Jiang Heng’s ears warmed slightly at the way Shen Huaizhi called his name. He couldn’t help but feel that Shen Huaizhi seemed different today, though it might just be because the man had officially become an adult. Eighteen was a major milestone in life, after all.
“Have you finished your homework?” Before Jiang Heng could snap out of his thoughts, Shen Huaizhi had already walked up behind him, draping his jacket casually over the back of Jiang Heng’s chair. Being this close, the strong scent of alcohol from Shen Huaizhi’s body filled Jiang Heng’s nose, causing him to squint slightly in discomfort.
Jiang Heng glanced up at him. Shen Huaizhi’s shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his tie hung loosely around his neck, revealing a bit of his collarbone and skin, tinged slightly red. Despite his somewhat disheveled appearance, the question he asked was about schoolwork, which made Jiang Heng feel a strange sense of contradiction. His ears grew even hotter, and he quickly looked away, fumbling nervously with his papers. “Not yet, still have a bit left to do.”
Only after speaking did Jiang Heng realize that his voice was trembling slightly.
Damn it, is this the kind of effect an Alpha has on an Omega? Shen Huaizhi hadn’t done anything, and yet Jiang Heng was already feeling this affected.
But Shen Huaizhi seemed genuinely concerned about the homework, not noticing anything strange. He wrapped his arms around Jiang Heng from the sides, almost as if enclosing him in a loose embrace, and took the papers from his hand. “Have you marked the questions you don’t understand?”
Leaning over slightly, Shen Huaizhi was so close that his face nearly brushed against Jiang Heng’s cheek. His breath, laced with the smell of alcohol, landed directly on Jiang Heng’s ear.
Jiang Heng’s mind wandered for a second. In this position, if he just turned his head slightly, they could… kiss.
This realization made Jiang Heng feel lightheaded. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or Shen Huaizhi himself affecting him.
Yet Shen Huaizhi remained completely serious. He grabbed a pen from the desk and, despite the awkward posture, began working through the problems meticulously. As he wrote, his chest, pressed against Jiang Heng’s back through the blanket, moved slightly with each motion.
Even though there was a blanket between them, Jiang Heng could still feel the heat radiating from Shen Huaizhi’s body. He pursed his lips, mentally cursing himself.
Here Shen Huaizhi was helping him with his homework, and all Jiang Heng could think about were inappropriate thoughts.
Lost in his reverie, Jiang Heng suddenly felt a cool hand brush against the side of his face. Shen Huaizhi’s hands were still a bit cold. His palm rested against Jiang Heng’s cheek, gently nudging him in a way that felt like a reminder. “Jiang Heng, focus.”
Shen Huaizhi had never been this serious about keeping him on track during their study sessions before.
Jiang Heng’s eyelids fluttered slightly. He stared silently at Shen Huaizhi’s elegant hand holding the pen, writing for a while, before tightening his face and muttering, “Shen Huaizhi, have you evolved from being a little pervert to a full-blown one?”
It wasn’t an unreasonable comment.
He had walked in, taken off his jacket, unbuttoned his shirt—looking like a delinquent—only to seriously start discussing schoolwork right after.
It really was kind of perverted.
Shen Huaizhi paused his writing, a hint of confusion in his voice. “Why’d you suddenly say that?”
Jiang Heng remained silent for a moment before replying with a bit of sarcasm, “Why don’t you take a look in the mirror and see what you look like right now? Then compare it to what I look like.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Heng realized something felt off. It was a kind of Omega instinct that made him feel as if he were being hunted, sending a chill down his spine. He turned his head instinctively and saw Shen Huaizhi lowering his gaze, lips curved into a subtle smile. It was as if Shen Huaizhi had taken his words to heart and was now genuinely observing him. However, the look in Shen Huaizhi’s eyes was far too bold, his gaze openly roaming over Jiang Heng’s body—from his back to his neck, and then to his eyes—without hiding the desire in his expression.
Perhaps it was because they were too close, and Shen Huaizhi’s scent was overpowering. Omega always reacts to Alpha, and Jiang Heng’s earlobes turned a deep shade of red.
The faint scent of roses began to emanate from the gland on the back of Jiang Heng’s neck, blending with the strong alcohol scent from Shen Huaizhi, creating a heady mixture.
“Jiang Heng,” Shen Huaizhi’s tone was tinged with amusement. “I like what I see.”
Without waiting for Jiang Heng to respond, Shen Huaizhi tilted his head and lightly pecked the side of Jiang Heng’s neck, his left hand casually brushing the skin near the gland.
It was hard to tell whether the heat came from Shen Huaizhi or Jiang Heng, but it was almost unbearable.
Caught off guard by Shen Huaizhi’s words, Jiang Heng froze for a moment, only snapping back when a slight tickling sensation spread from his neck. Instinctively, he reached out to push Shen Huaizhi away, but instead of retreating, the Alpha simply shifted to his side, forcing the chair to swivel with him.
Unlike before, the way Shen Huaizhi kissed him now was intensely dominant, no longer even pretending to be gentle.
The scent of alcohol mixed with the crispness of melting snow gradually enveloped Jiang Heng, as the blanket around him slipped to the floor. In the dimly lit study, with books and papers scattered across the desk, two figures intertwined. The person sitting in the chair was forced to tilt their head back, and after a while, a tear—brought on by the intensity of the moment—glistened at the corner of their eye, their breath melding into the intimate sounds around them.
Just as Jiang Heng felt on the verge of suffocating, Shen Huaizhi finally loosened his grip slightly. But he continued, lazily nibbling at Jiang Heng’s lips, his voice low and intimate as he asked, “Jiang Heng, did you forget to tell me something?”
Jiang Heng’s hands were held in place, his mind a haze. Still, he managed to understand what Shen Huaizhi had said, and after a brief pause, he weakly fluttered his eyelids, murmuring, “Happy… adulthood…”
Before he could finish, his words were swallowed by Shen Huaizhi’s lips. The kiss seemed to last forever.
Jiang Heng couldn’t even recall how he went from sitting in the chair to being placed on the desk. Omegas are naturally led in such situations, often surrendering first. Now, he was perched on the desk, his hands resting limply on Shen Huaizhi’s shoulders, while the latter—seemingly unsatisfied—nuzzled into Jiang Heng’s neck like some large canine, sometimes lightly biting, other times gently licking.
This teasing, intermittent contact made Jiang Heng unable to resist, and he reflexively kicked at Shen Huaizhi’s leg. The hand supporting his back slid up and down a few times, as if to soothe him, with fingers grazing the heated skin of his waist, before pulling his shirt back into place.
Jiang Heng took a few shaky breaths, his mind completely blank from Shen Huaizhi’s predatory actions. Just as he began to regain a semblance of clarity, he kicked Shen Huaizhi a little harder. Yet, the Alpha seemed oblivious, continuing his earlier actions as if he were drawing strength from Jiang Heng.
The lingering scent of Alpha and Omega pheromones in the air was enough to make anyone’s heart race with just one whiff.
It was at this moment that Jiang Heng finally sensed something was off with Shen Huaizhi. He paused in his kicking, calling out hesitantly, “Shen Huaizhi…?”
“Class monitor?”
“…Pervert?”
Jiang Heng stayed silent for a moment, then tried again, “…Huaizhi ge?”
Shen Huaizhi finally responded with a soft hum, “Let me hold you for a while.”
Gone was the dominating demeanor from earlier. Now, Shen Huaizhi’s voice carried a trace of weariness, which stirred a small sense of tenderness in Jiang Heng.
“Are you tired?” The moment Shen Huaizhi showed this vulnerability, Jiang Heng instantly forgot about being pushed to tears earlier. Awkwardly imitating how Shen Huaizhi used to comfort him, he gently patted Shen Huaizhi’s back with his right hand. Through the thin shirt, Jiang Heng could clearly feel the muscles along Shen Huaizhi’s back.
It seemed like a thought flashed through Jiang Heng’s mind, but it was too quick to catch. Shen Huaizhi responded softly, his nose moving slightly with greed. The Omega carried his scent now, but it wasn’t enough.
“You drank a lot of alcohol,” Jiang Heng said, his voice also dropping. The scent of alcohol on Shen Huaizhi was overpowering, masking even his pheromones, and Jiang Heng could smell it as he spoke.
Shen Huaizhi responded again, “Quite a lot.”
Jiang Heng chuckled lightly, “Class monitor, you’re an adult now.”
“Mm.” Shen Huaizhi lightly pecked the side of Jiang Heng’s neck, his eyes darkening.
Jiang Heng hadn’t even had the chance to say anything more before he noticed something was off. Shen Huaizhi’s breath seemed to be getting closer to his gland.
This realization triggered a sense of danger.
Sure enough.
The next second, Shen Huaizhi softly asked, “Mark you?” Maybe it was because he had just turned 18, or maybe it was all the alcohol, but today his desire for an Omega was stronger than usual.
But the Omega in front of him hadn’t yet come of age. He couldn’t do anything, couldn’t hurt him.
Jiang Heng’s comforting gesture paused mid-air, his fingers unintentionally curling.
A few seconds later, he obediently lowered his head, fully exposing the back of his neck to the air. His fair, beautiful neck gleamed under the light, drawing attention.
Jiang Heng kept a straight face, letting out a light scoff. “Then hurry up,” he said, though his hands gripped Shen Huaizhi’s clothes tightly.
Today, nothing else mattered. The birthday star held the most authority.
When Ruan Shu and Shen’s father returned, they saw their son sitting on the couch, seemingly lost in thought.
The two exchanged glances. Ruan Shu spoke first, “What’s going on? Where’s Xiao Heng? Is he asleep? Or did you send him home?”
After speaking, she glanced at Shen’s father, who coughed lightly and headed upstairs, his face stern.
Shen Huaizhi gave a low response.
Seeing him like this, Ruan Shu felt a twinge of worry. “Is it your susceptible period?” she asked.
Shen Huaizhi shook his head.
Ruan Shu asked again, “Then what…?” Her son’s mood swings had been becoming more frequent lately. In the past, whether attending social events with his father or anything else, he never expressed reluctance or fatigue. But today, he had openly shown that he didn’t want to stay.
This brought a sense of relief to Ruan Shu.
Shen Huaizhi lifted his eyes slightly.
After a long moment of silence, he slowly said, “There was blood during the temporary marking…”
It seemed like he had lost some control.
Shen Huaizhi closed his eyes.
Although Jiang Heng hadn’t shown any dissatisfaction at the time and, like previous temporary markings, even seemed a bit pleased towards the end, Shen Huaizhi was still afraid that he had hurt Jiang Heng.
An out-of-control Alpha could be terrifying.
Hearing this, Ruan Shu was momentarily stunned. She glanced upstairs again, seeing that Shen’s father wasn’t around. She covered her mouth and chuckled, “I thought it was something serious. The marking was just a little too deep, that’s all. It’s no big deal. I’ve been bitten to the point of bleeding by your dad before too.”
“Omegas have a pretty strong self-healing ability in this regard. Just don’t go around marking people again before they’re of age.” After saying this, she noticed Shen Huaizhi still had his head down, looking guilty. Understanding that her son truly cared about Jiang Heng, she paused and added, “If you’re like this now, what will you do when it comes to the full marking later?”
“If he starts crying, would you really stop?”
Shen Huaizhi glanced expressionlessly at Ruan Shu and cut her off before she could finish. “Mom, I’m going to rest.”
Ruan Shu called after him twice, wanting to give him a little more “education,” but her son didn’t pay her any attention and headed straight upstairs.
After Shen Huaizhi disappeared, Ruan Shu sat on the couch, thought for a while, and then shook her head with a smile.
She wasn’t sure if being this concerned was a good thing.
–
In June, the rain in Jincheng had been pouring down for quite a long time.
During the days of the college entrance exams, it continued raining, and there were significantly fewer pedestrians on the streets.
As it had been for years, No. 1 High School was one of the exam centers. Three days before the exams, the entire first and second-year classes were given a holiday.
Nearby milk tea shops were packed with students, most of whom were there to prepare for their final exams without having to study at home.
Raindrops pattered against the glass windows, sliding down and splashing into small puddles on the ground.
Jiang Heng bit the end of his pen as he stared out the window.
“Help, help, He Ci, come save me!” Chen Xingchi was so agitated he nearly slid out of his chair.
He Ci couldn’t resist kicking him, “Can you quiet down? Don’t you see everyone around here is studying?”
After that, Chen Xingchi glanced around. Because of his outburst, everyone who had been quietly studying was now looking their way.
He immediately fell silent.
Hearing the commotion, Jiang Heng couldn’t help but glance at the two of them, his eyes full of displeasure.
“Did I bring you two here to play games?”
Chen Xingchi and He Ci immediately shook their heads, “No.”
Jiang Heng sneered, “Oh, you know it’s not? If you know it’s not, then why are you two having so much fun playing?” His tone was laced with sarcasm as he tapped his pen against his papers.
Chen Xingchi chuckled awkwardly, “Well, we’re just taking a break, right?” As he spoke, he controlled his hero and glanced out the window, trying to change the subject. “Why hasn’t the class monitor arrived yet? He’s not lost, is he?”
Hearing this, Jiang Heng looked down at his phone; the message still showed that Shen Huaizhi was on his way.
“Still a little while longer.” Just as Jiang Heng finished speaking, he sniffed the air.
The aroma of fried skewers filled the entire milk tea shop as two people entered through the door.
Even Chen Xingchi was drawn in by the delicious smell. “Seriously, what’s wrong with this person? Is he here to study or to eat?”
He Ci glanced over and asked, “Want to eat?”
Before Chen Xingchi could nod, Jiang Heng, who had been spinning a pen, chimed in first, “What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it.”
He didn’t even remember the last time he had eaten these things.
Recently, he had been so focused on studying that Ruan Shu had been trying to find ways to make him soup to nourish his body and brain cells. He couldn’t even recall what fried skewers tasted like anymore.
Although Ruan Shu was a great cook, Jiang Heng still found her food rather bland.
Previously, when he had gone home with Shen Huaizhi, he hadn’t had the chance to buy anything.
Now that he finally had the opportunity, he sent Shen Huaizhi a message to confirm when he would arrive.
Shen Huaizhi had gone out of town with his father last night; apparently, a relative of the Shen family had passed away, and he was accompanying his father to pay his respects.
After receiving a reply that it would take a little while longer, Jiang Heng smirked.
Hearing Jiang Heng’s question, Chen Xingchi and He Ci wasted no time and immediately ordered a bunch of food.
Jiang Heng shot them a half-smile, half-frown. He Ci quickly said, “Can’t I go with you?”
“No need; you two just hold down the fort here.”
Seats in the milk tea shop were now hard to come by.
Besides, Jiang Heng wanted to go out and get some fresh air.
Once he stepped outside, the stuffiness dissipated significantly. The weather in June was already hot; if it hadn’t been for the continuous rain, the temperature would have probably risen a few more degrees.
The fine raindrops fell onto the surface of his umbrella, creating a light “pat pat” sound.
The fried skewer shop was on the other side of the school and wasn’t too crowded. Jiang Heng didn’t wait long before his order was ready.
On the way back, he deliberately took a shortcut that passed through a small alley. Normally, this path was quite busy during school hours.
However, today, with both the holiday and the rain, there were hardly any people around, and the bluestone slabs underfoot were soaked by the falling rain. The aroma of the fried skewers in his hand wafted enticingly.
Jiang Heng paused for a moment, resisting the urge to eat and deciding to wait until he got back to the milk tea shop, especially since Shen Huaizhi wouldn’t be arriving anytime soon. With this thought in mind, he quickened his pace.
Just as he reached the mouth of the alley, Jiang Heng heard voices coming from inside, mixed with what sounded like muffled cries.
His eyelids twitched, and he felt that his luck wasn’t particularly good today. He wasn’t someone who particularly wanted to play the hero.
Just as he was about to turn around, he hesitated for a moment, then walked forward, glancing up to see a small area with a roof overhead.
A minute later, a colorful umbrella was propped open on the ground, and beneath it, a large bag of fried skewers was placed on a few tiles that hadn’t yet gotten wet.
Jiang Heng lightly clicked his tongue, softly reassuring the skewers, “I hope you’re all okay when I come back.”
With that, he reluctantly headed into the alley.
As expected, inside the alley, a few boys dressed in a casual manner were surrounding someone, seemingly teasing them. A black umbrella lay on the ground, being washed by the rain.
“Seriously, no money? If you don’t have money, why are you even here learning? Why not just stay at home?” One of the boys, an Alpha, spoke sharply, his brows furrowed. He lightly patted the face of the person they were surrounding while impatiently kicking the wall.
“I really don’t have any money… just enough for two yuan for the bus…” The boy being threatened shook his head, hugging his backpack and trembling slightly.
The Alpha’s pheromones were overpowering, making it impossible for the Omega to breathe.
“Dude, look at him; he’s an Omega. If he doesn’t have money, then…”
“Shut your mouth! Do you know what the crime of molesting an Omega is?” The boy referred to as the leader immediately got angry. Before he could continue, his hand, which was propped against the wall, was suddenly grabbed with force.
Jiang Heng smiled. “Hey, brother, you know that bullying an Omega is a serious crime. Why are you still here trying to rob him?”
Jiang Heng was about the same height as the boy, but he exuded a dominating aura. When he smiled, there was a hint of mischievousness in his expression, making him look even more intimidating than the boy being called the leader.
If it weren’t for the barrier sticker on the back of his neck, it would be too easy for others to mistake him for an Omega.
The boy whose arm Jiang Heng had grabbed moved but couldn’t break free.
Seeing the situation, the group of lackeys discreetly released a small amount of Alpha pheromones. Jiang Heng didn’t react much, but the Omega, who had been surrounded, was overwhelmed by the mix of unpleasant pheromones. His legs went weak, and he slid down the wall, looking even paler than before.
Although Jiang Heng couldn’t smell the pheromones, he could tell what was happening from the Omega’s appearance. He narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming more fierce, and threatened, “You’re still… talking nonsense?” As he spoke, he exerted a little more force, twisting the boy’s arm behind his back until his joints made a crisp sound.
The boy yelped in pain, “What are you guys… still standing there for? Get him!”
He was just a student from a nearby school with nothing better to do, not really a delinquent. But with no money during the holiday, he decided to try robbing someone with his friends. After waiting in the rain for so long, they finally found someone to target—only to realize the person had no money, and they ended up encountering someone who loved playing the hero.
Despite being an Alpha, the boy’s health had deteriorated from too many late nights, and he was in no shape to fight. After being grabbed by Jiang Heng, his legs immediately went weak.
At his command, the lackeys rushed over, their presence intimidating. They thought, “It’s many against one, and he’s an Omega—this’ll be easy! If not, we can always suppress him with our pheromones!”
Five minutes later, Jiang Heng massaged his sore fingers. He hadn’t expected this group to be so weak, especially for Alphas.
Indeed, there were huge differences even among Alphas.
The Omega in the corner had shrunk back, too terrified to speak—not just because of the oppressive Alpha pheromones, but also because of the sheer ferocity with which Jiang Heng had beaten them.
In all his life, he’d never seen such a fierce Omega.
“We’re sorry! We’ll never rob at this school again!” the leader cried out, begging for mercy from the ground.
Jiang Heng raised an eyebrow, “So where will you rob next?”
“Nowhere! We won’t rob anywhere! You’re our boss! Wherever you say, we’ll go!”
The lackeys quickly echoed, “Yes, yes! Whatever you say, boss, we’ll do anything for you!”
Jiang Heng glanced at the Omega beside him, pondering for a moment, “Why don’t you join me and study hard?”
As he finished speaking, Jiang Heng was about to retrieve his long-awaited fried skewers. But before he could turn around, he noticed a few familiar figures out of the corner of his eye.
Jiang Heng paused.
The group of Alphas, stunned by his suggestion, couldn’t believe it. Since when did school bullies care about studying? After a moment of hesitation, they quickly responded, “Yes! Study hard! Study hard!”
Just as they shouted their promise, they saw the Omega, who had just been acting all tough, suddenly collapse against the wall as if his legs had gone weak, slowly sliding down.
Looking frail and weak.
The group of Alphas: ????
The Omega trembling in the corner: ???
1You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️” -TL: Ysiad
