In summer, one naturally lost appetite, and after seeing Yan Mu, Jiang Zhihuo felt worse. He couldn’t even stay at school.
Halfway there, Jiang Zhihuo changed direction.
Zong Bei didn’t need to ask; it was obvious. On the first day of school, the school bully didn’t want to attend class and planned to climb over the wall to leave.
“Aren’t you afraid of being nagged by Old Ding?” Zong Bei asked.
Class 1’s homeroom teacher of the third year senior high school was Old Ding. His name was Ding Jianhui, and he seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties. He appeared young, not really old enough to be called an ‘old man’. This homeroom teacher was very easygoing, with a calm and relaxed manner that gave him an almost otherworldly presence.
During the second year of high school, when the classes were rearranged, Jiang Zhihuo was assigned to Ding Jianhui’s class. Upon seeing the new class list, other teachers breathed a sigh of relief and then came to comfort Ding Jianhui. However, Ding Jianhui wasn’t worried at all. He leisurely sipped his chrysanthemum tea and said, “It’s no big deal, no big deal.”
After the monthly exam, Jiang Zhihuo lived up to everyone’s expectations by scoring the lowest. Upon seeing the results, Ding Jianhui called Jiang Zhihuo to the office. Jiang Zhihuo had already adopted a rebellious attitude, was proud of being a poor student, and wouldn’t listen to anyone. However, as soon as Ding Jianhui started speaking, the usually calm Jiang Zhihuo, who was used to being scolded, was completely stunned.
Ding Jianhui placed the mark sheet on the table, shook his head, and sighed. “This won’t do, classmate Jiang. Chinese, math, and English are core subjects, and you scored only 12 points in each; isn’t that a bit too low? A person should have some small goals. You should aim to score at least 30 points, don’t you think so?”
Jiang Zhihuo: “?”
“Old Ding won’t ask,” Jiang Zhihuo said, jumping lightly onto the wall and sitting there. “If he indeed asks, just tell him that I have a stomach ache that is so painful to death…”
While he was speaking, Jiang Zhihuo suddenly paused and raised his hand to cover the back of his neck.
Just now, there was a sudden pain at the back of his neck, like it was being pricked by a needle.
Besides this, there weren’t any other abnormalities. The pain vanished instantly as it came, and Jiang Zhihuo didn’t pay any attention to it at all. Zong Bei stared eagerly at him and asked, “Then what? Shouldn’t I still come up with an excuse for that?”
Jiang Zhihuo casually blurted out, “I’m about to give birth.”
Zong Bei: “…”
“Where are you going this afternoon?”
The sun was scorching hot, and sitting on the railing for too long made Jiang Zhihuo’s back burn. He climbed down the railing, the corner of his snowy white school uniform lifting slightly, revealing a slender waist. He waved casually as he walked away, leaving only his silhouette, bathed in the midday sunlight.
“To save the world.”
…
The next day was Monday, the first official day of the third year senior high school. The weather was clear and sunny.
Ding Jianhui, holding a cup of wolfberry and chrysanthemum tea, walked around Class 1 of the third year senior high school. All the students were present except for the empty seat in the second-to-last row.
In this school, students had single desks, so there were no desk mates, and the closest seats were those in front, behind, and beside. Ding Jianhui took a slow sip of his chrysanthemum tea and asked, “Chang Luo, is classmate Jiang not coming again today? Did he tell you the reason?”
Chang Luo: “…”
Jiang Zhihuo did tell him, but the reason was really…too hard to explain.
Yesterday, Zong Bei ran over, saying that Jiang Zhihuo was asking for leave, at least using a stomach ache as an excuse. Today, he only said three words.
Couldn’t get up.
Chang Luo was in a difficult position.
Ding Jianhui asked again, “Mhm? Did something happen?”
Chang Luo: “No, it’s just that Huo-ge said he can’t get up.”
He initially thought Ding Jianhui would get angry, but the other party just nodded and sighed. “This student really has character. Being a youth is wonderful.” Then he left the classroom.
When Jiang Zhihuo woke up, it was already half past eight. This hour shouldn’t be considered late, but for a senior year student, every minute was dedicated to studying. Sleeping until this time could be counted as a crime.
He squinted as he reached out for his phone and saw several messages sent by Chang Luo about an hour ago.
Chang Luo: Teacher Ding asked why you didn’t come today, and I said you can’t get up.
Chang Luo: He didn’t get angry at all.
Chang Luo: This makes me feel like I’m bullying the teacher.
Chang Luo: Is Teacher Ding trying to make you feel guilty and encourage you to turn over a new leaf1T/N: Turn over a new leaf is an idiom that means to start behaving in a better or more responsible way, especially after a period of wrongdoing or mistakes. It implies making a positive change in one’s behavior or attitude.?
Jiang Zhihuo held his phone for a moment, then slowly typed: I’ll definitely think of a good excuse next time.
He paused, feeling that the sentence sounded so pretentious. He deleted it and replied with only an emoji.
The school was far from his residence, so Jiang Zhihuo took the bus. It was packed with people during peak hours. When Jiang Zhihou got on the bus, he managed to find a seat near the window. However, after two stops, a crowd squeezed in, and there was barely any room left for standing.
The scene outside the window was moving and stopping intermittently. The onboard television was broadcasting today’s news. Recently, the city police arrested a financial fraudster, but they didn’t disclose specific details; even the suspect’s photo was pixelated, except for the flowing blonde hair—nothing else could be seen. In contrast, the faces of the victims were clearly shown.
There was more than one victim. The interview footage showed a middle-aged man, apparently from a senior management level, tearfully saying in front of the camera, “I didn’t expect this at all. He is just an omega…”
The news was frozen at this point and happened to be his stop; therefore, Jiang Zhihuo didn’t bother about what would come next as he got off the bus.
Jiang Zhihuo felt the phone in his pocket vibrating, indicating a phone call. He glanced at the caller ID, connected to his Bluetooth earphones, and answered the call while strolling forward leisurely. “Li-ge”
The voice on the phone was pleasantly clear and gentle. “Ah Huo, did you skip class again?”
Jiang Zhihuo walked to a small store behind the bus stop, bought a lollipop as he bit it, and murmured, “No, I just overslept. I’m at the school gate now.”
Jiang Zhihuo didn’t really want to continue this topic. “Li-ge, how have you been lately?”
“Pretty good. There are a lot of courses, and I’m on my way to class now. Have you managed to win over the school beauty?”
Jiang Zhihuo walked around the school back gate relaxedly. ”No progress yet; any advice for me?”
There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone. “High school students…”
“High school students should focus on their studies.” Jiang Zhihuo quickly interrupted, shifting the lollipop to the other side of his mouth. He gripped the railing to find a foothold. “You say this every time you call. However, with my grade, study can’t be a priority.”
It was a break period at this time, and the flag-raising ceremony was taking place. He didn’t know which school leader was giving the speech.
Jiang Zhihuo climbed over the railing in a swift motion and landed steadily. The school bully’s wall climbing skill was always perfect.
“Do you think I’ll believe the reason you gave for getting into No. 1 High School by stepping on the answer sheet?”
Jiang Zhihuo also chuckled. Li-ge was too clever; he could only play dumb. “Really, I’m not lying to you.”
While speaking, Jiang Zhihuo suddenly felt a wave of heat at the back of his neck, which quickly subsided. He touched his neck and casually mentioned, “I don’t know what’s been going on these past few days; my neck keeps feeling hot now and then.”
“Mhm…” There was a moment of silence on the phone. “You’ve been an alpha for two years now? It might be a susceptibility period. Go to the hospital for a checkup.”
“Got it,” Jiang Zhihuo responded. At this time, the school leader had changed. After a few crackling noises, a gentle and refined voice sounded through the entire playground via the loudspeakers.
“Classmates, in a blink of an eye, you are now seniors in high school. These past two years haven’t been easy; whether facing the biting cold of spring, the pouring rain of summer, the chilly wind of autumn, or the swirling snow of winter, your determination has been evident in every step forward.”
On the other end of the phone, Li-ge also heard the voice and asked, “Is Director Feng still there?”
Jiang Zhihuo had a favorable impression of Director Feng. “Yes, I heard that after leading our class, he will be promoted as a vice principal.”
Feng Zhi was a teaching director at No. 1 High School. It was said that he was a university professor before joining No. 1 High School. With silver-rimmed glasses and an academic aura, he exuded the air of a scholar. Unlike other teaching directors who relied on strictness to discipline students, Feng Zhi used gentleness. He treated each student with kindness and administered rewards and punishments appropriately.
“We might miss the sun, the moon, and even the stars, but we can’t miss the opportunity to soar high in our third-year senior high school to achieve great things!”
Feng Zhi’s speech ended the moment Jiang Zhihuo hung up the phone. It was the school representative’s turn to speak next.
Without thinking much, Jiang Zhihuo knew that the school representative was definitely Yan Mu.
Jiang Zhihuo entered the playground while Yan Mu was halfway through his speech.
On the rubber lawn, under the sun, a group of people watched as the school bully and the god of learning brushed past each other, both showing expressions of disdain at the same time.
“Disgusting.”
There were only ten minutes left for the break period after the flag-raising ceremony. The atmosphere at No. 1 High School was concentrated on studying, especially after being motivated by the speeches during the flag-raising ceremony. Upon returning to their classes, everyone began to study intensely.
To match the atmosphere, Jiang Zhihuo spread out the test paper on the desk, held a pen in one hand, and looked down, appearing very serious. In fact, his other hand was playing on the phone under the desk.
Chang Luo was slow at completing the test paper and doodled on scrap paper while asking Jiang Zhihuo. “Huo-ge, what do you think of this test paper?”
Jiang Zhihuo hasn’t looked at the test paper yet. After being asked, he glanced at it and said, “Too easy; the difficulty should be higher.”
Chang Luo was already used to Jiang Zhihuo’s boastful remarks; thus, he asked again, “What are you doing?”
Jiang Zhihuo had nothing to hide. He raised his phone and showed it to Chang Luo.
Chang Luo: “Are you making an appointment? What’s the matter?”
Just as Jiang Zhihuo was about to speak, he felt a pain in his neck, and a faint scent of alcohol emanated from his body.
Jiang Zhihuo got up and went to the restroom to apply more pheromone masking spray. Actually, it didn’t matter if he didn’t; he was the only alpha in the class, and there was no omega, hence no one could smell it. However, he always felt that letting out a pheromone drift around was like a peacock displaying its feathers to attract a mate—too ostentatious.
“Are you feeling unwell?” Chang Luo asked after Jiang Zhihuo returned.
“I’m fine, nothing serious,” Jiang Zhihuo replied. “It’s Li-ge who keeps insisting that I go; otherwise, he will nag me again.”
Chang Luo: “How is Senior Muhe doing lately?”
Li-ge, Li Muhe, and Chang Luo also knew him. He was a senior at No. 1 High School, graduating two years ago. He was quite handsome. Last year, he came to school to visit the teachers and was invited to the class for a chat. All the girls in the class liked this gentle and caring senior.
“Pretty well; he has been a bit busy with courses.” The appointment was scheduled for Friday. Jiang Zhihuo casually took a screenshot and sent it to Li Muhe.
Li Muhe responded after one class.
Li Muhe: Well done.
Jiang Zhihuo was bored. The game he played was undergoing maintenance today, so he couldn’t log in for a while. Whenever he caught someone, he would talk a bit more than usual.
Jiang Zhihuo: Don’t use that word.
Li Muhe: You’re very sensible.
However, it was just a few sentences. Li Muhe was in his sophomore year. He had too many courses, and the scheduling of courses at the university wasn’t very reasonable; he had to run around between the north and south campuses.
These days, Jiang Zhihuo’s life was unexpectedly smooth. He didn’t see Yan Mu and successfully made an appointment with Bai Yujun for Sunday. Jiang Zhihuo’s mood improved a lot after Bai Yujun’s message, ‘See you on Sunday.’ in the chat box. He didn’t come late often, like before, and even paid attention in class. Although most of the time he was only staring at the blackboard, lost in thoughts,
In class, school bully Jiang neither sleeps nor keeps his head down to play with his phone. The teachers were almost moved to tears when their eyes met Jiang Zhihuo’s.
During breaks, Jiang Zhihuo would catch up with his sleep.
Every time Zong Bei passed by the classroom, he often saw Jiang Zhihuo lying on the desk.
He knocked on the window, and Jiang Zhihuo, with sleepy eyes, lifted his head. “?”
“Why are you always sleepy? You usually go back early every night, don’t you?”
Jiang Zhihuo yawned and said, “The phone is too entertaining.”
The moment he finished speaking, he felt his heart pounding heavily and a sharp pain in his neck, as if someone had twisted the back of his neck.
Fortunately, this feeling disappeared in an instant, so Zong Bei didn’t notice anything.
On Friday afternoon, Jiang Zhihuo used the appointment procedure to request leave from Ding Jianhui.
After skipping classes so many times, Ding Jianhui was pleasantly surprised to see the other party request a leave properly. “Why don’t you skip class directly this time?”
Jiang Zhihuo: “It’s rare for me to have a justifiable reason; I must ask for a leave.”
Ding Jianhui quickly approved the request.
After Jiang Zhihuo left, the teacher sitting beside Ding Jianhui couldn’t help but ask, “Old Ding, don’t you care? His grade can drag down the whole class! Don’t you want the annual bonus?”
Ding Jianhui: “I think it’s good for a student to have some characters. Grades are one thing; we should develop their strengths based on their characters.”
The teacher, harboring a deep prejudice against the school bully Jiang, scornfully remarked, “Fighting, skipping classes, climbing over the walls—what strengths does he have?”
Ding Jianhui poured the hot water into his insulated cup, closed the lid, and said, “He has. For example, he is gifted with things related to athletics and is also good-looking. These are strengths. I might suggest him for sports or acting. I’ll talk to him about this later.”
The teacher: “……”
Jiang Zhihuo wasn’t aware that Ding Jianhui had already figured out two paths for him. At this moment, he felt extremely uncomfortable. After leaving the school gate, he felt light-headed and dizzy, as if there was an amount of pheromone leaking from his body despite the use of masking spray.
Fortunately, the hospital wasn’t too far from the school; it was just across the street, down a small alley around the corner.
Walking for a short distance into the alley, Jiang Zhihuo heard a mocking voice coming from around the corner ahead.
“Hey, isn’t this an omega? Pretty cute. Wanna hang out with us?”
Jiang Zhihuo: “……”
This brother had no sense of propriety, using such an outdated pickup line, and still had the nerve to say it out.
