IPDAOLR Chapter 16

Qiu Bian was emotionally unstable at the time, so it wasn’t appropriate to ask anything further. They could only send Qiu Bian back to the classroom.

The class monitor of Qiu Bian’s class got along well with Jiang Zhihuo. Seeing the class’s only omega being helped down from upstairs, he hurried out and asked, “Huo-ge, what’s going on?”

Jiang Zhihuo said, “It’s nothing serious. He went upstairs to find someone, but couldn’t find her and suddenly felt unwell. We happened to see him.”

By the time Tang Anmiao heard the news and came over, Qiu Bian had already taken leave and been sent home.

Tang Anmiao was accompanied by Feng Zhi. Director Feng, still looking sincere and gentle, asked with concern, “I heard that Qiu Bian is feeling unwell. How is he now? Has he been taken to the infirmary?”

Director Feng was highly respected, so Zong Bei and Chang Luo had no doubts and immediately replied, “We’re not entirely sure about the details. He didn’t look well and has already taken leave to go home.”

Feng Zhi nodded and smiled. “Did he say anything to you? If something happens, I hope you’ll let me know so I can be more at ease.”

Zong Bei didn’t think much of it and began to speak, “He just…”

“Really, it’s nothing. He’s just not feeling well,” Jiang Zhihuo interrupted Zong Bei, continuing in a casual manner. As a school bully, Jiang Zhihuo had always had a decent relationship with Director Feng. “It’s quite normal for an omega to have health issues. Don’t worry about it.”

“Mhm, good,” Feng Zhi said with a deepening smile, a noticeable wrinkle appearing at the corner of his eye. “It’s good to hear that it’s nothing serious.”

“Standing here won’t help,” Tang Anmiao said. “Director Feng, don’t worry. I’ll go to his home and check on him later.” Tang Anmiao added, “Director Feng, the next class is about to start. I’ll head up now. Thank you for today.”

“Go.” Feng Zhi gently rubbed Tang Anmiao’s hair, keeping a warm smile on his face. After watching Tang Anmiao go upstairs, he turned and walked towards the Teaching Affairs Office.

Jiang Zhihuo appeared to walk upstairs but kept an eye on Feng Zhi out of the corner of his eye.

Feng Zhi, as usual, was dressed in formal attire in a serious and upright manner, carrying a briefcase. His steps were steady, and he exuded an air of warmth and refinement.

He showed no signs of anything unusual.

Earlier, it’s true that Qiu Bian’s expression changed dramatically upon hearing ‘Director Feng’.

“Anmiao,” Jiang Zhihuo took a step forward, turned around, and walked backward. “What did Director Feng want you to do just now?”

His tone was casual, sounding as if he were just making small talk.

Tang Anmiao replied, “Nothing much; it’s just that I’m in my third year of high school now, and I want to live in school. I heard that this year’s freshman enrollment has increased, so the dorms might be full. I’m afraid I won’t be able to apply later, so I asked Director Feng for a favor.”

Jiang Zhihuo: “I see, living on campus is great. It saves travel time and allows you to sleep more.”

Zong Bei: “Hey, I thought about living on campus too, but our school dorms don’t have any outlets. You can’t charge your phone at all. If I moved in, I’d probably have to use one of those kids’ smartwatches instead.”

Tang Anmiao laughed, “That would be perfect. Sometimes you need to push yourself a bit.”

As they walked and chatted, it was class break time, and the hallway was bustling with people. Jiang Zhihuo’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Wow, the person who just passed by had a durian-scented pheromone.”

“Durian?” Tang Anmiao turned around.

Chang Luo said, “That’s such a unique scent. Could it be that they just ate durian?”

Jiang Zhihuo retorted, “If they had just eaten it, wouldn’t you have smelled it already?”

Zong Bei stroked his chin and said, “True. Betas can’t smell pheromones. Besides Huo-ge, the three of us are all betas, right?”

Chang Luo said, “Oh, right. If I remember correctly, Huo-ge is the only alpha in our class, right, Anmiao?”

“Ah?” Tang Anmiao, whose attention had been focused on the durian-scented pheromone, snapped back to reality when her name was called. She tilted her head in confusion and asked, “…Was that person really emitting a durian-scented pheromone?”

Whether it was true or not, he didn’t smell anything earlier. Jiang Zhihuo was just talking nonsense.

“Yes,” he smiled at Tang Anmiao. When the school bully smiled, the corners of his eyes lifted slightly, looking very sunny and handsome. The girls couldn’t resist, feeling as if they were being flirted with. Even though Tang Anmiao knew that Jiang Zhihuo didn’t mean it that way, she still felt her cheeks warm up and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Jiang Zhihuo stayed at school for the whole day.

He originally planned to leave in the afternoon, but he kept an eye on things because of Qiu Bian’s situation.

At the end of the day, Feng Zhi came to the senior high floor to check on discipline as usual. Everything seemed in order. After class, he also asked Qiu Bian’s class monitor, who replied that Qiu Bian had nothing urgent and was resting at home.

“That’s good,” Jiang Zhihuo said, feeling relieved.

The class monitor joked, “Huo-ge, you can’t be like this.”

Jiang Zhihuo felt that men couldn’t be told like this in any aspect, thus asking, “Huh? What do you mean?”

The class monitor said, “As an alpha, being so concerned about an omega might make people misunderstand.”

“Let me tell you a secret.” Jiang Zhihuo gestured for the class monitor to come closer and then leaned in to whisper, “Actually, I’m currently not an alpha.”

The class monitor expected to hear some real secret but was surprised to find that Jiang Zhihuo was just teasing him. “If you’re not an alpha, then what are you? An omega?”

Jiang Zhihuo was taken aback. In fact, he didn’t really know what he was in between.

Jiang Zhihuo: “Wait a moment, let me think.”

The class monitor didn’t believe a word and replied with the same mysterious tone, leaning close to Jiang Zhihuo and whispering, “Huo-ge, do you think I believe you?”

Jiang Zhihuo shrugged and said, “If you don’t believe it, then so be it.”

Before school ended, Jiang Zhihuo went to find Yan Mu. It was in the empty classroom at the end of the corridor, where he meticulously checked the doors and windows three times.

The two boys were close together, lips touching, exchanging pheromones with each breath.

As soon as three minutes passed, Yan Mu parted his lips. The back of his shirt had some wrinkles from being hugged, so he straightened the hem and said, “I won’t be home tonight.”

Jiang Zhihuo: “Oh.”

They were still very close. Jiang Zhihuo lifted his chin and sucked on Yan Mu’s lips twice more. The alpha’s pheromones made him feel very comfortable.

Throughout the whole process, Jiang Zhihuo’s mind was wandering.

He had always been very adaptable. Ever since moving into Yan Mu’s house, he hadn’t thought much about whether he was an alpha or an omega. Bringing it up today, he couldn’t help but be curious. Stuck in between, not quite an A, not quite an O. So, what exactly was he?

The current society has a prejudice against omegas. Jiang Zhihuo had never really understood where this prejudice came from.

Is there a difference between omegas and alphas?

Previously, as an alpha, he had no position to say this. Now that he was becoming an omega, having experienced both secondary genders, aside from this strange heat, there wasn’t much of a difference.

Lost in thought, he looked up to find Yan Mu staring at him. Jiang Zhihuo stared back. After a long moment of eye contact, Jiang Zhihuo remembered that Yan Mu had just been reporting his schedule.

“With whom? Where to?” Jiang Zhihuo asked.

“A friend, to a bar,” Yan Mu replied.

“A bar?” Jiang Zhihuo was taken aback as he remembered the last one Yan Mu went to. “Xiang Yao?”

Yan Mu: “Mhm.”

“……” Jiang Zhihuo straightened his back a little, assuming an awkward posture, and asked again, “Did you book a private room or just a table?”

Yan Mu replied, “Neither; we’ll decide when we get there.”

“Ah… I see.” Jiang Zhihuo scratched his head, then turned to Yan Mu and, in a very serious tone, warned, “That bar is quite nice, but whatever you do, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely do not go to the bar counter.”

“Why?” Yan Mu asked.

Jiang Zhihuo earnestly replied, “The bartender’s no good, all just a show, and no real skill. The same drinks mixed together cost two to three times more at the bar counter than at the table. It’s not worth it.”

Yan Mu looked up. “You’ve been there?”

“Of course!” Jiang Zhihuo said with a boastful tone. “There’s not a bar in the whole city I haven’t been to. If you ever have nowhere to go, just ask your Huo-ge.”

It was rare for Jiang Zhihuo to have such a peaceful moment with Yan Mu, especially just a few minutes after a kiss. He couldn’t help but say a few more words. “By the way, sometimes I really want to try one of those modified motorcycles, the kind bad boys ride. The exhaust goes vroom vroom, speeding like the wind. Cool, right?”

Yan Mu: “Silly.”

Jiang Zhihuo: “……”

Yan Mu gave him a glance and added, “Extremely silly.”

There’s nothing more to talk about.

Jiang Zhihuo put on a serious face, turned his back, and pointed towards the door. “…You go, leave. Huo-ge doesn’t want to see you anymore.”

Yan Mu adjusted his collar and was about to leave. Just as his footsteps started to echo, Jiang Zhihuo ran over and grabbed him, speaking with a very serious tone, “You have to listen to me…whatever you do, absolutely, absolutely do not go to the bar counter for drinks!”