing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s firm attitude, Xu Wanling politely spoke in a gentle tone, seemingly to report to Gu Zhuang.


    Gu Zhongyi remembered that in the world where Gu Zhuang was imprisoned, Xu Wanling had already prepared to leave him so Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t dislike her, but he also didn¡¯t have much affection for her either.


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Zhongyi was in the vegetable section of the supermarket.


    He walked towards Lin Yuxing not far away and asked, ¡°Did you find it?¡±


    Lin Yuxing took out his phone and checked the time, ¡°Wait one more minute.¡±


    Exactly eight o¡¯clock.


    A supermarket staff member walked to the vegetable section and began putting 20% off labels on various vegetables.


    So, as the staff member took a step, Lin Yuxing followed suit.


    Before long, the shopping cart next to Gu Zhongyi was filled with vegetables. They looked just as fresh as in the morning, all carefully selected by Lin Yuxing from the discount area.


    Lin Yuxing opened the calculator on his phone and calculated meticulously, saying, ¡°Today, there¡¯s a discount 5 yuan off for every 50 yuan spent, and 15 yuan off for every 100 yuan spent. It applies to the discounted items as well. We can buy tomorrow¡¯s groceries in advance.¡±


    As soon as his foot got better, Lin Yuxing¡¯s steps became lighter.


    Gu Zhongyi held his hand and said, ¡°Slow down.¡±


    Lin Yuxing slowed down a bit and boldly held hands with Gu Zhongyi in the unfamiliar environment. ¡°Senior, the braised chicken wings I made last night were delicious, right? Let¡¯s buy more chicken wings and freeze them. We can have them for many meals.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°The seafood gift boxes that Xiao Yuan¡¯s mom gave us will come in handy tomorrow.¡± Lin Yuxing said happily, ¡°They are really kind. They have already given me enough for tutoring fees, and they even sent New Year gifts. Later, I¡¯ll buy a New Year¡¯s gift for Xiao Yuan too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to choose one.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t mention that all the tutoring fees were paid out of his own pocket. Anyway, as long as Lin Yuxing was happy.


    In the distance, Lin Yuxing heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°Yuxing¡ª¡±


    Su Li was pushing a double-layered cart and walking towards Lin Yuxing. It seemed he was shopping alone, and the cart was filled with snacks.


    ¡°Su Li, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°My parents¡¯ company issued a supermarket card from here. I came to make use of it. I also thought that this place is close to Senior Gu¡¯s apartment, so I bought you some snacks too.¡±


    Su Li pointed to some snacks, saying, ¡°These are for you.¡±


    Both of Su Li¡¯s parents worked at the Gu Corporation and held decent positions. As a result, their supermarket card was never fully used throughout the year.


    Lin Yuxing momentarily forgot that he was still holding hands with Gu Zhongyi and gratefully said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be polite. The steamed buns you gave me were delicious. It¡¯s just reciprocity.¡±


    Su Li glanced at the two holding hands, clicking his tongue in his heart. He never expected that his naive roommate would be in a relationship one day. Fortunately, he was a foresighted person who had mentally prepared himself so that he wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard when Lin Yuxing confessed their relationship.


    His eyes gave away his thoughts.


    Lin Yuxing blushed and withdrew his hand.


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°¡­¡±


    During their contractual relationship, Lin Yuxing would always hold hands with Gu Zhongyi wherever they went. Now that they were truly in love, Lin Yuxing would get shy easily and keep a distance when he saw someone familiar.


    Gu Zhongyi knew that the two hadn¡¯t seen each other for a while and pointed to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll go over there to buy some more items. You can chat with Su Li.¡±


    After Gu Zhongyi left, Su Li bumped Lin Yuxing¡¯s arm with his elbow.


    ¡°You guys have such a good relationship!¡± Su Li teased and looked into his shopping cart, ¡°Why is everything on sale?¡±


    Isn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi a rich second-generation? So stingy.


    Lin Yuxing answered his confusion, ¡°I picked them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already in a relationship with him, and you¡¯re still so economical.¡± Su Li pushed the cart alongside Lin Yuxing, chatting as they walked. ¡°But it¡¯s good to be thrifty. Gu Zhongyi probably likes this about you.¡±


    That¡¯s how Su Li was. As soon as Gu Zhongyi walked away, he would use his name freely and speak without reservation.


    Unexpectedly, it made Lin Yuxing purse his lips in shyness.


    suddenly, Su Li  took a deep breath. He couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he want to meet me¡­?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Just then, a passing Beta who was on the phone happened to say something that reached Su Li¡¯s ears clearly in the noisy supermarket environment.


    ¡°What? He¡¯s only 160 cm tall? No way, Mom, I definitely can¡¯t go on this blind date. I¡¯m already 174 cm tall. It would be so awkward for me to meet him.¡±


    She swiftly passed by them like a gust of wind.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t pay much attention to it.


    Su Li suddenly realized and stopped in his tracks, ¡°Damn, could he really be only 160 cm tall?!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was shocked, estimating Su Li¡¯s height to be 174 cm. If Liang Xie, his online boyfriend, was only 160 cm tall¡­ then it would indeed be difficult to meet.


    Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Can you accept that?¡±


    Su Li countered, ¡°Can you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing imagined for a moment and said seriously, ¡°If it¡¯s Senior, I can.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. If that were the case, you wouldn¡¯t even feel a spark for Gu Zhongyi!¡±


    ¡°If he was short, i wouldn¡¯t mind it, i like him for who he is not what he looks like.¡±


    Just as Gu Zhongyi returned from the seasonings section, he wasn¡¯t aware of their conversation, but he had heard most of it. He furrowed his eyebrows and casually put down a bottle of soy sauce, correcting, ¡°I¡¯m 189 cm tall. Among Alphas, that¡¯s not considered short.¡±


    He deliberately looked at Lin Yuxing and repeated, ¡°not short at all.¡±


    For most Alphas, their height was a radiant highlight they absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow others to look down on.


    Su Li couldn¡¯t handle the sweet interaction between the couple and quietly gestured next to Gu Zhongyi, vividly depicting his imagination of Liang Xie, who was only 160 cm tall. He held his forehead in despair.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t understand what Su Li was doing, nor did he have much interest in knowing. He glanced at the time and hurriedly said, ¡°The pork section is starting to discount. Do you want to go and have a look?¡±


    Lin Yuxing abandoned the troubled Su Li and grabbed the shopping cart eagerly, saying, ¡°Yes!!¡±


    Around 9:30, Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi finished their shopping spree in the supermarket.


    As Lin Yuxing¡¯s boyfriend, Gu Zhongyi carried the three large eco-friendly shopping bags, while Lin Yuxing went to help Su Li carry his things.


    At the entrance, Su Li bid them farewell with a dejected look.


    Lin Yuxing patted his arm and said reassuringly, ¡°As long as you like each other, height doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Your boyfriend is 189cm tall, so of course, it¡¯s not a problem for you,¡± Su Li replied weakly, dragging two large bags of snacks towards the intersection, apparently going to take a taxi.


    Seeing Su Li seemingly disheartened, Lin Yuxing felt worried.


    Gu Zhongyi called out to Su Li, ¡°Send me your address. I came by car, and we¡¯ll drop you off.¡±


    Su Li, who had never ridden in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car before, felt a tingling sensation and wanted to experience what it was like to ride in a rich second-generation¡¯s car. Hearing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s invitation, he immediately followed them into the car, thick-skinned, and said, ¡°Alpha 189 cm tall is considerate and generous. Thank you, Senior Gu!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied indifferently, ¡°Weren¡¯t you calling me Gu Zhongyi all the time?¡±


    Su Li responded, ¡°An Alpha with a height of 189cm doesn¡¯t mind these things.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi calmly said, ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Li couldn¡¯t get over that hurdle of height. While speaking, he sent a message to Liang Xie, asking  ¡°[I¡¯m 174cm tall. Is that too tall?]¡±


    Liang Xie didn¡¯t reply, probably busy with something else.


    Su Li quickly logged into his gaming account and, as expected, saw that Liang Xie was online.


    Relentlessly, he sent a friend message, phrasing it differently, ¡°[I think short people are also very charming.]¡±


    Liang Xie finally saw the message.


    Liang Xie: ¡°[I believe personal charm has nothing to do with height. What¡¯s wrong?]¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[I¡¯m worried that you might think I¡¯m too tall¡­]¡±


    Liang Xie: ¡°[?]¡±


    Liang Xie, very seriously: ¡°[At 174cm tall, among male Omegas, you¡¯re not considered tall.]¡±


    Su Li blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed.


    [How tall are you, Liang Xie?]


    Liang Xie disappeared again, and Su Li switched to the gaming interface, noticing that the other party had gone offline.


    After a while, Liang Xie finally replied: ¡°[190].¡±


    After this response, Liang Xie¡¯s ID on the screen continuously showed ¡°typing,¡± but in the end, he gave up on sending those words.


    Su Li was confused, but his expression was like he had won the lottery. Until the moment he got off the car, he was still bubbling with joy. Carrying two heavy bags of snacks, he even bounced happily as he entered his apartment gate.


    Unable to contain his joy, while waiting for the elevator, he sent Lin Yuxing a voice message, proudly saying, ¡°My boyfriend is 1 centimeter taller than yours! Hahaha¡­¡±


    A few minutes later.


    Lin Yuxing: [I accidentally had the call on speaker, and Senior Gu heard it.]


    Su Li couldn¡¯t laugh anymore.


    But soon after, he burst into laughter again, feeling relieved as he said, ¡°Gu Zhongyi is really short!¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    On the other end of the phone, Liang Xie sat quietly in his room, lost in thought as he stared at the screen. His handsome appearance stood out even among fellow Alphas.


    He kept looking at the chat box with Su Li, those four sentences that he continuously edited and then deleted, back and forth:


    [But I can¡¯t stand up. I¡¯m in a wheelchair.]


    [I¡¯m a disabled person.]


    [Do you mind being with someone like me?]


    [Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you before. Maybe it¡¯s better if we go back to being friends?]


    He still didn¡¯t have the courage to send them.


    The chat screen lingered on the perfect moment of ¡°190.¡±

 CH 51

    On New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Lin Yuxing woke up naturally, feeling energetic.


    On his phone, he received an early New Year¡¯s greeting from Su Li.


    And there was a message from Liao Yan, with a hint of sarcasm: [Forgot about your friends now that you have a husband?]


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t be bothered with him.


    After Lin Yuxing finished washing up, he picked shirt with a shirt collar. In the mirror, his hair seemed a bit longer.


    Lin Yuxing tied a small ponytail with a hair tie.


    Before, whenever Lin Yuxing wore a shirt with a slightly lower collar, he would deliberately cover the back of his neck with his hair. Gu Zhongyi specifically went out and bought disposable hair ties to meticulously tie up his back hair.


    ¡°When it¡¯s just the two of us, it¡¯s fine to be casual.¡±


    Through his actions, Gu Zhongyi showed Lin Yuxing that he genuinely didn¡¯t mind.


    At first, Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t used to it, but slowly, with Gu Zhongyi in his life, he began to accept his imperfections.


    However, Lin Yuxing had a plan. After graduating and repaying his student loans, he would start saving money to undergo adenoid repair from the doctor recommended by Ji Mu.


    Regardless of whether it could be fixed or not, Lin Yuxing wanted to give it a try.


    After tidying up his clothes, he walked out of the room.


    He roamed around the living room but didn¡¯t see Gu Zhongyi, so he happily headed towards the kitchen.


    That day was New Year¡¯s Eve, the first New Year he was incredibly looking forward to, spending it with the person he liked.


    Lin Yuxing knocked on the door. ¡°Senior, I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    The kitchen window had no curtains, allowing the bright sunlight to shine through. Gu Zhongyi was wearing an apron, cooking a small pot of golden abalone porridge.


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wiped his hands on the apron and poured a cup of warm water for Lin Yuxing.


    They say drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach allows you to live to be a hundred.


    Lin Yuxing raised his head and drank the liquid in one gulp. He wiped the corners of his mouth and noticed the uncut scallions on the chopping board. He rolled up his sleeves and started cutting them.


    He smelled the aroma coming from the pot and couldn¡¯t help but feel hungry. ¡°It tastes like the dishes in a restaurant.¡±


    ¡°I learned from the chef,¡± replied Gu Zhongyi, showcasing his cooking skills acquired from their own family chef.


    Even the chef, who shouldn¡¯t have shared his expertise with the boss, compromised under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s generous financial incentives and sincere statement, ¡°I want to cook for my boyfriend.¡±


    Lin Yuxing slowed down his cutting motion and asked with regret, ¡°You said earlier that you would leave the Gu family¡­ Does that mean we won¡¯t be able to dine at the restaurant anymore?¡±


    According to Lin Yuxing¡¯s understanding, the restaurant wouldn¡¯t welcome them. They might even be kicked out if they tried to eat there.


    That¡¯s how it was portrayed on TV.


    However, Gu Zhongyi reassured him, ¡°The restaurant was a gift from my grandfather to me. It¡¯s already under my name, so there¡¯s no need to return it.¡± In simple terms, that restaurant had little to do with the Gu family properties.


    The Gu family and his grandfather had never been on good terms, so Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t hand over anything given by his grandfather to them.


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuxing was stunned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would have nothing?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi realized the disparity in their understanding and quickly explained, ¡°By ¡®having nothing,¡¯ I meant giving up my shares in my father¡¯s company and our family¡¯s assets.¡±


    Compared to that small restaurant, those were the bigger stakes.


    Lin Yuxing fell into silence for a moment and asked again, ¡°What about this apartment?¡±


    ¡°I bought it with the money I earned from stock trading and the profits from the restaurant, fully paid,¡± Gu Zhongyi replied. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t joking. He continued earnestly, ¡°I originally planned to buy a two-bedroom apartment in a better location, but it seems I¡¯ll have to postpone that.¡±


    ¡°What about your car?¡±


    ¡°I bought the car with my own money,¡± Gu Zhongyi answered.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand slipped, and the scallion he was cutting became crooked.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡± Gu Zhongyi called out.


    After a moment of contemplation, Lin Yuxing asked with deep curiosity, ¡°Do you call this having nothing?¡±


    Indeed, a camel that starves to death is still bigger than a horse. Lin Yuxing no longer believed that a runaway rich second-generation would end up with nothing¡­


    However, that little episode didn¡¯t leave Lin Yuxing feeling down for long.


    In preparation for the grand dinner that night, the two of them spent the afternoon following the recipes given by the head chef of the restaurant. They managed to cook a table full of delicious dishes without any mishaps.


    Gu Zhongyi turned on the projector in the living room and placed all the dishes on the coffee table.


    Two bowls, two pairs of chopsticks, two glasses.


    The Spring Festival Gala began.


    As usual, the skits were of the same types, and the song performances were lively but lacking novelty. However, Lin Yuxing watched with great interest.


    That was the first time he sat down on New Year¡¯s Eve and genuinely enjoyed watching the program.


    In previous years, he either had to hide and evade in the New Year or stay up late washing dishes with Lin Xiufeng. Moreover, Cheng Rong would start drinking and become verbally abusive for no reason. The TV always played children¡¯s programs that Cheng ShaoHua liked, and no one bothered to watch the Spring Festival Gala.


    Now, Lin Yuxing was engrossed in watching the skits, finding everything amusing.


    When the song performances began, Lin Yuxing nibbled on a chicken wing and pointed to the star singing on the screen, enthusiastically saying, ¡°This actor is He Yunchu. Su Li really likes him.¡±


    Advertisements featuring He Yunchu¡¯s face were everywhere in C City, so it was difficult for Gu Zhongyi not to know him.


    However, as Gu Zhongyi watched Lin Yuxing¡¯s excited expression and patiently listened to him introduce He Yunchu, occasionally adding, ¡°Is that so?¡± in agreement.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone rang, showing a call from Gu Nuan. It seemed lively on the other side, with Su Li¡¯s voice also audible.


    ¡°Yuxing, come out and celebrate New Year¡¯s Eve together!¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes lit up. He had never celebrated the New Year with friends before.


    Gu Nuan was probably standing in a windy spot as the noisy voices flooded through the phone receiver, ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight. Let¡¯s go to the riverside and set off fireworks. Su Li and I bought a lot of sparklers!¡±


    Su Li, without weighing his words, made a careless remark, ¡°Bring Gu Zhongyi along too. We need a driver!¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m not going. Find another driver.¡±


    In this regard, Lin Yuxing was firmly ¡°protective.¡±


    Fortunately, Gu Nuan cleverly made up for it and reprimanded Su Li, saying, ¡°Su Li, can¡¯t you watch what you say! That¡¯s our young, promising, handsome Zhongyi brother. He will definitely take us to the riverside for fireworks!¡±


    Gu Nuan gestured, ¡°Say something nice!¡±


    Su Li understood the hint and flattered without taking a breath, ¡°Exactly, the 189cm Alpha is an unparalleled excellent Alpha in the world!¡±


    Due to Lin Yuxing¡¯s outdated phone, even without the speakerphone on, Gu Zhongyi heard the entire conversation clearly.


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t angry; he sensed Lin Yuxing¡¯s interest and readily took on the role of the driver. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll clean up the dishes when we come back.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly stood up and put on a new thick coat.


    Before leaving, Gu Zhongyi called him back from the hallway.


    Gu Zhongyi took out a bag and said, ¡°New Year¡¯s gift.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t prepared anything and regretfully asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± After saying that, he realized he really didn¡¯t know how to be in a relationship. Giving gifts wasn¡¯t something that required prior notice, was it?


    ¡°You cooked a table full of dishes today.¡±


    ¡°How can cooking be considered a gift? Besides, I didn¡¯t cook alone,¡± Lin Yuxing grumbled. He lowered his head and took out the item from the bag, his eyes filled with joy. ¡°A scarf?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took the scarf from his hands and skillfully wrapped it around Lin Yuxing with his well-defined fingers. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the previous one left in City D?¡±


    Lin Yuxing smelled the scent of bitter orange on the scarf and felt more joy than regret. He really liked this scarf, which was exactly the same as the previous one.


    Gu Zhongyi rubbed his head. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes trembled, and he tiptoed, taking the initiative to kiss Gu Zhongyi.


    One kiss wasn¡¯t enough, so he pecked him again.


    Finally, Gu Zhongyi took control and dominated the kiss.


    With closed eyes, Lin Yuxing felt himself immersed in the rich scent of bitter orange. Having gradually become skilled in kissing, he unconsciously used his tongue and in a flash, their lips entangled and explored each other.


    After the kiss, Gu Zhongyi looked deeply into Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, wanting to kiss him again.


    Blushing, Lin Yuxing lowered his head and declined, ¡°I wanted to kiss you at midnight, but we¡¯re going to celebrate with everyone now.¡± He scratched his nose and cheekily said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s consider the New Year¡¯s gift as an IOU for now. But I¡¯m not good at buying gifts. Can you tell me what you want when the time comes?¡±


    Little did he know, his kiss was already a unique New Year¡¯s gift.


    He lightly pushed Gu Zhongyi, who was still hugging him, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go out. It¡¯s getting late.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi, who was still unsatisfied, his throat hoarse and a sweet taste in his mouth, lightly pecked Lin Yuxing¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Like Lin Yuxing, it was also the first time for Gu Zhongyi to celebrate the New Year outside with other people.


    That year¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve was particularly lively.


    When Yang Qing called Gu Zhongyi to wish him a Happy New Year and learned that they were going to set off fireworks, he strongly demanded to join them.


    ¡°Zhongyi, you¡¯re so unfair. I¡¯m your good brother, and you don¡¯t even take me out for New Year¡¯s Eve!¡± Yang Qing put on his coat and complained to his older brother in the next room, ¡°Brother, lend me your car!¡±


    His brother, Yang Zhou, had brought his partner home for the New Year for the first time that year and kicked Yang Qing with a slipper.


    Yang Qing turned back in frustration and saw the professional teacher from the C University¡¯s Pheromone Research Department, Qiu Song, sitting on their couch. Next to him, Yang¡¯s father and mother, one holding a cup of tea, the other holding Qiu Song¡¯s hand, none of them paid any attention to Yang Qing.


    Yang Qing approached and complained, ¡°Teacher, my brother is bullying me. Can¡¯t you do something about him?¡±


    Yang Zhou waved his slipper at Yang Qing again, ¡°Who asked you to call him ¡®Teacher¡¯?¡±


    Yang Qing shouted, ¡°brother in law, can¡¯t you do something about my brother?¡±


    Qiu Song blushed, thin-skinned, and quickly spoke up for his future brother-in-law, ¡°Young people like to go out for New Year¡¯s Eve. Don¡¯t be so harsh on Yang Qing.¡±


    That resolved the situation, and with Qiu Song addressing him as ¡°brother-in-law,¡± the whole family burst into laughter.


    Yang¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t stop laughing. She waved her hand, urging Yang Qing to leave quickly and not interrupt their conversation with Qiu Song.


    Yang Zhou smugly threw the car keys to Yang Qing, ¡°Have fun.¡±


    Driving Yang Zhou¡¯s car, Yang Qing quickly arrived at the riverside. As soon as he got out of the car, he carried a lot of snacks and drinks but didn¡¯t buy any alcohol.


    Lin Yuxing was the first to notice him and waved to greet him, ¡°Senior Yang!¡±


    ¡°Hey! Happy New Year, junior. That scarf suits you well.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blushed and said embarrassedly, ¡°It was a gift from my senior.¡±


    Taking advantage of Gu Zhongyi and Gu Nuan going to the trunk to get the fireworks, Yang Qing took the opportunity to say to Lin Yuxing, ¡°Junior, why do you still call Zhongyi ¡®senior¡¯? It sounds awkward.¡±


    ¡°Then what should I call him?¡±


    ¡°Call him ¡®Zhongyi ge~¡¯.¡±


    Lin Yuxing touched his arm. Why did those three words sound so cheesy coming out of Yang Qing¡¯s mouth?


    With an air of someone experienced, Yang Qing earnestly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you last time? If you call him ¡®senior,¡¯ how many people from our school will turn their heads? Besides, you¡¯ve been dating for a while now. It¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve been calling him ¡®senior¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Well, it seems that way. But we¡¯re the same age. Isn¡¯t it a bit inappropriate to call him ¡®ge¡¯?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate? He was born a few months before you. Calling him ¡®ge¡¯ is fine. Trust me, if you call him ¡®Zhongyi ge,¡¯ I tell you, he¡¯ll be overjoyed.¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Is it that exaggerated?¡±


    ¡°We grew up together with him. Do you think I¡¯d deceive you?¡± Yang Qing lowered his voice, clicked his tongue, and quipped, ¡°He¡¯s reserved but really soft hearted.¡±


    Noticing Yang Qing making suggestive gestures and talking to Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi quickly called him over for help, fearing he might say something inappropriate.


    Yang Qing responded, ¡°Coming, coming!¡± He patted Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder and reiterated, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, try it yourself.¡±


    There¡¯s no harm in trying.


    More young people arrived at the riverside, most of them in groups.


    Su Li and Gu Nuan were underdressed, shivering in the cold wind at the riverside, but it didn¡¯t dampen their enthusiasm for playing with sparklers.


    Gu Nuan took out his DSLR camera and volunteered to be the photographer.


    Su Li, seeing this, struck a pose skillfully, while Yang Qing laughed foolishly beside them.


    Gu Nuan snapped away, boasting, ¡°Your photos look much better than Su Li¡¯s.¡±


    Su Li objected, ¡°He has a red scarf, and I¡¯m not dressed as nicely!¡± He tried to snatch Gu Nuan¡¯s camera, and they playfully wrestled with each other.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t join in their antics. He squatted down, lit three more sparklers for himself, and handed one to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi took it, his gaze fixed on its glow¡ª


    The tiny sparks burned, crackling like a brilliant sky full of stars, adorning the night sky like a galaxy.


    Like beautiful wishes, they shone deep within people¡¯s hearts.


    ¡°Seni¡­¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s nose and ears turned slightly red from the cold wind. He thought of Yang Qing¡¯s words and changed his address, ¡°Zhongyi ge.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi paused.


    With one hand, Lin Yuxing drew the outline of a star. Those sparks were like flames in the wilderness, shimmering with hope.


    Far away yet so close.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s smile was more radiant than any star, ¡°Is it beautiful?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked at him, mesmerized, unable to resist, ¡°Beautiful.¡±


    Lin Yuxing smiled happily, exuding pure happiness. He generously praised, ¡°Yours is also very beautiful.¡±


    In the distance, the chimes of the city center rang out.


    The sparkler in Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand burned out. Before he could grab a new one, cheers erupted all around, resounding through his ears, ¡°Happy New Year¡ª¡±


    It was midnight.


    Excitedly turning around, Lin Yuxing coincidentally faced Gu Zhongyi, who approached with determined steps.


    The New Year¡¯s chimes resounded loudly, echoing in the wind and blending into the lights of countless households.


    That night, they all had a place to call home.


    Gu Zhongyi stood in front of Lin Yuxing, holding his face and kissed him deeply.


    ¡°Happy New Year.¡±


    My little star.

 CH 52

    In the quiet night.


    Gu Zhongyi opened the door of the apartment, and Lin Yuxing entered first, closely followed by him.


    ¡°Click.¡±


    The door closed.


    In the haste, Lin Yuxing stumbled and couldn¡¯t maintain his balance. A force pulled him back, and as he turned around, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips grazed his upper lip. In a rushed motion, a kiss landed, and Gu Zhongyi pressed him against the door, preventing them from even making it through the entrance.


    The apartment¡¯s heating hadn¡¯t been turned on, and the slightly cold air kept their minds clear while they were lost in each other¡¯s heated breaths.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t move, only using his slightly opened eyes to gaze at Gu Zhongyi.


    They separated for a few seconds, and Lin Yuxing saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, nose, and mouth, each making him feel dry and tongue-tied.


    He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing, making a sound that only he could hear.


    With his hands hanging helplessly, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know where to put them. He looked up, and within the warm, misty eyes, he saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s deep affection. It was about to ignite that winter, sprouting new buds in Lin Yuxing¡¯s spring.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t expect that a mere ¡°Zhongyi ge¡± would hold such power.


    Powerful enough that before the echoes of ¡°Happy New Year¡± had completely faded, Gu Zhongyi kissed him almost suffocatingly in front of everyone at the riverside.


    And if that wasn¡¯t enough. Knowing that Yang Qing had a car, Gu Zhongyi left Su Li and Gu Nuan with him, rushing back to the apartment with Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fingertips caressed Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips as he kissed him over and over again, unable to get enough.


    He asked in a deep voice, ¡°Who taught you?¡±


    ¡°Yang senior,¡± Lin Yuxing replied, averting his face. He felt that Gu Zhongyi that night was especially difficult to handle, especially tricky.


    Lin Yuxing tried to push him away, but he couldn¡¯t resist the Alpha¡¯s much stronger arms, and besides, how could he bear to really push Gu Zhongyi away?


    After a moment, under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze, Lin Yuxing blushed and said, ¡°Of course, of course it¡¯s because I like you! So I want to make you happy, to treat you the way you treat me¡­ I also want to be good to you.¡±


    The last word was swallowed by Gu Zhongyi.


    He asked a question, and Lin Yuxing answered truthfully.


    With a smile in his eyes, there was no one in his heart who could compare to Lin Yuxing in terms of making him feel genuinely happy.


    Lin Yuxing could only tilt his head back, close his eyes, and stand on tiptoe, repeatedly succumbing to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sweet pheromones. His hand climbed up Gu Zhongyi¡¯s back, futilely gripping Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes as Gu Zhongyi deepened the kiss.


    ¡°Pheromones¡­ calm down!¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s legs turned weak, the 77% compatibility rendering him helpless. He weakly leaned into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arms, held by him with a single hand.


    Gu Zhongyi pinched his chin and continued to kiss him, with no sign of the pheromones subsiding. Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart trembled, unsure if it was to comfort Gu Zhongyi or to comply with his own desires. Like a baby bird begging for food, he opened his mouth and accepted the deep kiss from Gu Zhongyi.


    It wasn¡¯t until Gu Zhongyi released his scarf and lightly touched the gland at the back of his neck that he became flustered and recoiled.


    He heard Gu Zhongyi¡¯s whisper in his ear, ¡°New Year¡¯s gift.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°I want a New Year¡¯s gift,¡± Gu Zhongyi called him, ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t respond.


    Gu Zhongyi asked again, ¡°Can I have it?¡± His hot breath brushed against Lin Yuxing¡¯s earlobe, melting his heart.


    Lin Yuxing heard his own voice trembling as he said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    In the darkness of the night, the endless starry sky covered the vast night sky.


    Gu Zhongyi carried Lin Yuxing into the bedroom, and on the spacious bed, there was a faint scent of Lin Yuxing¡¯s pheromones intertwined with soft thoughts.


    Gu Zhongyi leaned down and kissed him, their clothes gradually being discarded, some on the bed and some on the floor.


    ¡°Xue¡ª¡±


    Gu Zhongyi bit his chin. ¡°Say my name again?¡±


    ¡°¡­Zhongyi ge.¡±


    Another wet kiss.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s movements were neither refined nor rough, but rather urgent, resembling a nineteen-year-old teenager.


    Lin Yuxing was unfamiliar with this, and his every move followed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lead. He didn¡¯t know if his consent was right or if he would regret it later.


    But at that moment, he felt that he was willing.


    The curtains weren¡¯t completely closed, and a strand of moonlight seeped through, leaving a pale glow on Lin Yuxing¡¯s skin. He hugged his own shoulders, his eyes seemingly covered in a layer of mist.


    He was somewhat afraid, somewhat uneasy, but he didn¡¯t refuse.


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his head and pressed his forehead against Lin Yuxing¡¯s, the touch of his fingertips surpassing rationality.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fingers ran through Lin Yuxing¡¯s hair, making his slightly long hair instantly messy.


    His head was tilted slightly by Gu Zhongyi, passively turning his body.


    Gu Zhongyi kissed his scarred back, inch by inch, with boundless tenderness.


    Finally, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips landed on the back of his neck, and his teeth lightly grazed his gland.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing instinctively let out a cry, his hand covering his own neck. He was willing to blend with Gu Zhongyi openly, but he didn¡¯t want to be marked at that moment.


    He didn¡¯t want Gu Zhongyi to bite that ugly gland; he hoped that the marking would happen after he had repaired the gland.


    However, Lin Yuxing¡¯s resistance undoubtedly created a misunderstanding for Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart tightened.


    He pushed too hard. Lin Yuxing had taken a step closer to him that day, but he greedily wanted to take two steps forward, or even more.


    Gu Zhongyi pressed down on Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, no longer touching his neck, and kissed his earlobe.


    ¡°I won¡¯t mark you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Gu Zhongyi pressed Lin Yuxing beneath him, his gentle strength intoxicating. He promised again, ¡°I won¡¯t mark you until I have your full consent.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Meanwhile, in a bar in City C.


    In the dimly lit environment, flickering lights cast eerie shadows, landing lightly in glasses filled with various liquids. The glass glimmered with white light and sank into the noisy music.


    In the center of the dance floor, young people swayed their bodies, joyfully welcoming the time of the new year after midnight.


    At the bar counter, a bartender swayed gently, and under the flickering neon lights, he pushed a glass of dark liquor in front of an Alpha.


    The Alpha took a sip but wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    Bored, he looked toward the dance floor, showing no interest in participating in the wild physical interactions.


    He asked the bartender, ¡°Can I smoke?¡±


    The bartender glanced at his unique shallow eyes, his gaze roving over his exquisite face, intriguingly said, ¡°You can smoke in the lounge.¡±


    Liao Yan decided not to smoke and raised his eyes. ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re not my type.¡±


    The bartender: ¡°¡­¡±


    On his phone, Liao Yan received a message from his mother: [Xiaoyan, your dad and I are going to bed. Don¡¯t stay out too late with your friends, remember to come home early.]


    Liao Yan¡¯s mother also said: [My precious son, Happy New Year. Your dad and I will always love you.]


    Liao Yan took a sip of his drink, realizing he had no friends around him. He stared at each word on the screen, exhaled, and self-mockingly tugged at the corner of his mouth.


    After a moment, his fingers delicately typed out a reply.


    [Mom, I wish you and dad a happy new year too. I love you.]


    He locked his phone with a complicated expression.


    The empty glass left behind emanated a faint scent of sandalwood.


    Liao Yan stood up, bored, and walked toward the exit.


    The bartender behind him took out a pheromone neutralizer and sprayed it towards the seat where Liao Yan had been sitting. He looked at Liao Yan¡¯s figure with an expression of resentment after being rejected, complaining, ¡°He didn¡¯t even bother to restrain his pheromones when coming to a bar. Does he think he¡¯s so charming?¡±


    So what if he¡¯s good-looking?


    The bartender sprayed a few more times.


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t pay any attention to the badmouthing behind him. He casually walked outside the bar, squatting in a corner and lighting a cigarette.


    Occasionally, his body would crave for a smoke.


    But Liao Yan¡¯s mother didn¡¯t allow him to smoke, so he always hid and smoked. Quitting something always requires a slow process, and while Liao Yan could quit smoking, he didn¡¯t want to give up this habit so quickly, which was deeply rooted in his body.


    He flicked the ash off the cigarette and took out his phone.


    In his message list, he hadn¡¯t received a reply from Lin Yuxing for the ¡°Happy New Year¡± message he sent at midnight.


    Liao Yan chuckled to himself and muttered, ¡°Silly Star, is Gu Zhongyi that great?¡±


    So great that Lin Yuxing doesn¡¯t even bother replying to my messages as long as he¡¯s with Gu Zhongyi. He wore a helpless expression of being left out, crushed the cigarette, and stood up to go home.


    A voice called out to him at an inconvenient time.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that our Little Princess Liao?¡±


    Liao Yan¡¯s body seemed to react, stiffening his limbs. That feeling displeased him.


    Liao Yan frowned slightly and turned around to look. He froze.


    Immediately, the owner of that voice embraced Liao Yan¡¯s shoulder in a familiar manner, saying, ¡°What¡¯s this? You don¡¯t recognize me now that you¡¯ve been admitted to C University? You¡¯ve changed homes and phone numbers, making it difficult for us to stay in touch as friends.¡±


    The person speaking was Xu Feiqing, a somewhat unruly male Alpha. He saw the cigarette butt on the ground and Liao Yan¡¯s indifferent expression, sneering.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who taught you how to smoke, and now you¡¯re acting all superior?¡±


    Xu Feiqing spoke, patting Liao Yan¡¯s head and then his face twice, playing around with no sense of respect.


    They didn¡¯t seem like friends.


    Not far away, another male Alpha called out, ¡°Feiqing, what are you dawdling around for?¡±


    Coincidentally, Liao Yan¡¯s gaze had been fixed on the Alpha opposite him, who hadn¡¯t approached. It was like looking at a shadow in the darkness.


    ¡°Bro, wait a moment!¡± Xu Feiqing replied playfully, ¡°I bumped into a high school classmate, and he happens to be from C University too. You guys are schoolmates, so why not have him join us? This kid has plenty of pocket money, we can make him pay later.¡±


    Xu Feiqing let go of Liao Yan and walked over to his cousin, Xu Xiangchi, speaking unreservedly, ¡°Bro, this kid is a coward. He used to cry in the bathroom when I cornered him back then. Oh, I might still have some naked pictures of him on my phone¡­ let me check!¡±


    Liao Yan silently watched them, his emotions showing no fluctuation.


    Slowly, amidst Xu Feiqing¡¯s derogatory remarks, Liao Yan made eye contact with Xu Xiangchi beside Xu Feiqing.


    Liao Yan¡¯s beautiful eyes turned icy, making Xu Xiangchi furrow his brows and quickly avoid eye contact. He seemed to have some impression of Liao Yan, and he seemed to realize, Liao Yan was his junior in the same department.


    He didn¡¯t want any trouble.


    ¡°Uncle told you to behave yourself and stop causing trouble. Let¡¯s go inside. Tonight, I will be the one buying.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Xu Feiqing heard Xu Xiangchi¡¯s words and had to stop searching for the naked photos, casually saying, ¡°My dad is such a nag.¡±


    He beckoned Liao Yan with his finger. ¡°Little Princess, let¡¯s become friends so that I can find you next time when I want to catch up.¡±


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t make any movements.


    Xu Feiqing wanted to continue pestering him, but Xu Xiangchi pulled him back, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± For some reason, Liao Yan¡¯s gaze made Xu Xiangchi inexplicably uncomfortable, although he couldn¡¯t pinpoint why.


    Just as they were about to enter the bar, Liao Yan, who had remained silent all along, spoke up.


    ¡°Hey, weren¡¯t there some naked pictures of me?¡±


    He curled his lips, his demeanor and tone completely different from usual. Even a hint of mockery could be heard in his voice.


    Xu Feiqing thought he had misheard.


    Liao Yan raised his hand and touched his lips, sarcastically opening his mouth again, ¡°Couldn¡¯t find them? I was curious to see them too.¡±


    His tone was clearly provocative.


    Veins popped on the hand that clenched into a fist, hidden behind his back, and a rare hint of coldness flashed in his eyes. He walked forward slowly, unperturbed and fearless, sneering, ¡°Catching up¡­ yeah, seems like a good idea.¡±

 CH 53

    When Liao Yan was in high school, his family moved to City F due to his father¡¯s job. He attended a high school where Alphas were the majority and suffered severe bullying.


    The person who led the bullying was Xu Feiqing, one of the most rogue Alpha in the school.


    The reason he was bullied was simple. As a transfer student with excellent looks and grades, he refused to accept the ¡°olive branch¡± thrown by Xu Feiqing¡¯s group and refused to join their small circle.


    He had even stopped them from bullying a Beta classmate once.


    As a result, Liao Yan, who had never fought before, became the new target of bullying in the school. Under Xu Feiqing¡¯s domineering and unreasonable behavior, no one dared to stand up for Liao Yan.


    During that gray period, he was isolated, attacked, stripped naked and photographed, and forced to do many things he didn¡¯t want to do.


    He was ridiculed even more: ¡°Can someone like you even be an Alpha? Why don¡¯t you spread your legs and be an Omega instead?¡±


    Helpless, Liao Yan sought help from teachers, but in return, he faced even more intense bullying after a short period of peace. Xu Feiqing took advantage of his relatives¡¯ slight influence in City F to act recklessly.


    At that time, Liao Yan¡¯s father faced difficulties at work and often worked overtime. His mother also ran around due to her father¡¯s frequent hospitalizations, worrying endlessly.


    Liao Yan knew well the hardships his parents endured, so he kept his own suffering hidden in his heart, which eventually led to severe depression.


    From then on, Liao Yan no longer shone brightly. He grew out thick, heavy bangs, wore outdated glasses, and hunched his back, making an effort to diminish his presence.


    He became less confident and no longer cheerful.


    However, Xu Feiqing¡¯s bullying did not stop due to Liao Yan¡¯s display of weakness; the bullying continued.


    But outstanding people are always outstanding, and even through all that struggle, Liao Yan successfully entered C University.


    His father also resolved his work issues and received a promotion. His grandfather¡¯s health improved significantly, and his mother no longer wore a distressed expression.


    It seemed that everything was moving in a positive direction.


    However, one evening, without any warning, Liao Yan jumped from the upper floor. The rain shelter on the building restricted his fall, and he was rushed to the hospital, where he was saved.


    During that summer vacation, Liao Yan became so thin that he seemed like a mere skeleton.


    He lay on the hospital bed, staring at the bright sun outside the window, his expression distant. Liao¡¯s mother sat by his bedside, weeping, while his father stood silently.


    A month later, Liao¡¯s father quit his job. They moved away from that distressing city and settled in City C.


    Liao¡¯s father found a new job that didn¡¯t require frequent overtime, although the salary was significantly lower. However, they had some savings, and they were not lacking money. Together, his parents wholeheartedly took care of their son.


    The hospital became their most frequently visited place.


    Gradually, Liao Yan began eating normally and attending classes at C University. He gained a little weight back but remained quiet.


    Meanwhile, Liao¡¯s mother often dreamt of her son attempting to take his life again, so she started staying by his side without moving an inch, even accompanying him to school.


    When Liao Yan would have many classes, she would hire people to help him reduce stress. As he had no friends, she wanted to be his friend.


    Her excessive interference, meticulousness, and fearful demeanor became a new wall for Liao Yan, making him feel suffocated. It was as if a voice constantly reminded Liao Yan: ¡°You are not normal, you¡¯re weak.¡±


    Liao Yan wanted to become ¡°normal,¡± but he couldn¡¯t.


    His heart was like a festering wound, and he himself was like a walking corpse wandering in the world.


    One night at midnight, he silently went to the living room barefoot and poured water.


    In the dim environment, the faint sounds of his mother crying and his father¡¯s suppressed anger could be heard from their room.


    A sliver of light seeped through the door crack, originally representing brightness, but for some reason, Liao Yan felt that he was far away from that light, unable to approach it again.


    At that moment, his heartbeat slowed down, and he moved closer, pressing his body against his parents¡¯ bedroom door.


    The piercing words entered his ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you insisted on working in F City and forced us to go with you that Xiao Yan turned out like this!¡±


    ¡°And what about you?¡± Liao¡¯s father refused to back down, angrily questioning, ¡°What were you doing during that time? I¡¯ve said it before, bring your dad to F City, but you refused, saying he has a stubborn temper and can¡¯t adapt to the environment. Fine, now that he got used to it the one who was sacrificed is Xiao Yan¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re blaming me? Liao Fangguo, is that what you¡¯re really thinking? I know you¡¯ve been resenting me for all these years!¡±


    ¡°What? I resent you?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you? It seems like you really do! For so many years, all you know is work. How many times have you really taken care of Xiao Yan?¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t work, will our family be living off the air? You take care of him so well, why is he so weak and afraid to even speak up when he¡¯s bullied then?¡±


    ¡°Xiao Yan is not weak! He¡¯s just too kind. He shouldn¡¯t have gone to that city and that high school!¡± She sarcastically remarked, ¡°Yes, you have your work, that¡¯s all you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I have to take care of the child, as well as both sides of the parents. And now, when something happens to the child, it¡¯s my fault?You have no shame at all!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know that he was forced to smoke!¡±


    ¡­


    They blamed and reproached each other.


    When self-blame could no longer erase the pain in their hearts, they began shifting blame onto one another. Deep down, they both knew that the biggest mistake was their own.


    They neglected their child, and they missed the time when Liao Yan needed help the most.


    Liao Yan listened for a long time, rooted to the spot.


    Their endless arguments echoed in his mind, continuously repeating, clearly invading Liao Yan¡¯s inner self and tearing at his sanity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t say¡­¡±


    Liao Yan repeatedly knocked his head against the wall, his voice like a mosquito¡¯s hum, ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ it¡¯s my fault¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    It was because he was too weak that the situation had come to this.


    If only he weren¡¯t an Alpha, then he wouldn¡¯t have attracted attention, and he wouldn¡¯t have become a target.


    If only his personality were stronger, then he would have the courage to fight back, and he wouldn¡¯t have fallen into this state.


    If only his parents had a strong child, then their family wouldn¡¯t be broken, and he wouldn¡¯t be the source of guilt and arguments.


    If only¡­


    If there could be someone completely different from him to take his place.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    Liao Yan murmured, lying back on the bed, his gaze hollow lost in an unknown direction.


    He was very tired.


    He wanted to be free.


    On a certain day in October, Liao Yan had cut his wrist and soaked himself in the bathtub, staining the water with a pool of blood.


    When he was discovered, he was almost lifeless.


    In the hospital corridor, a faint layer of white light shimmered.


    Liao¡¯s mother sat exhaustively in a chair, while Liao¡¯s father pounded the wall heavily.


    After a while, Liao¡¯s father asked hoarsely, ¡°Is what we did right or wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, let him go.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother stared at Liao¡¯s father with clenched teeth, trembling and unable to utter a syllable. She whimpered, her throat as heavy as cement, sinking relentlessly.


    Liao¡¯s father knelt down with tears streaming down his face, kneeling in front of his wife. ¡°Let¡¯s not argue or fight anymore. Let him go¡­ Our child has suffered so much, over and over again, how much pain he must be in!¡±


    Their brows were filled with age.


    Liao¡¯s mother turned her head, silently and despairingly pinching her own arm, her expression filled with the determination that if their child died, she would follow.


    Their family was ruined.


    Without Liao Yan, their home was no longer a home.


    Liao Yan remained unconscious for several days until he woke up on a rainy morning.


    Liao¡¯s mother and father hadn¡¯t left the hospital for a moment. They stayed by their child¡¯s side until Liao Yan gradually regained consciousness.


    ¡°Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan, it¡¯s Mom, Mom is here!¡± Liao¡¯s mother¡¯s voice was hoarse as she had aged almost ten years in appearance.


    Liao¡¯s father hurried to call the doctor.


    Liao Yan took weak breaths, his gaze falling on his mother¡¯s face, then drifting to the white ceiling. He kept looking around, everything seemed unfamiliar yet incredibly familiar.


    Liao¡¯s mother called his name, but he didn¡¯t react at all.


    Soon, doctors and nurses rushed in and performed a simple examination on Liao Yan, asking him questions that he could respond to.


    However, for some reason, Liao Yan found his own name strangely unfamiliar. The doctor called him several times before he responded, his eyes filled with confusion.


    Time passed second by second, and Liao Yan seemed tired. He closed his eyes again.


    He felt like he had a long dream. In the dream, he transferred schools, was bullied, attempted suicide, was rescued, moved houses, witnessed his parents¡¯ arguments, attempted suicide again, and smelled the scent of disinfectant¡­


    The dream was chaotic, and he felt like an observer, exhausted from just watching.


    When he woke up again, Liao¡¯s mother and father were still by his side.


    ¡°Xiao Yan, are you thirsty? Have some water.¡± Liao¡¯s father brought the thermos over, his steps unsteady. He hadn¡¯t shaved for several days, his hands rough, trembling as he handed it to Liao¡¯s mother.


    Liao¡¯s mother carefully brought the cup to Liao Yan¡¯s lips.


    Liao Yan took a small sip, and his dry throat felt much better.


    Seeing him relax slightly, Liao¡¯s mother asked in a gentle voice, ¡°Xiao Yan, do you want to eat something? Mom will go home and make it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t speak, he looked at the two people before him with confusion, and no matter how much they cared, there was a sense of distance in his eyes.


    ¡°Xiao Yan, it¡¯s okay. Mom and Dad are by your side, everything is fine now.¡± Liao¡¯s mother caressed his forehead, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Mom is sorry¡­¡±.


    Liao Yan just stared at her.


    After a while, Liao Yan spoke hoarsely, ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡±


    As soon as the words came out, before his parents could react, he was startled by his own unfamiliar voice.


    That wasn¡¯t his voice.


    His body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. Ignoring the panic of Liao¡¯s parents, and disregarding the fact that he still had an IV drip, he struggled to sit up. He forcefully pushed away Liao¡¯s mother, and barefooted, he walked toward the restroom in the hospital.


    Liao¡¯s father tried to grab him, but he angrily shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± His eyes were full of hostility, as if he had completely transformed into a different person.


    Liao¡¯s father stood there in a daze, as the ¡°son¡± stumbled and rushed into the restroom of the ward, locking the door.


    Liao¡¯s parents continuously knocked on the door and called out to him.


    Inside the room, ¡°he¡± stood in front of the mirror, wide-eyed and terrified.


    ¡°How¡­ How can this be? Who is this?¡± He touched the mirror, desperately trying to get an answer. ¡°This isn¡¯t me, this isn¡¯t me¡­ Who are you?¡±


    The person in the mirror mimicked his movements and expressions, completely unable to answer him.


    ¡°How¡­ How did this happen¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± He fell into a brief confusion.


    The nurse unlocked the door with a key, and the light from outside flooded the windowless restroom, stinging his eyes, causing tears to flow.


    He was Qu Xing.


    He was the one who, in the welfare institution, destroyed his younger brother¡¯s future with his own hands and heartlessly abandoned him.

 CH 54

    The time returns to the present, the first day of the new year.


    In a small alley not far from the bar, Liao Yan¡¯s face and arms were covered in bruises. He held a phone and attempted to unlock it while the person lay on the ground.


    Face recognition failed.


    Without hesitation, he threw a punch.


    In the dim alley, someone let out a painful sob.


    Xu Feiqing has no choice but to reveal the password. Liao Yan ruthlessly formatted the contents of the phone and logged into the other person¡¯s cloud storage, deleting the backups as well.


    ¡°What else?¡±


    Xu Feiqing, blood in his mouth, the metallic taste choking him, looked at Liao Yan fearfully, shaking his head frantically. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, I swear!¡±


    Liao Yan raised his hand, and Xu Feiqing hurriedly covered his head, like a desperate dog.


    Liao Yan chuckled. ¡°The photos turned out quite good. Should I take some of you next time?¡±


    Xu Feiqing couldn¡¯t even catch his breath.


    Liao Yan asked, ¡°Why are you so afraid of me? Won¡¯t you add me as a friend so we can catch up from time to time?¡±


    ¡°No, no I won¡¯t bother you!¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    ¡°Liao Yan! I¡­ I really won¡¯t bother you anymore¡­¡±


    Liao Yan found it boring. He raised his eyes slightly and caught sight of Xu Xiangchi, who was also knocked down by him. His tone was cold but fierce.


    ¡°I heard that Senior Xu¡¯s father has some money and influence, and he¡¯s not to be messed with~¡± Liao Yan deliberately sighed, and pretended to be afraid.


    Xu Xiangchi glared at him with a trace of blood on his lips and said nothing.


    Liao Yan raised an eyebrow, particularly displeased with Xu Xiangchi¡¯s non responsive attitude.


    So, he stepped heavily on Xu Xiangchi¡¯s hand, causing him to scream in pain, in a state of panic he had never experienced before.


    Liao Yan quickly took a step back and apologized insincerely, ¡°Sorry, sorry, it¡¯s too dark, and I can¡¯t see well.¡±


    Then, he squatted down and calmly said, ¡°I heard that Senior Xu¡¯s father values his reputation. If he finds out that a few months ago, you drove an Omega crazy¡­¡±


    Liao Yan successfully noticed Xu Xiangchi¡¯s change in expression. ¡°Oh dear~ This could be troublesome. C University doesn¡¯t listen to your family. Will you be expelled? Will your father be furious with you?¡±


    Xu Xiangchi couldn¡¯t care about the pain. He avoided eye contact and said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°She was deceived by you and taken to an underground bar. She trusted you and drank the glass you gave her. After you had your fun, you left, leaving her alone in that place.¡± Liao Yan whispered a name into Xu Xiangchi¡¯s ear. ¡°Afterward, she went mad and couldn¡¯t say who had taken advantage of her. The school considered her behavior inappropriate and expelled her. But what about you? You distanced yourself from it all and still had the nerve to pursue another freshman.¡±


    Only then did Xu Xiangchi panic.


    ¡°Senior Xu, am I right?¡±


    When this statement came out, even Xu Feiqing looked at his cousin with great astonishment.


    Xu Xiangchi, of course, denied it. ¡° Even if it¡¯s true, how would you know? Do you think I¡¯ll be afraid just because you make up such things?¡±


    Liao Yan, impatiently brushing off the dust from his clothes, retorted, ¡°Why do you care how I know?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t tell Xu Xiangchi that in their previous world, that incident was the reason for their constant conflicts.


    He remembered it very clearly. Their compatibility was as high as 90%. In that situation, not even a pheromone inhibitor could stop the mutual attraction.


    He wanted to stay away from this Alpha, but fate inexplicably made him fall for him more.


    He thought he could finally have a normal relationship with him, but in the end, all his hopes were shattered.


    A cruel joke.


    Xu Xiangchi could mark him, coax him, but he always went around with other omegas.


    Facing Xu Xiangchi¡¯s repeated infidelity, repeated mistakes, and repeated consequences, he couldn¡¯t bear it anymore.


    The two of them had their first major disagreement.


    Back then Xu Xiangchi¡¯s expression turned into fury, and he said to the heartbroken Qu Xing, ¡°We are truly soulmates, destined to be together. Otherwise, with our different social status, how could I be interested in an orphan like you? If you can¡¯t stand me playing with other Omegas, remove the mark or just remove the glands. That way, we¡¯ll both be free!¡±


    Hearing this, Qu Xing stared at the person beside his pillow, feeling heartbroken beyond words.


    Xu Xiangchi pressed on, ¡°Qu Xing, we can actually separate. As long as you willingly remove the mark and live somewhere else, we can both be free.¡±


    Qu Xing clenched his teeth, his voice trembling, ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    He had always been strong. Why was he the only one who could hurt him?


    In the end, Xu Xiangchi raised his hand to hit him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been tired of you for a long time, you know?  when you wanted to find your pathetic twin brother, I paid and put in effort to help you find him. Knowing he died in a car accident a long time ago, I still pretended to mourn with you and went to the cemetery to bring him flowers. Is that not enough for you?!¡±


    The physical differences between Alphas and Omegas prevented him from successfully avoiding being hit by Xu Xiangchi, let alone fighting back.


    A taste of blood filled his mouth.


    Images of his childhood bullying resurfaced, and he didn¡¯t expect that his Alpha, his lover, would be the one to bring back those painful memories.


    Under the influence of pheromones, he was in agony, his heart twisted.


    Xu Xiangchi¡¯s gaze would turn sinister as he looked at his glands, and he fiercely grabbed his neck, almost choking him. ¡°If I had known that biting this mark would restrict me touching other Omegas, and that I would feel heartache when I hit you, I shouldn¡¯t have bitten you! It was you who seduced me, you,¡­., you ruined me!¡±


    Xu Xiangchi continued, ¡°Qu Xing, you should be grateful that there is an effective pheromone drug in this world.¡±


    Otherwise, if Xu Xiangchi couldn¡¯t touch any other Omega at all due to their pheromones, he would probably have killed the Omega in front of him.


    But Xu Xiangchi ¡°killed¡± him.


    Qu Xing felt lifeless. He wasn¡¯t someone who clung on to things.


    Even if it would harm his glands, he wanted to remove the mark and live a good life.


    As a result, when Xu Xiangchi¡¯s father learned about his existence and his extremely high compatibility with Xu Xiangchi, he demanded that Xu Xiangchi bring him home.


    Such high compatibility was rare, like an urban legend, something few could encounter and even fewer could seek.


    He became the face that the Xu family boasted about to the outside world.


    In that way, before his surgery, he was forcefully pulled out of the hospital by Xu Xiangchi, who controlled him with pheromones.


    Since that day, he involuntarily moved into the Xu family and was forced to register their marriage.


    They then began the days of tormenting each other.


    Xu Xiangchi always said that he was like a disgusting worm in his bed, revolting. But because of the pheromones, they had no choice but to entwine with each other. Every time after they were intimate, there was endless despair.


    Qu Xing reported it to the police, but the mark on the back of his neck, their marriage certificate, and the compatibility test result of 90% became the ropes that bound him.


    No one believed that he was trapped by the Xu family.


    Everyone thought he was happy.


    Qu Xing escaped from the Xu family countless times, and to avoid the Xu family¡¯s pursuit, he would go to a secluded underground clinic for surgery. But in the middle of the surgery, he was still caught by the Xu family and because it was not a regular hospital and the operation was forcibly interrupted, it left irreversible damage to his glands.


    Since then, he suffered tremendously until he was 28 years old. His glands deteriorated completely, and he lost his pheromones.


    Even his life was coming to an end.


    The wrong thread between him and Xu Xiangchi was finally cut.


    The Xu family finally let him go.


    But Qu Xing had long lost hope for living. He wished he would die quickly. Ironically, once the Xu family realized he was useless, they refused to pay for his medical expenses.


    Xu Xiangchi also only visited him once in the hospital, just to have him sign the divorce agreement.


    Those memories were like rotting flesh filled with maggots, making him nauseous.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The former Qu Xing, now known as Liao Yan, took a long breath. His light-colored eyes appeared particularly enchanting in the moonlight. He possessed Liao Yan¡¯s memories but never forgot the humiliation of Qu Xing.


    In fact, Qu Xing and Liao Yan were so similar, both mocked by fate, both manipulated by others.


    Liao Yan couldn¡¯t help but reveal a cold smile. He, filled with resentment towards Xu Xiangchi, truly hated Xu Feiqing. The debt owed would eventually be repaid.


    Xu Xiangchi, unable to breathe, his face turning red, said, ¡°What¡­ What do you want¡­¡±


    Liao Yan was enjoying himself, and he loosened his grip on Xu Xiangchi¡¯s neck slightly, causing him to shrink back and start coughing violently.


    It was already late.


    He had played enough that day and said coldly,  Don¡¯t cause me trouble. Otherwise¡­¡±


    He leaned close to Xu Xiangchi¡¯s ear, lowering his tone, incredibly gentle, like whispering to a lover, ¡°I will find a way to kill you.¡±


    He referred to ¡°you¡± and not ¡°both of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Senior Xu has so many secrets. I know more than just this one.¡± Liao Yan ominously threatened Xu Xiangchi, ¡°In the days to come, I hope Senior Xu will support me, your junior.¡±


    Xu Xiangchi¡¯s face was bruised and swollen, much worse off than Xu Feiqing. He sensed that Liao Yan had some sort of grudge with him and couldn¡¯t help but ask in alarm, ¡°What do you really want to do? Do you want money or do you want¡­¡±


    ¡°I want nothing I just want to advise Senior Xu to behave. I¡¯m a person with a bad temper.¡±


    Liao Yan remained motionless, looking down at Xu Xiangchi from above, treating him like trash.


    He hated Xu Xiangchi to the bone, and the real Liao Yan hated Xu Feiqing to the bone. The debts between them would eventually be repaid.


    Xu Xiangchi was terrified of his gaze and cursed, ¡°Are you crazy?! We have no grudges or grievances¡ª¡±


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t deny Xu Xiangchi¡¯s words, but lightly said, ¡°Yes, I am crazy.¡±


    Crazy to the point of no return, crazy to despair, crazy to become a pile of loam.


    Who was responsible for all of that?


    Liao Yan glanced at his powerful fist and realized for the first time how strong and effective an Alpha¡¯s body could be. He also understood that Xu Xiangchi, without the high compatibility as a driving force, was truly nothing to him.


    He seemed to have found a release for his hurt and smiled brightly, finally feeling better.


    A gust of wind blew, marking the end of the New Year¡¯s celebration.


    One by one, the lights in every household turned off.


    ¡­¡­.


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apartment.


    With Lin Yuxing¡¯s sob, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s kisses rained down on him like a river, continuously landing on Lin Yuxing¡¯s body.


    Lin Yuxing trembled all over, a thin layer of sweat forming on his forehead, and his waist felt drained of strength. Tears welled up in his eyes, and in a situation he wasn¡¯t even aware of, he gazed at Gu Zhongyi with tenderness and sweetness.


    He reached out and gently touched Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cheek.


    Gu Zhongyi turned his face and kissed his palm.


    It was over.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Let me take you to the bathroom to clean up.¡±


    With a dry throat, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t even manage a ¡°yes¡± in response.


    As the water rushed down, Lin Yuxing leaned against Gu Zhongyi unsteadily. The tingling sensation and soreness from their first time still lingered in his body. Although his neck hadn¡¯t been marked, his heart was already filled with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones.


    Gu Zhongyi moved carefully, his voice warm and apologetic as he asked, ¡°Are you uncomfortable?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, feeling the taste of being loved. He pursed his lips and smiled happily.


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°What are you smiling about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Lin Yuxing raised his head, his eyes curved. ¡°I¡¯m just happy.¡±

 CH 55

    Around two in the morning, snow began to fall outside the window.


    Lin Yuxing came out of the bathroom and changed into pajamas.


    Inside the warm room, the temperature was pleasant, and Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t feel cold even with bare feet. He leaned against the bedroom window and watched the snow for a while. Then, he walked out of the room, reached the balcony connected to the living room, and quietly sat down, hugging his knees, watching the goose feather-like snowflakes falling outside the floor-to-ceiling window.


    Before long, a blanket was draped over his shoulders.


    Gu Zhongyi sat behind him, crossing his legs, embracing Lin Yuxing from behind and letting him lean into his embrace. ¡°Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± Gu Zhongyi gathered both of Lin Yuxing¡¯s hands inside the blanket.


    ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡±


    ¡°Enjoying the snow?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze never left the snowflakes.


    Gu Zhongyi followed his line of sight. ¡°Not feeling sleepy?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, with only his head visible, sticking out from the blanket. He leaned against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chest and raised his head slightly. ¡°Are you sleepy?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Neither am I.¡± Lin Yuxing looked particularly spirited, even with a slightly rosy complexion. It was hard to tell if he was excited or if the warmth in his heart hadn¡¯t faded yet, but his eyes were especially bright.


    Lin Yuxing relaxed and said, ¡°In the past, on snowy days like this, I never took the time to appreciate the snow. I was either on my way to work or tired from finishing work. Or I was buried in endless worries, hoping the snow would stop soon and the weather wouldn¡¯t be so cold.¡±


    He paused and continued with longing, ¡°But now, I think it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    He had missed many winter snowfalls.


    Gu Zhongyi held him, his chin resting on Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder through the blanket, silent.


    Lin Yuxing felt a bit ticklish but didn¡¯t push him away. He reached out from the blanket and touched Gu Zhongyi¡¯s head. His soft hair made Lin Yuxing¡¯s palm feel itchy too.


    The bitter orange fragrance became rich and turned into strands of sweetness that entered Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t release pheromones randomly.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Zhongyi was obedient and restrained himself a bit.


    Lin Yuxing sighed, ¡°It¡¯s still so sweet. Are you trying to sweeten me to death?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi hugged him tightly, being especially clingy. ¡°I can¡¯t control myself when I¡¯m with you,¡± he said, then nuzzled Lin Yuxing¡¯s neck affectionately. ¡°Your body has even sweeter pheromones than mine.¡±


    His kisses landed on Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder, gently shifting in direction until they reached the scar.


    Sensitive to it, Lin Yuxing instinctively moved his neck away.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°There won¡¯t be days like that in the future.¡± He held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, kneading his rough palm with affectionate attachment. His voice was low and hoarse. ¡°I promise.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand was warm, and Lin Yuxing liked it very much.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mood was low, and Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t like it.


    ¡°I had a difficult time before, and it wasn¡¯t because of you,¡± Lin Yuxing lowered his eyes, not wanting Gu Zhongyi to be so concerned about his past. ¡°If you keep acting like this, I won¡¯t say anything about it anymore.¡±


    But how could Gu Zhongyi tell him? Lin Yuxing went through all those hardships, and a large part of it was because of his father? to put it bluntly, because of him.


    It was him and Lin Yuxing¡¯s meeting at the orphanage that led to Lin Yuxing experiencing countless hardships.


    Gu Zhongyi had lost him once and had been filled with unease and regret ever since.


    Gu Zhongyi said the same thing again, ¡°If only I had come a little earlier.¡±


    But in Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart, Gu Zhongyi had come early enough.


    Not only early but precisely on time.


    The snow fell heavier, soon covering the distant scenery with a shallow layer of white.


    In the dim lights of the night, the wind carried the snowflakes away into the distance.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly with his breath. He didn¡¯t say anything, turning around and hugging Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hands landed on Lin Yuxing¡¯s waist, gently pulling him closer to his chest. Lin Yuxing sat up, creating a small distance between them, and their noses touched, with a glimmer of starlight in their eyes.


    ¡°Shall we go downstairs to see the snow?¡±


    He waited for Gu Zhongyi for about three seconds but didn¡¯t get a response. He pushed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder as if being playful, but he also seemed unaccustomed to speaking like that.


    ¡°Take me downstairs to see the snow!¡± He smiled and said playfully.


    It was a night in City C, with a temperature of minus ten degrees Celsius.


    There was already a thin layer of snow on the ground.


    Lin Yuxing wore a thick coat and a red scarf, bouncing ahead of Gu Zhongyi, leaving a trail of footprints in the snow.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Lin Yuxing uttered and instinctively covered his butt with both hands.


    Confused, Gu Zhongyi hurriedly approached and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head and blushed, his ears turning red. He reached out and lightly patted Gu Zhongyi, whispering shyly, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. I can¡¯t even walk properly.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi instantly understood that he was at fault.


    He grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand and hid it in his pocket, keeping it warm. His lips curved slightly, ¡°Do you want me to make up for it?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Can you give me money?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had intended to carry Lin Yuxing on his back and enjoy the snow until he was satisfied. Who would have thought that Lin Yuxing would equate ¡°compensation¡± with money?


    ¡­Well, it¡¯s not entirely impossible.


    But giving money after being intimate seemed strange no matter how you looked at it.


    He explained, ¡°This kind of compensation can¡¯t be expressed with money.¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked expectantly, ¡°Then what should I choose?¡±


    ¡°Anything else.¡±


    ¡°Then I want to eat roasted sweet potatoes.¡± Lin Yuxing rubbed his stomach and had a sudden idea. ¡°Eating roasted sweet potatoes on a snowy day feels the warmest.¡±


    That puzzled Gu Zhongyi. It was late at night, and it was also the first day of the Lunar New Year. Where could he buy roasted sweet potatoes for Lin Yuxing?


    Lin Yuxing knew he couldn¡¯t get them that instant, he had just said it casually.


    But Gu Zhongyi thought it over and didn¡¯t want to disappoint him. He gave Lin Yuxing a red envelope containing 200 yuan. It wasn¡¯t a large amount, but it was a little New Year¡¯s gift.


    ¡°New Year¡¯s red envelope.¡±


    Lin Yuxing had never received a red envelope before, even though he was already grown up. He didn¡¯t know what to do, so he hurriedly gave Gu Zhongyi a red envelope as well, also containing 200 yuan


    Lin Yuxing smiled and said, ¡°Senior, I¡¯m also giving you a New Year¡¯s red envelope.¡±


    They exchanged New Year gifts.


    However, Gu Zhongyi was a bit calculating, ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind went blank. He looked down and kicked a small stone covered by the accumulated snow, unable to utter the words ¡°Zhongyi ge¡± (Brother Zhongyi).


    An hour earlier, Lin Yuxing called him ¡°Zhongyi ge¡±, and Gu Zhongyi playfully bumped into him. If he hadn¡¯t called him that, Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t budge¡­


    Lin Yuxing still associated that name as a startup for indecent things, something he absolutely couldn¡¯t say!


    so he stubbornly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to call you that anymore. We¡¯re the same age, I don¡¯t want to address you like that.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t anxious, nor was he annoyed. In fact, he was happy with whatever Lin Yuxing called him, and he was willing to accept it.


    He didn¡¯t argue at all, simply saying, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Lin Yuxing glanced at him and realized that Gu Zhongyi was quite understanding.


    Gu Zhongyi happily said, ¡°That way of addressing each other is more interesting occasionally.¡± Lin Yuxing understood the meaning behind the word ¡°occasionally.¡±


    Lin Yuxing stopped, unable to resist giving Gu Zhongyi a kick.


    The force wasn¡¯t strong, but it was the first time he did that to Gu Zhongyi.


    Due to the exaggerated movement, Lin Yuxing instinctively covered his butt again, and his waist began to ache.


    He drooped his eyebrows, feeling wronged as he shifted the blame, ¡± senior Yang always comes up with bad ideas. I won¡¯t listen to him anymore.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stopped teasing him and agreed, ¡°Yang Qing is no good.¡±


    Little did they know that Yang Qing, who was playing games all night at home, sneezed.


    In the heated room, Yang Qing shook his legs, rubbed his nose, and happily took a sip of soda. He confidently said, ¡°I bet Zhongyi is thanking me right now.¡±


    Feeling a bit hungry, he went to the living room to find something to eat.


    Vaguely, as he passed Yang Zhou¡¯s room, he heard some inappropriate sounds coming from inside. Luckily, their rooms were far from their parents¡¯ room. Otherwise, how could their elderly parents have a peaceful sleep with that going on?


    Yang Qing had nothing to say about his older brother¡¯s lack of virtue. After all, he was a doctor at C University. He was anything but serious.


    He picked up a few candied oranges from the coffee table and returned to his room. After peeling the oranges, he chewed on them, feeling the sweetness in his mouth but bitterness in his heart. ¡°I envy those who spend the night together, welcoming the New Year in each other¡¯s arms.¡±


    Thinking about it, he sent a message to a newly created group, with a lingering desire to play another game: [my two adorable juniors, shall we play another round?]


    Gu Nuan: [I won¡¯t play anymore. If I don¡¯t go to bed soon, my dad will hang me on the balcony.]


    Yang Qing: [You¡¯re already 19, and you¡¯re still a daddy¡¯s boy? Come on, let¡¯s play another round.]


    Gu Nuan: [No, because I¡¯m a daddy¡¯s boy.]


    In an instance Gu Nuan¡¯s game ID went offline.


    Yang Qing: [What about Su Li?]


    Su Li: [Not playing anymore. I need to video chat with my boyfriend tomorrow at noon, so I have to sleep.]


    Yang Qing:¡­


    Yang Qing: [I didn¡¯t expect that even though you¡¯re average-looking, you already have a boyfriend. Are you all in such a hurry to find someone, even though you¡¯re only in your freshman year?]


    Su Li: [Do you have any manners?]


    Su Li: [No wonder I heard you¡¯re always getting dumped. It seems there¡¯s a reason for it.]


    Su Li¡¯s game ID was ¡°Youtiao dipped in soy milk,¡± and it immediately went offline.


    Yang Qing was left in his lonely state.


    ¡­¡­..


    On the other side, Lin Yuxing¡¯s shyness came and went quickly. He looked up at the moon, and the snowflakes landed on his slightly long eyelashes, casting a faint shadow.


    Soon, those snowflakes melted away.


    Under the moonlight and streetlights, Lin Yuxing¡¯s profile looked exceptionally beautiful.


    He held hands with Gu Zhongyi and walked slowly on the road, leaving behind long footprints that extended to the lonely dreams he once had.


    ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Did I tell you that when I was a child in the welfare institution, I knew a boy named ¡®A Yi¡¯?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s footsteps paused, and for a moment, his expression stiffened.


    In the dim light, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t notice Gu Zhongyi¡¯s discomfort. He turned around and looked at their footprints, exhaling a breath of white mist.


    ¡°He was my first friend, the first person who was kind to me besides my brother.¡± There was nostalgia and loneliness in Lin Yuxing¡¯s tone as he pretended to casually say, ¡°I often took him to play in the sandbox on the playground. It was the same back then, our footprints side by side, it felt good.¡±


    And now, he wasn¡¯t alone anymore.


    Lin Yuxing clearly remembered that A Yi had some issues with his feet, so his footprints were deep and shallow. But the way he tried to keep up with him left a deep impression.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved, and he asked, ¡°Do you know how he¡¯s doing now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lin Yuxing shrugged indifferently and slowly started walking back. ¡°He only stayed in the welfare institution for two months before his family took him away. We were too young at the time and couldn¡¯t exchange contact information.¡±


    Even if they had exchanged contact information in the welfare institution, it wouldn¡¯t have made a difference.


    The welfare institution was like a transit station, with people coming and going. Everyone was like a passing traveler, heading in different directions and embarking on different lives.


    A heaviness seemed to sink within Gu Zhongyi¡¯s body, making his steps heavy.


    He moved his lips and asked the question that had been on his mind for a long time, ¡°Do you want to see him?¡±


    ¡°Can you help me find him?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    As long as Lin Yuxing wanted, A Yi could appear now.


    Lin Yuxing fell silent for a moment and answered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I used to think about it, but now,¡± Lin Yuxing laughed helplessly, ¡°it¡¯s not necessary anymore.¡±


    So many years had passed, and they both had their own lives. Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to trouble Gu Zhongyi or disturb A Yi.


    Gu Zhongyi fell silent.


    Lin Yuxing mistakenly thought Gu Zhongyi¡¯s silence was because he was tired and took the initiative to say, ¡°Are you tired? It seems like the snow is going to stop.¡± He tiptoed and brushed off the fine droplets of water on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to bed.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi moved slowly, and the smile in his eyes disappeared at some point.


    ¡°Okay.¡±

 CH 56

    The next day.


    Lin Yuxing woke up to find no one by his side. Gu Zhongyi always slept less, so he probably got up early.


    Lin Yuxing was awakened by messages from a newly created group by Su Li. His phone kept vibrating.


    Su Li: [Some people are living their lives so sweetly that they don¡¯t even reply to messages.]


    Gu Nuan: [Some people got their bottoms sunburned by the sun and are probably still sleeping.]


    Su Li: [Some people forget their friends once they start dating. The water in the river last night was my cold heart flowing east.]


    Gu Nuan: [Some people just left us and went away. The snow last night was my tears falling one after another.]


    Su Li & Gu Nuan: [Sigh~]


    With sleepy eyes, Lin Yuxing glanced at the messages: [Sleeping, let¡¯s chat later.]


    He struggled and sent another message he didn¡¯t have time to send last night: [Happy New Year.]


    Su Li: [Tsk tsk.]


    Gu Nuan: [Tsk tsk tsk.]


    Lin Yuxing muted the group.


    He had barely slept for a while longer when Liao Yan¡¯s call came. Lin Yuxing answered the call, feeling exhausted.


    Liao Yan¡¯s voice was full of energy. ¡°Yuxing, Happy New Year!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? I messaged you last night, and you didn¡¯t reply. I messaged you this morning, and you still didn¡¯t reply. As a friend, you¡¯re really heartless.¡±


    ¡°I stayed up late for New Year¡¯s Eve.¡± Lin Yuxing clearly wasn¡¯t fully awake. He curled up and sniffed the bitter orange scent on the blanket, yawning. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯ll hang up first.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already past 1 p.m. Are you planning to continue sleeping?¡±


    Lin Yuxing really wanted to hang up the phone, so he casually responded, ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Due to the bruise on his face, Liao Yan was ¡°grounded¡± at home and was bored, so he intentionally said, ¡°Wow, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s stamina is quite impressive.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t even open his eyes properly, so he didn¡¯t catch on and mumbled sleepily, ¡°He has too much stamina, my waist is sore¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t feel much last night, but now even a slight movement made his waist ache terribly.


    Liao Yan fell silent on the other end for a full minute. It seemed like something fell from his hand to the ground.


    Liao Yan:¡­


    Liao Yan: ??


    Liao Yan: ¡°You, you and him, you guys?!¡±


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t care about anything else and started cursing, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, that lustful bastard, how dare he make a move on you when he¡¯s only a few years older?!¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind went blank, and he was almost ¡°awakened¡± by Liao Yan¡¯s scolding.


    He pressed the phone against his face, realizing what he had just said. He immediately woke up, jumped up from the bed, and abruptly hung up the call.


    It was over, it was over. How could he have revealed his intimate relationship with Gu Zhongyi to Liao Yan¡­


    Lin Yuxing regretfully threw himself onto the bed. It seemed that he couldn¡¯t save face anymore.


    Mainly because Liao Yan seemed too lively and familiar with people, Lin Yuxing was afraid he would talk about it everywhere. Although it was widely known that he and Gu Zhongyi were in a relationship, in this day and age, it wasn¡¯t a big deal for couples to sleep together. But there were some private matters that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t like to reveal.


    What if he asked Liao Yan to keep it a secret?


    Lin Yuxing rejected Liao Yan¡¯s call and was considering how to organize his words. Meanwhile, Liao Yan started bombarding Lin Yuxing with messages.


    Liao Yan: [Answer the phone, don¡¯t ignore it.]


    Liao Yan: [All the alphas in this world are dogs. There¡¯s not a single one to believe in!]


    Liao Yan: [TMI.]


    Liao Yan, grinding his teeth, firmly concluded that all alphas are dogs, forgetting that he himself was now an alpha.


    In a spacious bedroom, Liao Yan paced back and forth while holding his phone, muttering words that were far from pleasant.


    Liao¡¯s mother, carrying a plate of pineapples, knocked on the door and walked in concerned: ¡°Xiao Yan?¡±


    As soon as he heard her voice, Liao Yan¡¯s anxious attitude immediately subsided. He put his phone in his pocket and went to take the plate from Liao¡¯s mother¡¯s hand: ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother saw the broken glass on the floor, but instead of blaming Liao Yan, she hurriedly fetched a broom and dustpan to clean it up.


    ¡°Mom, I can handle it myself!¡±


    ¡°You rest.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother quickly cleaned up the broken glass in a few strokes. She caught sight of the bruise on Liao Yan¡¯s arm and furrowed her brows with concern.


    It was the Lunar New Year, and she shouldn¡¯t have allowed Liao Yan to go out the previous night.


    ¡°You should rest well at home these days and not go anywhere,¡± Liao¡¯s mother said, slowly inspecting the injury on his arm, and said worriedly, ¡°I always heard that the security in City C is good, how did you come across thugs?¡±


    Liao Yan stuffed a piece of pineapple into his mouth, casually brushed off the concerns, telling his mother not to worry about it.


    Liao¡¯s mother said, ¡°You, since you were young, were always obedient and never good at fighting. If you encounter such a situation again, just run away quickly, don¡¯t get into conflicts with them.¡±


    ¡°I know, Mom.¡±


    Due to Liao Yan¡¯s injury, their family declined the visit of relatives who were supposed to come over that day. It was also for the sake of Liao Yan that they had no plans to leave City C during the New Year.


    Since Liao Yan woke up, he had been suffering from a ¡°strange illness.¡± He couldn¡¯t leave City C; whenever he left the city, Liao Yan would become restless, as if his soul had been drawn away, turning into a walking corpse.


    They had visited many major hospitals to find out about that condition, but they all said there was no physical problem, perhaps it was a psychological illness.


    However, that knot seemed difficult to untie for the time being.


    Liao¡¯s parents saw Liao Yan¡¯s gradually improving nature, so they didn¡¯t rush things. After all, the psychologist also said that that was not something to be rushed, it had to be dealt with slowly.


    Liao¡¯s mother thought about it and gently touched Liao Yan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s good that the injury isn¡¯t severe, otherwise, you would¡¯ve scared me to death.¡±


    Liao Yan had already picked up the second piece of pineapple. He listened to his mother¡¯s nagging and nodded, pretending to be obedient. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t possibly tell her that he was the one who started the fight, right?


    On the desk, Liao Yan¡¯s computer screen was on, displaying a two-year-old news article.


    Liao¡¯s mother had good eyesight and unintentionally caught sight of the headline that read, ¡°[20xx, the Hidden Truth behind the Car Accident Case in City D].¡±


    Liao Yan reached out and closed the page.


    Liao¡¯s mother didn¡¯t ask further, nor did she suspect anything.


    She sat in Liao Yan¡¯s room for a while and chatted. She mentioned, ¡°Your aunt called me just now and said she contacted that specialist doctor who¡¯s difficult to make an appointment with.¡±


    Liao Yan couldn¡¯t help but stand up. ¡°Will it work?¡±


    ¡°Your aunt is reliable when it comes to these things. She asked you to schedule a time after the New Year, and she¡¯ll make arrangements.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother noticed that Liao Yan¡¯s lips were a bit dry. She got up and brought the kettle from the living room, pouring a cup of hot water for Liao Yan and placing it on the table. ¡°By the way, which friend of yours needs scar repair? I heard your aunt mention it, and that doctor¡¯s fees are not low.¡±


    ¡°Just a classmate I get along with well,¡± Liao Yan didn¡¯t tell the whole truth or lie, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the money aspect.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother smiled, her eyes filled with tenderness for her son.


    Liao Yan chatted with his mother about trivial matters while eating pineapple, occasionally glancing at his phone.


    Before long, Liao Yan had finished almost half of the plate of pineapple.


    ¡°By the way, Mom, is Dad¡¯s company planning any activities in the future? Do they need temporary workers? My friend and I have free time and would like to gain some social experience while earning some pocket money.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother was very supportive of her son¡¯s growing extroverted personality and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to your dad about it later.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother pretended to be nonchalant and took the opportunity to say, ¡°If you¡¯re bored at home, invite your friend to come over. Didn¡¯t your dad buy you a new gaming card?¡±


    Liao Yan almost choked on the pineapple in his mouth and exclaimed, ¡°Can¡­ can I?¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is your home too, you can do whatever you want.¡± Liao¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t help but smile, her eyes filled with warmth, as she said in a gentle voice, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare something delicious and treat your friend well.¡±


    In fact, Liao¡¯s parents had no ulterior motives. They just wanted to express their gratitude to their son¡¯s current friends and take the opportunity to see what kind of people they were.


    Their son had fallen back on interpersonal relationships before, and they couldn¡¯t afford to be careless again.


    Liao Yan, or rather, Qu Xing, hugged Liao¡¯s mother with gratitude.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re really too good to me.¡±


    From childhood to adulthood, he had never experienced genuine motherly love.


    Although he was an impostor, he still accepted that care wholeheartedly.


    After all, in a certain sense, he was now Liao Yan. If he were to say he wasn¡¯t Liao Yan, he might be labeled as mentally ill and sent to a hospital, which would only cause distress to that elderly couple¡­


    Since he couldn¡¯t repay the loss, he might as well continue the lie.


    Anyway, he had always wanted a family, and the real Liao Yan just wanted to be liberated.


    So Liao Yan took out his phone and formally invited his little star to come to his house. He lay on the recliner on the balcony, typing while reminiscing about the things Lin Yu Xing loved to eat.


    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t remember what his younger brother liked to eat or didn¡¯t like to eat. Perhaps when he was in the orphanage, there wasn¡¯t much good food to begin with.


    He only remembered that Lin Yu Xing wasn¡¯t picky and could be happy with a steamed bun.


    He also remembered that every time Lin Yuxing had something delicious, he always couldn¡¯t bear to eat it alone and had to wait for him to eat together. Even a lollipop had to be smashed open with a stone, giving him the bigger piece and keeping the smaller one for himself.


    They were twins, only having each other since birth. If it weren¡¯t for fate¡¯s mockery, they would have remained close brothers with a good relationship.


    The corners of Liao Yan¡¯s mouth gradually turned downward.


    He hadn¡¯t pressed the send button after typing, but Lin Yuxing¡¯s message arrived.


    Perhaps it was because of the words he used to scold Gu Zhongyi earlier that made Lin Yuxing unhappy.


    Lin Yuxing wrote a long paragraph, very serious and without any joking intention: [After thinking it over, I still want to clarify these words with you. I know you¡¯re concerned about me, and as a friend, I¡¯m grateful for that, but I don¡¯t want anyone accusing my senior in front of me. If he¡¯s at fault in this matter, I¡¯m at fault as well. But regardless of right or wrong, it¡¯s our own business.]


    Liao Yan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Liao Yan was scolded by Lin Yuxing.


    He never knew that his crybaby younger brother would be so protective.


    Not only that, Lin Yuxing seemed polite and courteous to everyone except him. That stark contrast greatly struck him.


    He was too angry just now and forgot that he wasn¡¯t Lin Yuxing¡¯s ¡°brother¡± anymore, just an ordinary classmate, an ordinary friend.


    Looking at that serious message, he squatted on the ground, frustratedly scratching his head. It seemed that he needed to be nicer to Gu Zhongyi in front of Lin Yuxing before laying everything out.


    Otherwise, would Lin Yuxing cut ties with him before he had the chance to explain?


    Miscalculated, miscalculated.


    After a while, Liao Yan¡¯s ¡°sincere¡± apology arrived on Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone.


    Liao Yan: [¡°Respecting Senior Gu¡±. I will remember these words from now on and hope you can calm down.]


    Liao Yan: [Wuwuwu, you don¡¯t hate me now, right? Actually, I support your relationship with Senior Gu more than the person with ID789 on the forum.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Uh¡­]


    Sometimes, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t figure out what kind of person Liao Yan was. but ID789 wasn¡¯t as annoying as him.


    Liao Yan: [Wuwuwu.]


    Liao Yao: [crying emoji ¡Á 3]


    Liao Yan: [ sad emoji spam]


    Lin Yuxing: [¡­I¡¯m not angry anymore, stop spamming.]


    Liao Yan: [Really?]


    Lin Yuxing: [Yeah. I have to get up now, let¡¯s chat later.]


    Speaking of which, Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t talked to ID789 for a long time.


    During that period, he had continued to post on the forum, but privately, he hadn¡¯t bothered Lin Yuxing at all, surprisingly quiet.


    Following the principle of courtesy, Lin Yuxing sent him a message: [Happy New Year.]


    One minute later, ID789 didn¡¯t reply, but the door to the room was opened by Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Awake?¡± Gu Zhongyi seemed to have just returned from outside, his coat still on, carrying a hint of cold. He walked over to Lin Yuxing and said, ¡°I bought roasted sweet potatoes.¡±


    ¡°Roasted sweet potatoes?¡±


    Lin Yuxing remembered his casual remark the previous night and happily grabbed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, feeling the chill.


    Looking at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s coat, it wasn¡¯t thick.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you drive there?¡±


    ¡°I remember there¡¯s a nearby place, so I didn¡¯t take the car.¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to freeze, so he retracted his hand. ¡°I tried my luck.¡±


    Lin Yuxing saw that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ears were red from the cold, knowing he must have been wandering around nearby for a long time before finding a place selling roasted sweet potatoes.


    Lin Yuxing felt sorry for Gu Zhongyi. He held Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand again, exerting a bit of force, and smoothly guided him to sit by the edge of the bed. Lin Yuxing warmed his hands, rubbed and kneaded them carefully.


    Some of the coldness on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s body dissipated, and he raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    While warming his hands, Lin Yuxing chattered on, ¡°I will eat the roasted sweet potatoes later; it doesn¡¯t have to be today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to wait.¡± If possible, Gu Zhongyi would have bought them the previous night.


    Lin Yuxing felt distressed. ¡°It¡¯s so cold outside, and you¡¯re dressed so lightly.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked at him and once his hands were warm, he reached out to touch Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheek. ¡°The roasted sweet potatoes will get cold if we don¡¯t eat them soon. Are you getting up?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Without forgetting, Lin Yuxing kissed Gu Zhongyi on the face and cheerfully said, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to say it yesterday, Happy New Year.¡±

 CH 57

    Winter break came to an end, and Lin Yuxing hurriedly moved back to the dormitory.


    When Gu Zhongyi parked the car at the entrance of the North Building dormitory and got out to help Lin Yuxing with his luggage, many classmates stood around them stunned.


    One classmate even dropped the pancake he was holding onto the ground in surprise, perfectly expressing his astonishment, ¡°Damn, there goes my dinner!¡±


    Classmate 1: ¡°Am I seeing things? Are they living together?¡±


    Classmate 2: ¡°No, wait. I remember Lin Yuxing applied to stay in the school dormitory during winter break¡­¡±


    Classmate 3: ¡°Could they have been cohabitating during the holidays?!¡±


    ¡­


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t oblivious; he naturally noticed the gossiping expressions of his classmates. He had originally planned to show some affection with Gu Zhongyi before parting ways, but now it seemed impossible.


    He took the luggage from Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand and urged him eagerly, ¡°I¡¯m going in, you should leave quickly.¡±


    Lin Yuxing turned and hurried towards the entrance of the dormitory building.


    Gu Zhongyi quickly grabbed his hand, ignoring the onlookers, and gently rubbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s slightly warm ear while saying, ¡°I¡¯ll come to pick you up on Friday evening.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll spend the weekend at my place.¡± Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°We agreed on it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing widened his eyes slightly as he tried to remember, ¡°When did I agree to that?¡±


    ¡°We can agree now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing wanted to pull his hand away, but he couldn¡¯t. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes were filled with a playful smile. Lin Yuxing said with a hint of unwillingness, ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi fell silent, using his pheromones to convey his hurt feelings.


    Lin Yuxing, enticed by the bittersweet orange scent emanating from Gu Zhongyi, stared at him holding his hand and lowered his voice, shyly stuttering, ¡°Unless you¡­ you agree to something too. If you stop acting like that all the time at night I¡¯ll stay over on weekends¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi lowered his voice in response, ¡°Like what?¡±


    Lin Yuxing furrowed his brows and playfully scolded, ¡°Don¡¯t push it too far.¡±


    In Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, it was oddly adorable.


    Lowering his head, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I won¡¯t agree to come over on the weekend.¡± He had an attitude of following through with his words.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s face growing redder, his ears getting hot, Gu Zhongyi decided not to tease him further. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    But this ¡°alright¡± was merely said in passing.


    Having experienced a passionate encounter, Gu Zhongyi was quite satisfied with his youthful body. It turned out that sometimes when the body couldn¡¯t be controlled by the mind, it was a blissful and wonderful thing.


    Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let go then? Look, all these classmates watching won¡¯t leave¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°Can you send me your class schedule for this semester?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was a bit puzzled.


    Gu Zhongyi gave a reasonable explanation, ¡°My boyfriend is shy and doesn¡¯t want to live with me. So I need to know his schedule to make it convenient for me to arrange dates with him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing met Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze, feeling a tingling sensation in his heart, and glanced around, whispering shyly, ¡°Then I want yours too, let¡¯s exchange.¡±


    They were no longer in a work relationship, and he could also ask for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s class schedule too.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had been waiting for Lin Yuxing to say that.


    Feeling happy inside, Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips curved up secretly. But soon, he restrained himself and lightly pulled his hand away.


    ¡°I really have to go in now.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi let go accordingly and said, ¡°Okay, sleep early tonight.¡±


    As soon as he let go, Lin Yuxing, carrying his luggage, rushed into the dormitory without looking back.


    Gu Zhongyi watched Lin Yuxing quickly escape and chuckled to himself.


    The campus online forum had another hot topic that day.


    Title: [Lin Yuxing, already living sweetly with the handsome school heartthrob, Gu Zhongyi, in less than four months of dating!]¡±


    The first comment was a photo of them holding hands, with Lin Yuxing looking shyly down and Gu Zhongyi smiling sweetly. Their visible luggage provided solid evidence.


    Within seconds, five comments appeared.


    Second comment: ¡°Oh my, some people are really in love and living the life, while some of us can¡¯t even go on a single date!¡±


    Third comment: ¡°What¡¯s going on with this forum? Is it the Diary of Gu? Can we have something else to talk about¡­¡±


    Fourth comment: ¡°If you want to see something else, go to another section. This is the gossip area. Mind your own business and stop talking nonsense.¡±


    Fifth comment: ¡°The first comment is so casual, I don¡¯t see anything suspicious, even classmates are closer.¡±


    Sixth comment: ¡°Too bad the flowers are planted in manure¡­¡±


    Seventh comment: ¡°Envious, they¡¯re quite compatible and look good together.¡±


    Comments five and six were quickly deleted.


    Next, eighth and ninth, eleventh and fourteenth¡­


    The person responsible for deleting negative comments, Yang Qing, looked at the message sent by Gu Zhongyi on his phone, shook his head, not understanding what was going on in the Alpha¡¯s head.


    Yang Qing was tired of deleting comments: ¡°[Zhongyi, should I just delete this post?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[Hmm.]¡±


    Yang Qing was about to delete the post when two new comments appeared.


    Fifty-eighth comment: ¡°Look closely, Lin Yuxing is actually quite good-looking. I remember before winter break, an Alpha in our class even asked me for his contact information, but I told him that he was already with Gu, and that Alpha immediately backed off.¡±


    Fifty-ninth comment: ¡°The person above, your profile is showing, haha. You¡¯ve exposed the Alpha in your class.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi immediately called: ¡°Yang Qing, how about leaving the post for a couple of days?¡±


    Yang Qing: ¡°?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°Leave it for a week.¡±


    Yang Qing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°There are too many people interested in pursuing Yuxing.¡±


    There was previously Xu Xiangchi, and now there was an unknown Alpha.


    There were simply too many.


    Yang Qing, who didn¡¯t understand the situation, said helplessly, ¡°Can¡¯t you have more confidence in yourself? Which other Alpha in this school can compare to you?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t lacking in confidence, nor did he lack trust in Lin Yuxing.


    He was just petty.


    After careful consideration, he said, ¡°I still hope that the whole school will know that Yuxing and I are dating.¡±


    He was afraid of missing out on anyone, and he was also afraid of anyone misunderstanding their relationship. He wanted everyone to see that post, to know that Lin Yuxing and he had a sweet healthy relationship and had already lived together for a while.


    The more widely known, the better..


    Yang Qing complained about him for the first time, jokingly saying, ¡°Zhongyi, why don¡¯t you just take a megaphone and shout it out at school, it would be more direct and much easier than deleting comments back and forth.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi responded seriously, ¡°Yuxing wouldn¡¯t be happy about it.¡±


    Implying that he would have done it long ago if he could.


    Yang Qing was stunned. Was this still the Gu Zhongyi he knew? Was this still the ¡°grass¡± on the high hill, cold as ice?


    Silent for a while, Yang Qing replied, ¡°How about I give you the authority to delete it yourself? Wouldn¡¯t that be better than us going back and forth like this? It¡¯s a waste of time.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi slid his index finger on the forum page on the screen, repeatedly looking at the secretly taken photo, feeling pleased, and saving it in passing.


    He said, ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    The authority of managing the forum fell into the hands of ID789.


    That was equivalent to giving the power of life and death on the forum to a ¡°dictator.¡±


    That night, all the negative or slightly unfriendly comments towards Lin Yuxing were ruthlessly deleted by ID789.


    From then on, the school forum had a widely-known ¡°secret¡±: Gu Zhongyi had been completely captivated by the Omega, Lin Yuxing!


    However, Lin Yuxing had no idea about the ¡°bloody storm¡± that took place that night.


    He hadn¡¯t lived with Su Li for a long time, and they excitedly chatted into the late hours of the night. When he woke up, all the posts on the forum were filled with praise.


    Su Li immediately caught onto what was happening but didn¡¯t expose it, clicking his tongue and shaking his head.


    The new semester began amidst Lin Yuxing¡¯s busy schedule. Every day, he either attended classes or worked part-time at the bakery, or occasionally took on some meager errands.


    On Saturdays, he continued to tutor Zhang Yuanyuan.


    However, because Zhang Yuanyuan was still young, Lin Yuxing¡¯s knowledge range was limited, and he couldn¡¯t teach too far ahead, so most of the time, he simply helped Zhang Yuanyuan with his homework.


    To ease his conscience, he discussed the matter with Manager Zhang and how to reduce the fees.


    Manager Zhang had a way with words, he expressed his gratitude, saying, ¡°My son, Yuanyuan, had average grades before, but this time, he ranked first in his grade. Teacher Lin, don¡¯t be so polite to us. These tutoring fees are only right!¡±


    Lin Yuxing believed that Manager Zhang¡¯s family was well-off, without any suspicions.


    Unfortunately, in the second week after their conversation¡­


    When Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi went to the restaurant for dinner, they coincidentally ran into Manager Zhang. It was then that Lin Yuxing found out that Zhang Yuanyuan¡¯s father had been an employee of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s all along.


    There¡¯s a saying, ¡°One who eats people¡¯s food is bound to speak their language.¡± Lin Yuxing worried that he would unnecessarily trouble Gu Zhongyi with obligations, so he made the decisive decision to resign.


    Manager Zhang anxiously stopped him from resigning, trying to persuade him and finally lowering the hourly wage to keep him.


    To be honest, that was the first time Manager Zhang had encountered a bargaining scene like that.


    Manager Zhang: ¡°380.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°still high.¡±


    Manager Zhang: ¡°330?¡±


    Lin Yuxing frowned, convinced that Manager Zhang had ulterior motives.


    Manager Zhang¡¯s wife, Fang Mei, being a logical person, quickly searched the internet for information and came back with a suggestion, saying, ¡°Teacher Lin, it says online that the market rate for tutoring by C University students is between 150 and 200 yuan per hour. How about we compromise and set it at 180?¡±


    Fang Mei added, ¡°But I believe 180 isn¡¯t high and you teach so well, the price shouldn¡¯t be this low.¡±


    As she spoke, she discreetly patted her son¡¯s back, indicating for Zhang Yuanyuan to help say something positive.


    Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Yuanyuan extended three fingers to Fang Mei, with each finger representing a Transformers character.


    Fang Mei¡¯s face darkened as she held up two fingers.


    Zhang Yuanyuan knew not to push his luck and compromised.


    He immediately stepped forward and hugged Lin Yuxing¡¯s arm, sadly lowering his head. His performance was three parts dramatic and seven parts genuine emotion as he said, ¡°Teacher Lin, if you leave, my studies will be affected.¡± His adorable face displayed a hint of pity as he rattled on, ¡°Then I won¡¯t be able to attend a good middle school, and I won¡¯t be able to go to a good high school. Eventually, I¡¯ll miss the opportunity to attend C University, and our country will lose a talent. It¡¯s such a pity!¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Manager Zhang & Fang Mei: Uh.


    Zhang Yuanyuan went all out for Transformers. He held his hand to his heart and said, ¡°Teacher Lin! If you leave, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to eat and will lose ten pounds¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought that wasn¡¯t a bad thing. ¡°You¡¯ve gained weight recently. Losing some wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±


    Zhang Yuanyuan plopped down on the ground, putting on a show with his entire body, shedding fake tears and imploring, ¡°Teacher Lin, don¡¯t go¡ª¡±


    Even Fang Mei couldn¡¯t bear to watch, finding it too fake.


    But surprisingly, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t expose it. It seemed like he genuinely cared for Zhang Yuanyuan.


    Lin Yuxing was someone who responded to kindness rather than force, and he found himself in a dilemma due to Zhang¡¯s triple attack.


    Seeing Zhang Yuanyuan¡¯s teary eyes, Lin Yuxing reconsidered, ¡°Mr. Zhang, I don¡¯t want you to spend all this money because of¡­ Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Manager Zhang wiped his forehead in relief and defended himself, saying, ¡°Teacher Lin, my son needs a tutor, whether or not Gu Boss is involved. Gu Boss only saw that I couldn¡¯t find a suitable tutor and helped connect us. That¡¯s all.¡± He spoke with wide eyes, telling a white lie. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡±


    With Manager Zhang¡¯s affirmative reply, Lin Yuxing felt at ease and accepted the part-time job again.


    That night, after discussing it with his wife, Manager Zhang privately contacted Gu Zhongyi.


    They both believed that Lin Yuxing was an excellent teacher, and their child was willing to listen to him. Therefore, after much consideration, Fang Mei didn¡¯t want to lose such a qualified private tutor.


    Starting from that week, they hoped to pay 180 yuan per hour for private tutoring.


    Gu Zhongyi had truly become a simple matchmaker.

 CH 58

    Time flew by.


    Spring arrived silently, and apricot blossoms bloomed throughout the school. Several sparrows landed on the branches, chirping and hopping, shaking off a few petals in their flight.


    C University, Building F.


    Second class in the morning, flower arrangement class.


    Su Li looked at the strangely shaped arrangement in front of him and began to doubt his aesthetic taste. Lin Yuxing beside him was also at a loss, unsure how to comment on the ¡°thing¡± in front of them.


    After a long while, Lin Yuxing politely said, ¡°It¡¯s art.¡±


    Su Li was taken aback, surprised, but then nodded heavily.


    Beside them, the creator of that ¡°thing,¡± Liao Yan, said to Lin Yuxing, ¡°I also think it¡¯s a piece of artwork. If you like it, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t want it at all.


    But Liao Yan was very enthusiastic and almost put Lin Yuxing¡¯s name on the flower basket and have it personally delivered to their dormitory.


    Lin Yuxing tried to refuse politely, saying, ¡°This is your first assignment, and you put so much effort into it, so artistically¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be better to give it to your family?¡±


    Liao Yan thought to himself: Isn¡¯t your family me?


    But on the surface, he had to respond, ¡°My mom would definitely love it.¡± He took the opportunity to say, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve invited you several times to have dinner at my house. At least show me some face, okay?¡±


    Su Li, who was standing next to Lin Yuxing, listened attentively and glanced suspiciously at Liao Yan.


    In fairness, Liao Yan said to Su Li, ¡°You can come if you want.¡± He explained with some arrogance, ¡°After all, you¡¯re Yuxing¡¯s friend.¡±


    Su Li¡¯s ears pricked up, and he glanced at Liao Yan, whose face instantly turned cold. He felt that Liao Yan was inconsistent and worth being cautious about. He reminded Lin Yuxing, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to speak ill of him¡­ He looks good, but he doesn¡¯t seem like a good person. Why did you become friends with him?¡±


    Based on Su Li¡¯s understanding of Lin Yuxing, he knew that Lin Yuxing was not good at dealing with people like Liao Yan, whose character was different and a bit odd.


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head and fiddled with the flowers on his desk, inserting them into a simple flower basket with great concentration.


    ¡°Liao Yan is indeed a bit talkative, but I don¡¯t know why I can¡¯t bring myself to dislike him.¡± Lin Yuxing always felt a familiar feeling from Liao Yan sometimes.


    But he couldn¡¯t put his finger on what that feeling was.


    After hearing this, Su Li was astonished and misunderstood, ¡°Could it be that you have feelings for him¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly covered Su Li¡¯s mouth. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± He firmly told Su Li, ¡± no one can be compared to senior.¡±


    Even if the whole world changed, Lin Yuxing would never change his feelings. In his eyes, Gu Zhongyi was the best, with no one else to compare.


    Su Li¡¯s eyelashes twitched and he glanced at the classmates who were staring at them, signaling Lin Yuxing to let go first.


    Lin Yuxing awkwardly retracted his hand and leaned close to Su Li¡¯s ear, whispering, ¡°Liao Yan likes girls. He has a crush on a Beta girl and is planning to pursue her.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe him?¡±


    ¡°Regardless of whether it¡¯s true or not, I have no intention of getting involved with him. That¡¯s all I want to make clear.¡± Lin Yuxing drew a clear boundary with Liao Yan and discussed everything with Gu Zhongyi, and was not afraid of any misunderstandings.


    Su Li said, still confused, ¡°But he has such a bad mouth. What girl would like him?¡±


    ¡°he¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wanted to defend Liao Yan with a few more words, but when he turned his head, he saw Su Li suddenly upset.


    Su Li was leaning against the desk sighing, ¡°I thought I was your best friend, but it turns out you¡¯ve replaced me so quickly, and you¡¯re even defending him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you still have Gu Nuan?¡± Lin Yuxing settled the score and made it clear, ¡°You didn¡¯t invite me when you went out for hotpot during the winter vacation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Li didn¡¯t expect to dig a hole for himself. He was at a loss for words.


    The main reason was that the prices in that hotpot restaurant was not cheap. He knew that Lin Yuxing¡¯s family background wasn¡¯t good, and he was usually thrifty, and he didn¡¯t like taking advantage of others, so he didn¡¯t invite Lin Yuxing.


    However, if he said it bluntly, it might turn into sympathy and pity.


    Su Li took a deep breath, feeling embarrassed and stood still.


    Just when he was in a dilemma, with his face almost changing color, Lin Yuxing nudged his arm with his elbow and sincerely said, ¡± we should have a hotpot meal together, my treat.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    ¡°Without the Senior, just the three of us.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    ¡°I earned a good amount from tutoring during the winter vacation, so I want to treat you guys to a meal.¡± Lin Yuxing had been Su Li¡¯s roommate for a semester. How could he not understand what Su Li was thinking?


    In the past, Lin Yuxing lived rigidly afraid of spending money, always making every penny count. Now that his life was better, he wanted to thank his friends for their support during the previous period.


    Lin Yuxing said, adjusting the flower basket in his hand to his satisfaction, his face filled with determination. ¡°Su Li, you are my best friend.¡±


    ¡°What about Gu Nuan?¡±


    ¡°The second best.¡±


    Su Li excitedly raised his chin and childishly asked in Liao Yan¡¯s direction, ¡°And what about him?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing sighed and went along with Su Li¡¯s thoughts, coaxing him, ¡°He¡¯s not as good as you.¡±


    Su Li¡¯s mood instantly improved, and he proudly swung his floral arrangement, saying, ¡°I knew we were the best.¡±


    Others might not know, but Lin Yu Xing was well aware? His roommate Su Li may have a quick mouth and a stubborn streak, but he¡¯s actually very easy to please.


    Liao Yan was surrounded by several classmates and gradually grew impatient.


    But he couldn¡¯t cause trouble for Lin Yu Xing, so he forced a friendly smile while dealing with the others.


    As he interacted with others, he glanced up and saw Lin Yu Xing and Su Li chatting happily. He couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. His crybaby little brother seemed to have undergone significant changes and even had supportive and reliable friends.


    For a moment, Liao Yan¡¯s opinion of Su Li, the ¡°sharp-tongued¡± omega, improved slightly.


    He finally managed to break free from the group of classmates and returned to Lin Yu Xing¡¯s side, asking, ¡°You did a good job. Who is it for?¡± As he said that, he reached out and touched one of the mini sunflowers in Lin Yu Xing¡¯s flower basket.


    Su Li deliberately said, ¡°It¡¯s for Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Well, it¡¯s not for you.


    Liao Yan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Looking at Lin Yu Xing, whose ears were slightly red, he honestly responded, ¡°Uh, I want to give it to my senior.¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°What about the next¡ª¡±


    Su Li proudly interrupted, ¡°Yu Xing said that he will give the next one to me.¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yu Xing smiled slightly and didn¡¯t expose Su Li.


    Su Li raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Sorry, but I happen to be Yu Xing¡¯s best friend.¡±


    In other words, Liao Yan, if you want Lin Yu Xing¡¯s flower arrangement assignment, it¡¯ll have to be in your next life!


    Liao Yan was speechless, feeling like he had never been at such a loss for words.


    In an instant, Liao Yan¡¯s impression of Su Li dropped again.


    But he was already 30 years old and shouldn¡¯t be getting upset with a 19-year-old kid. Liao Yan let it go for the sake of Lin Yu Xing.


    The class passed quickly, and as it neared the end, Liao Yan received a message.


    After reading it, he put away his phone, helped Lin Yu Xing tidy up the desk, and cleared the trimmed branches and leaves.


    Liao Yan asked, ¡°Yu Xing, do you like cats?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t keep cats in the dorm.¡±


    Liao Yan said, ¡°My dad¡¯s company is preparing for an exhibition, mainly showcasing pet products. They need some temporary workers.¡±


    He showed Lin Yu Xing the requirements for the job: ¡°you can help me at the cat exhibition.¡±


    Lin Yu Xing looked curiously and Su Li also leaned over.


    They saw a simple and clear requirement on the page: suitable appearance for wearing cat ears, willing to wear cat costumes. Outgoing and clear-minded, and a love for small animals.


    Attached image: Cat costume.


    Responsibilities: Product introduction, distribution of product brochures, providing product trial services, responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the exhibition hall.


    Looking at the hourly wage, it was truly enticing!


    Lin Yu Xing eagerly raised his hand, ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡±


    Su Li, on the other hand, was tight on funds due to constantly exchanging gifts with his online boyfriend. He looked at the decent hourly wage for the job and hesitated, wanting to raise his hand but fearing rejection.


    Liao Yan saw through Su Li, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not that stingy. You can come along too.¡±


    Su Li was about to express his gratitude when Liao Yan said, ¡°Remember, the next flower arrangement assignment is mine.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°¡­¡±


    After class, Liao Yan received a phone call and claimed he had something to attend to and swiftly left.


    Su Li and Lin Yu Xing had no classes in the afternoon, so they went to the cafeteria for lunch and strolled back to the dormitory.


    Along the way, the apricot blossoms bloomed abundantly, emitting a delightful fragrance.


    Su Li, feeling satisfied after his meal, stretched lazily. ¡°It¡¯s already Friday again, time flies. Are you really going to stay at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s every weekend from now on?¡±


    Thinking about it, Lin Yu Xing regretted it.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t keep his promise at all! It was also his fault for lacking self-control. Whenever the atmosphere was right, his legs would go weak, and he couldn¡¯t even take a few steps before being deceived by Gu Zhongyi and ending up in bed.


    He held the flower basket in his hands, feeling burdened.


    Suddenly, Su Li grabbed his wrist. ¡°I have a question for you.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Su Li pulled him aside, looking left and right, and mischievously tugged at Lin Yu Xing¡¯s ear, asking in a secretive manner, ¡°Have you two¡­done it?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing almost choked on his own saliva from being shocked.


    Su Li had a face that said, ¡°I¡¯m giving you face by not saying it.¡± ¡°Every time you come back from him, you exude his pheromones all over. Do you really think I¡¯m a fake Omega who can¡¯t sense anything?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing was completely embarrassed, even though he always took a shower before coming back. He was hesitating, trying to come up with an excuse or explanation, but Su Li managed to catch him off guard.


    Su Li dragged him all the way back to the dorm, closed the door, and locked it.


    ¡°Yu Xing, tell me honestly.¡±


    Su Li swallowed and his Adam¡¯s apple symbolically rolled. ¡°Is it really ten times bigger with an Alpha?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yu Xing, shocked by this question, almost dropped the flower basket.


    Fortunately, Su Li¡¯s reflexes were quick, and he caught the basket, saying, ¡°Look at you, so careless. If it broke, Gu Zhongyi would be heartbroken. Luckily, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Then Su Li got back on track, saying, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing looked at Su Li as if he were a pervert.


    Su Li said, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? It¡¯s described like this in comics and novels. I¡¯ve never seen the real thing, so isn¡¯t it normal for me to ask? Besides,¡± he scratched his nose playfully and whispered, ¡°After Liang Xie agrees to meet up with me, if things progress to that point¡­ Well, it¡¯s just in case. At least I can be mentally prepared in advance, so I won¡¯t embarrass myself.¡±


    Su Li was thinking a lot and fantasizing quite a bit: ¡°You should know that my boyfriend Liang Xie is 190 cm tall, 1 cm taller than Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    Lin Yu Xing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Li patted Lin Yu Xing¡¯s shoulder and pretended to be casual: ¡°I¡¯m not showing off.¡±


    Lin Yu Xing was speechless and couldn¡¯t find the right words to say.


    Su Li sighed as if he heard Lin Yu Xing¡¯s silent acknowledgment and felt both excited and nervous.


    An awkward atmosphere filled the dormitory.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, forget it. I think I understand,¡± Su Li said, sitting calmly at his desk, nonchalantly opening his computer as if preparing to play a game.


    After a while, Lin Yu Xing dragged his chair and sat next to Su Li.


    ¡°Su Li, although we have a good relationship, but with my senior¡­ you know, we¡¯re both more introverted people, and it¡¯s not convenient to discuss our private matters.¡±


    Lin Yu Xing held Su Li¡¯s hand and earnestly said, ¡°You should read fewer erotic comics and novels. Human organs can¡¯t be that exaggerated. We should rely on science, not superstition, and not indulge in such exaggerated fantasies.¡±


    While Lin Yu Xing was lecturing Su Li about not always indulging in unrealistic things, his phone on the desk vibrated.


    Still absorbed in his lecture, Lin Yu Xing didn¡¯t pay attention to his phone.


    The phone vibrated again.


    Su Li kindly picked it up for him, but Lin Yu Xing¡¯s message notifications weren¡¯t set to private. The three messages were clearly displayed in front of Su Li.


    Gu Zhongyi: [I¡¯m going to the off-campus convenience store to buy a few boxes of condoms. I¡¯ll be a bit late picking you up.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [It¡¯s easy to be seen by classmates if I buy them on campus.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [I think the ones I bought last week won¡¯t be enough, so I¡¯ll buy a few more boxes.]


    Su Li swore it wasn¡¯t intentional, but he had already seen the messages with his own eyes.


    Su Li was dumbfounded: So this is what they mean by introverted.


    Lin Yu Xing: ¡°¡­..¡±


    Lin Yu Xing was willing to pay handsomely for a pair of eyes that haven¡¯t seen those messages.


    He wanted to get back at Su Li!

 CH 59

    After Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car entered the campus, he slowed down


    As he passed by an Alpha dormitory building, his brows furrowed.


    In his field of vision, he saw Xu Xiangchi arguing with someone. Xu Xiangchi¡¯s face was angry and upset, seemingly saying something.


    The person in front of Xu Xiangchi had a tall and slender figure but he effortlessly pushed away Xu Xiangchi¡¯s hand and grabbed his collar, seemingly not taking Xu Xiangchi seriously at all.


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t very interested in Xu Xiangchi, but as he stopped to let a few classmates pass, he saw the other person¡¯s face clearly.


    It was Liao Yan.


    Coincidentally, Liao Yan also saw him, or more precisely, saw his car.


    Just as Gu Zhongyi looked over trying to figure out what was happening, Liao Yan walked confidently to his car and knocked on the window. Gu Zhongyi hesitated for a moment but Liao Yan knocked again.


    Gu Zhongyi had to roll down the window, looking serious, and asked, ¡°Is there something you need?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just say hello?¡± Liao Yan turned his head, saw that Xu Xiangchi had already entered the dormitory, and couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. He then said, ¡°I need to go to Building C for class. Can Senior give me a ride?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cold face made him seem distant, but he unexpectedly unlocked the car.


    ¡°get in the back.¡±


    Once the car door was closed, Liao Yan immediately felt Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones, which had become increasingly intense, affecting him. Liao Yan had less control over pheromones compared to Gu Zhongyi, and he couldn¡¯t resist that strong scent. He had to obediently sit in the back seat.


    However, this time, he felt somewhat helpless.


    ¡°Senior Gu, isn¡¯t this the car that you use to pick up Yu Xing with ? It¡¯s so full of your pheromones.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t like beating around the bush. ¡°You¡¯re an Alpha.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Your appearance and height are outstanding, unlike a Beta.¡±


    ¡°Senior Gu, are you sexist?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was bored by Liao Yan¡¯s teasing and responded indifferently, ¡°You restrained Xu Xiangchi just now, and he¡¯s an Alpha. It¡¯s not like he would be afraid of you.¡± The most important point is, ¡°Betas can¡¯t perceive pheromones.¡±


    As soon as Liao Yan got into the car, he had revealed his true intentions.


    Gu Zhongyi knew that he was doing it on purpose.


    Gu Zhongyi called out, ¡°Liao Yan.¡±


    ¡°Mm~¡±


    ¡°You helped Yu Xing before, so I won¡¯t interfere with your choice to be friends with him. I¡¯m not interested in any grievances you have with others, but if you approach Yu Xing with ill intentions and hurt him, I won¡¯t just stand by.¡±


    Through the rearview mirror, the two made eye contact again.


    Liao Yan¡¯s beautiful eyes blinked, and he slightly bowed, resting his elbow on his thigh and supporting his chin in his palm. He didn¡¯t speak, appearing as if he had taken in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words but also remained indifferent.


    However, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s warning was clear.


    Liao Yan withdrew his gaze and, after a moment, asked a seemingly random question, ¡°You¡¯re very strict, Senior Gu. Do you treat Yu Xing the same way?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Liao Yan, you¡¯re really pushing it.¡± Gu Zhongyi dropped Liao Yan and drove away coldly.


    But Liao Yan remained stunned in place. He hadn¡¯t expected that Gu Zhongyi wouldn¡¯t respond to his words.


    Liao Yan looked at the gradually disappearing silhouette of the car, frowning slightly. He decided to wait for a few minutes at the same spot.


    But Gu Zhongyi had always had a negative impression of Liao Yan, which caused some subconscious bias. But as he calmed down, he felt that something was off.


    Liao Yan¡¯s words felt familiar.


    He searched his memory for a while until a sudden voice cut through his thoughts. Along with it came the familiar smell of disinfectant from the hospital, lingering around his nose.


    That person lying on the hospital bed, watching the migratory birds fly by, had said the same thing to him.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand on the steering wheel trembled, and he slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a confused stop in the middle of the road. Fortunately, at this time, there weren¡¯t many people on the road.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face gradually warmed, and an unrealistic idea took root in his mind.


    At that moment his phone rang at an inopportune time, a call from a private detective.


    Gu Zhongyi pressed the answer button, ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡­


    A few minutes later, Gu Zhongyi found Liao Yan waiting for him in front of Building C. Just as he expected.


    Gu Zhongyi got out of the car and approached with bated breath.


    The Liao Yan in front of him had a similar height to his but a gaze that held a sense of familiarity after their long separation.


    ¡°I thought I had guessed wrong,¡± Liao Yan sighed in relief. ¡°But luckily, you figured it out.¡±


    Liao Yan walked towards Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car and opened the rear door. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to talk here. Do you have a place we can go and talk privately?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi followed closely and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°I do.¡±


    Around 2 PM.


    Manager Zhang was surprised to see Gu Zhongyi entering the restaurant with a tall man. It was quite unusual, as in his memory, Gu Zhongyi never brought anyone along except Lin Yuxing.


    Usually, when Lin Yuxing was not around, Gu Zhongyi preferred to dine alone.


    Gu Zhongyi requested a private room with soundproof walls and had the waiter prepare some tea and fruits.


    Liao Yan looked around the elegantly decorated restaurant and naturally took a seat. His reaction was completely different from Lin Yuxing¡¯s nervousness when he went there for the first time.


    It was evident that his life had always been far more superior to Lin Yuxing¡¯s, whether in the past or now.


    The waiter quickly served the tea and fruit platter, including a separate dish of pineapple.


    After closing the door, Liao Yan smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for remembering my preferences.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi called out to him, ¡°Qu Xing.¡±


    That name caused Liao Yan¡¯s fingertips to quiver. It had been a long time since someone called him that. Slowly, the nonchalant attitude in his eyes faded away, replaced by weariness after a sigh.


    ¡°Long time no see, Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    The reunion did not evoke much excitement or surprise from Gu Zhongyi. Because just now, his private detective contacted him and informed him that they found the person sending messages to him: an Alpha named Liao Yan with sandalwood pheromones.


    But that wasn¡¯t the only strange thing.


    The private detective said that he finally found Qu Xing¡¯s whereabouts.


    Unfortunately, the news wasn¡¯t good.


    Qu Xing was killed in a car accident two years ago. He fell from a bridge in City D after being hit by a drunk driver and landed in the river. The subsequent heavy rain caused the search team to miss the optimal timing, and his body remains unrecovered to this day.


    The police quickly identified the victim as a 17-year-old boy named Qu Xing, who had returned from abroad only a few days ago. But when they contacted Qu Xing¡¯s family overseas, they were told that they didn¡¯t care about his life or whether his body would be found, nor did they care about the handling of the matter.


    The drunk driver was already arrested, and with Qu Xing¡¯s family¡¯s indifference, the case was quickly closed.


    It was on that day that 17 years old, Lin Yuxing miraculously survived a car accident.


    Gu Zhongyi had too many questions he wanted to ask, but he didn¡¯t know where to start. He could only begin with the simplest question, ¡°When did you come back?¡± He thought for a moment and added, ¡°Into the body you¡¯re in now.¡±


    ¡°Last October,¡± Liao Yan replied.


    Gu Zhongyi nodded. ¡°In December last year, I received a bouquet of roses signed by Lin Yuxing. Was that your doing?¡±


    Liao Yan suddenly raised his head, puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re starting with that question?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take it step by step,¡± Gu Zhongyi said. ¡°It¡¯s important too.¡±


    Liao Yan shrugged helplessly and admitted it.


    ¡°You¡¯re too indecisive. Clearly, you noticed Xing Xing but hesitated to pursue him. I couldn¡¯t stand it, so I reached out to help you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi responded, ¡°I hesitated because Yu Xing¡¯s sudden appearance made me realize that this world has changed, and maybe it¡¯s not the same world I originally lived in. So I wanted to observe first.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°But still, I am very grateful to you.¡±


    A bouquet of roses provided Gu Zhongyi with an appropriate opportunity, skillfully bridging the distance between him and Lin Yuxing, allowing Gu Zhongyi to stand by Lin Yuxing¡¯s side earlier.


    ¡°Qu Xing, I want to know why you didn¡¯t come to find me in October last year?¡±


    Seeing Liao Yan exhale a breath, he replied, ¡°Actually, when I found out that you were also at C University, I thought about coming to find you. But I wasn¡¯t sure if you were in the same situation as me. To be honest, I changed some things two years ago, and everything after that is unknown, including my current self.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyebrows moved, not quite understanding the last sentence.


    Liao Yan smiled bitterly, hesitatingly explaining, ¡°How should I put it? It¡¯s just that my body¡­ isn¡¯t in great shape.¡± He moved his large hands and hesitated, ¡°Sometimes, I would briefly lose consciousness. Even if it¡¯s only for a few seconds or minutes, I can feel that it¡¯s not entirely mine.¡±


    Only in the past two months has his physical condition improved, and the problems occurring occasionally have subsided.


    ¡°The most troublesome part is that I can¡¯t leave City C. The owner of this body seems to have no intention of going anywhere. Perhaps his soul is still lingering, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Liao Yan pondered for a moment but didn¡¯t immediately reveal what he had discovered. He needed to exchange information with Gu Zhongyi first.


    His first question was, ¡°Did you die over there too?¡±


    If others heard this question, they would find it really strange. However, Gu Zhongyi calmly replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°When? How did you die?¡±


    ¡°After your funeral, there was an accident,¡± Gu Zhongyi said straightforwardly, ¡°Xu Xiangchi came to attend your funeral, and he told me that you had died a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°So, you were heartbroken and got into the car accident?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly. I had a fight with him at that time, and it injured my eye.¡±


    Liao Yan froze for a moment, clenching his fists. ¡°That bastard¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. If it weren¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have had this opportunity.¡±


    If Xu Xiangchi hadn¡¯t punched him, causing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eye to suddenly go blind while driving, he might still be living aimlessly in that world, alone.


    Gu Zhongyi took a sip of tea, looking at Liao Yan¡¯s face. He paused for a moment, feeling somewhat uneasy.


    Liao Yan noticed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s thoughts, ¡°You don¡¯t like this face?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s great, handsome enough, and it can help improve your relationship with Xing Xing.¡± He casually pointed out Gu Zhongyi¡¯s jealousy, causing Gu Zhongyi to cough softly.


    In the midst of a heavy conversation, they had a rare moment of lightness.


    After a while, Liao Yan touched the edge of the cup. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange? Why did I become someone else instead of waking up in my own body like you?¡±


    ¡°Just waking up in a different life is already incredible,¡± Gu Zhongyi had strong acceptance, and he had already sorted out his thoughts clearly, ¡°If you think carefully, I should have returned here one year later than you. But you died again; this is your second rebirth.¡±


    He was still in the time of this world but not in his own body.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t hide anything from him, ¡°When I came back here, my first thought was to find you, to have you tell me where Yu Xing is, and to stop you from being with Xu Xiangchi, to prevent history from repeating itself.¡±


    Liao Yan trembled slightly. The pain he experienced still remained in his heart.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°At that time, I couldn¡¯t escape my father¡¯s control and couldn¡¯t seek help from others. I knew you graduated from C University and filled in your preference for C University. But after school started, I couldn¡¯t even find a trace of you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Later, I asked a private detective to find you. I learned that you had cut off contact with your foster parents two years ago and returned to the country.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi continued, ¡°But it was as if you disappeared.¡±


    Just when Gu Zhongyi was desperate, Lin Yuxing appeared. He entered C University one year later and became Gu Zhongyi¡¯s junior in the same major.


    It was quite strange, as if the broken fate had been reconnected.


    And only today did Gu Zhongyi learn that it was Qu Xing who reconnected their broken fate.


    In the previous world, Lin Yuxing did die.


    He died in a car accident at the age of 17, at a time when Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t rush there.


    ¡°Qu Xing, when you said ¡®changed some things,¡¯ you were referring to the car accident on the pedestrian walkway. You stopped Xing Xing from crossing the road, and later, it was you who got hit by the car and fell into the river.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a question but a statement.

 CH 60

    Time seemed to have been paused.


    Inside the private room, Liao Yan sat quietly. The tea on the table emitted hot steam, and the fragrance lingered inadvertently in his dejected heart. He didn¡¯t answer the previous question and softly asked the one he most wanted to know, ¡°Has Xing Xing ever mentioned me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi remained silent.


    After a moment, under the earnest gaze of Liao Yan, he answered truthfully, ¡°He did mention you once.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± As he asked this, Liao Yan anxiously lowered his head.


    This action conveyed both expectation and fear.


    He resembled a guilty child, so nervous that his hands were clenching each other. This small action was almost identical to how Lin Yuxing behaved when anxious.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°He said you broke your promise and abandoned him.¡±


    Liao Yan¡¯s expression stiffened, and his eyes became moist.


    As if he had guessed what Lin Yuxing might say, Liao Yan took a deep breath, trembling slightly, and dug his fingernails into his palm. His lips turned slightly pale as he clenched his teeth.


    Seeing this, Gu Zhongyi lowered his gaze and stopped his voice, giving him some time to process. In Lin Yuxing¡¯s words, Qu Xing was a heartless betrayer. But based on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s one-sided understanding, Qu Xing had never abandoned Lin Yuxing. There had to be a misunderstanding.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t judge Qu Xing as a person, as their time together at the hospital had turned them into ¡°friends¡± with Lin Yuxing as the common point.


    After pondering for a while, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Yuxing said that at that time, you were only 8 years old and had no control over many things after being adopted. I know he understands.¡±


    Indeed, Lin Yuxing no longer resented his brother, but he had created a cage in his heart, preventing people from getting close to him.


    It was possible that even he himself hadn¡¯t realized this.


    It was only with Gu Zhongyi that he found the courage to break free from the past and be loved.


    As Gu Zhongyi finished speaking, he noticed a rare hint of self-mockery on Liao Yan¡¯s almost perfect face.


    Gu Zhongyi paused and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you and Yuxing. But in this timeline, you saved him and let him live.¡±


    Liao Yan suddenly raised his head.


    ¡°Does he not hate me anymore?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, he no longer resents you,¡± Gu Zhongyi replied.


    Liao Yan¡¯s eyes, which had turned slightly red, stared intently at Gu Zhongyi for a while, making Gu Zhongyi feel a bit uncomfortable.


    Then Liao Yan said knowingly, ¡°It seems strange to me .. Why are you and Yuxing together, even made love, yet he still treats me kindly?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t understand what he meant, so Liao Yan raised his tone slightly, smiling with regret and pain in his voice, calling out his brother¡¯s full name, ¡°Lin Yuxing could never not resent me, definitely not!¡±


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, you must have seen the burns on his back and gland,¡± Liao Yan¡¯s voice was low, like a knife cutting through flesh.


    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback, not understanding what he was talking about.


    Liao Yan continued, avoiding Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, ¡°That was because of me.¡±


    His voice was faint, like dust, but it weighed heavily on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I replaced him and took away his chance to be adopted.¡±


    12 years ago, at the Welfare Institute¡­¡­..


    Eight-year-old Lin Yuxing hid under the shade of a tree, poking ants on the ground with a stick, looking unhappy with his head down.


    Not far away, the director was talking to a tall and handsome man.


    In the scorching heat, sweat dripped from the man¡¯s forehead. He turned and looked at Lin Yuxing, waving at him in a friendly manner.


    Lin Yuxing was startled and quickly turned his head away. He pretended to be nonchalant and poked the mud on the ground vigorously.


    Who would have thought that the man would walk straight towards him?


    In an instant, the tall man merged into the shade of the trees and magically took out a piece of dried plum candy from his pocket. He squatted down half-heartedly, handing it to Lin Yuxing.


    The man¡¯s name was Qu Lingnian, with a very kind face that didn¡¯t look like a bad person at all. He tried to please Lin Yuxing by extending his hand, which had a large scar on both the back and palm.


    Lin Yuxing was timid and scared, shrinking his shoulders. ¡°Are you a bad person?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You have a scar on your hand.¡± Lin Yuxing pointed at it.


    Qu Lingnian was not angry at all. He directly stuffed the candy into Lin Yuxing¡¯s pocket.


    Lin Yuxing was flustered and struggled with his hands, like a scared little dog.


    ¡°Uncle Qu, so many candies¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re all for our little star.¡± Qu Lingnian affectionately touched his head, speaking softly, ¡°Does Little Star no longer like candies?¡±


    Lin Yuxing stared at the beautiful candy and couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it. He swallowed his saliva. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t like candies!¡±


    Then he forcefully raised his voice, ¡°I won¡¯t go with you. I won¡¯t leave my brother!¡±


    Qu Lingnian showed no sign of anger. He simply bent down and picked up the small Lin Yuxing, who was smaller than his peers.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Yuxing exclaimed in surprise.


    Qu Lingnian looked deeply into his beautiful eyes, as if looking at someone else through them and wiped the sweat off Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead.


    Lin Yuxing pouted, looking like he was about to cry.


    Qu Lingnian quickly came to his senses and helplessly put him down, then gently patted his head.


    The director approached and said, ¡°Mr. Qu, Let me talk to him again.¡± She was afraid that Qu Lingnian might feel uncomfortable and explained, ¡°While being adopted by a family like yours is a wonderful thing, Little Star has turned eight, and we should respect his wishes.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Please do your best. I have a special connection with this child, and I hope he can accept me sincerely.¡±


    The director nodded and saw him off to the car.


    Just before Qu Lingnian closed the car door, she gently advised, ¡°Mr. Qu! There¡¯s something the child wants. He wants to be adopted together with his brother.¡±


    Qu Lingnian seemed to have enough financial means, and adopting a pair of twins wouldn¡¯t be much of a financial burden for him. However, Qu Lingnian firmly stated, ¡°I only plan to adopt Little Star.¡±


    ¡°You have interacted with both children before, and they are both well-behaved.¡±


    Qu Lingnian had to interrupt the director, apologizing, ¡°I am frequently on business trips, and there¡¯s only my wife at home. She doesn¡¯t like hiring nannies, so we only want one child.¡±


    He was polite and slightly bowed, saying, ¡°Please understand.¡±


    The director watched the car drive away with a worried expression on her face.


    As she turned around, Lin Yuxing had already disappeared with the candy in his pocket.


    The summer afternoon felt endless.


    The wind brushed past Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears as he ran all the way to the welfare institution¡¯s kitchen.


    He peered inside from outside the window and waved at the boy sorting bean sprouts inside, cheerfully shouting, ¡°Brother!¡±


    The boy inside, Lin Yuheng, raised his head. His face looked exactly like Lin Yuxing¡¯s, except Lin Yuheng had a gloomy expression, seemingly ignoring Lin Yuxing completely.


    Lin Yuxing looked sad, walked through the front door, and saw the big bowl of bean sprouts in front of Lin Yuheng, flatteringly saying, ¡°Wow, big brother, you¡¯ve already sorted so many bean sprouts! amazing!¡± He squatted next to Lin Yuheng and reached out to help.


    Lin Yuheng listlessly pushed his hand away.


    ¡°Brother¡­¡± Lin Yuxing looked at Lin Yuheng grievously, then stood up and took all the dried plum candies from his pocket, placing them on the small stool next to Lin Yuheng.


    Lin Yuheng said, ¡°Move them, I don¡¯t want them.¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips and gently poked Lin Yuheng¡¯s arm with his index finger. ¡°I didn¡¯t promise Uncle Qu.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand froze, as if getting even more annoyed. He dropped the bean sprouts in his hand, stood up angrily, and was half a head taller than Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I want to be with my brother.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes turned red, and he nervously grabbed the hem of his clothes.


    Lin Yuheng scolded him, and he reluctantly sat back down, saying, ¡°It¡¯s so hard to find a family like this for adoption. If it were someone else, they would have agreed already. Are you stupid? I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in your head and what you¡¯re thinking!¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t say anything, his eyes welling up with tears.


    Eventually, Lin Yuheng softened his heart. His tone became a little calmer, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, his little face turning red from crying, and tears the size of beans kept falling. When he heard his brother talk to him, he obediently squatted to pick bean sprouts.


    He cried while picking them, looking pitiful.


    The two brothers quickly finished sorting a bowl of bean sprouts.


    ¡°Brother, we¡¯ll have bean sprouts for dinner again tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was stronger than Lin Yuxing. So he easily picked up the bowl of bean sprouts, lifted it to the table, and put it down.


    Lin Yuxing, looking dejected, followed his brother closely, like a little tail.


    Lin Yuheng said, ¡°Stop following me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sniffled and stood in place, wiping his eyes.


    However, Lin Yuheng went to a cupboard, carefully took out a bowl of red bean porridge, dragged a small stool over, and placed it in front of Lin Yuxing.


    In the welfare institution, the daily meal expenses were limited. Bean sprouts, being a cheap food, were a must-have on the children¡¯s dining tables. The task of sorting bean sprouts was assigned to children over the age of seven. The child doing the task on any given day would receive a bowl of red bean porridge as a reward, costing four cents at the village shop.


    Whenever it was Lin Yuheng¡¯s turn, he would wait for Lin Yuxing to come and eat together.


    Lin Yuxing did the same.


    Perhaps because Lin Yuxing cried this time, Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t eat with him but instead watched his little brother eat spoonful by spoonful.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth was smeared with a light color of bean paste, and even the tears on his face were tinged with the sweet taste of red bean.


    ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±


    Lin Yuheng shook his head, turned around to get a towel, and wiped Lin Yuxing¡¯s face.


    The fan hanging from the ceiling made the room cool.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuheng said, ¡°Mr. Qu is a pianist. Maybe there¡¯s a grand piano at home.¡±


    ¡°Pianos can¡¯t be eaten, and I don¡¯t like them.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was momentarily speechless, feeling quite speechless, ¡°Who told you to eat the piano? I meant that if you go with him, you can learn the piano and perform like him in the future, living a good life.¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly remembered the last time when they went to a primary school from the welfare institution to participate in a singing competition, Lin Yuheng kept staring at the piano of the music teacher.


    He asked, ¡°Brother, do you like the piano?¡±


    Lin Yuheng replied in a muffled voice, ¡°What¡¯s the use of liking it?¡±


    Qu Lingnian only wanted to take Little Star away.


    Lin Yuxing nibbled on the broken red beans, murmuring softly, ¡°But you can¡¯t even sing well. Why do you like the piano?¡±


    Lin Yuheng frowned, ¡°Playing the piano doesn¡¯t require singing.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lin Yuxing lowered his head, ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll earn money when I grow up to buy one for you.¡±


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t respond.


    He got up to fetch a broom from the side, preparing to sweep away the remaining bean sprouts on the floor.


    Lin Yuxing put down his spoon to help, but accidentally tripped over a small stool not far away. Fortunately, Lin Yuheng was quick to react and caught Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing was still startled by the experience.


    Lin Yuheng habitually protected his little brother by placing a hand on his head and ruffling his hair, saying, ¡°Silly little Star, why are you always so careless!¡±


    Lin Yuxing blinked, and tears gathered on his slightly long eyelashes. Then, in his brother¡¯s embrace, he leaned against his chest and smiled foolishly.


    But before he could say ¡°Brother,¡± Lin Yuheng interrupted, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat the red bean porridge. You don¡¯t need to help here.¡±


    Lin Yuxing pouted, looking like he might cry again.


    Lin Yuheng was utterly helpless with his tearful little brother.


    After a while, Lin Yuheng squeezed the broom and said, ¡°If you go with him, you¡¯ll have endless candies and chips every day, and you can even have soda. You¡¯ll have your own room, not crowded with annoying people. You can wear new clothes and shoes, and at night¡­ you can watch TV and whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we do all those things together, just you and me?¡± Lin Yuxing choked on the red bean porridge, sweet and sticky, and said, ¡°When we grow up, we can live like that, right?¡±


    ¡°But that will take a very long time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to die tomorrow.¡±


    Lin Yuxing argued with a little pout; he wouldn¡¯t lose to Lin Yuheng in an argument.


    Lin Yuheng got annoyed for a moment and tapped Lin Yuxing¡¯s head, not too hard, not even causing any pain.


    But under his brother¡¯s protection, Lin Yuxing acted coquettishly, bursting into tears immediately. ¡°You promised¡­ you promised that we wouldn¡¯t be separated! But now, because of Uncle Qu, you¡¯re scolding me, and you even hit me!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hit you!¡±


    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s fine if you hit me and kill me! Even if you kill me today, I won¡¯t go with Uncle Qu! I just won¡¯t be separated from you!¡±


    ¡°Lin Yuxing!¡±


    Being called by his full name, Lin Yuxing sobbed, asking defiantly, ¡°If it was you being taken away by Uncle Qu, would you leave me behind?¡±


    Lin Yuheng replied without hesitation, ¡°Of course¡­ I wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    After speaking, even Lin Yuheng himself was taken aback. He retreated a step, turned around, and ran out of the kitchen.

 CH 61

    From the age of 5, Lin Yuheng and Lin Yuxing lived in that welfare institution.


    Since their father occasionally sent clothes, the brothers were not considered orphans with both parents deceased. Therefore, they didn¡¯t meet the adoption requirements.


    It wasn¡¯t until they turned 8 that the police brought the news of their father¡¯s death due to overwork.


    Since then, many families wanted to adopt them, but they all wanted just one child, and they chose Lin Yuheng. Not for any other reason, but because Lin Yuheng appeared smarter and healthier.


    Lin Yuxing, on the other hand, was short and always seemed malnourished. He would easily burst into tears and turn pale at the sight of a stranger.


    Fortunately, he had his brother¡¯s protection most of the time, so he wasn¡¯t bullied too harshly by the other children in the welfare institution.


    Thus, when Lin Yuxing found out that he might be separated from his brother, he couldn¡¯t sleep peacefully at night, hiding in the blanket to secretly wipe his tears.


    As days went by, Lin Yuxing became thinner and clung to Lin Yuheng more.


    Lin Yuheng felt sorry for him and, to prevent him from feeling too sad, took the initiative to make a deal: ¡°Star, we made a promise. Unless someone is willing to adopt us together, we won¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    He actually stuck to his words.


    Lin Yuheng rejected every family that wanted to adopt him.


    His family consisted of Lin Yuxing alone, and that was enough for him.


    But this time, Qu Lingnian¡¯s arrival changed everything.


    After going through the welfare institution¡¯s review and with the director¡¯s approval, he took the two brothers out to play for a limited three hours.


    It was during that time when Lin Yuheng saw a whole new world.


    Qu Lingnian was wealthy and knowledgeable. He was different from any other father in any other family; he was more like a gentle teacher, telling Lin Yuheng about things he had never known before.


    For the first time, he felt a connection with Qu Lingnian, a wavering feeling towards him as a potential adoptive parent.


    Lin Yuheng was looking forward to the future described by Qu Lingnian, reminding his little brother to behave well. However, Lin Yuxing never took his brother¡¯s words to heart at all.


    In Lin Yuheng¡¯s mind, his little brother had probably missed the chance again, and Qu Lingnian wouldn¡¯t want to adopt them after all.


    But to his surprise, when they returned to the welfare institution, Qu Lingnian did something unexpected ¨C he held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, not his.


    At that moment, Lin Yuheng was shocked, confused, and couldn¡¯t believe it.


    For the first time, he felt jealousy towards his little brother, although the feeling disappeared in an instant.


    In theory, families with Qu Lingnian¡¯s conditions would adopt children from a better welfare institution. But he chose to come to a small place like L City, and specifically selected the less remarkable younger brother to adopt.


    Qu Lingnian¡¯s answer was simple, ¡°I have a connection with this child.¡±


    As he said this, his eyes never left Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes for a second.


    The hot afternoon felt like being inside a steamer.


    Lin Yuheng sat in a corner, holding a dry twig in his hand, folding and unfolding it. Unlike Lin Yuxing, he had no interest in poking ants or playing with mud.


    The long days at the welfare home left him feeling bored and dull. He gazed at the azure sky, almost being blinded by the sun.


    He lowered his head, his emotions complex.


    In the corridor behind him, two figures slowly appeared. One was the head of the orphanage, and the other was a recent volunteer.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t bother to get up and greet them; he continued to fold the twig in his hand.


    He overheard the head of the orphanage and the volunteer discussing the afternoon snacks for the kids, which were milk and chocolate bread sent by Mr. Qu Lingnian. The head of the orphanage reminded the volunteer to mark which children were lactose intolerant or allergic to chocolate before distributing the snacks.


    Listening to their conversation made Lin Yuheng feel uneasy.


    The head of the orphanage sighed, ¡°Actually, Mr. Qu sending these things over doesn¡¯t help much. He might as well adopt the two brothers together. Little Xingxing is a stubborn child; once he decides he wants to be with Yuheng, he won¡¯t let go. I tried to persuade him, but I¡¯m afraid of hurting him by being too insistent.¡±


    The volunteer asked, ¡°Mr. Qu seems well-off. If he continues like this, won¡¯t Little Xingxing be unwilling to leave, and the adoption plan will fail?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Qu comes from a good family, and he is indeed a good person. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing for Little Xingxing to live with him.¡±


    The volunteer, familiar with the children from helping out frequently, sighed, ¡°Speaking of which, Mr. Qu is quite strange. Why did he choose Little Xingxing? Usually, people would choose someone more sensible like Yuheng. Little Xingxing sometimes lacks the ability to take care of himself and relies on Yuheng.¡±


    The head of the orphanage replied, ¡°Actually, when I found out he chose Little Xingxing, it relieved me. I know that Yuheng wouldn¡¯t be lacking in prospective adoptive families. If Little Xingxing can go to Mr. Qu¡¯s family, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing.¡±


    The volunteer shook his head sadly, and the two figures gradually moved away, their voices fading.


    Lin Yuheng folded the twig into a bundle and sat there for a while, lost in thought.


    The scorching sun subsided slightly, and unexpected dark clouds covered the sky.


    Soon, a summer thunderstorm would arrive.


    Hastily, Lin Yuheng rushed back to the dormitory and brought the clothes he and Lin Yuxing had hung outside on the balcony inside. Other children noticed and began to do the same.


    That day was Sunday, and they had free activities.


    The rain came pouring down quickly.


    After folding the clothes, Lin Yuheng sat on his bed, lost in thought. His usual tough exterior seemed to have vanished, leaving him silent. A few minutes later, he looked up and noticed that his brother was nowhere to be seen.


    Lin Yuheng immediately realized that his foolish little brother must be waiting for him to make up and reconcile. Sometimes, Lin Yuheng really thought that Lin Yuxing was both foolish and stubborn, but he couldn¡¯t help but spoil him.


    He rushed to the kitchen.


    The door was closed, with a sign hanging on it saying ¡°Do Not Enter¡± because the lock was always broken.


    Usually, the cook, Aunt Zhang, would temporarily leave and not trust the kids to enter, so she put up the sign. As long as the children saw the sign, they wouldn¡¯t go into the kitchen.


    Lin Yuheng was no exception.


    However, he heard slight noises coming from inside the kitchen.


    ¡°Xingxing!¡±


    He pushed open the door, only to find not Lin Yuxing but the alpha boy who slept on Lin Yuxing¡¯s bed. He held a partially eaten corn cob in his left hand and was stuffing the sour plum candies from the stool into his pocket with his right hand.


    Judging by his skillful manner, he had likely been stealing food from the kitchen.


    On the stove, a large pot of corn was being stewed.


    Because the boy took the corn without permission, the pot had shifted and was now on the stove.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t notice this and snatched the candies from the boy¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°These are Xingxing¡¯s candies, don¡¯t touch them!¡±


    The candies scattered on the floor.


    The boy was taken aback and then glared at Lin Yuheng angrily. They were never on good terms, and this time, their disagreement was over a few candies.


    The boy, a year older than them, was leaving with an adoptive family the next day. He naturally wasn¡¯t afraid of Lin Yuheng. ¡°Are your names written on them?¡±


    ¡°Even if they¡¯re not, they¡¯re not yours either.¡±


    Infuriated, the boy threw the cob of corn at Lin Yuheng. Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t move and crouched down to pick up the candies from the floor.


    The boy, feeling ignored, intentionally said, ¡°Hey, I heard your little brother is going to live with a rich person soon. You are going to get left behind, right? Maybe because you act like a mad dog, no one wants you?¡±


    ¡­


    The last word of the boy disappeared into Lin Yuheng¡¯s fist.


    He pinned the boy to the ground, tightly gripping his hair, and said, ¡°What did you say? Say it again?! You¡¯re asking for trouble.¡±


    Meanwhile, Aunt Zhang led Lin Yuxing back from outside.


    A heavy rain washed away the summer heat, and Lin Yuxing held a small basket of potatoes, happily looking up at Aunt Zhang, who also held a basket of potatoes. He asked, ¡°Aunt Zhang, can you give me an extra potato tonight?¡±


    Aunt Zhang, a local villager in her sixties, had recently started working as a cook in the welfare home to earn money to repay her son¡¯s debts.


    She imitated Lin Yuxing¡¯s speech and smiled as she looked at him, asking, ¡°Why do you want an extra potato?¡±


    ¡°I made my brother angry, and I want to give him one to make up.¡± Lin Yuxing added, ¡°I¡¯ll even give him my own.¡±


    ¡°Oh dear, what should we do? Aunt Zhang is making potato stew with pork ribs for dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°Then just give me an extra spoonful, please? I want to make things right with him.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s shiny eyes were adorable, pleading.


    How could Aunt Zhang refuse Lin Yuxing¡¯s request? She agreed, ¡°Alright, alright, seeing how hard you¡¯ve been helping me, I¡¯ll secretly give you both some more.¡±


    Before Aunt Zhang finished her sentence, the basket in Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand suddenly fell to the ground, and a few small potatoes rolled out.


    Accompanied by a shout of ¡°Brother!¡± Lin Yuxing rushed into the kitchen and jumped into the fray. He and his brother Lin Yuheng fought with the other Alpha boy.


    Aunt Zhang, being older, was anxious and unable to separate them, so she turned around and hurriedly called the director. The three kids collided with the stove, causing the pot to tilt and spill.


    Lin Yuxing looked up and quickly realized that the pot was about to fall. He tried to pull Lin Yuheng away, saying, ¡°Brother, the pot is going to fall!¡±


    But Lin Yuheng and the other boy were locked in a heated fight and didn¡¯t listen.


    Lin Yuxing yelled in desperation, but it was in vain.


    Helplessly, he didn¡¯t manage to move away.


    The moment the pot tumbled from the stove, Lin Yuxing instinctively protected his brother, and they both ended up getting scalded.


    Hot water and corn spilled all over the three kids, and a white mist rose up.


    The world seemed to suddenly go silent.


    Lin Yuheng turned his head and saw Lin Yuxing writhing in pain.


    He murmured, ¡°Xingxing¡­¡±


    After that, the sound of an ambulance echoed back and forth. Lin Yuheng could only hear it, and it became an enduring echo in his ears.


    The three kids were taken to the county hospital together.


    Lin Yuheng had burns on his legs, while the Alpha boy had burns on his arms.


    Lin Yuxing was the most severely injured, with burns not only on his back but also on his glands.


    Aunt Zhang and the director accompanied the children to the hospital. She anxiously explained to the director repeatedly, ¡°I did put up a sign on the door. I was going to the storeroom to get some potatoes, and I took little Xingxing, who was still in the kitchen, with me. The children started fighting inside, and I couldn¡¯t stop them. Director, I¡­ I¡­¡± Her throat choked with tears, fearing that she would be held responsible and have to compensate.


    She repeated her explanations over and over again.


    But the director had no patience for that.


    ¡°Enough! The most important thing now is the children. Xingxing has injuries to his glands, and he¡¯s in the emergency room. What¡¯s the use of telling me all this now?¡± The director replied sternly.


    Aunt Zhang began sobbing softly.


    Lin Yuheng sat quietly on the side, the noise assaulting his ears.


    After a long time, he looked up and saw that the hospital corridor was so long that even an 8-year-old child couldn¡¯t see its end.


    Lin Yuheng stood up like a wooden chicken, facing fear in slow motion. He lowered his head, hugged his shoulders, and dug his nails into his arms.


    Finally, the next month, Lin Yuxing was discharged from the hospital.


    Qiu Lingnian had visited him once, bringing many toys and snacks, but he didn¡¯t plan to take him away.


    The original intention of every adoptive family was to have a healthy child. They had no blood ties with the children in the welfare home, so they wouldn¡¯t develop too many emotional attachments in their brief encounters.


    Qiu Lingnian looked sadly at Lin Yuxing¡¯s absent gaze, silent for a long time, and then turned his gaze to Lin Yuheng, who stood beside the bed.


    This time, Qiu Lingnian held Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand, like choosing an item.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Saying this, Liao Yan seemed to be trapped in a long-lasting nightmare.


    He struggled countless times in his dreams, regretted countless times, and hated himself countless times.


    ¡°The things that happened later, Xingxing should have told you.¡± Liao Yan closed his eyes, the memories weighing heavily on his heart. ¡°I heartlessly abandoned him and went abroad with my adoptive father, changing my name.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression was complicated, but he didn¡¯t speak.


    In this silence, Liao Yan felt like he was on the gallows, facing fear slowly. He lowered his head and hugged his shoulders.


    Gu Zhongyi finally asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just because Qiu Lingnian had a good family background and was knowledgeable enough to teach you the piano?¡± That reason was too absurd. Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t believe that Liao Yan would leave his bedridden younger brother for such a shallow reason.


    If Qiu Xing was really like that, why would Lin Yuxing keep thinking about him?


    ¡°If you left Xingxing just because of these reasons, you wouldn¡¯t have come back to find him after returning to the country, let alone stop him from dying in this world.¡±


    When facing people other than Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhongyi was always logical and analyzed every aspect thoroughly.


    He wouldn¡¯t tolerate any deception: ¡°Qiu Xing, this isn¡¯t your true reason.¡±

 CH 62

    In an instant, Liao Yan stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s because I wanted to redeem myself!¡±


    The teacup on the table was knocked over by his hand, and the cool tea spilled over the table. Liao Yan¡¯s shallow eyes were filled with sorrow.


    ¡°The doctor said that if Xingxing¡¯s glands weren¡¯t treated in time, they would decay, but I didn¡¯t have enough money to treat Xingxing. So every day, I had nightmares¡­ I kept dreaming about that day¡¯s scene. I blamed myself and hated failing to protect him!¡±


    He laughed bitterly, ¡°Clearly, I was the one protecting him all the time. He was always a coward, a crybaby, a useless fool. Why should he¡­¡±


    He covered his face with both hands, his voice choked, and his body trembled.


    That memory was always the pain he couldn¡¯t erase.


    They were identical twins, supposed to be the closest people in the world. However, due to an accident involving Qu Lingnian, they became strangers.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t face the injured star. Self-blame was consuming me! It was at that moment¡­ Father suddenly chose me! I was torn inside, reluctant to leave him, so Father ¡®helped¡¯ me.¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s willing to cover the medical expenses for Star¡¯s treatment, in exchange, I had to leave with him immediately. He also promised me that the dean would keep that condition confidential so that Star wouldn¡¯t feel guilty.¡±


    As he mentioned the word ¡°guilty,¡± he awkwardly tugged at the corner of his mouth, thinking it was not quite appropriate.


    How natural and reasonable those conditions seemed, as if deep in his heart, he had instantly transformed himself from a sinner into a victim.


    Qu Lingnian gave him a chance for redemption.


    This quickly convinced him ¨C he left for Lin Yuxing¡¯s sake, not for himself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t forget the way Star cried, holding my hand, begging me not to leave¡­ I told him I would convince Father, and I would definitely come back for him.¡±


    His tears refused to fall, swirling in his eyes, ¡°But I couldn¡¯t do it at all!¡±


    Trying to persuade a family to accept an imperfect child was an immensely difficult task.


    Qu Lingnian had always wanted only one child.


    Gu Zhongyi could understand that, but the reality was not as simple as he thought.


    As Gu Zhongyi saw the person in front of him gradually breaking down emotionally, he heard him ask, ¡°Do you know why Father wanted to adopt Star?¡±


    Lin Yuheng, or Qu Xing, or rather, the current Liao Yan, raised his eyes, tears uncontrollably sliding down his face.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t blink, appearing like a delicate puppet, ¡°Because he and his wife had a child who died at the age of 7. That child bore a striking resemblance to both of us, especially those eyes, almost identical to Star¡¯s.¡±


    Qu Lingnian¡¯s wife was so heartbroken by the loss of their child that she became mentally unstable.


    It was only after following Qu Lingnian back to their overseas home that Qu Xing discovered that secret.


    In a sense, Qu Lingnian was indeed a ¡°good father¡± and a good husband. He constructed a beautiful dream for his wife in that rose-covered villa.


    In the dream, their child didn¡¯t die, and his wife didn¡¯t go insane.


    The family continued to live happily together.


    ¡°Father didn¡¯t want just any child; he wanted a replacement for his wife, the more similar, the better. So Star became the first choice, and when Star was gone, he chose me.¡±


    ¡°He said, ¡®Qu Xing¡¯ wasn¡¯t a name they specially gave me; it was the name of their deceased child. How coincidental, also called ¡®Star¡¯.¡±


    In his own life, he briefly lived as Lin Yuheng for 8 years before becoming Qu Xing.


    ¡°After I arrived overseas, Father treated me well, fulfilling almost any request. When I wanted to learn the piano, he personally tutored me, even though I had no talent. When I was bullied at school and got into fights, Father never scolded me. Instead¡­ he even sided with me.¡±


    Apart from his younger brother Lin Yuxing, no one had ever favored him or trusted him.


    He bitterly smiled, ¡°He treated me like his own child. My stepmother was even more so. After meeting me, her condition improved, or perhaps, it never worsened to begin with.¡±


    How could a mother not recognize her own child?


    His stepmother gave him an overwhelming motherly love, something he had never felt since birth.


    In that family, he had a father, he had a mother, and he often felt happy.


    Only one word was forbidden in that family.


    Qu Lingnian strongly disapproved of him mentioning Little Star: ¡°You are now my child, Qu Xing. You don¡¯t have a younger brother, and there won¡¯t be a second child in this family. These words must never be heard by your mother!¡±


    Qu Lingnian naturally and gently called him by his new name, ¡°Qu Xing, I can¡¯t tolerate anyone destroying my family, especially harming my wife. As our child, you should do your best to love and protect your mother, not let her get hurt again.¡±


    At that time, Qu Lingnian had just bought him a brand-new piano.


    It was both a gift and a warning.


    ¡°I will give you all the care I can, but if you don¡¯t obey, I will abandon you.¡±


    And then look for the next replacement.


    Qu Lingnian had plenty of money and time. If this adoptive son went against his wishes, he would not hesitate to send him to an overseas orphanage, leaving Lin Yuheng to live a helpless life in an unfamiliar place.


    Qu Lingnian would take back all the love he had given and make him pay for disappointing him.


    To Qu Lingnian, Lin Yuheng was nothing more than a means to pacify his wife or even a pet.


    Under Qu Lingnian¡¯s intimidation and ¡°care,¡± 8-year-old Lin Yuheng gradually fell into the warmth of the family he had never experienced before, losing himself in the process.


    The comfortable living conditions turned him into a true young master of the Qu family.


    He never disappointed Qu Lingnian; everything he did was excellent, making him the pride of the Qu family.


    Once a person crawled out of the mire and experienced the beauty of sunlight, there was no going back.


    Qu Lingnian felt the time was right and started brainwashing him repeatedly, ¡°You and your younger brother have different destinies. There¡¯s no need to tie yourselves together. Even without you, he can still live well.¡±


    Sometimes, Lin Yuheng still thought  about Lin Yuxing, his pitiful younger brother.


    For that reason, Qu Lingnian thoughtfully gave him a diary, offering solace, ¡°If you still miss him, write down your thoughts in this diary. Recording your life and thoughts isn¡¯t a bad thing, but I really don¡¯t want to hear anything about your younger brother from your mouth anymore.¡±


    So, as a young boy, he concealed his longing for his brother within the pages of the diary. As time passed, he began to forget about Lin Yuxing and pushed the only photo of them together to the bottom of a drawer.


    Writing in the diary became an ordinary habit for him.


    However, in just a few years, that dream began to shatter.


    Everything was an illusion, and ¡°love¡± turned into shackles.


    As he grew older, he became less and less like ¡°Qu Xing.¡±


    His stepmother¡¯s impression of the child remained frozen at the age of seven. Faced with him growing up, his stepmother¡¯s emotions became unusually unstable.


    Occasionally, she would have episodes, returning to reality.


    During those times, she would question him about where her own child had gone and why he had replaced everything in the house. She would cry out, believing that it was his appearance that made the real Qu Xing disappear.


    When she wasn¡¯t having an episode, she would treat him like an ordinary mother, caring for him in every possible way. She would prepare a sumptuous dinner for him after school and knit a scarf for him with her own hands during the winter to keep him warm.


    But everything she did was meant for her real child and not the ¡°intruder¡± Lin Yuheng.


    In that stifling environment, Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t dare to make any mistakes or show any behavior that didn¡¯t resemble ¡°Qu Xing.¡± The slightest misstep would trigger his stepmother¡¯s episodes.


    Qu Lingnian often traveled for work, yet there was no nanny hired for the household.


    The reason was that the child who died was the result of a nanny¡¯s negligence. Therefore, Lin Yuheng had to take care of his stepmother on his own, enduring her love and hatred, living with her for nine years.


    In the year he turned seventeen, Qu Lingnian, who was also tormented to exhaustion by his wife, brought in another child.


    That was the second Omega boy to appear in the villa, and he had a somewhat similar face to seven-year-old ¡°Qu Xing.¡±


    Just as he had arrived there years ago, that child would follow the same path.


    After some time, Lin Yuheng suddenly experienced heartache, feeling like his body was being torn apart, causing him excruciating pain. It was as if he had been hit by a car. He was drenched in cold sweat, his lips turned pale, and he eventually collapsed by the roadside, taken to the hospital by passersby.


    The doctors found no physical issues, only advising him not to put too much pressure on himself.


    However, Qu Lingnian believed that it was a fake illness, a ploy for attention. The empty hospital room scared him as he received no visitors and was left in loneliness.


    At that moment, he inexplicably thought of his younger brother.


    He thought about how Lin Yuxing might have lived in that loneliness all this time.


    His heart began to ache, feeling as if thousands of needles were piercing him, causing his tears to dampen the pillow.


    He started to frequently dream about Lin Yuxing, dreaming about the accident in the welfare institution¡¯s kitchen that should have been avoided.


    In the dream, Lin Yuxing looked pained, his back covered in scalding water, and his weak crying tormented Lin Yuheng¡¯s heart: ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t leave me¡­ Don¡¯t abandon me¡­ I¡¯ll be good, I won¡¯t make you angry anymore, really¡­¡±


    The scene shifted, and the lights in the rescue room went out.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s body was covered in blood, standing in front of him, fiercely questioning, ¡°You abandoned me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing approached step by step, his eyes devoid of pupils.


    ¡°You ruined me, didn¡¯t you?!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuheng struggled to wake up from the nightmare, sweat dripping from his forehead.


    He trembled and, under the moonlight of the late night, kept repenting. He prayed to heaven, wishing for a better life for Lin Yuxing, even if it meant giving away all his luck.


    He felt guilty towards his brother.


    But what luck did he have left?


    After the arrival of the new child, his stepmother returned to her previous state, treating Lin Yuheng living in the house as a guest, introducing her son to him with a smile, ¡°This is my little star, doesn¡¯t he look a lot like me? He¡¯s well-behaved, a considerate and good child.¡±


    She gently smiled, stroking ¡°Qu Xing¡¯s¡± head.


    The new ¡°Qu Xing¡± sweetly smiled and affectionately hugged his stepmother. He was a clever child, even better at pleasing his stepmother than Lin Yuheng.


    But his existence often left his stepmother confused, unable to distinguish who her real child was.


    Qu Lingnian saw this and heartlessly told him to move out of the villa and into a private apartment.


    One year later, on his 18th birthday, Qu Lingnian came to the apartment and gave him a card containing enough money to cover his university expenses and living costs.


    Qu Lingnian said, ¡°You¡¯re now an adult.¡±


    The meaning behind his words was that the Qu family no longer needed to take responsibility for him or care for his life.


    With one card and a sum of money, Qu Lingnian believed he had severed all connections between them, fulfilling his moral duty.


    ¡°You used to want to return to China to find your younger brother, right? Go and find him, maybe¡­ he¡¯s still waiting for you?¡±


    Hearing Qu Lingnian¡¯s words, he looked up in surprise, his eyes filled with self-deprecating laughter.


    How is this possible?


    He silently sneered in his heart.


    It had been ten years; there was no way Lin Yuxing, no matter how foolish he was, would still be waiting for such a despicable older brother.


    But he did want to know what Lin Yuxing was doing now, whether he was doing well or not. Was he still like in his dreams, a little crybaby who always felt wronged?


    After losing everything, he shamelessly started to miss Lin Yuxing.


    He missed the little star who never gave up on him, no matter what others said or did.


    Lin Yuheng returned to China and enrolled in C University. With Xu Xiangchi¡¯s help, he had been searching for his brother, nearly exhausting all the living expenses his adoptive father provided. But his brother seemed to have vanished, leaving no trace.


    Until one day, when he and Xu Xiangchi were away sketching, they bumped into his aunt, Lin Xiufeng.


    Lin Xiufeng recognized him at first glance.


    He was overjoyed, thinking that he could finally reunite with his brother, but reality dealt him a cruel blow.


    Lin Yuxing was dead.


    He died in a car accident, at the tender age of seventeen.


    They said Lin Yuxing had an accident while delivering take-out, on the sidewalk, and died on the spot without even having a chance to be taken to the hospital.


    The date of the accident and Lin Yuxing¡¯s time of death coincided with the exact moment when he suffered heartache and was taken to the hospital.


    It¡¯s said that twins can have a psychic connection.


    Perhaps the moment he lost consciousness was the moment when Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart stopped beating.


    No wonder the pain was so deeply etched in him, as it was the only sensation Lin Yuxing had before his death, like a cry for help transmitted to his twin brother.


    He slumped. He had permanently lost his brother, his only family.


    He couldn¡¯t even find a single photo of Lin Yuxing left in Aunt Lin Xiufeng¡¯s home.


    Their uncle, Cheng Rong, kept drinking and swearing, heartlessly mocking Lin Yuxing as a worthless, early-deceased bastard.


    ¡°We spent so much money raising him, but in the end, he didn¡¯t even return the money to me before he died! He was truly an unlucky thing, a loss-making business! Lin Xiufeng, look at the things you brought into this family! I shouldn¡¯t have listened to you. I should have sold him earlier; at least I could have recovered some money! Look at him now, look!¡±


    Cheng Rong relentlessly seized the opportunity to verbally attack Lin Xiufeng.


    Lin Xiufeng remained silent, busying herself with her work, tears wetting her cheeks. She dared not speak out of anger, or perhaps there was no anger left in her.


    Her attitude seemed to imply that she acknowledged Cheng Rong¡¯s words.


    She did not lack sorrow for the deceased Lin Yuxing, but she felt even more heartache for her son, Cheng Shaohua.


    After all, all her years of effort turned to nothing at the moment of Lin Yuxing¡¯s death. She couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who could take care of Cheng Shaohua in the future.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuheng finally realized how miserable, how terrible, and how helpless his brother¡¯s life had been all those years. Though he had now lost everything, he had also experienced some fleeting moments of happiness in this world.


    But what about Lin Yuxing?


    Lin Yuxing had nothing but a life filled with suffering, and he ultimately died tragically in an undeserved accident.


    It was all his fault as an older brother.


    He almost staggered out of Aunt Lin Xiufeng¡¯s home, running to a narrow corner and constantly retching.


    It was nauseating¡­


    Everything there disgusted him, including himself.


    He grabbed his throat, kneeling on the ground, his head against the filthy wall, tears being the most useless thing in the moment. But apart from tears, he had nothing left.


    His throat was hoarse, and he sobbed.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have left, I shouldn¡¯t have listened to him and forgotten you¡­ Little star, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    He needed to atone, he must atone.


    From that point on, he treated all the suffering he endured with Xu Xiangchi as his own punishment, unable to free himself.


    He thought, if there was a next life, even if he had to sacrifice his life, he would exchange it for his brother¡¯s life.

 CH 63

    Around five in the afternoon.


    Gu Zhongyi parked the car in front of Lin Yuxing¡¯s dormitory building.


    Though April weather hadn¡¯t fully warmed up, he felt stifled and time seemed to crawl. The words he had heard that day made his head ache, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little restless. He unbuttoned one of his shirt buttons to ease the heat.


    It was already the agreed-upon time, but Lin Yuxing, who was usually punctual, hadn¡¯t come out of the dormitory.


    Gu Zhongyi got out of the car and waited directly, leaning his slender figure against the car. Inadvertently, he became a scene on the campus.


    The Omega students in that dormitory building seemed to have gotten used to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s presence. They no longer curiously gathered around him like the first time they saw him, nor did they frequent online forums to discuss him. Anyway, anyone speaking ill of Lin Yuxing would be deleted, which was rather boring.


    Gu Zhongyi sent a message to Lin Yuxing but received no reply.


    He waited for about ten minutes and then called him.


    Lin Yuxing hung up the call.


    Shortly after, a message appeared.


    Lin Yuxing: [Wait!]


    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback. He didn¡¯t know if it was his imagination, but he vaguely felt a hint of unnamed anger in those two words.


    So he didn¡¯t reply to inquire but silently waited.


    In the meantime, he used his phone to search for information about the car accident that Lin Yuxing miraculously survived years ago. As ¡°Liao Yan¡± said, a journalist had written an article about it on his blog.


    The title read: ¡°[The Hidden Truth Behind the 20XX Car Accident in D City].¡±


    Gu Zhongyi opened the page, and a dense block of text quickly appeared before his eyes.


    He carefully read it, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter.


    A while ago¡­


    ¡°Liao Yan,¡± also known as Lin Yuheng, had finally calmed down and continued explaining to Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Two years ago, the driver responsible for the accident that caused multiple deaths on the pedestrian walkway and the driver who knocked me off the overpass are the same person.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi knew about this: ¡°There were news reports, and I later searched for it.¡±


    Lin Yuheng subtly moved his lips and asked Gu Zhongyi a question, ¡°So, do you think a drunk driver causing such a major accident is random in hitting people?¡±


    ¡°From the casualties on the pedestrian walkway, it appears to be random.¡±


    After all, the driver had no idea who would be on that sidewalk that day.


    ¡°But from his actions on the overpass, it seems more like¡­ he had a grudge against you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Yuheng confirmed. He had been in Liao Yan¡¯s body for less than half a year and still vividly remembered his past life. He continued, ¡°It was my fifth day back in the country. In order to prevent the accident, I observed Lin Yuxing¡¯s life every day. I noticed that every day at noon, he would go out to deliver take-out, passing by that pedestrian walkway. There was a hair salon across the street, and they would almost always order take-out at that time.¡±


    The boss would usually let diligent Lin Yuxing handle those nearby orders to save delivery costs.


    Lin Yuheng paused for a moment and confessed hesitantly, ¡°I felt too confused about being reborn and felt too guilty about Lin Yuxing¡­ so I didn¡¯t dare to immediately reveal my identity to him.¡±


    He lowered his eyes and recollected, ¡°After preventing Lin Yuxing from crossing the road, my hands were trembling. Perhaps it was because I changed this part of history, I felt a little scared afterward. I couldn¡¯t breathe, so I took off my mask and sunglasses.¡±


    On that day,Lin Yeheng aimlessly walked on the road to calm his emotions.


    It was raining, and he held an umbrella, feeling the low pressure pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.


    Just when he wanted to find a place to take shelter from the rain, it stopped.


    The pedestrian walkways on both sides of the overpass were sparsely populated, so he put away the umbrella and wanted to catch some fresh air.


    The time then was about 20 minutes after he stopped Lin Yuxing from crossing the road.


    He only remembered someone yelling at him to be careful of the car coming toward him.


    ¡°When that car first came towards me, I was warned by someone and luckily avoided it. The car also hit the railing of the overpass and stopped. Because of fear, my legs went weak, and I couldn¡¯t move. In that situation, he should have started the car again to escape, not¡­¡±


    He recalled the pain when his bones were crushed that day, frowning deeply, ¡°Not backing up and hitting me again. that car¡­ it seemed to be aiming at me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression gradually turned serious.


    Lin Yuheng continued, ¡°After being hit, my whole body flew up, and all my bones felt broken. Then, I fell into the water, unable to breathe, and my whole body was in excruciating pain, unable to move. I couldn¡¯t tell if I died from being hit or drowned. I seemed to lose consciousness quickly. When I opened my eyes again, I became ¡®Liao Yan.''¡±


    Lin Yuheng had investigated the outcome of the accident.


    The driver was driving under the influence and admitted to being unclear due to drunkenness, causing the accident However, due to the high number of casualties in the first accident and the two targeted hits in the second accident, which had a malicious intent, he was sentenced to death.


    ¡°Maybe everyone sees it as a severe accidental traffic accident, but¡­¡± Lin Yuheng looked up, fear deeply in his eyes, ¡°The driver, who had been working as a taxi driver for a long time, should not have been drinking heavily during working hours.¡±


    Lin Yuheng continued, ¡°As far as I know, his son has leukemia, and their family spent all their savings to treat the child. He worked very hard to earn money; how could he be drinking during working hours? But after he was sentenced to death, his wife immediately moved to C City with their child without any financial burden.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi instantly understood his meaning, ¡°You suspect that someone paid him to commit premeditated murder?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°Listen to me! After they moved to C City, an anonymous person quickly covered all the child¡¯s medical expenses and was even lucky enough to undergo a bone marrow transplant. After that, she moved with the recovering child to M City and settled in a well-located community. Although the house they lived in wasn¡¯t in her name, she couldn¡¯t afford the rent there.¡±


    Everything was too coincidental.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart tightened, and his fingertips tingled as he asked, ¡°How did you know all of this?¡±


    ¡°There was a report recently.¡±


    ¡°Recently?¡±


    ¡°It was posted by an unscrupulous journalist who specifically attracted attention and gained traffic by digging up such stories. His appearance made the driver¡¯s wife very resistant, and they even had conflicts several times. Strangely, the woman didn¡¯t report it to the police; it seemed more like she dared not report it.¡±


    Afterward, the journalist posted everything he knew online. Terrifyingly, this report hadn¡¯t sparked public debate and was swiftly deleted to suppress its popularity. After that, no matter where the journalist posted it, the post was taken down.


    The journalist also received threats at home and became more certain that this was a murder case, so he didn¡¯t dare to act rashly.


    Eventually, the impact of the accident gradually faded.


    Two years later, which was recent, the journalist posted this story on his small blog instead of a mainstream media platform.


    Since the accident had happened a long time ago, only someone with a deliberate search would find that low-traffic blog post.


    Lin Yuheng took out his phone, added Gu Zhongyi as a friend, and sent the name of the blog to him. He asked Gu Zhongyi to check that report when he had time because there was too much content and many doubts.


    At the moment, as ¡°Liao Yan,¡± he had too many limitations, both in capabilities and resources, preventing him from investigating those doubts.


    He urgently needed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s help.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, I mean if¡­ if I¡¯m just a cover.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The person the driver was originally going to hit was Star. My appearance made the driver confused, and that¡¯s why he acted so irrationally. Of course! All of this is just my speculation¡­¡±


    The tea on the table had turned cold.


    Lin Yuheng stared at Gu Zhongyi firmly, as if grabbing a lifeline. He pleaded weakly, ¡°I can¡¯t do this, I can¡¯t. But you can.¡±


    If it was an accident, then verify it and prove that it was indeed an accident.


    If it was intentional murder, then Gu Zhongyi should find the real culprit.


    Otherwise, no one could ensure that history wouldn¡¯t repeat itself.


    In addition, Lin Yuheng had another request for Gu Zhongyi: ¡°Please don¡¯t call me ¡®Qu Xing¡¯ anymore. That name has taken away too much from me and brought back too many bad memories. Before, it was because I was already an adult, and changing my name would be too troublesome. But now, no matter who I am, I won¡¯t be ¡®Qu Xing¡¯ again.¡±


    He seemed relieved.


    Recalling this, Gu Zhongyi took a deep breath.


    He pondered, repeatedly recalling the words Lin Yuheng said in his mind.


    A crisp voice interrupted his thoughts, ¡°Gu Zhongyi!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi quickly turned around, holding his phone tightly, and locked the screen.


    He saw Lin Yuxing holding a flower basket, with a serious or rather blushing face, standing in front of him. ¡°What were you doing? I called you so many times, and you ignored me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing had to call his full name for him to react.


    Gu Zhongyi opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Lin Yuxing directly handed the flower basket to him, clearly angry.


    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback. He thought carefully and realized that Lin Yuxing had never been angry with him before, and it was impossible that it was because of his absent-mindedness just now.


    At that moment, seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s annoyed look, he found it both intriguing and incomprehensible.


    ¡°I was just replying to work messages,¡± Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°it¡¯s about restaurant matters.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t lying. Manager Zhang did send him a new menu for the restaurant, and he hadn¡¯t replied yet.


    Lin Yuxing directly sat in the passenger seat, buckled his seatbelt, and stared at Gu Zhongyi without saying a word. It seemed like he was going to settle the score once they got home.


    Gu Zhongyi, holding the flower basket, circled around the car and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.


    Closing the door, Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you in a bad mood?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t say anything, and Gu Zhongyi asked ¡°What should we have for dinner tonight?¡±


    Lin Yuxing responded quickly, ¡°Scallion oil noodles with two eggs.¡±


    The previous week, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s scallion oil noodles completely captured Lin Yuxing¡¯s taste buds. Not to mention adding two eggs, even if he served Lin Yuxing two large bowls of noodles, he might be able to finish them.


    Gu Zhongyi happily said, ¡°I¡¯ll make more sauce this time. Next week, you can bring some to school for lunch.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s anger subsided a bit. He pursed his lips and faced Gu Zhongyi. He regretted being angry with Gu Zhongyi over such a small matter.


    How could he give Gu Zhongyi a cold shoulder just because of this?


    Lin Yuxing rubbed his pants with his fingers and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to be angry.¡± Hesitating, he slowly continued, ¡°It¡¯s just that your message was too much this time¡­ Well, this time you were really in the wrong.¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    What message?


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand on the steering wheel stiffened, and he froze for two seconds. ¡°Are you talking about the message I sent about buying condoms?¡±


    Lin Yuxing covered his mouth, and his ears turned red as his face blushed.


    The car in front started moving, and Lin Yuxing¡¯s action undoubtedly would obstruct Gu Zhongyi from driving. He quickly withdrew his hand, murmuring in frustration, ¡®Su Li saw everything, what should I do¡­¡¯


    Finally, Gu Zhongyi understood the problem ¨C Lin Yuxing was embarrassed.


    Sitting in the passenger seat, Lin Yuxing began to seriously discuss some rules with Gu Zhongyi. From now on, to be on the safe side during their time at school, Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t send him such explicit messages.


    But Gu Zhongyi¡¯s focus was elsewhere, ¡®Can I send them when you¡¯re not at school?¡¯


    ¡®Of course not!¡¯


    ¡®I still have to ask you before buying.¡¯


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t cover his mouth, thinking that Gu Zhongyi was doing it on purpose, he anxiously said, ¡®Why do you have to ask me? It¡¯s not like I use them¡¯


    Taking advantage of another traffic jam, Gu Zhongyi reached for the storage box on the passenger side. It was filled with two sizes of condoms, clearly visible.


    Gu Zhongyi earnestly informed Lin Yuxing, ¡®I bought some for you too.¡¯


    ¡®Me? Me?!¡¯


    Lin Yuxing realized what was wrong and cast a strange look at the handsome Gu Zhongyi. Then, as his mind wandered to improper places, Gu Zhongyi brought him back to reality.


    ¡®It¡¯s been raining a lot lately, and we don¡¯t have enough bedsheets.¡¯


    ¡®¡­¡¯


    Gu Zhongyi stared at him attentively.


    Lin Yuxing contemplated for about a minute, and for the second time that day, he called his boyfriend by his full name, ¡®Gu Zhongyi, you have no shame.¡¯ He decided to remain silent, avoiding any increase in anger and innocent casualties.


    But on second thought, there were no innocents in this car.


    The journey from the school to the apartment took much longer due to the traffic jam.


    Cars honked from behind while the one in front remained stationary. Raindrops fell gently from the April sky.


    Lin Yuxing leaned back in his seat, feeling annoyed, and couldn¡¯t help but yawn. In that comfortable temperature, he dozed off without realizing it.

 CH 64

    About half an hour passed.


    Gu Zhongyi drove the car into the basement parking lot of the apartment building. After parking, he unbuckled his seatbelt first. He reached out and gently touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheeks and ears, ¡®Yuxing, we¡¯ve arrived.¡¯


    Still feeling drowsy, Lin Yuxing rubbed his eyes, looking like he hadn¡¯t slept enough.


    Gu Zhongyi unfastened Lin Yuxing¡¯s seat belt and put it aside. He got out of the car, went to the passenger side, and directly lifted Lin Yuxing out.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing fully awakened and subconsciously kicked his feet, wanting to walk on his own.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡®I made you angry today, so I have to carry you.¡¯


    He had a unique way of being shameless, and only Lin Yuxing could enjoy it.


    Lin Yuxing grumbled, ¡®What¡¯s the connection between these two things?¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s response almost made Lin Yuxing laugh out loud.


    Gu Zhongyi then kissed Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead.


    A bit ¡°chaotic.¡±


    Lin Yuxing shrank his neck, but he didn¡¯t evade it.


    Gu Zhongyi was someone who stopped when he had enough, and he wouldn¡¯t act cute for no reason. Before Lin Yuxing said anything, he directly carried him into the elevator.


    Lin Yuxing considerately took out the elevator card and pressed the floor for Gu Zhongyi, who couldn¡¯t use his hands, showing that he was indeed no longer angry.


    Inside the enclosed space of the elevator, Lin Yuxing affectionately hugged Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck, no longer maintaining any distance as they did outside.


    ¡®Where did you go this afternoon? Why did you delay today?¡¯ Lin Yuxing asked, ¡®If it¡¯s inconvenient, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s not inconvenient.¡¯ Gu Zhongyi thought for a moment and said, ¡®It was just a small matter, and it¡¯s already resolved.¡¯


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t intend to lie to Lin Yuxing.


    But considering various factors, Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t want and couldn¡¯t reveal his true identity to Lin Yuxing. So he asked Gu Zhongyi to keep it a secret.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t object, as anyone would find it unbelievable to talk about ¡°rebirth¡± or ¡°returning to life.¡±


    And knowing Lin Yuxing¡¯s character, he might even take the responsibility of raising money and send both of them to the hospital for brain checkups.


    Thinking about it was giving him a headache.


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to misunderstand him as mentally deranged.


    When they arrived home, Lin Yuxing wanted to take a shower first.


    Gu Zhongyi changed into casual home clothes, tied an apron, and skillfully cooked scallion oil in the kitchen.


    If Gu Zhuang knew that the son he carefully raised to take over the company was now wholeheartedly devoted to the family, both in the living room and the kitchen, he might be so angry that he¡¯d spit blood.


    Gu Zhongyi had considered this, but if he could infuriate Gu Zhuang to the point where he wouldn¡¯t bother with him anymore, he thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing.


    Meanwhile, Lin Yuxing took a quick shower. He changed into pajamas, tied a comfortable braid, and wandered around the bedroom without knowing what to do for a while before coming out.


    After living in that apartment for some time, it had become Lin Yuxing¡¯s home away from home. He was no longer as restrained as he was the first time he came here, and he had grown familiar with everything in the house.


    Sometimes, he even contributed something, like that day¡¯s small basket of flowers, which he placed on the coffee table.


    Lin Yuxing swiftly made his way to the kitchen, holding something in his hand, and when he entered, he gave Gu Zhongyi a kiss.¡±


    One moment, Gu Zhongyi was contemplating whether to cut some fruits; the next moment, he was as eager as ever to kiss more. As he leaned forward, Lin Yuxing used four fingers to block his lips and slipped a folded note into his hand.


    ¡°Thank you for cooking dinner; this is my gift for you,¡± Lin Yuxing raised an eyebrow, reminding him, ¡°Take a look; it¡¯s specially written for you.¡± After saying that, he walked out of the kitchen with a triumphant air, holding two plates of noodles.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones seemed to be jumping around as he stared at the kitchen door that Lin Yuxing closed, eagerly opening the note.


    He saw a neatly arranged list of ¡°forbidden words.¡±


    Condoms were proudly on the list.


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°¡­¡±


    To avoid embarrassing situations in public, Lin Yuxing requested that Gu Zhongyi use ¡°that¡± instead of those vulgar words in the future.


    That was not only Lin Yuxing¡¯s gift for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s dinner but also his retaliation for the ¡± gift¡± Gu Zhongyi gave him in the car, which left him speechless. It showed Gu Zhongyi a side of Lin Yuxing that was thoughtful but also held grudges.


    And the retaliation was deliberate and childish, quite ¡°that.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi chuckled and playfully filled the note thoroughly with the word ¡°that,¡± acknowledging the penalty.


    That night, good news came from Gu Nuan; he finally won over the Alpha he liked, and they successfully began dating.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone was the first to receive Gu Nuan¡¯s message: ¡°[Dear friends, in this season of April when everything revives, I, Gu Nuan, have finally achieved mutual love with my Alpha.]¡±


    More surprisingly, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s usually inactive Moments (social media) suddenly had its first post that day.


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[The flowers he gave.]¡±


    Attached was a picture of Lin Yuxing¡¯s flower arrangement assignment from the flower arrangement class, a fresh little basket mainly featuring sunflowers.


    Immediately, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s Moments exploded.


    Within a minute, there were twenty-three likes and dozens of comments.


    Yang Qing: ¡°[What? Am I seeing right? You¡¯re showing off your affection in Moments? You, Gu Zhongyi, are displaying affection in your Moments?]¡±


    Ji Mu: ¡°[Wishing you lasting happiness (smiling face).]¡±


    Gu Nuan: ¡°[Wow, are we having double good news from the Gu family tonight?]¡±


    Ji Mu replied to Gu Nuan: ¡°[What do you mean?]¡±


    Gu Nuan replied to Ji Mu: ¡°[Ahem¡­ nothing!]¡±


    Gu Nuan replied to Ji Mu again: ¡°[Wait, this is Zhongyi¡¯s Moments, right? When did you become friends?!]¡±


    Su Li: ¡°[Is this what people call love? (sly smile)]¡±


    Basketball Teammate 1: ¡°[ Envious.]¡±


    Basketball Teammate 2: ¡°[As a single person, I shed tears of envy. I still remember the sweetness of the water Lin Yuxing brought us last time. So that¡¯s the sweetness of your love?]¡±


    Basketball Teammate 3: ¡°[ are you nuts? What are you talking about? Haven¡¯t you ever had bottled water in your life? I¡¯ll buy it for you tomorrow!]¡±


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t in a particularly good mood that day.


    But no matter how lively Gu Zhongyi¡¯s Moments was, he was not interested in participating at the moment.


    Because Gu Zhongyi was currently practicing what Lin Yuxing had taught him, fully demonstrating what ¡°that¡± meant in bed.


    And, he even kindly lowered his voice and asked Lin Yuxing, ¡°Do you need me to ¡®that¡¯ you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®That¡¯ feels great, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s my ¡®that¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, stop biting your lip. Your voice is most pleasant when ¡®that¡¯-ing.¡±


    He had to admit; he was starting to agree with Lin Yuxing¡¯s suggestion. The word ¡°that¡± contained everything, even words that used to be difficult for him to say, now he could naturally say them.


    So, Gu Zhongyi was all about ¡°that,¡± ¡°that,¡± ¡°that¡±!


    Such simple words yet full of mystery. It was so mysterious that Lin Yuxing struggled and tried to escape by kicking his feet, but Gu Zhongyi caught his ankle and pressed him down.


    With teary eyes, Lin Yuxing opened his eyes, hoarsely protesting, ¡°I quit! I really quit ¡®that¡¯!¡±


    He swore that he would never do such a stupid thing again.


    ¡°Senior, I was wrong; I was really wrong,¡± he sniffled, ¡°No more ¡®that¡¯¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi rejected him, saying in a firm yet nonsensical manner, ¡°It¡¯s your request, and I must strictly comply with it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°???¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked calm and collected, going crazy when he wanted to.


    Helpless, Lin Yuxing cursed in his heart.

 CH 65

    C City Research Institute.


    For the sake of his health, Lin Yuxing took a workday off to undergo a gland examination in the institute.


    The next day, Ji Mu called him to the institute again.


    He entered Ji Mu¡¯s personal office for the first time. It was a simple room with only work documents and essential items, except for a family photo on the desk.


    ¡°Take a seat.¡±


    The weather wasn¡¯t too hot, so Ji Mu casually opened the window.


    With practiced movements, he brewed a cup of tea and had his assistant prepare some healthy dried fruits and vegetables as a snack. After several interactions with Lin Yuxing, Ji Mu was no longer unfamiliar to him. However, Lin Yuxing still felt a bit reserved in front of Ji Mu.


    After all, Ji Mu was his senior.


    ¡°Thank you for seeing me again,¡± Lin Yuxing said.


    Ji Mu looked indifferent, but his tone was warm, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. Please have a seat.¡± They both sat down, and like a doctor diagnosing a patient, Ji Mu opened the computer with the results of Lin Yuxing¡¯s gland examination.


    Lin Yuxing was worried, ¡°Is there something wrong with the results?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Ji Mu replied.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t quite understand. If there was no problem, why did Ji Mu specifically call him over?


    Suddenly, Ji Mu asked, ¡°Have you been using the medication I prescribed?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Yuxing recalled, ¡°I missed a few days because something came up before the Lunar New Year.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Ji Mu inquired.


    Lin Yuxing thought for a moment and replied, ¡°I feel like my pheromones have become stronger recently. My roommate feels the same way too. He used to say my pheromones were faint. Also, I¡¯ve become more sensitive to other people¡¯s pheromones.¡±


    He thought for a moment and believed there was nothing to hide from Ji Mu, ¡°Previously, I was more sensitive to Senior¡¯s pheromones compared to others.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t think it was a bad thing.


    But according to Ji Mu, the fact that his gland¡¯s perception was weak due to acquired trauma was not a good sign.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuxing persisted with the medication, and this time, the examination results were all normal.


    Furthermore, they even showed improvement.


    Ji Mu carefully examined the data, and considering the 77% compatibility between Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi, he spoke after a short silence, ¡°Lin Xuesheng (Student Lin).¡±


    Ji Mu noticed he hadn¡¯t poured tea for Lin Yuxing yet, so he calmly poured the tea and placed the cup in front of him.


    ¡°I need to ask you an extremely personal question, and if you find it inconvenient to answer, then don¡¯t. But considering the condition of your glands, I hope you can honestly tell me, so I can give you the most appropriate advice.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Yuxing picked up the teacup and took a small sip.


    Ji Mu asked directly, ¡°Have you and Zhongyi become intimate and if so how many times?¡±


    ¡°Cough!¡± Lin Yuxing almost choked on his tea.


    Ji Mu pushed the tissue box over and calmly waited for him to answer.


    Feeling extremely uneasy, Lin Yuxing held the teacup, blushing at Ji Mu¡¯s inquiry. He nervously shrunk his chin back, speaking in a quieter voice than ever, ¡°Umm¡­ yes.¡±


    Ji Mu had a look of ¡°I knew it,¡± and furrowed his brows. Whenever Ji Mu thought deeply, he would habitually put on a stern face.


    Lin Yuxing was so frightened by Ji Mu¡¯s serious expression that he sat up straight and hurriedly said, ¡°Uncle Ji, please rest assured! Although I¡¯m young, I will take responsibility like an adult. I¡­ I really like Senior!¡±


    It was often said that the older generation might have more conservative thoughts, so Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t sure if Ji Mu was going to criticize him.


    Even if that was the case, he was prepared to take the criticism. Ji Mu had been so kind to him; even if he said a few words of reproach, it wouldn¡¯t affect him.


    However, who would have thought that in response to Lin Yuxing¡¯s heartfelt explanation, Ji Mu would ask in confusion, ¡°Why are you telling me all this?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback and hesitantly asked, ¡°Then, what should I say?¡±


    Ji Mu rubbed his chin and seemed genuinely curious, ¡± This should be a knowledge point you learned last semester.¡± Ji Mu had a bit of a lecturing tone, ¡°Lin Xuesheng, it¡¯s good to be in love, but you should also take your studies seriously.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t find the words to defend himself and could only reluctantly agree, ¡°Uncle Ji, I will try my best¡­¡±


    Ji Mu sighed silently, patiently telling him, ¡°In simple terms, his pheromones have a ¡®healing¡¯ and ¡®reparative¡¯ effect on your glands. It¡¯s like a ¡®special medicine¡¯ that is more effective than anything else.¡±


    Gradually, it will also reactivate your glands that were injured but haven¡¯t completely recovered, mending the gaps within.


    After saying that, Ji Mu asked again, ¡°Are you comfortable answering now?¡±


    Lin Yuxing bit his lower lip and gave a number.


    This time, Ji Mu¡¯s teacup almost slipped from his hand.


    Lin Yuxing, trusting Ji Mu¡¯s professional judgment, began to speak openly, ¡°Most of the time, it happens during the weekends.¡±


    Ji Mu: ¡°?¡±


    ¡°It may sound a bit exaggerated¡­¡±


    They were still in the honeymoon phase, and although Lin Yuxing felt embarrassed on the surface, he thought it was normal in his heart.


    However, even at that moment, he still wanted to explain a few things for Gu Zhongyi: ¡°Senior becomes clingy after falling in love, but I¡¯m usually busy with work and stubbornly want to stay in the school dormitory. So, we only have more time together on weekends.¡±


    Lin Yuxing honestly squeezed his hands, feeling embarrassed as he said, ¡°We¡¯ve done it a few times.¡±


    The more he tried to explain, the more powerless he felt, and the more he explained, the darker it seemed.


    Ji Mu¡¯s previously calm heart finally showed a hint of disturbance: Alphas from the Gu family were really possessive.


    He reached out and empathetically held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, saying solemnly, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t react immediately and instinctively replied, ¡°It¡¯s not hard; it¡¯s what I should do!¡±


    Ji Mu: ¡°¡­¡±


    Ji Mu thought to himself, ¡°Impressive, young man.¡±


    After the shocked and awkward atmosphere subsided a bit, Ji Mu lightly cleared his throat.


    Then, he touched his forehead for a few seconds, finally understanding, ¡°No wonder there¡¯s such a drastic change in your glands compared to the last checkup, which was only a few months ago.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blinked and listened quietly as Ji Mu spoke, his face turning as red as a tomato.


    Ji Mu noticed that Lin Yuxing was thin-skinned and didn¡¯t plan to continue embarrassing him.


    ¡°Since Zhongyi is by your side, you don¡¯t need to apply the medication I gave you every day. Use it every other day. Also, don¡¯t feel shy; being in close contact with him is beneficial for your glands.¡±


    It seemed to be a win-win situation.


    Lin Yuxing asked with surprise, ¡°So, will my glands be completely normal again?¡±


    ¡°With the current situation, they¡¯re recovering quite well,¡± Ji Mu replied. ¡°Lin Xuesheng, what I¡¯m about to say might be a bit premature, but if your relationship remains stable, you might consider marking each other a bit earlier.¡±


    At the mention of marking, the smile on Lin Yuxing¡¯s face froze, ¡°Marking?¡±


    ¡°A mark with a very high compatibility could help stabilize your glands more quickly. Of course, it¡¯s up to you; it¡¯s not a necessity.¡±


    Ji Mu believed that Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t taking his studies seriously at all. He decided not to explain further and directly pulled a  book from the nearby shelf, placing it in front of Lin Yuxing. He said with a serious tone, ¡°Your college years are limited, so make good use of them.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°For someone like you, having an Alpha mark with high compatibility has many advantages and no disadvantages.¡± Ji Mu pointed to the hardcover of the book, ¡°This book is for you. Take it home and read it. It covers everything I didn¡¯t go into detail about.¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips.


    Although the knowledge points Ji Mu mentioned were things they would be taught word by word in their major courses, that day¡¯s focus on him made him feel uncomfortable.


    Embarrassed, Lin Yuxing raised his hand and unconsciously touched his neck, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    This time, Ji Mu didn¡¯t call him over solely to discuss that.


    Ji Mu took out a well-packaged box from a drawer and gently pushed it in front of Lin Yuxing.


    The box was pure white with no text or patterns printed on it.


    Lin Yuxing politely looked at Ji Mu.


    ¡°It¡¯s for you,¡± Ji Mu said, ¡°It¡¯s a newly developed product by the Gu Group called ¡®Gland Patch.¡¯ In some situations, Omegas are easily accidentally marked by Alphas. Although the surgery to remove marks is fast, it still involves cutting, which can harm the Omega¡¯s body.¡±


    As a result, the Gu Group collaborated with the institute and developed this gland patch in recent years.


    ¡°With this, even if you¡¯re bitten by an Alpha, there won¡¯t be any marks left.¡±


    The Gu Group had not yet launched that new product. The box in Ji Mu¡¯s hand was a qualified test sample, and it was not for sale.


    Ji Mu, who had been marked for many years, immediately thought of Lin Yuxing, who always wore high-necked clothes.


    The doctor Ji Mu recommended had a high price for treatment, and he estimated that Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t afford it at the moment. He also believed that Lin Yuxing would not want to trouble Gu Zhongyi.


    Having experienced enough years, Ji Mu understood that preserving one¡¯s self-esteem was a complex issue.


    Therefore, that box of gland patches came at the right time.


    ¡°I picked the one that suits your skin tone the best, and I also checked the ingredients, so you won¡¯t have an allergic reaction. Oh, and the size, I got the largest size. It can cover your scars and a bit more below.¡±


    This way, Lin Yuxing could wear normal round-neck clothes in the summer, which would be much cooler.


    The box didn¡¯t come with an instruction manual, so Ji Mu took on the role of an explainer.


    ¡°The box includes a bottle of cleaning solution. Use it to gently wipe around the gland patch, and it will naturally fall off. The gland patch is disposable, so don¡¯t wear it for more than eight hours each time.¡±


    Lin Yuxing held the box with surprise and was deeply moved.


    ¡°Uncle Ji, I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not unconditional; you have to tell me about your trial experience later. If you find it helpful, I¡¯ll send you a few more boxes as a trial reward.¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly nodded his head, cherishing the box in his hands as he said again, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    That box was Ji Mu¡¯s heartfelt gesture, and he didn¡¯t want to refuse it.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°I will use it carefully. But if I want to use it again, I¡¯ll wait for it to be on the market and buy it to support the Gu Group¡¯s product!¡±


    Ji Mu raised an eyebrow, letting him be.


    When Lin Yuxing left the institute, it was already around 3 PM.


    He calculated the time and knew it would be 5 PM when he returned to school.


    During the gap while waiting for the bus, he took out his newly exchanged phone and sent a message to Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[The check-up is done.]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied to the message only after Lin Yuxing had boarded the bus: ¡°[How was it?]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Uncle Ji said I¡¯m recovering quite well.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Uncle Ji also gave me a box of gland patches that can cover my scars. I won¡¯t need to wear high-necked clothes in the summer anymore.]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[yes it is a new product from the company. I prepared it for you.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked in disbelief: ¡°[You had a falling out with your dad, and you can still get products from the company? Won¡¯t you get scolded?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[I Just have a thick skin.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Hamster shocked expression]¡±


    Worried that Gu Zhongyi might be wronged, he hurriedly added: ¡°[I¡¯m quite well-off now, so I can afford to buy it if I need it. You don¡¯t need to get it for me, and even if you do, I won¡¯t accept it.]¡±


    Soon, Gu Zhongyi called Lin Yuxing, and he heard the bus announcement in the background. Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Did you just get on the bus?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice was, as always, pleasant and tender over the phone. He said, ¡°That part is not under my dad¡¯s jurisdiction, so don¡¯t worry. If you want to buy it yourself later, we¡¯ll buy it ourselves.¡±


    Listening to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice, Lin Yuxing felt his ears tingling, and he liked it. He nodded and then realized that Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t see him nodding, so he added, ¡°Yes.¡±


    He wanted to tell Gu Zhongyi the specific details about his glands, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate to discuss it on the bus. He also felt it might not be clear enough on the phone, so he decided to wait until Gu Zhongyi got home to talk about it.


    Lin Yuxing moved his lips and asked, ¡°How are things going on your side?¡±


    Before Gu Zhongyi could reply, someone next to him asked him something. Gu Zhongyi told Lin Yuxing, ¡°I have something to deal with now. I¡¯ll call you back later.¡±


    ¡°Okay, you go ahead.¡±


    The call ended, and Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders slumped with disappointment.


    Gu Zhongyi had been ¡°away on business¡± for almost two weeks.


    He missed Gu Zhongyi a lot.

 CH 66

    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t inquire further about what Gu Zhongyi was up to. He understood that they had grown up in different environments, and many differences were inevitable.


    He thought that perhaps Gu Zhongyi had been considering his future job early on. Moreover, the recent frequent ¡°business trips¡± made Lin Yuxing believe in that even more.


    As for himself, ever since they started dating, he seemed to have become more willing to share. He liked talking about everything with Gu Zhongyi.


    That bus was heading directly to a stop near University C.


    Lin Yuxing got off the bus and walked back to his dormitory in less than fifteen minutes.


    When he opened the door, Su Li was looking for scissors.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back.¡± Su Li was rummaging through things and said, ¡°Where did the scissors go? Liao Yan sent us the costumes for this weekend.¡±


    Lin Yuxing also searched but couldn¡¯t find them, so he used his key to peel off the tape on the box.


    Su Li looked inside with anticipation but was stunned.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Su Li picked up a pair of cat ears and a heart-shaped apron, feeling overwhelmed. Then he pulled out a short skirt and a black tail that could be tied around the waist .


    Su Li fell into silence for a while and then exploded with anger, ¡°I knew it! With such a high hourly wage! It turns out they want us to wear skirts!¡±


    As two male Omegas, they were sent cat maid outfits? If seen by people they knew, they would surely burst into laughter, right?


    Su Li felt like giving up, and he didn¡¯t want to go anymore.


    He slumped his head dishearteningly and said, ¡°I knew Liao Yan¡¯s intentions weren¡¯t so simple. Does he want to also take embarrassing photos?¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing felt puzzled. He clearly saw that the cat maid outfits were for girls. He took a photo of the clothes in the box and sent it to Liao Yan.


    For the sake of better communication, Lin Yuxing then called him.


    Su Li raised his hand and said, ¡°put it on speaker, and let me hear what nonsense Liao Yan has to say.¡±


    Meanwhile, Lin Yuheng on the other side also felt frustrated.


    ¡°Enough about that,¡± he said. ¡°This time, three girls couldn¡¯t make it due to unavoidable issues, so they replaced them with three boys. The organizers didn¡¯t have enough men¡¯s outfits, and after looking at everyone¡¯s pictures, they decided that the three of us would look more suitable in women¡¯s clothing.¡±


    Lin Yuxing commented, ¡°What a random decision.¡±


    ¡°Have you tried it on?¡± Su Li asked.


    ¡°This outfit was prepared for a female Alpha with a tall stature, and the size fits me just right. You should try it too; if the size doesn¡¯t fit, find someone to alter it quickly. My dad was worried that the clothes wouldn¡¯t fit us, so he gave them to us in advance.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was in a tough spot he had brought upon himself, and he hesitantly said, ¡°What if I ask my dad if we can just wear cat ears instead? If that doesn¡¯t work, we can skip this event altogether.¡±


    Sitting cross-legged on a chair, Su Li couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°Liao Yan! Doesn¡¯t your dad think you¡¯d look like a macho Barbie in a skirt?¡±


    ¡°My dad is naturally uncomfortable with it¡­ but I signed up for this myself. I don¡¯t want to bother him, so I¡¯ll just wear it,¡± Liao Yan replied, showing a strong sense of helplessness.


    Lin Yuheng was deeply frustrated. You see, the original owner of the body Liao Yan had suffered severe bullying in school, and Liao Yan¡¯s parents certainly wouldn¡¯t want their son to wear such clothings to avoid a recurrence of such incidents.


    However, Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t want to cause too much trouble for his parents, so he reluctantly agreed, ¡°Since I took this job on my own, no matter what happens, I have to complete it seriously. Besides, if a big guy like me looks good in a skirt, it¡¯s all thanks to my own physique and abilities, and, well¡­ my parents!¡±


    Those words moved Liao Yan¡¯s parents deeply, and Liao¡¯s mother even wiped away tears in secret.


    Lin Yuheng also didn¡¯t genuinely want to give up on Lin Yuxing. He quickly started to persuade Lin Yuxing, ¡± Yuxing,  I¡¯m sure both you and Su Li will look great in these outfits; there¡¯s no doubt about it!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just think about it. Why did the organizers give the three of us these costumes? It¡¯s because among everyone, we have the best appearance value, right?¡±


    Su Li wasn¡¯t a narcissist; he didn¡¯t even know what he looked like.


    Su Li replied, ¡°I¡¯m not good-looking at all.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?!¡± Lin Yuheng heard this and became anxious. He didn¡¯t want his brother to misunderstand, so he continued, ¡°Yuxing, if you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll take a picture of you and send it to Senior Gu. I guarantee he¡¯ll be mesmerized!¡±


    Su Li scoffed.


    Lin Yuheng clucked his tongue. If he couldn¡¯t win against Lin Yuxing, how could he win against Su Li? He argued, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with liking cat girl outfits? It¡¯s just blatant prejudice!¡±


    Su Li got fired up in his argument with Lin Yuheng.


    As they bantered back and forth, Su Li suddenly felt playful. He picked up an apron, put it on, and held a short skirt while happily spinning in front of the mirror.


    Lin Yuxing: ?


    Having turned his back, Su Li had already put on the apron and was struggling with the short skirt.


    Lin Yuxing said to his phone, ¡°Liao Yan, can you ask if I can alter this costume?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I want to turn the skirt into pants,¡± Lin Yuxing said. ¡°I can also help you alter yours so that we¡¯ll all be more comfortable. Otherwise, all three of us are boys who¡¯ve never worn skirts before, and it might feel a bit strange during work.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you can do tailoring?¡± Lin Yuheng asked, surprised. He still had many things to learn about Lin Yuxing; they had missed each other¡¯s growth.


    Before Lin Yuxing could answer, Su Li intervened and said, ¡°Yuxing knows a lot of things! Remember the guy in the neighboring dorm last semester? He tore a big hole in his pants, and Yuxing sewed it up in no time, and it looked just like new.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly added, ¡°It¡¯s not that . I just got used to it since I was young. Every time my cousin ripped his clothes, I¡¯d be the one to mend them.¡±


    Lin Yuxing called out, ¡°Liao Yan?¡±


    After a moment of silence, Lin Yuheng¡¯s voice sounded somewhat suppressed. He paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Let me ask my dad. Oh, right, there are some product manuals in the box for that day. Make sure you all study them.¡±


    He hung up the phone.


    On the balcony of the Liao family¡¯s house, Lin Yuheng wiped his face.


    His fingers unconsciously reached for the cigarette case in his pocket several times, but then he clenched his fist, giving up on the action. He licked his dry lips and restlessly walked into his room.


    The distinctly articulated fingers took out a plum candy in the shape of a lollipop from the drawer and stuffed it into the mouth. The teeth collided with the candy, producing a slight sound.


    He sat in front of the desk and took a long time to calm down.


    Lin Yuheng called Gu Zhongyi, but it took a while for Gu Zhongyi to answer.


    Before Lin Yuheng could speak, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°There hasn¡¯t been much progress on the M City matter. Let¡¯s discuss it when I come back. I¡¯m busy with something right now, so make it short.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t shorten his words: ¡°Let¡¯s talk later.¡±


    He hung up the phone.


    Less than half an hour later, Gu Zhongyi called back.


    Gu Zhongyi held some photocopies of documents, and it seemed like he had just walked through a gust of wind, with leaves rustling around him.


    He said, ¡°The property in M City is indeed not in Li Qing¡¯s name. It¡¯s under her father-in-law¡¯s name, who is eighty years old and living in his hometown.¡±


    Li Qing was the wife of the hit-and-run driver, Wang Fan, from two years ago.


    ¡°You guessed it right; this is probably a deliberate murder. However, we currently lack concrete clues and evidence. I¡¯ve sent people to investigate who purchased the property under her father-in-law¡¯s name, but it will take some time.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took a few steps, probably feeling that it wasn¡¯t suitable to discuss those matters in the current environment, so he asked, ¡°You called me earlier; what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s expression always became anxious and uneasy when communicating with Gu Zhongyi. He absentmindedly put a hand in his pocket and said, ¡°I asked someone to contact a doctor¡­¡±


    ¡°What doctor?¡±


    ¡°A doctor specialized in scar recovery. She said Star¡¯s condition involves glands, so the cost is quite high. After treatment, the scars won¡¯t completely disappear, but it¡¯s better than doing nothing.¡±


    He swallowed hard, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared around 150,000.¡±


    Lin Yuheng held the finished lollipop stick in his hand and said, ¡°Gu Zhongyi, can you do me a favor and tell Star that this treatment is free.¡±


    ¡°Lin Yuheng?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a relative of yours in the research institute? Let¡¯s just tell a lie to Star together.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi worried that he might be led astray and inadvertently thought of the situation when he was wrestling with Xu Xiangchi: ¡°Where did you get the money?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, this isn¡¯t Liao Yan¡¯s money.¡±


    He wouldn¡¯t touch anything from the Liao family.


    ¡°I got this money from Xu Xiangchi; it¡¯s what he owes me. He should¡¯ve given it to me; he still owes me! Don¡¯t worry; I have something to threaten him with, so he won¡¯t go to the police, and we¡¯ve also signed a contract.¡±


    After hearing this, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and said, ¡°I can¡¯t agree to that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If Yuxing finds out the truth, he won¡¯t be happy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you ever wondered why I never considered doing this for Yuxing before? Forget 150,000, even 1.5 million wouldn¡¯t be a problem for me. But why didn¡¯t I immediately do it?¡±

 CH 68

    On Saturday, Lin Yuxing and Su Li got up early and took the newly altered cat outfits to the exhibition hall in the city center.


    Lin Yuheng had hitched a ride with his father that morning and arrived an hour earlier than them. He had already changed into the outfit, but he didn¡¯t look as flamboyant as Lin Yuxing had imagined.


    It¡¯s just that ¡°Lin Yuheng¡± was quite tall for this body, and the skirt seemed a bit short, and there was a bit too much leg hair.


    Lin Yuheng had thought to himself that he should shave the alpha¡¯s leg hair some other day; it was terrifyingly thick.


    Su Li was dumbfounded; it was the first time he saw someone with so much leg hair wearing a short skirt.


    ¡°What are you looking at? My leg hair is sexy¡± Lin Yuheng pointed to the dressing room around the corner. ¡°Quickly go change your clothes. Today, we have different roles. I¡¯m the team leader, and you all have to listen to me.¡±


    Su Li sneered and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me, please.¡±


    Lin Yuheng playfully raised his hand and messed up Su Li¡¯s hair, leaving it in a disarray.


    Looking at Lin Yuxing, he had already quickly stepped back two steps.


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s raised hand returned empty as he quickly composed himself and smiled, ¡°Go change your clothes.¡±


    Prompted by Lin Yuheng, both of them hurriedly entered the dressing room.


    Su Li changed clothes very quickly, dressing up in no time. He faced the mirror and began to tidy the bow on his chest. Lin Yuxing¡¯s movements were also swift, and he soon came out from behind the curtain in a dressing booth.


    Because Lin Yuxing¡¯s hair was a bit long, he tied it into a small braid. He also used a bandage to cover the scar at the back of his neck, just in case.


    Su Li¡¯s eyes lit up, and he gave Lin Yuxing a big thumbs-up.


    Su Li lifted two pairs of cat ears, one pair with white ears and a light-colored lace butterfly bow, and the other pair with black ears and silver bells.


    ¡°Do you want the white or the black one?¡± Su Li asked.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t mind, ¡°Either is fine.¡±


    Su Li gave the black ones to him, ¡°These match you better.¡±


    Lin Yuxing put them on his head, and the bells made a sound.


    It had to be said that that cat outfit seemed tailor-made for Lin Yuxing; it didn¡¯t look forced at all.


    Before leaving, Su Li hurriedly handed his phone to Lin Yuxing, ¡°Take a picture of me, and I¡¯ll take one of you too.¡±


    Following Su Li¡¯s instructions, Lin Yuxing squatted down, adjusted the angle, and took several photos of Su Li, ¡°Done.¡± He said, ¡°I won¡¯t need any pictures.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to send them to Gu Zhongyi to see?¡± Su Li said, imagining the scene.


    Lin Yuxing felt a little awkward about himself dressed like that, ¡°What if he laughs at me?¡±


    ¡°How could that be? I believe that he will definitely drool over the pictures, he won¡¯t laugh at you!¡± Su Li said confidently.


    Su Li made Lin Yuxing stand in position, ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you, you look really good in this!¡± He mumbled.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t argue, so he stood reservedly while Su Li took some photos.


    Despite Su Li¡¯s efforts, it was hard to take good pictures with Lin Yuxing¡¯s lack of cooperation. Su Li gave up and checked the album, managing to keep two pictures that were still somewhat presentable.


    After finishing these tasks, Su Li finally had time to send a photo of himself to Liang Xie, one he was more satisfied with.


    Su Li: [Today¡¯s treat, meow~]


    Liang Xie: [¡­]


    Su Li: [Meow meow meow meow? (do i look good?)]


    Liang Xie: [you do.]


    Su Li went straight to the point: [If it looks good, how about going on a date with me?]


    He quickly sent his location.


    Liang Xie didn¡¯t reply.


    Su Li felt a little disappointed, but he could adapt: [Just kidding, I know you¡¯re busy with work. I understand!]


    The exhibition started at 9 am and would end at 4 pm. They would have a lunch break of 30 minutes.


    The cat booth where Lin Yuxing was had a large flow of people.


    The three of them served tea and water, and at other times, they introduced various cat drinking and eating machines and different types of cat toys to customers.


    On the sales counter, there were various products with cartoon kittens.


    Due to the large number of customers, the inventory in the small warehouse behind them was sold out quickly. Lin Yuxing along with Lin Yuheng, went to the more distant storage area to restock.


    He walked ahead, and Lin Yuheng followed behind.


    Lin Yuheng took a sneak picture of Lin Yuxing¡¯s back and sent it to Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuheng: [Cute, right?]


    Lin Yuheng then sent a location: [Ah, I forgot you are in M City. It¡¯ll be dark by the time you arrive.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [¡­]


    Lin Yuxing in front wiped the sweat from his forehead. When he turned around, he said, ¡°Liao Yan, don¡¯t just play with your phone. We need to hurry!¡±


    Lin Yuheng had no choice but to obediently follow, ¡°okay let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    When they reached the storage area, Lin Yuheng checked the goods while Lin Yuxing helped him carry the boxes.


    He took a few boxes and placed them on the cart. The boxes were not light, but Lin Yuxing effortlessly lifted them.


    Lin Yuheng, who was observing, had a sudden realization. The little star who used to cling to him and couldn¡¯t do anything right had disappeared long ago.


    ¡°Liao Yan, why are you daydreaming?¡± The cute Lin Yuxing deftly moved two boxes, once again placing them on the cart. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Lin Yuheng hurriedly said, ¡°Let me do the lifting, and you can count the goods.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    employees from various booths also came to collect goods several times, causing some chaos. Lin Yuxing signed the list at the warehouse administrator¡¯s office and ran back. In the process, he accidentally tripped over some tape on the floor and nearly fell.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuheng was quick to react and caught him before he fell.


    As if by instinct, Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand protected Lin Yuxing¡¯s head, rubbing it gently, his heartbeat quickening, clearly startled by the near accident.


    Lin Yuheng instinctively frowned, and blurted out, ¡°Silly Star, be more careful!¡±


    After saying this, both of them froze.


    Lin Yuxing was stunned; in his mind, he seemed to remember a summer day, when the red bean porridge got stuck in his throat, silently choking him.


    Back then, in that exact situation, his brother would always shout, ¡°Silly Star, why are you always so careless!¡±


    And then he would subconsciously protect his head with his hand and then rub it gently.


    Before Lin Yuxing could react, Lin Yuheng quickly released his hand and took a step back.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t say much and didn¡¯t explain the familiar term of endearment. He simply crouched down and checked the box he had dropped.


    When Lin Yuxing saw the word ¡°pillow¡± written on the box, Lin Yuheng breathed a sigh of relief.


    He resumed his usual carefree demeanor and raised an eyebrow teasingly, ¡°If there were something fragile inside, we would have worked for nothing today.¡± He picked up the box and placed it on the cart, securing it with a rope. He said, ¡°Is it good now?¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go; if we don¡¯t return to Su Li soon, he¡¯ll probably explode.¡±


    Under the scorching sun, they hurried toward the exhibition hall.


    Lin Yuxing braved the heat, occasionally glancing at the people ahead. He had something on his mind, a question he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask.


    Until the other person asked, ¡°Do you think that I am good-looking?¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately felt awkward and muttered, ¡°No.¡±


    Lin Yuheng smiled and revealed a set of white teeth.


    Distracted by the smile, Lin Yuxing accidentally stepped on some trash, stumbling, ¡°¡­¡± He then bent down to pick up the empty can from the ground and threw it into the recycling bin nearby. Turning to face ¡°Liao Yan,¡± he saw him standing there, waiting for him.


    Under the sun, ¡°Liao Yan¡¯s¡± face bore no resemblance to Lin Yuheng¡¯s.


    A gentle breeze brushed through Lin Yuxing¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Liao Yan.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Why did you call me ¡®Silly Star¡¯ just now?¡±


    Lin Yuheng nonchalantly crossed his arms, trying to appear indifferent, ¡°I called you that randomly, what¡¯s the big deal?¡±


    Lin Yuxing habitually wiped his hands with the apron, then realized it wasn¡¯t the one from home. He smoothed the apron while walking and grasped the handle of the cart again.


    ¡°Do you know Lin Yuheng?¡±


    The name, spoken by Lin Yuxing, sounded incredulous.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t hesitate and replied nonchalantly, ¡°I don¡¯t know him. His name is similar to yours, but who is he to you? Why are you asking about him?¡±


    After receiving the answer, Lin Yuxing¡¯s expression was hard to read.


    Lin Yuheng was also apprehensive, unsure of how Lin Yuxing would react. Fortunately, Lin Yuxing shook his head gently and said, ¡°Nothing, just curious.¡±


    Lin Yuxing continued walking in the direction of the exhibition hall.


    After a few steps, he said, ¡°Lin Yuheng is my twin brother. Maybe he looks like me, maybe not.¡± He finished speaking and smiled to himself.


    He thought he was foolish. If Liao Yan really knew Lin Yuheng, how could he fail to recognize him? Regardless of the changes between them, they were identical twins, and they would always look similar.


    It was just the words ¡°Silly Star¡± and a familiar gesture that led him to such an unrealistic illusion.


    A foolish idea that his brother had come to find him.


    He self-mockingly curled the corner of his mouth. It had been so long, his brother probably didn¡¯t even remember him anymore.


    They walked, with Lin Yuxing in front and Lin Yuheng behind.


    Lin Yuheng asked him, ¡°You and your brother¡­¡± He paused for a moment, suddenly unsure how to ask.


    Lin Yuxing stopped, not wanting to complicate things too much, and said frankly, ¡°I haven¡¯t been in touch with him for a long time, and I don¡¯t know where he is. When you called me ¡®Silly Star,¡¯ it¡¯s a term of endearment only he uses, so I misunderstood.¡±


    He said, ¡°Sorry, Liao Yan.¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s palm became sweaty; he felt like a fishbone stuck in his throat.


    The scorching sun above made him increasingly restless.


    ¡°You said before that you don¡¯t like others calling you ¡®Star.¡¯ Is it because of him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s heart was stabbed again, splitting open in the middle.


    But soon, his heart began to heal.


    Because Lin Yuxing followed up, saying, ¡°But instead of beating him up, I just want to know if he¡¯s doing well.¡±


    If possible, Lin Yuxing hoped to see his brother again. He had a question he had always wanted to ask him, even though he wasn¡¯t sure if it still held any meaning.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s question was simple: He wanted to know why his brother didn¡¯t come back for him.


    Regardless of whether the answer would disappoint him or not, he just wanted to know. It would save him from waiting foolishly in his dreams, reliving the childhood promises and never being able to move on.


    Similarly, even though Lin Yuxing resented his untrustworthy brother, he also wished for him to be doing well. That way, he could justify his brother¡¯s decision to leave him behind.


    Therefore, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°I really hope he¡¯s doing well.¡±


    Lin Yuheng opened his mouth, and the tips of his upper and lower teeth touched lightly.


    At that moment, the sun was too intense.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t see the expression on Lin Yuheng¡¯s face, nor could he see the trace of bewilderment in Lin Yuheng¡¯s desolate eyes.

 CH 69

    Returning to the exhibition hall, the comfortable air conditioning brought relief to Lin Yuxing, and he relaxed his furrowed brows.


    The hall was much emptier now, and Lin Yuxing checked the time, realizing it was already twelve o¡¯clock. Many booths had put up signs saying ¡°On Break.¡±


    The logistics staff began distributing boxed lunches to the exhibitors according to the number of people, with three different options randomly allocated.


    The aroma of the food wafted to Lin Yuxing, making him ravenously hungry. After a busy morning, he couldn¡¯t wait to eat.


    A few people sat around a small table in a corner of the storage room, and that day¡¯s lunch was rice with various toppings, accompanied by a cup of egg drop soup with seaweed.


    Su Li was exhausted, and he gave Lin Yuxing and Lin Yuheng a disdainful look, his throat hoarse, ¡°Did you two deliver goods while sitting on a tortoise¡¯s shell?¡±


    Lin Yuheng replied, ¡°It¡¯s illegal to mistreat animals.¡±


    Su Li retorted, ¡°I¡¯ll mistreat you.¡±


    Lin Yuheng knew he was in the wrong and stopped arguing with Su Li, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. How about I treat you to ice cream later?¡±


    Su Li didn¡¯t plan to hold a grudge after hearing the word ice cream so he grunted, ¡°you better.¡± He then picked up his boxed lunch and opened it, exclaiming with delight, ¡°Wow, Liao Yan, your father¡¯s company provides really good meals for their workers!¡±


    Each of the three boxed lunches was different. Su Li had braised chicken legs over rice, Lin Yuheng had stir-fried bean sprouts with shrimp over rice, and Lin Yuxing opened his to find sweet and sour pork over rice.


    Lin Yuxing looked helplessly at Su Li.


    Su Li didn¡¯t like pineapple either, but he remembered Lin Yuxing¡¯s allergic reaction, so he reluctantly exchanged his braised chicken legs with Lin Yuxing¡¯s dish, saying, ¡°Remember my kindness forever.¡±


    Before Lin Yuxing could say anything, Lin Yuheng took the boxed lunch and switched it with his, ¡°I don¡¯t like bean sprouts; let¡¯s exchange.¡±


    Without waiting for Lin Yuxing¡¯s response, Lin Yuheng went to the nearby staff to get mineral water. In the meantime, Lin Yuxing stared at the bean sprouts in the boxed lunch and hesitated. He suddenly mumbled to himself, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like bean sprouts either¡­¡±


    Sitting across from him, Su Li chewed on his food and asked vaguely, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t like them? You? Don¡¯t you eat everything except pineapple?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s mind seemed preoccupied with something, and he absentmindedly ate a bite of bean sprouts, saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Soon, Lin Yuheng returned with three bottles of water.


    Su Li was thoroughly enjoying his meal, saying, ¡°I could eat three boxes of this.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s focus was off, and he only realized Su Li had called him after he was called twice. He looked up and responded, ¡°I can eat five in one go.¡±


    Su Li laughed but didn¡¯t dare to compete, as he had witnessed Lin Yuxing¡¯s appetite before.


    Of course, even if Lin Yuxing had something on his mind, it didn¡¯t affect his appetite. After all, he hadn¡¯t eaten enough all morning.


    In the end, Lin Yuheng helped out, using his father¡¯s work card to get another portion of braised chicken leg rice from the staff. Lin Yuxing gratefully accepted it and finished it in just a few bites. Considering his appetite, eating two boxed lunches wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    With about ten minutes left until work resumed, Lin Yuheng went to the corner of the exhibition hall, where the refrigerated display case was located, and generously bought three of the most expensive ice creams.


    The vendor told him that it was a popular internet celebrity ice cream. ¡°Here, try it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing took a bite and found it wasn¡¯t much different from the milk-flavored ice cream he had at school. Noticing the time, he quickly finished the ice cream. He then went to the restroom alone to rinse his mouth and wash his face.


    Instantly, he felt refreshed and much less tired.


    He took a deep breath, walked out of the restroom, and headed to the Exhibition Hall.


    However, before he could take more than a few steps, he sensed a familiar pheromone nearby. Lin Yuxing turned back abruptly, scanning the sparse crowd to find the source.


    His heart raced as he tightly clenched his hand.


    As he turned around again, Gu Zhongyi stood in front of him.


    ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    His voice, as usual, reached Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears and stirred up his longing over the past half month.


    Lin Yuxing was pleasantly surprised but also somewhat bewildered. He even forgot that there were people around and that he was wearing a cat outfit.


    He hesitantly held Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, pinched it to confirm he wasn¡¯t hallucinating from eating too much.


    After all, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s appearance was quite unexpected. Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t anticipated his sudden arrival.


    In the faint scent of bitter oranges that only he could sense, Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes reddened slightly, and he murmured, ¡°How did you¡­how did you come here?¡±


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t say much. His eyes were fixed on Lin Yuxing¡¯s outfit, and it made Lin Yuxing belatedly smooth his pants.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s focus was off, and he explained in a low voice, ¡°These are pants, not a skirt.¡± He sniffed, trying to justify himself, ¡°It¡¯s a work requirement. I didn¡¯t have a choice but to wear it.¡±


    He lowered his head slightly, and the cat bell on his head made a faint sound.


    There was a faint glimmer in Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes, resembling the mottled reflection in a lake. He held Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand back and led him to a wall at the corner of the stairs.


    Their eyes met, and Lin Yuxing asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were taking an evening flight back?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°I changed it.¡±


    He really wanted to see Lin Yuxing and finished his work early, so he switched to a morning flight. When Lin Yuheng sent him the location at noon, he had just landed not long ago.


    Lin Yuxing mistakenly thought he had mentioned the location to Gu Zhongyi, so he didn¡¯t think too much about it.


    Concerned, Lin Yuxing gently touched the corner of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eye and noticed a slight redness in his eyes, ¡°Have you been busy and not sleeping well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, just having trouble sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Why did you come here then? Why don¡¯t you go home and rest .¡±


    ¡°I missed you.¡±


    With those words from Gu Zhongyi, a kiss followed, shining like the sun on Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart, dispelling the bitterness of longing in an instant.


    Their kiss was lingering and sweet, like early summer fruits¡ªtangy yet so delightful.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but tilt his chin up, intensifying the contact of their lips and teeth. The pheromones became uncontrollable and filled the secluded corner of the hallway.


    Breathing heavily, while his mind was still clear, Lin Yuxing managed to push Gu Zhongyi away a bit, saying, ¡°Wait¡­ wait a minute! There might be surveillance here.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°This is a blind spot.¡±


    Saying that, he embraced Lin Yuxing again, but once more, Lin Yuxing pushed him away slightly while panting. ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I checked.¡±


    Upon hearing that answer, Lin Yuxing¡¯s brain stalled for a few seconds. He couldn¡¯t believe that the first thing Gu Zhongyi did when he came to the exhibition hall wasn¡¯t to find him but to find a surveillance blind spot?


    Just to kiss him?


    Lin Yuxing had no words to say but couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing.


    On the other hand, Gu Zhongyi, after easing his longing, paid excessive attention to the cat ears on Lin Yuxing¡¯s head, the cat tail tied around his waist, and this outfit that sparked his imagination.


    ¡°You look so cute in this.?¡±


    ¡°Where¡­ where is it cute?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s adorable.¡±


    In the quiet hallway, Gu Zhongyi rubbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s cat ears, and his finger deliberately touched the bell, making it tingle with a clear sound, scaring Lin Yuxing, who quickly grabbed his hand.


    Perhaps afraid of being noticed, Lin Yuxing nervously put Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand to his lips. ¡°Stop playing around.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes carried a smile, gazing affectionately at him.


    Being stared at like that made Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart flutter, and he lightly pecked Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fingertip, holding back his rationality, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be playful. I have to go back to work.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice was husky, reflecting fatigue and reluctance. Since they started dating, they had never been apart for such a long time.


    Gu Zhongyi sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I just missed you too much.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to see Gu Zhongyi sad, so he carefully looked around again, then reached out to hold Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck. Standing on tiptoe, he affectionately whispered into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear.


    Just like how Gu Zhongyi used to tell him to ¡°listen,¡± Lin Yuxing said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Be good.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi contemplated for a moment and asked, ¡°How should I be good?¡±


    Playing coy, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand; you have to teach me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt his feet sinking into soft soil as he was grabbed by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gentle tone. It was even more persuasive than if he were listening to the soothing sound of a leaping passion.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask if I can buy this outfit and bring it home.¡± With a blush on his cheeks and shyness in his eyes, Lin Yuxing lowered his head then slowly raised it again. ¡°I¡¯ll reward you tonight.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was somewhat dazed. Hearing such words from Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth was even more difficult than ascending to the heavens.


    Seeing him in a daze, Lin Yuxing flicked Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear, ¡°If it¡¯s expensive, I¡¯ll just buy a new set online.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s expensive, I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt speechless. After a while, he said, ¡°I sweated a lot today, so even if I buy this outfit, I¡¯ll have to wash it before wearing it. But I¡¯ll keep my promise and reward you.¡±


    There was a ¡°´¨¡± between Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyebrows.


    ¡°Senior Gu, do you want to be a good boy?¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice was as soft and gentle as a piece of cotton, ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you from being here, but it¡¯s crowded in the exhibition hall, and you look tired. You won¡¯t feel comfortable here. Can you listen to me this time? Go home and rest.¡±


    He added, ¡°I¡¯ll worry about you; and I won¡¯t be able to focus on my work.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And then I won¡¯t get paid,¡± Lin Yuxing said seriously, ¡± which means I won¡¯t have money to buy the cat outfit.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s head lowered, and he truly listened.


    Around 2 PM, the sun was blazing outside.


    To prevent Lin Yuxing from getting heatstroke, Lin Yuheng volunteered to handle the cargo alone. He took a few steps outside but came back to drag Su Li away.


    Su Li complained, ¡°Why am I the one suffering!¡±


    Lin Yuxing and a few other staff members remained in the exhibition hall and didn¡¯t slack off.


    At that time, a family of three entered the hall.


    The parents looked mature, but their child seemed to be only eight or nine years old. Under the guidance of a staff member, they looked at a product for a while.


    The little boy turned his head and shouted, ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t want this; I want that cat-themed water cup.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but glance over. He rarely heard someone address their mother so formally as ¡°mother.¡± It seemed like strict upbringing was the reason.


    After the boy finished speaking, the woman referred to as ¡°mother¡± on her face changed from indifference to extreme gentleness, smiling affectionately as she rubbed the boy¡¯s head.


    ¡°Okay, if Xiao Xing likes it, we¡¯ll buy them all.¡±


    She took out a card and handed it to the staff member.


    The child turned his head and saw a machine next to him that automatically feeds water to cats. He pulled the woman¡¯s hand and went to see it. The man patiently waited, occasionally looking worriedly at his wife and child.


    The staff member skillfully swiped the card and explained the features of the product to the woman. Then, he turned to Lin Yuxing and called out, ¡°Help us pack the cat cup No. 2!¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Lin Yuxing put down what he was doing and walked a few steps into a small warehouse. He took a brand new cat cup box from the shelf, sealed it, put it into a paper bag with the company logo, and then added a business card with the company¡¯s online store QR code.


    The whole process was very proficient.


    Lin Yuxing respectfully walked up to the man, smiling, and handed him the bag. ¡°Sir, here you go.¡±


    However, the man looked at his face as if he had seen a ghost.


    Lin Yuxing looked at him in confusion. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The man finally woke up, and panic filled his face. But quickly, he swiftly adjusted his emotions in front of Lin Yuxing¡¯s puzzled eyes.


    He reached out and took the paper bag, his backhand and palm both had a large scar, very conspicuous.


    The man turned around in a hurry and left the exhibition hall without looking back, taking his wife and child away.

 CH 70

    When Lin Yuxing chased after him, the man was also walking back.


    This time, the man was not with his wife and child. They looked at each other, and the man¡¯s face showed surprise. He didn¡¯t expect Lin Yuxing to come out to find him.


    In the crowd, Lin Yuxing gasped for breath, and his chest rose and fell. He must have been looking for him for a while.


    ¡°Uncle Qu.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth called out the name subtly.


    After many years, Qu Ling had aged a lot and looked more worn out than before, no longer as spirited as he used to be. He walked calmly towards Lin Yuxing, looking at his improper outfit, Qu Ling remained silent.


    The two walked to a corner, where there were fewer people.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, little star.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t respond, and it took a long time before he said, ¡°Is it really you¡­¡± He looked at the scar on Qu Ling¡¯s hand, and he couldn¡¯t forget that summer when Qu Ling handed him a piece of dried plum candy.


    It was because of that candy and because of Qu Ling that the summer became particularly unbearable.


    Qu Ling followed Lin Yuxing¡¯s gaze and glanced at his hand. He suddenly understood, ¡°I was wondering how you suddenly recognized me.¡± These two scars are unique in shape and hard to forget.


    And he was also the one who separated the two brothers, so Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t forget.


    The exhibition hall was noisy.


    Qu Ling didn¡¯t have much time to catch up with Lin Yuxing. Moreover, he felt that Lin Yuxing seemed a bit depressed and probably hadn¡¯t figured out what to say and ask.


    So, he gave Lin Yuxing a business card.


    ¡°My wife and child are still waiting for me, and I can¡¯t stay here for long. If you have time, let¡¯s meet privately. I have something for you. It¡¯s something from¡­ your brother.¡±


    Obviously, Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder shook.


    At the moment when Qu Ling was about to leave, Lin Yuxing stopped him by grabbing his wrist, holding on tightly, and gritted his teeth, ¡°Explain everything clearly!¡±


    The standoff between the two attracted strange looks from the people around them.


    Qu Ling looked at the time and adjusted his gaze calmly.


    Perhaps because of shame or maybe feeling guilty, he made a concession.


    He gestured for Lin Yuxing to let go, ¡°Wait a moment.¡±


    Qu Ling made a call to his assistant, asking the assistant to send his wife and child back to the hotel.


    Then, he calmly asked Lin Yuxing, ¡°How much longer do you have to work? I can wait for you. Let¡¯s find a quiet place; this place isn¡¯t very suitable.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t in the mood to continue working, and he didn¡¯t hesitate, saying, ¡°I can finish right now.¡±


    But Qu Ling seemed to be somewhat repulsed by his attire.


    Lin Yuxing immediately said, ¡°Wait a few minutes for me to change.¡±


    ¡ª


    Soon,  Qu Ling¡¯s assistant called a car for them. The destination was a caf¨¦ near a hotel.


    Qu Ling specifically asked for a secluded private room, looked at the menu, and asked, ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m not thirsty.¡±


    Qu Ling directly ordered a drink that Lin Yuheng liked to drink, thinking that the preferences of the twins probably weren¡¯t much different.


    But Qu Ling overlooked one thing: Lin Yuxing¡¯s family background and upbringing never allowed him the luxury of savoring a cup of coffee in the afternoon.


    Lin Yuxing had never experienced the kind of coffee that cost hundreds of yuan for a small cup. He looked at the drink in front of him and did not touch it or have any desire to drink it.


    He was waiting for Qu Ling to give him an answer.


    However, Qu Ling remained silent, only saying, ¡°This time, I specially brought my wife back to the country for a break and wanted to meet some long-lost relatives.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Qu, I¡¯m not interested in these things,¡± Lin Yuxing straightforwardly replied, discarding his previous timidity.


    Qu Ling tried to ease the awkward atmosphere by smiling and saying, ¡°You have changed a lot, but you and Yuheng look exactly the same.¡±


    Lin Yuxing did not comment and lowered his gaze.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone vibrated with a message from ¡°Liao Yan¡± and an unanswered call. He replied to the message.


    Qu Ling took a sip of coffee and asked, ¡°A friend?¡±


    Lin Yuxing answered briefly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Qu Ling, who didn¡¯t understand, said, ¡°I never thought that you would be more cheerful than Yuheng now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Only now did Qu Ling realize that Lin Yuheng had not made any friends during his years abroad.


    Qu Ling clasped his hands on the table and said, ¡°Yuheng didn¡¯t like talking much and had no friends during the years he stayed with me.¡±


    But the reality was different.


    Every day after class, Lin Yuheng had to return to the villa and play the role of ¡°Qu Xing.¡± It became his basic task to live in the Qu family. If he couldn¡¯t do it properly, he would be ruthlessly kicked out.


    He never had the time to make friends.


    But in Qu Ling¡¯s eyes, children from orphanages were simply struggling to survive, no matter where they went.


    He believed that he provided Lin Yuheng with an unparalleled environment for growth, nurturing him into a capable person.


    From a certain perspective, he felt he didn¡¯t owe Lin Yuheng anything.


    So when Lin Yuheng first argued with him, Qu Ling angrily slapped him. He believed that the best way to deal with someone who didn¡¯t know how to be grateful was to kick them out mercilessly.


    After the car accident in D city, Qu Ling received a call from China. At first, he thought it was a scam call, but at the caller¡¯s insistence and explanation, he was convinced of the truth.


    His adopted son was dead.


    Died in a ridiculous car accident, with no body left.


    That day, as he rushed to a piano performance, he suddenly felt dizzy.


    Even though he was dissatisfied with Lin Yuheng in many ways, he felt sad at the unexpected separation from him.


    However, he still stubbornly believed that it was Lin Yuheng¡¯s own fault and disappointedly considered it as something he brought upon himself, paying no attention to Lin Yuheng¡¯s life or death and handling it casually.


    It wasn¡¯t his fault.


    Thinking back, he had become much older over the past two years, and as time passed, he began to recall some past events and count his regrets.


    He no longer hid anything from Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Two years ago, one day, Yuheng suddenly changed completely, becoming very irritable and making a mess at home. He said he had to go back to find you; otherwise, it would be too late.¡±


    Outside the window, a flash of lightning suddenly struck, followed by the sound of thunder.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but shiver, goosebumps rising on his skin. He looked outside to see the dark layers of clouds shrouding everything, making breathing difficult.


    Lin Yuxing particularly hated rainy days without Zhongyi by his side; he always seemed to encounter unpleasant things.


    Qu Ling¡¯s voice was heavy, accompanied by the howling wind.


    ¡°He seemed like he had gone crazy.¡±


    Recalling the quarrel, Qu Ling still felt a headache. ¡°At that time, he was only 17 years old, and I had a responsibility and obligation towards him. But he acted like he had eaten gunpowder, constantly arguing with me, and even provoked my wife.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°That was my limit,¡± Qu Ling said helplessly, ¡°It was the first time I hit him. My hands are meant for playing the piano, but he kept provoking me!¡±


    As Qu Ling recalled his violent actions, he added, ¡°He got hit, refused to accept it, and threatened to sever ties with me. So, I didn¡¯t have any option but to allow him to return to China.¡±


    At that time, Qu Ling reasonably suspected that Lin Yuheng was upset about the arrival of the new ¡°Qu Xing.¡± He thought that children from orphanages were like that, always threatening others when things didn¡¯t go their way.


    Now thinking about it, he wondered why he got angry with an underage child.


    If he had been stubborn and didn¡¯t agree to let Lin Yuheng return to China, perhaps Lin Yuheng would still be alive.


    Qu Ling closed his eyes, feeling heartache, and looked sadly at Lin Yuxing.


    In response, Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes were cold, with a gaze that seemed to strip him naked.


    Qu Ling swallowed a mouthful of saliva, avoiding eye contact, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t stop him from going back to China but I did prepare some money for him, intending to give it to him when he turned 18, so he could do what he wanted.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Despite Qu Ling¡¯s emotional speech, Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but feel insincere.


    Unfortunately, Lin Yuxing had no time to consider the authenticity of Qu Ling¡¯s words; all he could think about was the ¡°stranger¡± who had pushed him on the sidewalk two years ago.


    Could that person have been Lin Yuheng?


    No, that would be too unbelievable.


    If that person was Lin Yuheng, how did he know about the car accident? After saving him, where did Lin Yuheng go? Why didn¡¯t he immediately reveal his identity?


    There were too many logical loopholes, and Lin Yuxing found it absurd and far-fetched.


    Not long after, the assistant knocked on the door of the private room. ¡°Mr. Qu, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The assistant entered with a not-so-small black box and gently placed it on the table.


    Qu Ling said, ¡°These are all his belongings.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly opened the box to find Lin Yuheng¡¯s school supplies from his student days and a box with a password lock.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the password for that box or what¡¯s inside,¡± Qu Ling said, handing it all to Lin Yuxing. ¡°I¡¯m giving these to you as a way to return them to your brother.¡± He added, ¡°There¡¯s also a card inside with the password being your birthdays. That was the money I originally planned to give him, and now it¡¯s all¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Lin Yuxing suppressed his emotions and pretended to show no expression as he lifted his head. Amidst various speculations, his patience was reaching its limit.


    Frustrated, Lin Yuxing¡¯s every word was tinged with irritation, a side of him he had never shown before.


    ¡°Mr. Qu, I don¡¯t have time to waste on your indirectness. Where is Lin Yuheng, exactly? That¡¯s all I want to know.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand Qu Ling¡¯s intentions, nor did he want to. He simply didn¡¯t want to think about the worst possibility. But his hand, inadvertently, slipped to his thigh, and a chill ran through his palm.


    He was trembling; he had already guessed.


    He desperately hoped that Qu Ling could give him a completely different answer.


    Unfortunately, Qu Ling was cruel beyond measure.


    ¡°I brought these things back to the country this time not only to visit my family but also to burn them here, as a way of returning them to your brother. But today, after meeting you, I thought it might be better to give them to you.¡±


    Qu Ling sighed and said, ¡°You are his only relative; you should know about his death.¡±


    Another thunderclap, and heavy rain poured down in early June, ruthlessly striking the windows.


    Lin Yuxing felt as if all the strength had been drained from his body, and in an instant, he slumped into the chair.


    Qu Ling told Lin Yuxing, ¡°On August 2nd, 20xx, he was hit by a vehicle on a pedestrian bridge in D city and fell into the river. Due to the heavy rain, his body has not been found to this day.¡±

 CH 71

    As evening approached, there were no more visitors left in the exhibition hall.


    In order to earn a little more money, Su Li stayed back with Lin Yuheng, who had just changed into his original clothes, to help pack up the exhibits.


    ¡°With such heavy rain, taking a cab alone would be expensive. Why don¡¯t we leave together?¡± Su Li suggested, lacking confidence in his words. He wanted to earn some more money for his dating expenses.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this your father¡¯s company?¡± he continued.


    ¡°My dad is not the boss,¡± Lin Yuheng replied with an unhappy expression while dutifully sealing the boxes.


    He worked while worrying about Lin Yuxing; he didn¡¯t know where Lin Yuxing had gone in such a hurry.


    Lin Yuheng turned his head to look outside the exhibition hall. The heavy rain was still pouring down, seemingly intent on submerging C city in water. The sky that had lost its vibrant colors after the scorching noon was now gloomy, making people feel depressed.


    Lin Yuheng rubbed his chest uncomfortably, his face turning pale.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Li thought he was feeling ill and quickly squatted down to ask.


    Shaking his head, Lin Yuheng said, ¡°Since this afternoon, I¡¯ve felt a tightness in my chest.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of the cold? My mom also feels this way when it rains. Rest for a while.¡± Su Li took care of the remaining work,  and said, ¡°I wonder where Lin Yuxing ran off to; he didn¡¯t even want the money he earned and left. It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    Lin Yuheng had already transferred half of his wages to Lin Yuxing and said to Su Li, saying, ¡°I already sent him his earnings for half a day.¡±


    Surprised, Su Li asked, ¡°Don¡¯t they withhold the money for not working the whole day?¡±


    After asking, he thought about how Lin Yuxing¡¯s father worked for this company, and the backdoor approach seemed reasonable.


    With heartfelt admiration, Su Li said, ¡°You are really good to Lin Yuxing.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Immediately, Su Li imagined a one-sided love scenario.


    He speculated that Liao Yan¡¯s liking for girls wasn¡¯t genuine; maybe he just pretended to be straight because he saw that Lin Yuxing was already with Zhongi.


    ¡°Liao Yan, I think you¡¯re actually pretty great. Keep up the good work.¡± Su Li gave him a good-hearted compliment. ¡°We¡¯re friends now, so I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Let me say it directly; Gu Zhongyi has an irreplaceable place in Yuxing¡¯s heart.¡±


    Lin Yuheng looked at him like he was crazy. After thinking about it carefully, it seemed that this kid, Su Li, had misunderstood something.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuheng¡¯s mischievous side emerged. He deliberately said without much emotion, ¡°You¡¯re right. It seems I¡¯ve been aiming in the wrong direction.¡±


    Su Li was relieved and nodded, seeing that Liao Yan wouldn¡¯t interfere with his roommate¡¯s and Gu Zhongyi¡¯s relationship. ¡°Besides, our university has so many handsome guys and beautiful girls. Why bother having a one-sided crush on someone who doesn¡¯t belong to you?¡±


    Lin Yuheng raised both hands and feet in agreement, grinning mischievously, ¡°Then I¡¯ve decided to pursue you. How about that?¡±


    As soon as those words left his mouth, Su Li was startled and took several steps back in a panic, hastily refusing, ¡°No, no, no! Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    Lin Yuheng stood up, wearing an Alpha-to-the-extreme expression, and approached step by step.


    ¡°I have many good qualities you know, but I am impulsive and I have fallen for you, an Omega with a cute little canine tooth~¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m going to the dentist tomorrow!¡±


    Su Li grabbed the broom beside him and awkwardly held it in a sword like position to keep Lin Yuheng one meter away.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you! My boyfriend is 1cm taller than Gu Zhongyi, and I love him! So give up on me!¡±


    He swung the broom around, making cracking sounds, without a hint of breathlessness.


    Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and burst into laughter. The more he looked at Su Li, the more he felt like an exaggerated hamster. He couldn¡¯t help but clutch his stomach.


    Su Li realized that he was being teased and blushed immediately. ¡°Laugh all you want! You play too much!¡±


    Unbeknownst to Su Li, in a corner of the exhibition hall¡¯s second floor, there was a guy in a wheelchair wearing a hat and a mask. He watched him silently for a long time. When he saw Su Li getting close to someone else, his hands involuntarily squeezed the armrests of the wheelchair.


    The caretaker, Zhang Jie, looked at the time on her phone and respectfully inquired, ¡°Mr. Liang, you¡¯ve been sitting here for a while. The event is almost over. Do you still want to watch something else?¡±


    She really didn¡¯t understand why her usually homebound employer had suddenly decided to come to that pet products promotion event in such heavy rain. Besides, they didn¡¯t even have any pets at home.


    She gently reminded him, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and the driver has been waiting outside for a long time.¡±


    Liang Xie slowly withdrew his lingering gaze.


    Wearing a mask, he replied in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As he turned his wheelchair around, Su Li finally looked up and caught a glimpse of Liang Xie¡¯s back. But soon, Zhang Jie, who was pushing the wheelchair, blocked his view.


    Su Li curiously asked, ¡°Why is there still someone on the second floor at this hour?¡±


    ¡°You mean that person in a wheelchair? He has been looking over here for a long time,¡± Lin Yuheng replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see here?¡± Su Li wondered.


    With their relationship getting closer, Lin Yuheng became more unrestrained in teasing him. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s interested in you. Wait here; should I go get his WeChat for you?¡±


    Su Li sneered, deliberately speaking fiercely as he handed the broom to Lin Yuheng. ¡°stop joking around and come help me!¡±


    They quickly finished organizing the work, and the packed boxes were wheeled away.


    Su Li and Lin Yuheng walked outside the exhibition hall and found a place to take shelter from the rain. Su Li took out his phone and was about to call a cab when a car with hazard lights flashing pulled up beside them.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Gu Zhongyi¡­Gu Senior¡¯s car?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi stopped the car in front of them, and they didn¡¯t hesitate to get in.


    ¡°Gu Senior, Yuexing left around 2 o¡¯clock this afternoon, saying there was something urgent. We don¡¯t know the specifics, and what was so urgent¡± Su Li preemptively answered the question Gu Zhongyi was about to ask.


    Gu Zhongyi was worried. He woke up from a nap at home, saw the heavy rain outside, and hurriedly drove to pick up Lin Yuxing from work. Before leaving, he called and messaged Lin Yuxing but didn¡¯t receive a response.


    Unfortunately, he encountered a traffic jam on the way, delaying his arrival.


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand, which was buckling his seatbelt, paused. He quickly got out his phone and called Lin Yuxing, but he didn¡¯t get through.


    He nudged Su Li¡¯s arm with his elbow. ¡°Did you contact Yuxing this afternoon?¡±


    Su Li checked his phone and found that Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t replied to any of his messages.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t replied to any of my messages.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t say anything and drove quickly to the university.


    Generally, if something happened to Lin Yuxing, it would be within the university¡¯s area. But no matter what happened, Lin Yuxing would habitually inform Gu Zhongyi and wouldn¡¯t disappear without a reason.


    Having experienced the accident in City D, both Gu Zhongyi and Lin Yuheng¡¯s faces turned grim.


    Su Li was frightened by the sudden silence in the car and sat up straight in his seat. He timidly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with Yuxing?¡±


    No one answered him.


    Su Li realized that something might be seriously wrong and called his dorm neighbor, inquiring if Lin Yuxing had returned to their dorm.


    But Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t in the dormitory either.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car sped up, and Su Li sat nervously, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.


    Strangely, the uncomfortable pheromone inside the car wasn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi¡¯s bitter orange scent, but a more unfamiliar sandalwood scent. It was filled with anxiety and fear.


    Su Li felt slightly uncomfortable. He helplessly looked at ¡°Liao Yan¡± beside him and then glanced at Gu Zhongyi, who was driving with a serious expression, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.


    After their previous conversation, Gu Zhongyi could feel that the current Lin Yuheng still couldn¡¯t control his pheromones well when emotions surged.


    So, he turned on the car¡¯s ventilation system, specifically designed to clear out pheromones.


    The rain didn¡¯t stop.


    In the caf¨¦ near the hotel, only Lin Yuxing was left in the private room.


    Qing Ling¡¯s sorrow was limited, and he had completed a long-delayed task, leaving without any attachment.


    In silence, Lin Yuxing sat quietly for a long time.


    He couldn¡¯t shed a single tear; he felt that his entire body was ice-cold, as if a sharp icy blade was piercing through him on a winter day.


    His throat was choked with something, something he couldn¡¯t swallow or spit out.


    Helplessly, Lin Yuxing closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing, attempting to calm himself down.


    The news of his brother¡¯s death felt like a clump of soil weighing on his heart. It seemed insignificant, but with every gust of wind, it scattered everywhere, causing discomfort no matter where it touched.


    At that moment, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know what to do or how to react to that news.


    After a while, he took out a box with a combination lock from the large box.


    With a trial mindset, he entered their birthdates, but it didn¡¯t unlock.


    His fingers went numb, and after hesitating for a moment, he entered another date: the day they were separated at the welfare institute.


    It unlocked.


    Inside the box, there wasn¡¯t much else, only a few notebooks.


    Lin Yuxing sat quietly not even noticing that his phone had run out of battery.


    Several of the pages of the notebook had missing content, probably lost or never added. But the first one started shortly after Lin Yuheng left for overseas, and the last one ended on the day the new ¡± Qu Xing¡± arrived at the villa.


    After that, all the pages were blank.


    Sitting in place, Lin Yuxing dazedly stared at the notebook for a long time. His mind was filled with various thoughts, but he was exhausted from those fragmented memories.


    In the first notebook, there was a transparent bag with a small bundle of hair and a note inside: ¡°In memory of my first time doing charity at 14 years old, I donated my hair to a child with cancer ¨C Lin Yuheng, xx year, xx month, xx day.¡±


    In the second notebook, there was a photo of them as children.


    In the picture, he and Lin Yuheng were sitting closely together, smiling blissfully.


    He remembered that day, when Lin Yuheng, who usually didn¡¯t care about anything, said with a bright smile, ¡°Aunt Director wants to take a picture with us too. Do you think it¡¯ll look like a family photo? Xing Xing, let¡¯s smile later, okay?¡±


    In family photos, everyone had to be happy.


    With a blank expression, Lin Yuxing closed his eyes and took a deep breath, flipping the photo to the back, where he saw their names.


    Suddenly, he noticed something from the notebook.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s nose tingled, and he hastily put away the photo, feeling overwhelmed by emotions, restless, and uneasy. He took out his phone, only to realize it was out of battery. He staggered a few steps and went to the lobby of the caf¨¦.


    After begging repeatedly, a girl lent him a laptop.


    Lin Yuxing searched for two pieces of news.


    One was about the accident on the sidewalk in City D, and the other was about Lin Yuheng being hit and falling into the river on the bridge.


    He also found two video clips of the accidents.


    Although the image quality was blurry, and faces couldn¡¯t be seen clearly, Lin Yuxing could tell that the person who pushed him on the sidewalk in the first video was wearing the exact same clothes as the person in the second video who fell into the river.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s fingertips trembled as he slowly scrolled the mouse.


    On the page, the neat words clearly wrote, ¡°Victim Qu , 17 years old, grew up in Country H, recently returned to China ¡± and other related information.


    Qu, Qu Xing, was the tormenting name in Lin Yuheng¡¯s diary.


    In an instant, tears streamed from Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, falling incessantly. Countless shapes of pain flooded his consciousness, gradually crushing him.


    That person was indeed Lin Yuheng, his brother.


    His brother didn¡¯t break his promise; his brother really came to find him¡­


    The girl who lent him the laptop saw him crying and panicked, offering him several tissues.


    Lin Yuxing covered his face with one hand, crying silently. He couldn¡¯t even utter a complete thank you, stumbling his way to the restroom.


    He splashed cold water on his face again and again.


    Countless times.


    But the pain in his heart didn¡¯t diminish in the slightest.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t remember how he got back to the apartment. He was soaked from the rain, and he made a mess of the floor.


    Rainwater left long streaks on the floor, like a quiet water snake.


    Staring blankly out the window, he recalled the day Lin Yuheng had the accident, the same heavy rain. Those raindrops fiercely struck his heart, breaking him apart.


    He couldn¡¯t understand that incident at all, nor did he know how Lin Yuheng knew about the car accident or why he was hit and fell into the river¡­


    But Lin Yuheng was already dead, and no one could answer him.


    He numbly placed the box on the coffee table, went to the balcony to get a cloth to clean the floor, and vigorously wiped away the dirty spots he had made. He kept wiping and wiping for a long time, but he always felt that it couldn¡¯t be cleaned.


    His wet shirt stuck to him, and his vision blurred as tears continued to fall on his hands, the cloth, and the floor.


    How could he clean it up?


    He couldn¡¯t cry out, nor could he speak.


    He stubbornly dwelled on the unclean floor, blaming himself for not being able to do anything right.


    Suddenly.


    Lin Yuxing seemed to give up. He slumped on the floor, lost in thought.

 CH 72

    Upon receiving a notification that the lights were on at his family¡¯s property, Gu Zhongyi hurriedly rushed back to the residential area.


    When he opened the apartment door, it was pitch-black inside, as quiet as if no one had ever been there. Fortunately, a faint hint of bitter citrus pheromone guided him in the right direction.


    Gu Zhongyi turned on the light and found Lin Yuxing sitting in a corner of the bedroom, hugging his knees and burying his head.


    He finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t react, as if he had fallen asleep in that position.


    Gu Zhongyi walked slowly towards him and touched Lin Yuxing¡¯s ice-cold arm.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s damp shirt clung to his body, leaving Gu Zhongyi no time to think about anything else. He roughly picked up Lin Yuxing and almost forcibly woke him up from his trance-like state.


    In a daze, Lin Yuxing gasped and his heavy eyelids struggled to open.


    Gu Zhongyi placed the back of his hand against Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead, and as expected, he had a fever.


    Without scolding him or inquiring about what happened, Gu Zhongyi swiftly removed Lin Yuxing¡¯s clothes, wrapped him in a small blanket from the bedside, and used it like a towel to wipe away the moisture from his body.


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Trembling, Lin Yuxing curled up instinctively.


    Without hesitation, Gu Zhongyi tucked him into bed and then went to get a hairdryer and dried his semi-wet hair.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice was hoarse when he weakly said, ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°You have a fever. I¡¯ll get some medicine for you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sluggishly responded to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words, feeling numb all over. His head was heavy, as if a huge stone was falling down. He whispered, ¡°Every time, I cause you trouble. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi rubbed his ear and said softly, ¡°You¡¯re no trouble for me.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s nose felt congested as he spoke softly, ¡°I feel really uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After Gu Zhongyi left the room, Lin Yuxing hugged the blanket, feeling guilty.


    Gu Zhongyi boiled a kettle and also took out a bottle of mineral water from the storage room. While waiting for the water to heat up, he made phone calls to Lin Yuheng and Su Li. ¡°He¡¯s with me, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was still worried as he asked, ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi saw that the water was ready and couldn¡¯t spare more time to explain. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet. He got caught in the rain and has a fever. We¡¯ll talk later.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi hung up the phone and took a fever-reducing pill from the medicine box in the living room.


    The black box on the coffee table quickly caught his attention, making him curious about what it contained.


    Gu Zhongyi opened it, and there, before his eyes, were photos of twins. His heart skipped a beat, and as he flipped through the diary.


    Frowning, Gu Zhongyi flipped through several pages of the diary and understood who had visited Lin Yuxing earlier in the day. Other than Qu Ling, no one else would have all those pictures and notebooks in the box.


    He had never thought that Qu Ling would find Lin Yuxing. That was an unexpected development.


    Thinking about Lin Yuxing¡¯s current state, Gu Zhongyi closed the box with great displeasure.


    In the partially open bedroom door, several violent coughs could be heard.


    Gu Zhongyi knew that that was not to ask Lin Yuxing about such sensitive information.


    He returned to the kitchen, poured some hot water into a cup, added some mineral water, and made sure the temperature was right before taking them into the bedroom.


    On the bed, Lin Yuxing propped himself up, slowly moved closer, and leaned against the headboard, coughing to the point of feeling nauseous. He covered his mouth, not knowing how long he had been crying, and his eyes were so red and swollen that it hurt to look at.


    Gu Zhongyi sat by the bed and carefully fed Lin Yuxing the medicine.


    Lin Yuxing was thirsty and drank the entire cup of water in one gulp. His hoarse throat felt a little better. He was weak all over and Gu Zhongyi pulled him towards him, tightly embracing him.


    He leaned against Gu Zhongyi, whispering, ¡°I don¡¯t feel too good.¡±


    ¡°Fever causes that,¡± Gu Zhongyi gently massaged Lin Yuxing¡¯s neck. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better once the medicine takes effect.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s comforting pheromones were soothing, the best for an Omega in such a situation.


    In that environment built by the comforting pheromones, Lin Yuxing¡¯s tense nerves gradually relaxed, and he was no longer as shaky as before.


    He turned around, his cheek pressed against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chest, smelling the sweet scent emitting from Gu Zhongyi, and said softly, ¡°Senior, I still feel really uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Where does it hurt?¡±


    He gritted his teeth and weakly said, ¡°Everywhere, it hurts all over.¡±


    The night was deep, and outside the half-drawn window curtains, the rain continued to pour.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s palm rubbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s back, soothing away the pain caused by the fever.


    In the comforting environment created by the comforting pheromones, Lin Yuxing¡¯s  hands weakly clutched Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes, and tears kept flowing, wetting Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shirt.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s crying was soundless, like a raindrop hidden in the clouds.


    Thus, Gu Zhongyi repeatedly and patiently comforted him.


    He leaned against Gu Zhongyi, and the warm dampness spread through Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chest.


    Because of Lin Yuxing¡¯s breathing, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s chest remained warm.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes deepened with endless heartache as he tightly held the person in his arms. Both of them lay down, and Lin Yuxing clung completely to Gu Zhongyi in a dependent manner.


    After a long silence, Lin Yuxing found some relief.


    He finally opened his mouth and confided in Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Today, I saw my brother¡¯s foster father.¡±


    ¡°He said¡­ my brother is dead.¡±


    Just two simple sentences.


    Hoarse, heart-wrenching, enough to bring tears to one¡¯s eyes.


    Lin Yuxing bit his lip repeatedly, unable to say more, his emotions like a volcano about to erupt, suppressed in his heart, like a fishbone had stuck in his throat, making it hard to breathe.


    ¡°He said my brother is dead¡­¡±


    The comforting pheromones seemed to have lost their effect.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulders began to shake violently, trembling all over, as if experiencing a delayed breakdown.


    But, in fact, he had already collapsed countless times, in his heart, in his consciousness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a brother anymore,¡± he said sadly and repeatedly, ¡°I really don¡¯t have a brother anymore.¡±


    The moon, which should have been hanging in the night sky, was nowhere to be seen that night.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s breathing became rapid. Because of the fever, his cheeks were unusually flushed, and it seemed that the fever medicine was not working. If it weren¡¯t for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s comforting pheromones and his patient restraint, Lin Yuxing might have bitten his lower lip until it bled.


    In order to stop Lin Yuxing¡¯s abnormal behavior, Gu Zhongyi inserted his own thumb into Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth, forcibly preventing his unconscious actions.


    Lin Yuxing hesitated to bite Gu Zhongyi but couldn¡¯t stop himself. He painfully gripped Gu Zhongyi¡¯s finger and accidentally left a few rows of tooth marks.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi endured the pain and comforted him, saying, ¡°Yuxing, let it out, cry.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold it in,¡± Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice was gentle and low, he kept saying, ¡°crying will make you feel better.¡±


    Lin Yuxing raised his head, tears blurred his vision. He blinked hard, and his tears were brushed away by his eyelashes.


    Meanwhile outside, the raindrops fell from the clouds.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s vision cleared for a few seconds, and after seeing Gu Zhongyi¡¯s full face of concern and worry, he suddenly quieted down and remained motionless.


    Until Gu Zhongyi gently touched his cheek after pulling out his thumb, Lin Yuxing sobbed and started crying heartbreakingly.


    He cried loudly, like a child whose candy had been taken away from him.


    It felt like he returned to the welfare home, to a time he cried in front of Lin Yuheng because he was helpless and weak. Crying was the only way for him to vent his frustration.


    He couldn¡¯t do anything; he couldn¡¯t do anything at all.


    ¡°He came to find me¡­ He saved me two years ago; he didn¡¯t abandon me¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing incoherently blamed himself, ¡°But why, why didn¡¯t he tell me? Why did he leave me again¡­ Is it because I always, always cause trouble for him¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi held him, exerting strength in his arms.


    ¡°I felt a sharp pain in my heart that day, really painful, I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe, like I was thrown into the water¡­¡±


    The book had mentioned that a small number of twins have a telepathic connection in life and death situations.


    And now, Lin Yuxing finally knew that he didn¡¯t fall seriously ill that day because he saw a car accident. That illness was the message of Lin Yuheng¡¯s death. Now, in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, it seemed more like a distress signal sent by his brother.


    He had no idea.


    Suddenly, Lin Yuxing was filled with a sense of helplessness, and guilt flooded his body like a tide. He came up with a terrifying assumption and muttered, ¡°Did¡­ did he die in my place?¡±


    The same day, the same car.


    Did Lin Yuheng replace him?


    Thinking of this, Lin Yuxing covered his chest in despair and pounded it hard. He couldn¡¯t think anymore; his heart was about to explode, and he was so sad that he was going crazy.


    Gu Zhongyi grabbed his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡±


    At that moment, Lin Yuxing seemed to see a lifeline as a drowning person and desperately held onto Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, begging him with a helpless wish.


    ¡± Help me, please senior?¡±


    ¡°Yuxing.¡±


    ¡°Can you help me find my brother?¡±


    He was so helpless that he started talking nonsense, and his body¡¯s heat completely confused his rationality. He cried and said, ¡°I miss him so much; you don¡¯t know how much I miss him¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing almost lost his voice.


    Gu Zhongyi hesitated to speak but eventually gently patted Lin Yuxing¡¯s back, accompanying him in venting his bitterness.


    The citrus pheromones in the bedroom were bitter.


    He still sobbed in despair, ¡°I want my brother¡­ help me find him, please help me¡­¡±


    His voice grew fainter.


    He seemed to have cried himself out but still persisted.


    Gu Zhongyi said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯ll help you find him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you; I will definitely help you find him,¡± Gu Zhongyi assured him, ¡°definitely.¡±


    Finally, all the exhaustion and repression of the whole day turned into endless fatigue, pressing down on Lin Yuxing. He curled up, falling into a deep sleep.


    Gu Zhongyi kissed his forehead, wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes with his fingertips, and gently tucked him in.


    Looking at Lin Yuxing, whose nose had turned red from crying, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mood became heavy and unbearable.

 CH 73

    Gu Zhongyi left a sufficient amount of soothing pheromones in the bedroom. After carefully observing the peacefully sleeping figure, he finally felt relieved and got up to go to the living room. Sitting on the couch, he pondered and recalled Lin Yuxing¡¯s recent loss of control, sighing with distress.


    At that moment, his phone vibrated.


    It was a message from a private detective. Gu Zhongyi opened it and saw a picture of a property purchase contract with the buyer¡¯s signature: Fang Ze.


    The detective sent a photo of Fang Ze: [Mr. Gu, I found the man who bought this property in M City two years ago. His name is Fang Ze, a male Alpha. He also transferred the property to Li Qing¡¯s father.]


    Gu Zhongyi had no recollection of that person: [Investigate him thoroughly.]


    The private detective also attached another photo.


    The person in the picture was a strange girl taking a selfie.


    But the girl was not the focus; the focus was a hotel not far behind her, where Fang Ze was standing slightly sideways next to a car. A man beside him was dressed in a neat gray suit, facing away from the camera, walking up the steps.


    Gu Zhongyi found the blurry figure familiar and instinctively moved his hand holding the phone.


    Chen Hua?


    The name of Gu Zhuang¡¯s secretary popped into his mind.


    He zoomed in on the photo, examining it repeatedly, hesitant to make a quick conclusion.


    The private detective said, ¡°[This photo was accidentally taken a year ago in front of the xx hotel in M city. It was the day when the house was transferred, and Fang Ze wasn¡¯t alone in M city.]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°[Who is the person next to him?]¡±


    The private detective looked at the clues in his hand and honestly said, ¡°[Mr. Gu, I can investigate Fang Ze and this person for you. But for anything else, it might be better for you to report to the police. This matter is not simple.]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi immediately transferred a large sum of money to him without hesitation, saying, ¡°[Start the investigation.]¡±


    The private detective sighed, ¡°[Please wait for my message.]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi looked at the photo again, and his phone vibrated once more.


    The screen displayed a message from Lin Yuheng: ¡°[I¡¯m downstairs in your neighborhood, bought some food. Can you come down and get it?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi used the display screen at the entrance to unlock the door and let Lin Yuheng come upstairs directly.


    When Lin Yuheng stepped out of the elevator, Gu Zhongyi had already opened the apartment door.


    Lin Yuheng was carrying several bags, containing fruits, medicine, and porridge. He bought too much and had no hand to hold an umbrella. After getting out of the taxi, he ran all the way in the rain, soaking his clothes.


    He looked at Gu Zhongyi, who didn¡¯t look too well, standing awkwardly at the door and said, ¡°These¡­ ¡°


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to buy anything; I have everything at home,¡± Gu Zhongyi said.


    Lin Yuheng felt a bit rejected, not entering the apartment, and awkwardly said, ¡°I thought of it, so I bought it¡­ It¡¯s for Xingxing, not for you.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took the things from him and said, ¡°Let me get you a set of clothes.¡±


    Lin Yuheng looked inside hesitantly and said, ¡°I want to see Xingxing¡­ Will I scare him if I go in? After all, he doesn¡¯t know¡­¡±


    He stopped mid-sentence and looked embarrassedly at Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t know if he was intruding, and he understood that his actions were inappropriate, which probably explained why Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t look well.


    However, when he heard that Lin Yuxing was sick, he couldn¡¯t help rushing over.


    He tugged at the corner of his mouth and wisely said, ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s too late, I won¡¯t go in.¡±


    But Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Come in; he¡¯s asleep.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Yuheng felt relieved and stepped inside the apartment. ¡°Why did Xingxing get caught in the rain? Where did he go?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t answer.


    Lin Yuheng asked again, ¡°Can I see him?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Zhongyi replied.


    Lin Yuheng was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Gu Zhongyi went to the bedroom and brought a set of clean home clothes. He closed the bedroom door gently and handed the clothes to Lin Yuheng, lowering his voice, ¡°The bathroom is over there; there¡¯s a hairdryer and disposable towels in the cabinet.¡±


    Lin Yuheng turned his back, secretly sniffing the clothes, afraid they might carry Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°The clothes are new; I haven¡¯t worn them.¡±


    Satisfied, Lin Yuheng quickly slipped into the bathroom.


    When he came out after showering and changing, Gu Zhongyi had already made two cups of hot tea.


    Lin Yuheng sat down and took a sip, remarking, ¡°After all this effort to regain our youth, why are we still so health-conscious?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°It¡¯s good enough that I didn¡¯t add wolfberries; don¡¯t be so picky.¡±


    Lin Yuheng noticed that Gu Zhongyi had become more playful than before. He smiled and then saw a black box on the coffee table. Since he was in someone else¡¯s home, he didn¡¯t feel comfortable asking about it.


    However, Gu Zhongyi pushed the box toward him.


    ¡°Qu Ling came back to the country,¡± he gestured for Lin Yuheng to open it and said calmly, ¡°He met Yuxing.¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand holding the tea cup froze.


    He put down the tea cup and opened the box abruptly. What he saw made his pupils contract.


    Instantly, anger surged through Lin Yuheng¡¯s body, and the veins on his hand popped as he clenched his teeth, ¡°Father¡­ Is Qu Ling insane? How dare he come to find Lin Yuxing?¡±


    ¡± This may not be a bad thing,¡± Gu Zhongyi said frankly, ¡°Sorry, I happened to read a few pages of your diary just now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yuxing probably read it too,¡± Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°He likely looked up the news and found out that you saved him that year.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was at a loss; he actually didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to know about this.


    He didn¡¯t want Lin Yuxing to feel guilty about him.


    Gu Zhongyi noticed Lin Yuheng¡¯s thoughts and inadvertently glanced toward the bedroom.


    ¡°When I came back, Yuxing was crouching in the corner of the room, completely lost, not even aware that he had a fever,¡± Gu Zhongyi said.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s emotionally unstable, just cried a lot, and finally fell asleep with great difficulty,¡± Gu Zhongyi said.


    Coincidentally, the pages of the diary Gu Zhongyi had read were written when Lin Yuheng had just left for abroad. They were filled with missing Lin Yuxing, threats from Qu Ling and the few reasons for leaving.


    Gu Zhongyi asked him, ¡°I told you before that Yuxing doesn¡¯t hold any grudges against you, but you didn¡¯t believe it. Now, with him like this, do you still think he resents you?¡±


    Lin Yuheng lowered his head, feeling a dull pain in his chest, and his eyes turned slightly red.


    Time began to feel endless.


    Gu Zhongyi repeated his previous words to him unchanged, ¡± you are still so stubborn even after coming back to life and having been given a second chance¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Yuxing¡¯s so-called ¡®resentment¡¯ towards you has always been just an excuse to wait for you.¡±


    Just like Lin Yuheng once confided in Gu Zhongyi, he understood his brother well  and knew his desire for a family. All he wanted was for his brother to come see him once, just once.


    Such a simple wish.


    Lin Yuheng lifted his head, tears swirling in his eyes, feeling his heart being pulled down.


    Gu Zhongyi sighed, ¡°Regardless of the truth from two years ago, he just wants to see you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing had never truly resented Lin Yuheng.


    And the phrase ¡°he wants to see you¡± overwhelmed Lin Yuheng¡¯s heart, making his nose completely sore.


    He suddenly remembered what Lin Yuxing told him during the day, ¡°I hope he¡¯s doing well.¡±


    The ¡°he¡± in that statement referred to Lin Yuheng himself.


    Outside the glass window, the rain gradually subsided.


    Lin Yuheng clutched the diary tightly in his hands, squeezing it back and forth.


    He opened his mouth, but then bit his lip tightly. Afterward, he covered his face with one hand, wiping away the tears in his eyes in a mess.


    He should have known. His brother was the most naive person in the world, naive enough not to even be able to resent him properly. If it were someone else, they probably would have complained about him countless times.


    But Lin Yuxing was Lin Yuxing, and no matter how time changed him, he wouldn¡¯t change.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Lin Yuheng helplessly stammered in front of Gu Zhongyi, unable to hold back, he asked again, ¡°Can I go in and see him?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi decisively said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I miss him too.¡±


    ¡°You are ¡®Liao Yan¡¯ now.¡±


    If Lin Yuxing woke up and saw ¡°Liao Yan¡± suddenly appearing by his bedside, it would surely frighten him. Moreover, Lin Yuxing was still sick, and Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want him to be disturbed.


    Lin Yuheng felt disappointed and dropped his gaze.


    To make him feel better, Gu Zhongyi came up with another reason, ¡°The bedroom is filled with my  pheromones as well. As an Alpha now, you might feel uncomfortable inside.¡±


    He rubbed his eyes, a gesture almost identical to Lin Yuxing¡¯s usual habits.


    No wonder they were twins.


    After being rejected for the third time, Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. With his nature of being a bit impulsive, he said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°I want to tell him that I am Lin Yuheng¡­¡±


    Lin Yuheng rarely stutters, ¡°W-will he¡­ believe me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi raised his hand to rub his temples, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Gu Zhongyi interrupted him, ¡°He will think you are insane or messing with him.¡±


    Of course, Lin Yuheng knew this.


    Regarding the situation of reincarnation, a fairy tale-like story, how many people in the world would believe it?


    Lin Yuheng was troubled and hung his head. Clasping his hands together, under great helplessness, he sought help from Gu Zhongyi, ¡°then you have to tell him surely he will believe you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Gu Zhongyi said, ¡± not unless we have a way to prove it.¡±


    For example, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Predict what will happen next.¡±


    This left Lin Yuheng puzzled, ¡°At this time before, I was still entangled with Xu Xiangchi. This has already been changed¡­ and you, is there anything memorable happening recently?¡±


    ¡°I went abroad to study at this time before.¡±


    Similarly, the existence of Gu Zhongyi had also changed many things like a butterfly effect.


    If they predicted the future according to the previous timeline, it might not be accurate. If they acted rashly, they might even complicate matters.


    ¡°We need to predict some things that haven¡¯t been changed, not necessarily related to ourselves,¡± Gu Zhongyi gave some examples, ¡°Like lottery numbers or other significant events, which should not necessarily be affected by us.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was in a difficult situation. His luck had never been great, ¡°I haven¡¯t even won a lottery on Weibo.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just giving an example.¡±


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, did you ever consider telling him before?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    In their previous world, Gu Zhongyi and Lin Yuxing had never had a true reunion. Now, those hardships no longer exist, and mentioning them would only add to their troubles.


    After all, everything now was a new beginning for them.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°But the situation is different now. He wants to see you, and you are still alive.¡±


    As long as it was Lin Yuxing¡¯s wish, Gu Zhongyi would find a way to fulfill it.


    Seeing that it was getting late, Gu Zhongyi handed the car keys to Lin Yuheng, ¡°You should go back for now, and we can discuss it later.¡±


    Lin Yuheng felt frustrated, ¡°Liao Yan doesn¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡±


    ¡°I can take a taxi. You take care of Xingxing.¡±


    After a while, Lin Yuheng stood at the entrance and turned back, anxiously saying, ¡°Can¡¯t I just tell him the truth? I can recount all the details from our childhood.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡±


    From a normal person¡¯s perspective, after hearing all this, Lin Yuxing would probably only think that ¡°Liao Yan¡± and Lin Yuheng probably just knew each other.


    Gu Zhongyi accompanied him downstairs, and the living room light was still on.


    Not long after closing the door, the bedroom door slowly opened from inside.


    Lin Yuxing, barefoot and weak, walked out silently, his footsteps soundless. But his body felt heavy, his thoughts sluggish, his throat painfully dry, and his body burning like fire.


    He had originally wanted to come out and get some water, but when he reached the bedroom door, his head felt dizzy. Unable to control himself, he slid down to sit on the ground, leaning against the door for a long time.


    Vaguely, he heard a faint conversation in the living room.


    It was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s voice, and¡­ Liao Yan¡¯s voice?


    He thought he must still be dreaming. Why would Liao Yan be at their apartment?


    Due to Lin Yuxing¡¯s hazy state from the fever, he couldn¡¯t hear clearly. But in his dazed state, he seemed to catch some unbelievable dialogue.


    Lin Yuxing was confused and grew more anxious as he listened. He wanted to speak up and ask for clarification, but he felt like he was immersed in a dream, unable to muster any strength or make a sound.


    That made him wonder if he was dreaming.


    It wasn¡¯t until he heard the sound of the door closing and there was no more noise outside that he gradually regained some strength. He propped himself up and stood, reaching the living room with effort.


    The empty living room was empty, not even Gu Zhongyi was around.


    The warmth in Lin Yuxing¡¯s body hadn¡¯t completely subsided. He stared blankly at the two cooling cups of tea on the table. Then, he closed and opened his eyes again. The cups seemed to have overlapping shadows, making it hard for him to discern how many cups were there.


    He opened his mouth, silently saying, ¡°Am I going crazy¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing sighed, realizing that he had experienced auditory hallucinations. He couldn¡¯t believe he would hear such absurd words as Liao Yan being Lin Yuheng.


    He continued to lean against the wall, slowly walking back to the table. After pouring a glass of cool water, he returned to his room with great effort.

 CH 74

    Chapter 74 Don¡¯t Be Too Greedy.


    The elevator doors opened, and Gu Zhongyi accompanied Lin Yuheng outside the apartment complex.


    A gust of wind blew past them.


    Lin Yuheng remembered something and asked, ¡°Regarding the incident in M City, is there something you want to tell me?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had originally planned to bring it up later, but since Lin Yuheng asked, he said, ¡°Since we suspect it was premeditated murder, we need to confirm if you have any enemies.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi explained in detail, ¡°I¡¯ve investigated both Lin Xiufeng and Cheng Rong. Cheng Rong is just a coward who wouldn¡¯t dare to really make enemies. I want to know, do you have any memories of your parents?¡±


    Lin Yuheng replied emotionlessly, ¡°We were abandoned at the doorstep of an orphanage when we were 5 years old.¡± But he still vaguely remembered their names, so he took out his phone and sent their names to Gu Zhongyi.


    Gu Zhongyi forwarded the names to the private detective.


    However, Lin Yuheng was puzzled and said, ¡°Even if our parents had enemies, they have been gone for so many years¡­ who would go to such lengths for such an old grudge?¡±


    Hiring someone to commit murder was no small matter.


    The more Lin Yuheng thought about it, the more strange it seemed. He couldn¡¯t understand where these ¡°enemies¡± could have come from. The incident was undoubtedly bizarre and not accidental.


    Gu Zhongyi frowned, holding back the words at the tip of his tongue.


    Lin Yuheng asked, ¡°Do you suspect anyone?¡±


    Immediately, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face darkened. He turned away and didn¡¯t explicitly say, ¡°I¡¯ll investigate further.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was a smart person and didn¡¯t ask any further questions.


    He hailed a taxi, and while waiting, he smelled the earthy scent after the rain. He didn¡¯t particularly like that smell, nor did he like rainy days. He stared at the streetlights, squinted, and put his hands in his pockets.


    In the darkness, the Alpha¡¯s slender figure was as beautiful as a painting.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, to be honest, I¡¯m not good at saying nice things,¡± Lin Yuheng suddenly said, ¡°But I¡¯m grateful to you, both in the past and now.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s brows relaxed a bit. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    Lin Yuheng was not only Lin Yuxing¡¯s older brother but also Gu Zhongyi¡¯s friend.


    ¡°In this world, there¡¯s nothing that is or isn¡¯t meant to be,¡± Lin Yuheng decisively took out his phone and continued, ¡°So, I want to give you a little ¡®thank you¡¯ gift.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wanted to decline politely.


    But Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t give him a chance to decline.


    He immediately sent Gu Zhongyi about thirty-something pictures of Lin Yuxing dressed in a cat maid outfit, all high-resolution originals.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone kept vibrating, and when he looked, he couldn¡¯t help but become flustered. This time, he, too, felt a bit red in the ears.


    ¡°If you get more pictures like this in the future, please be sure to send them to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too greedy,¡± Lin Yuheng said speechlessly, thinking to himself that Alphas were all like this.


    Especially with Liao Yan¡¯s body,  he could get stimulated just by accidentally seeing something on the internet, and it was incredibly awkward.


    The car arrived.


    Lin Yuheng patted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯m off.¡±


    However, just as Gu Zhongyi turned to enter the building, the taxi Lin Yuheng was in turned around and drove back.


    Panicking, Lin Yuheng stumbled out of the car.


    He ran up to Gu Zhongyi, ecstatic, and said, ¡°I figured it out!¡±


    In response to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s puzzled gaze, Lin Yuheng suddenly raised his phone and pointed to a person in his message list¡ªXu Xiangchi.


    Gu Zhongyi immediately frowned at that name. ¡°What did he do to you?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to me now.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi scrutinized Lin Yuheng¡¯s tall and strong body and thought about it, and it made sense.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡± Lin Yuheng put away his phone, his emotions fluctuating greatly as he excitedly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that predicting the lottery is a good proof to use?¡±


    Before Gu Zhongyi could ask, Lin Yuheng rushed to say, ¡°in the other world Xu Xiangchi won the lottery! I went with him that time, and he chose the numbers randomly. I can¡¯t remember exactly, we might have to wait until the day.¡±


    With a lingering fear, Lin Yuheng added, ¡°The prize was only 3,000 yuan, so I almost forgot about it!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°When will he go buy the ticket?¡±


    Lin Yuheng recollected, ¡°Mid next month. If he doesn¡¯t go, I¡¯ll drag him there myself.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t want to dampen his spirits, ¡°He might not choose the same number this time, and also Lin Yuxing might just see it as a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try. We can accumulate more of these ¡®coincidences¡¯ and gradually increase Lin Yuxing¡¯s acceptance of this matter. It¡¯s better than doing nothing, right?¡± Lin Yuheng urged eagerly. ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t just sit idly by.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gu Zhongyi replied uncertainly


    His anxious heart finally eased, and he smiled brightly at Gu Zhongyi, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, see you next month.¡±


    The next morning.


    When Gu Zhongyi woke up, the person beside him had already disappeared.


    Last night, after noticing that Lin Yuxing was still having trouble sleeping, Gu Zhongyi had been taking care of him attentively. He gently stroked Lin Yuxing¡¯s back, repeating the same gesture to help him transition from nightmares to sweet dreams.


    As a result, Gu Zhongyi stayed up until four or five in the morning before finally falling asleep.


    Now, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s first reaction was to look for him in the kitchen.


    When he pushed open the kitchen door, he heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Awake?¡± Lin Yuxing, who was heating up porridge, saw him and pointed to the bowl in his hand, speaking in the same tone as usual, ¡°I found this in the fridge. Is it the one you bought yesterday?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t deny it. He walked over and reached out to touch Lin Yuxing¡¯s forehead.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes were still swollen, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± but he looked nothing like the sorrowful figure from last night and even smiled softly, ¡°Let¡¯s have porridge for breakfast.¡±


    He turned and put the porridge bowl in the microwave, setting it for three minutes.


    Then, he skillfully took out two eggs from the fridge.


    Gu Zhongyi approached, his large hand enveloping Lin Yuxing¡¯s, ¡°Let me do it.¡±


    Lin Yuxing quietly withdrew his hand, ¡°I really am fine.¡±


    He turned around and lit the stove, adding some oil to the frying pan. While waiting for the oil to heat up, he lowered his head, his mind stagnating for a moment before he said, ¡°Yesterday¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lin Yuxing knew that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t need his apology, and he didn¡¯t need to apologize either. But he just felt that he had been a lot to handle, crying uncontrollably, and making unreasonable demands last night. He felt like he had gone too far.


    He should apologize.


    Apologetically, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°I said a lot of nonsense. I¡¯m sure I worried you, right?¡±


    The porridge in the microwave emitted a flavorful fragrance, but Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t have much appetite. He stared blankly at the frying pan, and when Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand rubbed his head, he slowly raised his gaze.


    Gu Zhongyi rubbed his head and simply said, ¡°Go rest, I¡¯ll handle the breakfast preparation.¡±


    Under Gu Zhongyi¡¯s insistence, Lin Yuxing put down the spatula in his hand and stood quietly by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s side, refusing to leave the kitchen.


    Gu Zhongyi turned around and hugged him, which made his eyes well up with tears again.


    Lin Yuxing held onto Gu Zhongyi¡¯s clothes and said, ¡°I want your soothing pheromones.¡±


    That was the first time he actively asked his Alpha for such comfort.


    He was afraid of crying again, and he was afraid his emotions would become uncontrollable like last night. He shivered and breathed until the gentle scent of bitter oranges enveloped him.


    Gu Zhongyi kissed his forehead and wiped away the dampness at the corner of his eyes with his fingertips. ¡°No more crying. Your eyes will swell up again.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded.


    After a few seconds, he spoke softly, ¡°Senior¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been releasing soothing pheromones all along, aren¡¯t you exhausted?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite a healthy and strong Alpha.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips and felt a little better. ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The oil in the pan is smoking.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi quickly let go and turned around to crack the eggs into the pan. As the eggs sizzled, Gu Zhongyi gently stirred the frying pan.


    Lin Yuxing stuck to his side without leaving any space, not hiding anything, ¡°I want to go see my brother¡¯s foster father again later. I have something important to ask him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing continued, ¡°I have a lot to tell you, but my mind is in chaos right now. I¡¯ll tell you everything after I¡¯ve sorted things out, okay?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi turned off the heat, turned around, and lightly pinched Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheek. In a deep voice, he said, ¡°Sure, no rush.¡±


    He then gently rubbed his ear simply saying, ¡°I¡¯ll also go with you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wanted to refuse, but Gu Zhongyi insisted gently, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the car.¡±

 CH 75

    With Gu Zhongyi accompanying him, Lin Yuxing felt more at ease and secure.


    He sat in the passenger seat, looking out of the window silently.


    Gu Zhongyi turned on the radio, but the program inside was as monotonous as usual, and he didn¡¯t feel like listening. Gu Zhongyi was about to turn it off when the radio started talking about some entertainment topics related to time travel.


    Gu Zhongyi retracted his hand and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.


    Pretending to casually glance at Lin Yuxing, he found that he wasn¡¯t interested in it at all.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    Around ten in the morning, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s car parked near the caf¨¦ Lin Yuxing had visited the previous day. Lin Yuxing headed straight for the same private room.


    When he pushed open the door, he saw Qu Ling¡¯s assistant, Li Zhen.


    Li Zhen politely said, ¡°Mr. Qu is busy, so I¡¯m here on his behalf.¡±


    Lin Yuxing seemed to have expected that Qu Ling wouldn¡¯t come, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised. He placed the bank card from his pocket on the table.


    Li Zhen recognized the card and asked somewhat puzzled, ¡°What is this?¡±


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Please help me give this back.¡±


    After all, the card contained money, and he couldn¡¯t explain it if it went missing. That¡¯s why he decided to return it in person.


    But Li Zhen didn¡¯t dare to accept it without authorization.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to put this on Li Zhen¡¯s head as he was just an employee. He took out his phone and dialed Qu Ling¡¯s number.


    After a long time, Qu Ling finally picked up the phone.


    The background noise on the other end was loud, like he was outside in a noisy environment.


    Lin Yuxing did not beat around the bush and directly stated his purpose over the phone: ¡°Since you are very busy, I¡¯ll just ask directly. I want to know, before my brother returned to the country, did he say anything else to you besides mentioning that I would be in a car accident?¡±


    Qu Ling, who was with his family at the shopping mall, wondered why Lin Yuxing wanted to know these things. He coldly stated that he didn¡¯t have much time.


    Lin Yuxing straightforwardly replied, ¡°This is important to me.¡±


    Knowing that Qu Ling didn¡¯t want to have any further connection with him, Lin Yuxing deliberately ¡°threatened,¡± ¡°If you¡¯re busy today, I will call again tomorrow, and the day after that till i get answers.¡±


    That trick turned out to be effective. Qu Ling quickly walked to a quieter spot and lowered his voice, ¡°At that time, he repeatedly said just a few things. He mentioned that he had a second chance at life, given by God, and he had to return to the country to save you.¡±


    ¡°And what else?¡± Lin Yuxing urged.


    Qu Ling sighed deeply, not wanting to mention that fight with Lin Yuheng that day: ¡°He was disrespectful to me several times. He even accused me of all sorts of things.¡±


    Qu Ling¡¯s voice stopped abruptly when he mentioned that part.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but press for more information, ¡°What did he say?¡±


    Qu Ling¡¯s expression turned serious, not pleased at all, ¡°On the first day he went mad, he accused me of abandoning him twice. He said the first time was when I kicked him out of the house, and the second time¡­ the second time was even more absurd. He claimed that during university, he was captured and abused by an Alpha who he had a high compatibility with, and that I ignored his pleas for help!¡±


    ¡°He was only 17 years old, hadn¡¯t even graduated from high school, and he was telling me about things that happened in university? He had gone mad, making a mess of our home.¡±


    Qu Ling glanced at his wife behind him and took a few more steps away. His wife looked at him with concern, and he forced a ¡°helpless¡± smile, pretending that was a work call.


    His wife nodded understandingly and continued picking clothes with their child.


    Qu Ling felt anxious, wanting to end the call quickly. ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing stopped Qu Ling from hanging up the phone.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice cooled down, as cold as ice in December. He said, ¡°Do you feel at ease and justified by giving me this money?¡± He didn¡¯t want to waste any more words but changed his mind when he heard Qu Ling¡¯s disdainful tone.


    He asked bluntly, ¡°isn¡¯t it the least i could do?¡±


    Lin Yuxing sarcastically asked, ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s a rare stroke of luck for children from orphanages to be adopted and receive charity from families like yours, and that we should be grateful and accept everything you give us?¡±


    It was truly laughable.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t wait for Qu Ling¡¯s reaction and continued, ¡°You have an undeniable responsibility for how my brother and I ended up like this because you deceived him.¡±


    Back then, Qu Ling did not take care of Lin Yuxing¡¯s medical expenses. After taking Lin Yuheng away, he disregarded the medical expenses due to work and family reasons.


    Even when Lin Yuheng would ask him about it, he would casually brush it off and soon forget about it.


    He was a hypocritical pseudo-gentleman, including his current actions, which were all fake.


    Lin Yuxing also remembered clearly that during that period, it was the head of the orphanage who worked tirelessly to go through many procedures for his medical expenses, facing numerous difficulties.


    His life was saved by the head of the orphanage, not by Qu Ling.


    Qu Ling did not expect that old matter to be brought up again, and he was unaware that Lin Yuheng¡¯s diary played a role, he thought that it was the head of the orphanage who talked too much.


    ¡°I agree back then it was indeed my negligence, so I am giving you this card now¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand human language, do you?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Lin Yuxing coldly interrupted, ¡°You must be thinking that none of this was your responsibility. I understand, there¡¯s no point in insisting you did wrong, it¡¯s all in the past.¡±


    Qu Ling fell silent.


    In front of Lin Yuxing¡¯s words, any defense was futile.


    Qu Ling said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t have much more to say. Just give the card to Li Zhen.¡±


    But  Lin Yuxing was not willing to end it there. H had been so hurt and in recent years that he just had to vent.


    ¡°Qu Ling, do you know what your biggest mistake is?¡±


    As Lin Yuxing¡¯s tone changed, he sternly said, ¡°Your biggest mistake,¡± he took a deep breath, and his lips trembled slightly, ¡°is that you adopted him and changed him, but you never truly cared for him. You sacrificed him for the sake of your so-called perfect family!¡±


    Emotions surged inside Lin Yuxing, like boiling water with continuous bubbles. Without the comfort of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s appeasing pheromones, he couldn¡¯t calm down.


    He let out all the words pressing on his heart, ¡°Qu Ling, the mistakes you made with my brother will never disappear. It¡¯s not something you can buy peace of mind with money, and no one will forgive you.¡±


    His tone was sharp as a knife.


    But Qu Ling wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with either.


    Qu Ling didn¡¯t reflect on his actions at all. Instead, he felt offended. His voice turned cold and displeased, ¡°Have you ever thought that he died because he wanted to come back to find you, not because of me?¡± He struck directly to the heart, saying, ¡°In the end, it was all because of you.¡±


    The last sentence hit directly at Lin Yuxing¡¯s wound, sprinkling salt on the fresh and bloody wound.


    Lin Yuxing was stunned for a moment, his pupils contracting. He clenched his teeth and couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s silence, Qu Ling aggressively asked, ¡°Back then in the orphanage, what did you give him apart from troubles? I, at least, raised him and provided him with the best life. That must count for something, right?¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand why these orphans were always so ungrateful. The more he gave, the more they wanted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to be grateful, but at least you shouldn¡¯t bite back like this.¡±


    Qu Ling considered himself to be morally righteous. He even consoled Lin Yuxing, offering him a way out, ¡°I understand that your brother¡¯s death may have dealt a heavy blow to you, making you say things without thinking.¡±


    He had always liked giving a stick, then offering a carrot, ¡°I can understand you.¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing was no longer the timid child he used to be, and he couldn¡¯t be easily fooled.


    ¡°Qu Ling, have you lived abroad for so long that you can¡¯t even remember the saying ¡®a cat cries after catching a mouse¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Lin Yuxing cut him off again and revealed the wound, ¡°In the end, you¡¯re the pitiful one. Going through extreme measures to fill a void in your not so perfect family. How long can you play this make-believe family game?¡±


    Qu Ling had no idea how Lin Yuxing came to know all this, and at that moment, he was stunned as Lin Yuxing showed no mercy: ¡°Keep your charity for yourself.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hung up the phone and decisively left the private room.


    It was a sunny day that day.


    But Lin Yuxing¡¯s mood was like being covered by a dark cloud with no sign of light.


    The truth behind his separation from his brother was like a heavy, rotting cloth that left no one feeling good.


    It was true for him, and also true for Qu Ling.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s face was pale, and his steps were weak. He didn¡¯t want to stay there for another second, so he walked out of the coffee shop quickly, gritting his teeth.


    Not far away, Gu Zhongyi stood in the sunlight, leaning against the car, waiting.


    Time seemed peaceful, as if nothing had happened.


    Lin Yuxing stopped, looking blankly at Gu Zhongyi.


    For a moment.


    The car accident in D City, the conversation he heard in a daze last night, everything Qu Ling said,  and how Liao Yan addressed him at the exhibition hall and behaved, and so on.


    All the information flooded into his brain at once, leaving him defenseless and caught off guard.


    He thought about the radio broadcast in the car earlier.


    Time travel.


    He murmured to himself, ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    If it were true, who is Gu Zhongyi to him, and how does everything else play out?


    Or perhaps¡­ his life was supposed to end at the age of 17?


    The more he thought about it, the more panicked he became, looking at Gu Zhongyi in confusion.


    He said again, ¡°How is that possible¡­¡±


    If it were true, why didn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi tell him anything?


    Lin Yuxing was not a superstitious person, but in these circumstances, he had no choice but to consider these possibilities.


    But he didn¡¯t plan to rashly ask Gu Zhongyi. He needed the right opportunity to bring it up.


    He thought of the hair in the box and secretly made a plan in his mind.


    He needed a reasonable clue to try to believe this far-fetched guess, and to firmly present his question to Gu Zhongyi for verification.


    Otherwise, everything seemed too far-fetched.


    If it turned out that it wasn¡¯t the case, his hasty questioning might cause Gu Zhongyi more worries.


    With these thoughts, Lin Yuxing suppressed all his confusion and kept silent.


    And what he didn¡¯t know was that not far from the coffee shop, under the shade of a tree, stood a man in a black shirt, holding a cigarette between his fingers, slowly blowing a smoke ring.


    Beside him, there was a black luxury car parked.


    A man sitting in the back seat rolled down the window and spoke coldly, ¡°Fang Ze, get in the car.¡±


    Fang Ze put out his cigarette and sat in the driver¡¯s seat.


    As Gu Zhuang¡¯s long-time secretary, Chen Hua continued his stern lecture with a cold expression, ¡°How many times have I told you? Do you think that they won¡¯t notice you?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu doesn¡¯t know me¡­¡±


    ¡°Fang Ze.¡±


    Fang Ze, like an obedient dog, immediately apologized to Chen Hua, who was a Beta, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Chen Hua said, ¡°let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Fang Ze drove the car, trying to ease the atmosphere he said, ¡°Today it¡¯s honestly by coincidence; I came out to do something and ran into Young Master Gu.¡±


    Chen Hua closed his eyes to rest.


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    Chen Hua didn¡¯t respond, maintaining his usual cold demeanor towards his half-brother.


    Fang Ze, however, was used to it. He smiled foolishly and asked curiously, ¡°If I remember correctly, the Omega who was with Young Master Gu just now, is the one I was asked to find in D City two years ago¡­¡±


    Chen Hua¡¯s face changed, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Fang Ze was almost startled into slamming the brakes, but he managed to steady the car.


    Chen Hua¡¯s tone was unfriendly, ¡°Mind your own business and keep your mouth shut!¡±


    Fang Ze was young and prone to saying the wrong things, but Chen Hua had never been so stern with him before.


    In the rearview mirror, Chen Hua¡¯s eyes were as sharp as venomous snakes.


    Fang Ze quickly straightened his body, not daring to speak again.


    In the back seat, Chen Hua quickly regained his composure, ¡°Have someone investigate what they are doing here.¡± He asked, ¡°Young Master Gu recently visited D City and M City, where else?¡±


    Fang Ze reported two more cities.


    Chen Hua¡¯s eyebrows twitched imperceptibly, ¡°Hand over all this information. You don¡¯t need to be responsible for it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Brother?!¡±


    Chen Hua pushed his gold-rimmed glasses up his nose, ¡°Go abroad and hide for a while. Don¡¯t come back without my orders, you must not cause trouble for Mr. Gu.¡±


    ¡°Brother, I¡­¡±


    Chen Hua listened to Fang Ze calling him ¡°brother¡± repeatedly, and his cold expression softened slightly, ¡°This is for your own good.¡±


    Fang Ze dared not disobey.

 CH 76

    Summer was approaching, and the final exams were close for Gu Zhongyi.


    The previous month, his private detective suddenly returned the money and cut off contact without any explanation. Moreover, Li Qing and her son quickly left M City, and their whereabouts were unknown.


    Gu Zhongyi had to run back and forth between the provinces and the school, leaving him exhausted.


    Suddenly, all the leads were cut off, leaving him with no progress. However, the answer in his heart was becoming clearer day by day.


    The more this was the case, the more it seemed to implicate his father Gu Zhuang.


    Therefore, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s bad premonition was slowly becoming a reality. He didn¡¯t want to believe it, yet he felt it might be true.


    From childhood to adulthood, the only person who could have been by his side to this extent, was Gu Zhuang.


    Besides Gu Zhuang, no one could be so ruthless.


    When he realized that his own father might be the one who ordered Lin Yuxing killed, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart turned cold. He hated Gu Zhuang¡¯s cold-hearted selfishness more than anyone else, and he was disgusted and saddened by the fact that he was his son.


    But suddenly, he somehow recalled a past event.


    In the former world, after Gu Zhuang was imprisoned¡­


    The Gu family villa had been emptied, the then 28-year-old Gu Zhongyi sat despondently in the large entrance hall.


    Outside the wide-open door, the empty courtyard came into view.


    Behind him, wearing high heels, Xu Wanling walked to his side. After a long silence, she said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t respond. In his impression, there was no need for farewells between them.


    Xu Wanling stayed for a moment and asked, ¡°Are you grieving for him?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expression was numb. In his mind, he asked himself, does he look like he¡¯s grieving? rather, he felt lost. He had always been Gu Zhuang¡¯s puppet, an obedient son.


    Now that Gu Zhuang was in prison, he could only enter standby mode.


    In this way, did he really look like he was grieving?


    No.


    He denied it in his heart, but his face remained indifferent.


    To him, it didn¡¯t matter if Xu Wanling misunderstood him. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to answer.


    But Xu Wanling lowered her gaze and couldn¡¯t tell if she was pitying him or if it was just a habitual gesture. She was an elegant person in every move, even her mocking words were said gently and slowly, ¡°In the past, I thought about having a child, and I wanted to listen to Gu Zhuang and take care of my body¡­ but you made me change my mind and made me grateful that I didn¡¯t have a child.¡± She reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, her eyes filled with sorrow. ¡°With Gu Zhuang as a father, my child would suffer.¡±


    Xu Wanling went on and on, more talkative than ever before.


    She said, ¡°Gu Zhuang¡­ deserves his punishment.¡±


    She looked at the overgrown weeds in the courtyard, not minding Gu Zhongyi not responding.


    They were used to this way of being together.


    Looking at Gu Zhongyi¡¯s empty gaze, Xu Wanling couldn¡¯t bear to say, ¡°Don¡¯t grieve for him anymore. He¡¯s not worth it. He¡¯s guilty of so much more; he killed your most precious¡­ thing.¡±


    With the situation at hand, she could only hint at it. Finally, she only said, ¡°Take care.¡±


    There was not much tenderness between them, nor any bitterness.


    But now, Gu Zhongyi realized that the hidden meaning in her words was something she couldn¡¯t say directly but couldn¡¯t bear to conceal either.


    Gu Zhongyi remembered that Xu Wanling was a very composed person. How could she easily say the word ¡°killed¡±?


    At that moment, Gu Zhongyi became enlightened. His eyes were red, and he wiped his face suddenly.


    His father wanted to conceal the truth from him, but everything he wanted to hide was already obvious. Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t have much time to hesitate. He had experienced all the absurd behavior of Gu Zhuang, so at that moment, he decided to prepare for retaliation in advance.


    You see, anger, sadness, despair¡ªnone of these could defeat Gu Zhuang.


    Only by taking the initiative before all the evidence was destroyed could Gu Zhongyi gain an advantage.


    Gu Zhongyi had fallen once, and he didn¡¯t want to repeat the same mistake.


    So, he made a decisive move and dialed Xu Wanling¡¯s number for the first time.


    When she received the call, she was surprised and confirmed multiple times, ¡°Zhongyi?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi politely asked if she could meet him. He said, ¡°Aunt Wan, if you¡¯re willing to meet me, I¡¯ll arrange the time and place of the meeting. To be honest, I might be under my dad¡¯s surveillance now, and I¡¯m not in C City, so I can¡¯t openly come to see you.¡±


    He could only ask Xu Wanling to cooperate with him.


    Xu Wanling was first taken aback.


    She was sitting in her office, tapping her fingers on the desk, and her beautiful face showed a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Zhongyi. I don¡¯t want to, nor can I get involved in any conflicts between you and your father.¡±


    However, Gu Zhongyi asked her, ¡°Do you know why your brand has never grown big?¡±


    His seemingly random question made Xu Wanling frown.


    ¡°Dad doesn¡¯t approve of Omegas being too flourishing in business. He has been secretly hindering you and supporting your rival companies.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wasn¡¯t just saying this; he revealed several unknown examples.


    Hearing this, Xu Wanling tightened her grip, and she asked urgently, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    In her eyes, Gu Zhongyi was still a rebellious college student arguing with his parents. How could he know these things?


    Of course, Gu Zhongyi knew.


    In his previous world, his father had been interfering in Xu Wanling¡¯s affairs for many years. It wasn¡¯t until a year before he was imprisoned that Xu Wanling discovered all of it.


    On the day she found out, all the love and tenderness disappeared from her face. She rushed into Gu Zhuang¡¯s study and had the most intense argument since they got married.


    Gu Zhuang had coldly insulted her that time, every word cutting deep.


    However, Xu Wanling wasn¡¯t bothered by Gu Zhuang¡¯s words. She had long known how he saw her.


    What she cared about was her efforts being ruthlessly trampled by Gu Zhuang. She cared about the shackles of the Xu family and Gu Zhuang weighing on her shoulders. Nobody understood her, nobody supported her.


    Everyone wanted her to be a delicate flower in a greenhouse, but Xu Wanling quietly grew thorns under the green leaves.


    It could be said that her efforts contributed to Gu Zhuang¡¯s imprisonment.


    Although insignificantly, she had done her best.


    Therefore, besides Gu Zhongyi, Xu Wanling, who seemed to have a loving relationship with Gu Zhuang, was probably the most eager for his downfall. So, at this moment, when Gu Zhongyi extended an olive branch to her, she wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    With a determined expression, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Instead of being addressed as Mrs. Gu, I think you would prefer to be called General Manager Xu.¡±


    The moment his thoughts were revealed, Xu Wanling didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    She stared at a potted plant in the corner of her office, contemplating back and forth in her mind. Weighing the benefits, she resumed a gentle expression, ¡°Alright, I check my schedule.¡±


    Meanwhile, it was a busy afternoon.


    C University students were rushing to occupy library seats to prepare for their final exams.


    Su Li and Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t get a seat, so they stayed in their dorm to study. Occasionally, Gu Nuan would come over.


    But to be exact, out of the three, only Su Li was studying.


    Lin Yuxing was the type who was diligent in regular times, while Gu Nuan was naturally intelligent. Only Su Li needed Gu Nuan¡¯s help to study; otherwise, he would barely pass his exams.


    Now, the three Omegas were gathered together. Two were enjoying themselves, while one was diligently studying.


    Su Li sat sadly at his desk, his dark circles much larger than usual. He leaned back and accidentally fell into an empty half-watermelon.


    Luckily, Lin Yuxing acted quickly and pulled him out.


    The half-watermelon fell to the ground, causing Gu Nuan to click his tongue twice. Lin Yuxing was busy helping Su Li wipe his face and worriedly said, ¡°You¡¯ve stayed up for two nights, how about getting some sleep?¡±


    Su Li immediately fell asleep once he touched the pillow; even his snoring could be heard.


    Lin Yuxing shook his head helplessly and was about to clean up when he saw Gu Nuan picking up watermelon peels.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Lin Yuxing snatched the peels from Gu Nuan¡¯s hands and thoughtfully handed him some snacks he bought himself.


    Those snacks were all Gu Nuan¡¯s favorites, according to Su Li.


    Lin Yuxing piled the snacks in front of Gu Nuan, clumsily flattering him, ¡°Gu Nuan, did you just buy this outfit? It looks great, suits you well, and your taste is still as good as ever.¡±


    That scene had happened more than once.


    Every time Gu Nuan came over, Lin Yuxing would flatter him. And each time, it felt forced.


    Gu Nuan felt awkward and shook his hand, drinking his strawberry milk, ¡°¡­ why don¡¯t you just say what you want?¡±


    Lin Yuxing stammered, ¡°Th-that¡­ Let me just say it.¡±


    Gu Nuan said, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t do anything wrong, if there¡¯s anything I can help with, I¡¯ll definitely help you.¡±


    he really didn¡¯t want to eat any more snacks; he was afraid if he did, he would become chubby Gu.


    Lin Yuxing reached into a drawer and took out a transparent small bag containing a few strands of hair.


    Cautiously, he asked, ¡°Do you have a way to get students¡¯ health examination data from the school?¡±


    Gu Nuan was taken aback, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Lin Yuxing closed his eyes, mustering up the courage to express his request.


    ¡°I want the pheromone data of Xu Xiangchi, a sophomore in the Art Department. I also want you to help me go to the institute and conduct a compatibility test with Xu Xiangchi using this hair. I will cover all the expenses.¡±


    Gu Nuan and Lin Yuxing were in different majors, so Gu Nuan was likely unaware of how challenging it was to extract pheromones from hair, and ordinary hospitals wouldn¡¯t have that technology. The ability to do this research was only available at the institute where Ji Mu was.


    However, Ji Mu was currently attending a conference in another province and wasn¡¯t back yet. Lin Yuxing had heard from Su Li that there were relatives of the Gu family in the institute, so he sought help from Gu Nuan.


    After explaining everything clearly, Lin Yuxing nervously said, ¡°I want to keep this a secret from Senior for now¡­ I mean, I¡¯ll tell him later, but it¡¯s just not convenient right now.¡±


    He feared that Gu Nuan might be suspicious and continued, ¡°Senior has been very busy lately, and I don¡¯t want to bother him.¡±


    Gu Nuan suddenly became interested, ¡°What is Zhongyi busy with?¡±


    ¡°Work-related stuff.¡±


    ¡°Work?¡±


    ¡°Senior doesn¡¯t plan to return to the Gu family because of me.¡± Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t lie, apologizing, ¡°It seems that his father can¡¯t accept me, and I don¡¯t want to be separated from Senior.¡±


    Gu Nuan thoughtfully touched his chin, ¡°Ah¡­ so, will you continue working in our company after that?¡±


    If he continued to pursue his career in the company, it was inevitable for Lin Yuxing to run into Gu Zhuang.


    Lin Yuxing considered this and replied, ¡°Gu Group is a dream company for everyone so much for me. This summer vacation, it¡¯s a good thing to gain experience through an internship there. I don¡¯t plan to give up. But after graduation¡­ I can¡¯t hold Senior back for my own benefit. At that time, I¡¯ll have to find another job.¡±


    Gu Nuan sighed. He really wished Gu Zhuang would retire sooner.


    After a while, Lin Yuxing asked again, ¡°Gu Nuan¡­ can you help me with what I just mentioned?¡±


    Lin Yuxing prepared himself for Gu Nuan¡¯s refusal. He was nervous, knowing that his request was extreme, and even if Gu Nuan didn¡¯t want to, he wouldn¡¯t hold it against him.


    To his surprise, Gu Nuan readily agreed.


    Gu Nuan was curious about the owner of the hair in the transparent bag, but seeing Lin Yuxing¡¯s hesitant expression, he took the initiative to offer a way out, saying, ¡°This hair belongs to your friend, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Gu Nuan kindly said, ¡°Yuxing, privately testing others¡¯ compatibility is not good. I can help you, but you must promise me that this won¡¯t have any impact on others.¡±


    ¡°I promise!¡±


    Lin Yuxing firmly said, ¡°I just want to confirm something without hurting anyone.¡±

 CH 77

    Lin Yuxing was surprised by how quickly Gu Nuan took action. Within two days, Gu Nuan claimed that everything was arranged.


    They agreed to meet at a relatively secluded beverage shop on campus. Lin Yuxing arrived half an hour early and ordered a popular strawberry mint milkshake for Gu Nuan in advance. He got himself cheap lemon water.


    On his phone screen was a message from Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[I have a flight at 8 p.m. tomorrow and want to meet you at school.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing worriedly replied: ¡°[I¡¯ll wait for you at home. Senior, please take care and don¡¯t tire yourself too much.]¡±


    Lin Yuxing really wanted to see Gu Zhongyi, but every time, Gu Zhongyi always took a long time to reply. He didn¡¯t want to disturb Gu Zhongyi¡¯s work, so he stopped texting.


    Lately, Gu Zhongyi had been very busy, and their contact had been minimal.


    On the other hand, messages from ¡°Liao Yan¡± kept popping up.


    Liao Yan: ¡°[Are you in the dorm?]¡± Liao Yan: ¡°[The fried chicken shop at the south gate has new flavors. Want to try?]¡± Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Thank you, but I¡¯m busy with something else at the moment.]¡± Liao Yan: ¡°[You¡¯re so cold to me.]¡± Lin Yuxing: ¡°[¡­Huh?]¡± Liao Yan: ¡°[Teary-eyed emoji x3]¡±


    Ever since Lin Yuxing had the incredible suspicion about Liao Yan, he found it hard to ignore his ¡°complaints.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but respond.


    In his mind, he could always see Liao Yan¡¯s hand gently resting on his head that day, tender and warm, just like his brother.


    As Lin Yuxing¡¯s fingers swiped through the emojis, he accidentally clicked on one of the hamster emojis, which depicted the hamster pooping.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing anxiously tried to undo it, but it had already been sent.


    On the other end of the phone, Lin Yuheng was so excited when he saw the little hamster emoji that he almost dropped his phone.


    Xingxing finally sent him a hamster emoji!


    He used to envy others for receiving these emojis, and now his wish had come true! Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t help but smile, and his handsome face caught the attention of the people around him.


    Beside him, Xu Xiangchi, who had been dragged to the lottery shop to pick numbers, looked gloomy and glared at him secretly.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t even look up, but he kicked Xu Xiangchi¡¯s butt, saying with a tone that didn¡¯t match his expression, ¡°Stop dilly-dallying. Have you picked the numbers yet?¡±


    Xu Xiangchi winced from the pain but didn¡¯t dare to retaliate. Lin Yuheng had too much dirt on him, and he was afraid that if he made him unhappy, he would get expelled from C University.


    The Xu family valued their reputation, and he didn¡¯t want to be kicked out disgracefully by his father.


    Xu Xiangchi gritted his teeth and handed over the numbers he had chosen, trying to please Lin Yuheng with a smile, ¡°You misunderstood, I was just curious why you asked me to buy the lottery.¡±


    ¡°None of your business?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuheng was in a good mood that day and didn¡¯t have time to chit chat with Xu Xiangchi. He took the lottery ticket and said. ¡°Alright, just go.¡±


    Then, he sent a message to Gu Zhongyi: ¡°[I bought it, when can I give it to you?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied: ¡°[How about the day after tomorrow? Let¡¯s schedule a meeting time; I have something to discuss with you.]¡±


    Lin Yuheng asked, ¡°[Any progress?]¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took a long time to reply: ¡°[Let¡¯s talk about it when we meet.]¡±


    Meanwhile, Lin Yuxing was in a state of dilemma between ¡°deleting¡± and ¡°not deleting.¡±


    While he was contemplating, ¡°Liao Yan¡¯s¡± messages kept bombarding him.


    Liao Yan: ¡°[hamster heart eyes emoticon x3]¡±


    [Do you want to eat shaved ice? I¡¯ll treat you.]¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°[!]¡±


    Lin Yuxing looked at the exclamation mark and gradually smiled, then he sent a menu.


    Liao Yan: ¡°[Orange milk ice!]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[yes.]¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°[hamster spinning emoticon x3]¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°[Don¡¯t spam.]¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°[Hmm, okay.]¡±


    At noon, the scorching sun made Gu Nuan arrive a few minutes late. He pushed open the door of the cold drink shop, sweating profusely. The cool breeze from the air conditioner refreshed his mind, and he exclaimed, ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± His eyes were drawn to the shaved ice on the table.


    Gu Nuan hurriedly scooped two spoonfuls of shaved ice into his mouth, feeling rejuvenated.


    Then, he took a data report from his bag and handed it to Lin Yuxing, saying, ¡°Here, it¡¯s all done.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart skipped a beat unconsciously as he received it with both hands and said, ¡°Thank you!¡± He couldn¡¯t wait to open the report and saw a terrifying number of 90% compatibility.


    His hand holding the report trembled slightly.


    This way, what Qu Ling said turned out to be completely true.


    Lin Yuxing looked up and happened to meet Gu Nuan¡¯s eyes.


    Gu Nuan misinterpreted his expression.


    ¡°You can rest assured about confidentiality; I haven¡¯t looked at this compatibility test report,¡± Gu Nuan kindly reminded Lin Yuxing, ¡°I just heard that Xu Xiangchi¡¯s character isn¡¯t that great, so be careful.¡±


    ¡°I know. Thank you so much, Gu Nuan.¡±


    ¡°No problem?¡± Gu Nuan smiled and remembered something, ¡°By the way, my relative told me that there is a record of Xu Xiangchi doing a compatibility test in the research institute¡¯s database.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°In simple terms, someone used Xu Xiangchi¡¯s data to test compatibility before, and¡­¡± Gu Nuan said in a hushed voice, ¡°they used your pheromones for the test.¡±


    Gu Nuan let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Your compatibility is only 9%.¡±


    Lin Yuxing immediately guessed that it was Gu Zhongyi who did that. To confirm his suspicion, he asked, ¡°Do you know who conducted the test?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no record of that,¡± Gu Nuan said unsurely as he noticed Lin Yuxing¡¯s urgency, ¡°Let me ask again for you.¡±


    True to his words, he immediately called his relative. During a polite conversation, he obtained two useful pieces of information: Jin Mu helped with the test, and the test was conducted on the day Lin Yuxing first visited the research institute.


    With this confirmation, Lin Yuxing was 100% sure it was Gu Zhongyi.


    Lin Yuxing had heard before that due to the similarity of pheromones between identical twins, they would most likely have the same compatibility with the same Alpha.


    Coincidentally, both Lin Yuxing and Lin Yuheng had citrus pheromones.


    No wonder¡­ Gu Zhongyi was so cautious about Xu Xiangchi and even resorted to secretly conducting the test.


    Lost in thought, he couldn¡¯t help but think again of that dream-like night and the vague conversation in the living room¡­


    Liao Yan¡¯s voice kept lingering in his ears, causing him to clench his fists.


    In his heart, he whispered, ¡°Is it really my brother?¡±


    He still couldn¡¯t be sure.


    ¡°Yuxing?¡± Gu Nuan waved his hand in front of him, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Lin Yuxing blinked suddenly, hiding the test report. Though he was eager to find out the truth from Liao Yan, he composed himself and said gratefully, ¡°Do you have time? I want to invite you to have a meal.¡±


    Gu Nuan coughed lightly, blushing, and declined, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with my Alpha recently.¡±


    Lin Yuxing almost forgot that Gu Nuan¡¯s Alpha was a celebrity, and time was precious.


    But he genuinely wanted to thank Gu Nuan, ¡°Then, when you have time, is that okay?¡±


    Gu Nuan scratched his nose, ¡°Instead of treating me to a meal, why don¡¯t you help me with something?¡±


    Seeing that the shaved ice was almost gone, Gu Nuan took out his phone and sent Lin Yuxing a QR code.


    In organizing his words, Gu Nuan said, ¡°This is for my brother¡­¡±


    ¡°You have another brother?¡±


    ¡°No! He¡¯s my Alpha. We grew up together, and I got used to calling him that,¡± Gu Nuan blushed, ¡°His movie is coming out soon, and I¡¯ve booked several theaters. Can you and Zhongyi come and support him in a few days?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lifted his head. Upon hearing about booking several theaters, he was momentarily stunned. When he heard Gu Nuan¡¯s explanation of the movie, he said, ¡°He will play¡­ a psycho?¡±


    ¡°He has a small supporting role, but his acting is exceptionally good!¡±


    With Gu Nuan being so explicit, Lin Yuxing had to go. Come to think of it, he had been preoccupied with something lately and completely forgot about inviting Gu Zhongyi to watch a movie.


    But the silence from Lin Yuxing made Gu Nuan misunderstand.


    Gu Nuan drooped his head, feeling wronged, ¡°If you¡¯re not interested, forget it. My brother is just a small actor¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m interested!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t bear to see Gu Nuan disappointed, so he held Gu Nuan¡¯s shoulder and said with great determination, ¡°Han Yang will definitely become a well-known superstar in the future!¡±


    He worried that Gu Nuan wouldn¡¯t believe him, and was hesitating whether to explain, but Gu Nuan suddenly grabbed his hand.


    Gu Nuan¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Great minds think alike!¡±


    As soon as he said that, Gu Nuan took out a stack of Han Yang¡¯s autographed photos from his bag and handed them to Lin Yuxing, ¡°Take them, don¡¯t be shy!¡±


    Lin Yuxing was baffled.


    Before leaving the cold drink shop, Lin Yuxing got a packed orange milk ice. The cashier recommended a new cake, a bit expensive.


    Lin Yuxing, breaking his habit, bought three of them, giving one to Gu Nuan.


    As Gu Nuan ended a call and happily walked outside with the cake, he waved to a nearby private car.


    The car parked steadily in front of them, and the window rolled down to reveal a handsome middle-aged Alpha.


    Without a word, Gu Nuan pushed Lin Yuxing into the car and said to the Alpha, ¡°Father, this is Lin Yuxing, the one I told you about. It¡¯s too hot outside, let¡¯s drop him off at his dormitory first.¡± He raised the cake box in his hand, acting like a child in front of his dad, ¡°He bought me a cake.¡±


    Father? Lin Yuxing almost choked on his own saliva before he even got in the car.


    When he realized that the man in front of him was Gu Yanchen, the current CEO of the Gu Group, his heart pounded, and he politely greeted him. Instead of calling him ¡°Uncle Gu,¡± he used ¡°CEO Gu.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was nervously considering getting off the car, but Gu Nuan held his arm, ¡°The sun is too strong. By the time you walk to your dorm,  the ice will have melted.¡±


    Gu Yanchen seemed different from the stern image in the news. His tone was just like an ordinary parent, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Nuan¡¯s father. He said you take good care of him.¡±


    ¡°No, not really, CEO Gu,¡± Lin Yuxing sat up straight, ¡°It¡¯s Gu Nuan who takes care of me more.¡±


    Gu Nuan interjected, ¡°Father, stop with the formalities; Yuxing will be nervous.¡±


    Lin Yuxing, thinking that Gu Nuan was arguing with his father for him, got scared and paled. He quickly tugged at Gu Nuan¡¯s clothes, ¡°I-I¡¯m not nervous¡­¡±


    Gu Nuan: ¡°¡­¡±


    Just as Lin Yuxing thought Gu Yanchen would get angry, a hearty laughter eased the tension in the car.


    Gu Yanchen chuckled, ¡°Nuan is right. It was my oversight.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was momentarily stunned but then heard Gu Yanchen asking him with a smile, ¡°Yuxing, you and Zhongyi are dating, right?¡±


    Gu Nuan twisted his brows, ¡°Father!¡±


    Lin Yuxing hurriedly held Gu Nuan¡¯s hand, indicating it was okay.


    ¡°Yes, CEO Gu.¡±


    He kept calling him ¡°CEO Gu,¡± making Gu Nuan feel a headache.


    Lin Yuxing thought Gu Yanchen, as the elder of the Gu family, would surely object to their relationship, but to his surprise, Gu Yanchen was amiable and said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you can call me Uncle, just like Zhongyi does.¡±


    Gu Yanchen added, ¡°We¡¯re family now, no need to be so formal.¡±


    That almost made Lin Yuxing skip a beat.


    The imposing CEO of the Gu Group suddenly became his relative. Could there be anything more exciting than this?


    So, with anxiety, Lin Yuxing swallowed hard and obediently said, ¡°Uncle¡­¡±

 CH 78

    From the cold drink shop to the North Wing dormitory building, it didn¡¯t take much time to drive there.


    Along the way, Lin Yuxing got used to calling Gu Nuan¡¯s father ¡°Uncle,¡± but he remained motionless the whole time, not even daring to breathe.


    It wasn¡¯t until he got off the car that he was finally able to catch his breath.


    After hitching a ride, he arrived a bit early, so he first gave one of the cakes to Su Li. Then, he carried the remaining cake and shaved ice to the entrance.


    This back and forth took just the right amount of time.


    Not far away, ¡°Liao Yan¡± came running all the way.


    ¡°Yuxing!¡±


    His voice was loud, drawing the attention of those around them. He didn¡¯t care at all and ran a few steps to stand in front of Lin Yuxing, his radiant smile shining brightly like the scorching sun.


    Lin Yuxing looked up and seemed a bit confused.


    In a moment of trance, Lin Yuxing saw ¡°Liao Yan¡¯s¡± face as his brother¡¯s face. Even though Lin Yuxing and his brother Lin Yuheng looked identical, he could imagine his brother¡¯s expressions and movements, which coincided perfectly with the person in front of him.


    He thought, if all his guesses were true, if this person in front of him was really his brother¡­


    That would be great.


    He hoped his brother was still alive, even though it seemed like an extremely greedy wish.


    Lin Yuxing made up his mind to find out the truth and pushed the things he was carrying into the other person¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Is this for me?¡± Lin Yuheng¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. He glanced at the packaging, which was a five-inch cake. He then handed over the bags of fried chicken he was carrying, ¡°You can eat this together with Su Li.¡±


    Lin Yuheng went out of his way to go to the South Gate and queue up to buy it, not wanting Lin Yuxing to wait too long. He almost ran all the way, causing his back to be covered in sweat.


    Probably afraid that his sweat would make Lin Yuxing uncomfortable, Lin Yuheng deliberately took a half-step back.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t possibly not notice the other¡¯s cautiousness, so he quietly took out a tissue from his pocket and said softly, ¡°Wipe your sweat.¡± He whispered, ¡°There were many people at the South Gate, did you wait in line for a long time?¡±


    Receiving Lin Yuxing¡¯s concern, Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t help but scratch the back of his head. Happy but not daring to be too obvious, he put on a somewhat awkward smile and said, ¡°Not too long. If you like it, I can go buy some more later.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s scorching hot outside.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not afraid of the heat.¡±


    As he spoke, a drop of sweat fell from his forehead.


    Lin Yuheng & Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    For a moment, both of them fell silent, standing quietly by the dormitory building.


    The orange milk ice cream slowly melted in its packaging, sticky like a long-forgotten yet remembered summer, bubbling in the lake.


    Lin Yuheng had been looking forward to this moment for a long time. When he bought the lottery ticket, his whole body was filled with overwhelming joy. He looked forward to Gu Zhongyi revealing the truth to Lin Yuxing and hoped to reunite with him as his brother.


    He also worried, like a child, that he wouldn¡¯t get to eat the shaved ice his little brother had bought. So he said gently, ¡°You should go inside, it¡¯s too sunny outside.¡±


    He turned to leave but was stopped as Lin Yuxing grabbed the corner of his clothes from behind.


    Gently, just like when they were kids. It was a bit of childishness mixed with the restraint of an adult.


    Lin Yuxing asked with genuine sincerity, ¡°Liao Yan, why are you so good to me?¡±


    ¡°Cause we are friends, it¡¯s only natural to be good to each other.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you choose to be friends with me?¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s heart tightened, and he asked, ¡°Why are you asking this? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    Lin Yuxing shook his head, hesitating in his gaze, ¡°you treat me differently. The way you treat me and others is not quite the same.¡±


    To others, those words would be considered ambiguous. But Lin Yuxing dared to say them out loud because he was pursuing an unrealistic wish.


    He looked deeply at ¡°Liao Yan.¡±


    However, the Lin Yuheng in front of him remembered Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words and didn¡¯t want to mess things up. He thought Lin Yuxing had misunderstood him and hurriedly said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to give you the wrong idea. I¡¯ve always liked girls, don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Lin Yuheng was lying, fearing that their relationship would become complicated at a crucial moment.


    But under these circumstances, the more Lin Yuxing looked at ¡°Liao Yan,¡± the more he felt he resembled Lin Yuheng, even his anxious gestures were the same.


    Because of this, Lin Yuxing regretted his ignorance. Why didn¡¯t he notice it earlier?


    He couldn¡¯t listen to his explanation. He just wanted to ask, ¡°Liao Yan, can you¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice suddenly stopped, his eyes slightly teary, unable to tell if it was due to the sun or his emotions. In his eyes, there were glimmers of stars, filled with boundless hope yet afraid it was just an illusory dream.


    He looked at the person in front of him, who looked completely different from Lin Yuheng, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heartstrings being pulled. He gathered courage and said, ¡°Can you call me like you did in the warehouse, like my brother, just one more time? please.¡±


    In an instant.


    The atmosphere made Lin Yuheng¡¯s heart race as well. Faced with Lin Yuxing¡¯s request, he moved his Adam¡¯s apple up and down, unable to say a word for a long time.


    Vaguely, he smelled the scent of orange essence mixed with milk, sweet and overwhelming.


    The shaved ice had completely melted.


    Lin Yuheng stood still, asking slowly, ¡°Why?¡±


    Lin Yuxing thickened his face and gave what seemed like a reasonable but awkward reason to evade the question. He stammered, ¡°Because¡­ no one has called me that in a long time.¡±


    ¡°But that time,¡± Lin Yuheng was puzzled, ¡°didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like it when others call you that?¡±


    Lin Yuxing took a deep breath and suddenly decided to speak out, ¡°I like it now.¡±


    Another silence followed.


    This time, the silence was longer than before, so long that Lin Yuxing¡¯s chaotic mind began to argue with itself.


    How could Liao Yan be his brother?


    If Liao Yan was his brother, why would he hesitate to fulfill his simple request?


    What was he doing?


    In the silence, Lin Yuxing¡¯s guesses and thoughts jumped back and forth.


    Gradually, he felt extreme anger and shame for his unreasonable request.


    But before he could escape, the person in front of him suddenly reached out and, as he wished, gently rubbed his head. The warmth of the large palm overlapped with the memories of his childhood, once again just one or two pats, accompanied by a voice that was no longer as childish as it used to be, ¡°Silly Star.¡±


    In an instant, something broke into Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart, opening an old door.


    Whether it was the stolen summer time or the red bean porridge he had become tired of, or the long afternoons after their separation, the warmth in Liao Yan¡¯s palm calmed all his restlessness inside.


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback.


    Exactly the same.


    Lin Yuxing blinked his eyes, lowered his head, and tears welled up. He didn¡¯t dare to look up, staring blankly at the ground, the ice cube in his throat rapidly melting.


    He trembled.


    Lin Yuheng noticed something different about Lin Yuxing but didn¡¯t dare to guess. He withdrew his hand, suppressed his worries, and intentionally smiled lightly, ¡°The shaved ice is going to melt, I really should go now.¡±


    Lin Yuxing suddenly grabbed his clothes again, this time not lightly. He tightly grasped the fabric, panic-stricken, and looked at Lin Yuheng with wide eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Just like in their childhood, he clung to his brother¡¯s clothes, hesitant to let go, fearing that his brother would run away to a place he couldn¡¯t find him.


    He was always afraid of his brother leaving him again.


    Because he was a much less intelligent child than his older brother, everyone said so. But he didn¡¯t mind because he understood that as long as he remained clumsy and clueless, his brother wouldn¡¯t abandon him.


    In his clumsiness, half of it was to keep his brother from leaving him.


    However, things didn¡¯t go as he wished, and they still separated.


    A layer of glistening mist gradually covered Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes.


    Tears fell, one drop, two drops, wetting the ground in the summer. Now, even the breeze that came by was warm. Lin Yuxing¡¯s citrus scent turned bitter and acrid, and bean-sized teardrops rolled down his cheeks.


    Seeing this, Lin Yuheng panicked.


    ¡°Yuxing, why are you crying? What¡¯s wrong?!¡±


    After a moment, Lin Yuheng felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate.


    Even on a hot afternoon, there were still students coming in and out of the dormitory. If the two of them stood there, it might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.


    Lin Yuheng was usually indifferent to people gossiping about him, but he didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble for Lin Yuxing. Just when he was at a loss, Lin Yuxing stumbled and accidentally or intentionally bumped into Lin Yuheng.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    In that second, Lin Yuheng¡¯s heart seemed to stop beating, and the world became quiet in his ears. He could only hear Lin Yuxing calling him ¡°brother.¡±


    The next second, the cicadas¡¯ sound broke the silence.


    His face changed suddenly, and he stared at Lin Yuxing, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s lips moved but couldn¡¯t find the words.


    Lin Yuxing clutched his clothes tightly and asked hoarsely, ¡°You¡¯re my brother, right?¡±


    This muffled sound, choked with sobs, pressed the pause button on the whole summer.


    After a moment, under the puzzled gazes of students passing by, Lin Yuheng was the first to react. He didn¡¯t care about anything else; he grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand and silently led him away from the dormitory building.


    On the way, Lin Yuxing hurriedly walked, following closely behind Lin Yuheng. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, but his vision was still filled with tears. Then, he loosened his grip, and the bag of fried chicken he was holding fell to the ground.


    Lin Yuheng picked it up and held it in his hand.


    In the blink of an eye, they entered a small alley. This was the shadow between two buildings, much cooler than under the sun, and no other students passed by.


    On Friday afternoon, many people had no classes and wouldn¡¯t come to that side of the school.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t care about anything else. He reached out to wipe Lin Yuxing¡¯s tears. One hand was not enough, so he put down everything he was carrying.


    He held Lin Yuxing¡¯s face with both hands and wiped away the tears with his fingertips. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sniffled, looking up at him and stubbornly demanding an answer.


    ¡°Answer me¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Lin Yuheng said, full of heartache. ¡°I¡¯m not Liao Yan. I am Lin Yuheng. I¡¯m sorry for keeping it from you, I didn¡¯t know how to explain. I thought you wouldn¡¯t believe me¡­¡±


    Before he finished speaking, Lin Yuxing hugged him tightly.


    Without any hesitation or doubt.


    Tears stained Lin Yuheng¡¯s clothes, but they couldn¡¯t both cry together, could they? Someone had to take the responsibility to stop the tears.


    So, to make his brother stop crying, Lin Yuheng forced a smile. He suppressed the urge to embrace Lin Yuxing.


    ¡°Little star,¡± Lin Yuheng said, ¡°You¡¯ve been comforted by me again.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyelashes were still wet with tears, sparkling and beautiful.


    Looking at the grown-up Lin Yuxing, time flew by, and Lin Yuheng felt a myriad of emotions. With the intention of not crossing the line as Liao Yan¡¯s body, he suppressed the desire to hug Lin Yuxing.


    But Lin Yuxing took the initiative to hold his hand. After crying enough, following Lin Yuxing¡¯s personality, he would start to ask more questions.


    ¡°Brother, how did you become like this?¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s lips lightly touched, countless words and explanations were rehearsed in his mind, but now that the scene was real, he didn¡¯t know where to start.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    Lin Yuheng could only ask back, ¡°What about you? How did you figure it out?¡± His hands were bigger now than when he was an Omega, and he could easily hold Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, ¡°And how did you become sure?¡±


    The sun had set slightly.


    The two brothers calmed down and found a corner in a coffee shop with few people to sit down and talk slowly.


    Lin Yuxing recounted everything that happened since the day he met Qu Ling to Lin Yuheng in great detail. When he mentioned the conversation he overheard while half asleep, Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t help but wipe his face.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi¡¯s apartment soundproofing is terrible.¡±


    ¡°Brother, is now the time to complain about the soundproof?¡±


    At his current age, Lin Yuxing rarely showed childishness in front of anyone other than Gu Zhongyi. He pouted at Lin Yuheng, revealing a rare look of an aggrieved and pitiful child.


    It seemed as if he had returned to his childhood, being willful, playful, and even a bit complaining.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me anything, and I didn¡¯t dare ask Senior, fearing that he would worry that I¡¯ve gone crazy. I had to find answers myself¡­ Fortunately, Gu Nuan was very helpful, and he helped me a lot. That¡¯s how I found out about your compatibility with Xu Xiangchi.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice softened, ¡°Your compatibility¡­ is very high.¡±


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t hide it and said straightforwardly, ¡°I have a 90% compatibility with him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head sadly. He couldn¡¯t imagine how much suffering his brother had endured being with such a scum.


    Seeing this, Lin Yuheng changed the subject, ¡°So, do you believe in this nonsense about rebirth?¡±


    While he and Gu Zhongyi were trying to gather evidence, Lin Yuxing accidentally stumbled into the truth they wanted to confess, and even found it on his own.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s nose turned slightly red, and he softly countered, ¡°Why not believe in something so good that brought you back to me?¡±


    ¡°Brother, I want to know about you. Before and now, I want to know everything.¡±


    But Lin Yuheng¡¯s story was long and unpleasant to hear.


    Lin Yuheng said with a sad tone, ¡°you won¡¯t be happy listening to it. Do you still want to hear?¡±


    Lin Yuxing continued to hold Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand, not willing to let go. ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.


    At the same time¡­


    On a highway bridge, the traffic was congested.


    Gu Yuanchen frowned and looked at his watch. On the passenger seat beside him, Gu Nuan was focused on sending messages to Han Yang.


    Gu Yuanchen didn¡¯t need to guess what his son was doing. He asked, ¡°Is Han Yang coming back for dinner tonight?¡±


    ¡°He said he would.¡±


    Han Yang, as an adopted son of the Gu family, was highly trusted by Gu Yuanchen. Originally, after his graduation, Gu Yuanchen planned to arrange for him to join the company and, in the future, inherit the family business together with Gu Nuan. However, he unexpectedly plunged into the entertainment industry.


    Now, Gu Yuanchen had to train Gu Nuan as soon as possible. ¡°When you have free time, go to the company to learn more. After you take over the company, there will surely be many people who won¡¯t accept you. You need to be mentally prepared.¡±


    Gu Nuan¡¯s ears felt numb from listening.


    He knew the attitudes of those old fogies in the company. They looked down on him just because he was an Omega.


    Gu Yuanchen patted Gu Nuan¡¯s head. ¡°Upset?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gu Nuan grumbled, ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time to be angry at those old fogies.¡±


    Gu Yuanchen chuckled and encouraged him, ¡°Omegas are no lesser than Alphas. Just do your best in everything.¡±


    The car in front started moving, and Gu Yuanchen lightly stepped on the gas pedal. Suddenly, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been getting close to Zhongyi recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes, little by little.¡±


    ¡°What do you think of him?¡±


    When asked about this, Gu Nuan became spirited. He counted the changes in Gu Zhongyi since he started dating, listing them in great detail, sincerely saying, ¡°Zhongyi ge is quite nice. I feel he¡¯s different from Uncle.¡±


    Gu Yuanchen¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much, but his fingertips lightly tapped the edge of the steering wheel.


    Recently, Gu Zhuang¡¯s actions at the company were concerning, and Gu Yuanchen was somewhat worried. He also feared that Gu Zhongyi was deliberately getting close to Gu Nuan.


    Unexpectedly, Gu Nuan could read his father¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Father, you can rest assured. Other than matters related to Yuxing, Zhongyi ge doesn¡¯t contact me at all. Besides, it seems he has no plans to join the company after graduation.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard from Yuxing that he might be preparing to start his own business.¡± Gu Nuan quietly told Gu Yuanchen, ¡°Don¡¯t you know he broke off relations with Uncle?¡±


    Gu Yuanchen¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Gu Nuan chattered on, ¡°Uncle is so snobbish; he would never accept Yuxing. I wasn¡¯t sure before, but I remembered the last time, Zhongyi ge did indeed stay with Yuxing and didn¡¯t come home for New Year¡¯s Eve. You also know, Uncle is stubborn and values these holiday customs that are just for show to outsiders.¡±


    If this were in the past, Gu Nuan would never believe that Gu Zhongyi would go against his father¡¯s orders.


    But now, he witnessed it with his own eyes, and they even celebrated the New Year with fireworks together.


    ¡°Yuxing knows this too, I think he must have worried secretly. Anyway, I think Uncle is a selfish person¨C¡°


    Gu Yuanchen interrupted Gu Nuan¡¯s rudeness, ¡°Xiao Nuan.¡±


    Gu Nuan was aggrieved for a moment and mumbled, ¡°Uncle always used to physically abuse Zhongyi ge at the slightest dissatisfaction, and he forbids us from intervening. You also know that.¡±


    Gu Yuanchen¡¯s expression became serious.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    After hearing these words, a bold idea arose in Gu Yuanchen¡¯s mind.


    Gu Yuanchen worried about many things, but he also wanted to have an able assistant from the Gu family by Gu Nuan¡¯s side.


    As Han Yang, the adopted son, didn¡¯t have this intention, he had to look for another candidate.


    Among the younger generation, in terms of ability and character, Gu Zhongyi was an excellent choice.


    Unfortunately, Gu Zhongyi was Gu Zhuang¡¯s son. Even if he switched sides now, Gu Yuanchen wouldn¡¯t trust him easily.


    Taking this opportunity, Gu Yuanchen wanted to secretly observe for a while. If he could win Gu Zhongyi over, it would be beneficial to them.


    After all, the relationship between Gu Zhuang and Gu Zhongyi was not good, and the father-son bond was weak.


    He had thought that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s feelings towards Gu Zhuang were mostly subconscious fear and compliance. But now, it seems that Gu Zhongyi has changed.


    With this thought, Gu Yuanchen began to make some plans.


    Considering his cautious nature, he didn¡¯t want to make decisions too quickly. Besides, their children were still young, and he wasn¡¯t at the age of retirement yet, so there was no rush.


    He planned to observe a little longer.

 CH 79

    The afternoon time seemed endless.


    Lin Yuxing sat in the corner of the cafe, his face flushed with anger. He hated both Qu Ling and Xu Xiangchi to the core.


    The experiences Lin Yuheng casually mentioned were even more disgusting and hateful to Lin Yuxing than his own experiences. His brows had remained furrowed since earlier.


    Putting aside the selfish and calculating Qu Ling, Lin Yuxing felt like punching Xu Xiangchi.


    Lin Yuheng, being his caring elder brother, said, ¡°I¡¯ve already beaten him up more than once, and it felt satisfying.¡±


    Lin Yuxing blushed and said, ¡°How do you know what I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    Lin Yuheng pointed to his heart and said with special pride, ¡°I just know.¡±


    That intimate gesture finally brought a smile to Lin Yuxing¡¯s face.


    Lin Yuheng took a sip of coffee on the table and said in a rather crazy tone, ¡°an Alpha¡¯s body really has a lot of advantages. Just a little exercise and muscles appear, and the strength becomes substantial. Even if I want to kill Xu Xiangchi and bury him now, it won¡¯t be hard.¡±


    Without our compatibility, Xu Xiangchi is nothing.


    Lin Yuxing was startled, ¡°Brother!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°He killed you.¡±


    Just hearing Lin Yuheng¡¯s past experiences, Lin Yuxing could feel the despair, pain, and deep hatred as if he was experiencing them himself.


    Come to think of it, anyone would go crazy in his place.


    However, Lin Yuheng spoke in a reassuring tone, ¡°Well, although Xu Xiangchi is still Xu Xiangchi, in this world, he hasn¡¯t done anything to me, and I don¡¯t need to make him pay with his life. We¡¯ll find another way to make him pay.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt relieved upon hearing this.


    But under the table, Lin Yuheng¡¯s hands clenched tightly together, his knuckles turning white. The hatred in his heart couldn¡¯t dissipate, but on his face, he wore a gentle smile, not wanting to worry his little brother.


    ¡°I was imprisoned in the Xu family for so long, but I gained something. When the time is right, I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    For someone like Xu Xiangchi, losing wealth and status would be more painful than letting him die.


    Lin Yuheng had a plan: ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this; I know how to handle it.¡±


    With that, the topic about Xu Xiangchi came to an end. Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t want to waste too much time talking about him. He opened the cake that Lin Yuxing bought, and there was a firm ice pack inside.


    Unfortunately, the shaved ice couldn¡¯t be eaten anymore.


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t want to throw it away and insisted on having a taste. Lin Yuxing stopped him, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll buy you some tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll buy it for you every day from now on.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes lit up, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of the heat and waiting in line.¡±


    The two brothers burst into laughter together.


    Lin Yuheng said, ¡°Alright, but don¡¯t waste money.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m doing really well with my part-time job, making good money. I¡¯ve even learned to make bread from where I work. Next time, I¡¯ll make some for you to taste.¡±


    Lin Yuxing chattered endlessly like a child, unable to stop himself.


    Unfortunately, those bags of fried chicken were left untouched, and it seemed Su Li wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy the warm meal that day.


    When they had finished most of the cake, Lin Yuxing swallowed a sip of juice and glanced at Lin Yuheng discreetly.


    Lin Yuheng asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was a little embarrassed. His expression clearly indicated that he wanted to ask about Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°Brother, you said that during your hospitalization, Senior took care of you. Does that mean I and Senior¡­?¡± He organized his words based on the actual situation, ¡°Did we know each other early on? Otherwise, why would he come looking for me and inadvertently help you?¡±


    With such deep affection, it was touching.


    ¡°From my understanding, before I was 17, neither of you had reincarnated. That means the timeline wasn¡¯t disrupted during that period. But I¡­ don¡¯t have any memories of meeting him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt a bit embarrassed talking about this in front of Lin Yuheng, and his face flushed. He asked expectantly, ¡°So, is it possible that he really fell in love with me at first sight? Like what he said when he confessed to me, ¡®love at first sight.''¡±


    Upon hearing this, Lin Yuheng¡¯s first reaction was, ¡°Did Gu Zhongyi never tell you the reason he likes you?¡±


    ¡°He did¡±


    ¡°What did he tell you¡±


    ¡± love at first sight.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, how could he say that? Does he look like the kind of person who falls in love at first sight?¡±


    ¡°¡­To me, he looks like it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked softly, ¡°Then what¡¯s the real reason?¡±


    Lin Yuheng spoke solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s not something he shares lightly; he¡¯s quite stubborn.¡±


    Having previously witnessed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hesitation, Lin Yuheng was the one who arranged the rose bouquet and connected them together.


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    But Lin Yuheng found it absurd; he couldn¡¯t understand why Gu Zhongyi was keeping this a secret. If Lin Yuxing knew that Gu Zhongyi was A Yi from his childhood, he would be overjoyed.


    For so many years, to have someone so devotedly thinking of him, searching for him, and coming back to this world, willing to love him even at the cost of death.


    Lin Yuheng sighed, unable to understand Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mindset. Out of goodwill, he didn¡¯t intend to reveal everything, saying, ¡°Why don¡¯t you let him explain it to you himself?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Seeing his little brother feeling down, Lin Yuheng added, ¡°You two made a promise.¡±


    ¡°A promise?¡±


    Lin Yuxing paused, feeling an inexplicable tingling in his heart.


    Because besides his brother, he had only made a promise with one other person.


    Lin Yuxing was not stupid, and he immediately guessed, ¡°He is A Yi?¡±


    Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand trembled slightly, anticipating Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cold face, and distanced himself from the matter, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    With this response, he practically confirmed it.


    Next, a myriad of emotions appeared on Lin Yuxing¡¯s face. There was no anger or rejection, only joy and excitement. He couldn¡¯t believe it as he asked, ¡°Senior is A Yi, he really is A Yi?!¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes reddened again.


    In that instant, he seemed to understand all of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s unease and finally grasped the meaning behind Gu Zhongyi¡¯s repeated mention of ¡°if only I could have come earlier.¡±


    That was A Yi¡¯s inner thoughts.


    Lin Yuxing murmured, ¡°He is A Yi¡­¡±


    Seeing his brother like this, Lin Yuheng thought he might have said too much.


    However, Lin Yuxing sniffed and blamed himself, ¡°Brother, I know why he didn¡¯t tell me. It¡¯s my fault; I lied to him and said I didn¡¯t want to see A Yi.¡±


    On that snowy night, Lin Yuxing had refused Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sincerity in person.


    In truth, Lin Yuxing had never blamed A Yi. He had never even truly resented Lin Yuheng¡¯s departure, let alone blame an innocent young friend.


    Lin Yuxing understood that they were all too young at that time, and they faced too many uncontrollable circumstances.


    Apart from his brother and A Yi, he couldn¡¯t even refuse Lin Xiufeng¡¯s adoption and go to the suffocating ¡°home.¡±


    It was Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arrival that pulled him out of the mire.


    So, upon learning that Gu Zhongyi was A Yi, how could Lin Yuxing possibly have any negative emotions?


    He felt heartache at the thought that Gu Zhongyi was hurt by his unintentional words.


    Lin Yuheng looked at his expression and probably understood, reassuringly saying, ¡°Gu Zhongyi probably loves you more than you can imagine. He¡­ hasn¡¯t had it easy either.¡±


    Lin Yuheng had heard people say that those with deep obsessions couldn¡¯t rest in peace, and Heaven would select a few people to give them a second chance.


    Those were what people called the lucky ones.


    Lin Yuheng smiled, calmly handing over the lottery ticket in his pocket to Lin Yuxing. He told him about their plan and preparations.


    ¡°Xingxing, you don¡¯t know how happy I am. Today, it feels like I¡¯m in a beautiful dream.¡±


    Lin Yuxing accepted their overwhelming affection, feeling warmth accumulated over the years. These emotions were stored in a bottle, and at this moment, they reached the bottle¡¯s mouth, overflowing with happiness.


    Lin Yuxing touched the lottery ticket with his fingertips, feeling it, and asked, ¡°Can we really win 3,000 yuan?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡±


    ¡°What if we don¡¯t win?¡±


    Lin Yuheng insisted, ¡°Then we¡¯ll think of another way, keep trying until we succeed.¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his eyelids, hesitated, and pursed his lips.


    ¡°I used to always feel that I was unlucky and unfortunate. I thought no one would truly like me, and I didn¡¯t dare to expect a better future. To live like a normal person seemed like a distant luxury for me.¡±


    But now.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Now, I feel so happy.¡±


    It turned out that those who left him in the past had never forgotten him. And now, they all worked hard to return to his side, giving him more love than anything else.


    He had never been abandoned.


    All the things he thought he had lost were, in fact, for a better reunion.


    Lin Yuxing took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to cry, and smiled with stars shining in his eyes.


    He smiled so beautifully, saying, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m so happy, really happy.¡±


    However, seeing such a satisfied Lin Yuxing, Lin Yuheng hesitated and swallowed back the words, ¡°Liao Yan is alive.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to break Lin Yuxing¡¯s happiness. At least for now, this happiness couldn¡¯t be shattered.


    Lin Yuheng also said a selfish answer in his heart.


    He knew Liao Yan could hear him; they communicated in a strange way

 CH 80

    Exactly one week ago.


    Liao¡¯s residence.


    After finishing playing basketball with the Alphas in the neighborhood, Lin Yuheng returned home sweating profusely. As he opened the door, the aroma of braised beef filled the whole house, making him hungry.


    Liao¡¯s mother carried a box out of the cramped storage room, her smile brightening, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°The storage room is too crowded, so I¡¯m organizing it and getting rid of things we don¡¯t need.¡±


    She opened a box and took out a few old items.


    Lin Yuheng came forward to help and unintentionally glanced at a certificate. Due to its age, the paper had grown moldy, and he could only make out the words ¡°Orphanage.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Liao¡¯s mother picked it up and smoothed it out, reminiscing, ¡°This was when you were seven. We took you to the orphanage to do a good deed, and your dad got you this certificate.¡±


    Lin Yuheng cleverly found an excuse: ¡°I was so young at that time, I can¡¯t even remember.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother sighed with regret and wiped the certificate with a tissue, reminiscing about the past: ¡°At that time, you made friends at the welfare home. When you had to separate, you cried so much. But it¡¯s understandable you didn¡¯t want to leave; you were like¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, the sliding door of the kitchen opened.


    Liao¡¯s father, wearing an apron, interrupted Liao¡¯s mother¡¯s nostalgic talk and asked her to come to the kitchen to help. He also urged Lin Yuheng, ¡°Hurry up and take a shower; dinner is almost ready. Tonight, Dad will showcase his cooking skills for you!¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother pretended to be reluctant and got up, jokingly complaining, ¡°Your father, boasting so much just for cooking once, acting like he¡¯s a five-star chef.¡±


    Since their son¡¯s recovery, their relationship as a couple had improved, and they returned to their previous way of getting along.


    Lin Yuheng enjoyed the warm family atmosphere and admired Liao Yan from the bottom of his heart. But he knew that all of this didn¡¯t belong to him, so he cherished every day he spent at Liao¡¯s home.


    He took a deep breath and went back to his room to prepare for a shower.


    However, it seemed that today, Liao¡¯s father had brought in the laundry from the balcony, and he mistakenly placed Lin Yuheng¡¯s bath towel in the wrong room.


    Since he was not their ¡°biological son,¡± Lin Yuheng thought it would be best to announce his presence before entering the ¡°parents''¡± room to get his bath towel.


    As he was about to do that, the noise from the kitchen¡¯s exhaust fan was too loud, and Liao¡¯s parents didn¡¯t hear his approaching footsteps.


    Consequently, Lin Yuheng overheard a conversation that he should not have heard.


    Or perhaps it was a conversation Liao Yan shouldn¡¯t have heard either.


    The couple stood with their backs to Lin Yuheng, each busy with their tasks.


    Liao¡¯s father said while cutting vegetables, ¡°Liao Yan has changed a lot. I remember he used to hate playing basketball, always staying in his room playing video games.¡±


    ¡°Maybe because the people here are kind, and the boy next door always calls him to play basketball,¡± Liao¡¯s mother said, then sighed, ¡°But Liao Yan has changed so much, not only his preferences but also his personality.¡±


    Her hands slowed down as she peeled garlic, ¡°Sometimes¡­ I,¡± she looked away, avoiding eye contact, ¡°I always feel like he¡¯s not Liao Yan, like he¡¯s someone else.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense, you¡¯re just overthinking,¡± Liao¡¯s father said.


    Liao¡¯s mother also felt she might have overthought things and reassured herself, ¡°No matter how much he changes, he is still our son.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Yuheng felt even more apologetic to Liao Yan.


    His personality was too strong, preventing him from fully playing the role of the introverted Liao Yan.


    However, what was meant to be a heartwarming conversation suddenly took an unexpected turn in Liao¡¯s father¡¯s words.


    He took some chili from the basket and roughly chopped it, saying, ¡°I think he¡¯s better this way.¡±


    Liao¡¯s father recalled the previous Liao Yan and felt like he had gone through a nightmare. He said with a deep voice, ¡°He is doing well now. It¡¯s good that he has changed; he was a bit weak before.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother fell silent.


    Since Liao¡¯s mother didn¡¯t respond, Liao¡¯s father reluctantly stopped talking for a moment, then added, ¡°Let¡¯s pay more attention to it as the doctor said. Our good relationship will have a positive influence on him. Before¡­ you and I were exhausted and constantly argued, I don¡¯t want to go back to those days.¡±


    At first, Liao¡¯s mother remained silent.


    Liao¡¯s father continued, ¡°What matters most is that the child is alive. He has become stronger and changed, and that¡¯s a good thing. We can¡¯t let him go back to the way he was; that won¡¯t do, it¡¯s not good, he¡¯s an Apha!¡±


    The word ¡°alive¡± touched Liao¡¯s mother¡¯s heart, and she responded after a while, ¡°Yes.¡± She slowly raised her eyes, and the fatigue in her eyes seemed undiminished, ¡°As long as he¡¯s alive, that¡¯s what matters, nothing else.¡±


    Lin Yuheng turned around and almost ran away.


    He wished Liao Yan hadn¡¯t heard this conversation.


    At the moment when Liao¡¯s parents had finished talking, his heart was gripped by an invisible hand. He clutched his chest, ignoring the sweat on his body, and lay down on the bed. He breathed heavily, fearing that he might suffocate and die, even though he had experienced two near-death experiences before.


    He could feel Liao Yan¡¯s pain.


    Lin Yuheng had no intention of taking over Liao Yan¡¯s life; he could only apologize sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He looked up at the ceiling, speaking to himself, ¡°Liao Yan, if you can hear me, please let me have your body for a little longer?¡±


    In the room, the silence was so profound that one could hear a pin drop.


    Lin Yuheng closed his eyes in distress.


    That night, the moonlight was dim.


    Lin Yuheng, who usually found it hard to fall asleep, unexpectedly fell into a deep slumber.


    The next morning, when he woke up, the computer on his desk was turned on. Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t remember using the computer before going to bed, and he was surprised that it hadn¡¯t automatically gone into sleep mode. Had it been like this all night?


    He yawned and walked to the desk, feeling exhausted.


    On the computer desktop, a document page suddenly appeared before his eyes with the words:


    [¡°My life, why do you need it?¡±]


    Lin Yuheng was almost frightened, his face turning pale. He staggered back two steps, looking around in panic. In the room, besides him, there was no one else.


    He rushed to the bathroom, staring at himself in the mirror for a long time, ¡°Liao Yan?¡±


    In the mirror, his reflection showed no change at all.


    He waited for a while, finally tensed his nerves and returned to the computer. He stared blankly at the words on the screen.


    After about half an hour, his fingertips wandered on the keyboard, typing and deleting many words.


    In the end, he only typed this one sentence: [¡°Liao Yan?¡±]


    Once again, Lin Yuheng closed his eyes and opened them, as if only a second had passed, but the clock in the bottom right corner of the computer showed that two minutes had passed.


    On the screen, someone answered him.


    [Yes, I am Liao Yan. Long time no see.]


    Lin Yuheng ignored the phrase ¡°long time no see¡±; his emotions were in turmoil, and his fingertips felt a chill. His fear wasn¡¯t about death, but about whether Liao Yan¡¯s awakening would make him leave this body.


    Where would he go then?


    Could he still meet his brother?


    With all the anxiety in his heart, Lin Yuheng tried his best to steady his emotions. He took out his phone and placed it in front of him, then pressed the start button for video recording.


    Then, he typed his most important question on the screen: ¡°Can you take back your body whenever you want?¡±


    By the time he came back to his senses again, there was a new message on the fifth row.


    Liao Yan: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lin Yuheng took a sharp breath and quickly grabbed the phone to stop the recording. He hesitated before clicking on the video. He saw the ¡°himself¡± in the video whose expression suddenly changed at a certain moment, and his vacant eyes looked at the camera.


    ¡°He,¡± the real Liao Yan, spoke to the camera, ¡°I can see and hear everything you experience, including all your memories.¡±


    Just like how Lin Yuheng could see some of Liao Yan¡¯s past memories.


    Liao Yan knew what he wanted to ask, so he pointed to his heart and said expressionlessly, ¡°This is my body, and our souls coexist within it. However¡­ time is running out.¡±


    As he finished speaking, Liao Yan closed his eyes in the video.


    When he opened his eyes again, it was Lin Yuheng.


    The video ended.


    Lin Yuheng couldn¡¯t care less at this moment; he used the computer to type again to communicate with Liao Yan.


    Lin Yuheng: ¡°Have you always been here?¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lin Yuheng: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t you show up?¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°Avoidance.¡±


    Lin Yuheng: ¡°What?¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°I deeply detest being an Alpha, and I can¡¯t forget that painful past.¡±


    Lin Yuheng: ¡°So you hid away and allowed me to use your body? Then what did you mean by ¡®time is running out¡¯?¡±


    Liao Yan didn¡¯t answer.


    Lin Yuheng: ¡°Liao Yan, answer me.¡±


    Liao Yan still didn¡¯t answer.


    Lin Yuheng: ¡°Please, I want to know how much time I have left. I¡¯m scared.¡±


    After a few minutes, several lines of text appeared on the screen.


    Liao Yan: ¡°I once wished for someone with a completely opposite personality to replace me . It was a dying wish, and it came true. But your arrival pushed my soul back into this vessel, causing an unfortunate mistake.¡±


    He referred to his own body as a vessel, devoid of any attachment in his words.


    Liao Yan: ¡°A vessel cannot hold two souls at the same time, and the side effects will become more severe. You won¡¯t be able to leave C City and you¡¯ll frequently lose consciousness, those are side effects.¡±


    Liao Yan: ¡°Only one of us can remain.¡±


    Looking at the absurd words, Lin Yuheng was not surprised. He also didn¡¯t think that Liao Yan¡¯s words meant he wanted to completely give up his body.


    Only after experiencing death once did he truly understand the meaning of living.


    It wasn¡¯t impossible that Liao Yan had changed his mind and wanted to live again.


    Lin Yuheng pessimistically asked: ¡°So, does that mean I will disappear soon?¡±


    But Liao Yan replied: ¡°My parents have made a choice, and I have no reason to exist.¡±


    So, ¡°not much time¡± referred to Liao Yan himself.


    Lin Yuheng was shocked and finally understood what Liao Yan meant.


    He couldn¡¯t help but type quickly to ask: ¡°Why do your parents have to make the choice for your own life?¡±


    But as soon as he asked, he regretted it.


    Lin Yuheng was not a selfless person. He wanted to stay with his brother, and that required Liao Yan¡¯s body. His words were undoubtedly digging his own grave, and he regretted wanting to delete them, but he was sure that Liao Yan had already seen them.


    He didn¡¯t want to waste his efforts and nervously closed his eyes.


    When he opened them again, Liao Yan didn¡¯t answer any of his questions or appear in that form again. Lin Yuheng rubbed his temples in pain and looked at the time; only half an hour had passed.


    Due to the frequent soul exchanges in his body, he felt dizzy, and his head was heavy. He got up, took a few steps, and then passed out on the ground.


    When he woke up again, it was already two hours later.


    If it weren¡¯t for the full page of conversation on the screen, he might have thought it was just a dream.


    But Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t expect that, a week later, when he faced Lin Yuxing in person, he finally made his decision.


    ¡°Liao Yan, I need your life. I promise you, I will live it well and make your parents proud of ¡®you.''¡±


    He just wanted his brother¡¯s happiness to last a little longer, even if it was just one more second.


    That was his most genuine thought at the moment.


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say goodbye to his brother.


    He admitted that besides being reborn through the grace of heaven, at his core, he was just an ordinary person. He had greed and desires, knowingly making choices that were not right.


    Lin Yuheng was never perfect.

 CH 81

    The next morning, Lin Yuxing turned off the alarm clock and woke up full of energy.


    He got out of bed quietly and washed up before leaving. He rode his second-hand bicycle to the cafeteria and bought two breakfasts.


    The round trip took less than fifteen minutes.


    As he entered the room, Lin Yuxing shouted loudly, ¡°Su Li, get up and read!¡±


    Su Li on the adjacent bed reacted promptly. In a half-awake state, he struggled to reach for his phone, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just close my eyes a few hours ago? Why do I have to get up? Ah, is it Saturday today? Can¡¯t I sleep in¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already nine-thirty, if you don¡¯t want to fail, get up and study.¡±


    Lin Yuxing put one breakfast on his desk and quickly finished two vegetable buns himself. He squatted down and started packing his things, stuffing his clothes and daily necessities into his suitcase.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to stay at my senior¡¯s place for a while, and I¡¯ll move back after the summer break.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re leaving again!¡± Su Li said with a bitter face, ¡°what about work?¡±


    ¡°Sister Zhou closed her shop when the vacation started. She went on a trip early.¡±


    ¡°What about the exams?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come back by bus to take the exams,¡± Lin Yuxing said, ¡°and occasionally, I can hitch a ride with my senior.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll drive you every day.¡± Su Li had long seen through Gu Zhongyi¡¯s sticky attachment. He waved his hand and said, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, and I can¡¯t keep you around.¡±


    Lin Yuxing embarrassedly smiled, as he and his brother had agreed to give Gu Zhongyi a surprise that day, so they didn¡¯t tell him yesterday.


    Seeing him smiling, Su Li poked his arm sadly, ¡°Remember to hang out with me during the summer break and don¡¯t forget your friends.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t have many things, so he quickly packed up.


    He zipped up his suitcase and said, ¡°I know. I¡¯m leaving now, bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye~¡±


    As soon as Lin Yuxing reached downstairs, he was stopped by the dormitory aunt.


    The dormitory aunt was about to knock on Lin Yuxing¡¯s door when she saw him coming out with his suitcase. Standing beside her were two people, one was Lin Yuxing¡¯s teacher, and the other was a stranger with gold-rimmed glasses.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing, why didn¡¯t you answer your phone?¡±


    The teacher wasn¡¯t as gentle and sounded somewhat reproachful for Lin Yuxing not picking him phone.


    Lin Yuxing awkwardly took out his phone and saw two missed calls from unknown numbers. Perhaps he didn¡¯t notice them while riding the bike just now.


    ¡°Sorry, Teacher Zhang.¡±


    Teacher Zhang gestured for Lin Yuxing to come out.


    The three of them walked to the dormitory door, and the silent man said to Lin Yuxing, ¡°Hello, I am Gu Zhuang¡¯s secretary, Chen Hua.¡±


    He politely handed over a business card while changing his introduction method, ¡°Mr. Gu is, in fact, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s father.¡±


    Turning to Teacher Zhang, he smiled officially, ¡°I¡¯ll handle it from here, there¡¯s nothing else, thank you, Teacher Zhang.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all.¡±


    Teacher Zhang understood the meaning of his words and left tactfully.


    Chen Hua then explained the purpose of this visit, ¡°Mr. Lin, Mr. Gu wants to see you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s fingers holding the business card stiffened, and he subconsciously glanced at his suitcase.


    He didn¡¯t know much about Gu Zhongyi¡¯s father, but through his interactions with Gu Zhongyi, he knew that this father and son were not close, and their relationship was toxic.


    Moreover, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t like him.


    In this situation, this invitation could very well be a ¡°trap.¡±


    He shouldn¡¯t go.


    Chen Hua immediately saw through Lin Yuxing¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Mr. Lin, it¡¯s better not to refuse. It¡¯s also good for the young master.¡± Chen Hua opened the trunk, preparing to help Lin Yuxing with the luggage. He went on, ¡°You are someone the young master values, and Mr. Gu also values you. This time, you won¡¯t suffer any losses.¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt helpless and understood that he had no choice but to go.


    ¡°Let me leave the luggage in my dorm.¡±


    He kept this in mind, planning to run away later. If the luggage was held hostage in the trunk, he would be in trouble¡­


    Inside the spacious car, Lin Yuxing was extremely uneasy.


    Throughout the journey, Chen Hua drove in silence and didn¡¯t talk to him.


    Until the car entered a beautifully decorated hotel courtyard, Chen Hua finally spoke, ¡°Mr. Lin, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± He got out of the car and politely opened the door for Lin Yuxing.


    Despite the courteous treatment, Lin Yuxing felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.


    With nervous steps, he followed Chen Hua.


    They passed through the lobby and walked through several corridors.


    Inside the courtyard was a hidden paradise, a picturesque scene that seemed like an otherworldly realm hidden within the city. Lin Yuxing was amazed but dared not slow down to admire it.


    Chen Hua led him to a private room and knocked twice before opening the door. ¡°Mr. Lin, please come in.¡±


    Lin Yuxing hesitated, staying where he was, neither sitting down nor greeting.


    It wasn¡¯t that Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know manners, but the moment he stepped into the room, he felt an unfriendly pheromone attack. That pheromone was unreasonable and oppressive, suppressing his perception.


    As an Omega, Lin Yuxing could be certain that Gu Zhuang detested him.


    Intimidated by the pheromones, his breathing became slightly heavy, and he tightly held onto his clothes. Under the pressure of the pheromones, Lin Yuxing seemed to have lost all his momentum.


    Behind him, the waiter and Chen Hua had already left the room, gently closing the door.


    Gu Zhuang raised his eyes, and in his indifferent gaze, there was a chilling December.


    He coldly said, ¡°Can¡¯t speak?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was startled by his voice and trembled all over, with cold sweat on his forehead.


    After that, trembling with fear, Lin Yuxing¡¯s first words to Gu Zhuang were not greetings or respectful words, but rather, ¡°Uncle Gu, if you genuinely want to talk to me, please restrict your pheromones.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Zhuang lightly touched the edge of the teacup with his fingertips.


    ¡°Omegas, just like Alphas, can be of high, average, or low quality. If you can¡¯t even bear a little pheromone, you must belong to the ¡®low-quality¡¯ category,¡± Gu Zhuang said.


    As a student specialized in pheromones, Lin Yuxing felt displeased by the discriminatory labels. However, due to his damaged glands, he did indeed belong to what Gu Zhuang called a ¡°low-quality¡± Omega.


    ¡°No matter what type of Omega I am, I don¡¯t like pheromones with negative emotions,¡± Lin Yuxing suppressed his breath and showed no signs of weakness. ¡°If you¡¯re not willing, then I¡¯m afraid this conversation will end here.¡±


    Gu Zhuang raised an eyebrow slightly.


    He disliked impolite Omegas, even if he himself had been impolite first.


    Nevertheless, it didn¡¯t matter.


    He put away his pheromones, quickly restoring the room to normal, demonstrating his strong control.


    ¡°Have a seat.¡±


    The table was filled with various exquisite tea treats, but Lin Yuxing had no appetite. The torment he experienced from Gu Zhuang¡¯s pheromones made him pale.


    Of course, Gu Zhuang¡¯s true intention was not to invite Lin Yuxing for tea and chat. ¡°Zhongyi is a high-quality Alpha, and any Omega he dates must be compatible in status, if not in quality,¡± he said.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s tone changed, ¡°However, he is infatuated with you.¡±


    Gradually, a hint of coldness appeared in Gu Zhuang¡¯s eyes, like a poisonous snake targeting its prey. In his view, Lin Yuxing was an ignorant mouse.


    So, Gu Zhuang pretended to be magnanimous, ¡°As a father, I can¡¯t do anything to my child, so I can only accept it.¡±


    He carefully observed Lin Yuxing, trying to figure out what kind of Omega could so deeply capture Gu Zhongyi¡¯s heart. However, after seeing Lin Yuxing in person, he found him extremely ordinary.


    In Gu Zhuang¡¯s eyes, an Omega like this, if brought into the Gu family, would probably be a laughingstock.


    Unfortunately, his son had become too headstrong.


    Not only that, Gu Zhongyi wanted to meddle in affairs that he shouldn¡¯t, forcing Gu Zhuang to make some compromises. Gu Zhuang was a stubborn person with old-fashioned thinking. Gu Zhongyi was his only Alpha child and heir, and he had to keep him by his side.


    Since he couldn¡¯t break Gu Zhongyi¡¯s wings at the moment, he had to take a step back. He first needed to find a way to catch Gu Zhongyi¡¯s weakness and later figure out how to clip those wings.


    If that still didn¡¯t work, he could break both his ¡°hands¡± and ¡°legs.¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s voice was deep, ¡°You and Zhongyi will go abroad together, and I will arrange a good school for you. In the future, I won¡¯t treat you poorly. Your living expenses, including housing, a car, and others, I will provide for you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing almost didn¡¯t understand the C-country language he spoke.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Gu Zhuang said, ¡°I don¡¯t need to repeat myself.¡±


    He lightly tapped the table, and Chen Hua entered from outside, placing prepared documents in front of Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhuang continued, ¡°These are the documents from the school and hospital. I will arrange the best treatment for you abroad.¡± He moved two fingers slightly, pointing to his own neck, ¡°Since you will become part of the Gu family as an Omega, you cannot have any potential issues. I hope you understand and remember this.¡±


    His attitude seemed mild, but the underlying meaning was that of a high and mighty benefactor.


    In his twisted mindset, Lin Yuxing was a lowly ant, a beggar crawling at his feet.


    He gave something, and Lin Yuxing should be grateful and accept it.


    After all, Gu Zhuang would never allow Lin Yuxing to stay with Gu Zhongyi for too long.


    All of this was just a temporary tactic.


    He had to pretend to be reconciled, make Gu Zhongyi give up on the idea of leaving the Gu family, and quickly send both of them abroad, trying his best to cut off Gu Zhongyi¡¯s thoughts of investigating the car accident case.


    Once everything settled down and after Gu Zhongyi had been ¡°reformed,¡± Lin Yuxing would be of no use anymore.


    If it weren¡¯t for the mishap of that car accident, none of these troubles would have occurred.


    Unfortunately, Gu Zhuang¡¯s acting skills were poor. Or perhaps, he simply didn¡¯t want to act.


    Looking at the silent Lin Yuxing, Gu Zhuang became a bit impatient, ¡°If you have other requests, you can also mention them.¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing looked at the tempting conditions in front of him with indifference. The ¡°affection¡± built on money was filled with a cold copper smell, making him uncomfortable.


    Through Gu Zhuang¡¯s arrogant words, Lin Yuxing finally understood the environment in which Gu Zhongyi grew up.


    He asked, ¡°Back then, he didn¡¯t come back to the orphanage to take me because of you, right?¡±


    Gu Zhuang furrowed his brow.


    Lin Yuxing asked further, ¡°Did you change your mind because you found out about the scars on my body?¡±


    Chen Hua glared angrily, wanting to stop Lin Yuxing¡¯s rudeness, but Gu Zhuang stopped him. Chen Hua took a step back, respectfully.


    Seeing Gu Zhuang¡¯s expression, Lin Yuxing knew he was right. He was momentarily stunned and asked, ¡°Back then¡­ Did you break his leg?¡±


    Gu Zhuang still didn¡¯t answer.


    Lin Yuxing understood.


    In an instant, a sense of sadness and melancholy overwhelmed Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart, as if he had fallen into a pool of memories about Ayi.


    He remembered the young Ayi always being sad and lacking confidence. He was such an excellent person, yet he wrapped himself in silence, crippled by self-doubt.


    Ayi wasn¡¯t unwilling to communicate with others; he was just too scared to do so.


    Children who grew up in love, perhaps they were like Su Li or Gu Nuan, but definitely not like Ayi.


    Lin Yuxing also remembered the night when Ayi first arrived at the welfare institution. In the dim light, Ayi took off his clothes, revealing numerous bruises on his body, which frightened Lin Yuxing, and he hugged him tightly.


    He touched Ayi¡¯s back like a little adult and said, ¡°In the future¡­ no one will hurt you anymore. I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    That day, Ayi pushed him away, with tearful eyes.


    It left an indelible mark on Lin Yuxing¡¯s heart.


    Thinking of this, Lin Yuxing finally stood up.


    He firmly rejected Gu Zhuang¡¯s ¡°kindness¡± without any hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t accept anything you said. Thank you for inviting me for tea, but I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± He stood up, bowed slightly, and was about to turn around and open the door when Gu Zhuang coldly snorted.


    Lin Yuxing stopped, turned slightly, and looked at Gu Zhuang with a dignified gaze.


    Gu Zhuang had no intention of negotiating, ¡°I¡¯m not seeking your consent.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Gu, it seems you couldn¡¯t persuade him, so you came to me for a compromise, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing replied, ¡°But I declined your offer.¡±


    Gu Zhuang couldn¡¯t help but get angry and rubbed his temple, ¡°I can make him give you up again, for a second time.¡± He asked, ¡°Want to try me?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Gu Zhuang was taken aback, ¡°¡­¡±


    Chen Hua was also stunned.


    ¡°Sure? ¡± What kind of response was that?


    Lin Yuxing took a step towards Gu Zhuang.


    In a firm tone, he said, ¡°Do you know? When I was young, I misunderstood that he had broken our promise. Although I don¡¯t blame him, I was heartbroken. Today, I¡¯m especially grateful to you. You made it clear to me how he truly feels about me, and I understand that when he left me back then, it was truly unavoidable.¡±


    Gu Zhuang wasn¡¯t interested in hearing all of this, ¡°Don¡¯t toast if you can¡¯t drink.¡±


    Lin Yuxing remained calm and said, ¡°Uncle Gu, I might be a little poor, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m stupid. Since you dislike me so much, you won¡¯t accept me being with him either. Similarly, I can¡¯t afford the future price for the benefits you offer.¡±


    He knew very well what that price would be.


    Interestingly, if Gu Zhuang had pretended to be a bit more sincere, Lin Yuxing might not have seen through his deception and calculations so thoroughly.


    ¡°You said you could make him give me up again. Since you want to do that, I won¡¯t stop you. Go ahead and try!¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    Gu Zhuang clenched his fists in anger, and dangerous pheromones began to gather subtly.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want to be affected by the pheromones again, so he sensed the situation was not favorable and spoke concisely, ¡°Even if Gu Zhongyi is forced to give me up, I¡¯ll be like a sticky piece of gum that he can¡¯t get rid of. I¡¯ll stick to him and wait for him.¡±


    In any case, he would never let him down.


    That speech of Lin Yuxing infuriated Gu Zhuang to the point of releasing pheromones that could get him arrested by the C-country police.


    Fortunately, Lin Yuxing was quick on his feet and managed to escape before being affected.


    As Lin Yuxing left, the door of the private room closed again.


    Gu Zhuang slammed the teacup on the floor, and the exquisite porcelain instantly shattered, making a harsh sound.


    Chen Hua bowed, even though he couldn¡¯t sense the pheromones, he dared not breathe normally.


    Gu Zhuang gnashed his teeth in anger, his face nearly ferocious, ¡°Chen Hua, it¡¯s time for you to act.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, not to mention that Young Master has evidence of your wrongdoing, recently, Gu Yuanchen, that old fox, has been acting up as well. If you really act against Lin Yuxing, Young Master might get emotional, and it will be detrimental to you in various aspects.¡± Chen Hua analyzed calmly, ¡°We should think long-term¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then target Gu Zhongyi!¡±


    Chen Hua thought he must have misheard, shocked, he opened his mouth wide.


    Gu Zhuang gave a harsh order, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you break my son¡¯s leg or his hand. By next month at the latest, I want to see him ¡®obedient¡¯ in the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu, but Young Master¡­¡±


    Gu Zhuang thought he understood Gu Zhongyi very well, ¡°He was raised by me and is very intelligent. He knows that I need a successor, so he won¡¯t really do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Zhongyi is still young and lacks experience and determination. Chen Hua, before he realizes he will be persuaded by Gu Yuanchen and rely on him, I need you to handle this matter quickly.¡±


    Chen Hua immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Mr. Gu!¡±


    Gu Zhuang¡¯s face turned dark, and he said grimly, ¡°Since Xu Wanling doesn¡¯t want to give birth, then the cooperation between her family and mine should come to an end.¡± After all, there were plenty of prestigious ladies willing to have children, why should he focus on just her?


    What needed to be abandoned, he, Gu Zhuang, would abandon!

 CH 82

    When Lin Yuxing finally stopped running, he had already distanced himself from the hotel by a significant distance. He bent over, hands on his knees, panting heavily.


    Recalling the scene just now, he truly admired his fearless spirit. If he had been a second slower, he would probably have been choked and suffocated by Gu Zhuang¡¯s pheromones.


    ¡°That scared me¡­¡±


    After escaping the dangerous situation, Lin Yuxing felt completely drained of energy. He sat down on the roadside, letting the wind disperse the lingering pheromones.


    He sat there for a while, still trembling from the fright.


    On his phone, there was a message from Gu Zhongyi: [Everything¡¯s done. I changed to an earlier flight. Are you at home?]


    Originally, Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t felt much, but as soon as he saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s message, his nose inexplicably became sour. He called Gu Zhongyi, and his voice sounded sad, ¡°Senior.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I want to come pick you up. Can I?¡±


    Hearing something wrong in Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice, Gu Zhongyi anxiously asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I just want to pick you up. Is it okay?¡± Lin Yuxing lowered his head and mumbled, ¡°You¡¯ve been busy lately, and I miss you. Can¡¯t I come pick you up?¡±


    How could Gu Zhongyi possibly refuse?


    After hanging up the phone, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s flight information quickly appeared on Lin Yuxing¡¯s phone.


    Lin Yuxing touched the lottery ticket in his pocket and muttered to himself, ¡°You hid so many things from me, enduring it all alone without telling me. So, I¡¯ll deceive you just this once. I hope it¡¯s not too much¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips, got up, and hailed a taxi. Ignoring the fact that it was still early, he headed straight to the airport.


    Around 1 o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Gu Zhongyi hurriedly pushed his luggage out from the crowd.


    Among the people, Lin Yuxing waved vigorously at Gu Zhongyi and shouted excitedly, ¡°Senior, I¡¯m here! Here!¡±


    Before Gu Zhongyi could run over, Lin Yuxing rushed towards him and went straight into his embrace.


    Gu Zhongyi smelled the faint citrus fragrance on Lin Yuxing, and his anxious heart was soothed, ¡°Yuxing.¡± He called out the long-awaited name and tightly hugged Lin Yuxing, resting his chin gently on his shoulder.


    Like many reunited couples at the airport, they embraced passionately.


    Lin Yuxing perceived that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones had turned sweet, and his restless mood gradually improved.


    ¡°Senior,¡± Lin Yuxing tiptoed and got close to Gu Zhongyi¡¯s ear, ¡°Are you happy that I came to pick you up?¡±


    ¡°Very happy.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi released his hold and caressed Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheek, carefully examining his eyes to see if he had secretly cried again. Once he confirmed that Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t shed any tears, he smiled gently and asked, ¡°Why did you think of coming to pick me up? Have you been waiting for long? Are you tired?¡±


    ¡°Not too long, I¡¯m also not tired.¡±


    Lin Yuxing liked how much Gu Zhongyi cared for him. He nuzzled his face back into his shoulder, hugging him tightly, and said softly, ¡°I came as soon as I wanted to see you. And you, are you tired from your business trip?¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen you, I¡¯m not tired at all.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was reluctant to let go of Lin Yuxing, he gently sniffed the pheromones between his hair and also noticed the scent of the shampoo, which was different from the one at home ¨C it was the shampoo in Lin Yuxing¡¯s dormitory.


    He lightly kissed Lin Yuxing¡¯s cheek, ¡°Didn¡¯t you come home last night?¡±


    Lin Yuxing felt ticklish and pulled back his neck, ¡°Su Li was studying until midnight every day, so I went out to buy some supper for him.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi, who had been separated from him for several days, felt a little lonely. Unexpectedly, he became jealous, ¡°You¡¯re really good to him.¡±


    Lin Yuxing touched Gu Zhongyi¡¯s head and smoothed his hair, ¡°After all, it¡¯s our last night together. I should be nice to him.¡± Seeing that Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t understand, he whispered, ¡°I plan to stay at home until the end of summer vacation. After school starts, I¡¯ll adjust my part-time job hours as much as possible to stay at home. Is that okay?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was surprised and thought he had misheard.


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t joking; he said earnestly, ¡°I want to be with you every day.¡±


    To express his sincerity, Lin Yuxing kissed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cheek regardless of the people around them.


    Gu Zhongyi naturally wanted to kiss his lips, but Lin Yuxing blocked him as usual. Gu Zhongyi frowned, feeling a bit frustrated. He reserved that expression only for Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s composure faded, and with flushed cheeks, he knew what Gu Zhongyi wanted to do. He also knew that once Gu Zhongyi started kissing him, it would be hard to stop, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said confidently, ¡°You kissed me first.¡±


    Lin Yuxing whispered in defense, ¡°You kissed me first.¡±


    ¡°Kissing your cheek doesn¡¯t count.¡± Gu Zhongyi said with restraint, ¡°I want to kiss you properly.¡±


    ¡°¡­There are too many people here.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the car.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was puzzled, ¡°To the car?¡±


    ¡°I parked the car here before I left.¡± Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t know if Lin Yuxing would agree, but he felt that Lin Yuxing initiated this today. But since he liked Lin Yuxing so much, he would compromise a bit, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, we can go home. I¡­ am not in a hurry.¡±


    The last words sounded fake no matter how they were heard.


    During this period, they were both busy, and Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t have a proper kiss with Lin Yuxing.


    However, after Lin Yuxing struggled out of his embrace, he naturally held Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, continuously pinching it. He had always been obedient and blinked slowly, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had no idea Lin Yuxing could be so cunning.


    He was teased by Lin Yuxing¡¯s pinching, and his heart itched too. If it weren¡¯t for being in public, he would have wanted to hold Lin Yuxing against the wall and kiss him there and then.


    And he actually did it.


    Only the location was changed to the airport parking lot, and the wall became the seat inside the car.


    Gu Zhongyi pulled Lin Yuxing and walked quickly to the car. He pressed the unlock button and roughly threw the luggage into the trunk. In the process, the luggage tumbled miserably.


    Lin Yuxing followed him and said, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi turned around and warmly said, ¡°You should be careful too.¡±


    Before Lin Yuxing could speak, he opened the back door and shielded Lin Yuxing¡¯s head, pushing him inside. He followed closely behind, his face showing an urgency that Lin Yuxing had never seen.


    Once the car door was closed, the confined space was filled with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones, making Lin Yuxing feel like he had fallen into a cloud, light and weightless, unable to find his bearings.


    Lin Yuxing timidly raised his eyes, and his eyes were filled with watery mist. He felt that Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones were intoxicating, but he didn¡¯t know that his own pheromones were even more enticing.


    Gu Zhongyi looked sharp in his suit, and he loosened his tie. His slender fingers roamed on Lin Yuxing¡¯s chest.


    A kiss descended directly, with a sticky tenderness and a hot throb taking over their hearts.


    Lin Yuxing was kissed into a daze, only to realize that Gu Zhongyi wanted much more than just a simple kiss when he forcefully pulled down his pants. Anxious, he resisted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s continuous kisses and, in his haste, said, ¡°This¡­ This is different from what you said earlier!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi sucked his lips and hoarsely asked with a strong desire, ¡°What¡¯s different?¡±


    ¡°We only agreed to kiss..¡±


    Gu Zhongyi blocked his hand and said firmly, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! How can we do it inside the car?.¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice became weaker as he spoke, and he poked Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder with his fingertips, in a playful struggle between resistance and acceptance, ¡°We agreed¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi bit his fingertip, unmoved, ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I only heard you say¡­¡± Gu Zhongyi leaned down, rubbing his nose against Lin Yuxing¡¯s, creating an ambiguous atmosphere. He completely removed Lin Yuxing¡¯s pants, ¡°You said you didn¡¯t mind.¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s ears turned warm, but before he could say anything, Gu Zhongyi deeply kissed him, silencing him.


    The smell of summer sweat was covered by pheromones, and the faint scent made Lin Yuxing feel drowsy. Communication inside the car shifted from words to restrained gasps and low moans.


    Luckily, there weren¡¯t many people in the parking lot; otherwise, Lin Yuxing might never be able to lift his head again.


    Life¡¯s indulgence is probably just so indescribable.


    One hour later.


    Gu Zhongyi, looking radiant, sat in the driver¡¯s seat, straightening his shirt and also suppressing his uninhibited pheromones.


    Behind him, a bare leg lightly kicked his arm.


    Gu Zhongyi was in a good mood and chuckled softly.


    From the backseat came a small complaint, ¡°Pervert.¡± Lin Yuxing kicked him again, ¡°You even put a condom in the car¡­¡±


    Were you already planning to do it in the car?


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t mind Lin Yuxing kicking him. He grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s ankle and kissed his calf, ¡°Well, I am a pervert.¡± This action frightened Lin Yuxing, who quickly pulled back his foot, his cheeks red from blushing, not kicking anymore, afraid of provoking him further.


    Gu Zhongyi started the car and smiled, ¡°Hungry? Let¡¯s go eat something.¡±


    Lin Yuxing asked him with a touch of sadness, ¡°With me like this, where can we go to eat?¡±


    ¡°I went too far,¡± Gu Zhongyi quickly admitted his mistake, sincerely, ¡°I¡¯ll have the restaurant deliver some food. What do you want to eat?¡±


    Lin Yuxing, hugging his knees in the back seat, listed a series of dishes, ¡°Abalone congee with shredded chicken, lotus root slices with sweet and sour pork, braised pork knuckle, preserved vegetable stewed pork, sweet and sour Mandarin fish, spicy stir-fried shrimp, green pepper beef¡­¡±


    ¡°That much?¡±


    ¡°I had to do some physical work today.¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t know what got into him. He used to be reluctant to order so much, fearing it would be wasteful or burden Gu Zhongyi¡¯s wallet. But today, he had a change of heart.


    Gu Zhongyi slightly smiled then changed his tune, ¡°What I meant was, you ordered too little. Look at how thin you¡¯ve become recently; you need to eat more.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    Gu Zhongyi seriously considered, ¡°How about adding a king crab?¡±


    Lin Yuxing wasn¡¯t too familiar with those dishes and was about to refuse, but Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°I¡¯ll peel it for you.¡±


    During a red light stop, Lin Yuxing leaned over and kissed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s cheek. That day, he was unusually proactive and enthusiastic, not teasing Gu Zhongyi anymore, ¡°Just order a few more dishes. I¡¯ll eat them all.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi ordered a mix of meat and vegetarian dishes and also added a king crab. He calculated the time, and by the time they got home and took a shower, the food would have arrived.


    On the way, Lin Yuxing found an opportunity and sat in the co-driver¡¯s seat. He tried to adjust the car radio and was fortunate enough to find the same channel they listened to last time.


    It was the same; the two hosts were chatting and liked to talk about some fantasy topics, centered around rebirth and time travel, occasionally reading some audience comments.


    Seeing Lin Yuxing not changing the channel, Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Do you like listening to these?¡±


    ¡°I heard it in your car last time and found it interesting.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi held the steering wheel thoughtfully. He didn¡¯t expect Lin Yuxing to pay attention. He thought Lin Yuxing had no interest in it.


    Of course, that small gesture of his had already caught Lin Yuxing¡¯s eye.


    Lin Yuxing pretended to listen attentively to the radio and said, ¡°There are people who submitted stories about being reborn. Senior, do you think there are really people who are reborn in this world?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Senior?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi paused for a moment, then asked gently, ¡°Do you think there are?¡±


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°I believe there are.¡±


    His words startled Gu Zhongyi, and he almost stopped the car by the roadside.


    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±


    Lin Yuxing pretended not to understand and said, ¡°I said I believe it. The world is so big; anything can happen, and nothing is strange.¡± His eyes were clear as he asked softly, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Senior?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s throat rolled, and he felt a numbness in his body from nervousness. He didn¡¯t want to get caught in a deadlock, ¡°Yuxing, I¡­¡±


    However, Lin Yuxing took back his hand, which was being held by Gu Zhongyi, and touched his own chin, thoughtfully saying, ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you recite the winning numbers of the lottery from the last few years?¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was truly caught off guard and had a rare look of awkwardness on his face. He regretted not coming back a day earlier and taking the lottery from Lin Yuheng first.


    He was about to explain, but then he saw Lin Yuxing¡¯s determined expression and heard him say, ¡°Or should we go to the hospital instead? Nowadays, medical science is so advanced, with persistent treatment, there¡¯s always hope for recovery.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi had nothing to say.


    His heart sank even deeper. Indeed¡­ without any solid evidence to support his outlandish claims, it was impossible to make Lin Yuxing believe him.


    Just last month, he was criticizing Lin Yuheng for being thoughtless, and now he was acting foolish himself.


    He rubbed his face and fell into a desolate silence.


    Little did he know that Lin Yuxing would persistently ask, ¡°Are you really saying there are no winning lottery tickets?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi suddenly felt disheartened and mumbled, ¡°No.¡±


    Lin Yuxing responded with a slow and casual ¡°Oh.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi closed his eyes, realizing his mistake. He felt a headache as he tried to figure out how to explain himself.


    Until Lin Yuxing generously handed him a lottery ticket and said softly, ¡°If you don¡¯t have one, you can have mine.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback, holding the paper with warmth in his hand, puzzled.


    Lin Yuxing stopped teasing Gu Zhongyi. He unbuckled his seatbelt, leaned over, and kissed Gu Zhongyi on the lips, saying in a gentle tone, ¡°My brother said this ticket can win 3000 yuan. It¡¯s impressive, right? Since we have such a good relationship, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    His words were filled with a playful tone.


    Gu Zhongyi looked at him with wide eyes. There was too much information to process, leaving him momentarily speechless. But he saw the joy in Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, as if saying, ¡°Surprised?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Immediately after, Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t give Gu Zhongyi time to recover.


    With a heartfelt expression, Lin Yuxing called out that long-awaited name, ¡°A-Yi, thank you for coming back to find me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s lips trembled, his eyes filled with warmth, and his breath almost stopped. ¡°What¡­ Did you call me?¡±


    ¡°A-Yi.¡±


    ¡°Say it again.¡±


    Lin Yuxing firmly said, ¡°A-Yi.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but ask, despite the circumstances, how Lin Yuxing knew all of this. He stiffly managed to ask one question, ¡°You don¡¯t blame me anymore?¡±


    ¡°I have never blamed you. That day, I just didn¡¯t want to trouble you or disturb A-Yi¡¯s life, so I lied. I¡¯ve always missed you, really missed you. When I found out you were A-Yi, I was so happy.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tears fell without warning. He had been waiting for that call of ¡°A-Yi¡± and the plea for forgiveness for so many years.


    He thought he would never hear it again, but in that moment, Lin Yuxing gently touched the deepest scar in his heart.


    Miraculously, it started to heal.


    Gu Zhongyi was speechless, and tears streamed down his face, a rare sight.


    Lin Yuxing reached out to wipe Gu Zhongyi¡¯s tears and apologized, ¡°I teased you about so many things I didn¡¯t know. I just wanted to make you laugh this time. Now we¡¯re even, and you can¡¯t be mad at me anymore. Don¡¯t hide things from me either. Though I¡¯m younger than you by more than ten years, I¡¯ll work hard to catch up with you.¡±


    He wanted to be with the person he loved forever, sharing both joy and sorrow.

 CH 85

    Summer, in the Orphanage.


    Seven-year-old Liao Yan sat on a small stool, feeling bored and drowsy.


    The fan above him whirred and turned continuously, making him dizzy as he looked up at it.


    Liao¡¯s mother covered his eyes with her hand. ¡°Yan, don¡¯t stare at it,¡± she said, turning away to continue talking with the orphanage director, along with Liao¡¯s father. The adults¡¯ conversation was full of words Liao couldn¡¯t understand at the time.


    Liao Yan obediently lowered his head, gazing at the ground, his fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt.


    He was starting to miss home a little.


    After a while, his gaze drifted to the partially open door. He cautiously leaned over, wanting to see, yet hesitating to go.


    There were many kids there, bustling and even livelier than at kindergarten.


    The orphanage director noticed his thoughts and asked Liao¡¯s mother, ¡°This child is so cute, I might mistake him for a little girl if I¡¯m not careful.¡± She looked at Liao Yan again and continued, ¡°Is he an Omega boy? He should be in the second grade of elementary school based on his height.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an Alpha boy, only seven years old.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother saw the surprised expression on the director¡¯s face and casually added, ¡°He¡¯s always been taller than kids his age.¡±


    Liao¡¯s mother¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. ¡°He¡¯s just too introverted and easily bullied. So, we¡¯re planning to let him start school a year later and keep him by our side for now.¡±


    The couple had brought Liao Yan to the orphanage, wanting him to engage in meaningful activities and interact with other kids during the summer break. They donated money to the orphanage and intended to choose a child to sponsor.


    Even though Liao Yan didn¡¯t fully understand, his parents wanted him to be part of it.


    Liao¡¯s mother held his hand. ¡°Among these photos, choose a big brother or sister. We¡¯ll help them go to school in the future.¡±


    Liao Yan wasn¡¯t very interested.


    Liao¡¯s father sighed slightly, then said sternly, ¡°Yan.¡±


    Liao Yan quickly rushed into his mother¡¯s embrace.


    The orphanage director, used to dealing with children, took out a few lollipops from a drawer and handed them to Liao Yan.


    Pointing outside, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve been watching them. Do you want to be friends with them?¡±


    Liao Yan¡¯s parents were surprised. Their child actually had the initiative to want to play with other kids. Blushing, Liao Yan took a while before saying, ¡°I saw two kids who look the same.¡±


    It was his first time encountering twins in real life, and he found it fascinating.


    The orphanage director understood and smiled warmly, ¡°Go ahead, you¡¯ll get along well with them, they are good kids.¡±


    Liao Yan looked up at his mother, then at his father. A hint of expectation hid in his light-colored eyes.


    With their approval, the orphanage director held Liao Yan¡¯s hand and led him outside.


    Not far away, the slightly taller of the twin boys was holding an old soccer ball. He placed it on the ground and shouted loudly before giving it a powerful kick, sending it rolling to the other twin.


    The shorter twin imitated him, shouting and kicking the ball.


    The ball gradually deviated from its path and came to a stop by Liao Yan¡¯s feet.


    It touched Liao Yan¡¯s brand-new shoes.


    The orphanage director picked up the soccer ball and patted the dust off Liao Yan¡¯s shoes. She called the two boys over and introduced, ¡°Yue Heng, Xiao Xingxing, this is Xiaoyan.¡±


    The boy known as ¡°Yue Heng ¡± obediently stood in front of the orphanage director while holding his younger brother¡¯s hand. He curiously examined Liao Yan, his straightforward gaze causing Liao Yan to lower his head and hide behind the director.


    Liao Yan timidly tugged at the hem of the director¡¯s clothes, wanting to retreat.


    Instead, Lin Yue Heng spoke first, ¡°I know you.¡±


    Liao Yan cautiously raised his head, noticing that Lin Yue Heng¡¯s clothes were messy and even had a hole in them.


    Lin Yue Heng said, ¡°You came with your mom and dad, right? I saw you brought a lot of snacks.¡±


    Beside him, Xingxing exclaimed, ¡°Is it the chocolate cake from earlier?¡±


    Lin Yue Heng nodded and lovingly promised, ¡°I¡¯ll share mine with you later.¡±


    Lin Yuxing cheered and hugged his big brother, ¡°I love chocolate!¡±


    Hearing this, Liao Yan quickly took out the lollipops from his pocket and offered them, ¡°These are chocolate-flavored too. Do you want them?¡±


    Lin Yuxing swallowed his saliva, he loved candy.


    Lin Yue Heng was afraid Liao Yan would change his mind, so he swiftly took the candy and placed it in his brother¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng ruffled Lin Yuxing¡¯s hair and turned to the orphanage director to ask for the soccer ball. The director, however, gave the ball to Liao Yan and gently patted his shoulder. ¡°Go on, play together. You¡¯re all the same age.¡±


    She gestured to Lin Yue Heng as well.


    Lin Yue Heng cleverly followed up, asking Liao Yan, ¡°Want to play together?¡±


    With his newfound candy, Lin Yuxing¡¯s mood was particularly good. His eyes were bright as he softly said, ¡°Let¡¯s play together!¡±


    Liao Yan pursed his lips and handed the soccer ball to Lin Yue Heng, who caught it.


    Lin Yue Heng pulled his hand and warmly invited, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go play.¡±


    The three kids started playing in the open space.


    Lin Yuxing constantly followed Lin Yue Heng like a little tail. Occasionally, he would bump into Liao Yan by accident, then sit on the ground and say to Liao Yan, ¡°Big brother, help me up.¡±


    ¡°Silly Xingxing, he¡¯s the same age as us.¡±


    ¡°He looks taller¡­¡± Lin Yuxing hesitated, wanting to retract his hand.


    Liao Yan quickly held onto it, gently patting the dirt off him as well.


    But before Liao Yan finished patting the dirt, Lin Yuxing mischievously snatched the ball from him. Lin Yue Heng, who was beside them, chased after it, shouting ¡°foul,¡± but his laughter grew louder.


    The bond between those two brothers was so strong that it made Liao Yan envious.


    Liao Yan watched the twins playfully interact with each other and felt a little left out. It was at this moment that he realized all the other kids had gathered together, except for the two; it felt like they were being excluded.


    He lost himself in thought.


    Suddenly, Lin Yue Heng, who ran back to his side, said breathlessly, ¡°Do you want to play with the other kids over there?¡±


    Liao Yan looked back at him.


    Lin Yue Heng advised him, ¡°Just say you came with your mom and dad. That way, they won¡¯t bully you.¡±


    Liao Yan asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys going to play with them too?¡±


    Lin Yue Heng snorted, a disdainful expression crossing his delicate face. ¡°Who wants to play with that group of idiots?¡±


    Lin Yuxing revealed the truth, saying, ¡°They bullied me, so we won¡¯t play with them anymore. Big brother¡­ Xiaoyan, do you want to go and play with them? They¡¯re not as fun as we are, um¡ª¡±


    Lin Yue Heng quickly covered Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth, holding the soccer ball with one hand and dragging his brother to rest under the shade of a tree.


    Liao Yan suddenly realized that those two kids were just like him ¨C they didn¡¯t fit in with the others.


    He felt a sense of belonging and hurriedly followed them.


    Because he was tall, he quickly caught up with them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to play with them, I want to play with you.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng greatly appreciated Liao Yan¡¯s choice. He set the ball down and led the two of them to the backyard of the orphanage. There, a few fruit trees were planted, each with a small sign underneath displaying several names.


    Lin Yue Heng and Lin Yuxing had planted an orange tree and a small sapling.


    The two brothers seemed to like Liao Yan and brought him to see their treasures.


    Children¡¯s friendships form quickly, becoming deep bonds in no time. Lin Yue Xing confidently declared, ¡°Our orange tree will definitely grow the best. You¡¯re a good person, so I¡¯ll give you two oranges when they¡¯re ready.¡±


    Liao Yan honestly replied, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Upon hearing the word ¡°oranges,¡± Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth watered. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and envisioned the future, saying, ¡°When the orange tree grows big, we can eat free oranges everyday. That sounds amazing.¡±


    The next day, Liao Yan came back to the orphanage with a bag of oranges and a bag of snacks.


    Since oranges weren¡¯t in season, they weren¡¯t very sweet.


    Liao Yan hesitated before placing them in front of Lin Yue Heng. He felt they were heavy, so he picked them up again and handed one to each of them.


    Liao¡¯s mother happily rubbed the cheeks of Lin Yue Heng and Lin Yuxing when she met them.


    Liao Yan awkwardly nudged his mother, saying, ¡°Mom, please stop.¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to see the friends you made and keep talking about. They look so good and cute.¡± Liao¡¯s mother had bought new clothes for both brothers. ¡°Are you both Omegas?¡±


    Lin Yue Heng stared in astonishment at the new clothes Liao¡¯s mother handed over, and he blushed ¨C a rare sight. He politely nodded and pointed at his younger brother. ¡°I¡¯m the older brother, and he¡¯s the younger one.¡±


    A fact that was clear at a glance.


    It had been a while since Lin Yue Heng had worn such new clothes, and he said, ¡°Thank you, Auntie. We¡¯ll wear these clothes nicely.¡± After saying that, he tugged at Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand.


    Lin Yuxing was overwhelmed by the sourness of the oranges, his eyes brimming with tears. He sweetly said, ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡±


    Liao Yan thought he was touched and tearing up, feeling unsure about how to respond.


    Little did he know, Lin Yue Heng grabbed his hand and whispered in his ear, ¡°He¡¯s crying because the oranges are sour.¡±


    Liao Yan was taken aback and then burst into laughter.


    How could oranges be so sour that they made someone cry?


    Did oranges even get that sour? He peeled one and took a bite, scrunching up his face at the sourness.


    The three kids laughed together.


    Seeing this, Liao¡¯s mother said with satisfaction, ¡°You can play with them here this afternoon. Your dad and I have some things to take care of. We¡¯ll come to pick you up later.¡±


    Lin Yuxing being the most talkative, ¡°Xiaoyan can have dinner with us. We¡¯re having ribs tonight, super delicious. Auntie, please pick him up a little later. He can stay here and sleep too.¡±


    Liao Yan was taken aback.


    Lin Yue Heng quickly stuffed an orange slice into Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth to make him stop talking.


    When Liao¡¯s mother left, the three of them ran to the backyard to play.


    They placed the sour oranges next to the orange tree. Lin Yuxing cutely lectured the tree, ¡°Try it, but don¡¯t become as sour as them.¡±


    Liao Yan felt embarrassed, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know they were sour.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng bumped his arm, asking, ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡±


    ¡°nothing¡­. it¡¯s just¡­¡± Liao Yan bit his lip, ¡°I¡¯m shy when I talk. In kindergarten, the other kids always laugh at me.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng and Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t understand. In their eyes, what did it matter if someone felt shy while talking? Why would that be funny?


    But Liao Yan often felt very sad, so he never talked much.

 CH 86

    Lin Yuxing and Lin Yue Heng exchanged a glance, and Lin Yuxing handed over the bag of shrimp chips.


    Liao Yan¡¯s nose tingled, thinking that even Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t want anything to do with him and wanted to return the snacks to him.


    But then, Lin Yuxing said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, here, have a piece.¡± He paused and added, ¡°Just one piece.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng chimed in, ¡°Xingxing, those were his shrimp chips in the first place. Just give him the whole bag.¡±


    Lin Yuxing was shocked, ¡°but he gave them to me, they¡¯re mine!¡± He pointed to the plastic bag of snacks, counted them, and argued earnestly with his brother, ¡°I¡¯m eating from my own bag.¡±


    ¡°But all of this was bought by Auntie, it¡¯s Xiaoyan¡¯s stuff.¡±


    ¡°No, Xiaoyan gave them to me¡­¡±


    The two brothers started arguing, and Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t win the argument. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he clutched at Liao Yan¡¯s clothes, unwilling to let go. Liao Yan quickly intervened to calm things down. He placed the entire bag of snacks into Lin Yuxing¡¯s arms and gently patted his head. Though they were the same age, Liao Yan managed to console him in a mature manner, ¡°They¡¯re all for you.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng interjected, ¡°Don¡¯t spoil him! He¡¯s been guarding his food way too much lately.¡±


    Lin Yuxing burst into tears with a loud ¡°wah,¡± grabbing onto Liao Yan¡¯s clothes and refusing to let go. Tearfully, he gestured for Liao Yan to help him.


    Of course, Liao Yan would help him.


    But despite staying ¡°speechless,¡± Lin Yue Heng actually approved of Liao Yan taking care of his brother in this way.


    After soothing Lin Yuxing, Lin Yue Heng patted Liao Yan¡¯s shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear, ¡°You can come play even without snacks. We¡¯re friends, so you don¡¯t have to bring anything anytime you come.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng continued, ¡°And don¡¯t be sad. Don¡¯t worry about what others say; just be yourself. Alpha, Omega, boys, girls ¨C who decides what we have to be? Just do what you want and be happy.¡±


    They were only seven years old and couldn¡¯t articulate profound ideas.


    But that day, Liao Yan¡¯s ears tingled slightly. The summer breeze made him feel warm, and his heart raced.


    This was the first time he had made friends who truly understood him.


    Liao Yan tried to change the subject, asking, ¡°When you grow up, what¡¯s the one thing you want to do the most?¡±


    Lin Yue Heng gestured towards Lin Yuxing, ¡°Protect him.¡±


    Liao Yan was puzzled, ¡°Is that a dream too?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Lin Yue Heng pondered, seeming wise beyond his years. He pointed at his brother again, ¡°I want to do whatever I want, as long as I can take care of him.¡±


    Liao Yan sighed, ¡°You¡¯re really good to him.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng said without hesitation, ¡°Of course, he and I are the closest people in this world. We have to be together forever.¡± He reiterated, ¡°I have to protect him, no matter what.¡±


    Liao Yan nodded, not fully grasping the meaning. Being an only child, he couldn¡¯t empathize completely, but he felt a deep sense of envy.


    That welfare institution wasn¡¯t very big, and they had explored all the available places to play.


    Liao Yan had brought some pocket money from his parents and suggested they go out.


    Lin Yue Heng led them to a dog¡¯s hole, saying, ¡°The headmaster won¡¯t let us play outside these days. If we want to go out, we can only crawl through the dog¡¯s hole.¡±


    Saying that, he and Lin Yuxing had already crawled out, one after the other, showing their familiarity with the process.


    Lin Yuxing stuck his head out of the hole, cheerfully beckoning Liao Yan, ¡°Come on.¡±


    Liao Yan hesitated for a moment but then decisively followed.


    The welfare institution was located in a small town.


    The three of them dashed through the market, with Lin Yue Heng leading them through the bustling crowds. Liao Yan held Lin Yue Heng¡¯s hand, feeling satisfied, as though he had gained a brother of his own.


    As they passed a dumpling stall, Liao Yan bought three bowls.


    Passing by a candied hawthorn stall, he also bought three skewers.


    Approaching an ice cream stall, Lin Yue Heng stopped Liao Yan¡¯s hand from taking out money, ¡°Don¡¯t buy anymore. Don¡¯t waste money. It¡¯s too crowded here. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±


    Liao Yan looked towards a nearby pond and suggested they go there. This time, he walked faster, and the two brothers followed behind, holding their candied hawthorn skewers.


    After Lin Yuxing finished licking off the layer of crystallized sugar on his candied hawthorn, he wrinkled his nose and looked at Lin Yue Heng. In a muffled voice, he asked, ¡°Big brother, the hawthorn is too sour. Can I throw it away?¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Lin Yue Heng took the candied hawthorn from him and finished the ones Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t eaten.


    Liao Yan turned to Lin Yue Heng, ¡°Aren¡¯t you finding it sour?¡±


    Lin Yue Heng responded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a bit sour, but I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± He continued, ¡°¡­and wasting food is not good.¡±


    Though Lin Yue Heng was young, his upbringing had made him mature beyond his years.


    The day of parting was tomorrow.


    Liao Yan was feeling unusually reluctant to leave them. He didn¡¯t know when he would see them again or when this pair of twins might be adopted.


    They were just fleeting acquaintances of the summer.


    Liao Yan was mature in his thinking, pondering many things, but the brothers behind him chatted carefreely.


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Big brother, it would be great if we could eat candied hawthorn every day.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng: ¡°Your teeth will rot.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°No they won¡¯t¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Did we spend a lot of money today?¡±


    Lin Yue Heng: ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Lin Yuxing: ¡°Xiaoyan, thank you.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng also said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Liao Yan hesitated for a moment before walking ahead.


    What he wanted wasn¡¯t really their thanks. He simply liked being with them and wanted to share whatever he could with them.


    It wasn¡¯t charity or pity.


    Feeling lonely, Liao Yan walked along the edge of the pond, lost in his thoughts and feeling sad. He slipped accidentally and fell into the pond.


    The edge of the pond wasn¡¯t deep, with stone slabs at the bottom.


    But Liao Yan was easily frightened and had never played in the countryside like this before. He panicked, struggling desperately, fear overtaking everything.


    He swallowed water from the pond, struggling to breathe. His arms flailed against the water¡¯s surface, creating intense ripples.


    Without thinking, Lin Yue Heng took off his shoes and jumped into the pond to help Liao Yan out.


    ¡°You¡¯re panicking! The water¡¯s not even deep!¡±


    Lin Yue Heng stepped on a stone, and the water only reached his chest. But Liao Yan¡¯s movements nearly knocked him over into the water. Lin Yue Heng couldn¡¯t help but curse but also cared for this big guy who wasn¡¯t very helpful.


    Lin Yue Heng climbed out of the pond and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Liao Yan sat by the edge of the pond, still scared. He was crying profusely, his tears falling onto Lin Yue Heng¡¯s shoulder.


    Fortunately, his clothes were already wet; otherwise, Lin Yue Heng would probably have complained about Liao Yan¡¯s mess.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    Lin Yue Heng was at a loss for words.


    Even Lin Yuxing, who was prone to tears, was helpless but still tried to comfort Liao Yan, ¡°Just listen to what my brother says. Don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re not dead, you just drank some water. There are fish in the pond, so just think of it as fish soup.¡±


    The more he spoke, the more absurd his words became, and the sadder Liao Yan felt.


    Who would want to drink fish soup like this?


    That day, Lin Yue Heng carried Liao Yan on his back back to the welfare institution.


    Though Lin Yue Heng was shorter than Liao Yan, he was quite strong. He struggled along the way, as Liao Yan¡¯s tears soaked into his shoulder.


    Lin Yuheng looked at Lin Yuxing and said, ¡°You, don¡¯t talk anymore.¡±


    Lin Yuxing replied, ¡°Oh~¡±


    As expected, when the three of them returned to the welfare institute, Liao¡¯s parents and the head of the institute were already worried sick.


    Seeing the returning children, they hurriedly walked up.


    Liao Yan was taken off Lin Yuheng¡¯s back by his parents, who were anxiously waiting for him. Liao Yan, who had previously stopped crying, burst into tears again upon seeing his parents, overwhelmed with grievance.


    Because Liao¡¯s parents had made donations to the welfare institute, the head of the institute was the first to show concern for the sobbing Liao Yan.


    Lin Yuheng, who was tired and had shaky legs, stood alone to the side, unable to insert himself into the conversation, and no one paid him any attention. Only his younger brother, Lin Yuxing, quietly held his hand and gave it a squeeze.


    Lin Yuheng held his brother¡¯s hand in return.


    The two of them watched as Liao Yan was tightly embraced by his parents. They lowered their eyes, feeling the distance between them widening once again.


    Due to the fact that the journey back had been under the scorching sun, their clothes had long since dried. The adults assumed the children had sneaked out to play, fought, and caused this commotion. After soothing Liao Yan, they finally asked what had happened.


    Lin Yuxing chimed in, ¡°He fell into the pond, and my brother helped him and carried him back.¡±


    Liao¡¯s parents squatted down, thanking Lin Yuheng. Liao Yan also thanked Lin Yuheng.


    However, after Liao Yan was taken away by his parents, Lin Yuheng and Lin Yuxing were still punished. They weren¡¯t allowed to eat any of the pork ribs for dinner, only bean sprouts. And before everyone finished eating, they had to stand in an open area to reflect on their actions.


    Lin Yuxing kicked a pebble with his foot. ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Lin Yuheng asked, ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Lin Yuxing replied, ¡°Not hungry. It¡¯s just that I miss eating pork ribs, couldn¡¯t the headmistress give us pork ribs every day?¡±


    Lin Yuheng pursed his lips, finding his brother¡¯s ramblings a bit funny.


    Lin Yuxing continued chattering, ¡± Do you think Liao Yan is okay? Is he really scared?¡±


    Lin Yuheng reassured his brother, ¡°He has his mom and dad by his side. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought about it and agreed, continuing to kick the small stone with his foot. ¡°I hope he comes to play with us again tomorrow. What if he doesn¡¯t come?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Lin Yuxing wanted to ask more, but the headmistress came over and led the two of them to have dinner.


    On the table, there was only white rice and bean sprouts. The headmistress walked away.


    Lin Yuheng and Lin Yuxing looked at the food, then looked at each other. They then started eating their meals.


    The headmistress soon returned, holding her own lunchbox. She opened it, revealing a box of pork ribs. She placed the lunchbox in front of them and said sternly, ¡°This is an exception. Don¡¯t expect this in the future.¡±


    Lin Yuxing cheered, pulling Lin Yuheng¡¯s hand and shouting, ¡°Headmistress Mom, I love you!¡±


    On the third day, Liao Yan came again.


    But this time, he didn¡¯t stay for long. Because of the incident from yesterday, Liao¡¯s father changed their flight to leave early, planning to take him back sooner.


    That day, he came to bid farewell.


    He had bought a lot of snacks, stuffing Lin Yuheng¡¯s and Lin Yuxing¡¯s small cabinets in the dormitory full. Lin Yuxing stared in astonishment, his mouth wide open, he had never seen so many snacks in his life.


    Lin Yuheng, on the other hand, locked his cabinet meticulously, afraid that someone might steal the snacks.


    After all, this big bag of snacks was like a treasure in the welfare institute.


    Lin Yuxing looked at Liao Yan with admiration, his mouth couldn¡¯t stop complimenting him, ¡°Liao Yan, you¡¯re so good and you¡¯re kind. I like Alphas like you.¡±


    Liao Yan¡¯s young heart skipped a beat. He blushed and stammered, ¡°You, you like me?¡±


    Lin Yuxing vigorously nodded, holding Liao Yan¡¯s hand and swinging it back and forth, innocently saying, ¡°Like.¡±


    At that moment, Liao Yan found Lin Yuxing incredibly cute.


    Liao Yan¡¯s heart raced, even though he was reserved, his thoughts were more mature than those of his peers.


    But then, Lin Yuxing added, ¡°I also like Alphas who don¡¯t bully others, but no one is better than my brother. I like my brother the most.¡±


    Liao Yan suddenly felt a bit down, realizing that Lin Yuxing¡¯s liking didn¡¯t make him special¡­


    However, this feeling of disappointment didn¡¯t last long.


    Liao Yan turned to Lin Yuheng and took the initiative to stand in front of him, saying seriously, ¡°When we grow up, I want to help you protect Lin Yuxing. Is that okay?¡±


    Lin Yuheng looked at him in confusion, ¡°Huh?¡±


    Liao Yan continued, ¡°I might not have much to offer, but your wish is simple, and I think I can help you achieve it.¡±


    Lin Yuheng said casually, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need it?¡± Liao Yan raised his head, his usually pale eyes looking both beautiful and sad, ¡°I really want to repay you, but I don¡¯t know what I can do.¡±


    Lin Yuheng remained silent.


    Liao Yan rubbed his eyes and continued, ¡°You really don¡¯t need it?¡±


    Lin Yuheng rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, nonchalantly sitting at the edge of the bed.


    Liao Yan mustered up courage and sat beside him.


    Seeing this, Lin Yuxing quickly sat beside Liao Yan.


    The three of them sat side by side on the not-so-big bed.


    After a while, Liao Yan¡¯s eyes welled up, and he hugged Lin Yuheng tightly, saying, ¡°Thank you for saving me yesterday.¡±


    Lin Yuheng, embarrassed, patted his back. ¡°No need to thank me. The pond wasn¡¯t deep.¡±


    Liao Yan shook his head, seriously stating, ¡°My mom said I¡¯m not brave. Even if the water isn¡¯t deep¡­ I definitely wouldn¡¯t have been able to get out. You saved me, and she told me to thank you properly. I will definitely repay you in the future.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve bought so many delicious things, and your mom even got us new clothes¡­¡± Lin Yuheng awkwardly scratched the back of his head again and said, ¡°we should be the one thanking you.¡±


    Liao Yan felt that all the material things couldn¡¯t make up for the emotional comfort the twins brought him. Even if for a while he felt wanted and treasured by them, something he never felt from peers before.


    But often, children¡¯s words are like the wind, said and forgotten, heard and forgotten.


    This promise, Lin Yuheng and Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t remember. They experienced too much at the orphanage, passed by too many people. Perhaps, only the main characters that held more significance in their own lives were remembered.


    Liao Yan was just a friendly passerby.


    Even Liao Yan himself, as he matured over the long course of his life, constrained by various factors, never returned to the welfare institute. Initially, he often thought of them. However, as he grew older, his memories gradually faded.


    Childhood summers were like a fleeting dream.


    He could remember the taste of the wind, but he couldn¡¯t remember which scene in his countless dreams it came from.


    It wasn¡¯t until he turned 18, in his final moments of life, that he saw a beam of light in a distant lake.


    It was an imperfect soul, carrying light, sinking into the depths of the lake with loneliness.


    He saw memories from that soul¡¯s past.


    Fragile and dotted like stars. But at a certain moment, it silently sent out a call for help, refusing to let pain and suffering accumulate, reaching Liao Yan¡¯s consciousness.


    Liao Yan recognized the other soul.


    Without hesitation, he reached out his hand, embracing that equally broken soul tightly, fulfilling the promise between them.


    ¡°Lin Yuheng, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡ª-end¡ª-

 CH 87

    It was another December.


    Lin Yuxing had cut his hair into a neat short style and wrapped the scarf that Gu Zhongyi had given him last winter around his neck. At this moment, he sat in a taxi, watching the changing scenery outside the window. He had a slight smile on his lips as he held his phone, typing a message to Gu Zhongyi.


    Beside him were two large bags of groceries.


    Lin Yuxing: [I took your advice and called a taxi.]


    Unlike the previous year when he was tight on money, this time Lin Yuxing readily paid the 17 yuan taxi fare.


    After getting off the taxi, he shivered in the cold wind. He quickly put down what he was carrying and zipped up his coat.


    The security guard who patrolled the residential area had already become familiar with him. Seeing the heavy bags of groceries at his feet, the security guard kindly approached and asked if he needed help.


    Lin Yuxing waved his hand. ¡°No need, it¡¯s not heavy.¡±


    With that, he bent down, effortlessly picked up the groceries, and briskly walked toward the apartment building.


    The puzzled security guard touched the back of his head and praised, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it, you¡¯ve got some strength!¡±


    After getting into the apartment, a message notification appeared on his phone.


    Lin Yuxing unlocked the screen and saw Gu Zhongyi¡¯s message: [You¡¯re obedient.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Hamster-eating-sunflower-seeds emoji]


    Gu Zhongyi: [It¡¯s getting cold lately. Next time you want to buy something, wait for me to come back and we¡¯ll go together.]


    Lin Yuxing: [Sure. You¡¯re not working overtime today, right?]


    Gu Zhongyi: [did Gu Nuan tell you this?]


    He was helpless. His cousin Gu Nuan¡­ always sneakily chatting with Lin Yuxing during work hours, ruining the little surprises between him and Lin Yuxing.


    Gu Zhongyi said with a serious tone: [He¡¯s slacking off at work.]


    Lin Yuxing quickly said: [Don¡¯t let this slip in front of Uncle Tang, Gu Nuan actually takes his work seriously.]


    Gu Zhongyi: [¡­ I know.]


    Recently, under Gu Yuanchen¡¯s suggestion, as long as they didn¡¯t have classes, Gu Zhongyi would go to the company with Gu Nuan to learn and adapt ahead of time.


    Gu Zhongyi had previous work experience, so he could easily handle the work there. His outstanding performance impressed everyone in the company, which added immense pressure on Gu Nuan.


    However, Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t think that Gu Nuan was incapable because of it. After all, in the previous world, he and Gu Nuan joined the company around the same time, and their abilities were comparable.


    This time, he was indeed taking advantage of the situation.


    Gu Nuan, who didn¡¯t have the advantage of rebirth, was struggling. As a rookie entering the workplace, he worked diligently and put in effort. Whenever Gu Zhongyi finished work, Gu Nuan was still working overtime with tears in his eyes.


    But with Gu Zhongyi as a comparison, coupled with his determined personality, Gu Nuan was becoming more and more competitive.


    With just this point, Gu Yuanchen was very satisfied.


    Of course, Gu Nuan wasn¡¯t without complaints. He would often complain in the group chat to Lin Yuxing and Su Li. He would say how his father was cold and ruthless at work or how Gu Zhongyi never smiled while working.


    He kept going in circles and summed it up with one word: tough.


    The chat group¡¯s usual atmosphere would always be;


    Gu Nuan: [Is there anyone in the world as pitiful as me, a rich second-generation pitiful Omega?]


    Su Li: [+1]


    Lin Yuxing: [+2]


    Su Li: [+3]


    Su Li: [+4]


    Su Li: [+5]


    Lin Yuxing: [?]


    Gu Nuan: [Su Li, that¡¯s enough!]


    However, that day, Gu Nuan changed his usual sad tone and proudly messaged the group.


    Gu Nuan: [I¡¯m off work!, I actually left work before Zhongyi-ge. I¡¯m making progress!]


    Su Li: [Are you proud of that?]


    Gu Nuan: [Hmm!]


    Su Li: [Haha, you¡¯re so happy. Is Yuxing not busy tonight? Should we hang out?]


    Gu Nuan: [I finally have some free time, I¡¯m going out on a date with my Alpha.]


    Su Li: [Tch, can¡¯t rely on you anymore.]


    Gu Nuan: [Guess what, I brought a few boxes of snowflake wagyu today. I wanted to give them to you guys.]


    Su Li deleted the previous message.


    Su Li: [I can¡¯t live without you in this lifetime.]


    On the other side, Lin Yuxing, who hadn¡¯t been paying attention to his phone, tied on an apron and was busy in the kitchen.


    That night, he and Gu Zhongyi would finally manage to have dinner together. He didn¡¯t want to just make something hasty.


    And so, after receiving the message, Lin Yuxing began to work with the ingredients, using both large and small pots.


    The next day was the weekend, and he and Gu Zhongyi would have enough time to spend together. Thinking of this, he pursed his lips and walked lightly to the fridge, taking out two bottles of sauce.


    On the stove, the small fire was stewing beef, and the cold dishes on the side had already been mixed with the sauce.


    Lin Yuheng opened the sauce bottles, scooped two spoonfuls onto the plate of raw meat, mixed it evenly, and let it marinate in the fridge for an hour.


    When everything was ready, he finally had a moment to pick up his phone.


    At this moment, thirty minutes had already passed.


    Lin Yuxing hadn¡¯t had a chance to carefully read the chat history in the group when he received a call from Gu Nuan.


    Gu Nuan¡¯s voice was as cheerful as ever. ¡°Yuxing, are you at home?¡±


    Lin Yuxing untied his apron. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s up?¡±


    Gu Nuan said, ¡°I¡¯m at the entrance of your residential area. I brought something for you, come get it.¡±


    The call ended.


    Lin Yuxing glanced through the chat history and realized that Gu Nuan had come to deliver beef. He quickly changed his shoes and headed downstairs. Because of the cold weather, he wrapped a scarf around his neck.


    He pinched the soft scarf and caught a faint scent of bitter orange.


    He curled his lips.


    Ever since winter started, Lin Yuxing would often rush to the entrance when Gu Zhongyi was heading to work, quickly wrap his scarf around Gu Zhongyi¡¯s neck, just to infuse it with a bit of his pheromones.


    And the next day, that same scarf would definitely be around his own neck.


    This became a sweet little interaction between them.


    He remembered that the scarf wasn¡¯t expensive, costing only a few dozen yuan according to what Gu Zhongyi had said. But its quality was exceptional, comfortable, warm, and resistant to shredding.


    So, at Lin Yuxing¡¯s suggestion, Gu Zhongyi bought two more to keep at home for their mutual use.


    Lin Yuxing jogged to the entrance of the residential area.


    ¡°Gu Nuan!¡±


    Hearing the voice, Gu Nuan got out of the private car. The driver got out as well, opened the trunk, and helped Gu Nuan take out several large packages of premium Japanese wagyu beef, along with some food gift boxes that Lin Yuxing had never seen before.


    Lin Yuxing was surprised by the sight and felt a bit embarrassed to accept them. ¡°Why so many?¡±


    Gu Nuan, dressed in a suit with a scarf similar to Lin Yuxing¡¯s, smiled and said, ¡°A few days ago, my father went out for business and had some of the wagyu. Unexpectedly, today we received a lot delivered to our door, along with some other things. It¡¯s a waste to keep them at home, and since Su Li likes to eat, I¡¯m sharing them with you guys.¡±


    After hearing this explanation, Lin Yuxing finally reached out to take the gifts.


    Holding the heavy gift boxes, he thanked Gu Nuan. ¡°Thank you, we¡¯ll enjoy these with Senior.¡±


    Gu Nuan sounded a bit disdainful. ¡°Yuxing, why are you still calling him ¡®Senior¡¯?¡±


    Lin Yuxing just couldn¡¯t change his words. ¡°It¡¯s a habit.¡±


    Gu Nuan patted his shoulder and smiled, revealing an expression that didn¡¯t match his usual cool and handsome appearance. ¡°Try to change it before we graduate. I have faith in you.¡±


    After saying that, he suddenly grabbed Lin Yuxing¡¯s arm and pulled him to the side.


    The driver sensibly stepped back a step.


    Gu Nuan turned to look and the driver took another step back.


    Gu Nuan motioned for him to move further away.


    The driver, a middle-aged male Beta, who had been with the Gu family for many years, had seen Gu Nuan grow up. He was quite helpless. ¡°Young Master¡­ I won¡¯t report this to General Gu. You can rest assured.¡±


    Gu Nuan felt a bit relieved. He leaned in and whispered to Lin Yuxing, ¡°Do you know the ID789 from the forum?¡±


    ¡°Yes I do, What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s your die-hard fan and was really active on the forum.¡±


    ¡°Is this something Su Li told you?¡±


    Gu Nuan nodded. Who else could it be besides Su Li?


    Gu Nuan scratched his nose and asked for a favor, ¡°My Alpha sometimes comes to the school to secretly see me. He often gets accidentally photographed by classmates. Although they only post pictures of me and him from behind and gossip a bit on the forum, it¡¯s not a big deal. But recently, my father has been monitoring me quite closely¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing listened attentively.


    Gu Nuan looked a bit wronged as he continued, ¡°My father says this not only affects his career, but also myself. I was wondering how he found out about it. It turns out he had an assistant keeping an eye on the campus forum¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing quickly grasped the situation. ¡°Do you want me to help you delete the posts?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ideally the post should be deleted as soon as it¡¯s posted. Just like when someone on the forum said bad things about you, they got deleted quickly!¡± Gu Nuan said, ¡°I can pay you, the price is negotiable, monthly or yearly packages are all fine.¡±


    Lin Yuxing thought for a moment. This ID789 seemed to have a lot of free time.


    According to Su Li, any negative comments about Lin Yuxing on the forum would always be quickly deleted.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if ID789 would be willing to take on this task for Gu Nuan, but there was no harm in asking.


    Holding the gift boxes, Lin Yuxing agreed for now. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him.¡±


    Then, his gaze fell on Gu Nuan¡¯s scarf.


    Upon closer inspection, both of their scarves were the same design.


    Logically speaking, even if the clothing on Gu Nuan wasn¡¯t from a luxury brand, it wouldn¡¯t be something that cost just a few dozen yuan. Lin Yuxing blinked in confusion, which Gu Nuan noticed.


    ¡°Yuxing, our scarves are the same, what a coincidence!¡±


    The color and design were indeed identical.


    Gu Nuan happily exclaimed, ¡°My Alpha gave me this scarf a few days ago. Is this one from Zhongyi-ge? No wonder when he got to work today, he glanced at my scarf a couple of times!¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded.


    Then, he paused and stared at Gu Nuan¡¯s scarf around his neck for a moment. He might be a bit naive, but he wasn¡¯t naive enough to believe that Han Yang would give Gu Nuan a scarf that cost just a few dozen yuan.


    In his understanding, Han Yang would want to provide Gu Nuan with the best of the best that he could afford.


    Moreover, Han Yang was quite famous now and had a considerable amount of money¡­


    Lin Yuxing was taken aback. He couldn¡¯t hold back the question. ¡°Gu Nuan, do you know the price of this scarf?¡±

 CH 88

    Gu Nuan never paid attention to the price of gifts and couldn¡¯t immediately recall. However, he knew that Lin Yuxing was usually frugal and hated when others spent a lot on him so he guessed that he must have accepted the gift because the price was understated by Gu Zhongyi.


    In order to maintain a friendly relationship with Gu Zhongyi, Gu Nuan didn¡¯t want to dwell on this. He pretended it was getting late and planned to brush it off.


    Little did he know, Lin Yuxing was quite stubborn and wasn¡¯t going to let Gu Nuan off the hook so easily.


    ¡°Gu Nuan, I can¡¯t find the price of this brand online. Can you help me with that?¡±


    Seeing that Gu Nuan was still unwilling to share, Lin Yuxing¡¯s tone grew serious. He brought out his ultimate weapon, ¡°You¡¯ve been slacking off at work many times, and it was me who persuaded senior not to tell Uncle Tang about it. I won¡¯t cover for you next time.¡±


    Gu Nuan stopped in his tracks, took out his phone, and changed his tune, ¡°I enjoy helping others. Wait a moment, I¡¯ll ask my Alpha right now.¡±


    He immediately called Han Yang¡¯s number.


    On the other end, Han Yang had just finished an interview and was removing his makeup.


    Seeing the call, he hurriedly answered. His attitude towards his Omega was gentle, and he patiently listened to Gu Nuan¡¯s words, asking, ¡°Why do you suddenly want to know the price?¡±


    Gu Nuan thought for a moment and gave an explanation, ¡°Zhongyi ge has really good taste. He gave Lin Yuxing the same scarf¡­ So, Lin Yuxing wants to know the price.¡±


    Gu Nuan handed the phone to Lin Yuxing.


    To avoid awkwardness, Lin Yuxing put the phone on speaker.


    Han Yang, being ¡°helpful,¡± provided the prices.


    Unsuspecting, Lin Yuxing was shocked with every revelation.


    Although not a luxury brand, the price range of that brand was not low. It had gained some popularity within the industry. It was the preferred choice for many wealthy individuals who wanted a gift that wasn¡¯t too flashy yet not too casual.


    Needless to say, the person shocked was Lin Yuxing.


    He stammered, repeating in disbelief, ¡°Eight thousand?!¡±


    Eight thousand for a scarf?!


    Han Yang, ¡°Yeah, eight thousand.¡±


    Lin Yuxing couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He whispered, ¡°Could you be mistaken, Yang ge?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Realizing that Gu Zhongyi was willing to pay a high price to make him happy, Lin Yuxing decided to just ask the prices for the other items as well when Gu Zhongyi gets back.


    When Lin Yuxing got back into the apartment, he gently picked up the scarf from his neck and put it down and he asked himself, ¡°why would he spend so much on these?¡±


    Later when Gu Zhongyi came back to the apartment, he was shocked to find a furious Lin Yuxing waiting for him.


    After showing all the items on the table, Lin Yuxing locked eyes with Gu Zhongyi and questioned him, his anger evident.


    ¡°Gu Zhongyi, you lied to me!¡±


    Well, now he was using his full name and expressing his anger clearly.


    Furthermore, Lin Yuxing took advantage of his anger to pull out all the small items Gu Zhongyi had given him before ¨C hats, gloves, and more. He laid them all out on the coffee table and demanded that Gu Zhongyi confess.


    Gu Zhongyi knew he was in the wrong. In order to appease Lin Yuxing¡¯s anger, he could only confess honestly.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s anger was beyond containment at this point. He walked into the bedroom, took out two more scarves of the same kind, and placed them cautiously on the sofa. He then asked Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Yesterday, I accidentally put them in the washing machine with other clothes. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t get damaged. If they had, it would have been sixteen thousand.¡±


    Taking a deep breath, Lin Yuxing continued, ¡°I lost one in City D¡­¡± He recalled that incident and felt miserable and his frustration reached its peak.


    Gu Zhongyi, unable to find an excuse, could only answer honestly.


    Lin Yuxing touched his chest and pointed to the seemingly plain gloves, asking in shock, ¡°Three thousand?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi replied, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Picking up the unremarkable hat, Lin Yuxing paused before asking, ¡°Five thousand?¡±


    Gu Zhongyi confirmed, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing gently picked it up and put it down. He mentally told himself not to get angry and, then, entered the room with a thud, locking the door behind him.


    Standing outside, Gu Zhongyi kept apologizing and swearing he wouldn¡¯t lie about prices anymore. He also wondered how Lin Yuxing had discovered the truth.


    As he thought, he remembered the scarf Gu Nuan was wearing earlier in the day and glanced back at the table full of beef that Gu Nuan had brought.


    Gu Zhongyi sighed.


    He suddenly understood. He cursed internally, realizing that this little bunny known as Gu Nuan had¡­


    ¡­¡­..


    Meanwhile, Gu Nuan was enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with Han Yang when he sneezed. Feeling a sudden chill down his spine, he nervously asked, ¡°Brother, what should I do¡­ I feel like Zhongyi ge is scolding me.¡±


    Han Yang calmly cut a piece of steak, ¡°Next Monday, he will be working separately from you.¡±


    Gu Nuan responded with a puzzled ¡°Huh?¡±


    Han Yang placed the prepared steak on Gu Nuan¡¯s plate, ¡°I talked to Uncle Gu. You¡¯re only a sophomore now, and too much pressure isn¡¯t good for you. Uncle Gu agrees with me, so even though he doesn¡¯t want you to stop interning, he¡¯s considering temporarily separating you and Gu Zhongyi.¡±


    For Gu Nuan, this was undoubtedly good news.


    He was overjoyed and mumbled, ¡°I thought Father wanted to work me to death.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Gu has always spoiled you. You know that.¡± Han Yang looked at Gu Nuan with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Tell me about something else.¡±


    Gu Nuan nodded, ¡°okay~¡±


    On the other side, after Gu Zhongyi had been waiting outside the door for more than ten minutes, Lin Yuxing came out on his own.


    Lin Yuxing looked at him with a sense of grievance and stood in front of him.


    Gu Zhongyi stood still, unsure of what to say. He reached out a hand, holding Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand, hesitating for a moment before saying, ¡°Next time, I¡­ I won¡¯t lie to you again!¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, forgive me this once, okay?¡±


    Lin Yuxing lowered his head slightly.


    An awkward silence filled the air.


    Slowly, Lin Yuxing looked up and met Gu Zhongyi¡¯s gaze. In his eyes, it seemed that the anger from before was no longer present.


    Gu Zhongyi took a deep breath.


    However, Lin Yuxing suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve come to terms with it.¡±


    He didn¡¯t seem as angry anymore, and to be honest, how could he stay angry at Gu Zhongyi?


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips, feeling the warmth and slightly damp touch of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s palm. He realized that Gu Zhongyi was very nervous. He decided not to delay any longer and straightforwardly said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it. Your background and the environment you grew up in is different from mine. You¡¯ve been exposed to things of this price range since you were young. So, finding affordable and good-quality gifts is indeed a challenge for you. You don¡¯t understand, but deep down, I know you genuinely want to give me the best.¡±


    He continued, ¡°I can understand the gifts you¡¯ve given me, and I don¡¯t reject them. Moreover, back then, because of contracts, you did what you did, which is understandable and also considerate of me.¡±


    After coming to this realization, he admitted that he had pushed Gu Zhongyi too hard.


    This matter wasn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi¡¯s fault at all.


    In the ten-odd minutes he locked himself in the room, Lin Yuxing had gone through the whole story in his mind. In the end, it was just a leftover issue from the past, and it could be dealt with.


    There was no need to argue, and there was no need to hold grudges.


    Facing Lin Yuxing¡¯s understanding, Gu Zhongyi let out a shallow sigh of relief.


    ¡°Yuxing, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Is there really a need to say thank you?¡±


    Lin Yuxing had always been understanding and considerate, always looking out for Gu Zhongyi.


    This time was no different, and Lin Yuxing returned the grasp of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°But¡­ ¡± He took a half step closer, whispering, ¡°If you buy these things for me in the future, you must! You must tell me that they are expensive. Or maybe lower the price a bit?¡±


    Thinking of the scarf he had lost in D city, Lin Yuxing continued sadly, ¡°Otherwise, it¡¯s a waste if I use them.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Gu Zhongyi immediately replied, ¡°It¡¯s not a waste!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi raised his hand and caressed Lin Yuxing¡¯s face. Lin Yuxing instinctively tilted his head, pressing his cheek against Gu Zhongyi¡¯s palm, feeling a slight warmth.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°You can use them however you want, and it won¡¯t be a waste. Yuxing, our life will only get better. If you want me to be honest about the prices, I also hope you can gradually adapt to this kind of life and not feel burdened.¡±


    Because of a small mistake by Gu Nuan, they had exchanged their thoughts with each other.


    Living together would always involve friction and conflicts.


    Fortunately, both Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi cherished each other, and they easily smoothed over the conflict.


    Lin Yuxing liked Gu Zhongyi¡¯s words¡ªthey would get better and there would be no more despairing hardships.


    Now, they were both adjusting to each other¡¯s lives.


    Love requires not only affection but also adjustment and change.


    Lin Yuxing took the initiative to hug Gu Zhongyi, saying, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He had promised before that he would treat Gu Zhongyi very well.


    They continued to enjoy a sweet dinner.


    With the problem resolved, they sat on the couch after dinner, cuddling together to watch a movie.


    Lin Yuxing had a lot to say, having saved it up for a week. He chatted on and on, while Gu Zhongyi listened attentively.


    Around ten o¡¯clock, Lin Yuxing started feeling drowsy and leaned against Gu Zhongyi, dozing off.


    Friday nights could sometimes be this exhausting. Fortunately, they could sleep in as long as they wanted tomorrow. Lin Yuxing had originally planned to chat with Gu Zhongyi all night, but it seemed impossible now.


    suggested by Gu Zhongyi, Lin Yuxing took a shower and then lay down on the bed.


    Gu Zhongyi kissed his forehead and said warmly, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. You go ahead and sleep.¡±


    Lin Yuxing naturally reached out and embraced his neck, giving him another kiss. ¡°Okay ,don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    Lin Yuxing let go, hugged the blanket, and curled up. Later, he would roll into Gu Zhongyi¡¯s arms like this.


    In a half-dreamy state, Lin Yuxing vaguely remembered that there was something he hadn¡¯t done yet.


    He sat up suddenly, struggling to reach for his phone. He had almost forgotten to help Gu Nuan with the matter of deleting a post!


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s drowsiness vanished instantly. Yawning, he messaged ID789: [Long time no talk, are you busy lately?]


    On the bedside table, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone screen lit up, but it didn¡¯t vibrate.


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t think much of it, organizing his thoughts in his mind. After about two minutes, he composed the situation involving Gu Nuan into text and sent it over.


    At this moment, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone screen lit up again.


    Lin Yuxing felt a bit puzzled.


    Since ID789 didn¡¯t reply to him, he specifically checked the time.


    He messaged again: [It¡¯s quite late today. Sorry for bothering you. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow!]


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone screen lit up once more.


    Third time¡¯s the charm.


    Lin Yuxing looked at the phone on the bedside table, which had now dimmed again. Then, he glanced at the ID789 chat on his own screen with no response.


    He came up with an unrealistic guess.


    You see¡­ in the past, whenever he messaged ID789, they would reply almost instantly.


    With a hesitant mindset, he was in a dilemma, thinking and rethinking. Finally, he reached out for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s phone.


    He thought, let¡¯s take a look¡­


    It shouldn¡¯t hurt to look once.


    He also thought, Gu Zhongyi surely couldn¡¯t be ID789, right?


    However, that night.


    As soon as Gu Zhongyi emerged from the bathroom, he was hit by a pillow and a blanket thrown by Lin Yuxing.


    A ¡°bang.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi found himself locked out of the room once again.


    Holding the pillow and the blanket, Gu Zhongyi was confused, or rather, surprised, ¡°Yuxing?!¡±


    The door was opened from the inside, and then Lin Yuxing threw his phone out.


    Gu Zhongyi quickly caught it.


    He only heard Lin Yuxing¡¯s cold voice saying, ¡°Go sleep on the couch, you deceitful bun!¡±


    Lin Yuxing mercilessly closed the door.


    At that moment, all the promises Lin Yuxing had made were instantly forgotten.


    Poor Gu Zhongyi was utterly confused until he turned on the phone screen and saw the three messages Lin Yuxing had sent to ID789.


    Anger surged within him, and he silently cursed, ¡°Gu Nuan, you little rascal¡­¡±


    Gu Nuan: Huh? Why do I keep sneezing tonight? Am I catching a cold?


    P.S. About an hour after Gu Zhongyi had started sleeping on the couch, Lin Yuxing softened and opened the door again, giving the sneaky bun ID789 a chance to ¡°turn over a new leaf¡±!


    ¡ªEnd¡ª

 CH 89

    When Lin Yuxing turned 25, he made a solemn decision.


    He wanted to spend his life with Gu Zhongyi.


    After the final treatment to repair the scars from his glands, they came together to the research institute to meet with Ji Mu.


    Ji Mu personally examined Lin Yuxing¡¯s glands and carefully reviewed all of his medical reports from all the hospitals he¡¯s been to. Finally, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Ji Mu¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°While your glandular skin can¡¯t be completely restored to its original state, now, even without gland patches, there won¡¯t be much visual impact.¡±


    Ji Mu couldn¡¯t help but be more concerned about the scar on Lin Yuxing¡¯s back. ¡°What about the scar on your back?¡±


    Lin Yuxing contentedly answered, ¡°Just like the skin on my glands, it can¡¯t fully recover. But I¡¯m satisfied with how it is now.¡±


    In between their conversation, Lin Yuxing¡¯s hand was held by Gu Zhongyi¡¯s, their fingers interlocking and tightening quietly.


    Both of their ring fingers bore a ring.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s lips curved as he smiled at Gu Zhongyi.


    Then, as if receiving Lin Yuxing¡¯s silent consent, Gu Zhongyi took out an invitation card from the inner pocket of his suit and placed it on Ji Mu¡¯s desk.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s smile couldn¡¯t be contained as he spoke, his eyes shimmering with excitement.


    ¡°Uncle Ji, we¡¯ve decided to get married.¡±


    Ji Mu nearly choked on his tea in surprise. ¡°So soon? I heard from Yuanchen that you just moved into a new house last month, and now you¡¯re getting married?¡±


    Seeing Ji Mu¡¯s reaction, Lin Yuxing blushed behind his ears and explained, ¡°Uncle Ji, do you remember what you told me years ago about how the mark would stabilize my glands?¡±


    ¡°I did mention it.¡± Ji Mu picked up the invitation card and reminisced, ¡°Your compatibility is high, so the mark is definitely a good thing for you.¡±


    Lin Yuxing nodded, his gaze shifting to Gu Zhongyi again, his tone full of happiness.


    He had also changed the way he addressed Gu Zhongyi, no longer using ¡°senior¡± as he did before.


    Lin Yuxing said, ¡°The scars on my glands used to look bothersome, and even if Zhongyi didn¡¯t mind, I always did. But now, I can accept being marked.¡±


    Just like the scars in his memory, they were also healed by time and embraced by boundless love.


    Lin Yuxing spoke firmly, ¡°I want to marry Zhongyi, make him my true Alpha, and spend the rest of my life with him.¡±


    For young people, these words might be considered old-fashioned. But Lin Yuxing always felt that he couldn¡¯t keep up with the trends of his peers, and for someone like Gu Zhongyi, who had lived a second life, these words were just right.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s eyes were full of tenderness.


    After a while, Ji Mu opened the invitation card and examined it for a moment, then sincerely blessed them, ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    But as a professional, Ji Mu not only gave his blessings but also had some advice for them.


    ¡°Considering Lin Yuxing¡¯s glands have become somewhat sensitive due to repeated skin repairs, I won¡¯t say much about other matters, as I¡¯m sure the doctors have already covered that. I¡¯ll just mention one thing: after being marked, Lin Yuxing will very likely exhibit nesting behavior. Zhongyi, be mentally prepared to deal with it.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi thought it was leading to something negative, and his heart raced. Lin Yuxing, who was sitting beside him, grew tense too, quietly waiting for Ji Mu to continue.


    However, Ji Mu¡¯s words instantly reddened Lin Yuxing¡¯s face.


    ¡°Lin Yuxing is very likely to exhibit nesting behavior.¡±


    ¡°Ne¡­ Nesting?¡± Lin Yuxing was surprised. He had read about this in a book. It was a rare event, but if it happened, it would probably be quite embarrassing.


    He became a bit uneasy, silently praying that he wouldn¡¯t develop in that strange direction, and he definitely shouldn¡¯t nest¡­


    Ji Mu noticed Lin Yuxing¡¯s expression and knew he understood.


    ¡°Nesting is actually a normal phenomenon. You don¡¯t have to feel pressured or embarrassed. After all¡­ when Omega nests, it¡¯s basically seeking Alpha pheromones in a state of unconsciousness, it¡¯s ¡®reasonable.''¡±


    At most, it¡¯s a bit awkward for a while.


    Fortunately, the various embarrassing behaviors during nesting were limited to providing pleasure for their Alpha. In simpler terms, it could even improve their relationship.


    After comforting Lin Yuxing for a while, Ji Mu instructed him to get his gland stability tested once more. This time, Ji Mu didn¡¯t personally accompany him; instead, an assistant came and took him to the examination room.


    In the office, only Ji Mu and Gu Zhongyi were left.


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°Uncle Ji, please go ahead if you have something to say.¡±


    Ji Mu tapped his fingertips on the table and began, ¡°After being marked, it¡¯s best for you to take a week off and stay close to him, releasing calming pheromones.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°Also, looking at Lin Yuxing¡¯s gland values, there shouldn¡¯t be any surprises. He¡¯ll most likely exhibit nesting behavior.¡± Ji Mu¡¯s main point was yet to come, and he suddenly added, ¡°So, make sure to buy more underwear in days to come.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi thought he had misheard.


    Ji Mu repeated, ¡°Buy more underwear and try to wear it all.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi fell silent for a moment. In front of an elder, he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Slowly, in an incredulous tone, Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°For nesting, do I¡­ need my¡­ underwear? Isn¡¯t nesting supposed to involve me? Shouldn¡¯t I be involved?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps?¡± Ji Mu couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow, pondering, ¡°It depends on what situation Lin Yuxing falls into. You should prepare just in case.¡±


    With a sigh, Ji Mu added, saying something that was particularly meaningless for Gu Zhongyi.


    ¡°By the way, Zhongyi. If you find it hard to deal with Lin Yuxing¡¯s nesting, you can ask Han Yang. He has experience.¡± Ji Mu essentially sold Gu Nuan out, exposing him mercilessly, ¡°When little Nuan was nesting¡­ it was quite hectic, but Han Yang handled it well.¡±


    In Ji Mu¡¯s impression, Han Yang had always been a role model for other Alphas to learn from.


    However, the expression on Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face darkened, but then he returned to his usual demeanor and politely declined, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Ji, I can handle it myself.¡±


    As the day of marking drew near¡­


    Gu Zhongyi and Lin Yuxing had both properly arranged their work and then submitted their requests for a week-long leave to their respective supervisors.


    Reason for leave: Unable to work normally due to partner¡¯s marking period.


    In C country, this was considered a legitimate reason for taking a leave.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s supervisor quickly approved his leave.


    As for Gu Zhongyi¡¯s supervisor, it was Gu Nuan.


    Gu Nuan, now exuding the demeanor of a little CEO, tapped his chin thoughtfully, ¡°A week might not be enough, I¡¯ll give you two weeks off.¡± He had a somewhat CEO-like aura, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll also remind Yuxing, you both will have paid leave!¡±


    When there were no outsiders present, Gu Nuan was especially lively. He had an understanding tone, ¡°If two weeks aren¡¯t enough, just take the whole month off!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°?¡±


    Gu Nuan grinned, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi sighed, saying, ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehe~¡±


    At this moment, there was a light knock on the office door.


    Gu Nuan¡¯s secretary walked in, holding a stack of documents. The secretary greeted Gu Zhongyi respectfully upon seeing him.


    Gu Zhongyi nodded slightly, then turned to look at Gu Nuan. The cheerful expression on that little rascal¡¯s face had disappeared completely, replaced by the calm and composed demeanor that suited Gu Nuan as the CEO, along with a hint of seriousness.


    Gu Nuan raised his eyes slightly and pretentiously adjusted his tie. He spoke in a cold tone, ¡°I¡¯ve approved your vacation, have a pleasant time off.¡±


    With that, he took the stack of documents from his secretary¡¯s hands and began to read them carefully.


    Gu Zhongyi: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡­¡­.


    However, when everything was ready¡­


    Lin Yuxing didn¡¯t follow the expected pattern.


    During the two days after being marked, Lin Yuxing¡¯s behavior was no different from his usual self. Apart from enjoying sticking close to Gu Zhongyi and seeking comfort through his pheromones, he behaved normally in all aspects.


    For this reason, Lin Yuxing believed he had a natural talent, even calling Lin Yuheng to tell him about it.


    Lin Yuheng, who was currently making pineapple pastries with Liao Yan¡¯s mother, picked up the phone and walked into a room, closing the door. As he listened, he remembered his own marking experience and shuddered involuntarily.


    Lin Yuheng genuinely admired his little brother, praising him, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just naturally good at this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so fortunate that I don¡¯t have to nest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never experienced nesting, but it¡¯s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.¡± Lin Yuxing chuckled mischievously.


    Lin Yuheng suddenly asked, ¡°Wait, wouldn¡¯t Gu Zhongyi be disappointed?¡±


    In theory, Omegas marked by Alphas were usually very clingy to their Alpha partners during that time.


    After all, many Alphas wait their whole lives for those few days.


    However, Lin Yuxing had dashed Gu Zhongyi¡¯s expectations as an Alpha in an instant.


    Of course, Gu Zhongyi might not have been that expectant anyway.


    For him, Lin Yuxing¡¯s happiness equated to his own peace of mind. Moreover, they were always very sweet to each other, so a few days wouldn¡¯t make a significant difference.


    So, on the third day, when Gu Zhongyi received a work-related call from his subordinate, Lin Yuxing generously allowed him to go to the company.


    Gu Zhongyi was still worried and intended to handle the matter remotely.


    Lin Yuxing was sitting on the sofa, holding half of a honeydew melon and eating with a spoon. He was engrossed in a TV drama as he spoke, ¡°I really don¡¯t have anything to do. The comfort pheromones you left behind are enough to keep me content all afternoon. Zhongyi, go ahead, try to come back as soon as possible.¡±


    In Lin Yuxing¡¯s eyes, work was very important, even more important than anything else.


    They were both outstanding employees at the Gu Corporation.


    Gu Zhongyi listened to his words, hesitated for a while, and then felt slightly reassured, he quickly changed his clothes and left.


    As a result, two hours later, when Gu Zhongyi returned home¡­


    The living room was empty, and the bedroom¡¯s wardrobe had been ravaged, looking as if a thief had passed through. Upon closer inspection, all his personal clothes, including a large amount of underwear that he had prepared in advance, were nowhere to be found.


    Even his Omega¡­ was missing.


    Gu Zhongyi panicked, regretting leaving the house. He immediately began searching, combing through every room in the three-bedroom apartment, even checking the bathroom, kitchen, and storage room.


    ¡°Yuxing?!¡±


    ¡°Yuxing¡ª¡±


    Just as Gu Zhongyi was becoming increasingly anxious, a faint sound came from an empty closet in the bedroom.


    Gu Zhongyi quickly opened it.


    An overwhelming citrus scent, characteristic of Lin Yuxing¡¯s pheromones, rushed out.


    Sweet to the point of being overwhelming.


    For a moment, Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t react, finally managing to calm himself down.


    Inside, Lin Yuxing had used his underwear and clothes to construct a sturdy nest. With a slightly red face, he was panting softly, curled up into a ball with misty eyes.


    The moment he saw Gu Zhongyi, Lin Yuxing seemed not to recognize him. He hastily closed the closet door as if avoiding something.


    Gu Zhongyi opened it again, and Lin Yuxing burst into tears.


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice was tinged with a crying tone, pitifully asking, ¡°Are you going to take them away?¡±

 CH 90

    Gu Zhongyi was taken aback and remained speechless.


    Seizing the moment of his silence, Lin Yuxing swiftly closed the closet door.


    This time, Lin Yuxing was being clever. He used his strength to pull the inside of the door, preventing Gu Zhongyi from moving it even a bit.


    If it were any other Omega, they probably wouldn¡¯t have had the strength in such a critical moment. But he was different. He was Lin Yuxing, a powerful Omega capable of effortlessly handling various tasks.


    At the same time, Lin Yuxing let out a somewhat puzzled sigh.


    He buried his face in a pile of underwear filled with the scent of bitter orange pheromones, rubbing against them contentedly, completely disregarding the anxious Gu Zhongyi outside the closet.


    Gu Zhongyi knocked on the closet door. No response.


    Gu Zhongyi tried pulling it open, but Lin Yuxing inside whimpered as if in pain.


    Gu Zhongyi quickly stopped, afraid of hurting Lin Yuxing, not daring to use force again. He tried to calmly persuade the unusual Lin Yuxing, saying gently, ¡°Yuxing, I won¡¯t take them away. Just open the door.¡±


    No response from inside.


    Gu Zhongyi worried that Lin Yuxing might be feeling suffocated in there, so he assured once more, ¡°I really won¡¯t take them.¡±


    ¡°Yuxing, don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    After repeatedly emphasizing, an annoyed tone finally came from inside, a bit irritable, ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    Four simple words, straightforwardly blocking all the kind words Gu Zhongyi had in his heart.


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t believe it. Just two hours ago, Lin Yuxing had been fine, but now he acted as if he didn¡¯t recognize him.


    After much hesitation, Gu Zhongyi cautiously asked, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    Inside the closet, the Omega remained silent.


    Gu Zhongyi persisted, ¡°Lin Yuxing, do you know who I am?¡±


    Upon hearing his full name, Lin Yuxing inside the closet exhibited a slight reaction. He hesitated, biting his lip for a long while. However, his mind was blank, unable to think clearly.


    Currently, his mind told him that there was only one thing he could do¡ªgather all the things filled with the bitter orange pheromones to build a nest.


    But what to do after nesting, his brain hadn¡¯t given him any instructions yet.


    All because¡­ this nest he built wasn¡¯t perfect, and the pheromone scent was far from strong enough.


    Lin Yuxing looked at the clothes he had gathered. Using his Omega¡¯s acute intuition, he judged that underwear was the best material for nesting. However, he had already searched the entire house, and all the underwear was here with him.


    He was in distress, almost on the brink of tears from frustration.


    Outside, there was someone constantly talking to him, annoying him to the point of anger.


    His nose felt a tingle, and he opened the closet door, tears welling up in his reddened eyes. He wore an expression that made anyone who saw him want to pity him. Gu Zhongyi felt his heart ache for him.


    Gu Zhongyi half-knelt down, wanting to wipe away his tears, wanting to hold him in his arms to console him.


    Lin Yuxing turned his head away, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know you, leave me alone.¡± Even after saying this harshly, he continued, his voice sounding fierce, ¡°Stop bothering me!¡±


    With that, the closet door closed again with a heavy ¡°swish.¡±


    A soft ¡°clatter¡± followed.


    One of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s strings seemed to snap.


    He had lived two lifetimes, but this was the first time he heard such heartless words from Lin Yuxing¡¯s mouth.


    I don¡¯t trust you, I don¡¯t know you, don¡¯t bother me!


    Gu Zhongyi wiped his face. He had never imagined that nesting would lead to this kind of scenario.


    He thought Omega nesting simply involved using some Alpha¡¯s personal belongings or needing more comfort pheromones than usual.


    He never knew that nesting could cause someone to lose their memory?! Or even¡­ drastically change their personality?


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mind was in turmoil.


    He tried his best to calm down, to endure.


    After a while, Gu Zhongyi sat down beside the closet. He coaxed and pleaded, saying everything he could think of. But Lin Yuxing inside still ignored him, even pounding on the closet¡¯s interior a couple of times in a display of resistance, perhaps in an attempt to get him to be quiet.


    Seeing this, Gu Zhongyi sighed sadly, ¡°Yuxing, are you really ignoring me? The pheromones you want, I have plenty of them on me. I can give them all to you¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, Lin Yuxing opened a crack in the closet door and threw out one of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s suit ties, his expression wary and skeptical as he eyed Gu Zhongyi. Then, he closed the door again.


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s mood felt like it had been pierced by an arrow. All his efforts in speaking were met with just one of his own ties.


    With no other options, Gu Zhongyi turned to the internet for help.


    He searched: [What behaviors do Omegas exhibit during nesting? How should one respond?]


    Answers from similar questions:


    Internet user: [Every Omega¡¯s reaction during nesting is different, so the behaviors they exhibit and the changes in their personalities can vary.]


    Gu Zhongyi changed the question.


    He searched: [Why do Omegas hide in closets during nesting?]


    Answers from similar questions:


    Internet user: [During nesting, Omegas prefer small, enclosed spaces to preserve the pheromones on their nesting materials. Closets are the best choice. But if the house is small enough, the Omega might not choose the closet.]


    Gu Zhongyi¡¯s face darkened. It seemed like changing houses wasn¡¯t the best idea.


    After understanding, Gu Zhongyi asked another question: [After my Omega nests, it seems like he doesn¡¯t recognize me anymore. How should I handle this?]


    Answers from similar questions:


    Internet user 1: [What a useless Alpha.]


    Internet user 2: [If you can¡¯t even handle this, are you sure your Omega likes you?]


    Gu Zhongyi couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Of course, Lin Yuxing likes me.¡±


    Inside the closet, Lin Yuxing¡¯s voice came out muffled, ¡°I don¡¯t like you!¡±


    Gu Zhongyi felt like he had been struck by an arrow. He continued scrolling through the internet for answers.


    Internet user 3: [During nesting, Omegas may temporarily not recognize their Alpha. But this stage is crucial. Once you pacify them, everything will be sweet. If you can¡¯t¡­ Haha, well, I don¡¯t know what to say then.]


    Internet user 4: [Isn¡¯t this simple?]


    Internet user 5: [I remember it took me less than ten minutes to get someone into my arms.]


    Gu Zhongyi closed the pages, realizing they were of no help.


    He paced back and forth, watching time pass second by second, trying a different approach.


    He didn¡¯t want to force Lin Yuxing out.


    If Lin Yuxing preferred it, he could spend the night in the closet.


    So, he crouched by the closet, asking in a warm voice, ¡°Yuxing, you¡¯ve been in there for a while. Are you thirsty? Do you want something to drink?¡±


    With no response, Gu Zhongyi decided to take practical action.


    He squeezed a few cups of different juices and placed them outside the closet one by one. As for himself, he was a walking pheromone emitter.


    Gu Zhongyi tapped on the closet door and said, ¡°Yuxing, I brought you some juice.¡±


    Lin Yuxing slowly opened a small gap, detecting the sweet scent of fruit.


    After tossing and turning all afternoon, Lin Yuxing was indeed feeling a bit thirsty.


    Seeing that Lin Yuxing only extended one hand, took a glass of juice into the closet, drank it, and then handed the cup out. Finally, he politely said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi didn¡¯t dwell on whether Lin Yuxing recognized him or not. He began wholeheartedly providing food and drinks, occasionally striking up a conversation with Lin Yuxing, asking if the nesting materials were enough.


    Under his ¡°new friend¡± negotiation, Lin Yuxing¡¯s guard gradually relaxed. Eventually, he opened the closet door and felt the even stronger scent of pheromones outside the closet.


    Lin Yuxing cautiously sat up, hugging his knees.


    He felt a bit uneasy, picking up a few pairs of underwear and squeezing them in his hand, speaking softly, ¡°Not enough, I¡­ I want more.¡± He glanced at the underwear in his hand, his mind hazy, ¡°Having these will be enough, I want to finish it quickly.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi asked deliberately, ¡°So, are these all your things?¡±


    Lin Yuxing pursed his lips, ¡°My Alpha¡¯s.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi smiled and asked, ¡°Who is your Alpha?¡±


    Lin Yuxing froze for a moment, suddenly caught off guard by this question.


    Seizing the moment Lin Yuxing was lost in thought, Gu Zhongyi leaned over at the right time, reaching out and caressing Lin Yuxing¡¯s face. Before Lin Yuxing could react, Gu Zhongyi kissed him, parting Lin Yuxing¡¯s slightly closed lips without hesitation. Their lips and teeth intertwined, carrying a scent of pheromones stronger than anything else.


    Lin Yuxing was kissed into a daze, and after a few moments, Gu Zhongyi carried him out of the closet effortlessly.


    Leaving the carefully constructed space, Lin Yuxing was startled, huddling against Gu Zhongyi and pleading, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be without them.¡±


    ¡°But you have me. I will give you something even better.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi held him tightly, using his potent pheromones to fill every missing piece within Lin Yuxing.


    Lin Yuxing, without realizing it, had been intoxicated by the pleasure Gu Zhongyi¡¯s pheromones brought him. He became enamored with Gu Zhongyi¡¯s caresses, occasionally acting cute in his arms, asking for a kiss or something more intimate.


    Lin Yuxing was no longer his usual self.


    Yet, no matter when, he always had to tightly clasp a pair of Gu Zhongyi¡¯s underwear. Even more astonishing, the one he held was the one Gu Zhongyi had just taken off.


    Lin Yuxing found this one the most fragrant and loved it the most.


    He held it tightly to his chest, while he himself was held by Gu Zhongyi.


    Naturally, the things in the closet were moved onto the bed under the assault of Lin Yuxing¡¯s tears, creating a chaotic mess resembling a pile of discarded clothing.


    But Lin Yuxing was immensely satisfied. He felt that his Alpha loved him very much.


    ¡°Zhongyi ge, I won¡¯t let you go outside.¡± Lin Yuxing, like an unreasonable child, spoke words he had never said before, ¡°I won¡¯t let you leave my side.¡±


    Little did he know that what Ji Mu said was true. After being marked, an Alpha¡¯s companionship was incredibly important to an Omega.


    The moment he left for a brief moment, his Omega would become unsettled.


    Soon after, an unexpected heat period came.


    Lin Yuxing, feeling full of affection, opened his eyes and covered himself tightly with the blanket. No matter what Gu Zhongyi said, he refused to come out.


    Gu Zhongyi thought he hadn¡¯t fully recovered yet, so he coaxed him like fishing, holding a pair of underwear and saying, ¡°Yuxing, do you know what this is? This is your favorite underwear, Yuxing?¡±


    Lin Yuxing¡¯s internal anger flared up: Who said it¡¯s my favorite?!


    Lin Yuxing felt ashamed and wanted to bury himself right there.


    There were many ways for an Omega to nest, and he happened to have the most ridiculous one.


    An Omega stealing underwear, who wouldn¡¯t find that funny? Was there anyone else in the world as comical as him?


    Lin Yuxing flipped the blanket open, took the underwear, and tossed it aside. Tears streamed down his face, and he wished he could just live on another planet.


    Gu Zhongyi finally realized that his Omega had fully recovered.


    Gu Zhongyi looked at the distressed Lin Yuxing, feeling both regretful for the swiftly passing time and heartbroken, he embraced him, ¡°I¡¯ll throw them away later.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sniffled, unusually unreserved this time. He resolved, ¡°Burn them all.¡±


    Lin Yuxing sobbed, ¡°I hate nesting, I really hate it¡­ Stealing underwear is too stupid, I¡¯m so embarrassed, there¡¯s no one else in the world as embarrassing as me. I¡¯m the only Omega who steals underwear, right? Only me¡­ Sob, only me¡­¡±


    Gu Zhongyi patted his back, not knowing how to comfort him, so he indirectly blamed Gu Nuan.


    ¡°And Gu Nuan¡­¡­.¡±


    While Gu Nuan was in the office, looking at documents, he sneezed three times in a row.


    Gu Nuan rubbed his nose, ¡°Huh? Am I getting a cold again?¡±

 CH 91

    Author¡¯s Note before the Extra:


    Before reading this chapter, you can go and catch up on Chapters 72 to 73 of the main story and Chapters 99 to 108 of the extras in ¡°Strawberry Bo Bo Jiu.¡± Their content mainly focuses on Su Li and Liang Xie, so I won¡¯t repeat describing that part of the plot here.


    But you can still read this chapter without doing so! It won¡¯t affect the understanding of this extra story!


    April, flowers bloomed in full.


    A cheap second-hand car slowly stopped in front of a villa area.


    The driver¡¯s window was rolled down, and Su Li poked out half of his head, politely telling the gatekeeper, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m a friend of the resident in Building 8. My last name is Su.¡±


    The gatekeeper lowered his head to check that day¡¯s visitor registration for Building 8 and confirmed Su Li¡¯s license plate. He then said, ¡°Mr. Su, please this way.¡±


    The gatekeeper pressed a button beside him, and the entrance gate of the community opened.


    Under the clear sky, the flowers in the community were blooming, filling the air with fragrance.


    Su Li carefully stared at both sides, following the house numbers of one villa after another.


    ¡°Building 8, Building 8¡­¡± he muttered under his breath and then his eyebrows lifted in delight. He said to the Alpha in the passenger seat, ¡°Liang Xie, we¡¯re here!¡±


    In front of them, there was a sign labeled ¡°8¡± on the left side of a villa¡¯s gate.


    Faintly, there was the sound of cheerful laughter coming from inside the villa, which sounded like Yang Qing¡¯s voice.


    Su Li smirked and commented, ¡°Yang Senior really has a loud voice. You can hear him from miles away.¡± He slowly drove the car in and parked it securely in a parking space on the side of the yard.


    In an instant, the modest little car contrasted sharply with the luxury cars on both sides.


    However, Su Li didn¡¯t mind at all.


    He really liked the second-hand car he had saved up to buy. It was very convenient for him.


    Suddenly, a petal floated onto the windshield.


    Su Li gazed at the beautiful appearance of the villa and sighed, ¡°Yuxing¡¯s new home is really big. How much do you think it costs?¡±


    Beside him, Liang Xie calmly said out a number that made Su Li gulp down saliva in shock.


    ¡°Scary.¡±


    Liang Xie lifted his head at the sound and nodded, ¡°The property prices in this area are all quite frightening.¡± Liang Xie¡¯s handsome face looked good, and his mood was good too. ¡°But if you like, we could move to this community in the future.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that! Yuxing just moved into a new house. I¡¯ll definitely have to compliment him when we get inside. It¡¯s just basic courtesy.¡± Su Li hastily denied, saying with particular contentment, ¡°The villa is too big. I think an ordinary house will be okay for us.¡±


    Saying this, he quickly undid his seatbelt and got out of the car.


    ¡°Wait for me to help you.¡±


    Su Li quickened his pace, went around the front of the car, and habitually helped open the passenger door. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Liang Xie held a foldable crutch and got out of the car slowly and cautiously. His feet landed on the ground with considerable effort.


    ¡°Liang Xie, take it slow.¡±


    Su Li carefully supported Liang Xie until he steadied himself, and then he loosened his grip a bit.


    Soon after, Liang Xie unfolded the crutch and smiled, ¡°I can walk on my own.¡±


    Su Li smiled too, his small tiger teeth were very charming.


    ¡°Okay! The doctor said that walking more is beneficial for your recovery!¡±


    Although he said this, Su Li stayed by Liang Xie¡¯s side, practically glued to him. Every now and then, his hand would reach out to support Liang Xie, afraid that he might fall.


    Su Li chattered on and on, ¡°Today is the first time you¡¯ll be meeting my friends. They¡¯re all very nice people. When you were abroad before, Yuxing and Gu Nuan were always concerned about how your treatment was progressing.¡±


    Liang Xie knew all this, ¡°The people around you are all very kind.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Su Li pursed his lips sadly, ¡°My parents¡­¡±


    Liang Xie stopped and held his hand, comforting him, ¡°Your parents are also very good. They just care about you too much. If I were them, I might not be as kind too.¡±


    Six years ago, with Su Li¡¯s encouragement, Liang Xie decided to go abroad for treatment.


    However, the treatment process was long and tedious, and it wasn¡¯t convenient to return to the country. Thus, the two of them became a distant long-distance couple. Fortunately, Su Li was willing to travel and often took advantage of breaks, flying to foreign countries to accompany Liang Xie, without considering the hardships.


    Naturally, as a student, Su Li couldn¡¯t afford the cost of airfare, so he mostly used Liang Xie¡¯s credit card.


    Liang Xie was five years older than Su Li and had plenty of money. He was also more than willing to bear this expense. He was very moved by Su Li¡¯s unwavering support and wanted to become a better person for him.


    Through all this back and forth, time passed in the blink of an eye, and they ended up dating. At Su Li¡¯s initiative, Liang Xie, unable to resist his feelings, marked Su Li¡¯s Omega neck.


    From then on, their romantic relationship couldn¡¯t be hidden anymore.


    Su Li¡¯s parents weren¡¯t fools either. Over the years, their son had repeatedly flown abroad, and he wasn¡¯t lacking money anymore. It was clear he had set his heart on someone and couldn¡¯t be held back.


    At first, Su Li¡¯s parents didn¡¯t push him about his love situation, hoping he would bring the person back to meet them.


    But after seeing the mark on their son¡¯s nape, the couple was thoroughly angry.


    What kind of Alpha did this?


    He marked him without a word, and he didn¡¯t even come to meet the parents?


    Su Li¡¯s parents were so angry they made a harsh decision: ¡°If he doesn¡¯t come meet us this year, he doesn¡¯t need to come in the future!¡±


    Su Li was overjoyed, looking like he had succeeded in his plan.


    He said, ¡°Dad, Mom, you were the ones who asked him to come! You¡¯re not allowed to change your mind later!¡±


    Su Li had a well-devised plan, and he had actually calculated the timing accurately. Liang Xie¡¯s treatment was about to be completely finished, and he would soon be able to return to the country!


    Otherwise, with his timid personality, how could he dare to face his parents?


    Moreover, the current Liang Xie was very different from before. In the past, he had to rely on a wheelchair to move around. Now, he could walk with the help of a cane.


    For Liang Xie, this was undoubtedly a significant improvement, allowing Su Li to confidently reveal his relationship to his parents.


    Otherwise, how many parents could calmly accept their child being with someone who used a wheelchair?


    Su Li didn¡¯t want to burden Liang Xie with these worries in advance, so he had been keeping it a secret. Only now did he start preparing his parents, occasionally mentioning his boyfriend and praising him to the skies.


    Su Mother: ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Su Father: ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°Liang Xie has his shortcomings¡­ but he¡¯s really, really good. He¡¯s the best Alpha I¡¯ve ever met. You¡¯ll see when you meet him!¡±


    Su Mother: ¡°Then why don¡¯t you tell us, what are his shortcomings exactly? You always leave out half the story, how are we supposed to respond?¡±


    Su Li muttered under his breath, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you meet him¡­¡±


    Su Father: ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Su Mother: ¡°How did you two meet? Where did you meet? You should at least tell us about that, right?¡±


    Su Li sat on the couch and whispered, ¡°We met in school, in a game¡­¡±


    Su Father & Su Mother: ¡°What?! An online, online online online relationship?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Su Li scratched his nose, feeling quite embarrassed and shy, ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say. He didn¡¯t lie. I pursued him.¡±


    Su Mother instantly collapsed onto the couch, her headache worsening, feeling like she might have a heart attack from the frustration.


    Su Father, concerned for his wife, furiously said to Su Li, ¡°You brat, can you be even more outrageous?! Look how scared you¡¯ve made your mother!¡±


    Su Li pitifully looked at his parents and poked a bunch of grapes on the coffee table with his finger, saying carefree, ¡°Outrageous? I think it¡¯s okay¡­¡±


    ¡­¡­..


    So, after returning to China.


    Liang Xie¡¯s top priority was to visit Su Li¡¯s family as soon as possible.


    Liang Xie had never been this nervous. He made a lot of preparations, bought many gifts, and went with a sincere heart.


    He hoped to gain the approval of Su Li¡¯s parents, as that was what Su Li hoped for.


    Unfortunately, upon learning that Liang Xie was disabled, Su Li¡¯s parents couldn¡¯t accept it for a while.


    On the day they met, even though Su Li¡¯s parents had mentally prepared themselves, when they saw the cane, they lost their words and their expressions gradually tensed up.


    The dishes on the table were delicious, clearly prepared with care, but no one had an appetite.


    Su Mother even looked at the mark on the back of Su Li¡¯s neck and became so frustrated that she used feeling unwell as an excuse to leave the room.


    Su Father struggled with his words, picked up a pair of chopsticks and put them down, his face obscured.


    In this situation, Liang Xie had no choice but to say to Su Father, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Under the table, Su Li held Liang Xie¡¯s hand tightly, with great force.


    This situation continued for several months, spanning a Chinese New Year.


    Liang Xie, thick-skinned, kept visiting repeatedly, while Su Li¡¯s parents kept putting on cold faces.


    No parents want to see their children regretting their decisions in the future. They thought they were doing what was right, coldly excluding Liang Xie.


    They hoped Liang Xie would give up.


    On the third day of the Lunar New Year, it was snowing heavily.


    Hearing that Su Father was unwell, Liang Xie hurriedly bought ginseng supplements to visit him. He put down the gift box and tactfully didn¡¯t stay long, quickly leaving. Su Li came out of the kitchen with freshly brewed tea.


    Seeing Liang Xie leave, Su Li didn¡¯t hesitate. He practically rushed out the door.


    Seeing Su Li¡¯s coat left on the sofa, Su Mother, worried about her son catching a cold, grabbed the coat and followed him downstairs.


    The outside temperature was very low.


    In the snowy area of the community, Su Li was crying, his tears mingling with his sobs as he tightly gripped Liang Xie¡¯s hand.


    Liang Xie didn¡¯t say anything, he gently hugged Su Li. Then, he took off his own coat, draped it over Su Li¡¯s shoulders, and wrapped it tightly.


    Su Li cried, ¡°Liang Xie, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t handle it well. I¡¯m so useless. I never thought my parents would react like this, I really didn¡¯t think it would be so serious. I thought, I thought that with the current situation, they could accept it¡­¡±


    Su Li was heartbroken, his eyes teary, his tears a mix of countless pains and grievances.


    Liang Xie patiently wiped away Su Li¡¯s tears, the warmth in his eyes sincere and genuine.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, this doesn¡¯t change us, I still love you.¡± Liang Xie leaned closer, slightly bending down, and kissed Su Li¡¯s forehead, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t give up, and you don¡¯t need to cry.¡±


    ¡°Liang Xie¡­¡±


    ¡°Your eyes are very beautiful, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    ¡°¡­What, where are my eyes beautiful?¡± Su Li said amidst tears.


    Liang Xie smiled, under the winter sun, his warmth was particularly comforting, ¡°Beautiful, I think they¡¯re beautiful.¡±


    Sniffling, Su Li tightly embraced Liang Xie.


    They seemed like a pair of unfortunate mandarin ducks torn apart by malevolent forces.


    Behind them, Su Mother stopped for a moment, sighed softly, shook her head, and turned back into the house.

 CH 92

    Su Father¡¯s health improved, and he had a good night¡¯s sleep. When he came out of the bedroom, he saw his wife sitting on the couch and peeling an apple.


    A historical drama was playing on the TV.


    He sat down beside her and asked, ¡°What are you watching?¡±


    Su Mother replied, ¡°I just randomly picked one. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about.¡±


    The couple engaged in casual conversation, while the characters on the screen were speaking loudly.


    Usually, when Su Li wasn¡¯t home, they would watch some TV shows to make the house feel more lively. They didn¡¯t particularly enjoy watching, but it just made the house feel less empty.


    Su Mother finished peeling the apple.


    Su Father instinctively reached out.


    To his surprise, Su Mother had already brought the apple to her mouth, and she took a bite. She looked at his hand suspended in the air and asked in astonishment, ¡°Oh, do you want some?¡±


    ¡°Then wait a moment, I¡¯ll finish eating this one and peel one for you.¡± She paused and then offered, ¡°Or you can have the one I¡¯ve taken a bite out of.¡±


    Su Father awkwardly shifted a bit and moved closer to his wife. He complained with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sick, and you don¡¯t even know how to take care of me.¡±


    Su Mother gave him a playful push and went to the kitchen to bring a bowl of ginseng soup.


    She placed it in front of Su Father and said lightly, ¡°Your son knows how to take care of you. He got up early in the morning to make this soup for you. But now he¡¯s probably feeling sleepy again as he goes to work at the company.¡±


    Su Father certainly knew who sent the ginseng soup. He grumbled, ¡°I won¡¯t drink it.¡± He then added, ¡°Just because he has money, does that mean I¡¯ll agree to anything expensive he brings?¡±


    ¡°All these things you¡¯re saying, why don¡¯t you say them in front of Liang Xie? You seem to have plenty to say in front of me. Anyway, this soup was made by your son. Whether you drink it or not is up to you.¡±


    Su Mother didn¡¯t force him and left it at that.


    Su Father felt a bit defeated and asked, ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡±


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°How can i be in a good mood with all that is happening?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡±


    At this moment, the characters on TV were kneeling in front of their parents, making lifetime vows to each other. Su Mother¡¯s apple felt tasteless in her mouth, so she changed the channel in annoyance.


    Suddenly, Han Yang¡¯s face appeared on the screen.


    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°Look at Gu Nuan. He¡¯s really good at finding someone. He is with Han Yang, who is so outstanding.¡±


    Su Father didn¡¯t want her to talk about their son like that. He focused on the soup for a while before muttering, ¡°Our Xiao Li isn¡¯t bad at finding people either¡­ Actually, Liang Xie is a good person. He has a good personality and is indeed promising. How can he be worse than Han Yang? During this time, he has come to visit us again and again. Both you and I have seen how committed he is.¡±


    Su Mother continued to peel the apple in silence.


    Su Father let out a long sigh, expressing his concerns, ¡°But even though he¡¯s outstanding, Liang Xie¡¯s leg might give out again someday¡­ By then, our Xiao Li will have a hard time.¡±


    Seeing his wife nod, he repeated, ¡°Whenever I think about this, I feel uneasy. Think about it, Liang Xie has great qualities, and if it weren¡¯t for his leg, he and Xiao Li wouldn¡¯t even be on the same playing field.¡±


    Su Father whispered, ¡°Xiao Li is naive, I¡¯m afraid he might end up being heartbroken in the end.¡±


    On the TV, the advertisement endorsed by Han Yang came to an end.


    Su Mother pressed the power button, and the living room immediately fell silent.


    The ginseng soup on the coffee table had cooled down. She reheated it and placed it in front of Su Father again, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve reheated it, don¡¯t waste it.¡±


    Sitting down, Su Mother started peeling a second apple. Suddenly, she said, ¡°The day Liang Xie came to deliver the ginseng, and our son followed him outside, I went out too¡­¡± She paused and continued, ¡°I saw the child crying.¡±


    Su Father looked up.


    She said, ¡°From childhood to now, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him cry so pitifully.¡±


    Those who didn¡¯t know might have thought that Su Li¡¯s world was falling apart.


    Su Mother recalled the scene from that day, a mix of indescribable emotions in her heart.


    She was the first to make a concession, ¡°How about¡­ we meet with Liang Xie again?¡± Placing the half-peeled apple on the coffee table, she clenched her hands tightly and earnestly said, word by word, ¡°Let¡¯s see how his personality really is, If he genuinely likes our Xiao Li, we should invite him over again and ask all the questions we want answers to.¡±


    Seeking the truth, and seeking peace of mind.


    Su Mother, who usually spoke loudly, was unusually calm. She reached out and held Su Father¡¯s hand, as if she had been thinking all night, ¡°what do you think?¡±


    Su Father couldn¡¯t respond.


    After a long while, Su Father still didn¡¯t answer, but he drank the ginseng soup.


    The events of this day were left unmentioned to Su Li.


    Because of this, Su Li anxiously and intentionally or unintentionally kept mentioning Liang Xie at home, hoping his parents would someday warm up to him. Fortunately, his parents¡¯ attitude had slightly changed, making Su Li feel like life was progressing somewhat.


    However, this slow progress made Su Li worry about Liang Xie¡¯s feelings.


    Su Li felt like he had caused a lot of trouble for Liang Xie.


    But Liang Xie didn¡¯t see it that way. He could understand Su¡¯s parents¡¯ attitude and could feel their change. This was a long process, and Liang Xie had plenty of patience.


    Just like how Su Li had been there for him without leaving or giving up in those six years.


    But at the current moment, Liang Xie thought it wasn¡¯t suitable to discuss these matters.


    At this moment, they were here to congratulate their friend on their housewarming. It would be truly impolite to ruin someone else¡¯s joyous occasion with their own concerns.


    Liang Xie glanced back and chuckled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Did we leave the gifts we bought in the trunk?¡±


    Su Li suddenly looked up, his mood changing rapidly.


    He had no trace of sorrow, and his familiar phrase remained unchanged over the years: ¡°Damn, I forgot!¡±


    Su Li quickly turned around and hurriedly took out the gift that had been prepared a few days ago from the trunk.


    Right after, Gu Nuan walked out of the house.


    ¡°Su Li, you guys are here. Why didn¡¯t you come in?¡± Seeing Su Li, Gu Nuan was extremely delighted, not showing a hint of his position as the heir of the Gu family. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, why do you look a bit slimmer?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing heard the commotion and came outside.


    All Su Li saw was Lin Yu Xing wearing an apron, holding a large jar of pickled radishes in his hand ¨C a very homely image.


    Lin Yu Xing was the first to greet Liang Xie, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lin Yu Xing, Su Li¡¯s roommate and friend from university. We¡¯ve talked over video before.¡±


    Gu Nuan also greeted, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Gu Nuan, Su Li¡¯s best friend. We used to play games together too.¡±


    Of course, Liang Xie recognized them. He warmly smiled and said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Liang Xie. Su Li often mentioned you guys, and today I finally get to meet you.¡±


    After several years, when Liang Xie returned to the country, everyone was already immersed in their busy work. It was rare to have free time to gather and share a meal together.


    Scenes like today¡¯s ¡°reunion¡± were truly precious.


    Lin Yu Xing politely invited them inside.


    Smelling the pickled radishes, Su Li walked over to Lin Yu Xing with excitement, ¡°These radishes look really good. I want to take some home later.¡±


    Lin Yu Xing smiled, his eyes gentle.


    ¡°Knowing you like them, I specially made a big jar for you. Oh, by the way, Su Li, why do you look so much thinner?¡±


    ¡°Because of my lousy job, I¡¯ve been working overtime a lot recently!¡± Su Li shifted the topic nervously, ¡°Your cooking skills are impressive now, and this pickled radish smells just as good as the ones in the store.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all Zhong Yi¡¯s doing, I just helped a little.¡±


    ¡°Damn, after Zhong Yi got married, he became quite the househusband. He was the one who cooked that stewed beef last time too, right?¡±


    Lin Yu Xing smirked and whispered to Su Li, ¡°Well, he¡¯s been learning all the signature dishes from the restaurant chefs. Now he can cook anything. The housekeeper we hired even says his cooking is better than hers.¡±


    Su Li smiled saying, ¡°Gu Zhongyi is really outdoing himself these days..¡±


    Yang Qing was engrossed in chatting with Han Yang in the living room, occasionally glancing at the cards in his hand.


    The card game between the Alphas had been going on for a while now.


    So far, Han Yang had won five rounds, while Yang Qing had lost five.


    Han Yang said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop.¡±


    Yang Qing retorted, ¡°Just wait, this round I¡¯ll definitely win!¡±


    Han Yang remained silent.


    So when Han Yang saw Liang Xie and Su Li, he acted like he had found salvation. He quickly put down his cards, greeted Liang Xie, and shook hands.


    Yang Qing immediately jumped up, acting like a child, ¡°Han Yang, why did you fold? I was about to win this round!¡± He walked over to Liang Xie, shaking his hand like they were old friends, ¡°Hello, hello, I¡¯m Yang Qing. You¡¯re the handsome boyfriend of Su Li, who¡¯s 190 cm tall, right? I¡¯ve heard so much about you!¡±


    Su Li turned red immediately.


    Seeing this, Liang Xie found Su Li very adorable and graciously provided him with a way out, saying, ¡°It seems my height is quite memorable.¡±


    Su Li blushed and chuckled awkwardly, ¡°I mentioned it occasionally, and it seems like they remembered it¡­¡±


    Yang Qing playfully remarked, ¡°What do you mean occasionally? You practically had it written on your forehead¡­ Ugh!¡±


    Suddenly, Han Yang quickly covered Yang Qing¡¯s mouth and then dragged Yang Qing back, clearly frustrated, ¡°Continue playing.¡± He turned to everyone, ¡°Do you all want to join?¡±


    Gu Nuan was the most supportive of his Alpha, raising his hand first, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Su Li turned to Liang Xie and asked him, ¡°Do you want to play?¡±


    Liang Xie adapted to the situation, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s give it a try.¡±


    With a full table, they decided to change the game.


    Liang Xie and Gu Nuan were smart, both being business-minded, and their minds worked quickly. They were almost evenly matched, vying for first place. Han Yang was doing relatively fine, but Su Li and Yang Qing were losing.


    Yang Qing lamented, ¡°are you guys cheating?¡±


    Su Li muttered, ¡°Did you guys tamper with the cards?¡±


    Gu Nuan added, ¡°Are you two willing to accept defeat, or are you planning to be sore losers?¡±


    Han Yang chimed in, ¡°Gu Nuan¡¯s right, if you can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t play.¡±


    Liang Xie didn¡¯t say anything, but from his expression, it was clear he was happy, a constant smile on his lips.


    Seeing this, Su Li¡¯s heart softened a lot. Holding the cards, he continued to complain, ¡°Come on, I refuse to accept this. Let¡¯s play another round!¡±


    In the kitchen,


    The housekeeper was helping with cutting and preparing ingredients, while Gu Zhong Yi was skillfully cooking, placing a perfectly cooked plate of stir-fried beef onto the serving platter after just a few moments.


    Lin Yu Xing approached and wiped the sweat off Gu Zhong Yi, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here except my Big Brother.¡±


    Lin Yuxing smiled and said to Gu Zhongyi, ¡°Leave the rest to the aunt. You¡¯ve been busy all afternoon, it¡¯s time to rest, Chef Gu.¡±


    The housekeeper quickly responded, ¡°Yes, Mr. Gu, don¡¯t worry!¡± This was the first time the housekeeper had encountered an employer whose cooking skills were better than her own. ¡°There are just a few small dishes left, I¡¯ll do them well, I promise to satisfy you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±


    In fact, Gu Zhongyi had almost finished what he needed to do. He took off his apron and asked, ¡°What¡¯s Yu Heng busy with?¡±


    ¡°Liao¡¯s mom sprained her foot. He¡¯s still at the hospital with her for a check-up. He probably won¡¯t make it for dinner. But he said he¡¯ll come by later to join the fun¡­¡± Lin Yuxing shrugged and continued with a helpless tone, ¡°And also to meet Su Li¡¯s so-called ¡®190cm male god¡¯.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi laughed naturally and casually placed his hand on Lin Yuxing¡¯s waist. His tall and graceful figure didn¡¯t look at all like a ¡®chef¡¯ who had just taken off his apron.

 CH 93

    Around eight o¡¯clock in the evening, with a bright moon and sparse stars.


    Several small lights in front of the villa were lit up.


    Lin Yuheng arrived a little late. Apologetically, he placed several boxes of crayfish on the table in the dining area.


    ¡°This house is really nice!¡± Lin Yuheng exclaimed, ¡°The decoration is great too, you¡¯ve got good taste.¡±


    Lin Yuxing brought out several plates of cold dishes and smiled as he looked at Lin Yuheng, saying, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t pretend. It¡¯s not your first time here.¡±


    It had been a while since Su Li had seen them, and he immediately asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to ask, Liao Yan, Yuxing, when did you two become sworn brothers?¡±


    Lin Yuxing spoke half-truths and half-lies, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before? There was one time I almost got hit by a car, and Liao Yan saved me. How could I not call him ¡®brother¡¯?¡±


    Su Li thought it made sense, ¡°True, if I were in your shoes, I¡¯d call him ¡®big brother¡¯ too.¡±


    With Su Li¡¯s straightforward nature, he might even express gratitude in a more direct way.


    Lin Yuheng enjoyed teasing Su Li, ¡°If you want to call me ¡®brother,¡¯ go ahead, I won¡¯t stop you~¡±


    Su Li retorted, ¡°Bah.¡±


    Liang Xie, who had been quietly observing, caught Lin Yuheng¡¯s attention. He asked in surprise, ¡°Are you Liang Xie, the 190cm boyfriend?¡±


    Su Li immediately stood up and covered Lin Yuheng¡¯s uncontrollable mouth with his hand.


    ¡°Liao Yan, shut up!¡±


    ¡°Mmm?¡±


    Liang Xie had some recollection of the handsome Alpha before him.


    Back when Su Li was in college, this Alpha had taken him to work at a cat exhibition hall and were constantly teasing and joking around. Liang Xie remembered silently when he had watched them laugh and talk from the second floor, his heart filled with jealousy as bitter as the rain that day.


    Liang Xie lowered his voice, ¡°Su Li.¡±


    Hearing Liang Xie call him, Su Li immediately sat back beside him like a little cat and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Liang Xie didn¡¯t say much. Instead, he placed his hands on the edge of the table, stood up, and reached out to shake hands with Lin Yuheng. Calmly, he said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Liang Xie, Su Li¡¯s Alpha.¡±


    Lin Yuheng didn¡¯t take notice of Liang Xie¡¯s jealousy, or perhaps he didn¡¯t register it at all. With his carefree smile, he replied, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Liao Yan.¡±


    Looking left and right, Su Li didn¡¯t see Gu Zhongyi around, so he whispered to Liang Xie, ¡°He¡¯s Yuxing¡¯s shadow.¡±


    Lin Yuheng commented, ¡°You little¡­¡±


    Liang Xie looked coldly at Lin Yuheng.


    Since he was meeting Liang Xie for the first time, Lin Yuheng decided to save face for Su Li and changed his words, ¡°Su Li, your description is spot on. I¡¯m indeed Yuxing¡¯s shadow! I¡¯ve been his shadow my whole life.¡± He finished his sentence and wrapped his arm around Yuxing¡¯s shoulder.


    Gu Zhongyi came out of the kitchen at that moment, holding two bottles of wine. He said, ¡°The guest rooms are all ready. Why don¡¯t you all stay over tonight?¡±


    Gu Nuan perked up his ears and his eyes lit up, thinking that something interesting would happen once Gu Zhongyi saw Liao Yan holding Yuxing.


    However, Gu Zhongyi¡¯s attitude was calm and he wasn¡¯t jealous of ¡°Liao Yan¡± at all. Instead, he diligently opened the packaging of the crayfish for everyone.


    Gu Zhongyi asked, ¡°Did you buy this much?¡±


    Lin Yuheng replied, ¡°If you can¡¯t finish it, I¡¯ll finish it. I haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi considerately inquired, ¡°We made too much braised beef for tonight. Would you like some?¡±


    Upon hearing that his brother hadn¡¯t eaten yet, Lin Yuxing hurriedly asked, ¡°Brother, do you want rice? We cooked quite a bit for dinner.¡±


    ¡°You two don¡¯t need to trouble yourselves. This is enough.¡±


    Lin Yuheng sat down comfortably, as if he were in his own home.


    Seeing this, Gu Nuan felt puzzled. He pondered whether Gu Zhongyi¡¯s behavior was out of the ordinary¡­ Could it be that after marriage, the honeymoon phase of love had faded?


    Gu Nuan was worried because his wedding with Han Yang was approaching.


    However, Yang Qing leaned in and whispered to Gu Nuan¡¯s ear, ¡°I¡¯ve always thought Liao Yan was impressive.Zhongyi isn¡¯t jealous at all! Maybe he¡¯s wealthy¡­¡±


    But there were no wealthy people with the surname Liao in Country C.


    Before Gu Nuan could respond, Han Yang, who was beside him, casually hugged him and naturally distanced him from Yang Qing.


    Yang Qing thought, see, that¡¯s how a jealous Alpha behaves.


    In the dim light of the front yard outside, the flowers and plants around seemed to carry an air of mystery.


    The group gathered together, eating crayfish, constantly chatting.


    Yang Qing was the most talkative, exclaiming that the two bottles of wine weren¡¯t enough.


    Lin Yuxing followed online tutorials and made several cocktails on the spot. Gu Zhongyi took out several bottles of red wine he had carefully stored and generously placed them on the table.


    Glasses clinked softly as everyone took a small sip.


    Only Gu Nuan was upset, downing his glass in one go. ¡°Unfair, I¡¯m only having juice¡­ Yuxing, could you make me a cocktail too?¡±


    Han Yang held down his glass with an undeniable tone, ¡°No drinking.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t handle alcohol well¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re guests today.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Nuan deflated. He had always listened to Han Yang.


    Seeing this, Su Li instigated, ¡°Drink up, Gu Nuan! You¡¯re already a grown up, let loose and have fun!¡±


    Yang Qing joined in enthusiastically, ¡°You¡¯re the mighty Little Gu CEO. Han Yang is just a celebrity. Why listen to him?¡±


    As much as Gu Nuan wanted to have a drink with the others, he knew how he behaved when drunk to the point of crying and being all over Han Yang shamelessly. He pushed his glass to Gu Zhongyi who immediately filled it with juice for Gu Nuan.


    Su Li and Yang Qing were a bit too talkative and it was evident from their flushed faces that they were drunk .


    Liang Xie was silently peeling some crayfish for Su Li, placing them in front of him on his plate.


    Lin Yuheng turned to Lin Yuxing to request another plate of pickled radish, saying, ¡°These pickled radishes are amazing.¡±


    As the night went on and darkness deepened, Yang Qing clearly became drunk. He enthusiastically played a drinking game with Lin Yuheng.


    Lin Yuheng kept winning, and Yang Qing kept losing. However, both were having a great time and couldn¡¯t stop.


    Lin Yuxing was also feeling a bit tipsy. Finding the noise overwhelming, he, Su Li, and Gu Nuan moved to one of the rooms to find a quieter place to chat.


    Hugging a pillow, Su Li giggled foolishly. His cheeks were flushed after just one glass of wine. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve all hung out like this. It feels so good.¡±


    Gu Nuan commented, ¡°You¡¯re such a lightweight. You¡¯re already like this after one glass.¡±


    Su Li lightly kicked Gu Nuan¡¯s thigh with his foot. His force was gentle. ¡°Drinking too much makes me uncomfortable. Otherwise, a few bottles wouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°If you drink too much, you¡¯ll just become silly. Have you forgotten that you used to be allergic to alcohol when you first graduated high school? You only got better later on!¡±


    ¡°But I got better! With your alcohol tolerance, you won¡¯t even get to drink! ¡°


    Lin Yuxing told them to stop quarreling. ¡°Gu Nuan, when and where are you and Yang Ge having your wedding?¡±


    Su Li¡¯s interest was piqued, and he leaned in, resting his head on Gu Nuan¡¯s shoulder.


    Gu Nuan looked excited. ¡°We¡¯re having it at the same estate where you and Zhongyi had your wedding. The weather is nice now, so an outdoor wedding is more suitable.¡±


    Su Li blinked with envy. ¡°The estate¡¯s surroundings are really nice. I thought it looked great at Yuxing¡¯s wedding. How much does it cost for a wedding like that?¡±


    ¡°Are you and Liang Xie getting married too?¡±


    Speaking of this, Su Li¡¯s face became gloomy, and his mood sank: ¡°My parents still don¡¯t agree¡­¡±


    Suddenly neither Gu Nuan nor Lin Yuxing knew what to say to console Su Li.


    So, Lin Yuxing went over and patted Su Li¡¯s head, like coaxing a child: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, give it time. If it really doesn¡¯t work out, you can just elope and get married.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°?¡±


    Su Li: ¡°You and Gu Zhongyi have changed a lot over the years¡­¡±


    Lin Yuxing naturally said, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s because Liang Xie is a good person that I say that. We¡¯ve seen you and Liang Xie over the years and how much you love each other, don¡¯t be disheartened.¡±


    Su Li nestled in Lin Yuxing¡¯s arms, nodding in a slightly wronged manner.


    Gu Nuan tried to console him with money: ¡°Don¡¯t you like the estate where Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi had their wedding? After you and Liang Xie get married, I¡¯ll arrange for you to have the estate as my wedding gift to you.¡±


    Su Li: ¡°???¡±


    That gift was a bit too generous!


    Su Li didn¡¯t dare to accept it; it felt like taking too much advantage: ¡°No, no, actually, Liang Xie¡¯s company, which he co-owns with his friend, has been doing well these years, and my salary is okay too. We can manage it ourselves.¡±


    Gu Nuan didn¡¯t mind: ¡°It¡¯s not about money. Are you sure you don¡¯t want it?¡±


    Probably, once this opportunity is missed, it won¡¯t come again.


    Lin Yuxing told Su Li: ¡°Since Gu Nuan wants to give it to you, you should take it, right? When Zhongyi and I got married, Gu Nuan gave me a sports car?¡±


    Lin Yuxing was almost scared to death at the time.


    Afterwards, he tried to return the gift, but Gu Nuan turned the tables and lectured him. As a result, Lin Yuxing was ¡°forced¡± to drive an expensive sports car. He became the most eye-catching sight in the company¡¯s parking lot.


    Su Li also remembered this incident.


    He suddenly understood!


    Su Li was momentarily dazed, then swiftly jumped from Lin Yuxing¡¯s arms into Gu Nuan¡¯s, and said with a cheeky smile, ¡°Hehe, then I gladly accept it!¡±


    Apart from Yang Qing and Lin Yuheng, who were still drinking and playing dice, the other three Alphas were standing to the side, talking more or less about work.


    In the meantime, Liang Xie leaned against a wall, gazing towards the floor-to-ceiling windows of the villa.


    From there, he saw Su Li alternating between leaning on Lin Yuxing¡¯s shoulder and Gu Nuan¡¯s in the other room. Unable to stop himself, Liang Xie¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Su Li has such a good relationship with them.¡±


    Han Yang explained to Liang Xie, ¡°He and Xiao Nuan have been friends sticking to each other like glue since childhood.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi took a sip of his wine, his hands in his pockets, and intentionally mentioned, ¡°When Su Li was young, he even fought with Yang ge for Gu Nuan.¡±


    Han Yang recalled an old story from their childhood, somewhat exasperatedly: ¡°He used to challenge me. He didn¡¯t understand love back then, but he kept saying he wanted to have an Omega-exclusive romance with Xiao Nuan and told me to back off.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi wrinkled his brow as he recalled . ¡°Su Li was mischievous as a child.¡±


    Han Yang: ¡°You always had a serious face from a young age. Su Li wouldn¡¯t dare to mess with you though.¡±


    Gu Zhongyi said, ¡°He secretly put a banana peel in my coat.¡±


    Liang Xie was quite surprised, once again baffled as he chuckled, ¡°damn¡±


    Gu Zhongyi continued, ¡°Afterward, he suffered a scolding from Aunt Su.¡±


    Liang Xie couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry, ¡°Aunt Su is indeed strict.¡±


    The conversation among the Alphas suddenly became lively due to Su Li.


    They no longer spoke about dull work-related matters but about Su Li¡¯s childhood anecdotes.


    The discussions among them were no longer boring.


    Liang Xie enjoyed hearing about Su Li¡¯s childhood as his mood lightened. Under the dim light, small insects gathered and scattered, creating a pleasant atmosphere in the front yard.


    After a while, Liang Xie thanked them, saying, ¡°Thank you for telling me all these stories.¡±


    Not far away, Yang Qing and Lin Yuheng were having a hard time holding their liquor.


    Lin Yuheng headed upstairs to get some rest. In this villa, he had his own guest room. Of course, it wasn¡¯t something he requested himself; it was specially prepared by Lin Yuxing and Gu Zhongyi.


    Initially, Lin Yuheng declined the offer, but over time, he stopped refusing.


    Yang Qing stumbled over to the three men, patted Gu Zhongyi¡¯s shoulder, and slurred: ¡°Zhongyi, your¡­ your brother-in-law is quite something, his alcohol tolerance is fierce! Comparable to¡­ to mine!¡±


    Seeing Yang Qing was drunk, Gu Zhongyi suggested he go rest too.


    The clock on the wall struck 12.


    Liang Xie also had plans for the next day and decided to rest.


    Lin Yuxing made sure to arrange their guest rooms on the first floor of the villa, making it easier for Liang Xie to move around.


    Su Li saw Liang Xie enter and hurriedly went over to support him, pointing in the direction of the room they were going to stay in that night. Liang Xie took Su Li¡¯s hand and assured him, ¡°I can walk on my own now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m used to it.¡± Su Li flashed a pair of cute tiger teeth and blushed as he said, ¡°But I like walking with you.¡±


    Liang Xie held his hand tightly and calmly bid goodnight to everyone before entering the guest room.


    Once inside the room, Liang Xie let go of his cane and leaned on the wall. With something to lean on, he could stand without the cane¡¯s support. He reached out and gently touched Su Li¡¯s slightly flushed face. His deep voice was like mist in the moonlight, a voice from a dream.


    ¡°Just one glass of wine and you¡¯re already tipsy?¡±


    Su Li leaned against him and playfully complained, ¡°It¡¯s not that. Drinking wine makes my face red easily. I can¡¯t drink much.¡±


    Liang Xie kissed Su Li¡¯s forehead, ¡°I see.¡±


    Su Li rubbed against him and asked, ¡°What were you talking about with them just now?¡±


    ¡°We were talking about your childhood.¡±


    ¡°Ah? My childhood¡­ My childhood wasn¡¯t interesting.¡±


    He was mischievous all the time, and that was it, and he often acted silly. He was just an ordinary child.


    But in Liang Xie¡¯s eyes, Su Li was one of a kind.


    Liang Xie was particularly happy that night. When he kissed Su Li, he combined the calm and cool of someone five years his senior with the irresistible urge of an Alpha.


    ¡°Su Li, everything about you is interesting.¡± Liang Xie said, ¡°I really like it, and I often think, if I had met you a bit earlier, it would have been better.¡±


    Su Li was puzzled.


    Liang Xie spoke earnestly, ¡°Listening to them talk about your childhood, I envy it, and I also want to be a part of it. However¡­ it¡¯s fortunate that we didn¡¯t know each other back then. At that time, I had a bad temper due to family matters, and I was often cold and easily irritated.¡±


    If they really had known each other, Su Li might have suffered.


    Liang Xie felt a mix of regret and gratitude, a complex feeling swirling within him.


    Su Li, however, said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. No matter how many years pass, we¡¯ll always be together. Even if¡­¡± he said with a hint of sadness, ¡°Even if my parents still don¡¯t agree, I still want to be with you.¡±


    He pinched Liang Xie¡¯s arm and said, ¡°I believe that as long as we persist and work hard, they will agree, and the dawn will come¡­ right?¡±


    In the end, Liang Xie said, ¡°Go to sleep early; don¡¯t we have to go to your house for lunch tomorrow?¡±


    Su Li didn¡¯t know about this: ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Earlier today, Uncle Su called me. He wants me to have lunch with you at their place tomorrow.¡± Liang Xie held Su Li tighter, smiled, and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that?¡±


    ¡°As long as we persist, there will always be dawn.¡±